Paris in the Moonlight - A Trip Down the Seine River

There is nothing more romantic than drifting lazily down the Seine River with a full moon high overhead, a swath of silver light on the slowly mving river. As darkness descends and the City of Lights highlights mythical spots, monuments, historical buildings and ornate bridges, it is easy to fall in love with the city of Paris.

The Seine River goes through the heart of Paris bordering on ten of the twenty arrondisements. There are thirty-seven bridges over the river, the oldest being Pont Neuf built in 1607 and Pont Des Art which is a pedestrian only bridge.

As we began our cruise, the Eiffel Tower was the first of the many attractions we saw. An extravaganza of light that once seen, will be something you'll never forget. It was built by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World Fair commemorating the centennial of the Revolution. It is 1,063 feet tall and at the time it was built, was the highest structure in the world.

Another sight to behold, on the Right Bank is The Louvre, one of the world's largest museums and an historical monument. Housed in the Louvre Palace, it was built in the 12th century and opened as a museum in 1793. It contains sculptures, paintings, art objects, Egyptian antiquities, Greek and Roman art and Islamic art. Also, adjacent to the Louvre is the Tuileries Gardens created by Catherine de'Medici in 1564.

We drifted past quays and those, couples and others, lying or walking along the banks beneath the soft rays of the moonlight enjoying the tranquility of the Seine as it slowly flowed past. Eventually we came to Notre Dame Cathedral illuminated against the night-time sky. An historic cathedral in French Gothic architecture, construction began in 1163 but was not completed until 1345. And as we passed, the bells tolled as they have for hundreds of years.

Another historic site seen from the river is the Grand Palais easily recognizable because of its magnificent glass-domed roof. It is an exhibition hall and museum. Construction began in 1897 and was completed in 1900. It is ornately decorated in the Beaux-Arts architecture style. The Petit Palais adjacent to it was constructed about the same time.

The Palais de Chaillot initially erected for the 1878 World Fair was replaced in 1937 when Paris was host at another World Fair. The building houses several different museums and has an aquarium with forty-three tanks, 10,000 fish and a shark tunnel.

On the Left Bank of the Seine, is Musee d'Orsay, a museum which has mainly French art dated between 1848 to 1915. Many of the paintings are masterpieces by such renown artists as Monet, Cezanne, Gauguin and Van Gogh. It is housed in a railway station built between 1898 and 1900.

And last but not least is the Moulin Rouge established in 1889. It was the birthplace of the modern form of can-can dance. I say last but not least because there are many other buildings, rich in architecture and resplendent in lights that line the Seine River and only a cruise at night will give you this view of a Paris that looks entirely different in the daylight.

There are many ways to explore and visit Paris but travelling down the Seine River, as we did on our first evening there, is a great introduction to the city and what it has to offer.

Paris, The City of Lights

Paris, the City of Lights, is a city most will fall in love with or at the very least will have an opinion about. Some areas of this city date from around 4200 BC so history abounds and like every other tourist visiting the city, we were anxious to see its many attractions.

On our first evening in Paris, we took a cruise down the Seine to orientate ourselves. Once we began to see the many historical buildings we passed, we were glad that we had researched some of the history of each of the places we would be visiting.

The Louvre Museum, our first stop, had originally been a royal palace. It is now the world's most famous museum. This museum originated with a collection begun in the 16th century by King Francis I. Over the years the collection grew and in 1793, it was opened to the public. There are three wings, each housing different collections.

The Sully Wing holds a collection of French paintings, an enormous collection of Egyptian antiquities, artifacts and sculptures, a Greek collection and some remnants of the medieval castle of Louvre. This was the first wing I ventured into and having made the decision not to go on a tour was able to stand at the exhibits that interested me the most, for as long as I wanted to enjoy them. In the Richelieu Wing there are paintings from the Middle Ages to the 19th centuring including decorative art and sculptures. It was no less impressive than the Sully Wing. In the Denon Wing is the Mona Lisa plus other paintings of renown artists, antiquities and artifacts. The Mona Lisa was somewhat of a surprise being much smaller than either of us had expected it to be.

We spent hours in this fabulous museum following our interests from display to display, room to room and wing to wing, the art amazing and the statues beyond belief. Even the floors and soaring ceilings were spellbinding with paintings, carvings and inlays. With over one million works of art, only about 35,000 are ever on display at any one time.

The Eiffel Tower, rising 300 meters above where we stood, was completed in 1889. It was built for the World Exhibition in celebration of the French Reveolution. At the time, many protested that it didn't fit in with Paris' architecture but it is now currently seen as the symbol of the City of Lights. And it is no wonder. We saw it lit up on our first night in Paris. It was beautiful at night and dramatically visual during the day. The next day we went back with the intention of going to the top but a few days previously, rumors had told us, there had been a bomb scare and one of the elevators was not working. Line-ups wound across the grounds like slithering serpents slowly making their way towards the entrance. Having only a limited amount of time, to spend in Paris, and many places we wanted to see, we decided to come back again. As it turned out, we will have to go up on another trip to Paris. But even looking up at this immense structure when standing on the ground beneath it is awe-inspiring and was worth the trip.

The Notre Dame Cathedral is located on a small island in the Seine in the heart of the city. Begun in 1163, it was not completed until 1345 because of renovations and additions. It has two 226 foot towers and a 295 foot spire. Decorated outside with statues, massive doors and stunning architecture, it was worth waiting in line-up so we could admire it.

Inside the cathedral is quite as amazing with beautiful, massive stained glass windows, statues and candles glowing everywhere. There is a hush while the crowd slowly moves throughout the huge cathedral as most who visited seemed to be as much in awe as we were.

The Palais de Tuileries was built by Catherine de Medici after the death of her husband in 1559. Large, by I suspect most standards, she built it in the Italian style to remind her of her native Tuscany. Tuileries Gardens, surrounding the palais with its large pond and fountain, has many dramatic statues. There are walking paths between rows of grass, shrubbery and flowers but I was most impressed with the statues.

Another attraction, the Arc de Triomphe, commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 wasn't completed until 1836. It is fifty meters tall, adorned with carvings of battles and at the top of the arch thirty shields are displayed each signifying Napoleon's successful battles. It is located at the end of the Champs-Elysees, in the middle of a square where twelve streets converge. Trying to cross this busy thoroughfare would be suicide but fortunately there is an underpass to the monument. Once there, to reach the viewing platform, there is no elevator but 234 steps make it a heart-pumping hike to the top.

Other attractions briefly visited were the Luxembourg Gardens in the heart of the Left Bank, with ponds, fountains, gardens and sculptures. We picked up a sandwich and had our lunch while sitting on the chairs provided around the huge pond. Established in 1625, these gardens were a joy to visit, quiet, tranquil and away from the rush of traffic that is most of Paris.

Another interesting area briefly visited was the Montmartre district where a walk up the hill on cobbled streets will bring you to the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur. There you better have excellent lung capacity because the stairs leading up to it are many. A multitude of shops line the streets where we bought souvenirs for family and friends. This area is considered to be the most historic neighborhood in Paris. We also did a quick tour past the Sorbonne University and the Pantheon.

Unfortunately, the clock was ticking and our time in Paris was running out. Having to catch the train for our next adventure, we left with a promise to return again to explore all the other areas of this City of Lights that we had not been able to see.

Enjoying Your First Visit to Paris

Never been to Paris before? When initially planning your trip, first determine what it is you will want to see when you get there. Perhaps do a google map search and a virtual tour of the streets so that when you arrive, Paris will seem like an old and trusted friend. You will then easily be able to determine how to get from your hotel to all of the attractions.

How will you get to the attractions? Walk? The virtual walking tour will show you the shortest and most picturesque way to go. But there is also the Metro which is incredibly easy to use, as well as the Botabus which travels on the Seine River. Travelling this way allows for eight stops - at the Eiffel Tower, St. Germain des Pres, Le Louvre, Musee de Orsay, Notre Dame Cathedral, Hotel de Villa and on the Champs-Elysses close to the Grand and Petit Palais. It also includes 58 stops on the open tour bus.

Do you want to check out the Left Bank of the Seine? The Left Bank is on the southern side of the Seine River. It is the artistic area of the city and was once home to such famous writers as Picasso, Matisse and Hemmingway. Here you will find the popular Montparnasse which is still a haven for artists. Also on the Left Bank is the Latin Quarter, the Sorbonne University, the Eiffel Tower, du Jardin Luxembourg Gardens, Pantheon, Paris Catacombes, the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Pres as well as inexpensive cafes and night clubs.

Or perhaps the Right Bank is where you will be drawn to explore. This side of the river is where the majority of Paris' big businesses and most of the large tourist attractions are. They include the Louvre Museum, Arc de Triomphe, Tuileries Gardens, the Montmartre neighbourhood, Sacre Coeur Basilica, Moulin Rouge, the Bastille Opera and the Champse-Elysses.

It is highly advisable to obtain a map in order to be able to orient yourself with the layout of the city. Another great way is to take one of the many river cruises down the Seine. We did one of the evening cruises so we wuld be able to see the lights of the city at night. The Eiffel Tower was breathtaking. However, a river cruise taken during the day probably would've been a better way of actually orientating ourselves but for sheer beauty alone, the night cruise was great.

Before going to Paris, we did our homework and were able to explore the city on our own for the most part. But there are some tours worth taking. One such trip is a tour of Versailles. It gives a view of the palace, the Hall of Mirrors, the King's and Queen's apartments and the gardens.

When looking for a hotel, we made our decision based on both proximity to the majority of the main attractions and to easily accessed metro stations. Although price was part of the decision as well. In the Monmartre neighbourhood, where we eventually decided to stay, we were fairly close to two metro stations, although one was a heart-pumping jaunt up a hill to get to our hotel. We later discovered that the other station was closer and a much easier walk.

Cafes and eateries are everywhere with many different kinds of food. Within a walk of our hotel were two Vietnamese restaurants, and Italian and the usual Parisienne eateries, all offering larger servings than I could possibly eat.

The best thing any traveller can do before visiting the City of Lights with its many attractions is to prepare yourself before you go - where the attractions are, how to get to them, if travelling on the Metro system, which lines to take and where the stations are, and the particulars of each attraction as well as entrance fees and operating hours.

And once you are there, you will enjoy all that Paris has to offer because you will have come prepared.

The People of Paris

You can talk to ten different people and get ten different opinions on how they found the people of Paris to be on their visit. In most cases, whether in Paris or at home, how you approach people will make a difference on their reaction to you. Generally I have found, if you are friendly, they will be also. And on my visit, I found that people often took the initiative to help when they suspected help was needed. Although, in one case, it was definitely not to my advantage.

In this case, I have to admit that my almost first contact with a Parisienne was not how I would have wished it to be. On my arrival at the airport, as I stood looking for signs directing me to the shuttle/train that would take me to the Metro which would take me to my hotel, a man came up to me to offer his services. I was initially impressed to find someone so friendly and helpful in a city full of strangers. When I told him what I was looking for, he took me to the machine and put in his own credit card and got me a ticket and then pointed me to where I had to go after helping me up a flight of stairs with my luggage. Then, when few people were around, he told me the ticket was 35 Euros, which being the totally green tourist that I was, and having no idea how much a ticket would cost, I'm embarrassed to say that I gave him. I must have been flashing bright neon green like a fresh-faced teenager when he spotted me. We had been warned about the pick pockets that proliferate the city but not about the blantant scammers. Being of the age I am, I should have been somewhat more aware than the gullible person I proved myself to be.

Although we had many warnings before our trip about pick pockets, we had no problems although we did keep our purses close to our bodies. My daughter-in-law did see a pick pocket in action and she said the man whose pocket was picked had no idea. These Paris pick-pocketers are fast and exceedingly competent at this activity.

In another case, again no doubt looking lost, a man came up and looking at the address where I wanted to go, directed me to a train. But because of the language difficulties we were encountering, he took me to someone else who spoke some English. After a discussion with the lady, she said he apparently thought I wanted to go to the Opera House which was no where near my destination. She very kindly gave me correct directions.

I found this to be the case in most instances - at the Metro and train stations people were extremely helpful as most were on the street when directions were required. Servers in restaurants were helpful also and some, finding out where we came from, said, 'Oh Vancouver, it is considered the best place in the world to live'. In one case a waiter even got a dictionary so he could better understand what we were saying.

One day while travelling on the Metro in Paris, in a crowd of people, I was the last person to get on. I had managed to put my luggage onto the train and then stepped up myself when the doors closed with me caught in the middle of them. There is no sensor on the doors to warn the driver of any mishaps but fortunately, people being who they were, four men jumped up and with two on each side managed to pry the doors open. My daughter-in-law then grabbed my arm and pulled me into the train. After several heart-felt thank you's to my saviours, I stood, hanging tightly onto the pole, with my heart pounding loudly in my ears and my face now a brilliant red. I was definitely embarrassed and the occupants of the train probably thought, 'crazy tourist'.

But people in Paris are basically like people everywhere and a smile there, like anywhere, goes a long way in producing friendly relationships. Especially when that smile is served along with a friendly 'Merci'.