Paris impression - must-see Attractions

巴黎印象Paris impression。上一帖说到伦敦行。就坐Eurostar高铁，穿英吉利海底隧道，来到巴黎。 也是第一次来巴黎。就用几十张照片，来记载此行。This post may be helpful to the folks who are planning a trip to Paris. Must-see spots are reviewed here. Musee Du Louvre. 卢浮宫。天气极佳。好热闹。人群有序的缓缓流动。

No. 1. We stayed very close to the Eiffel Tower. 埃菲尔铁塔 . We went close to it on 4 different days. Saw it day time and evening time. Took lots of pictures. Visiting the iconic symbol of Paris usually ranks as the number one thing to do for most tourists.Towering more than 1,000 feet (300 meters) high, this iron structure was constructed for the 1889 World Exposition. I had a separate post for the Tower. To cut the long story short, we were lucky to get the tickets for going up to the top since we did not pre book them. We hurried up -first climbed some steps, then took elevator - to the very top. The storm was about to come. The all-around view from the top was amazing! Before too long, the storm came! Quite a different experience than a normal good weather day.  Then next evening, we went back to see the lights of the tower - pretty!

No. 2. Louvre. 卢浮宫。 Paris has countless amazing palaces, museums, historical buildings, etc. It is impossible for any traveler to see all of them. One has to accept only to see the most famous places. The best way to see the major museums and other places are to buy a museum pass. 一票在手，主要的展馆都可去！Topping the list of the world’s most visited museums, the Louvre Museum is seen with its signature glass pyramid marking its entrance. Housing a collection of more than 1 million objects, the Louvre boasts some of the world’s most famous art works such as Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” Michelangelo’s “Dying Slave” and the Greek statue, “Venus of Milo.” Other popular exhibits include the extravagant apartments of Napoleon III, the ancient Code of Hammurabi, Egyptian antiquities and paintings by masters like Rembrandt and Rubens. 我绞尽脑汁， 就用金碧辉煌来大概的形容里面的装潢吧。

No. 3. Arc De Triomphe. 凯旋门。 Constructed in 1806 to memorialize the triumphal battles of Napoleon Bonaparte. Standing 164 feet high and 148 feet (50 by 45 meters) wide, the arch features intricate reliefs depicting victorious battles and engraved names of many who died fighting for the emperor. We bought the tickets. Climbed to the top of the building. We got really the million-dollar view - what a nice day.

No. 4. Notre Dame de Paris. 巴黎圣母院。 久闻其名！Standing more than 400 feet (120 meters) high with two lofty towers and a spire, this marvelous church is considered a supreme example of French Gothic architecture. A tour of this 13th century masterpiece allows visitors to admire the awe-inspiring rose windows, Gothic carvings, beautiful sculptures and a collection of relics. Another chance to climb many steps up. To the very top. Once more, amazing views of the city. 未到伦敦， 巴黎之前，就把单反摔坏了。 反正也不是单反的高手，就全程用了手机。

No. 5. Musee d’Orsay. 奥塞美术馆。 A must-do for art lovers, the Musee d’Orsay is known for housing the world’s premier collection of impressionist paintings. Located in a former railway station, this grand museum showcases thousands of art works and objects that cover a period between the mid-1800s and the early 1900s. Visitors can walk through several rooms to view amazing art works by many famous artists such as Monet, Van Gogh, Cezane, Degas, Pissarro, Renoir and Jean-Francois Millet. Too many pieces of artwork. The word of overwhelming is an understatement.

No. 6. Centre Pompidou. 蓬皮杜中心。We went to all the floors. It is huge! The art lovers have to return again and again. Designed in the style of high-tech architecture. It houses a vast public library, the Musée National d’Art Moderne which is the largest museum for modern art in Europe, a bookshop, a movie theater and a panoramic terrace. The Centre is named after Georges Pompidou, the President of France from 1969 to 1974 who commissioned the building.

No. 7. Palace of Versailles. 凡尔赛宫。This palace started out life as a royal hunting lodge, but later became a palace housing the king’s court. The mammoth structure is ornate, opulent and over the top in its richness. It is one of Paris’s most visited landmarks, with visitors coming to see its magnificent gardens and the Hall of Mirrors with its 357 mirrors decorating 17 arches.  怀着雄心壮志，安排一天时间，坐火车到这里。一早就有长长的队伍等待入场。也看见不少的同胞。Towards the end of day, everybody was so tired. Took tons of pictures. There was no way one can see more than 万分之一。 Even so, don’t know if ever we will return. The world is big, and there are many more places to see.

No. 8. Place de la Concorde. 协和广场。At the east end of the Champs-Elysées is Place de la Concorde, the largest square in Paris with fantastic vistas in every direction. I was so glad that many sightseeing spots are close to each other.

No. 9. Visiting Napoleon’s Tomb. 荣军院/拿破仑墓。 Beautiful early June weather. Clear and sunny sky. Outside looking is spectacular. Inside, the space is immense. The details are magnificent. One has to use the magination to contemplate on how much work there had to be for such an enormous project. Besides the ground level structures, there are also huge numbers of underground structures.

No. 10. Champs-Elysees. 香榭丽舍大街。 The tree-lined Avenue des Champs-Elysees is Paris’s most famous street and has even been described as the most beautiful avenue in the world. Just over a mile long, the boulevard connects the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde. Life in Paris centers around the Champs-Elysees.

No. 11. Seine Cruise. 塞纳河游船。 Cruising the river as it winds through Paris is one of the most romantic things visitors can do. Seine cruises pass under numerous bridges in Paris, going by such sights as the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower. Very many photo opportunities through the entire cruise.

No. 12. Pantheon. 先圣祠。The Pantheon is where famous French citizens are buried. Modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, it was originally a church dedicated to St. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris, and her relics. The church was rebuilt in the neoclassical style by King Louis XV to thank God for his recovery from serious illness. It was changed to a mausoleum during the French Revolution to honor revolutionary martyrs. Famous people buried here include Voltaire, Victor Hugo and Marie Curie. 是的，看见了居里夫人的名牌！

No. 13.  Le Sacre-Coeur. 圣兴大教堂。 A popular landmark and the second most visited monument in Paris,the basilica is located at the summit of the butte Montmartre, the highest point in the city. From here, one can take another good look at the city. We did see lots of tourists. We took the cable car down hill to the city level on the way back. There was another chance to climb to the top of the building, but we were too tired to do that.

No. 14. Conciergerie. 巴黎古监狱。 The Conciergerie is a building in Paris, France, located on the west of the Île de la Cité, formerly a prison but presently used mostly for law courts.

No. 15. Pont Alexandre III. 亚历山大三世桥。 A bridge that is deemed to be the most extravagant and ornate in Paris. Named for the Russian tsar, this steel single arch bridge spans the Seine, connecting the districts of Champs-Elysees, Les Invalides and Eiffel Tower.

No. 16. Sainte -Chapelle. 圣礼拜教堂。 Begun sometime after 1239, the Sainte-Chapelle is considered among the highest achievements of Gothic architecture. We were impressed with the glasses and arts.

No. 17.  Moulin Rouge. 红磨坊。 The Moulin Rouge is still considered Paris’s premier entertainment venue and has been the subject of numerous films. Like real tourists, we made a quick stop, looked around, and took pictures.

No. 18. Opera. 巴黎歌剧院. Sorry that the house was closed on that day. We could not enter. So, took some outside pictures. People of all kinds you can see in Paris. I liked their colorful dressing. They all seemed very relaxed.

Our Airbnb place. Very warm and friendly owner. Rich breakfasts were prepared for us everyday. What is more, their street is where the some of the scenes of the film “Inception” were taken.

So many restaurants of various styles and prices. It is very hard sometimes to decide where to dine.

Yes, we traveled with subway. Like the system in London, the subway was very convenient. 四通八达！

For every journey, there must be an end. We were exhausted and eager to go home. Then, thinking about where the next place is to visit.

Oh, the last piece of information. See the Museum Pass and Transportation Pass. Very very useful. Flash the card, simply, then you can take the subway and enter the museum. Just like that! Good luck for the future travelers!