The Best Views in Paris - Part I

During my semester abroad in Amiens I have visited Paris several times, because it was only 1,5 hours by train away. I got to know the city better and better with each visit and escaped a bit from the touristic paths, because after some days you already know the most important landmarks. But, of course, some of the most impressing views are offered by famous buildings, as for example La Tour Eiffel. Here is my list with the 5 most beautiful views (for me) in the City of Love:

1. Arc de Triomphe
2. Montmartre
3. Eiffel Tower
4. La Défense
5. Notre-Dame

Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is kind of the heart of Paris for me. Not because it might be in the middle of the city geographically, but because it connects so many important streets and places. Furthermore, it was the first place I have visited in the city, and the moment I fell in love with it, so it's also an emotional factor. You arrive at the Arc de Triomphe by metro at the station "Charles de Gaulle - Étoile" and by leaving it you can directly see the impressing monument. It's situated directly at the beginning of the Champs-Elysées in the middle of a round point which is leading to 11 different streets. When you have finished taking pictures from there, you can go downstairs and cross the large round point in the underground (there is no other possibility in fact). After some metres you find the ticket office of the Arc de Triomphe and the stairs to the area under the monument - if you don't want to go up to the top you can just walk outside there. If you want to go upstairs (I highly recommend that! ) you queue up for the tickets and if you are between 18 and 25 you just have to show your ID card and get the ticket for free! For all the others it's 12 euros, which is a bit expensive, but it's totally worth it. With the ticket you walk upstairs and find yourself in the middle of the biggest round point I know. Every time I am standing there I am fascinated by all the cars and streets around me, and the wonderful view even from the ground.

Getting up there - Hello steps!

When you have finished enjoying the atmosphere, you have to show your ticket and your bag at the entrance and pass a metal detector and the real fun starts - 284 steps to go on corkscrew stairs. It's really exhausting and you might get a bit dizzy, but after 15 minutes you arrive and are happy that it's done. You arrive in a large hall with information about the monument and its history, toilets and a souvenir shop. It's nothing special, but some things are quite interesting. When you want to go to the terrace you still have to walk up some steps, but don't worry, not many! Finally at the terrace outside you will know why the Arc de Triomphe is my number one view in Paris. You can see the whole city from 50 metres height and in my opinion it's simply amazing. You see the people walking around, all the cars, the small cafés in the streets, people shopping at the Champs-Elysées, the incredible architecture of the city and so much more! You see Montmatre, the Eiffel Tower, the Tuleries and the Louvre and directly at the opposite side you can see the business district La Défense with the monument La Grande Arche and all the skyscrapers. It's like a door between two different worlds - traditional and modern, and it shows the special charm of the City of Love. You can take incredible panoramic pictures, you can find two large maps that show you which monument is where and explain you buildings you might not recognize. Or you just stand up there and enjoy the feeling to be the king/queen of the world. Everything is possible up there - just enjoy Paris' magic.

Montmartre - Art everywhere

Montmatre is the place with the second most beautiful view in Paris. It's situated on a hill in the north of Paris, not far away from the Gare du Nord. The most famous thing in the district Montmatre is the church Sacré-Coeur and the monastery right next to it. The best metro station to arrive at the Sacre-Coeur is Anvers. When you arrive you just have to walk up one street full of touristic shops and you can already see it. As always in Paris you have to walk some stairs before you arrive, but it's not too exhausting. It's a wonderful area with grass and flowers (in summer) but also a lot of cheapjacks, and you really have to take care of your bag! When you don't want to take the stairs you can also use your metro ticket for the "Funiculaire", the cable car that will bring you up to the church. But if you have already done the Arc de Triomphe you can surely do that way, too. When you arrive in front of Sacre-Coeur and turn around you will see Paris in front of you. Come landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe are missing because they are more on the right of the panorama, but it's still a wonderful view. You can see Notre-Dame and the Centre Pompidou and all the districts outside of Paris with a bit more nature and everything. When you go there in the morning it's really beautiful because you see the sun rising and the city still sleeping. Furthermore, the wonderful view is totally free, you don't have to pay anything to be up there (except when you use the cable car) and usually it's not too crowded.

Photo gallery