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Amazing trip to Paris for 3 days (part 2)

By Val

As I promised, I share with you the second part of the trip to Paris. More sights, ideas, photos, and of course a few recommendations that I allowed myself to share in conclusion. I wish you a pleasant, smiling, and fruitful reading!

Notre Dame Cathedral

This last year, the tragedy of the burning of the cathedral’s roof drew my attention even more to this exceptionally majestic Gothic building. Although I knew there was no way it could be examined in any way, I wanted to see it at least from the outside. Our next stop was Notre Dame. Mighty, sinister, huge, surrounded by protective walls, we couldn’t get close, but Senna river gave us beautiful perspectives, at least on the cathedral’s facade. I hope they succeed in restoring it in a short time, because this building is worth seeing!

The Luxembourg Garden and the Latin Quarter

Our next destination was the Luxembourg Garden – a complex of palace and park and is one of the symbols of the city. Not so famous for visiting, but we thought it was a close and pleasant place to walk.

We turned out to be right – full of beautiful flowers, people, both bustle and tranquility, and an attractive artificial pond-fountain, which was an attraction for the youngest visitors to the garden. There are constant air currents around this pond and children (and not only them, of course) rent small sailboats, which they can put in it and with the help of a wooden stick to repel it from the end of the pond, to compete with the others released such. This attraction predetermines many running and happy children around the pond, who are protected by their parents from splashing in the water. The boats respectively carry the flags of different countries – a small international regatta!

If you have time and your legs do not hurt, you can walk around the Latin Quarter – the bohemian charm of Paris. Wonderful architecture, pretty streets, interesting bookstores and majestic buildings around every corner. Be sure to visit the Pantheon.

One of the things we explicitly avoided as an attraction near the Latin Quarter was the Catacombs of Paris. I decided that they were not something I would like to see and immerse myself in the atmosphere. But if any of you feel this desire, you can buy tickets from here and “cause” this gloomy experience.

The Basilica of the Sacré Coeur and Montmartre

After visiting the Latin Quarter, we could not help but be tempted to see another iconic place for Paris – again with a magnificent view – Mount Montmartre, about 130 m high. At its top is the Basilica of the Sacré Coeur, also called the White Church. One of the largest bells in the world, weighing 19 tons, rings from its 80-meter-high bell tower. The temple is one of the most visited buildings by tourists in Paris. The most beautiful part of it are the meditation garden and the fountain. It is full of people and the view of Paris from the hill is unique. From the site in front of the basilica there is an impressive view of the whole city.

Bonus Task: Find among the fabulous panorama of Paris so noticeable from afar the Eiffel Tower 🙂 No, it’s not easy, nor will you see it right away… interesting, isn’t it?

An interesting fact is that the basilica is located in the most rebellious neighborhood. It is the embodiment of conservative morality and Christian virtue. On the other hand, Montmartre is the neighborhood that embodies the nightlife in Paris – with the most strip bars, sex shops, cabaret and nightclubs. An interesting place to see, but it is advisable not to have children, so as not to have to answer awkward questions … Nearby is the famous Moulin Rouge Casino (translated as the Red Mill), in front of which is actually the last windmill in the neighborhood remained.

Conclusion and some recommendations

There, in front of the iconic cabaret, without buying tickets for the next show, our walk in Paris ended. Two and a half days filled with picturesque views, magnificent gardens, iconic places and tranquility. Something I can recommend and advise you to take advantage of is:

  • Use the city subway to get around. The distances in Paris between the various sights are not small, the metro is extremely convenient and easy to navigate without knowledge of French. You may not be fascinated by all the metro stations, but instead, you will use punctual and fast transport to anywhere in Paris.
  • Keep your personal belongings in every public place, the crowds are full of suspicious people
  • Don’t give in to street souvenir sellers who are everywhere, much less to people who will make you bet on “under which cup is the ball” – a trick as old as the world and just as deceptive. If you stop watching such a game, again – keep your personal belongings close to you, due to the presence of people who do not play the game but look around who is obsessed with it and does not pay attention to their values.

Paris fascinated me, made me smile, aroused my skepticism, and made me fall in love with it… so banal, but obviously, there is a reason. If you have the opportunity to visit it, do not hesitate, even if you do it just to confirm that you are not a romantic – travel to Paris!

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