Review #2 - Paris, France

Paris is considered by most one of the most desirable cities in Europe and probably the whole world, for its breathtaking buildings and amazing history, however there are hidden wonders to Paris and une nouvelle culture to explore.

These are some of the must goes in Paris, I am sure the monuments, buildings and historical notations mentioned will be nothing of a surprise, but I promise you, you have not seen all Paris has to give.

Notre-Dame de Paris

Notre-Dame is a religious testimony to the Virgin Mary and is possibly the most beautiful architecturally brilliant building in the world. Horrifically in 2019, Notre-Dame caught fire and much of the framework and stain-glass was minimised to dust and ash, however this adds another sense of heroism and historic value to the cathedral. The monuments rebuilding has given the world an insight into the origins of the cathedral and architects across the world have been mesmerized by the complexity of the cathedral, these amazing features can be seen in the BBC documentary 'Rebuilding Notre-Dame', through watching this you can truly capture the magic of the building, showing the difficulties of remastering such a global treasure. Recently, in 2022 I was lucky enough to see the cathedral first hand, I was shocked by the enormity of the building and the history behind it. Although the tragedy of the cathedral was present and construction work was not remotely close to finishing, the pictures across the construction boards told the story of the incredible building. The re-construction is set to finish between 2025-2026 but I can ensure that the fire has only added to the impressive nature of the cathedral, a must see on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Paris. Another perk of this cathedral is the picturesque voyage on the river Seine to the destination, why not travel across the most famous river in the world, most recently home to the most talented Triathletes in the world (not biased but including Alex Yee 🇬🇧).

Basilique du Sacré Coeur de Montmartre

Speechless....

The most beautiful Basilica and building in general I have ever seen in my life. I didn't even go inside this god-like creation, but I was taken aback by the polished, white, luxurious aura of the complex masterpiece. The basilica is credited with being a 'Sanctuary of Eucharistic Adoration and Divine Mercy' but it is impossible to put across the beauty in words. The long, uphill walk felt like I was not stepping into the hustle and bustle of the city, the whole place was throbbing and thriving with the same excitement that I was feeling. This area of Paris was impossible to taint with the stereotypical monopoly of a European city, it was an untouched local-feeling beauty. The first thing in which I was exposed to in these tight interweaving streets, was a man playing the accordion with a grey cat on his head! The grass lawns in front of this looming basilica spread across the Parisian soil allowing tourists to soak up the views of Paris and the warmth of the beaming Sun, this, in my opinion, was as close to heaven as you could possibly come. Again similar to Notre-Dame cathedral, Sacré Coeur holds amazing historical value, at the summit of Montmartre, this Basilica was built between 1875 and 1914 following the defeat of France and the capture of Napoleon II. If you were up for a little bit of an elevation climb and the experience of a lifetime, Sacre-Coeur well and truly the place for you. I know that it is only my opinion, but in my broad outlook on the world, Sacré-Coeur is the most beautiful man-made structure in the entire world.

Avenue des Champs-Élysées and The Arc de Triomphe

This street combined modern living, with the amazing historical value of Paris. If you have not been there yourself, I expect if you are a sports fan you have seen the picturesque street of the Champs-Élysées being used as the victorious finish of some of the most famous marathons of Paris. In my opinion this avenue is not just a shopping area for the wealthy tourists and celebrities of the western world, it is a testament to the incredible diversity of Paris. When I visited Paris in 2022, each trip to the main area of Paris was met with a walk along the Champs-Élysées and The Arc de Triomphe, in my opinion wasn't the stereotypical tourist attraction, it was the centre of a real city, the core of the everyday hustle and bustle and this sight was fantastic. When I finally was able to find a restaurant to house me, I could truly take in the madness of the city, with each person strolling along this goldmine of history like it wasn't even there, I was taken aback in ore. Lets just say even I, had to purchase an Adidas T-shirt from the Paris marathon, from the street, bulet'sts just say the receipt wasn't friendly.

The problem of food

Well I am afraid there is a but on your trip to Paris.... AND IT'S THE EMPTY POCKET

If you are willing to parade around Paris with a wad of cash, this is the place for you, but if you're anything like me, you'll be bringing quite a few packed lunches on the Eurostar. This may just be my experience, but a baguette and an orangina set me back 10 euros! Obviously sitting down to eat a sarnie looking out at the Eiffel Tower isn't a bad life, but its a bad day for any working man's wallet. And if that's not enough of an insult to a day, after a nice stroll along the Champs-Élysées you may be met with a bit of a thirst at the end of a day. But please buy some water from the local supermarket, because hotel water set me back 10 euros, I thought they may have mistaken my order for a bottle of gold, but again my wallet took a pounding by another very nasty receipt.

However overall, PARIS IS THE PLACE TO GO, whether you're a history enthusiast, somebody who wants to experience the wonders of Europe, or a connoisseur in expensive food, Paris is well and truly the place for you! I haven't even spoke about the Louvre Museum, The Eiffel Tower or the beret's, trust me my 5 days in Paris wasn't even remotely enough!

Thank you for listening, I hope you can experience Paris for yourselves,

Jdogyy