Notre Dame Cathedral ~ Paris ~ France

Our double-decker bus tour of beautiful Paris offered the option of getting on and off the bus whenever we chose to spend more time at any location.  This tour included a drive by Notre Dame Cathedral so we took this opportunity to stop and see more and have some lunch nearby.  We didn’t go inside as we hadn’t timed it right for that but the sight that we saw offered plenty to enjoy.

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France

There were hundreds of visitors in the square, many of them enjoying their lunch and most were likely waiting for the next service to begin.  There are over 13 million visitors a year for 5 daily services and 7 on Sunday.  That would make over 2,000 celebrations a year and we weren’t there at the right time for any!

Portal of the Last Judgement on Notre Dame Cathedral

There is such detail that is not obvious when you first look at these incredible structures steeped in history but on a closer look you will find an endless supply of art that tells stories.  Many of the sculptures on Notre Dame Cathedral tell stories from the bible but there is French history included as well.

Statues on the face of Notre Dame Cathedral

The carved rose, almost 10 meters in diameter on the upper level in the center features the virgin with child with an angel on either side of her.  Statues of Adam and Eve are on either side of the rose were added in the nineteenth century.  Across the width of the Cathedral is the Gallery of Kings.  These statues represent 28 generations of the kings of Judah. 

Carvings of the Portal of the last Judgement

The portal on the lower level on the left is known as the Portal of the Virgin, on the right is Portal of St. Anne and in the center is the largest called Portal of the Last Judgement. 

This one tells many stories but the one shows the souls of the dead being weighed to determine whether they go to heaven or hell.  The carvings surrounding in the arch are those watching from heaven above.  These portals were carved in the 1220’s to 1230’s.

Notre Dame Cathedral from River Seine

This view of the Cathedral was taken during our cruise on the River Seine. The first spire was built in 1250 and was the bell tower then this spire was built during a later restoration and stands 93 meters in height.

Apostles climb the spire of  Notre Dame Cathedral

The most interesting feature of this view, I found was the copper statues; some of the 12 apostles can be seen climbing the spire. If we could see all four corners of the spire at once, which could only be done from above (: then we would see 3 apostles climbing up each corner. The challenge of that construction alone is amazing.

Notre Dame Cathedral on Ile de la Cite

The Notre Dame Cathedral sits on Ile de la Cite which was the center of medieval Paris and the contemporary capital.  It is formed by two meanders of the River Seine which offers great opportunities to see the Cathedral while cruising the Seine.
We've seen so many wonderful sights in Paris and it is impossible to name a favorite.  Other 'can't miss' places to see in Paris include Sacre Coeur Basilica, Montmartre, Arc de Triomphe and of course the Eiffel Tower and so much more. Click on these locations and you will see more of this beautiful city of Paris.

Basilique du Sacre-Coeur ~ Montmartre ~ Paris ~ France

It does not matter what foreign country you may travel in, the church is often the heart of the city or the village that you visit and will be a point of interest worth seeing.  We have seen many on our travels and some of them are absolutely amazing but the Sacre-Coeur Basilica is one that will stand out in my mind forever.

Basilique du Sacre-Coeur in Montmartre, Paris, France

Basilique du Sacre-Coeur, Basilica of Sacred Heart sits at the highest point in Montmartre, a northern section of Paris, France.  Montmartre is translated as ‘mountain of the martyr” named after the martyred bishop who was beheaded in the fourth century.  Basilica du Sacre-Coeur was built 1875-1914. The travertine stone that it is made of releases calcite when it gets wet therefore maintains the white stone.

The musician and his harp on the steps of Basilica Sacre-Coeur, France

Montmartre has always been a favored place for musicians and artists to gather.  The harp was a beautiful instrument to listen to as we climbed all those steps to the top.  There is bus service for those that cannot or do not want to climb all those stairs.

Architectural details on the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur in Pais, France

The architecture of the Basilica was not typical for the time.  I don’t know what this particular creation is although it seems to resemble a cow.  It doesn’t look like typical gargoyles as some others on the building do but perhaps it was to direct water off the roof, which was one of the original reasons for gargoyles on buildings or to ward off evil.  I believe the faces carved into the building were the early bishops of the Basilica as was often done.

Doors leading into Basilica Sacre-Coeur

These beautiful bronze doors led us to the most incredible mosaic I have ever seen.  Cameras are not allowed inside which is understandable but much to my dismay, so all I have is the picture embedded in my mind.  The mosaic, “Christ in Majesty” filled the apse, the vaulted recess of the dome and with the use of gold leaf and lights to highlight, it almost took my breath away.  It is among the largest mosaics in the world and is an incredible sight.  

Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Paris

So many architectural details were used in this early day that may not be immediately noticeable but on a closer look, they will be there. Several gargoyles around the church plus the faces we could see in the other picture.  Many structures will include statues of people of importance, Joan of Arc is the patina colored statue we see above the entrance on the Basilica.

The view of Paris, France from the Basilica

The view of Paris from the steps of Basilica du Sacre-Coeur was from a good resting spot after climbing many steps and also gives an idea of the size of this beautiful city showing only a portion.  The Eiffel Tower, slightly lower than the height of the dome on the Basilica, is out of sight of our view here.

Street musician in Montmartre, Paris, France

This gentleman was the epitome of what we might expect to see on our visit to the old gathering place for artists in Montmartre, Paris, France in years gone by.  His appearance is very French and the song he performed while we were there was an old standard easily recognized by these visitors.  This began our visit to Place du Tertre.  Click here to join us there.

Montmartre ~ Place du Tertre ~ Paris ~ France

We are loving our time in Paris and eager to see as much as possible in our four days in Paris, France.  We have enjoyed the mode of transport on the double decker tour buses and how easy we can get from one area to another.  Today we have chosen to visit Montmartre, a designated historic district north of downtown Paris. 

The Moulin Rouge in Paris, France

The Moulin Rouge, opened in 1889 is the legendary cabaret that still has shows with the beautiful dancers dressed in feathers and sequins dancing the cancan.  Many famous American artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Elton John have performed here following in the footsteps of many world renowned French artists of the earlier days. To learn more about the theater and restaurant, click here.

The streets of Montmartre in Paris, France

The narrow shop-lined streets are very common in Paris where there is only foot traffic and with the crowds felt like a traffic jam.  The popularity of the area is a great draw for tourists and locals on any given day of the week.

Street entertainment 

This appears to be street gambling to see if you can beat the fast hand of the dealer and we saw many of these in Paris.  They work in teams and the one putting the money down to try to win is actually a friend of the dealer but it fools many tourists who might think they will win, too.  Consider it entertainment but not worth participating in unless you want to lose your money.

Place du Tertre in Montmartre, France

 The square at the top of Montmartre was once the gathering place of now famous painters, poets and composers of the 19^th century.  The tree covered area also has cafés and restaurants lining the street that make a great place to spend a sunny afternoon in Paris.

Artists at work in Place du Tertre

This square is still where many artists set up to work and sell their paintings these days.  We also listened to some very talented street musicians playing for tips while we spent some time enjoying the artsy atmosphere. I’m sure it isn’t the same as it was during days gone by but it is fun to imagine sitting with those artists and philosophers trading their stories as they sat on these streets of Montmartre all those years ago.

Galleries and souvenirs in Montmartre, Paris, France

This street at the top of Montmartre is a very short distance from Basilica du Sacre-Coeur, whose dome is the highest point in the city.  The art galleries selling French art and souvenirs line the streets leading to the Place du Tertre, where the artists gathered.

Montmartre tourbus passes the cafe

We just had to have lunch at a French café in Montmartre to really enjoy our visit to the district.  The tables and chairs sit out on the narrow street which saw freight carrying trucks practically brush our shoulders on their way by.  The Montmartre tour bus, a small train like vehicle is used to take tourists for a tour of the area and for those not wishing to climb all the stairs to get to the top.

Montmartre Funicular

The Montmartre Funicular, originally built in 1900 is there for those who prefer not to walk up the many stairways of 300 steps or more to the top.  Some steps are required to use to get to the funicular, which was rebuilt in 1996 is part of the bus system and costs a minimal price for the ride.  Over 2 million people use this funicular every year, more people riding up than down.

We also spent time visiting the Basilica Sacre-Coeur during our visit to Montmartre, the interior was a sight never to be forgotten.

Arc de Triomphe ~ Paris ~ France

It was a sight to behold and got better as we drew nearer. We were riding on the top level of one of the many double decker tour buses in Paris for a bird's eye view and as we travelled down the Champs Elysees.  We had so many sights to see but the one incredible sight at the end of the street that was spellbinding was the Arc de Triomphe. It is hard to capture all the beautiful features of this fine piece of history and architecture while riding around it on top of a tour bus but I did feel I had some advantages from my viewpoint that I would not have from the street.  The sculptures engraved in the Arch are incredible and I hope to take us back in time with the story behind this work of art. 

Arc de Triomphe on the Champs Elysees in Paris, France

Napolean Bonaparte first commissioned the Arch in 1806 by the French architect Jean Chalgrin, to commemorate his victories but due to circumstances it was not finished until long  the death of Chalgrin in 1911.  The construction was not completed until the reign of King Louis-Philippe 1833-1836 with the talents of other architects long after Napoleon's death. 

The size of the Arc de Triomphe is bigger than expected

Napoleon Bonaparte had wanted the Arc to be completed to impress his new bride when she arrived in 1810 but a temporary wooden one had to be built in order to be ready on time as only the base had been completed during those first four years.

A close-up of the sculptural relief on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France

The model for the Arc de Triomphe was based on the Arch of Titus in Rome, which was 15 meters high but the Arc de Triomphe was over 50 metres (164’) when it was completed in 1836. There are 234 steps that visitors can climb and get an amazing view of the city and if you look at the first photo you will see some of those visitors enjoying the view from the top. 

The history showing the soldiers in battle

The top of the Arc has 30 shields which each bears the name of a successful battle of Napoleon’s.  The four supporting columns of the Arc have names of major battles of major battles of Napoleonic wars.   

The interior walls are engraved with names of French Generals

The names of 558 French Generals are engraved on the inner face of the Arc and the names of those who died in battle have been underlined.  The most famous of all the reliefs on the Arc is the Departure of the Volunteers and is commonly called La Marseillaise. 

The artwork of the Arc de Triomphe is incredible

Napoleon Bonaparte was a many of many accomplishments and it was too bad he didn’t live long enough to see the Arc when it was completed.  If this was what he had envisioned from the beginning, then he was once again a winner.  Napoleon’s body was carried through these arches in 1840 when it was moved to Les Invalides in Paris, where it resides to this day. 

Visitors come to see the amazing Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France

The Unknown Soldier represents 1,500,000 French soldiers who lost their lives in WW!.  This was following the example of the Unknown Warrior buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The Flame of Remembrance on this tomb is a tribute to all those soldiers who were never identified from both WW 1 and 2.  The flame is rekindled daily and they celebrate the anniversary of armistice on November 11th yearly.

The magnificant Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France

The size of the Arc makes it a very impressive sight to see as it sits tall in Place Charles de Gaulle, at the junction where twelve streets meet, all named after French military leaders.  It is large enough that an aviator was able to fly his Nieuport biplane through it at the 1919 Paris Victory Parade to mark the end of WW 1. 

This is the place where troops have rallied and held many parades and where millions of visitors have come to pay their respects to the millions of soldiers that it represents and to see the history of valiant battles engraved on the Arc de Triomphe.  It is a wonderful sight to behold in a city that has many incredible sights, like the Eiffel Tower, one of which I will also share.

Pantheon ~ Grand Palais ~ Hotel des Invalides ~ Palais de Chaillot ~ Paris, France

We have found, even on our RV travels that when we visit a new city, a tour bus can be the best way to learn our way around and hear a lot of the history.   We usually stay on for all of the bus tour to see and then decide where we are going back to.  It is nice to have the tour guide information, whether it is with a guide or the prerecorded audio system that many of them are using now.

Views from the tour bus in Paris, France

As with many of the English and European cities, the tour buses are often double deckers with an open top. That would mean you would really appreciate good weather but no matter what, the view is better from up there and so photo's are easier taken from there, too. We were able to purchase a ticket to use anytime within 24 hours, and with that we had a choice of several routes in Paris.

Palais de Chaillot at Trocadero Square

Most bus tours allow you to get on and off whenever you wish and that gives you the option to spend more time at any one particular place.  We began our tour of Paris from the stop at Tracadero behind the Palais de Chaillot which houses a number of museums.  Most of the names on the buildings are in French so we did have some difficulty deciding what was inside but we do understand that the Maritime Museum and the Museum of Architecture, dedicated to monuments, is housed here.  The Paris Modern Art Museum is also nearby.

The Pantheon in Paris, France

The Pantheon was built in 1757 to replace a sixth century Basillica but due to financial problems, it took 34 years to complete.  It was later decided to transform it to a temple to bury the remains of great men of France and then became the Pantheon.  Then in 1806 it became a church again but in 1885 it became a civic building, as it is today.

Flower shops line the street beside the Pantheon

 Seeing these spectacular buildings in Paris, surrounded by the excitement of this city creates a very special experience. We were in our tour bus as we came upon the Pantheon and it was a very busy place with traffic in front, around and behind.  The streets of this city are not a simple grid so the bus tour makes our sightseeing much easier.   

Hotel des Invalides, Paris, France

This was originally meant to be barracks only but King Louis XIV hired an architect to build a huge complex with royal courtyards including one of honor for military parades and a church.  The complex was completed in 1676 and could house up to 4,000 war veterans in the barracks.  There are several museums housed in the complex.

Dome des Invalides in Paris, France

The Dome des Invalides is a beautiful church connected to the Royal chapel and used for royals only. It took 27 years to complete the 107 M (351') dome, finished in 1708. This was where royalty was meant to be buried but that changed after King Louis XIV died.  Nineteen years after he had died, Napoleon Bonaparte's body (1769-1821) was relocated and entombed here. Napoleon was the Emporer (1806-1814), making him the military and political leader for the last years of the French Revolution.

The War Museum at Hotel des Invalides

The War Museum opened in 1905 and today is one of the largest military museums in the world.  The displays include weapons from many different time periods so offer a great variety for anyone interested in this kind of history.  The museum also features military items from India, Japan, Turkey and China.

Grand Palais, Paris, France

This very large complex was built for the Universal Exhibition, also known as the World Fair, in 1900 with the biggest glass roof in all of Europe and is now considered an historic monument.  The World Fair, held in many European capitals over the years, offered all nations to showcase business, industry and fine arts.

Grand Palais, the glory of French Art.

There are several museums and galleries as well as being host to many Chanel fashion shows and theater every year.  The statues that are seen were designed by 40 contemporary artists at the time of construction.  The mission of the Grand Palais is inscribed on the building: "This monument has been dedicated by the Republic to the glory of French Art".

We enjoyed our bus tour of the city and planned to see much more during our stay in Paris, France in September. We've only just begun to see all the wonderful sights the city of Paris offers. 

Eiffel Tower ~ Paris ~ France

We love RVing, so our typical holidays have been driving across Canada and the US for most of our travels but not this time. We have now left our RV at home and are doing some global travels so we will share our visit to Paris, France with you.



We are in Paris, France

We arrived by train from England having travelled under the English Channel and across some beautiful French countryside to our destination of Paris by mid-afternoon.  We caught a cab to the hotel and I was trying to get photos of everything we passed, even the street signs! 

The Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

Our first day in Paris was short so we planned nothing but to get settled into our hotel, have a drink at a sidewalk cafe and have a look around before it got dark.  We were only a few blocks from the River Seine and the Eiffel Tower so that was the obvious destination and we were excited to see it.

Under the Eiffel Tower looking skyward

The Eiffel Tower is so much larger than I expected it to be, even though I have seen many photos of it!  We saw it from a distance as we rode in the cab to our hotel, but actually walking up to and under it, WOW, this made it a totally different story.

The elevators ride up the Eiffel Tower in Paris

The Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889 for the World Fair and has been an icon ever since, although at times it was considered for demolition.  It is 324 meters (1063 ft) and 108 stories high.  There are elevators to take you for a tour of the tower or to one of the two restaurants on the first and second platforms.  On a great day, they say you can see 72 km. (45 miles).

A gathering and shopping area under the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France

There is lots of excitement around the Eiffel.  So many people are there enjoying the sights and sounds of the whole area.  The River Seine is across the street so between the two big attractions, it is great fun to just be there and enjoy it.

Carousel across the street from the Eiffel Tower

As dusk falls, we’re seeing the Eiffel light up and the atmosphere changes, it will soon be nighttime in Paris and it feels amazing. There are street performers under the Eiffel and a crowd gathers to watch and throw their coins into their hat, the carousel lights up across the street and the lights on the Tower are all beginning to show against the night sky.

The night lights of the Eiffel Tower

We enjoyed our evening walk along the river before we found a nice restaurant for a late dinner, although not as late as most of the diners eat over there.  Once we’re ready to leave, I need to take just a few more photos of the Eiffel Tower before we head back to the hotel to end our first evening in Paris.