Paris: The World’s Best “Walking City”

Entrance to Rue Montorgueil

One of things I love to do most while in Paris is simply wander the streets and check out all of the amazing architecture, art and green spaces. There’s so much to see on every single block that it’s almost overwhelming. Even a leisurely ramble with no destination in mind reveals so much beauty. Paris has been called the best “walking city” on Earth, and I have to wholeheartedly agree! Continue Reading →

Seen On the Streets of Paris …

As anyone who’s ever visited Paris knows, one of the best ways to experience the city is to simply wander through its streets, either from your hotel/apartment to a specific destination or, even better, with no end point in mind. There seems to be a surprise around every corner and something new and beautiful to see. Here are some of my favorite street scenes … Continue Reading →

A Hidden Marais Garden Open Only On Weekends

Clos de Blancs Manteaux 1

One of Paris’s most delightful parks—the Clos des Blancs-Manteaux in the Marais–is definitely one of the City of Light’s most hidden treasures. Many visitors stumble across Clos des Blancs-Manteaux by complete accident. And that’s entirely because they’re in the right place at precisely the right time. Why is timing so important? Because this lush three-tiered park is open only on weekends due to its location in a courtyard shared with an adjacent preschool. But it’s definitely worth a special weekend trip. Continue Reading →

Statues, Statues Everywhere

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One of the things I — and most visitors to Paris — admire most about the City of Light is the abundance of art that greets Parisians each and every day. From glorious architecture to historic fountains to large outdoor murals to anonymously scrawled street art, Paris offers something beautiful to gaze upon no matter where one looks. There’s so much public art that many have dubbed the city a massive “open-air museum.” And that “museum” includes statues and sculptures. Lots of statues and sculptures. In fact, Paris has more than 1,000 statues created by more than 400 artists on public display throughout the city. Continue Reading →

Rue Quincampoix: A Perfect Medieval Parisian Street

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One of the most enjoyable experiences in Paris is to wander along a medieval, cobblestone lane lined with ancient stone buildings and massive arched doorways that is so narrow that is seems barely able to accommodate a Smart Car, much less any other modern mode of transportation. Yes, you can certainly meander the City of Light’s many streets—particularly those in the twisty, turny Marais—to find your own favorite byways to stroll. Actually, one of the most popular tourist experiences is “getting lost” in Paris’s charming neighborhoods and stumbling across that perfect Parisian street on your own. But there’s a quaint, ancient lane that’s literally within a stone’s throw of a major tourist destination that somehow escapes most visitors’ attentions—and yet delivers wholly on that medieval Parisian experience: the tiny Rue Quincampoix just west of the Pompidou Center. And it’s well worth a visit. Continue Reading →

Paris’s Unique Street Signs

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An unusual thing that I love about Paris is its iconic green, blue and white street signs. At the top of each is the district (called Arrondissement, and there are 20 of them in Paris) in which the street is located. Then comes the street name. And for my favorite part, the bottom of the sign contains information about the person for whom the street is named, if applicable. You get a mini-history lesson on most street corners! Continue Reading →

A Promenade on the Pont Alexandre III

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Today’s Paris memories center on the city’s beautiful bridges, but especially the ornate and gorgeous Pont Alexandre III. The bridge was a gift to the citizens of Paris from Russian Czar Alexander III, and crosses the Seine between the fantastic Grand Palais and Petit Palais on the Left Bank and the Invalides complex on the Right Bank. Continue Reading →

My Perfect Sunday in the City of Light

Breakfast

Here’s exactly how I’d be spending my Sunday in the City of Light. Continue Reading →