If you’re renting a holiday apartment in Paris for the first time, you’ll already have an idea of what you want to see – the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre Dame need little introduction, merely some planning on your part to beat the heaviest crowds. But here are a few Parisian highlights that you might be less familiar with, from the world’s greatest collection of impressionist masterpieces, to one of the city’s most pleasant garden retreats, to a macabre subterranean sojourn like no other.
Be impressed by the Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay was opened in 1986 in the former railway terminus of the Gare d’Orsay, and now houses mostly French paintings and sculptures from 1848 to 1915. It holds the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist works in the world, including many pieces by Monet, Manet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Degas, Cézanne, Seurat and Gauguin. The Musée boasts 86 works by Monet alone. Other individual highlights include Whistler’s portrait of his mother, Millet’s The Gleaners and Courbet’s The Artist’s Studio.
The soaring glass roofs of the old railway station give the Musée d'Orsay a sense of space and light which makes the place a pleasure to stroll through (but get there first thing to beat the queues). And the scale of the place feels more manageable than the Louvre – allow half a day here and you’ll feel thoroughly satisfied.
Laze in the Luxembourg Gardens
The Luxembourg Gardens, in the 6th arrondissement, were founded in the early 17th century by Marie de Medici, widow of King Henry IV, to complement the Luxembourg Palace. Today the Palace is home to the Senate, French Parliament’s upper house.
The garden is centred on an octagonal pond, on which children sail model boats. Surrounding it is an expansive parterre of lawn and gravel, and surrounding that a balustrade terrace dotted with statues. There are beautiful flower displays, an apple and pear orchard, and a children’s puppet theatre. Don’t miss the monumental Medici Fountain, nor the Fountain of the Observatory in the adjoining Jardin Marco Polo.
Find the heart of Paris in Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Saint-Germain-des-Prés is located in the 6th arrondissement on the left bank of the Seine, and is centred on the former Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Originally a village outside Paris, it was subsumed into the capital and since the 17th century it has been a centre for intellectuals. In the 20th century it was home to the Existentialists Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, and to the film-makers Godard and Truffaut.
Today Saint-Germain-des-Prés is very popular with tourists, but manages to retain a Parisian sense of place. You won’t go hungry with a wide range of good eateries including the famous Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore, and there is a fine range of art, antique and fabric shops. You’re also perfectly situated to stroll to the Île de la Cité to the east, or to the Luxembourg Gardens to the south.
Commune with the dead in the Catacombs
If you seek a Parisian experience like no other, then come to the Catacombs. The entrance, south of the Luxembourg Gardens, leads you down into a vast network of ossuaries, or storehouses of skeletal remains, which were instituted in the late 18th century in the spaces left by old mine-works. With the remains of some six million people interred here, the Catacombs bear the reputation of being the world’s largest grave.
By the late 18th century the existing cemetery of Les Innocents had become notoriously overcrowded and noxious, and it was decided to relocate the bodies from this and other Parisian graveyards to the great subterranean space left by the old stone mines. So for two years nightly processions of black-covered carts carried the millions of Parisian dead to their new resting places. Visitors can now view the artfully arranged displays of bones, with signs (French only) identifying their cemetery of origin. (Be aware that there is a lot of walking, and no toilet facilities underground.)
With a holiday apartment in Paris, and the excellent Metro system ready to whisk you to your destination, your only challenge is choosing from among the endless delights the city has to offer. Enter, experience, eat, enjoy.
Stroll the city’s Street Markets
No Parisian stay is complete without experiencing the city’s street markets. Every neighbourhood has one, and they have something to offer everyone, from antiques and bric-a-brac, to fashion, to some of the most authentic, and authentically good value, food and drink.
Founded in 1628, the Marché les Enfants Rouges in the Marais quarter is the oldest covered market in Paris, and today it stands out for the number of stalls which double as eateries. With Moroccan, Lebanese, Japanese and many other cuisines to sample, you’re guaranteed to hit the cobbles again with a full stomach. The Marché Rue Dejean at the foot of the Sacre-Coeur is Paris’ Little Africa, bursting with African fruits, spices and textiles. The Marché Richard Lenoir is a Sunday marché volant or “flying market” teeming with fresh fish, fine wine and other delicacies, and the Marché Raspail is Paris’ first organic market, filled with ethical meats, cheeses, seafood and health remedies.
留言