or from Bristol using Easyjet.
Date travelled: 24-25 March 2007.
Known as "The City Of Love" and one of the World's most visited citites, the French capital of Paris makes a perfect weekend break.
From Charles de Gaulle airport, take the RER train to Gare du Nord station (€8.60). I stayed at Hôtel La Bruyère, which is a short Metro ride from the centre.
The first thing to do is get yourself a 24hour Metro ticket, which gives you unlimited travel (€8.50).
The first place I visited, and a good place to set your bearings, is Place de la Concorde, Paris' main square, built in 1753 (Metro stop Concorde).
Place de la Concorde.
From here, head east to the Louvre (Metro Musee du Lourve), the most famous art gallery in the World. Entrance price €8.50, but reduced prices on Wednesday evenings. You will get to see the famous Mona Lisa, and prepare to be surprised at how small it is!
The Louvre.
Continue east to see Paris' most famous church, Cathédrale Notre Dame. Construction of the Cathedral began in 1163, and took 167 years to complete. See if you can find Quasimodo in the bell tower...
Notre Dame.
After enjoying the slendor of the Cathedral, head West on the Metro towards station George V, where you will see for the first time the Arc de Triomphe, which was commishioned by Napolean to celebrate victories in past battles. The monument is situated on the biggest and busiest roundabouts in the World. You can take the subway to get to the centre of the monument.
Arc de Triomphe.
By now you must be hungry. Head to one of the nearby cafés, and enjoy a coffee and cake. Or if you're feeling adventurous, how about snails or frog's legs?
Head back onto the Metro to stop Bir-Hikeim, the nearest stop to Paris' number 1 attraction; the Eiffel Tower. Tickets are €4.50 via stairs, €7 via lift, but the queues can be long, so stairs are a better option. However, there are over 600 steps! Be prepared to be watched by the armed guards dotted all around the base of the tower. Once you are up the top, you will get fantastic views.
The View from the Eiffel Tower.
Once you're back at the bottom, walk through the Champ de Mars Park, to really appreciate the sheer size of the tower, which until 1930 was the World's tallest building.
The Eiffel Tower.
When it goes dark, you may like to revisit the monuments to see them lit up. I recommend going to Metro Ecole Militaire. You will get a lovely vantage point for the Eiffel Tower, with its glorious light show.
The Eiffel Tower at Night.
Also situated here is the former Military college, where Napolean once trained to be a soldier.
Ecole Militaire.
In the morning, after plenty of orange juice and croissants, get another Metro ticket, and head North to station Abbesses, and walk 5 minutes to Sacré-Coeur, one of Paris' oldest churches. The church is set on a hill overlooking Montmartre district. You may want to take the funicular up to the top, if you don't feel like walking the hill.
Sacré-Coeur.
Once you've had a good look around the church, head West to Metro station Blanche. Here you will find the original Moulin Rouge theatre. There is always a queue here, so if you want to watch a show, be prepared to queue.
The Moulin Rouge.
If you visit on a sunny day, theres nothing better then a cruise along the river Seine. Go to Metro Champs-Elysees Clemenceau. You will surface on the Champs-Elysees, the 1¼ mile straight avenue between the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde. This avenue is where all the major state precessions take place, along with Paris' most exclusive shops.
The Champs Elysees.
As you head towards the river, you will notice a golden dome across the bridge. This is the St-Louis-des-Invalides Church, where Napolean's body is laid to rest.
St-Louis-des-Invalides Church.
You will now arrive at the Batobus hop-on-hop-off river cruise stop (€12). The cruise travels up and down the Seine, stopping at all the major attractions along the way. To complete a full circle will take about 2hours. I recommend staying on the boat all the way through, as you will get a good view of Paris from the riverside.
Notre Dame from the River Seine.
Enjoy some lunch again at Champs Elysees, then head West to station La Defense. This is where the main business district of Paris is located. Also here is the Grande Arche, a 110 metre high by 106 metre wide hollow cube structure. The monument could easily house Notre Dame within its hollow shape.
The Grande Arche.
You can take a lift to the top, where there is a few shops and a restaurant (lift cost €7). At the top, you will get some great views over the business district and central Paris.
The View From Grande Arche.
So if you have a spare weekend, say Bonjour to Paris!
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