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Things you must experience in Paris

By Guardian Nigeria
06 December 2021   |   3:03 pm
You'll want to visit the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame and Louvre if you're visiting Paris for the first time. But don't forget to see other city gems like the Musee d'Orsay or the Luxembourg Gardens. It's impossible to see everything - shopping, sightseeing, cemetery-perusing and district-exploring are all possible. So plan your itinerary, make group visits, and…

(FILES) In this file photo taken on August 6, 2020 tourists visit the Esplanade des Droits de l’Homme with the Eiffel tower in the background, in Paris. – The Eiffel Tower was evacuated for two hours after a false bomb threat, on September 23, 2020. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)

You’ll want to visit the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame and Louvre if you’re visiting Paris for the first time. But don’t forget to see other city gems like the Musee d’Orsay or the Luxembourg Gardens. It’s impossible to see everything – shopping, sightseeing, cemetery-perusing and district-exploring are all possible. So plan your itinerary, make group visits, and enjoy Paris as you like it. Here are a few things you should not avoid:

Walking is the best way of exploring Paris.
It’s also super easy to navigate is best to simply walk through Paris. It is difficult to get lost in Paris. There are 20 neighborhoods (arrondissements). Every street sign in the city indicates which one you are in. Each arrondissement is organized like a snail. 

Keep some Euros in your pocket
Although most restaurants and supermarkets accept debit and credit cards, it is always a good idea to have a few Euros extra in your wallet, especially for unexpected stops at the boulangerie. Cash is also a necessity for outdoor markets that sell both produce and antiques.

There is a market every day
Paris is bursting with markets! There are many markets in Paris. The biggest selection of outdoor markets will be on Saturdays and Sundays. However, smaller produce markets can be found throughout the city seven days a week. For great weekday options, check out the markets at Bastille and Belleville as well as Maubert-Mutualite and Place d’Aligre.

Don’t forget about the smaller museums in the city!
The Musee d’Orsay will satisfy your craving for impressionists. Although the Louvre can seem overwhelming, if you are determined to go (I mean, it is the Louvre! Wear comfortable shoes and visit Venus and Mona. Don’t forget to walk through Napoleon III Apartments.

However, Paris has a lot of great museums that you should visit. There’s the Centre Pompidou for contemporary art, the Cluny Museum to learn more about history, and the Musee Rodin to see sculptures in beautiful gardens.

Paris museums are open for free every Sunday. It will be crowded. Yes. It will save you money. Yes. You shouldn’t try to fit all your visits in one Sunday. No. Prioritize, people!

No matter what you do, Monet’s Water Lilies will help.
The tiny Musee l’Orangerie, located in the southwest corner of the Tuileries Garden is where you will find a few works by Picasso, Chaim Soutine, Modigliani, and Matisse. It also houses eight huge panels of Monet’s Water Lilies. You won’t need to spend more than an hour seeing everything so make sure you have a picnic lunch.

Street art can be found all over the Right Bank, especially in the Marais.
For incredible examples of Parisian street art, visit Paris’ Marais neighborhood (in the 3rd or 4th arrondissement). Rue Denoyez, in the 19th district, is another great spot.

Fabulous vintage shops also in the Marais
Paris is the home of Valentino, Armani, Louis Vuitton… You don’t have to spend a lot of money to visit one of the Paris vintage shops. The Marais is a kind of SoHo in Paris, with trendy fashion and boutiques. You can find hidden treasures in the vintage shops that are located here for as low as one euro. Take a break from your coffee and enjoy people-watching at an outdoor café.

Day trips out of the city are very easy
There is plenty to do in Paris. But sometimes a day trip outside the city can be just the thing. You can visit Versailles if time permits. The line is long and expensive but history lovers will love it. On a sunny day, you can even just walk the grounds. Traveling alone could be unpleasurable; you may find a girl in Paris via panamescorte.com to make your trip amazing.

Enjoy a boat cruise on the Seine
A beautiful and affordable way to explore the city, starting at 10 Euros Take a boat tour on the Seine’s “Bateaux mouches”, or boats. These boats are a cliché, but they’re truly amazing.

Get spiritual
Sacre-Coeur, Montmartre’s Sacre-Coeur and Notre Dame are both impressive and well worth a visit. Sainte-Chapelle is the Ile de la Cite’s real star. Its Gothic architecture and stained glass windows are breathtaking, especially when the sun is out. This is from May to September.

A train ride takes you to the nearest wine region
It is easy to get to France’s wine regions by taking a TGV train. It takes just one hour to get to Champagne (direct train from Gare de l’Est in Reims), while it takes two hours to reach Burgundy and Bordeaux (train to Beaune/Macon, or the city Bordeaux). We recommend that you stay the night if you are heading to either of these cities.

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