Backpacking Tours

Paris

Eiffel Tower / Tour Eiffel

The most famous building of the world is nowadays inseparable from Paris, but this was not always so. The builder, Gustave Eiffel, first offered the chance to Barcelona, but the mayor of the Catalan city did not like the idea. Finally it was built with resistance in Paris, but the huge success confirmed the idea of Eiffel – today the Eiffel Tower is the most popular sight – with entrance fee – in the world: in 2006, nearly 7 million people went up to the Tower, while since its building this number is more than 200 million. But even after the initial oppositions, the lady’s life was not easy: lightning stoke her, cheater traders have sold her more times, Hitler wanted to demolish her and wanted to make weapons from the material (Hitler was not the friend of Paris anyway as at the end of the World War II he commanded to burn Paris up, but the governor of the city denied it). The 324-meters high Eiffel Tower was the highest building in the world since the building in 1887 until 1930. The structure is 7300 tons, and thanks to the brilliance of the designer, it only swings 6-7 centimeters even in strong wind. The magnificent lightshow is 292 thousand watts of power.

You can get to the 1st and 2nd floor of the brilliantly built tower by using the stairs or the elevator, while the 3rd floor is only available by using the elevator going from the 2nd floor. From the highest floor, when the weather is nice, you can see even 70 kms away. You can count on a minimum 1-hour long queuing or even more, and on the 2rd floor you need to wait a lot again to get to the 3rd floor. It is worth to visit the Tower at night, when for 10 minutes at the beginning of every hour the yellow lighted tower flashes in white light. Young people lying, eating, drinking and meeting each other applause and are exultant. When the weather is nice, there are a lot of people in the park in front of the tower even at night – no one should miss this feeling.

Louvre museum / Musée du Louvre

The most popular museum (in 2006 8.3 million visitors) and one of the biggest, most interesting and most famous museums has more than 350 thousand works of art. There are such famous works here, as the Mona Lisa or the painting of Delacroix, the Liberty leading the people or the Venus de Milo. The Louvre, as for the size, cannot be covered even in a whole day, so at the entrance you get a map, which helps you to see at least the more famous works. Beside the collection, the museum and the pyramid (21-meters high, added in 1989, made of stainless steel, consisting of 666 glass sheets) next to it are also nice and interesting. The buildings were built in 1990 as fortresses, for the command of Philip II Augustus. In the 16th century, Francis I rebuilt it as a Renaissance palace, then Napoleon renovated it and used it as a museum, which is available for “common people” since the French Revolution.

Sacré-Coeur Basilica, Montmarte

The 130-meters high Montmarte hill is the highest point of Paris, from where there is a magnificent view of the city. Several artist lived and composed in this inspiring place, e.g. Picasso, Monet, Dali or Van Gogh. On the stairs in front of the Sacré-Coeur, beside the view, often great musicians’ plays can be heard. The mood here is fantastic, both in the daytime and at night. The way to the Basilica through the 234 steps is exciting: in a really nice district of Paris, we can follow Amelie’s way.
The wonderful Sacré-Coeur Basilica, which is said to be “made of sugar”, was built for the memory of the soldiers killed in the French-Prussian war, for whose souls people usually pray even nowadays. The inner part of the Basilica is not as nice as other Paris spiritual buildings, but the mood, the view and the outer part cannot be missed. The 46-years long building of the Sacré-Coeur was finished in 1919.

The Moulin Rouge can be found in the famous Pigalle district (at the bottom of the stairs) and the Erotic Museum is here too (some say it is the most interesting museum in Paris). The neighbourhood of the Moulin Rouge is said to be the hothouse of prostitution, where there are several sex-shops too.

Champs-Élysées

On the most outstanding and widest avenue of Paris, the 2 kms long Champs-Élysées, the most significant brands have shiny stores. On the most famous street of the world and the most beautiful avenue, the rents are also the most expensive: for renting a 1000m2 store, the rent is 1.25 million dollar per year. The avenue is also the venue for several world-famous events: here is the finish of the most famous bicycle race, the Tour de France; on 14 July (French National Holiday) soldiers (in 2007, Hungarians too) march this way at the time of the biggest military show, the parade, with other military units. There are huge celebrations too, e.g. in case of French victories at sports, e.g. when the French football team wins the world championship or the European championship or at new years eve. It is worth to go along the Champs-Élysées both in the daylight and at night and enjoy the mood and dynamism.

Notre Dame

It was founded by Pope Alexander III in 1163. Then it was being built for 170 years. This Gothic masterpiece was almost totally demolished at the time of the French Revolution, but between 1845-1878 it was rebuilt based on the original plans. From 1991 to 2005, The Cathedral had remarkable renovation again. The organ in the Notre Dame has 113 registers and 5 manuals, which is considered to be one of the biggest musical instrument in the world.

You can get into the towers of the Notre Dame, after a tiring walk on the stairs, where you can enjoy the view with gargoyles surrounding. While walking on the 402 steps, there are two resting places, and people can have a look at the bell of the Notre Dame. On the square in front of the Cathedral, there is the zero kilometer stone of France.