A Romantic Day in Paris!
A Day in Paris
Paris - The City of Romance.
Many tourists visit Europe with Paris in mind.
The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Seine River,
the Pont Neuf Bridge, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Montmartre are all must-see attractions in the city.
Too many? Here's the ultimate route to make it in a single day! ■Text and picture by Oh Dong-Hyun
The Louvre Palace by day (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
▲ The Louvre Palace by night (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
▲ The Obelisk of Luxor, a monument that France looted from Rome (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
Paris is a big city. Planning your route within this metropolis is certainly not easy, but once you're on the right path, it is still possible to limit your use of the Metro (subway) and enjoy a walking tour. The problem is that Paris is an unusually radial city. In most cities, which have a grid street plan, if you miss a turn you can always take the next one and still end up close to your destination. In Paris, this strategy will invariably fail. One wrong turn might easily lead you astray, causing you to lose your direction. It's too risky to vaguely presume that if you follow this street you'll eventually cross the main road. In reality, you're more likely to get further away from your destination. Be sure to always carry a map with you when you're walking in Paris, and check your position regularly. Ok, enough with the introduction, let's get back to how to tour Paris in a day.
▲ Glass Pyramid, by day and by night (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
The journey begins in the Louvre Palace...
Let's start at the Louvre. After all, it is in the center of the city. Compared to its worldwide fame, the Louvre Museum was rather disappointing. For me, there were only two pieces of art worth seeing; The Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, but otherwise, it wasn't very interesting. Really. I preferred the Louvre Palace and the Glass Pyramid much more. When you're finished at the Louvre, head to Place de la Concorde. North-west of the Louvre is the Petite Arche. It's a straight line from there to the Arc de Triomphe and the Grande Arche de la Défense. Last time I went up to the Grande Arche to see the Arc de Triomphe, I couldn't see it because of the smog. This time, however, the Grande Arche was clearly visible from the Arc de Triomphe. The air quality in Europe must have improved. Looking through the telescope from the top of the Grande Arche, you can see the Arc de Triomphe, and straight ahead, the Petite Arche.
Between the Louvre Palace and the Place de la Concorde there is a park that you can walk through during the day, when it is open. At the end of the park, a Ferris wheel sits awkwardly, then the famous Obelisk of Luxor that France took from Rome. It is said that Rome looted the Obelisk from Egypt in the first place. Really, the history of Europe is a history of plunder, take the exhibitions in the Louvre for example. When will they return our Jikji Simche Yojol? Anyway, let's continue our tour.
▲ Champs Élysées, by day and by night (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
▲ Arc de Triomphe, by day and by night (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
Feeling at home in city.
From the Obelisk, looking straight down the Champs Élysées, you can see the Arc de Triomphe in the distance. At night, the lights on the trees showcase the symbolic scenery of Paris, but unfortunately they aren't switched on every night.
Where the tree-lined street ends, the Champs Élysées begins. The Champs Élysées is the Parisian epicenter of shopping and entertainment. However, the lunch menus aren't that expensive in comparison with other restaurants in Paris. It's really worth sitting in one of the restaurant terraces along the Champs Élysées for lunch, preferably with a cup of espresso. Just like a Parisian.
But don't savor it too much, or you won't be able to complete the tour. Come on, hurry up. At the end of the Champs Élysées is the Arc de Triomphe. You can take the elevator to the top of the monument, but the entrance fee is quite expensive. There's nothing special up there anyway.
▲ The Eiffel Tower, by day and by night (Photo taken with a Samsung camera) Paris is more romantic in the fall (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
▲Paris is more romantic in the fall (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
There’s no Paris without the Eiffel Tower, and there's no Eiffel Tower without Paris.
From the Arc de Triomphe, take Avenue Kléber toward the Chaillot Palace. No, not the Eiffel Tower, not yet. Admittedly, this may be the most dull and uninteresting part of today's journey.
From time to time during the walk; you may catch a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. Don't fall to temptation, stick to the route. Once in the Chaillot Palace, you'll be rewarded with far more beautiful scenery. Seeing the Eiffel Tower from the Chaillot Palace, you'll realize that most famous photos of the Eiffel Tower were taken from there. The view is even better with the Chaillot Palace fountains, but during my visit the palace was busy with the Rugby World Cup which, by the way, marred the beautiful scenery of the Eiffel Tower.
You could visit the tower during the day, but the view is rather flat - save your ticket for the evening.
Now, take a casual walk along the riverside toward the Cité Island and enjoy the romantic beauty of Paris. It's a long way, and the exhaust fumes from the vehicles is a bit of hindrance; but still, looking down the banks of the Seine is quite a view, especially in autumn when the trees are losing their leaves.
En route to the Cité Island is the Orsay Museum. It might be a good idea to reserve a ticket if you plan to visit the museum later. The museum has a reservation office which is separate from the ticket office and the main entrance, and the purchased ticket can be used freely within a limited period, so you can avoid standing in line to purchase the ticket or to get into the museum. Of course, it's not like the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, where it can sometimes take two to three hours to get in, so you don't have to visit the museum just to reserve a ticket. But since you're here, there's no reason not to, either.
The Orsay Museum is located approximately two-thirds of the way to the Cité Island. In fact, you can see the Cité Island in the distance and across the river is the Louvre. The famous Pont Neuf Bridge is three bridges away.
▲ The magnificent Notre-Dame Cathedral (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
▲ The Pont Neuf Bridge, made famous by the film "Les Amants du Pont Neuf" (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
A closer look at the French culture.
The Pont Neuf Bridge found its fame in the film "Les Amants du Pont Neuf", but apart from the fact that the bridge leads to the Cité Island, there's almost nothing special about it. The Pont Neuf Bridge means "The New Bridge", but ironically, it's is the oldest bridge in Paris.
Across the bridge is the small, boat-shaped Cité Island which is home to the Notre-Dame Cathedral. It's a very unusual cathedral, filled with strange and creepy sculptures. The architecture is also very interesting; it clearly distinguishes itself from the Italian Baroque or the German Gothic architectures. If you wish to climb up to the spire, be sure to get there before 4 pm. as there is no access after this time.
When you're finished at the Notre-Dame Cathedral, cross the river to the north and head to the Pompidou Centre. The Louvre, Orsay, and Pompidou are the three best art galleries in Paris. The Louvre is home to Renaissance art, the Orsay exhibits Modern art, and the Pompidou houses Contemporary art. Personally, the exhibitions at the Pompidou Centre were too complicated and difficult to understand. I probably wouldn't visit again, but the centre's eccentric architecture and its young and energetic atmosphere is certainly a different view of Paris. Appealing to the area's young population, there are a lot of affordable restaurants nearby. There are also quite a few fast-foods outlets like KFC and McDonalds in this area.
▲ Montmartre. The steep hill of Montmartre (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
Climbing Montmartre!
The last leg of today's journey up to Montmartre.
It is a little too far to walk, so it would be better to take the Metro. Get yourself a drink before getting on the Metro. Once you alight at Abbesses station, you'll see an elevator. Of course there's also the stairs, but the elevator is not there for nothing. If you really want to know how long and tedious the stairs are, you might as well give it a try at least once. But remember I warned you, so don't blame me if you get exhausted halfway up the stairs.
When you get out of the station, follow the signs to Montmartre. You could take the bus, but most of the route up the hill is escalators, so you won't be walking very much. At the top of the hill is the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. The view of Paris from here is quite amazing.
I got hungry due to the long walk. Fortunately, there are plenty of cheap sandwiches available around Montmartre. My route today ends here, admiring the view of Paris from the steps in front of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica, with a sandwich and the drink I brought along with me.
But... nighttime in Paris is a completely different view which you wouldn't want to miss. The evening route is identical to the daytime one. Huh, how could you possibly walk the same streets? twice in the same day? Okay, then take a rest and plan your nocturnal trip for tomorrow.
The only difference between the daytime tour and the evening tour is that it ends at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Probably, the best part of the evening tour is admiring the view of Paris from the Eiffel tower - the tower's elevator won't be operating all night, and the queues are rather long as well, so it's better to get there before 9 pm - before returning to your residence by Metro. Oh, I forgot. The night views look far better in photos than in real life. Don't get too excited when you visit Paris with these photos and scenery in mind. If you go with high expectations you may be highly disappointed.
A Day in Paris
Paris - The City of Romance.
Many tourists visit Europe with Paris in mind.
The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Seine River,
the Pont Neuf Bridge, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Montmartre are all must-see attractions in the city.
Too many? Here's the ultimate route to make it in a single day! ■Text and picture by Oh Dong-Hyun
The Louvre Palace by day (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
▲ The Louvre Palace by night (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
▲ The Obelisk of Luxor, a monument that France looted from Rome (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
Paris is a big city. Planning your route within this metropolis is certainly not easy, but once you're on the right path, it is still possible to limit your use of the Metro (subway) and enjoy a walking tour. The problem is that Paris is an unusually radial city. In most cities, which have a grid street plan, if you miss a turn you can always take the next one and still end up close to your destination. In Paris, this strategy will invariably fail. One wrong turn might easily lead you astray, causing you to lose your direction. It's too risky to vaguely presume that if you follow this street you'll eventually cross the main road. In reality, you're more likely to get further away from your destination. Be sure to always carry a map with you when you're walking in Paris, and check your position regularly. Ok, enough with the introduction, let's get back to how to tour Paris in a day.
▲ Glass Pyramid, by day and by night (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
The journey begins in the Louvre Palace...
Let's start at the Louvre. After all, it is in the center of the city. Compared to its worldwide fame, the Louvre Museum was rather disappointing. For me, there were only two pieces of art worth seeing; The Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, but otherwise, it wasn't very interesting. Really. I preferred the Louvre Palace and the Glass Pyramid much more. When you're finished at the Louvre, head to Place de la Concorde. North-west of the Louvre is the Petite Arche. It's a straight line from there to the Arc de Triomphe and the Grande Arche de la Défense. Last time I went up to the Grande Arche to see the Arc de Triomphe, I couldn't see it because of the smog. This time, however, the Grande Arche was clearly visible from the Arc de Triomphe. The air quality in Europe must have improved. Looking through the telescope from the top of the Grande Arche, you can see the Arc de Triomphe, and straight ahead, the Petite Arche.
Between the Louvre Palace and the Place de la Concorde there is a park that you can walk through during the day, when it is open. At the end of the park, a Ferris wheel sits awkwardly, then the famous Obelisk of Luxor that France took from Rome. It is said that Rome looted the Obelisk from Egypt in the first place. Really, the history of Europe is a history of plunder, take the exhibitions in the Louvre for example. When will they return our Jikji Simche Yojol? Anyway, let's continue our tour.
▲ Champs Élysées, by day and by night (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
▲ Arc de Triomphe, by day and by night (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
Feeling at home in city.
From the Obelisk, looking straight down the Champs Élysées, you can see the Arc de Triomphe in the distance. At night, the lights on the trees showcase the symbolic scenery of Paris, but unfortunately they aren't switched on every night.
Where the tree-lined street ends, the Champs Élysées begins. The Champs Élysées is the Parisian epicenter of shopping and entertainment. However, the lunch menus aren't that expensive in comparison with other restaurants in Paris. It's really worth sitting in one of the restaurant terraces along the Champs Élysées for lunch, preferably with a cup of espresso. Just like a Parisian.
But don't savor it too much, or you won't be able to complete the tour. Come on, hurry up. At the end of the Champs Élysées is the Arc de Triomphe. You can take the elevator to the top of the monument, but the entrance fee is quite expensive. There's nothing special up there anyway.
▲ The Eiffel Tower, by day and by night (Photo taken with a Samsung camera) Paris is more romantic in the fall (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
▲Paris is more romantic in the fall (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
There’s no Paris without the Eiffel Tower, and there's no Eiffel Tower without Paris.
From the Arc de Triomphe, take Avenue Kléber toward the Chaillot Palace. No, not the Eiffel Tower, not yet. Admittedly, this may be the most dull and uninteresting part of today's journey.
From time to time during the walk; you may catch a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. Don't fall to temptation, stick to the route. Once in the Chaillot Palace, you'll be rewarded with far more beautiful scenery. Seeing the Eiffel Tower from the Chaillot Palace, you'll realize that most famous photos of the Eiffel Tower were taken from there. The view is even better with the Chaillot Palace fountains, but during my visit the palace was busy with the Rugby World Cup which, by the way, marred the beautiful scenery of the Eiffel Tower.
You could visit the tower during the day, but the view is rather flat - save your ticket for the evening.
Now, take a casual walk along the riverside toward the Cité Island and enjoy the romantic beauty of Paris. It's a long way, and the exhaust fumes from the vehicles is a bit of hindrance; but still, looking down the banks of the Seine is quite a view, especially in autumn when the trees are losing their leaves.
En route to the Cité Island is the Orsay Museum. It might be a good idea to reserve a ticket if you plan to visit the museum later. The museum has a reservation office which is separate from the ticket office and the main entrance, and the purchased ticket can be used freely within a limited period, so you can avoid standing in line to purchase the ticket or to get into the museum. Of course, it's not like the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, where it can sometimes take two to three hours to get in, so you don't have to visit the museum just to reserve a ticket. But since you're here, there's no reason not to, either.
The Orsay Museum is located approximately two-thirds of the way to the Cité Island. In fact, you can see the Cité Island in the distance and across the river is the Louvre. The famous Pont Neuf Bridge is three bridges away.
▲ The magnificent Notre-Dame Cathedral (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
▲ The Pont Neuf Bridge, made famous by the film "Les Amants du Pont Neuf" (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
A closer look at the French culture.
The Pont Neuf Bridge found its fame in the film "Les Amants du Pont Neuf", but apart from the fact that the bridge leads to the Cité Island, there's almost nothing special about it. The Pont Neuf Bridge means "The New Bridge", but ironically, it's is the oldest bridge in Paris.
Across the bridge is the small, boat-shaped Cité Island which is home to the Notre-Dame Cathedral. It's a very unusual cathedral, filled with strange and creepy sculptures. The architecture is also very interesting; it clearly distinguishes itself from the Italian Baroque or the German Gothic architectures. If you wish to climb up to the spire, be sure to get there before 4 pm. as there is no access after this time.
When you're finished at the Notre-Dame Cathedral, cross the river to the north and head to the Pompidou Centre. The Louvre, Orsay, and Pompidou are the three best art galleries in Paris. The Louvre is home to Renaissance art, the Orsay exhibits Modern art, and the Pompidou houses Contemporary art. Personally, the exhibitions at the Pompidou Centre were too complicated and difficult to understand. I probably wouldn't visit again, but the centre's eccentric architecture and its young and energetic atmosphere is certainly a different view of Paris. Appealing to the area's young population, there are a lot of affordable restaurants nearby. There are also quite a few fast-foods outlets like KFC and McDonalds in this area.
▲ Montmartre. The steep hill of Montmartre (Photo taken with a Samsung camera)
Climbing Montmartre!
The last leg of today's journey up to Montmartre.
It is a little too far to walk, so it would be better to take the Metro. Get yourself a drink before getting on the Metro. Once you alight at Abbesses station, you'll see an elevator. Of course there's also the stairs, but the elevator is not there for nothing. If you really want to know how long and tedious the stairs are, you might as well give it a try at least once. But remember I warned you, so don't blame me if you get exhausted halfway up the stairs.
When you get out of the station, follow the signs to Montmartre. You could take the bus, but most of the route up the hill is escalators, so you won't be walking very much. At the top of the hill is the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. The view of Paris from here is quite amazing.
I got hungry due to the long walk. Fortunately, there are plenty of cheap sandwiches available around Montmartre. My route today ends here, admiring the view of Paris from the steps in front of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica, with a sandwich and the drink I brought along with me.
But... nighttime in Paris is a completely different view which you wouldn't want to miss. The evening route is identical to the daytime one. Huh, how could you possibly walk the same streets? twice in the same day? Okay, then take a rest and plan your nocturnal trip for tomorrow.
The only difference between the daytime tour and the evening tour is that it ends at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Probably, the best part of the evening tour is admiring the view of Paris from the Eiffel tower - the tower's elevator won't be operating all night, and the queues are rather long as well, so it's better to get there before 9 pm - before returning to your residence by Metro. Oh, I forgot. The night views look far better in photos than in real life. Don't get too excited when you visit Paris with these photos and scenery in mind. If you go with high expectations you may be highly disappointed.
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