Some of the RJ Travel Advisors™ staff last visited Paris October 2013. When landing at the Charles de Gaulle Airport the first word that comes to mind every time landing has been and still is-“magnanimous”. The airport sets the tone and tenor of what lay ahead in the city named Paris.
The City of Light attracts millions of visitors every year with its unforgettable ambiance. The divine cuisine and vast art collections deserve some of the credit as well. The River Seine rambles through the city, flanked by stately museums, centuries-old churches, and blocks of Rococo- and Neoclassic-design architecture, further enhanced by charming trees and glowing streetlamps. Seine’s cobbled walks and graceful bridges are impossibly chic Parisians, probably on their way to the market, cafe or cinema.
Containing world-class museums, fashion, cuisine, and an atmosphere all its own, Paris is also a city of “many splendors,” as Ernest Hemingway recalled in his memoir, “A Moveable Feast.” Visit the Centre Pompidou, enjoy gourmet pastries, shop couture on the Champs Élysées or hit the boutiques in Les Halles or even plan a day trip to Versailles Palace. But don’t miss out on the simple pleasure of roaming the districts. Make sure one of you visits include the observation deck view atop the Eiffel Tower or better yet have lunch or dinner at the 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant. The elevator ride to the restaurant is not bad, but the howling wind through the steel frame of the tower may be a bit intimidating. Please note, for me climbing on a ten foot ladder on a sunny day is intimidating.
Paris is known for its fashion designers, high-end boutiques, and the twice-yearly Paris Fashion Week. It is world-renowned for its haute cuisine, and celebrated three-star restaurants. Most of France’s major universities and Grandes Écoles are in Paris or its suburbs, and most of France’s major newspapers, including Le Monde, Le Figaro, and Libération, are based in the city, while Le Parisien in the suburb Saint-Ouen.
Paris is Paris and when planning your European ventures include Paris. No travel portfolio is complete without Paris on the itinerary at some point in time.
