I Love Paris

Sightseeing in Paris is an absolute must, and there are any number of different ways to do it. It all depends on what you actually plan to be doing.

If you just want to explore at your own pace and see what you can see, then undoubtedly walking will be your best option. You may even want to rent a bike — now, that does not mean going on a bike tour, although that is available as well. However, renting a bike just for you — and whomever you are with, of course — will allow you to set your own pace.

For sightseeing, the double decker buses are a whole lot of fun, and you will get to see all of the most famous sites.

And if you are just hanging out, do not be afraid of the Metro.

Travelers to Paris tend to make one very big mistake: they underestimate the amount of pictures they are going to want to take during their stay.

Sure, you might be saying, but there are all kinds of little stores around which will allow you to buy as many disposable cameras as you need. That is certainly true, I will not dispute that — but do you know how many rolls of undeveloped film I have hiding around the house?

People rely more and more on digital cameras, either stand alones or cameras attached to their cell phones.

On a visit to a visually stunning place like Paris, you need to make sure you have plenty of memory cards, so that none of your precious memories will be lost.

There are many, many ways to see Paris. You can take a walking tour, you can go on a bike tour, you can even just wander willy nilly as you please. One of the most popular ways to tour this beautiful and romantic city, however, is through an open bus tour.

They are ideal for visitors who do not really have the time to see the city on foot, or who do not know how to navigate the city particularly well.

The buses come regularly so you can always find one ready to take you all over the city’s most renowned sites. There are even special two day passes which allow you to see all those must see sites within that time period.

Many of the tours will even take you to places off the beaten path that may not be detailed in all of the guide books.

If you are looking to experience some serious luxury during your visit to Paris, then Les Thermes du Royal Monceau is an absolute must. This palatial hotel opened in a very prestigious and well known business and shopping district in 1928. It is a mere four hundred meters from such infamous sites as the Champs Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Parc Monceau.

It has two hundred and three rooms for guest, all of them filled with ornate, exquisite period furnishings, as well as separate entrance halls.

The rooms feature such modern luxuries as satellite televisions, minibars, video game consoles, and a number of other high quality amenities.

In addition, the hotel has a fitness center and a day spa where visitors can enjoy massages, exercise classes, body treatments, a beauty salon, and mineral baths.

As we have mentioned many times, one of the greatest ways to see Paris is on a bike. Just think about it — it is less tiring than walking, but you get to go at your own pace, which means that you get to see everything much more clearly and personally than you would be able to otherwise.

There are a number of biking tours available, if you choose to go that route. However, before deciding on just one touring group or company, you should do a little research. Check out the reviews from former customers so you will know if you can expect a really good experience. There are enough bike tours available that you do not have to go with something that will not ultimately make you happy.

With the premiere of Julie and Julia, lots of people are becoming interested in cooking, and that brings up an interesting point.  While visiting the museums and the sites when you are in Paris are practically must dos, the conventional excursions are definitely not the only ones you can enjoy.

If you have an interest in cooking, especially in French cuisine, in baking, or in making pastries, then why not take a short cooking class while you are visiting Paris?

There are actually a number of these available, some of which may only last a week, some which last two; there are even little weekend workshops which will be easy to fit into your trip.  It is a great way to truly experience the art of French cuisine — and you will definitely be able to take a little bit of Paris back home with you.

When you look around Paris, there is so much to see and so much beauty, it is very hard to take it all in … however, if you are looking for a particular place or sight that you should be seeing, it should be the Luxembourg Gardens.  These gardens were actually open only to the royalty before the French Revolution and now – they actually serve as one of Paris’s premier spots to relax.

The Luxembourg Gardens is actually something that is so breathtakingly beautiful and so awesome that you truly have to see it up close and personal.  The backdrop alone makes for a fantastic picture and the beautiful buildings that are within the Luxembourg Gardens are simply the best.

The fountain that is there is incredible and all around – the Luxembourg Gardens are the sight that you should be seeing!

When you are looking for something different and something that not everyone has done – you need to make sure that you book yourself into an O Chateau Wine Tasting.  Paris is known for their beautiful and awesome wine and when you partake in an O Chateau Wine Tasting, I can assure you that you will never, ever be the same again!  The great thing about O Chateau is the fact that it used to be a former royal cellar of wine that is located right in the heart of Paris.

An O Chateau Sommelier will provide you with a very beautiful and friendly introduction during your O Chateau Wine Tasting and you will be able to taste some of the best French wine of the world in a very friendly environment. 

You will learn all types of great tips, insight and certainly some of the best ways to appreciate fabulous French wine.  A O Chateau Wine Tasting is certainly a fantastic thing to do if you are a wine-lover!

If there is one thing that I have known about Paris, it is that they hold some of the best museums in the world.  The Cite des Sciences et de l’industrie is one of those museums that is not only beautiful to look at, but the knowledge that is held inside this incredible science museum is awesome.  The best known thing about the Cite des Sciences et de l’industrie is the Geode dome with an impressive 180-degree cinema.

The great thing about this particular museum is that it is absolutely geared for children.  Any kids aged three and over will absolutely be in love with the Cite des Sciences et de l’industrie, as there is a real submarine, the Argonaute and finally they can explore the Espace Explora. 

Sightseeing in Paris is beautiful and fun and when you have something like the Cite des Sciences et de l’industrie … you know you are definitely going to be seeing something amazing!

When you are looking for something to do in Paris – what is the first thing that you think about?  Opera!  Going to the opera is something that is a favorite past time for many, many different Paris-dwellers and when you are on vacation in Paris, it is very important that you experience everything that this beautiful city of love has to offer.  The Palais Garnier Opera national de Paris is definitely the place to be – after all, it was built in 1862.

The Palais Garnier Opera national de Paris was named after Gaston Leroux in his Phantom of the Opera.  The architecture is beautifully done with a mixture of baroque, classical, Napoleonic and Greek styles.  The Palais Garnier Opera national de Paris is adorn with all sorts of different mosaics, the foyer has a cupola decorated by painter Marc Chagall and an impressive Rococo staircase which leads to all of the beautiful reception rooms.

Outside of the Palais Garnier Opera national de Paris is four different stone statues which represent Lyric, Poetry, Lyric Theater, Dance and Music!