A short City Walk through Paris in 2021

Travel:

I traveled to Paris on the Eurostar train directly from London.

Previous trips to Paris on flights from Dublin Airport with Aer Lingus and Ryanair

Stay:

I stayed in the Montmartre area at the Hotel Regyn’s Montmartre. This property is a small 2 star hotel beside the Abesses Metro Stop and adjacent to the Le Mur des Je t'aime (Wall of Love) garden. The hotel faces the church of the Paroisse Saint de Montmartre. This church was built in 1904 and is a strange mix of Art Nouveau with gothic overtones - interlocking arches creating pointed arched windows possibly in the Flamboyant Style. I particularly liked the recessed entrance vestibule especially lit up at night but overall, it’s an architectural piece unsure of it’s style.

The hotel was quintessential in it’s decorations with heavy carpets and old antique style french furniture. The bedroom and bathroom were very clean, linen fresh and overall, a quiet hotel. The staff and owners were very friendly and helpful. I had breakfast in the small dining room which was reasonably priced for central Paris. Breakfast time was also an opportunity to interact with other guests or the staff. I booked the hotel for the location but the views over the rooftops to the Eiffel Tower were a huge surprise. I enjoyed a glass of wine in my room sitting by the open window every evening listening to the bustle below and transfixed on the searchlight atop the Eiffel Tower, piercing the subtle deep blue of the Parisian night sky.

I chose this hotel for it’s price and location as it is also very close to one of the great European churches, the Sacre-Coeur. I often like to construct my walking routes on the high ground so Montmartre was the perfect location. The Sacre-Coeur is accessed through the Square Louise-Michel via a number of stepped terraces which often have buskers keeping tourists happy. There is also a Funiculaire to the side for quick access to the top but I recommend the Rue Drevet Stairs which have become iconic and intrinsic in French film noir.

I have previously stayed in the Hotel Cler which is on Rue Cler and close to the Eiffel Tower and Les Invalides where Napoleon’s tomb rests. This is a lovely 3 star, very well appointed hotel in a fantastic neighbourhood. The rooms are modern and very comfortable. It is situated beside many cafes and restaurants and shops with old world charm. Perfect for relaxing in the busy city and close to many of the major attractions.

I’ve also stayed in the Hotel Louvre Rivoli many years ago and remember it as being a small cozy hotel but very clean and right in the heart of the city.

On a trip to the Rugby World Cup, I also stayed in the Paris Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel which is close to the Paris Catacombs. This is a fine large hotel and exudes exactly the quality you would expect from a Marriott 4 star hotel. Also close by is Montparnasse Cemetery, Tour Montparnasse (providing possibly the best view of Paris) and La Coupole

Eat:

I tend to target small cafes for lunch or coffee and avoid expensive restaurants especially if traveling alone. I’ve traveled to Paris a number of times and the following are some of the establishments where I have enjoyed lunch or dinner;

Le Sancerre; Rue de Abesses - typical French curb-side establishment perfect for lunch in the sun.

Le Petit Machon; Rue St. Honore - relaxed with typical French dishes - try the snails & toast!

Le Relais de L’Entrecote: Rue Saint-Benoite - they only serve steak & frites (fries) but they are a Parisian institution.

Restaurant du Musee d’Orsay - within the Musee d’Orsay - opulent with chandeliers that will take your breath away. The cafe is also great for stunning views back across the river and up to the Sacre-coeur.

Brasserie Lipp; Boulevard Saint-Germain - I enjoyed a pig’s trotter here a few years ago! Popular in the past with artists and writers.

La Coupole; Boulevard du Montparnasse - famous for it’s Fruits de Mar (seafood) with a huge bar usually packed with friends awaiting a table.

Culture:

My favourite museum is the Musee d’Orsay as the building is an old converted train station and houses a massive Impressionist collection of art. You can also spend a day in the Louvre Museum searching for the Mona Lisa. I also enjoyed visiting Le Centre Pompidou but have never ventured inside. I loved the peace and tranquility of the house and gardens of Musee Rodin. But also enjoyed the Cité des sciences et de l'industrie and the park of La Villette - a little bit out of the city centre but worth a visit. The park also houses the Zenith concert venue where I caught Florence and the Machine playing a few years ago and Philharmonic Paris as well as the Grande Halle cultural and convention centre.

As well as the usual must see buildings such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Palais Garnier (Opera House), Louvre Museum and Notre Dame Cathedral, I would also recommend Tour Montparnasse for unmatched views over the city where you can enjoy a glass of wine or beer at the window’s edge some 200 meters above the ground. The small Sainte-Chappelle (chapel) near Notre Dame is also wonderful. For a quiet walk away from the traffic, try Montmartre Cemetery or enjoy a rest in Nelson Mandela Garden between the Bourse de Commerce - Pinault Collection and Westfield Forum Des Halles futuristic shopping centre. Or simply stroll through the beautiful Tuileries Gardens in front of the Louvre Museum.

The stained glass dome and ornate balconies around the atrium in the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann department store are unforgettable. The streets lined with skulls at the Paris Catacombs were both interesting and a little macabre but worth the effort - another quiet place to get away from the hustle & bustle and cool on a hot day.

I’ve been to the Le Parc des Princes (home stadium of PSG) and the Stade de France for rugby and soccer matches - they are both wonderful venues although the results for Ireland were mixed! I’ve also spent an unforgettable night at the jazz club, Le Caveau des Oubliettes, dancing in the barrel vaulted stone basement until the wee hours. On this trip, I went to the Theatre de la Ville - Espace Cardin where I sat with what seemed to be the Parisian artistic elite to watch the bizarre 1977 play ‘I Was Sitting on My Patio This Guy Appeared I Thought I Was Hallucinating’ - a theatrical production I enjoyed, even though the story was a little hard to follow.

Walk:

The Paris Walk takes around 7 hours non-stop from start to finish. I suggest allocating two days for the walk therefore, to allow for food and rest stops.

My walks are designed to take in the most interesting buildings on a single route, therefore, I don’t tend to linger at any given location. I suggest that more time is given to explore the buildings, galleries and museums.

I started Day 1 walk at Square Louise-Michel at the base of Sacre-Coeur. Day 1 concentrates on the route down through Montmartre, taking in the Moulin Rouge, Montmartre Cemetery, the Palais Garnier (Opera House), L’eglise de la Madeleine, Place de Concorde, Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower and Palais Galliera.

My Day 2 walk commenced at the Petit Palais just off the Champs Elysees and concentrated on the Left Bank side of the City. This walk included the Les Invalides, Musee d’Orsay, Louvre Museum, Les Halles, Le Centre Pompidu, Hotel de Ville, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Sorbonne, the Pantheon and Saint-Etienne-du-Mont.

Reflection:

Paris is always a great city to wander aimlessly. The streets and boulevards are drenched in decorated buildings boasting art nouveau doorways and intricate ironwork. There are so many buildings to see, museums and galleries to visit but just meandering through the streets and stopping for a coffee is also part of its charm. Every time I visit Paris, I find something new - a new or old building or a place where I’ve never been. Each visit is special and I have so many great memories. The Metro is also enjoyable to use and can take you further afield or just use it to hop across the city. Try spending an afternoon in La Defense or on Rue Cler where you’ll find traditional butchers, florists and boulangeries. I’ll remember my 2021 visit for the view of the Eiffel Tower from my hotel room and my night at the theatre which started with a glass of crisp white wine in the garden within the Jardin des Champs-Elysees. Until the next time, adieu!