Wanderlust Traveler: The Grand Finale in Paris

Days 30, 31, & 32 (Saturday, September 26 - Monday September 28, 2009)

Below I have described the places and things I saw on what was my third visit to Paris (I had visited previously in September of 2006 and September of 2008, so not all of Paris' must-see sights will be listed in this entry).

Eiffel Tower: Even on my third visit to Paris, I made sure to fit in several stops to see the gorgeous Eiffel Tower. I recommend seeing the tower during the day and at night. There is nothing more beautiful than when the tower is lit-up during the evening hours, especially when the light show comes on at the top of each hour for several minutes. I find it truly mesmerizing and worthy of all the hype it receives; I will never tire of this tower! I have only gone up into the tower once, and that was probably enough for me. I have found that there are other areas in Paris that provide a better view of the city (i.e. Arc d'Triomphe, Sacre-Coeur, etc).

Notre Dame Cathedral: This 700 year-old cathedral is one of Paris' many must-see sights. Like the Eiffel Tower, I also recommend visiting during the day and at night. While the church itself is free to enter, it does cost extra to tour the treasury and to climb the tower (the latter I highly recommend). I climbed to the top of Notre Dame on my first visit to Paris and to this day it's still one of my most favorite moments I've had in the city. The view from the top is great and being up-close to the gargoyles is quite awesome!

Notre Dame Cathedral

Statues on the exterior of Notre Dame Cathedral.

Detail of the entrance door to Notre Dame Cathedral.

Statues on the exterior of Notre Dame Cathedral.

Statue on the exterior of Notre Dame Cathedral.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Interior of Notre Dame Cathedral.

Deportation Memorial: This memorial was created to honor the lives of 200,000 French victims of the Nazi concentration camps. It is located directly behind Notre Dame so it makes for a quick stop before or after seeing the church. The memorial is small, but was designed to make the visitor feel as if they are a prisoner surrounded by high walls as the only view from within the memorial is of the sky. There is a long hallway that is lined with 200,000 lights with an eternal flame of hope at the very end. Visiting this moving tribute should be on everyone's to-do list while in Paris.

Deportation Memorial in Paris.

Rodin Museum: There are so many museums to see and choose from in Paris that even on my third visit I hadn't yet visited the popular Rodin Museum. Rodin lived and worked in the museum which now houses his most prized sculptures. It's a great place to visit, and I especially enjoyed the beautiful grounds and gardens of the property. However, the museum was extremely crowded during my visit which made touring the house rather unpleasant. I recommend arriving early or late in the day to avoid this problem.

Exterior of Rodin Museum.

Rodin's famous sculpture called "The Thinker"

Exterior light at the Rodin Museum.

Interior of Rodin Museum.

Rodin Museum

Jardin du Luxembourg: This beautiful public park is a welcome reprieve from the busy streets of Paris. It is the second largest park in the city and has many different features, including dozens of perfectly-manicured gardens, fountains, statuary, and a vintage carousel. It is also home to the Luxembourg Palace, which houses the French Senate. If you are in the area, definitely make sure to stop by to spend a few restful minutes or even hours inside this beautiful park.

Jardin du Luxembourg

Pantheon: This massive building located in the Latin Quarter was built in 1857 as a church but later transisitioned into a mausoleum. The Pantheon is well-known as being home to Foucault's pendulum, which is suspended from the dome of the building on a 220 foot cable. In 1851 the scientist Leon Foucault demonstrated the rotation of the Earth inside the Pantheon by constructing the pendulum directly beneath the dome. This structure is extremely beautiful both inside and out and is in immaculate condition; I was so incredibly impressed at how clean the building was during my visit, especially given its age. Aside from visiting the main floor, also make sure to check out the crypt and the dome gallery (only accessible via a guide) where you will be rewarded with amazing views of Paris.

Pantheon

Interior of the Pantheon.

Foucault's Pendulum inside the Pantheon.

Interior of the Pantheon.

Pantheon

View from the Pantheon.

Pantheon

View from the Pantheon.

Pantheon

View from the Pantheon.

Les Halles: For many centuries, Les Halles was the largest and most important market in all of Paris. In the 1850's, the massive glass and iron structures that Les Halles became so well-known for were built. This bustling marketplace survived up until the 1970's when much of it was dismantled or destroyed. The wholesale food market was moved to a modern building in the suburbs of Paris, where it still stands today. Nowadays, all that survives of the once famous market is the beautiful iron structures, which have since been covered with various greenery and ivy. I can only imagine how beautiful that iron must have looked decades ago when it was covered with glass.

Marche Bastille Market (Richard Lenoir Market): This lovely market is open on Thursdays and Sundays and has vendors selling food, clothing, and other trinkets over four long city blocks. Those individuals who enjoy farmer's markets should definitely make a stop here!

Clothing for sale at Marche Bastille Market.

Mushrooms at Marche Bastille Market.

Jewelry at Marche Bastille Market.

Delicious roast chicken and potatoes for sale at Marche Bastille Market.

Marche Bastille Market

E. Dehillerin Kitchen Store: As previously mentioned, although I have been to Paris multiple times, I hadn't really ever spent anytime shopping or perusing markets. As a result, I decided that on my third trip I would take time to finally visit a store I had wanted to see for a long time; Paris' most famous and well-known kitchen store called E. Dehillerin. It specializes in selling kitchen and baking utensils and has thousands of items on display in its tiny little store. If you are into baking or cooking I highly recommend a visit here!

Copper pots for sale at E. Dehillerin.

E. Dehillerin

Eglise Saint-Eustache: This striking Gothic church is located at the entrance to Paris' ancient market, Les Halles. It was built between 1532-1632 and is home to the largest pipe organ (8000 pipes) in France. Personally, while I found the exterior of the church to be quite interesting and unique, I was not as impressed with the interior, which I thought to be just average. If you happen to be in the area however, you might as well make a stop!

Exterior of Eglise Saint-Eustache.

Eglise Saint-Eustache.

Place des Vosges: This grand square in the Marais neighborhood was built in the early 1600's and is a great place to relax in one of its shaded park benches. This would also be a good place for families with young children to stop as there is a playground and sandboxes for the kids to play with in the middle of the square.

Place des Vosges

Light post in Place des Vosges.

Place des Vosges

Musee Marmottan: This small but enjoyable museum is housed in a beautiful Parisian mansion and contains several hundred works by the artist Claude Monet. The museum is generally uncrowded when compared to other museums in Paris so I found my visit to be very peaceful and relaxing. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside the museum, so I have no photos to show.

Versailles: The beautiful, immense, and extravagent Chateau de Versailles is a great choice for a day-trip from Paris. Visitors could spend a half day touring the palace and part of the gardens or opt for a full day (my personal recommendation) visiting the palace, all of the gardens, and Marie Antoinette's estate. I have visited the palace on two occasions and still have yet to see all of the sights, so know that you won't see everything on your first visit.

Versailles is the ultimate royal palace; nothing else in the world can compare to its scale of grandeur or it's fascinating history. The royal family only lived here for about 100 years from 1682 until the beginning of the French Revolution.

Aside from the beautiful palace, I highly recommend a visit to Versailles' sprawling and perfectly manicured gardens, the smaller palaces Grand Trianon and Petite Trianon, and also to Hameau de la Reine (Marie Antoinette's estate).

Exterior of Palace: