If you are looking to visit a place where the architecture romances the skyline of the city, Paris would perhaps make for the perfect choice. The City of Love as it is fondly referred to was at the top of our checklist when we started planning for our Europe trip.
We took a Four days-three night trip to Paris. Carry on reading our blog as we handhold you through our day to day-trip itineraries.
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| Inside the Versailles palace |
Day One
We took the flight to Paris from Manchester. It was a short duration flight. On reaching the airport the first thing we did after completing the usual airport regime is getting the travel tickets from the vending machines that are easily accessible at the airport. The Paris airport offers great connectivity with the SNCF railways, which are a great option to avail when traveling into the city center wherein most of the high end, as well as budget-friendly hotels, are located. After reaching the hotel we freshened up and headed out to tick off our first place of interest.
Destination
One: Les Catacombs De Paris
In case you have a special thirst for the history you should
begin your rendezvous with Paris with one of its most ancient remains in Les Catacombes
De Paris. The Catacombs of Paris are underground ossuaries in Paris, France,
which hold the remains of more than six million people in a small part of a
tunnel network built to consolidate Paris' ancient stone quarries. The place
draws quite a large audience so it is advisable that you pre-book your tickets
online. The tickets usually cost around 24 Euros plus 5 Euros for an audio
guide. It is advisable to take the audio guide as it will enhance your
experience and help you understand the place better. We visited Catacombs on 5th
October 2019 so we had pre-booked our tickets on 15th of September
2019. Find the link here to their official ticketing site.
We had first come to
know about these catacombs via a film `As Above So Below`. The place caught our
mind and hence the decision to visit the place in person. The catacombs are
located well below the cityscape at a depth of 20 meters, equivalent to a
5 storey building and to reach them on has to overpower a flight of 243 steps to
access the site (131 at the entrance, 112 at the exit).
The place holds the ability to immerse you into
a history that once was, the audio guides add to the experience. The narratives
collaborated with the site helps you to discover how, when and why the once
underground stone quarries of Paris was turned into an underground graveyard. One has
to venture into the lengths of this place in order to experience it to the
core. The place starts with a passageway that showcases the remains of the
quarry and gradually opens up into an area that shows
orchestrated original human bones and skulls, all artfully placed to create a
tunnel that if you are faint-hearted can send shivers down your spine. I feel
different people will take back a different feel from this place, like for my
husband he was thrilled as for me I was a little shaken up by the experience.
Although no particular time restraints are
attached to the venue, if you want to delve deep and take time to discover it
then keep aside a good 1-2 hours for this. The entries are usually slotted to control the number of tourists inside the Catacombs, there is a limit to the maximum number of people that can be inside the place at a particular time.
Our next stop after this was the other famous
tourist destination The Louvre. We took the metro from the Catacombs to reach
the Louvre. This is the easiest way to travel between these two destinations.
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| Real Human skull and bones inside the catacombs |
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| One of the gallery segments of the Catacombs |
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| An area of the Catacombs |
Destination
Two: The Louvre Museum
The Louvre Museum is the world's largest art
museum and a historic monument in Paris, France. A central landmark of the
city, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st
arrondissement. They have a special offer as per which on the first
Saturday of each month a
certain number of people can avail free entry alongside a special pass into the museum. In order to lay your
hands over these special passes you need to follow their Facebook page, there a link is provided via which you
can then book these tickets. They generally provide the link a month before
the first Saturday of the next month. Alternatively, you can pre-book the
tickets online from their official website. There was a huge queue there when we reached, on entering the museum we were guided towards an enclosure. We collected our special passes "La Nocturne du Samedi" from there. These passes allowed us entry into the gallery where the famous Monalisa is displayed. People who did not hold these passes were not allowed to enter this part of the gallery.
The museum is usually very crowded. Once
you make your way into the museum be ready to be spellbound by its grandeur.
The galleries are sub-categorized into various sections based on the art form
that they showcase, so while on one hand, you have Egyptian artifacts on
display, on the other hand, you will see the mammoth white stones carved into
real-life statues. There are three floors to the museum, divided into various
sub-segments, so be ready to be on your foot for a good span of time if you
wish to discover it across its length and breadth. It is advisable to sort out
beforehand the areas of your personal liking as it is pretty much impossible
to cover the entire museum in a day. If
you are an art lover then visit this place will surely fill up your heart
with ecstasy. I remember we were barely able to keep standing on our feet by
the time we had more or less traversed the universe of Art and Artistry that
hides inside the Louvre. But it was all worth it.
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| The Louvre as seen in daylight |
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| The Louvre as seen at night from inside the museum, second floor |
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Travel Checks: We visited the Louvre at such a time which
enabled us to behold both the daytime as well as the nighttime look of the
Louvre.
We took the metro back to our hotel from the
Louvre and thus ended Day One
of our Paris trip.
Travel Checks: The Notre Dame and the Pont Neuf are
located very close to the Louvre so you can pay them a short and quick visit
for the must take photos while on your way to or from the Louvre.
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| Pont Neuf |
Day Two
Destination Three: Château de Versailles
We
started our second day of Paris with a visit to The Palace of Versailles.
We took the metro and railway to reach the palace. To read the details of the
journey route click on this link. The traveling time is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes from the city center. The palace is
located at a 5-8 minutes walking distance from the railway station. You will
find a number of popular eating outlets like McDonald's and others near the
Railway station.
Château de Versailles was the principal royal
residence of France from 1682, under Louis XIV, until the start of the French
Revolution in 1789, under Louis XVI. It is located in the department of
Yvelines, in the region of Île-de-France, about 20 kilometers southwest of the
center of Paris. The palace showcases the French Baroque style of
architecture. Containing over 60,000 works, the collections of the Palace of
Versailles span a very broad period. The collections reflect the dual identity
of the Palace, as both a palace occupied by the kings of France and the royal
court and later a museum “dedicated to the glories of France,” inaugurated by
Louis-Philippe in 1837. This palace draws quite a good amount of crowd, so to
cut short your waiting time, book tickets online ahead of your visit from their
official website. The
tickets cost us a total of 54 Euros (for two of us).
The history of the Palace of Versailles starts at the 17th
century. It was first a hunting lodge, then a seat of power, and finally, from
the 19th century onwards, a museum. Composed of the Palace, the gardens, the
Park, the Trianon estate and several buildings in town, today the Estate
of Versailles spreads over more than 800 hectares. In the evening there is
a spectacular musical fountain show that is held in the landscaped gardens of
the Palace. It is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque human-made masterpieces
of architectural wonder that we visited in Paris. My personal favorites are the
Hall of Mirrors and the vast stretch of landscaped gardens. To cover the entire
palace a full day`s time is needed. It is advisable to carry adequate food and
water with yourself because once inside the palace there are not many options
available in terms of food.
Destination Four: Eiffel Tower (Daylight view)
The train from Versailles stops over at the Eiffel tower
station. Then it is just a matter of 8-10 minutes of walk to reach the front
gardens of the Eiffel tower. We spent some time admiring the tower, basking in
its daytime view and then we headed out to visit the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. We
took the metro to reach the place from the Eiffel tower metro station.
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| The mighty Eiffel Tower by the day. |
Travel Checks: There
are a number of beautiful eateries strewn across the road that leads to the Eiffel
tower metro station so if you missed out on lunch while at Versailles you can
fill up the void here
**Read our article Traveling in Paris. It will give you an idea about using public transport in Paris for your trip.
Destination Five: Sacré-Cœur Basilica
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| Panoramic view of Paris as seen from the Sacre Couer |
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| Funiculars to the Sacre Coeur |
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, commonly known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica
and often simply Sacré-Cœur, is a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica,
dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Paris, France. The site has been around since pagan times through the Middle
Ages and the French Revolution. Sacré-Coeur is open from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
daily, and admission is free. It only costs 5 euros to go up to the top
of the Sacre Coeur basilica. Going inside the church is otherwise free. Situated
on the Butte (hill) Montmartre, the basilica is accessible
by funicular from the Place Saint-Pierre
the ticket covers this funicular as well or you can enter via the lawns
and steps from the little public garden ‘Square
Louise Michel’.
Once you reach the top what greets your eyes is a breathtaking
panoramic view of Paris. The Sacre Coeur is designed in a
Roman-Byzantine style. This architectural style stands in sharp contrast with
other contemporary buildings in France, which were mostly built in a
Romanesque style.
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Image source: Google photos
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Travel Checks: Expect to find different artists at the Sacre Coeur who keep the crowd entertained by their antics and performances.
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| This man had gathered quite an audience with his performances. |
Post your visit to the Sacre
Coeur, you can choose to wander around exploring the beautiful village of Montmartre
if you are not too pressed for time, we, however, had a few more points added to
our day two itinerary which we needed to visit so we made our way towards them
using our favorite means of transport in Paris its extensive Metro channel.
Destination Six: The Arc de
Triomphe
The
Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile is one of the most famous monuments in Paris,
France, standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the center of
Place Charles de Gaulle, formerly named Place de l'Étoile—the étoile or
"star" of the juncture formed by its twelve radiating avenues. The Arc de Triomphe honors those who fought and
died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, with the names
of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Architect Jean-François Chalgrin was inspired by the Roman
Arch of Titus in a single arch, but went beyond it by exceptional dimensions
(about 50 m high, 45 m long and 22 m wide) and abandoning columns. he Arc de
Triomphe was inaugurated in 1836 by the French king, Louis-Philippe, who dedicated
it to the armies of the Revolution and the Empire. The Unknown Soldier was
buried at the base of the arch in 1921. The flame of remembrance is rekindled
every day at 18:30. To access the top, you can climb 284 steps,
or take an elevator to the mid-level and climb 64 stairs to the top. From
the top of the terrace, your eyes will behold a gorgeous panoramic of Paris.
You can visit their official website to get an idea of
the timings (they tend to vary across the different months) and ticket prices.
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| The Arc. |
Travel Checks:
1. Try to visit this monument while there
is still natural daylight in order to be able to enjoy the panoramic views of
Paris better.
2. There is an underpass to access the arch.
The entrance of which opens up right opposite exit gate of the Champs Elysées
metro!
We did not know about this hence spend a lot of
time walking in circles almost five-six times around the roundabout trying to
figure out how did the others manage to reach near the feet of the monument
given the dangerous amount of traffic that runs on the circular road in the
middle of which the monument is located.
Tired but content with the
day`s discovery saga we made our way back home and called it a night for our
Day two in Paris.
**Read our article Traveling in Paris. It will give you an idea about using public transport in Paris for your trip.
**Visit our Facebook page, youtube channel and Instagram to see more such wonderful photos and videos from our Paris trip.**
Day Three
Destination Seven: Disneyland, Paris
Being the child of the 90`s era Mickey and Minnie have been an integral part of our childhood as did the castle of Disneyland, which easily made it to the bucket list of most kids of our generation. Given this, you can imagine our level of excitement for this destination. We took a combination of the metro and the RER to reach Disneyland. The on-ward journey took us roughly 1 hour 40 minutes. It is best that you reach the park as early as possible that way you can get more time to explore the park in its entirety. We had purchased the One park One day ticket, it gives you the choice to decide which one you want to visit, the Walt Disney studios or the Disneyland park. We opted for the park as it has the Disney themed rides. You can purchase the tickets from their official website. Two Adult tickets cost us a total of 94 GBP.
There is a ticket option called the FASTPASS with which you can cut down on the queue times on some of the most popular attractions – like the Star WarsTM Hyperspace Mountain and others. This FASTPASS is included in the Disney Parks ticket. You just simply need to insert your Disney Park ticket at the FASTPASS attractions and you’ll receive your return time ticket to the attraction, you can then board via the FASTPASS entrance. We suggest utilizing as many of them as you can as it will help you save up on time.
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| At the entry gate to the park |
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The world-famous Disney hotel
Can you spot Mickey?? |
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| Halloween Carnival parade at the park |
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| The Castle |
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A childhood dream comes true!
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Travel Checks: In case you are traveling to Paris from the UK try to use your Revolut or Monzo cards, they allow you to pay in the European currency (Euro) directly without incurring extra charges. (Caution: Always pay via the national currency. That is pay in Euros when the card asks you to choose payment option on swiping it).
The park holds festival themed parades throughout the year and across the day, each day. It was close to Halloween day when we had visited the Park so we were enthralled by the Halloween special parade. It made us re-live our childhood, the dancers danced to their full glory and there was hardly any Disney character who was not part of the parade. the music, pomp and show all filled the air of the park with magic just as Disney promises! It made us emote sheer happiness just like a child, unabridged, unadulterated! We spend the day discovering the park. It is divided into four main attractions, Frontierland, Fantasy Land, Adventure land and the Discovery Land, you may choose to visit them all, or if you are a rides fan than you can delve deeper into the Discovery Land part of the park. There are maps of the par available at to the entrance, be sure to grab one. It will come in quite handy! We took all the Star Wars rides, the best being the Hyperspace Mountain. The Haunted villa and the Indiana Jones themed roller coaster was fun too! However do not go in expecting very high-speed thriller rides, the park caters to mostly the younger crowd hence all the rides are more or less family-friendly. My husband was a tad disappointed as he went in expecting very high-end thrill based rides. But I was spellbound and gladly lost in the world of Disney magic. :)
Travel Checks: You can download the Disneyland app on your mobile. This will aid you in navigation and provide details about the different rides. The park also provides free Wi-Fi.
There are lots of options available in terms of food and drinks inside the park, feel free to indulge your taste buds! There is a laser show that is held every day at the park after nightfall. It is a must-watch, we, however, had to give it a miss as we had a date with the Eiffel Tower summit. We left the park at around 6 pm in the evening and it was still as crowded as it was when we had entered in the morning! But we assure you, when you walk out of the park you will be doing so with a wide smile on your faces!
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| Toy story themed ride |
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| Remember Jack and the Giant? |
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| Hyperspace Mountain-Star Wars |
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| Hyperspace Mountain-Star Wars |
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| Every soft toy lover's dream destination! |
**Visit our Facebook page and youtube channel to see more such wonderful photos and videos from our Paris trip.**
Travel Checks: You can buy the entry tickets to the park at a discounted rate from the Attractions Tickets site.
Destination Eight: Eiffel Tower summit
We took the RER back from Disneyland to our final spot on the itinerary with which we were going to drop the curtain on our trip to Paris, a visit to the summit of the mighty Eiffel tower at night. We had pre-booked our from their official website. We would strongly suggest that you pre-book your slots and tickets well in advance, there is a lot of rush and usually, the slots get filled up very quickly, we had gotten lucky and by chance two slots had opened up. We had booked the 8:30 pm slot as we wanted to experience the panoramic view of Paris in the night. Two Adult tickets cost us 25.50 Euros each. The wait time was not too long before we could finish admiring the Tower, we were already in one of the glass-walled lifts making our way up to the summit. The summit tickets are of two types, one that takes you half-way up and another one that allows you entry to the topmost part of the summit. Buy the one that best suits your interest. Details of it you will find on their official website.
Once you reach the summit be prepared to be left spellbound! At 276 m, it is Paris beneath you with only the antenna of the tower above you. The view is exactly what is claims to be breathtaking! We were hoping to take a lot of great photos, without the coats and caps on, but to our dismay, it was very windy and cold up there, so we had to give in and take photos clad in the warm comforts of our coats and caps ;) There are displays put up near the restaurants, wherein you get to read about the history of the tower and how it came to be the wonder of the world as most of us know it today. The current height of the Tower is 1063 feet but its original height was predisposed to be only 1024 meters.
Travel Checks: While we were there, we witnessed a man proposing marriage to his girlfriend. The scene seemed just out of those typical romantic films or novels! So in case you were having difficulty in deciding how to pop the question to your partner, we think we might have just given you a hint! You can come back and thank us later! ;)
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| The tower above you |
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| The Eiffel Tower at Night. |
To mark the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution a great competition was launched in the Journal Officiel called the Exposition Universelle in 1889 and this marks the origin of the Tower. Various information related to how the Tower was originally designed, how it was built, what precautions were taken to make sure it was able to withstand the Seine winds all are displayed on the walls across the summit. There are binoculars placed on the second floor with which you can Paris-gaze to your heart's content. Each floor has something to offer to the tourists. Some of the visitors who were there with us were enjoying a glass on wine while admiring the sights. There are a number of great restaurants, so one can feel a little spoilt for choice.
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| Paris from 276 meters |
There is a small enclosure at the very top part of the summit where real-life-like statues of the main people who were responsible for the building tower are displayed. You can also see the blueprints of the tower that are put on display. The summit or top is also divided into two parts, an indoor part, and an outdoor part. There is a very interesting comparative chart displayed on the wall near the glass-enclosed part of the summit, it shows you the height of the tower when compared to other significant monuments across the world. You can read more about the mighty wonder of the world on their official website. The feeling that we had while standing on the peak of the Eiffel Tower was truly On Top of the World! We will strongly suggest that if you are visiting Paris, do take a trip to the top of the tower, it will give your trip a fantastic closure.
Travel Checks: Every evening, the Eiffel Tower gets adorned with a golden covering and it sparkles for about 4- 5 minutes every hour on the hour and its beacon shines over Paris.
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| View from the second floor |
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The men at work.
With our visit to the top of the grand architectural wonder of Paris, our trip came to an end. We flew back to Manchester by an early morning flight the next day, but the memories created and the moments lived, we knew in our hearts were going to stay with us forever.
We hope you too have a wonderful trip to Paris like we did.
Read our other Paris related posts to get a better idea about planning your trip. The links to them are provided below.
3. Visit our youtube channel to see the memories from our trip come alive via our videos.
4. Visit our Facebook page to see more such wonderful photos from our Paris trip.
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Lovely post! Brought back fond memories of Paris! Now I feel like we should have gone to Disneyland when we had a chance. Gorgeous pictures, especially of Versailles.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind words and support.We feel honored! :)
DeleteInteresting blog, it reminds me of Latin Quarter in Paris , the many streets in Latin Quarter surrounding what was the student and intellectual center continues to attract tourists and Parisians.
ReplyDeleteI tried to write a blog about it, hope you also like it in https://stenote.blogspot.com/2018/09/paris-at-latin-quarter.html.
Thank you for the appreciation. Indeed Paris is a city which etches a wonderful memory
Delete