My Paris – Photo Tour at Some of The Most Interesting Tourist Sites in Paris

For years Paris has been the most visited city in the world. The millions of tourists visiting the French capital can’t be totally wrong.  So there has to be something extraordinary about the place.  And there is, take my word for it. I should know something as I’ve been there quite a few times.

This is me at the Hôtel du Brézil in Montmartre:

Can you spot my reflection in the opposite window?

What I like best about Paris is art. There seems to be an enormous amount of art literally everywhere. Not just in places like the Louvre or the Musée d’Orsay. All you have to do is to keep your eyes open and enjoy.

Dark room at the Louvre

Museums

The Louvre is a huge place.  As a matter of fact, it is far too big for ordinary tourists, who only want to see Mona Lisa, la Joconde as it is called in French.

The museum of Orsay, with an oustanding collection of famous expressionists like Matisse and van Gogh, is much smaller in comparison. Seeing all the major works -if that is enough to satisfy your artistic needs – won’t take much more than an hour. Besides, its architecture is more interesting than that of the Louvre.

By the way, if you are attentive enough, you will be able to spot one the world’s most beautiful churches, le Sacré Coeur, through it massive windows.

The clock of the museum with the Sacré Coeur in the background.

La Plage

The next three photos were taken at La Plage,  an artificial beach, near the Hôtel de Ville in 2005. The  idea of a man-made beach on the Seine was invented by the city authorities ,who wanted to provide a new kind of outdoor activity for those Paris residents who had to stay in the city for the whole of the summer.

La Plage and its huge video screen in 2005.

Video art at La Plage in 2005.

B&W portraits of athletes at la Plage in 2005.

Art is everywhere

But as I said, art is everywhere, you can’t help seeing it, even if you wanted to,  no matter where you go.

Man coming out of a wall in Monmartre.

Wall in rich colours at les Halles.

Detail at the Tuileries garden.

Fountains at the Tocadero.

Place Concorde during the killer heat of 2003.

Jardin des Tuileries.

Headstand Performance at the Trocadero near the Eiffel Tower.

Le métro

Not even the underground has been able to escape the French frenzy of art.

Underground station in the Jules Verne style.

Underground station near the Louvre in 2003.

Underground station near the Louvre.

Cemeteries

The famous cemeteries of Montmarte and Père la Chaise are full of  fine art, too.

Grave of Dalida, the singer in Montmartre.

Grave of Alexandre Dumas Jr., the author.

Grave of Edith Piaf at Père la Chaise.

La tour Eiffel

The views from the Eiffel tower are pure art as is the tower itself.

The Seine seen from the Eiffel Tower.

L’hôtel des Invalides seen from the Eiffel Tower.

Palais de Chaillot seen from the Eiffel Tower.

Night view towards La Défense from the Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower by night.

The Eiffel Tower by night.

La Seine

What would Paris be without the Seine, the river of lovers.

The Seine by night.

View from a river boat with a French flag.

View from the Pont des Invalides.

La Défense

The most fantastic area in Paris is definitely la Défense with several sky-crapers and the unbelievable new Arche de Triomphe.

The amazing la Défense.

La Grande Arche de La Défense by night.

Le Sacré-Coeur

The Basilisque du Sacre-Coeur is the place I love most in Paris. The beautiful church with a breath-taking view over the capital and the nearby la Place du Tertre with its exceptional artistic ambiance are not to be missed by anyone who wants to know what Paris is all about.

Place du Tertre near the Sacré Coeur is crowded with art.

Night view over paris from the Sacre-Coeur.

If  there is art basically everywhere in Paris, you can’t say the same thing about birds. Apart from pidgeons and sparrows, they are hard to find. But if you are lucky enough, you may find something worth taking a picture or two of.

Herring gull being photographed in the Tuileries Garden.

Katso myös nämä:

Pariisi on taiteenystävän paratiisi. Kuvia: Pariisin katuelämää/Street Life in Paris. Pariisin pyhiä paikkoja: Notre Dame, Sacré-Coeur, Père Lachaise, Place Vendôme. Lyhyt museokierros Pariisissa: Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Versailles, Katakombit Pariisin Punainen mylly ja Montmartren hautausmaa Eiffel-tornista aukeaa panoraamakuvassa huikea näköala yli Seine-joen ja Pariisin Kirpputori – Marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen: Pariisin turistikohteita, osa 1. Pieni Pariisi-trivia – Kymmenen monivalintakysymystä. Rua de Santa Maria, katu täynnä katutaidetta Funchalissa Madeiralla – Kuvia Madeiralta 6/8.. Viinintuottajasta luontokuvaajaksi – Ilmeisen oikea valinta. Norjan autioituva Vuoreija eli Vardö on täynnä katutaidetta – Matkalla pohjoiseen. Maailman mukavin museo: Mekaanisen musiikin museo Varkaudessa.