Les Invalides

Invalides Paris - The major dome of Paris hosting Napoleon's ashes is part of a majestic hospital ordered by the Sun-king.

In 1670, founded a hospital for his invalid soldiers, the King Louis XIV adopted plans by Liberal Bruant and the work started in 1671 and was finished in 1676. This hospital could house up to 4000 patients.   Design   The principal facade, which stretches on both sides of the immense semicircular-arched doorway, whose pilasters lie on statues of Mars and Minerva, Warring Valour and Armed Wisdom, by Guillaume Coustou. On the pediment there is a statue of Louis XIV on horseback, by the same Coustou a story with three large bay windows surmounts the main entrance. All of these openings are in the form of semicircular arches. The entrance is flanked by two doors under bulls'-eyes. The arch of the pediment, the tops of windows, and the bulls'-eyes windows are adorned with garlands and cable moulding. The sober blocks of buildings are given rythm by the openings, the higher ones smaller than the lower arched bays on the ground floor and rectangular bays on the three higher floors. A cornice emphasizes the third, and gable windows adorned with sculpted weapons border the roof. Two pavilions frame the facade. In front of it lies a garden enclosed by ramparts a la Vauban, lined with 17th and 18th century cannon. Created by Robert de Cotte between 1704 and 1720, beyond the garden extends the large esplanade.   The Invalides   Beneath the dome lies two churches : one for the soldiers, and the other intended as a vault for the king but now containing the mortal remains of Napoleon. The Esplanade leads from the Quai d'Orsay through a formal garden to the the majestic facade of Les Invalides. In an arch above the large central portal is an eques- trian portrait of the Sun King supported by Prudence and Justice. Behind this is the splendid cour d'honneur which now houses the Army Museum in its east and west wing.   Practical information   How to get there ? Metro line 8 : Latour-Maubourg, Varenne, Invalides RER C : Invalides Buses : 32, 63, 93 Opening The museum is open every day of the year except on January 1st, May 1st, November 1st, and December 25 - as well as the first monday of every month. October to March 31st included : from 10 am to 4:45 pm, April to September 30 included : from 10 am to 5:45 pm June 15 to September 15 included: the Dome church including the Tomb of Napoleon I are open from 10 am to 6:45 pm Fees: - normal price: 8 euros - reduce price: 6 euros - free for children under 18 years old

Stade de France

This masterpiece of technology was built for the 1998 Football (soccer) World Cup with 80 000 covered seats.

The role of the Stade de France is to host France's major sporting events in three main sporting disciplines : football (soccer), rugby, athletics. The organisation in France of an event on a worldwide scale - the last Football World Cup of the century that was held in 1998 - made the construction of these major facilities possible.  Designed by the architects Macary -Zublena - Regembal - Costantini and built in 3 years, it will be operated over a period of 27 years by the Consortium Bouygues - GTM - Entrepose - SGE, this is no typical stadium. This stadium enables France to host major sporting events and music concerts. Its 80 000 capacity (seated and covered) is equivalent to the population of Avignon. With a level of comfort superior to that of existing stadiums and equipped with facilities unequalled in France, it is set to be an exceptional arena hosting far from ordinary events. It is adapted to companies and opened 365 days a year. A total of 1 750 000 spectators are attending every year forty or so events. 35 sport events (30 football/soccer meetings including 20 home club fixtures or, failing this, visiting clubs 5 rugby meetings) and 5 large concerts or other kinds of cultural events.   An exceptional venue   The Stade is also able to play a role within the corporate relationship strategies of companies. Companies organising PR events can entertain clients in superb surroundings, hiring a private box or organising conferences, trade exhibitions or seminars in the stadium's indoor facilities. Open every day of the year, the Stade de France offers several shopping and restaurant areas. Regular events are also held on the esplanade. After a few years of opening, the Stade de France is already figuring high on the list of tourist attractions, as a showcase for both French architecture and technology. On average the site receives 250 visitors a day, already fulfilling its future role as an exceptionally welcoming venue.   Practical information   How to get there By car: take the Paris-Lille A1 motorway exit Saint-Denis-Centre. A86 motorway exit Saint-Denis la Plaine RER D, (station) gare Stade de France - St Denis RER B, (station) gare La Plaine-Stade de France. Metro Line 13, station St denis - Porte de Paris Bus 256, bus-stop avenue du President Wilson Bus 302, bus-stop Cornillon Opening Every day, except events, from 10 am to 6 pm

Champs-Elysees

The triumphal way which leads to the Arc de Triomphe.

The glamour of the Champs-Élysées, particularly its upper end, may not be quite what it was, dominated as it is by airline offices, car showrooms, and bright lighted shopping arcades. But there's still the Lido cabaret, Fouquet's high-class bar and restaurant, and plenty of cinemas and outrageously priced cafés to bring the punters in. At Christmas time, this is where the fairy lights go, and on December 31st everyone happily jams in, in their cars, to hoot in the New Year. The new landscaping project has removed the avenue's side lanes where cars used to prowl in search of parking spaces, and now pedestrians have an equal share of the avenue's width, with shade from more trees. Cultural centers, deluxe hotels and other activities that participate in the tradition and prestige of the Champs-Elysées are encouraged to return by the municipality. The stretch between the Rond-Point roundabout - whose Lalique glass fountains disappeared during the German occupation - and Concorde is bordered by chestnut trees and municipal flower beds, pleasant enough to stroll among, but not sufficiently dense to muffle the squeal of accelerating tyres. The two massive buildings rising above the greenery to the south are the Grand and Petit Palais, with their overloaded Neoclassical exteriors, rail station roofs and exuberant flying statuary. They house a number of museums and the Grand Palais is the address for major cultural exhibitions, curtailed at the moment due to major restoration works. On the north side, combat police guard the high walls round the presidential Elysee palace and the line of ministries and embassies ending with the US in prime position on the corner of place de la Concorde. On Thursdays and at weekends you can see a stranger manifestation of the self-images of states in the postage stamp market at the corner of avenues Gabriel and Marigny.   Practical Information   How to get there Metro line 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 12 or 13: Charles-de-Gaulle-Étoile, George V, Champs-Elysées-Clémenceau, Concorde RER A : Charles-de-Gaulle-Étoile

Chateau de Versailles

The Sun-king palace in Versailles is half an hour by train from Paris

The largest in Europe, the palace of Versailles housed 20 000 nobles. It was the center of the French monarchy until the 1789 revolution which overthrew King Louis the 16th. Its facade on the park, 70 meters long hall of mirrors, the king and queen luxurious apartments and the Le Notre French style park owe the palace of Versailles a universal reputation as the perfect incarnation of French classicism. The palace of Versailles was copied many times by monarchs throughout Europe during the 18th century. Versailles can be reached in half an hour by train from Paris. We recommend you the "Grandes Eaux Musicales", a fountain and music show in the marvellous setting of the park.   The Castle   The Chateau proposes two itineraries: either a guided tour or not. Apart from the state apartments of the king and queen and the Galerie des Glaces (the Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed to end World War 1), which you can visit on your own, most of the palace can only be viewed in guided groups, and whose times are much more restricted. Long queues are common. Unfortunately, only a small part of the palace can be visited : the State Apartments of the King and Queen, and the Hall of Mirrors. The worst time to visit the Chateau is on Sunday when the entrance fee is reduced and the queues are interminable. A guided tour, for an extra charge, takes you in the King's Private Bedroom, the Royal Opera, and the rooms occupied by Madame du Barry. And, for a little more, you may visit the pavilions of the Grand and Petit Trianons. Don't set out to see all the palace in one day for it's not possible. Quite apart from the size, tours of both Mme du Barry's apartments and of the Dauphin and Dauphine's apartments take place at the same time : 2 pm.   History   One of the most visited monuments in France, amongst the three most visited, is the Palace of Versailles. Wanting to escape the busy life in Paris, and to keep the nobility under his control, Louis XIV built this chateau in which he set up home and installed the government. Louis Le Vau was commissioned to renovate and extend an old hunting lodge, Le Notre created the gardens from swamp land, and Mansart masterminded the hydraulic display of the fountains. Beginning in 1664, the construction of the château lasted virtually until Louis XIV's death in 1715. the Palace of Versailles was never meant to be a home, kings were not homely people. Second only to God, and the head of an immensely powerful state, Louis XIV was an institution rather than a private individual. His instability, comings and goings, were minutely regulated and rigidly encased in ceremony, attendance at which was an honour much sought after by courtiers. Versailles was the headquarters of every arm of the state. After the death of Louis XIV, the château was abandoned for a few years. Then Louis XV moved in in 1722. It remained the residence of the royal family until the Revolution of 1789, and at this time the furniture was sold and the pictures dispatched to the Louvre. Thereafter it fell into ruin and was nearly demolished by Louis-Philippe. And in 1871, during the Paris Commune, it became the seat of the nationalist government, and the French parliament continued to meet in Louis XV's opera building until 1879. The restoration only began between the two world wars. The many buildings attached to the castle form a small town. The whole complex is a magnificent monument. The garden facade is 575 metres long with various annexes dotted here and there in a park which is several kilometres in both length and width. The park shows the skill of Le Notre in making good use of the natural resources on the site.   The Park   If you just feel like taking a stroll, the park is free (except on Sunday) and the scenery is better the further you go from the palace. There are even informal groups of trees near the lesser outcrops of royal mania : the Italianate Grand Trianon, designed by Hardouin-Mansart in 1687 as a "country retreat" for Louis XIV, and the more modest Greek Petit Trianon, built by Gabriel in the 1760s. More charming and rustic than either of these is Le hameau de Marie-Antoinette, a play-village and farm built in 1783 for Louis XVI's queen to indulge the fashionable Rousseau-inspired fantasy of returning to the natural life. The park is extremely large. If you find that you cannot manage them by foot, a small train shuttles between the terrace in front of the castle and the Trianons. There are also bicycles for rent by the Grand Canal, itself a good fifteen minutes' walk across the formal gardens, and boats for rent on the canal.   Not to be missed   After you have had a chance to take a look at the Chateau and the gardens, do not leave without taking a walk in the town, where everything leaves the visitor overwhelmed by the excellent taste, as well as the power and wealth, of the man for whom it was all built.   Practical Information   How to get there ? RER C : Versailles Chantiers, Versailles Rive Gauche. Bus : 171 Opening November to March: 9am to 5pm. April to October: 9am to 6pm. Closed on Monday

Eiffel Tower

Paris just wouldn't be Paris without the Eiffel Tower. Designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World Fair, at 300m it was then the world's tallest building. Not everyone was happy when it was first built but today it is one of the world's most visited monuments. The Eiffel Tower remained the highest monument in the world until the construction of New York's Chrysler Building in 1930.

History   In 1889, when the Tour Eiffel was completed, it was the tallest building in the world at 300m. The Tour Eiffel was originally built as a tempory structure to commemorate the centenary of the Revolution. And since, the Eiffel Tower has become an enduring symbol of the city of Paris. The Tour was originally built for the 1889 Exposition. This steel construction defied all traditional rules in architecture. It is now the television transmitter for the greater Paris region.  The Tour selected by a competition which was won by Gustave Eiffel, an engineer who had experience of constructing high level railway viaducts. In the public eye, the tower had many mixed opinions, celebrated and loathed in equal measure. Throughout its construction, the residents became convinced that it would collapse, and Eiffel had to reassure them personally. The author Guy de Maupassant left Paris permanently to avoid looking at its 'metallic carcass' but others who espoused more self-consciously modern views championed the tower: Seurat and Douanier Rousseau were among the first to paint it, in 1889 and 1890 respectively. On a clear day, it is possible to see Chartres Cathedral from the high level viewing platform. There are three floors. The first is at 57 m., the second at 115m., and the third at 276 m. The top of the aerial is 320 m. above the ground. And on a nice day, you an see from the top of the platform, the whole of Paris and even the distant suburbs. The 12,000 steel girders are held together by 2,500,000 rivets to produce a smooth, curving profile. Its functional elegance heralded the dawn of Industrial Art, and has met with much sarcastic comment from more conservative observers ever since it was finished in 1889. And in 1986 the external night-time floodlighting was replaced by a system of illumination from within the tower's superstructure, so that it now looks at its magical best after dark.   Practical Information   How to get there METRO : Bir-Hakeim, Trocadéro, Ecole Militaire RER : Ligne C - Station Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel BUS : 42,69,72,82,87 TAXI : Station Quai Branly, Pilier Ouest Opening From January 1 to June 18: 9:30 am - 18:30 pm (11:00pm via lift) From June 19 to August 29: 9:00 am - midnight  From August 30 to December 31: 9:30 am - 18:30 pm (11:00pm via lift) Last admitance 1 hour before closing. Fees: Stairs - all visitors: 3,80 euros under 25 years old : 3,00 euros Adults Lift to 1st platform 4,10 euros Lift to 2nd platform 7,50 euros Lift to 3rd platform 10,70 euros Children Lift to 1st platform 2,30 euros Lift to 2nd platform 4,10 euros Lift to 3rd platform 5,90 euros

The Louvre

Arguably the world's most famous art museum, the Louvre's most popular piece is Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa." It was established in 1793, and is one of the oldest museums in Europe. Its collections spans from the birth of great civilizations up to the 19th century. A whopping 6 million tourists visit the museum each year.

History   The Louvre was built by Philippe Auguste in 1204 and was originally the royal castle and later transformed by Charles V between 1364 and 1380 and was entirely rebuilt from the time of François I to the 19th century. Once upon a time a palace of French kings and princes, the Louvre is today the Palace of Arts and holds one of the richest museums in the world. Its collection, which ranges from Egyptian art of 5000 BC to nineteenth-century work, is divided into seven departments: Oriental and Islamic Antiquities; Egyptian Antiques; Greek, Roman and Etruscan Antiques; Painting; Sculpture; Decorative Arts; as well as Graphic Arts.   Mitterand's contribution to the Louvre    In 1981 President Mitterrand initiated a rehabilitation project called Le Grand Louvre. The visible part of this iceberg like building-site, being the Glass Pyramid designed by famous architect Ieoh Ming Pei, opens the outstanding perspective toward the Grande Arche de la Défense with the Arc de Triomphe in the middle. The Pyramid gives now access to the main entrance, letting a delightful golden light filter through the glass surface illuminating the floor below.    What's new   The huge renovation of Le Grand Louvre which started in 1983 leads to an increase of 22 000 square meters. The basement is now occupied by the remains of the medieval castle originally a big keep part of the defensive wall built under Philippe August in 1190 which have been excavated and displayed below the Cour Carrée. Under the glass pyramid leading to the main entrance of the Hall Napoléon starts the shopping gallery leading to several restaurants and cafeterias of the Galerie du Carrousel under the reversed pyramid. The Aile Richelieu is fully accessible to wheel-chair visitors. Temporary exhibits are displayed below the pyramid in the Hall Napoléon and in Aile Richelieu and Aile Sully.  To help you find your way, the three wings are colour coded. Each level is also colour coded and divided into ten sections and each room is numbered. In 1993 the Museum celebrated the bicentenary of its opening, and an extension to the Richelieu Wing opened to celebrate the event. The upheaval this has caused will affect the building through the decade, so changes and closures are expected.    Inside the Louvre   This is one of the greatest art collections in the world. The core collection was formed by François Ist, and added to by Henri II and Catherine de Medicis. The Old Master collection was developed by Louis XIV and important Spanish and Dutch works acquired by Louis XVI. Most painting lovers come to view the exceptional collection of European paintings which range from I400 to I900. The Grand Gallery running along the south of the building is a stupendous piece of design which showed the world what a picture gallery should look like. Pierced by large windows, its walls are hung with some of the finest works of the Italian Renaissance. On this level is also the Spanish collection and the large scale nineteenth-century French paintings. On the upper level artists from northem Europe are well represented, along with earlier paintings from the French school.   Not to be missed   After spending around 2 hours, you can become acquainted with some of the most famous paintings in the world. For example, try to interpret the enigmatic smile of Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, or admire the perfect proportions of the Venus of Milo (Sully wing). Michelangelo, Bellin, Donatello and Maillol are some of the great sculptors also represented here.   "Carrousel du Louvre"   The other major development is underground - a vast space stretching from the Hall Napoleon, the main entrance to the museum, beneath the Pyramid to beyond the Arc du Carrousel. Known as the "Espaces Carrousel du Louvre", its central crossroads, place de la Pyramide Inversee, is fed with daylight through an inverted pyramid, a smaller model of the Pyramid. From the Hall Napoléon, shops, restaurants, exhibition spaces - and bits of the old fortress's outer defences - make up the cold, classy and commercial "Carrousel du Louvre" gallery. Beyond are several auditoriums and conference halls, car and bus parking areas and new premises for the Louvre's research department, unique in the world for having its own particle accelerator to examine subatomic bits of works of art and archeological finds. Before this subterranean complex was dug out, archeologists discovered Stone Age tools, remnants of an Iron Age farm growing lentils, peas, fruit and cereals, a house dating from 300 BC, a fourteenth-century manor house complete with wall-paintings and garden, and Catherine de Medicis' unfinished Tuileries   Palace   There will be direct access to the "Espace Carrousel du Louvre" from the metro and from place du Carrousel. The virtue of the new parking spaces will be to clear Rue de Rivoli and place du Palais- Royal of the lines of coaches disgorging their passengers into the Louvre.   New Projects   New galleries are being planned in the coming years for Italian painting and sculpture, for the vast collections of Egyptian and Greek art, for works by the Etruscans and sculptures from the northern countries. With its seven sections, the Musee du Louvre is colossal in size, and owns an extroardinary number of works of art. About 28,000 are on display, which is a mere 5% or so of the Louvre's treasures, most of which are being kept in storage in the cellars.   Surroundings   After crossing the Place du Carrousel, take a look at the new Louvre built by Percier and Fontaine under the first Empire, and then by Visconti and Lefuel under the second. It is here, in Napoleon's Courtyard, that we see the most famous sign of the great Louvre's redevelopment, the pyramid by the Chinese-American architect leoh Ming Pei. Placed in the center of the courtyard, this object 21.65 m high with a 35.40 squaremeters base, employs the most modern techniques for the use of steel, glass and aluminium. Its proportions were calculated in accordance with the Golden Number laws. The pyramid gives acces to the new spaces in the museum, which have been entirely rearranged starting from this single, central entrance. We finally reach the old Louvre via the famous Cour Carrée, which possesses remarkable architectural elements; the facade by Pierre Lescot; works by Lemercier including the Clock Pavilion.   Organized Tours   There are several tours possible depending on the time you have available. You can wander about in leisurly fashion through the art of various countries and centuries : you can make a closer examination of a specific artistic style that interests you in particular, or take one of the official tours that are ottered in various languages. A multilingual brochure as well as a plan of the museum are available at the entrance free of charge. And before leaving the neigbourhood, take a look at the two other special museums. The first is the Musée des Arts Décoratifs ; it displays art-works and furniture from the Middle Ages to the present. A little further, is the Musée des Arts de la Mode, with costumes and cloth from the 16th to the 20th centuries.   Ptractical information   How to get there Metro line 1 : Palais-Royal, Louvre. Buses : 21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 67, 68, 69, 72, 75, 77, 81, 85, 95. Opening Thursday to Sunday : 9am - 6pm Monday and Wednesday : 9am - 10pm Closed Tuesday Limited display and temporary exhibitions in Hall Napoleon Wed to Mon 9am-10pm. Fees Permanent collections and temporary exhibitions (Richelieu, Sully and Denon) 7,50 euros from 9am to 3pm. 5 euros after 3pm and all sunday long. The ticket of entry to the museum also gives access to all the temporary exhibitions, except for the exhibitions of the Napoleon hall. Temporary exhibitions of the hall Napoleon 7 euros Ticket twinned 11,50 euros of 9pm to 3pm 9,50 euros after 3pm and all sunday long the twinned ticket gives access to the permanent collections and all the temporary exposures of the museum.  The ticket remains valid all the day, even if the visitor leaves the museum temporarily

City Tour: The best of Paris in 3 1/2 hours

You will be escorted by our driver-guide who will take you for a leisure guided ride of Paris. This is surely the best way to discover Paris in the comfort of an air-conditioned minibus. During this tour you will learn about the history of Paris and admire the major attractions of theCapital City: Champs-Elysees, The Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Trocadero*,Opera Garnier, Invalides, Concorde Square, Notre-Dame Cathedral*,Vendome Square, Montmartre* (Sacred Heart, Place du Tertre), Louvre,Madeleine Church... * About 15 minutes each time Clients' feedback:  I have just returned from my trip to Paris with my mother and the mini bus tour was fantastic so keep up the good work. Many thanks. Christine (March 19th 2007)  Bonjour! Thank you very much for the wonderful trip! The driver guide speaks as English as Russian very good, he was very attentive to us, so we have a lot of impressions about your amazing city! Once more thank you. Best regards. Darya (February 25th 2007)  Our day in Paris with your guide Rozenn, was absolutely wonderful! Rozenn was friendly, professional, and extremely knowledgeable and she made the day a truly memorable one for my parents and me. Since we only had one day to tour Paris we were very pleased with your recommendation of a private guided tour of the city, incorporated with our desire to see the d'Orsay Museum. Rozenn's extensive knowledge of French art and history (as well as her superb driving skills) made the day not only extremely interesting, but a learning experience as well. After spending almost 11 hours with Rozenn touring the city, we left Paris feeling like we had seen everything possible in one day without feeling rushed at all and we would highly recommend this experience to anyone - first time visitors to Paris like my parents, and repeat visitors like myself. Thank you to you, Rozenn, and Paris Trip for such a memorable experience. Sincerely, Linda (September 26th 2006)  Just like to express thanks and appreciation for the arrangements and the people who escorted us on the tours..all went well and we enjoyed Paris immensely - Thank you !! We both caught bad Flu and so were unable to go on the dinner cruise, ( spent Friday sleeping all day !!) a real loss as it was something we were looking forward to.. both of us are really ill, as you can imagine our 12 hour flight home was sheer hell.. Anyway, thank you again and we will contact you again on our next trip to Paris! By the way, the lady guide to Versailles was really excellent, did a great job and she made the Day even better - please extend our thanks to her. Kind regards. John & Kate (June 20th,2006)

THIS TOUR WILL NOT BE CONDUCTED ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 25TH AND JANUARY 1ST Season: All year round Scheduled days: Daily Departures: From 8:30 am or 1:30 pm Duration: Approximately 3, 1/2 hours  Pick up point: From your accommodation in Paris Return point: To your accommodation in Paris