The week-end is coming, and the classes are soon ending.
Friday
Notre-Dame de Paris
Have you ever read Notre Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo? No? Notre-Dame de Paris (simply named Notre-Dame, or in english, Our Lady of Paris) is one the most renowned churches in the world, and a “must see” of Paris. It was completed in 1345 and was built to crown European kings.
Staring at Notre-Dame and wondering how such a massive building might have been completed is quite an experience. But, compared to the inside, walking in the church, staring at the stained glass, and looking at the organ (over 7,370 pipes) is even more amazing. Notre-Dame is also known for its bells, each one having a name, and its gargoyles. Moreover, visiting the crypts might interest you. One reason is that in those crypts, Musée Carnavalet displays detailed scale models of the cathedral’s evolution.
The visit of Notre-Dame should last the morning. It is opened from 8 AM to 6.45 PM and the entrance is free.
Lunch
For lunch, there is an excellent open-air restaurant, “La Terrasse de Pomone”, near the Musée du Louvre, in the Jardin des Tuileries. It is quite calm, and you have a wonderful view on the Louvre Museum, which is the next stop of your trip.
Le Musée du Louvre
Have you ever read the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown? When Robert Langdon goes to the Louvre Museum? No? It does not really matter, because you will visit it. Before becoming a world-famous museum, the Louvre was a fortress. It was built at the end of the twelfth century, and has modified many times since. Moreover, before they moved to the Château de Versailles, the French government and court were located in this palace.
When you arrive at the Louvre, the first thing you might notice is that there is a glass pyramid. Yes, we Parisians, have a pyramid. You’re not really interested? OK. So let’s go under the pyramid (it is the museum entrance). When you finally get your ticket, just look up at the pyramid one last time, and you will see two other subterranean pyramids. You may now enter the museum. The Louvre has some masterpieces as the Mona Lisa. But there is 8 departments at the Louvre, each one having a theme: Egyptian Antiquities; Near Eastern Antiquities; Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities; Islamic Art; Sculpture; Decorative Arts; Paintings; Prints and Drawings. To see everything in the museum would take many days, so I advise you to choose yourself the departments you want to visit. One other interest of the Louvre is that there is a nocturnal opening the Friday.
The tickets are 12€ for adults, and is free for under 18. The museum is open from 9 AM to 9.45 PM the Friday, from 9 AM to 6 PM the week end.
Now that you have seen the court and government location before Louis XIV, let’s go to the next stop: the Chateau de Versailles (Versailles’ castle)
Saturday and Sunday
Versailles
It is worldwide known thanks to Louis XIV. It was originally a hunting lodge under Louis XIII, but Louis XIV wanting to demonstrate his own magnificence, he ordered Andre le Notre to expand it. From 1682 to the French revolution, it was the government and court location, which was primarly the Louvre Palace. It is now on the UNESCO’s world heritage list.
The Château de Versailles and its surrounding must be visited at least once in your life. Because of the huge size of the castle and the immense garden behind, I advised you take a whole week-end to visit.
Visiting the castle, you can look at the 60 beautiful pictures of Louis XIV painted of the roof of the Galerie des Glaces, or wonder how a such beautiful might have been built. Maybe would you rather imagine what how people where living during Louis XIV reign in the castle, walking in the apartment. But you may prefer to take a walk in the garden, to admire the trees, .
It will cost 18€ for a one day passport, 25€ for a 2-day passport. You may access to Versailles thanks to the RER C (Station Versailles Rive Gauche),using a SNCF train (Versailles Chantiers and Versailles Rive Droite) or taking the Versailles Express at the Eiffel Tower (2 derpartures/day: 8am and 2pm).
Other informations
Here are the websites of the monuments, if you need more informations:
http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/
http://www.chateauversailles.fr/
I hope you will have a great trip on Paris, and that you will come back in Paris after your studies.
A.G.
A perfect week in Paris 