You without a doubt have not...
by debankh
You without a doubt have not truely experienced Paris without spending a good two hours over a leisurely cup of coffee or two in a cafe or brasserie- sit out on the sidewalk and people watch. I recommend starting EVERY day you have in Paris this way! Pick a different section of Paris each morning. My favorite section is Montmartre. Besides the absolutely divine tartes aux fraises (strawberry tartes), my favorite thing to do in Paris (at least in warm weather) is to sit on the steps outside Sacre Cour Cathedral which is at the top of the hill in the Montmartre section and gaze out at the view of Paris below, writing poetry and listening to the musicians play. I can spend an entire afternoon easily here.
The 5th Arrondissement
by Lady_Mystique
The 5th arrondissement... is south of the islands on the Left Bank of Paris.
The two major areas of interest to the tourist are the Latin Quarter (which spills into the 6th) and the area around the rue Mouffetard and the Jardin des Plantes.
The Latin Quarter takes its name from the religious and intellectual history of this part of Paris. Home to the Sorbonne, the area is bustling, full of students and cafe life. (I absolutely loved this section of Paris!!!)
In addition, you'll find the Pantheon, the Musee National du Moyen Age (Middle Ages), and several interesting, historic churches; St. Severin, St. Julien le Pauvre, and St. Etienne du Mont.
Slightly east of the Latin Quarter is the Mouffetard area with its lively food market, Roman ruins (Arenes de Lutece), Paris' botanical gardens, the Paris Mosque, the Arab Institute, and the Musee de Sculpture en Plein Air along the banks of the Seine.
La Bibliothèque Nationale de France
by Klod5
Bibliothèque Nationale de France François-Mitterrand / Tolbiac
Un concours a été organisé par l'Association pour la Bibliothèque de France, en étroite collaboration avec l'Union internationale des architectes. En juillet 1989, le jury international présidé par I.M. Pei a retenu quatre projets, distinguant particulièrement celui de Dominique Perrault dont le choix a été confirmé par le Président de la République le 21 août 1989.
Le bâtiment conçu par l'architecte est organisé autour d'un socle et de quatre tours d'angle, hautes de 79 mètres. Celles-ci abritent sept étages de bureaux protégés par des volets de bois mobiles et onze étages de magasins. L'accès à l'esplanade se fait par de grands emmarchements face à la Seine. Les deux entrées sont situées à l'Est et à l'Ouest.
Deux niveaux de salles de lecture enserrent un jardin de plus d'un hectare situé en contrebas.
Les magasins de livres (395 kilomètres linéaires) sont situés en partie dans le socle, à proximité immédiate des salles de lecture, et en partie dans les étages supérieurs des tours. A contest has been organized by the association for the Library of France, in narrow collaboration with the international union of the architects. In July 1989, the international jury presided by I.M. Pei kept four projects, especially distinguishing the one of Dominique Perrault whose choice has been confirmed by the President of Republic August 21, 1989.
The building conceived by the architect is organized around a pedestal and four towers of angle, high of 79 meters. These shelter seven floors of offices protected by shutters from mobile woods and eleven floors of stores. The access to the esplanade faces itself by big emmarchements the Seine. The two entries are situated to the East and the west.
Two levels of reading rooms enclose a garden of more than a hectare situated down below.
The stores of books (395 linear kilometers) are situated in part in the pedestal, close by immediate of the reading rooms, and in part in the superior floors of the towers.
For years I have collected...
by Travel_Gal
For years I have collected metal pins, and often wear them on jackets or my hat. While I was a cafe in Montparnesse one of the staff noticed them, and asked if I would be willing to trade some of my Canadian pins. We did, and I received a beautiful Moulin Rouge pin. Maybe it has changed since I was there, but the French enjoy pin collecting. Next time I visit I plan on bringing a few extra pins from my hometown, you never know when the opportunity might present itself.
Have a picnic on Place des Vosges
by nonanet
Get yourself a sandwich, and probably a bottle of wine or beer, and join the people enjoying the wonderful "Place des Vosges", a square with really nice architecture around, and plenty of lawn to have your picnic on.
The people relaxing there can even be seen on Google Maps (see link below). Perfect for a nice afternoon.
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Crucifixion, Emile Signol, Saint-Sulpice
Street from the Viaduc des Arts
Moulon Rouge
Full facade of 29 Avenue Rapp
