Last week we had a beautiful week end, this week, grey clouds are back ... So bad ! At least, I can concentrate myself on my luggage ! I know I won't have the time tomorrow because it's Mother's Day.
I think everything is ready, I'll check 10.000 times tomorrow !
As you know, they are 20 districts in Paris.
I'll try to find one place per district for you !
Let's go.
1st district - le Louvre :
- walk through the Gardens, le Jardin des Tuileries
- walk down from the Place de la Concorde to the Rue de Rivoli, and admires the Louvre ! (the architecture is so interesting, you can guess who are the King following the parts of the building !)
- walk down the Rue de Rivoli, you arrive to the quarter of Châtelet. The place to be if you enjoy theatre and jazz music (don't go if you're afraid to meet strange old men, I'll tell you that story later)
- if you cross the Seine, you will go to the quarter of Saint Germain (another district); before that, go to visit the Musée d'Orsay.
- go down by the banks, you'll arrive at the Ile de la Cité. The old Paris, Quasimodo and Notre Dame de Paris
2nd district - la Bourse :
- the Grands Boulevards (also 9th): Haussmann (the one with Le Printemps and the Galeries Lafayette); Capucines (with the big French banks)
- the Opera Garnier ; if you walk down the Avenue de l'Opéra, you'll arrive at the Comédie Française (THE classical theatre !) and at the Louvre !
- the Rue de la Paix (hide your wallet, there's too many shops ... the expensive ones ... that's why, la Rue de la Paix is the more expensive in the French Monopoly !), walk a little bit and you're at the Place Vendôme.
3rd district - le Marais :
- the Musée Carnavelet is about Paris history.
- the quarter "le Marais" (marsh, called like that because it's on the Seine, and so, in history, this quarter was marshes ...), art, fashion and philosophy. So funny !
4th district - Hôtel de Ville :
- the Musée Pompidou (Beaubourg) : I hate it ! I think it's awfull, and I don't like contemporary art ! So, I never go there, except if I know there is an interesting exhibition.
- go down the Rue de Rivoli (again), it will becomes the Boulevard Saint Antoine, and far away, you will makes out the Génie de la Liberté ! This little angel of the July Column (also 11rst).
Those districts (1rst, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) are the Center of Paris, on the right side of the Seine. Versailles also has this right/left side. Back to the Palace, you can see the Avenue de Paris, called like that, because if you follow it until the end, you arrive in Paris. The right side of Versailles, is on the right of the Avenue, and so on the right of Paris and the Seine. The left side, the same. What a great man Louis XIV ! ;) If you take a train at the station Versailles Rive Droite, you'll arrive at Paris Saint Lazare, right side of the Seine; if you take another train at the station Versailles Rive Gauche (near the Palace), you'll arrive at Paris Montparnasse or another station of the "lovely" RER C, on the left side of the Seine.
5th district - Panthéon :
- this is where you'll see the best French high schools (Henri IV, Louis Le Grand), the biggest University (La Sorbonne, the Faculté des Sciences), big superior schools (Ecole Normale Supérieure)
Why ? Because, this is where we have the Panthéon, THE place to be when you're a genius ! Inside, you'll visiting the distinguished French citizens. This is what we call the Latin Quarter.
- go to the Musée du Moyen Âge, Cluny.
- take the Quai Saint Bernard, and visit the Institut du Monde Arabe. This is the museum with the islamic art. Very interesting. And then, cross the Rue Cuvier, you can go through the Jardin des Plantes, and visit the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle !
6th district - Luxembourg :
The Quarter of Saint Germain des Prés. Arts, literature, fashion. A little bit like le Marais, but still different. One of the most expensive quarter of Paris.
- go to the Jardin du Luxembourg. Unfortunately, you won't be able to go inside the Palais du Luxembourg, because it closed few months ago. The place was used for exhibitions. But, because of the crisis, there is no more money to help this place. And now, it's closed. We all hope that one day it will re-open, because the exhibitions were nice !
7th district - Invalides :
- the Hôtel des Invalides. In the past, it was the military hospital. Built by Louis XIV, it was open to the disable military (invalides, in French).
- the Ecole Militaire (also 15th), the Champ de Mars, and the Eiffel Tower. Spending a sunny afternoon at the Champ de Mars is so niiiiiice !!
- if you walk on the Quai de Branly, you can stop by and visit the Musée du Quai Branly. I won't tell you how much I HATE this museum ... ... too bad, because, it's the museum with a lot of "unknown" civilizations (Oceanie, some of African tribe, Inuit ... ) but, I think that the museography sucks and is illogical, and maybe there is too many things ! But, if you want, you can go inside and tell me what you think about it !
- keep walking on the Quai Branly, it becomes Quai d'Orsay. You can stop by and visit the Palais Bourbon, the Assemblée Nationale. Just behind, go to see the French Ministry of Defense. Further, the Musée d'Orsay. A lovely museum (yes, in fact, I love ancient and classical art, and so classical museum, and hate the contemporary art and, contemporary museums !)
8th district - Elysée :
Maybe the one I don't like because it's the one with all the tourists ! ;)
- take your time. At the Place de l'Etoile (place Charles de Gaulle), go up up up, and admires Paris from the Arc de Triomphe. And then, go down, down, down. Walk down the Champs Elysées ... Look at the Grand Palais, one (for me) of the most beautiful building in Paris ! I love it ! And then, arrive at the Place de la Concorde (so beautiful too !)
- At the Place de la Concorde, say "hi !" to the Hôtel Crillon (and to the French Ministry of the Navy) ... take the Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré. If your banker is your friend, you can shop ... ... And then, you have to cross the street, the Officers will tell you "no, you cannot stay on that side of the street", and somebody can ask you
" - Why do you have to cross the street ?"
" - Because it's the Palais de l'Elysée"
" - ... ..."
" - This is where the French President lives."
(my boss asked me those questions last time I saw him in Paris ; we had an appointment at the British Ambassy, near the Elysée ...)
- if you want to have fun, take the Avenue Montaigne. I wonder why this Avenue is not in the Parisian Monopoly !!
9th district - Opéra :
My favourite !!! Because it was "my" district during my studies !!
- The Grands Boulevards
- The Opéra Garnier
- Do it if you know them, I don't know them ... But, you can visit Paris thanks to covered alleys. It's wonderful. They were two of them near my school, the Passage Verdeau and the Passage Jouffroy.
- take the Rue Drouot and open the door of the Hôtel Drouot. Choose a room, the one you want and listen and watch. Take your time, and make attention to your moves, if the auctioneer can sells you something .... Yes, the Hôtel Drouot is not a hotel, but a saleroom. We call it "hôtel" because there are a lot of room, and we have a lot (maybe 10) sells in the same time !
- take the Passage Jouffroy, and you'll arrive at the Musée Grévin, you know that museum with people made of wax.
10th district - Magenta :
The Musical district !
This is where you will find a lot of concerts halls, theatres, cinemas (the big one is Le Grand Rex)
- the Canal Saint Martin ... Walk down next to it, and enjoy your time !
11st district - République / Voltaire :
République is north.
This is a great quarter. A lot of nice pubs with music ...
Voltaire is south.
Just, walk down the Rue de la Roquette, go to see a concert at the Scène Bastille, the Nouveau Casino or the Mécanique Ondulatoire, go to drink a mojito at the Motel ...
12nd district - Bercy / Reuilly :
Bercy is East.
...
sorry, I don't know that part ...
Reuilly is West.
- the Quarter of Bastille, the Opera Bastille, and la Rue de la Roquette ! So nice !!!
- take the time to visit the Opera Bastille, it's so hugeeeeeeeeeeeee !!!! The day I visit it, I was with my class, we had to spend a week at the Opera. Some things were interesting, other were not (and it was great because few times later we had our exams). The first thing we had was the visit, and the guide was so wonderful !!! We all loved that visit !! If you have chance, maybe you can assist to a ballet or an opera ! If you can do it, just do, because the audience is really really good ! A great acoustic, a wonderful view ! Really good !
- you can try to go to see a nice concert, or sport event, at the Palais Omnisport de Paris Bercy (P.O.P.B) - you know what, I never went there ...
13rd district - BNF / Italie :
BNF is East.
- if you cannot go to the P.O.P.B, cross the Seine, and spend a little time at the Bibliothèque National de France (BNF)- François Mitterrand ! Have fun at the Bercy Village, a kind of Disneyland, so funny ...
Italy is West.
And sorry, I don't know that quarter of Paris ...
The only thing I can tell you is that we call that quarter Chinatown ...
14th district - Observatoire / Montparnasse :
Observatoire is East.
I think everything is ready, I'll check 10.000 times tomorrow !
As you know, they are 20 districts in Paris.
I'll try to find one place per district for you !Let's go.
1st district - le Louvre :
- walk through the Gardens, le Jardin des Tuileries
- walk down from the Place de la Concorde to the Rue de Rivoli, and admires the Louvre ! (the architecture is so interesting, you can guess who are the King following the parts of the building !)
- walk down the Rue de Rivoli, you arrive to the quarter of Châtelet. The place to be if you enjoy theatre and jazz music (don't go if you're afraid to meet strange old men, I'll tell you that story later)
- if you cross the Seine, you will go to the quarter of Saint Germain (another district); before that, go to visit the Musée d'Orsay.
- go down by the banks, you'll arrive at the Ile de la Cité. The old Paris, Quasimodo and Notre Dame de Paris
2nd district - la Bourse :
- the Grands Boulevards (also 9th): Haussmann (the one with Le Printemps and the Galeries Lafayette); Capucines (with the big French banks)
- the Opera Garnier ; if you walk down the Avenue de l'Opéra, you'll arrive at the Comédie Française (THE classical theatre !) and at the Louvre !
- the Rue de la Paix (hide your wallet, there's too many shops ... the expensive ones ... that's why, la Rue de la Paix is the more expensive in the French Monopoly !), walk a little bit and you're at the Place Vendôme.
3rd district - le Marais :
- the Musée Carnavelet is about Paris history.
- the quarter "le Marais" (marsh, called like that because it's on the Seine, and so, in history, this quarter was marshes ...), art, fashion and philosophy. So funny !
4th district - Hôtel de Ville :
- the Musée Pompidou (Beaubourg) : I hate it ! I think it's awfull, and I don't like contemporary art ! So, I never go there, except if I know there is an interesting exhibition.
- go down the Rue de Rivoli (again), it will becomes the Boulevard Saint Antoine, and far away, you will makes out the Génie de la Liberté ! This little angel of the July Column (also 11rst).
Those districts (1rst, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) are the Center of Paris, on the right side of the Seine. Versailles also has this right/left side. Back to the Palace, you can see the Avenue de Paris, called like that, because if you follow it until the end, you arrive in Paris. The right side of Versailles, is on the right of the Avenue, and so on the right of Paris and the Seine. The left side, the same. What a great man Louis XIV ! ;) If you take a train at the station Versailles Rive Droite, you'll arrive at Paris Saint Lazare, right side of the Seine; if you take another train at the station Versailles Rive Gauche (near the Palace), you'll arrive at Paris Montparnasse or another station of the "lovely" RER C, on the left side of the Seine.
5th district - Panthéon :
- this is where you'll see the best French high schools (Henri IV, Louis Le Grand), the biggest University (La Sorbonne, the Faculté des Sciences), big superior schools (Ecole Normale Supérieure)
Why ? Because, this is where we have the Panthéon, THE place to be when you're a genius ! Inside, you'll visiting the distinguished French citizens. This is what we call the Latin Quarter.
- go to the Musée du Moyen Âge, Cluny.
- take the Quai Saint Bernard, and visit the Institut du Monde Arabe. This is the museum with the islamic art. Very interesting. And then, cross the Rue Cuvier, you can go through the Jardin des Plantes, and visit the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle !
6th district - Luxembourg :
The Quarter of Saint Germain des Prés. Arts, literature, fashion. A little bit like le Marais, but still different. One of the most expensive quarter of Paris.
- go to the Jardin du Luxembourg. Unfortunately, you won't be able to go inside the Palais du Luxembourg, because it closed few months ago. The place was used for exhibitions. But, because of the crisis, there is no more money to help this place. And now, it's closed. We all hope that one day it will re-open, because the exhibitions were nice !
7th district - Invalides :
- the Hôtel des Invalides. In the past, it was the military hospital. Built by Louis XIV, it was open to the disable military (invalides, in French).
- the Ecole Militaire (also 15th), the Champ de Mars, and the Eiffel Tower. Spending a sunny afternoon at the Champ de Mars is so niiiiiice !!
- if you walk on the Quai de Branly, you can stop by and visit the Musée du Quai Branly. I won't tell you how much I HATE this museum ... ... too bad, because, it's the museum with a lot of "unknown" civilizations (Oceanie, some of African tribe, Inuit ... ) but, I think that the museography sucks and is illogical, and maybe there is too many things ! But, if you want, you can go inside and tell me what you think about it !
- keep walking on the Quai Branly, it becomes Quai d'Orsay. You can stop by and visit the Palais Bourbon, the Assemblée Nationale. Just behind, go to see the French Ministry of Defense. Further, the Musée d'Orsay. A lovely museum (yes, in fact, I love ancient and classical art, and so classical museum, and hate the contemporary art and, contemporary museums !)
8th district - Elysée :
Maybe the one I don't like because it's the one with all the tourists ! ;)
- take your time. At the Place de l'Etoile (place Charles de Gaulle), go up up up, and admires Paris from the Arc de Triomphe. And then, go down, down, down. Walk down the Champs Elysées ... Look at the Grand Palais, one (for me) of the most beautiful building in Paris ! I love it ! And then, arrive at the Place de la Concorde (so beautiful too !)
- At the Place de la Concorde, say "hi !" to the Hôtel Crillon (and to the French Ministry of the Navy) ... take the Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré. If your banker is your friend, you can shop ... ... And then, you have to cross the street, the Officers will tell you "no, you cannot stay on that side of the street", and somebody can ask you
" - Why do you have to cross the street ?"
" - Because it's the Palais de l'Elysée"
" - ... ..."
" - This is where the French President lives."
(my boss asked me those questions last time I saw him in Paris ; we had an appointment at the British Ambassy, near the Elysée ...)
- if you want to have fun, take the Avenue Montaigne. I wonder why this Avenue is not in the Parisian Monopoly !!
9th district - Opéra :
My favourite !!! Because it was "my" district during my studies !!
- The Grands Boulevards
- The Opéra Garnier
- Do it if you know them, I don't know them ... But, you can visit Paris thanks to covered alleys. It's wonderful. They were two of them near my school, the Passage Verdeau and the Passage Jouffroy.
- take the Rue Drouot and open the door of the Hôtel Drouot. Choose a room, the one you want and listen and watch. Take your time, and make attention to your moves, if the auctioneer can sells you something .... Yes, the Hôtel Drouot is not a hotel, but a saleroom. We call it "hôtel" because there are a lot of room, and we have a lot (maybe 10) sells in the same time !
- take the Passage Jouffroy, and you'll arrive at the Musée Grévin, you know that museum with people made of wax.
10th district - Magenta :
The Musical district !
This is where you will find a lot of concerts halls, theatres, cinemas (the big one is Le Grand Rex)
- the Canal Saint Martin ... Walk down next to it, and enjoy your time !
11st district - République / Voltaire :
République is north.
This is a great quarter. A lot of nice pubs with music ...
Voltaire is south.
Just, walk down the Rue de la Roquette, go to see a concert at the Scène Bastille, the Nouveau Casino or the Mécanique Ondulatoire, go to drink a mojito at the Motel ...
12nd district - Bercy / Reuilly :
Bercy is East.
...
sorry, I don't know that part ...
Reuilly is West.
- the Quarter of Bastille, the Opera Bastille, and la Rue de la Roquette ! So nice !!!
- take the time to visit the Opera Bastille, it's so hugeeeeeeeeeeeee !!!! The day I visit it, I was with my class, we had to spend a week at the Opera. Some things were interesting, other were not (and it was great because few times later we had our exams). The first thing we had was the visit, and the guide was so wonderful !!! We all loved that visit !! If you have chance, maybe you can assist to a ballet or an opera ! If you can do it, just do, because the audience is really really good ! A great acoustic, a wonderful view ! Really good !
- you can try to go to see a nice concert, or sport event, at the Palais Omnisport de Paris Bercy (P.O.P.B) - you know what, I never went there ...
13rd district - BNF / Italie :
BNF is East.
- if you cannot go to the P.O.P.B, cross the Seine, and spend a little time at the Bibliothèque National de France (BNF)- François Mitterrand ! Have fun at the Bercy Village, a kind of Disneyland, so funny ...
- admire the Pitié Salpetriêre, one of the most famous hospital of Paris. The one that medical student want went they go to the Uni !
Italy is West.
And sorry, I don't know that quarter of Paris ...
The only thing I can tell you is that we call that quarter Chinatown ...
14th district - Observatoire / Montparnasse :
Observatoire is East.
Except if you love Hospitals or if you're looking for a little room at the Cité Universitaire, I don't think you'll find a lot of interesting thing here ...
Montparnasse is West.
Bars and concerts halls for jazz music. A lot of societies ... A big train station...
15th district - Vaugirard / Grenelle :
Like 14th, a lot of societies ...
16th district - Auteuil / Passy :
Auteuil is South.
The golden district.
But, go to see the Maison de la Radio, Quai du Président Kennedy. It's a nice building (but I think that it's hidden for the moment because they're renovating it). And if you have time, go to the Bois de Boulogne (hidden inside, the court of Roland Garros and the Hippodrome d'Auteuil)
Passy is North.
- just in front of the Eiffel Tower (7h), the Palais du Trocadéro, with the Musée de la Marine, the Musée de l'Homme and the Palais de Chaillot (a famous theatre).
- take the Avenue de New York and stop by the Palais de Tokyo, and to the Musée Guimet (Asiatic art)
- if you're a girl and that you love fashion, go to the Palais Galliera, also known as the Musée de la Mode (Museum of Fashion)
17th district - Ternes / Batignolles :
Ternes is West.
Keep that district in mind if you want, like me, to go to Warner Music France, and say to one girl
" - You were supposed to call me to say yes or no to my appliance, you never did it !"
Batignolles is East.
Never go there, I don't want to die !! :)
18th district - Montmartre / La Chapelle :
Montmartre is West.
- if you go there, girl, please do not wear stilettos ... Because Montmartre is up, up, up, with a lot of stairs with no ends, and cobblestone everywhere !! But it's beautiful.
- take the little streets, the stairs ... the funicular and go to see the Sacré Coeur.
ATTENTION !!! If you take the subway and that you want to go out at Abbesses ... DO NOT TAKE THE STAIRS !!! TAKE THE ELEVATORS !!! Or you'll die in the stairs !!!
One night, we had a party in that neighbourhood. We exit at Abbesses and saw a lot of people who were waiting for the elevators ... We laughed and decided to take the stairs. We regret it 5 minutes later, tired, sweated, and seeing that we were not arrived and that we cannot take the elevator; it's only up or down, not in between !! Maybe one hour later, we saw light and felt fresh air ! Thank you Abbesses !!!
- on the Boulevard de Clichy, take a look at the Moulin Rouge and try to count all the tourists coming in !! ;)
La Chapelle is East and is nothing but train station !
19th district - La Villette / Buttes Chaumont :
La Villette (north) is the scientific quarter !
- go to la Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, it's so interesting !!, go to La Géode, to la Cité de la Musique ! Walk through the Park !
Buttes Chaumont is South, and unfortunately I don't know that part ... I just know that it's a great place too !
20th district - Ménilmontant / Père Lachaise :
If there is one place to visit in 20th district, it's the Père Lachaise, the BIG cemetery ! It's a lovely place, and visits are really interesting. Go and say "hi!" to Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, or Oscar Wilde !
The tour is over now. I'm really sorry, I don't have a place to see for each district ! I realize now that there are some places that I don't know; and that we will stay (with A Joker's Rage) in the Center of Paris ! I hope you liked this post and that it will help you if one day you come to Paris ! Do not hesitate to leave a comment with what you already visit or what you want to visit in Paris. As you see it, Paris it's not just the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysées !
Montparnasse is West.
Bars and concerts halls for jazz music. A lot of societies ... A big train station...
15th district - Vaugirard / Grenelle :
Like 14th, a lot of societies ...
16th district - Auteuil / Passy :
Auteuil is South.
The golden district.
But, go to see the Maison de la Radio, Quai du Président Kennedy. It's a nice building (but I think that it's hidden for the moment because they're renovating it). And if you have time, go to the Bois de Boulogne (hidden inside, the court of Roland Garros and the Hippodrome d'Auteuil)
Passy is North.
- just in front of the Eiffel Tower (7h), the Palais du Trocadéro, with the Musée de la Marine, the Musée de l'Homme and the Palais de Chaillot (a famous theatre).
- take the Avenue de New York and stop by the Palais de Tokyo, and to the Musée Guimet (Asiatic art)
- if you're a girl and that you love fashion, go to the Palais Galliera, also known as the Musée de la Mode (Museum of Fashion)
17th district - Ternes / Batignolles :
Ternes is West.
Keep that district in mind if you want, like me, to go to Warner Music France, and say to one girl
" - You were supposed to call me to say yes or no to my appliance, you never did it !"
Batignolles is East.
Never go there, I don't want to die !! :)
18th district - Montmartre / La Chapelle :
Montmartre is West.
- if you go there, girl, please do not wear stilettos ... Because Montmartre is up, up, up, with a lot of stairs with no ends, and cobblestone everywhere !! But it's beautiful.
- take the little streets, the stairs ... the funicular and go to see the Sacré Coeur.
ATTENTION !!! If you take the subway and that you want to go out at Abbesses ... DO NOT TAKE THE STAIRS !!! TAKE THE ELEVATORS !!! Or you'll die in the stairs !!!
One night, we had a party in that neighbourhood. We exit at Abbesses and saw a lot of people who were waiting for the elevators ... We laughed and decided to take the stairs. We regret it 5 minutes later, tired, sweated, and seeing that we were not arrived and that we cannot take the elevator; it's only up or down, not in between !! Maybe one hour later, we saw light and felt fresh air ! Thank you Abbesses !!!
- on the Boulevard de Clichy, take a look at the Moulin Rouge and try to count all the tourists coming in !! ;)
La Chapelle is East and is nothing but train station !
19th district - La Villette / Buttes Chaumont :
La Villette (north) is the scientific quarter !
- go to la Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, it's so interesting !!, go to La Géode, to la Cité de la Musique ! Walk through the Park !
Buttes Chaumont is South, and unfortunately I don't know that part ... I just know that it's a great place too !
20th district - Ménilmontant / Père Lachaise :
If there is one place to visit in 20th district, it's the Père Lachaise, the BIG cemetery ! It's a lovely place, and visits are really interesting. Go and say "hi!" to Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, or Oscar Wilde !
The tour is over now. I'm really sorry, I don't have a place to see for each district ! I realize now that there are some places that I don't know; and that we will stay (with A Joker's Rage) in the Center of Paris ! I hope you liked this post and that it will help you if one day you come to Paris ! Do not hesitate to leave a comment with what you already visit or what you want to visit in Paris. As you see it, Paris it's not just the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysées !
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