In the past Paris has often been labelled as the romantic capital for couples, but Paris is changing, these days it’s a vacation spot for families, singles and the young and old alike. It’s a vibrant city steeped in character, culture, personality and history from the Louvre to Versailles.
There are two airports attached to the city they are The Charles de Gaulle which is the main airport it is situated fourteen miles north east of the city while The Orly airport lies nine miles to the south of Paris. I flew into Charles de Gaulle which is a very spacious and well signposted airport, although Charles de Gaulle is the largest airport of the two I found it very easy to get around and staff are very helpful if you have any problems.
There are three ways to get from the airport to your hotel they are by bus, train or by cab. From the Charles de Gaulle it is a sixty minute journey by bus or train, by cab it is a thirty to forty five minute ride to your hotel.
There are a wide variety of hotels in Paris to choose from depending on your budget and your need for creature comforts. During my stay in Paris I stayed at The Hotel St Jacques, it is most famous for being the hotel were some of the scenes for the 1963 movie ‘Charade’ which starred Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn where filmed. As a movie buff and a big fan of Cary Grant’s I was more than excited as my cab dropped me out front, in my mind I was replaying a scene from the movie where Cary Grant stood just outside the hotel and all I could think of was, I’m standing where he was and a school girls giggle was the only noise I was making. The hotel is situated in the Latin Quarter which is where many of the writers, poets and artists live; St Jacques is beautifully decorated in an early 19th century classic style. Although the bedrooms are all unsuited and have all the modern facilities that you would expect.
The Parisians love food no matter where you are in the city there is always a wide variety of restaurants and fast food outlets to accommodate all tastes, age ranges and budgets. With so many sites to see and attractions to visit, it’s easy to work up an appetite. And the Champ Elysees is the famous avenue that leads up to the Arc de Triomphe is filled will restaurants and shops to lighten the weight of your wallet or purse.
Among the many tourist attractions in Paris, the main ones are, The Louvre which houses many famous sculptures, antiques and paintings like Leonardo de Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ the model of the painting may look like she needs a good dose of Prozac and a shot of vodka but it’s still worth a look, even if its just to say that you saw her. Les de Invalides is the military hospital which also houses the ashes of the famous military leader Napoleon Bonaparte, and The Sacre Coeur is the 19th century Catholic Church famous for its architecture which gives excellent views of the city, great place for taking photographs. Notre Dame Cathedral gives you a look at gothic architecture at its best although for me, walking around the Cathedral made me feel like shouting out ‘The Bells Oh the Bells’.
