If you can believe it, I still have more to post from our time in Paris. We were there for 5 days but we covered a lot of ground because we weren’t sure if we would get to go back. Maybe one day…
The hotel we stayed at while we were there, Acte V, was located in the Latin Quarter of Paris just around the corner from The Panthéon. .
The Panthéon was originally constructed as a church in the late 1700’s but it now serves as a temple to the great intellectuals of France.
The pendulum in the picture below is an exact copy of the original Foucault pendulum which once resided in the Panthéon in the 1850’s. At the time, it was built to prove the rotation of the Earth.
Not too far from the Panthéon is the Notre Dame Cathedral which is full of artistic detail in every nook and cranny.
Over 800 years old, the Cathedral has been restored many times to maintain its gothic beauty.
Like I said in a prior post, I really loved being able to see the Eiffel tower in person. I mean, it is the quintessential icon of the city.
However, the Arc de Triomphe was easily tied with the tower as my favorite piece of architecture in Paris.
In order to get to the Arc de Triomphe from where we were staying in Paris, we had to find Avenue des Champ Elysees, a street known for its cafes, theatres, and high-end shopping.
After about 30 minutes of walking, we turned the corner to Champ Elysees and were able to see the Arc standing stall and wide, almost a mile away at the end of the road. The first word that came to my mind was, “Wow”.
Up close you can see the elaborate detail carved into every section.
Inscribed on the walls are the names of over 500 French soldiers that fought during the early 1800’s under the French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte.
Once you are on the inside of the Arc, you have to climb a winding staircase of 284 steps to reach the top. (They also have an elevator that can take you most of the way up, if needed)
To sum it up: “DON’T WRITE ON THE WALLS!”
I’m not sure what look I was going for here…is that a claw? Really? Sheesh.
The best thing about the Arc was the view from the top.
There are 12 streets that extend from all around the Arc like spokes on a wheel.
It is as though everything was built from the Arc so that it is constantly the center of attention. It is truly magnificent.
We were so happy we got a chance to see it as it was one that will never be forgotten!