Top 5+5 Paris

A friend of mine is going to Paris soon, and she asked me what recommendations I might have for a couple of days' visit. I have lots of impressions of Paris as someone who actually spent about 6 months there back in 1999 and visited several times since then. So I thought I would suggest a top 5 musts-see and then 5 more places of interest if she has more time. I might make this a regular feature of my blog, at least for a little while...

So, here we go - top 5+5 for Paris.

1. Montmartre Hill.
To me, a fragile, artistic soul - hehe - Montmartre is the spirit of the city. All of those impressionist artists of the fin de siecle lived, painted, drank and otherwise debauched here. It is still a very bohemian place, but the one with amazing views of the city from the top of the hill, which by the way can be accessed by a cable car if your feet can't struggle up the stairs. Sacre Coeur, a faux-Byzantium styled basilica on the top of the hill is not the most popular and far from the oldest church in Paris, but it is nevertheless beautiful in its own rite.

2. Cite

This is the oldest, most historical part of Paris. Two of Paris' most famous Gothic buildings are here: Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle. If the first one is on every tourist's itinerary as the main church in the entire France, the second one, Sainte Chapelle, is an absolute gem which simply cannot be overlooked. It is well worth 8 or 10 or whatever the price is these days in Euros, even if you are only remotely familiar with Gothic architecture and have never seen stained glass.
Cite is also quite eclectic in its character, and its art-deco Metro station is one of the oldest in the city.

3. Musee d'Orsay

After you wandered around Montmartre, wouldn't it be nice to see what it actually looked like during the times of Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec and Sisley? Well, there's hardly a better collection of impressionism and post-impressionism than Musee d'Orsay. Set in the old railway station, it is spacious and well-located on the banks of the Seine. Most of the famous works are housed on the second floor, but the ground floor is worth a visit, too, for its collection of 18-19 century French art. Best yet, it's free on the first Sunday of each month. If you are a pennypacker like me or just furious over the Euro prices, time your visit accordingly!

4. The Eiffel Tower




Yes, yes, I know you won't listen to me if I said forget about it, so I might as well put it in here. Actually, it's not that much of a tourist trap. I mean, it's TOURISTY, big time - but it's also a pretty damn big construction, still an engineering marvel. The only advice I can give, go at dust, so that you can catch it light up - they do a fantastic job illuminating the entire structure.

5. Pere Lachaise Cemetery


One of my personal favourite Parisian spots. A little out of the way, and still peaceful and quiet despite the Jim Morrison's neverending fanbase, it is the king of all cemeteries in France. I dare anyone to find such a concentration of well-known names anywhere else in France or maybe even the world. Chopin, Bizet, Oscar Wilde, Edit Piaf, Ingres, Conrad, to name a few and not to mention the Lizard King himself. Enjoy.




Well, these Top 5 have just barely begun to uncover Paris for a more than a typical American tourist "doing" Europe, so if you want the right to say you've actually been to Paris, take a look at 5 more sights and attractions:

6. Louvre


I didn't put it in the top 5 because it is very time-consuming, very crowded and very huge, but if you have more than 2 days in the city, I highly recommend it. Try not to skip just to the highlights (you know, Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Nike Samophrace, etc.) but pick one of the 3 wings per day, depending on your artistic taste. You are likely to leave with a headache from the serious art overload though. The glass pyramid in the centre is kind of cool, too.









7. La Defense

I personally like this piece of modern Paris, although not everybody does. The Grand Arche de la Defense is an amazing piece of architecture, whether you take the lift to its top or sit on the stairs underneath gawking at its phenomenal height. Definitely a worthy site.


8. Musee l'Orangerie and Tuileries Gardens

This museum was apparently specifically designed to exhibit Monet's Waterlilies in on the oval panoramic walls. A small but intimate museum, it also houses a top-notch small collection of impressionism. And the Tuileries Gardens nearby are a nice place to stroll away a spring day.




9. Champs Elysees and Arch de Triomph


Although 2 distinct sights, these are adjacent to each other and are a logical tandem. You window shop in the fanciest boutiques in the world, then climb the arch and enjoy another view of Paris from atop of l'Etoile, where something like 12 streets join together (or is it 16?) Traffic underneath is completely chaotic, and be very careful crossing the l'Etoile circle on foot. Thankfully, there are underground subways. Or, start your day here and then continue to Champs Elysees and do some real shopping this time.

10. ????

There is much more to see in Paris than just one sight, so I will leave the number 10 to the visitor, no doubt armed with much more respectable sources of information than this one. Suggestions are too many for this last contender. Bastille? Ile St. Louis? Montparnasse? Luxembourgh Gardens? Latin Quarter? Musee Rodin? All are good, and the more time you have in the city, the better. Make your own top 10, 15 or 20 already. I am done.