The Sights and Sounds of Paris

There is really so much to see in Paris, I feel certain that French people, and probably even Parisians, don't get around to all of it.  We were there for four days and really just hit the big things that people say you should see.  We didn't find ourselves enamored with the city, as many people thought we would be.  We also didn't find that everyone hated us because we were American, and actually didn't feel this at all.  People were generally very helpful and not rude at all.  All in all, Paris has some pretty amazing things to see.  You will wait in line for everything you do, but it's all worth it.

Notre Dame
The first thing we saw in Paris was Notre Dame.  This was not really on purpose, but we were walking around the city and found that this was the first thing we came upon.  It is a beautiful place, as are most cathedrals in Europe.  The detail in the stonework and stained glass throughout the cathedral must have been painstaking at the time.  It's something you should make time to see.

Moulin Rouge
I would highly, highly recommend Moulin Rouge. The show was fun and engaging. We also had dinner there, which was ok, but you could definitely hit a bistro beforehand as well. From the flashy costumes, singing, dancing, animals, and even the acts between- it was all great and a must do.  And yes, there is some nudity, but it's done very tastefully.

Chateau Chantilly
Chateau Chantilly may be somewhat unknown to people outside of Europe, but we had some people recommend it to us to go see while we were in Paris. We debated between this and Versailles, but couldn't decide on which one, so we did what all indecisive adults do- flipped a coin, and this one won. It is outside of Paris, but another easy train ride gets you there.

It is a sprawling estate that's been around since the middle ages and has been the home of various French dignitaries.  It has elaborate decor and one of the largest art collections in France (behind the Louvre).  There's also the park and gardens, which are very well kept and offer a quiet place to walk around outside and a restaurant that serves a small selection of food and drinks.  We stopped in for a brief beverage and snack and indulged in the Chantilly Creme before heading back to the city.

Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe is a must see in my book.  It is a huge landmark built by Napoleon that sits in a huge traffic circle in Paris.  We went at night, which I would also recommend, as it offers great views of the city, including of the Eiffel Tower lit up over the skyline.  You have to climb up a long spiral staircase, then come to a rest area, then up another long set of stairs to get to the top, but it's absolutely worth it.  Back on the ground, the Arc has great sculptures throughout the landmark and you can also visit the tomb of the unknown soldier, which has a flame lit each night at dusk.

Eiffel Tower
Of course, the Eiffel Tower is also a must see if you're in Paris. The line will likely be very long to get in, but it moved pretty fast when we were there.  Unfortunately they closed the top just as we got up to purchase our tickets; apparently they had let too many people up to the top, and no one else could go up.  We climbed the stairs on this one too to the first level, and then again to the middle of the tower.  The views are incredible and just the fact that you're in the Eiffel Tower is pretty awesome too.  The tower is massive; you get the feeling more than other landmarks around the world because you can actually walk through it at ground level.

Sacre Coeur
Sacre Coeur was highly recommended by a number of people in Paris, but honestly I would probably pass on this one.  It is a cathedral situated high on a hill a few minutes outside of the city center; you walk through the neighborhood of Montmartre, which was apparently made famous by Chat Noir and Theo Picasso (as told to me by an art history major we struck up a conversation with at the Eiffel Tower). The building is beautiful, but you really go up for the views of Paris.  Unfortunately for us, it was cloudy pretty much the entire time we were there, so we were not able to see much.  On a clear day it might be a better experience, but I'm mixed on this one.

Louvre
Let me just put it out there: The Louvre will kick your ass and take your name.  I had no idea of the area or sheer number of pieces in the Louvre.  Despite that, it was one of the best things we did.  The art is not only beautiful, but the presentation of the art and even just the building are remarkable.  The lines can be intimidatingly long, but if you enter via any other entrance besides the main entrance (the pyramid) your wait is not too long.

We spent about four hours here on our last day in Paris.  If you want to see EVERYTHING, I would recommend giving yourself two days to do it.  We skipped all of the paintings (BK says he can only take so much Madonna with Child) and focused on sculptures and artifacts, which was really interesting.  At one point BK said to me, "What are you doing? If you don't hurry up, we're never going to get through this."  I found this funny and ironic, as I was just trying to look at some art that I found interesting.  He wanted to make sure we saw everything we wanted to before we left.  This is also a must do while in Paris, even if you don't consider yourself a fan of museums.

If you have the chance to go to Paris, do it- the city has so much to offer.  It will be expensive, so save up if you're going.  I also wish you much better weather than we had!