Bonjour Paris, the romance capital of the world- Travel #26

Bonjour Steemit friends, let me take you on a romantic journey to Paris, France. Paris is the capital of France spanning an area of 105 square kilometres/40.5 square miles and is home to well over 2 million Parisians. Since the 17th century, Paris has been Europe's leader in fashion, music, art, finance and commerce. These impressive accomplishments along with Paris's stunning architecture make it one of the most sought after cities in the world. So who wouldn't want to live in Paris, well, it is more of a question of who can live in Paris. This city is not cheap, in fact according to the Economist Intelligence Unit Worldwide Cost of Living Survey done in 2018, Paris came in at the second-most expensive city in the world, behind my home city of Singapore. I guess for me I would be saving money by moving here, there's a thought.

So what is it about Paris that has every woman dreaming of eating fresh baguettes at an open air café, riding a bicycle next to the Eiffel Tower, the high end shopping down Champs-Élysées, adding a locket to love bridge and getting proposed to by the River Seine? It is a love story we sell ourselves that we have seen in movies or read in romantic novels. There is a romantic ambiance about Paris that's for sure, city hall even offer a free map pointing out all 31 of the city's condom vending machines. Speaking of eating baguettes at open air cafés, there are 9,057 of them. So if you were to spend everyday dinning at a different open air café, it would take you nearly 30 years to experience them all and have that "chance" meeting of your future husband/wife. Paris was established around the end of the 3rd century BC by Gauls who were called Parisii, hence how Paris got its name. In 52 BC Julius Caesar's legions conquered Paris and renamed it Lutetia. Eventually it regained it's original name of Paris after the fall of the Roman Empire.

To find me look for my chihuahua's face

Paris, France

So how do you get to Paris, well, there is an array of options to suit nearly every budget and travel preference. Paris is serviced by 3 major Airports. The biggest of which is Charles de Gaulle Airport. Charles de Gaulle Airport, also known as Roissy Airport, is the largest international airport in Paris and in fact all of France. It is named after Charles de Gaulle, leader of the Free French Forces during World War II, founder of the French Fifth Republic and President of France from 1959 to 1969. Charles de Gaulle Airport is located approximately 25 kilometers/ 15.5 miles northeast of central Paris. Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport offers services from most capital cities in Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, parts of Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

If you are starting in London, England, you can take the Channel Tunnel which offers a train, bus services or you can drive through it. The journey takes a little over 2 hours. Sailing into Paris on a river boat cruise along the River Seine is a romantic option or if the larger cruise liners are more to your fancy then docking along the Normandy Beaches and travelling into central Paris is an option. The journey from the Normandy cruise terminal into central Paris takes about 3 hours. There really is almost every possible mode of transportation to get you to the city of lights.

The city of lights, how did Paris get this title? Literally because it is a city covered in lights. There are over 300 illuminated landmarks that you can enjoy in the city. Billions of tiny lights decorating hotels, churches, statues, fountains, national buildings and monuments. Furthermore, 33 of Paris's 37 bridges are illuminated by these lights by nightfall. However of course the jewel of the city is the sparkling Eiffel Tower, it lights up every night and shimmers till the morning light. It lights up in all different colours, depending on the time of year or the occasion it's marking. It takes more than 40 kilometers/25 miles of illuminated garlands which comprise over 20,000 sparkling light bulbs to light up this famous landmark. It is a spectacular sight, instead of proposing to her at the top of the windy, crowded Eiffel Tower, propose to her with it as your glistening backdrop, it makes for breath-taking photographs, you can thank me later. Like most capitals, Paris is a sight to behold at my favourite time of year, Christmas. I cannot imagine a more festive way to complete your Christmas shopping than along the infamous Champs-Elysées. During the festive season
the world’s most beautiful and romantic boulevard lights up with stunning Christmas illuminations. Over 2.5 kilometers/1.5 miles of individually strung lights trail you from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. Well deserving of its title I think.

Breakfast with a view

Getting around Paris once you are here, there are various options to suit both your budget and time constraints. You can opt for local public transportation however, unless you speak French, I do not recommend it. Unfortunately the French in Paris, the Parisians are not the friendliest of people. I urge you not to take offense as it is just a cultural thing. Their accent can also come across as harsh so if it has ever annoyed you when someone has said to you "it's not what you said it's the way you said it" then imagine being French and getting that all the time. Be mindful as well that there is no such thing as a queue in Paris, it is push and shove to get on buses, trains, ordering food or even buying something. Another interesting thing to bear in mind is that there are also practically zero public restrooms, so make sure you go and your children go at the hotel before you leave or you may end up having to pay nearly 8 Euros to use a W.C where you have to purchase each square of toilet paper. I had to use one of these loos and it was an experience, I was even given a toilet bowl catalog upon exiting if I decided I wanted to buy a toilet.

Getting back to how to get around Paris, I always recommend walking as much as you can. This gives you a real feel for the place and allows you to discover secret locations you never would have otherwise. On holiday I always walk everywhere and even though I stuff my face with so much local food, I always lose weight on holiday. Allow yourself to get lost, it is magical. If walking isn't as easy for you dependant upon age, mobility or you just have a dozen children hanging off you then the open top bus tour is always a great choice. These days there are so many options for tour companies, I would suggest looking up some reviews online before deciding which one is best suited to you and your family. The open top bus tour takes you through the entire city, allows you to hop on and off at any stop. You can usually get day trip passes or even several day passes to really soak in Paris. Paris is a huge city that's very spread out with the old city and the new. The way I like to do my hop on hop off bus tour is I like to do one entire loop first. Start early in the morning and see the entire city, sit back, relax and listen to the onboard commentary which is usually offered in over 20 different languages. I take notes of the stops I want to see then on my second loop, I get off at each of the stops that interest me and really soak it in. This way if time slips away from me, at least I've done an entire loop of the city. Private, bicycle and walking tours are also available, along with ferry trips up and down the River Seine.

Enjoying the open top bus tour

Photo opportunities from the top of the bus

Unique angles for photos are possible as well from the top of the bus

The Eiffel Tower stop

The Eiffel Tower, one of the worlds most recognisable landmarks. She is one of the new 7 wonder of the world. I say "she" because the French refer to it as La dame de fer which means the iron lady, not to be confused with Britain's Margaret Thatcher. She is a wrought iron lattice tower located in Champ de Mars. It was actually named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower in 1889 as the entrance to the World's Fair. It took two years to build and became the tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years until the Chrysler Building in New York City was finished in 1930. Gustave Eiffel was heavily criticized and mocked by some of France's leading artists for its design. It is Gustave that would be having the last laugh now as, it has not only become a global icon but is the most-visited paid monument in the world with more than 7 million visitors a year. To this day, the Eiffel Tower remains the second tallest structure in France after the Millau Viaduct. It is of course the tallest structure in Paris. Being so popular, the Eiffel Tower's design has been recreated around the world, including the half scale replica at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel in the United States and the full scale Tokyo Tower in Japan.

The tower has three levels that are accessible for visitors, with restaurants and bars on the first and second levels. These do book out so I suggest making a reservation, they can also be booked for private functions. As I've said previously, I would rather sit and eat a meal with a view of the Eiffel Tower rather than from within it because you obviously cannot see it, but that's just my personal preference. The top level's upper platform stands 276 meters/906 feet above the ground and holds the title of the highest observation deck in Europe. There is a lift that serves all the floors, the tower is completely wheelchair accessible. My younger brother Scott who is wheelchair bound had no issues getting to the top viewing platform. At the top there is an outside area and an inside area where you can enjoy a hot chocolate and a giant pretzel, you can be sure we did. Who passes up on a French bakery..... nobody in their right mind.

I'll be spider-woman and climb the Eiffel Tower...….. just kidding

Lower Viewing Platform

Higher Viewing Platform

Pretty Windy

My Family and I

Bonjour

Paris can be an intimidating city to plan a trip to if you are in a wheelchair however, I encourage you to plan one and experience the French Capital. Most of the city is wheelchair assessable with ramps and lifts and though they may have cobble stoned streets you can easily avoid them without missing out on any of the famous landmarks. My younger brother Scott is wheelchair bound and has travelled all over to world to many capitals including the ancient ones like Rome and Athens. He doesn't let the fear of difficulty stop him from seeing the world and you shouldn't either. He is an absolute inspiration to me and many others. I encourage him to start a travel blogging series called "Around the world in a wheelchair"

My brother Scott and I

Being a lover of history, what is more impressive than the world's largest art and history museum in Paris, the Louvre. This impressive monument is not only home to Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa but over 38,000 objects from prehistory to the 21st century. The Louvre is the world's most visited art museum, receiving more than 8 million visitors a year.
The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace, originally built as the Louvre castle in the late 12th to 13th century under Philip II. Remnants of the fortress are still visible in the basement of the museum. Due to the urban expansion of the city, the fortress eventually lost its defensive function and, in 1546, was converted by Francis I into the main residence of the French Kings. Back then the Louvre was much smaller, it was extended many times to form the present day Louvre Palace you see today. In 1682, Louis XIV chose not to stay in the Louvre Palace but to take up residence in the Palace of Versailles. This left the Louvre primarily as a place to display the royal collection. Royals occupying the Louvre Palace ended during the French Revolution when the National Assembly decided that the Louvre should only be used as a museum to display the nation's masterpieces. The collection today is divided among eight curatorial departments, Egyptian, Eastern, Greek, Etruscan and Roman, Islamic, Sculpture, Decorative Arts and Paintings.

Ancient building near the Louvre

National Museum

The Louvre

Even though there are many impressive things about the Louvre, for some reason the Mona Lisa remains the most popular. Not that the Mona Lisa isn't impressive, it is just funny how something that in my personal opinion is not nearly as impressive as some of the other artifacts in the Louvre, remains its most popular exhibit. The Mona Lisa is a half-length portrait painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci that has been described as "the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world". The Mona Lisa is also one of the most valuable paintings in the world holding the Guinness World Record for the highest known insurance valuation in history at 700 million Euros. So why is she worth so much apart from the fact that she was painted by the great Leonardo da Vinci? You may have heard the term or even the Hollywood movie, Mona Lisa Smile. The painting is so popular because of her mysterious smile. I do agree that it is a mysterious painting as I'm still looking for the smile.

The Mona Lisa

The Louvre Palace grounds

The Palace's impressive golden fountain

Medieval Catholic Cathedral Notre-Dame

The famous love lock bridge is a bridge where couples go to secure a padlock with their names engraved on it onto the bridge. Once locking their padlock to the bridge they throw the key into the River Seine as a sign of their unbreakable love. This bridge has been an attraction for lovers around the world for years ever since the start of World War I. Lovers who were to be separated by the war would lock a padlock to the bridge before saying goodbye maybe for the last time. There are said to be thousands of lockets.

Love Lock Bridge

Nearly every major capital in the world has an Arch, none more famous than the Arc de Triomphe. The Arc de Triomphe stands proudly at the western entrance to Champs-Élysées shopping district. It is situated as the "star" of a very busy twelve avenue juncture. Once we saw the Arch de Triomphe, we knew that shopping awaited along Champs-Élysées. The Arc de Triomphe honours all those who fought bravely 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. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. This represents all the soldiers who perished that were unidentified. The tomb contains the first eternal flame lit in Europe since the Vestal Virgins' fire was extinguished in the fourth century. It burns in memory of the dead who were never identified for both the World Wars. A ceremony is held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier every 11th November.

Arc de Triomphe

Posing

Champs-Élysées is a famous shopping strip bustling with life. The street is usually packed with tourists and locals alike trying to get their hands on some high end luxury brands. The strip not only allows the rich and famous to purchase designer bags and perfumes but also a Ferrari or Lamborghini if you're feeling extravagant. For most of us visiting the famous shopping district is a tick off the bucket list, I think I just about could afford one croissant. If you are into celebrity spotting, this is the strip to be in, call it the Rodeo Drive of Paris.

Champs-Élysées

Ready to do some shopping

I have travelled extensively and I always enjoy visiting Cathedrals. They are interesting, full of history, some can be spooky and others calming, all in all, I suppose it's a place to feel closer to God. Notre-Dame de Paris literal translation is "Our Lady of Paris" also known as Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral. The cathedral is greatly considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in the world. The impressively large colourful stained glass windows, and sculptural decoration all set it apart from earlier Romanesque architecture. The cathedral began its construction in 1160 and was finally completed in 1260, though it was modified frequently in the following centuries. During the French Revolution Notre-Dame unfortunately suffered targeted damaged where most of its religious imagery was destroyed. It wasn't until a novel written by Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1831 that made Notre-Dame popular again. The popularity of the novel funded Notre-Dame's much needed revival. A major restoration project began in 1845 and continued for twenty-five years, cleaning and rebuilding the impressive medieval Catholic cathedral into its former glory and how it can be enjoyed today. I loved the story of Quasimodo when I was young and to think that a children's story book could save such an iconic structure is fascinating. Quasimodo was the main protagonist of the novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. Quasimodo was born with a hunchback and was feared by the townspeople as a sort of monster, but he finds sanctuary in an unlikely love that is fulfilled only in death. Legend has it that it is the spirit of Quasimodo who still rings the bells of Notre-Dame to this day. I light a few candles of respect in the cathedral before continuing on my way.

Notre-Dame

Souvenirs

Last but not least, Paris of course is famous for its naked women, no sorry, I mean Moulin Rouge. I am not talking about the Nicole Kidman Hollywood movie but a live cabaret show in Paris. Moulin Rouge is a risqué cabaret show in the district of Montmartre which is primarily known for being the nightclub district of Paris. It is a stunning show of talent, artistry and passion. Highly recommended if nudity doesn't bother you. Remember you're in Paris now, it's not obscene, it's art. This show has been captivating audiences since 1889. Do be sure to book ahead as not to be disappointed. This brings me to the end of my travels here is Paris, France. I will always have a piece of Paris in my heart and my Paris love story, I adopted a dog back home and gave him the French name of Rémy.

Moulin Rouge

I hope you have enjoyed my blog on the romantic capital Paris, France, thank you for reading and I look forward to sharing more adventures with you, until next time, Au revoir , Vegoutt Everybody!