In 2011 I took a trip to Paris with my girlfriend whom I travel with on all of my ventures. We went for a weekend in April, I would highly recommend visiting Paris around this time as we had great weather, with the majority of the weekend being sunny and warm - great for photos. Paris is an amazing city and one of my top recommendations when visiting Europe.
1. The Eiffel Tower
This seems fairly obvious as it is one of the most famous landmarks in the world and commonly associated with Paris. However it is not only the structure itself that makes me think of it as my most favourite attraction in Paris but it is the area that surrounds the Eiffel Tower that really make it's special. The Eiffel Tower offers something different at each side from lawns and ponds to fountains and carousels. If it's you're first visit to the Eiffel Tower I would strongly recommend buying a ticket and taking the elevator the top, you may only be in Paris once and although tickets can be expensive and queues are often long the breathtaking views of the city from the top make up for this. My top tip for visiting the Eiffel Tower is to visit at night, the tower looks fantastic lit up and every so often the lights that decorate the tower will sparkle, almost like a light show, enjoy a crepe on the marble flooring above the fountains, the food is great round there and you get a perfect view of the tower.
2. The Louvre
The Louvre houses some of the finest art pieces from around the world. Located not far from the Seine when you enter the area the glass pyramids are surrounded by romantic and traditional Parisian buildings, the glass pyramids also have various fountains and water features scattered around them. The museum is underground, once you enter the glass pyramids you take an escalator to the ground floor in which you purchase your tickets. The museum is extensive with many quadrants and floors. The Louvre is rich with history and is home to the famous Mona Lisa. If you wish to see as much of the Louvre as possible I would dedicate a good 2-2.5 hours.
3. Arc De Triomphe
The Arc De Triomphe, similar to the previous two attractions, is one of the most iconic features of Paris. Close to Champs Elysees the Arc is planted on top of a round about to one of the busiest areas in the world. Wisely there are a number of underground walkways to reach the Arc. Going through the underground walkway you can witness a number of artists selling their creations. Once you get to the Arc you can find a number of dates and names of significant figures in Parisian history scribed onto the structure. I was pleasantly surprised as to the size of the Arc as it is much bigger in real life, it is also more visually stunning than I originally thought and the arty architecture can be appreciated close up. The Arc is extremely central to Paris with a number of central and famous avenues and streets leading to the famous structure.
4. Paris Flea Markets
Paris is well known for its markets that not only sell local food produce and art but also jewellery, furniture, clothing and electronics from a number of cultures. I apologise as it was nearly 2 years ago and I can not remember the location of the flea market I visited on my trip but a quick Google will reveal all the popular locations. The flea market I visited gave a unique insight into the vast amount of cultures that inhabit the city, the market which I thought was similar to that of London's Camden Lock (without the large focus on goth and rock) demonstrated a variety of produce but particularly stunning vintage furniture, all in all a definite must do when in Paris, a great spectacle.
5. Notre Dame
When in Paris I got to see the Notre Dame cathedral on two occasions. Once by boat on a tour on the River Seine and also when I went to go and see the area myself. The cathedral is stunIng and very big, the gothic architecture including gargoyles was really interesting to look at. We bought a ticket and went inside, the cathedral is even more impressive inside featuring a large patterned glass window at the rear and a number of large looming portraits and statues, there's also a number of opportunities to light a candle. I know that you can also go to the upper level of
the cathedral to gain great views of the city, however at the time I wasn't aware of this, something I regret not knowing now. Once we came outside the cathedral we sat and had a picnic only to be greeted by a large amount of birds who wanted a look in, these birds were so friendly and my girlfriend fed a number of them from her hand. Have a look at the tourist shops and bars near the river next to Notre Dame.
