The city of Lights- Paris
Being an Indian, and belonging to a small town I had only seen Europe either on TV or internet. And that’s why I joined merchant navy in order to explore European countries. Paris- the city of lights was among one of them.
So it was in 2019, the day we signed off(got down) from our vessel from Le Havre(France). Due to the congestion’s in flight bookings, we did not get the flight for same day.
Instead we got hotel stay of 3 days. The hotel company booked for us was very near to the Paris airport. Which means it was a bit far from the City of Lights. Although it is said that no much how much you have, it’s never enough for Paris.
But we covered whatever we could in that short span of time. So before going into details, let’s get into knowing it first.
1. what is Paris famous for
2. How Paris got its name and Why is it called “The City of Lights”
– Arc de Triomphe
– Cathedrale de-Nome church
– Louvre Museum
– Luxembourg Gardens
– Buttes-Chaumont park
– Champs-Élysées
1. What is Paris famous for
Paris offers everything we want to visit a place for.
For shopping freaks it has too much to offer for shopping.
For tourists there are plenty beautiful locations, monuments and historical buildings.
There are varieties of foods, drinks and restaurants to satisfy the rest buds of food lovers.
And for party animals, the night life of Paris is as much incomparable.
There are multiple modes you can explore the beautiful city. If you want to explore the city walking, that’s the best to experience the true beauty of city. In the end it all depends on what you want to go for.
Then there are public transports which includes Metros, Public transport and other privates taxis including Uber. They will take you anywhere along the city.
So depending on your budget, you can opt for any of the above service. Metro(Subway) is the most affordable yet most wide mode of transport across the city.
Also read : Stunning forts in Rajasthan you should check out
But just plan the trip in advance and check the it’s operating timings before you proceed any further.
There are concerts organised on most of the days, then there are monuments and historical buildings, multiple museums and beautiful gardens .You can also take help of local guide tour companies to utilise the maximum time, because they will take you to the most beautiful and Known locations in a timely manner.
I would strongly suggest to take a short walk to the urban streets of the City of lights.
2. How Paris got its name
As you all must be knowing Paris has got multiple names. Which includes “”Paris”, The city of Lights”, “The city of Lights”.
The name ‘’Paris’’ originated because of the first tribe living there called “Parisii”.
This is the first big city in Europe to have gas street lights, that’s what it was named also “The City of Lights”.
While the third name “the city of love” is far more obvious because of the loving atmosphere one experiences in Paris.
3. Attractions in Paris
So after taking a power nap in our hotel we planned for “Eiffel Tower”. Which was around 32kms from the hotel. And we booked a taxi from the hotel itself which was about to pick us at evening 4.
We all were ready at the assigned time and the taxi was on time. So we left for the tower and reached there at around 5:30 in the evening due to evening traffic. The driver left us at the bus stop near museum, in front of Eiffel Tower.
As expected, the area was pretty sightly. It was an open area with museum on one side with a beautiful view of Eiffel Tower. We disembarked near the museum.
There it was, the true spirit of Paris. There was one choreography group, who were having rehearsal or something I am not sure but we enjoyed their show quite a bit.
After spending some time over there we proceeded to the See it from a bit closer. Which is at around 500m walking distance.
We also purchased a few souvenirs to show off at home. Because seeing our personality nobody believes that we have ever been to Europe.
On this way you will come across a number of icecream parlours and shops where you can find souvenirs and snacks(in case you are hungry).
After a few minutes walk we reached to the tower. And actually it is so huge and amazing structure that it really makes our visit worth.
The Eiffel Tower
The Esplanade (Ground floor)
The amazing structure is set on four pillars named upon the directions East, West, North and South. The ground area beneath is called “The Esplanade”. Which can be visited free of cost.
Visiting the Esplanade is a great way to explore the hugeness as it is an different experience altogether to experience such an immense structure from underneath.
The first floor
The first floor of the Eiffel Tower is accessible by both, stairs or elevators.
In case of an elevator, it takes you to the summit(top floor) of the Eiffel Tower and will stop at the first floor while coming down.
The first floor is one of the most beautiful and entertaining floor of the tower. Where you can experience cinema projection, rotating cultural exhibitions and the iconic 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant.
The floor is also transparent, which offers you a crystal clear view of what’s happening below at the esplanade.
The second floor
The observation deck on the second floor offers mind-blowing view of Paris. The second floor is the most popular spot on the Eiffel Tower because of the clear and panoramic views it offers for visitors.
The views include beautiful landmarks of Paris including the Louvre Museum, Montmartre, Invalides and many more!
The views from the floor make your visit totally worth. But there are many more attractions on the floor which are there to impress you and enjoy your visit. These include a few beautiful gift shops and the excellent Jules Verne Restaurant.
The summit (Top Floor)
Then from the second floor you can proceed to the summit. There are two sections on the Summit called Open aur deck and the indoor section.
Since the Summit is at a height of 276m from the ground level it will take you away from the crowd and other noise.
And there is the office of Gustave Eiffel and a Champagne bar on the summit. The bar, to relax and a few gulps of champagne to just sit, relax and admire the beauty of Paris.
After devouring the beauty of Eiffel Tower we headed back to our hotel as it was already 10:30 PM and we should be ready for the next day.
Thanks for reading … ????
