Paris - the city of light
I travelled to France and Paris for the first time when I was sixteen years old. I fell in love with the city instantly. I loved the liveliness and beauty of Paris, its beautiful architecture, rich history and culture, exquisite stores and delicious cuisine. Paris is the city of fun, arts, elegance and beauty. I even felt the parfume in the air during my stay in Paris. When leaving, I promised to myself that I will come back to this amazing city and now I'm revisiting Paris in this issue of Irina's World.
Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It's rich in history, culture and attracts milions of tourists every year to see its many beutiful treasures. Paris is renowned as the capital of haute couture, elegance and excellent cuisine. The French capital is also famous for its many museums, art galleries and monuments. The Louvre, Eiffel Tower and Pompidou are among the most popular sights.
Surrounding Paris, the Ile de France takes in 12,000 sq km (4,600 sq miles) of busy suburbs and commuter towns punctuated by chateaux, the most celebrated being Versailles. Further out, suburbia gives way to farmland, forests and the magnificent palace of Fontainebleu.
The best of Paris
Eiffel Tower
Built for the Universaal Exhibition 1889, and to commemorate the centennial of the Revolution, the 320-m (1,051-ft) Eiffel Tower was meant to be a temporary addition to Paris's skyline. Designed by Gustave Eiffel, it was fiercely decried by 19-th century aesthetes. It stood as the world's tallest building until 1931, when New York's Empire State Building was completed.
Nôtre Dame
No other building epitomizes the history of Paris more than Nôtre Dame. Built on the site of a Roman temple, the cathedral was commissioned by Bishop de Sully in 1159. The first stone was laid in 1163, marking the start of two centuries of toil by armies of Gothic architects and medieval craftsmen. It has been witness to great events of French history ever since including the coronations of Henry VI in 1422 and Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804. During the Revolution the building was desecrated and rechristened the Temple of Reason. Extensive renovations (including the addition of the spire and gargoyles) were carried out in the 19th century by architect Viollet-le-Duc.
Le Louvre
The Museé du Louvre, containing one of the most important art collections in the world (including the most renowned painting in the world, DaVinci's Mona Lisa), has a history dating back to medieval times. First built as a fortress in 1190 by King Philippe-Auguste to protect Paris against Viking raids, it lost its keep and dungeon in the reign of Francois I, who replaced it with a Renaissance-style building. Thereafter, four centuries of kings impoved and enlarged it. As part of a major renovation project completed in 1998, the Louvre has made many important new acquisitions.
Musée D'Orsay
In 1986, 47 years after it had closed as a mainline railway station. Victor Laloux's superb turn-of-the century building reopened as the Musée d'Orsay. Originally built as the Orléans railway terminus in the heart of Paris, it narrowly avoided demolition in the 1970s. During its conversion to a museum much of the original architecture was retained. The new museum presents the rich diversity of visual arts from 1848 to 1914 and explains the social, political and technological context in which they were created. Although the majority of the exhibits are paintings and sculptures, there are also displays of furniture, the decorative arts, cinema and the newspaper industry.
Arc de Triomphe
After his greatest victory, the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805, Napoleon promised his men they would "go home beneath triumphal arches." The first stone of what was to become the world's most famous triomphal arch was laid the following year. But disruptions to architect Jean Chagrin's plans, combined with the demise of the Napoleonic power, delayed the completion of the bridge until 1836. Standing 50 m (164 ft) high, the Arc is encrusted with flamboyant reliefs, shields and sculptures. The viewing platform offers facinating views of the city and the traffic circling far below. On November 11, 1920, the body of the Unknown Soldier was placed beneath the arch to commemorate the dead of World War I. The tomb's eternal flame is lit every evening.
Avenue de Champs Elysées
Paris's most well-known and popular thoroughfare was a desolate marshland until about 1667, when the master landscape-garden designer, André le Nôtre created a tree-lined avenue which he named Champs-Elysées. It has been the "triumphal way" ever since the homecoming of Napoleon's body from St Helena in 1840. Today, it is an ideal place to stop for a drink and observe the charm of Parisian life.
Pont Alexandre III
This is Paris's prettiest bridge, with exuberant Art Nouveau decoration of gilt and bronze lamps, cupids and cherubs, nymphs and winged horses at either end. It was built between 1896 and 1900 to commemorate the 1892 French-Russian alliance, and in time for the Universal Exhibition in 1900. Pont Alexandre III was named after Tsar Alexander III (father of Nicholas II), who laid the foundation stone in 1896. The style of the bridge reflects that of the Grand Palais, to which it leads on the Right Bank. The construction of the bridge is a marvel of 19-th century engineering. It consists of a 6-m (18 feet) high single-span steel arch across the Seine. The design was subject to strict controls that prevented the bridge from obscuring the view of the Champs-Elysées or the Invalides, so today you can still enjoy the magnificent views from here.
Latin Quarter
Since the middle ages this riverside quarter has been dominated by the Sorbonne, and acquired its name from the early Latin-speaking students. It dates back to the Roman town across from the Ile de la Cité at that time the rue St-Jacques was one of the main roads out of Paris. The area is generally associated with artists, intellectuals and a bohemian way of life; it also has a history of political unrest. In 1871, the place St-Michel became the center of the Paris Commune, and in May 1968 it was a sight of student uprisings. Today the eastern half has become sufficiently chic, however, to house members of the Establishment.
La Sorbonne
The Sorbonne seat of the University of Paris until 1969, was established in 1253 by Robert de Sorbon, confessor to Louis IX, for 16 poor scholars to study theology. From these modest origins the college became the center of scholastic theology. In 1469, three printing machines were brought from Mainz, and the first printing house in France was founded. The college's opposition to liberal 18-th century philosophical ideas led to its suppression during the Revolution. It was re-established by Napoleon in 1806, and the 17-th century buildings replaced. In 1969 the Sorbonne split into 13 separate universities, but the building still holds some lectures.
Le Panthéon
When Louis XV recovered from a desperate illness in 1744, he was so grateful to be alive that he conceived a magnificent church to honour Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris. The French architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot planned the church in Neo-Classical style. Work began in 1764 and was completed in 1790 under the control of Guillaume Rondelet, ten years after Soufflot's death. But with the Revolution underway the church was soon turned into a pantheon - a monument housing the tombs of France's great heroes. Napoleon returned it to the Church in 1806, but it was secularized and then desecularized once more before finally being made a civic building in 1885. The façde, inspired by the Rome Pantheon, is decorated with a pediment relief by David d'Angers, depicting the mother country granting laurels to her great men. Among those resting here are Voltaire, Rousseau and Zola. Also here are the ashes of Marie Curie and André Malraux.
Les Invalides
This imposing building, from which the area takes its name, was commissioned by Louis XIV in 1671 for his wounded and homeless veterans, many of whom had become beggars. Designed by Libéral Bruand, it was completed in 1676 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart. He later incorporated the Dôme Church, with its glittering golden roof, which was built as Louis XIV's private chapel. Nearly 6,000 soldiers once resided here. Today there are less than 100. The building also houses the Musée de l'Armée and the Musée de l'Ordre.
Centre Pompidou or Beaubourg
The Pompidou is like a building turned inside out: escalators, lifts, air and water ducts and even the massive steel struts that make up the building's skeleton are all on the outside. This allowed the architects, Richard Rogers, Renzo Piano and Gianfranco Franchini, to create a flexible exhibition space. Among the artists featured in the museum are Matisse, Picasso, Miro and Pollock, representing such schools as Fauvism, Cubism and Surrealism.
Montmartre
The steep butte (hill) of Monmartre has been associated with artists for 200 years. Théodore Géricaut and Camille Corot came here at the start of the 19th century, and in the 20th century Maurice Utrillo immortalized the streets in his works. Today, street artists thrive predominantly on the tourist trade, but much of the area still preserves its rather louche, villagey pre-war atmosphere. The name of the area is ascribed to martyrs tortured and killed in the area around AD 250, hence mons martyrium. The well-known Sacré-Coeur Basilica is located in Montmartre at the top of the hill. It offers a great view of the city and dominates the city's skyline.
Opéra Quarter
It has been said that the whole world will pass you buy if you sit for long enough at the Café de la Paix (opposite the Opéra Garnier). During the day, the area is a center of commerce, tourism and shopping, with mammoth department stores lining the grands boulevards. In the evening, the clubs and theater attract a totally different crowd, and the cafés along boulevard des Capucines throb with life. Opéra Garnier is sometimes compared to a giant wedding cake. This extravagant building was designed by Charles Garnier for Napoleon III in 1862. The Prussian War and the 1871 uprising delayed the opening of the building till 1875. The interior of the Opéra is famous for its Grand Staircase made of white Carrara marble, towered over by a huge chandelier. It is also renowned for its five-tiered auditorium bedecked in red velvet and gold, with a false ceiling painted by Chagall in 1964. Though operas are now performed in the Opéra Bastille, the Opéra Garnier is still Paris's unrivalled centre for ballet.
Cimitière du Père Lachaise
Paris's most prestigious cemetery is set on a wooded hill overlooking the city. The land was once owned by Père de la Chaise, Louis XIV's confessor, but it was bought by order of Napoleon in 1803 to create a completely new cemetry. This became so popular with the Parisian bourgeoisie that the bounderies were extended six times during the 19th century. Here are buried celebraties such as the writer Honoré de Balzac and the composer Fréderic Chopin, and more recently, the singer Jim Morrison and the actors Simone Signoret and Yves Montand.
Jardins du Trocadéro
These beautiful gardens cover 25 acres. Their centerpiece is a long rectangilar ornamental pool, bordered by stone and bronze-gilt statues, which looks spectacular at night when the fountains are illuminated. The statues include Woman by Georges Braque and Horse by Georges Lucien Guyot. On either side of the pool, the slopes of the Chaillot hill lead gently down to the Seine and the Pont d'Iéna. There is a freshwater aquarium in the northeast corner of the gardens, which are richly laid out with trees, walkways, small streams and bridges.
Luxembourg Quarter
Situated a few steps from the bustle of St-Germain-des-Prés, this graceful and historic area offers a peaceful haven in the heart of a modern city. The Jardin de Luxembourg and Palais du Luxembourg dominate the surroundings. The gardens became fully open to the public in the 19th century under the ownership of the Comte de Provence (later to become Loius XIII), when for a small fee visitors could come in and feast on fruit from the orchard. Today the gardens, palace and old houses on the streets to the north remain unspoilt and attract many visitors.
St. Germain des Prés
After World War II, St-Germain-des-Prés became synonymous with intellectual life centered on bars and cafés. Philosophers, writers, actors and musicians mingled in the cellar nightspots and brasseries, where existentialist philosophy co-existed with American jazz. The area is now smarter than in the heyday of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, the enigmatic singer Juliette Greco and the New Wave film-makers. However, the writers are still around, enjoying the pleasures of sitting around, enjoying the pleasures of sitting in Les Deux Magots, Café de Flore and other haunts. The 17-th century buildings have survived, but signs of change are evident in the affluent shops dealing in antiques, books and fashions.
Montparnasse
The name Montparnasse was first used ironically in the 17th century, when arts students performed their work on "mount" of rubble left over from quarrying. In ancient Greece, Mount Parnassus was dedicated to poetry, music and beauty. By the 19th century, crowds were drawn to the local cabarets and bars by duty-free prices. The mixture of art and high living was particularly potent in the 1920s and 1930s when Hemingway, Picasso, Cocteau, Giacometti, Matisse and Modigliani were "Montparnos", as the residents were called. This epoch ended with World War II. The modern quartier is dominated by the much-hated Tour Montparnasse, visible from all over Paris, and vast office developments.
Palais de Versailles
The present palace started by Louis XIV in 1668, grew around Louis XIII's original hunting lodge. Architect Louis Le Vau built the first section, which expanded into an enlarged courtyard. From 1678, Jules Handouin-Mansart added north and south wings and the Hall of Mirrows. He also designed the Chapel, completed in 1710. The Opera House was added by Louis XV in 1770. André le Nôtre enlarged the gardens and broke the monotony of the symmetrical layout with expanses of water and creative use of uneven ground. Opposite the château is the Musée de Carrosses, housing the collection of royal carriages.
Fashion and Shopping
For many people, Paris epitomizes luxury and good living. Exquisitely dressed men and women sip wine by the banks of the Seine against the backdrop of splendid French architecture, or shop from small specialist shops. The least expensive way to join the chic set is to create French style with accessories or costume jewellery. Alternatively, try shopping in the January or July sales. If your budget allows, take the opportunity to buy world-famous Paris fashions, or feast on the wonderful gourmet delicacies, displayed with consummate artistry. Parisian shopping streets and markets are the ideal place to indulge in the French custom of strolling for the express purpose of seeing or being seen. For up-to-the minute high fashion, the rue du Faubourg-St-Honoré is hard to beat, with its exquisite couture window displays. Browsing around the bookstalls along the Seine is another favorite French passtime.
Paris is also the home of haute couture. Original haute couture garments, as opposed to imitations and adaptations, are one of creations designed by the 23 couture houses listed with the Fédération Française de la Couture. The rules governing the classification haute couture are fairly strict, and many of the world's top designers, such as Claude Montana and Karl Lagerfeld, are not included on this prestigious list. Astronomical prices put haute couture beyond the reach of most pockets, yet it still remains the life-blood and focus of the French fashion industry.
Most couture houses are on or near rue du Faubourg-St-Honoré, including Chanel, Christian Lacroix, Guy Laroche, Nina Ricci, Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior to name just a few. Hèrmes has classic country chic, and no one can resist MaxMara's Italian elegance or a Georgio Armani suit. Karl Lagerfeld, as well as designing for Chanel, has created his own sleek line. If your wardrobe lacks color, try the exotic Kenzo. Equipment is well known for its classic silk shirts in a range of colours, and Comme des Garçons has avant-garde, quirky clothes for both sexes.
Clubs and Cabarets
Music in Paris clubs tends to follow the trends set in the US and Britain. Only a few clubs such as Balajo, once frequented by Edith Piaf, and the ultra-hip Folies Pigalle, once a strip joint, are genuinely up-to-the-minute with their music. La Locomotive attracts a mixed crowd to its three-level mainstream house nights. Les Bains is the old standby nightspot attracting fashion and show business people. For a more Latin touch, try La Java. The dance floor of this club, where Edith Piaf once performed, now sways to Cuban and Brazilian sounds.
When it comes to picking the cabaret, the rule of thumb is simple: the better known places are best. The Folies Bergères is the oldest music hall in Paris and probably the most famous in the world. It is closely rivalled by the Lido and the Moulin Rouge, birthplace of the cancan. Paradis Latin is the most "French" cabaret in the city. It shows variety acts whose sketches are enlivened by remarkable special effects and scenery.
Food and Wine
Paris's gastronomic treats include foie gras, charcuterie, cheese and wine. Some streets positively overflow with food shops - try rue Montorgueil or rue Rambuteau, which has a marvelous row of fishmongers, delicatessens and shops selling prepared food.
Charcuteries such as Fauchon, in Place Madeleine, and the basement of Bon Marché department store sell cheese, snails, truffles, caviar and regional produce. L'établissement Poilâne sells perhaps the only bread in Paris known by the name of its baker. Be prepared for big queues at weekends and around 4 pm when a fresh batch comes out of the oven.
Chocolate is another French obsession. Christian Constant's low-sugar creations, well-known to conoisseurs, are made from pure cocao. Barthélemy in the rue de Grenelle has exceptional Roquefort. Caves Taillevent, an enormous wine cellar with some of Paris's most expensive wine, is worth a tour.
Paris's Cafés
One of the most enduring images of Paris is the Left bank café scene where great artists, writers and eminent intellectuals consorted. Before World War I, hordes of Russian revolutionaries, including Lenin and Trotsky, whiled away their days in the Rotonde and the Dé in Montparnasse.
In the 1920s, Surrealists dominated café life. Later came the American writers led by Ernest Hemingway and Scott Fitzgerald, whose haunts included La Coupole. After World War II, Jean-Paul Sartre and other Existentialists shifted the cultural scene northwards to St-Germain.