Paris, synonymous with culture, elegance, happiness of living, freedom, romance and champagne.
Only its name arouses strong emotions linked to a fascinating history and culture; It is the place where a large part of the events that are the foundations of our current society took place.
Freedom guiding the people- Eugène Delacroix, 1830.
Currently in Louvre Museum, Paris, France.
By itself it is an icon, as the city of the world that is quickly linked to a series of qualifiers that make it unique, inviting the visitor to travel through time through imagination, facilitated by living wonders made monuments.
You can smell the elegance of those who inhabit it in the environment, as if it were irremediably rooted in their DNA; their way of walking, dressing and moving is a reflection of singularity and a certain modest arrogance of being Parisian, and being clear of what the ground is stepped on daily id made of and shared with the rest of the world.
It never ceases to amaze and make you feel strangely overwhelmed the fact of stepping on the same places as eminent icons like Napoleon Bonaparte, or the controversial Louis XIV. Or where the phrase Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité was proclaimed, with so many martyrs in its path, to become the basis of the political constitution of every Western country, as key concepts of the defense of justice and democracy.
That is what happens in Paris. Paris is history in itself, written in its streets, nooks and crannies, and that ... that is inevitable not to perceive in its essence. Every block and corner of Paris has something to show, something to offer, something to venerate and where the traveler should take a moment of silence and respect, for everyone who passed by to make history.
Carrusel del Louvre, built between 1806-1808
The main nucleus of Paris is located in Ile de la Cité, where we can find the mythical Notre Dame Cathedral, which dates back to 1163, the year in which its construction begins (... how much history has seen that place!).
Their gargoyles, statues of the twelve apostles and other effigies give the monument a mysterious and lugubrious atmosphere, where you do not know if you are closer to the light of the divine or to a certain mystery of religious connotation a little morbid, considering the coronations and deaths that it has witnessed since its construction.
For me, Notre Dame, point zero of the city of Paris, was consecrated as the most wonderful monument I have seen and my favorite, not only for its majestic, but also because it dates from the Middle Ages, but has a history of religious cults from the Celts, passing through the Romans, to finally become a Catholic Cathedral.
It has witnessed a series of events such as the French Revolution, the consecration of the great heroine Joan of Arc, coronations of monarchs (and self proclamations of "reign", as in the case of Napoleon) and the lives of so many people in different eras of humanity within the city of lights.
It hides a unique and unusual mysticism, surrounded by legends and good and bad intentions in its conception.
It is different from any other known "attraction", beautiful in its form of an intriguing design, it has "substance" and that allows it to generate emotions, speaking by itself.
It is worth walking the wonderful Champs-Élysées completely, dating from the fifteenth century and retains its appearance of avenue of yesteryear, surrounded by porches of Renaissance and neoclassical style.
Of two kilometers of extension, being in each end, on the one hand the Arc of the Triumph (Arc de Triomphe) and by the other, the Place of the Concord (Place of the Concorde). This long avenue allows you to enter and nourish yourself with the elegance and history of the culture of France.
The stores of the most prestigious and sophisticated brands are based in Champs-Élysées, however, not only is it an important and urbanized place, but it is also surrounded by vegetation, with impetuous trees bordering both paths.
Champs-Élysées starts as soon as the Place de la Concorde looms large, where history comes to life with only its name. It is there where thousands of people were executed, in the "era of terror", when the place was still called "Luis XV Square" in function of the pedestal of the monarch, destroyed later in the French Revolution when Luis was also killed XVI and María Antonieta, changing its name to "Revolution Square" and with it being the meeting center during the French Revolution. Finally, and given the culmination of that time, it is called by the name that it has conserved to the nowaday.
After touring the avenue completely, witnessing the luxury of its showcases, all with a certain air of French romanticism, you can see the Arc de Triomphe, which is undoubtedly one of the most significant monuments of Paris and another setting for important events historical, as the parades of soldiers, after the two great world wars. Given that it was sent to build by Napoleon Bonaparte to commemorate battles won, generates no doubt gives a strange feeling; you feel one of so many important figures and you can perceive the pride that they left reflected when passing under the eaves of their shadows "the Great ones", that were part of the history of the humanity..
From the route taken by the Sena River, you can observe numerous historical monuments, domes, surrounding streets with typical vegetation, the Eiffel Tower and impressive palaces. It is essential to make this navigation trip, because it allows to see from another perspective all the landscapes of Paris. There are different options, and although I took the evening with dinner on board - which is indeed wonderful, with exquisite food and first class attention - it seems to me that it is equally important to do it during the day, in order to fully recognize each one of the details of the city.
About the famous Louvre Museum, it is always full, so I recommend visiting it early in the morning as a way to enjoy the beautiful and emblematic works of art found there, cultural icons as "La Gioconda", the "Venus" de Milo "or" Las Bodas de Cana "among many others.
Another thing I definitely recommend in Paris is eating, but without anxiety, but delighting every flavor. Its restaurants present very fine dishes of unique preparations, where you can see the delicacy of La France expressed in gastronomy.
Cheeses in their most exotic types, interspersed with sweet flavors to give miscellaneous tastes to the palate.
Ratatouille, Coq au Vin and Snails are some of the dishes of the country that are equally worth tasting.
Profiterole and Crème Brûlée to finish.
Other essentials of Paris:
- Show at the Moulin Rouge, it takes away the prejudices of what you imagine of a "cabaret"; Without a doubt, it has the level of Cirque du Soleil, in a mythical and iconic place.
- Dinner at the Eiffel Tower. Category difficult to compare, within the most precious monument in Paris and the most prominent worldwide. It can be a bit expensive, but depending on the above, it really is worth it, as an unforgettable experience.
I wanted to leave the best for the end ....
Palace of Versailles: It allows you to dream of been part of one of those royal characters of yesteryear.
My favourites? The gardens of Marie Antoinette, where you can cycle through each of the corridors of vegetation and flowers, where at some time before maidens and countesses walked with their wonderful and twisted costumes.
It is definitely worth going in summer, the perfect time to see nature bloomed with memorable memories.
About its history behind ... Imborrable and perceivable in every detail.
And of course she. The elegance made monument.
How not to mention the glamorous and iconic Eiffel Tower, synonymous with the modernity of the late nineteenth century, which is now more than 125 years old, and has seen generations of lovers from all corners of the world pass by, posing as a guardian, and standard of that abstract concept, groped and infinitely difficult to define, which is love.
Paris and its iconic tower house them and are synonymous with it.
What gave it such a title?
I don't know.
It wasn't built to become something like a "symbol of love" in pieces of steel and puddled iron, but the energy that Parisians and travelers in love have attributed and delivered, have made it under its eaves smells like hearts and roses .
This famous building inspires, allows to dream and surprises. It attracts the senses permanently and in every look.
(Not because of nothing has been visited by more than 250 million people since its construction).
I don't have much description for her, but simply and abstractly sensations, which are worth to be living.
I recommend to sit and contemplate it in Champ de Mars, with a delicious nutella crêpe, where thousands of people gather to share, couples in love create memories and Asians take pictures in all possible poses (as everywhere in the world ahahah).
It has a wonderful view and invites you to relax among French melodies.
Paris deserves to be visited as a couple, to be able to enjoy its wonders with which, at that moment, it is you who create "the love of your life"; strangely in the city you smell the romanticism, and its melodies invite you to tune into that delicate and harmonious dance.
Paris facilitates dreaming under a mystical essence of love.
As I mentioned in previous paragraphs, go eat at the Eiffel Tower, sail along the river Seine and let yourself be carried away by the Parisian air and the dreams of royalty, making each sensation eternal.
Leave your love in one of the locks of the Bridge of the Arts, with the hope that it becomes a "happily ever after" ...
Maybe you will be luckier than me...
