With the abundance of things to see in the capital of France, it is naturally difficult to see everything in just one weekend.
A suggestion for a varied tour, certainly makes planning a little easier.
After getting there, it is worth taking a trip on the Seine to get in the mood. Either with the Bateaux-Mouches or the Batobus. However, such a trip is only really impressive if the Seine has enough water.
A short walk on the Rive Gauche and a subsequent dinner round off the evening nicely. Those who want to plunge into the nightlife will find a wide range of options. Whether cinema, theater or revue, there is something for every taste.
Saturday starts with a visit to the Louvre. Here you can select in advance which of the departments you would like to see. A visit to the Musée d’Orsay or the Center Pompidou is also an alternative for Saturday morning.
Afterwards, a shopping spree could be on the program, combined with lunch in the area around the Palais-Royal.
A trip on the Montmartrobus, which runs from Place Pigalle on a winding route over the Butte Montmartre, is a good idea. You could take a break at the Place du Tertre, a place that has a village character in the mornings, but in the afternoons and evenings, the portraitists hunt tourists here. Or you can take a short break at the Sacré-Cœur.
The evening starts with a stroll along the Champs-Elysèes. There is sure to be a restaurant here. Anyone who would like to dine in a famous eatery where mainly press and film people hang out should go to “Fouquet’s”.
Or you can enjoy the view from the Eiffel Tower. The view just before sunset is particularly attractive.
Sunday begins with a stroll through the famous “Marché aux Fleurs et l’Oiseux” flower market, there is also a bird market here on Sunday. The market is near Notre-Dame, so a visit to the cathedral afterwards is a good idea. Those who would like to see even more churches can visit the Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie, which are not far away.
Relaxation in one of the parks is the order of the day at lunchtime. Either in the Buttes-Chaumont, in the Jardin du Luxembourg or in the Jardin des Plantes, there is also a museum and an animal park.
If you stay in Paris in summer, you can still take the Balabus, which runs from Gare de Lyon to La Défense and passes many of Paris’ sights.
With such a tour you have certainly got a nice impression of Paris and can build on it next time.
The Paris neighborhoods
Paris is divided into 80 quarters and 20 districts, so-called arrondissements. The first four arrondissements are also the heart of the city and the geographic center of Paris. Each of these districts has something special to show for its character. It is also not possible to reproduce all the impressions that the respective district has, but some special features are described below.
The famous sights are in the 1st arrondissement Louvreor the Palais Royal, for example. Also the Forum des Halles, formerly the market halls of the city, today above and below ground pedestrian zone.
The 2nd arrondissement is a business district. The stock exchange and the national library are located here.
The Marais area is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Paris. It spreads over the 3rd and 4th arrondissement. Many bars, shops and restaurants can be found in the 4th arrondissement, while in the 3rd arrondissement there are many houses from the 17th century and this is a rather quiet area.
The Latin Quarter, in which the famous Sorbonne is located, can be found in the 5th arrondissement. And exclusive boutiques, restaurants and galleries can be found in St. Germain, the 6th arrondissement of Paris.
The 7th district is very popular and well-known with tourists with the Musée d’Orsay and the Eiffel Tower. The area around the Champs Elysée with its many shopping opportunities is the 8th arrondissement of Paris and at the same time a very posh area.
The 9th arrondissement is a mix of residential and business areas. The famous Moulin Rouge and, further north, Pigalle are also located there.
Both major train stations are located in the multi-cultural district of the 10th arrondissement. The 11th arrondissement, on the other hand, is primarily a residential area.
Another residential area with the beautiful Bois de Vincennes park is the 12th arrondissements.
There is also a so-called “Chinatown” in Paris. This is in the 13th arrondissement, which is otherwise a residential area.
Many cafes or restaurants have settled in the 14th district around the Montparnasse area. The 15th arrondissement, on the other hand, is more of a residential area.
The Trocadéro and the Bois de Boulogne can be found in the 16th arrondissement and the most diverse district can be found in the 17th arrondissement of Paris.
The 18th district in the Seine city is artistically valuable. Of course, there are a lot of tourists here.
With the Buttes-Chaumont, an amazing landscaped park from the 19th century, the 19th arrondissement is otherwise more of a residential area with a few ethnic shops and restaurants.
A little out of the way is Belleville and the Père-Lachaise cemetery in the 20th arrondissement.
