Paris...Where to begin?

Having done the majority of my guiding in France, I figured it was important to address one of my favorite cities early in the days of this blog.  Paris is such a special place, a center of history, art, and culture, that it may outrank any of my favorite cities in my own country as one of the places you must go in your lifetime.  

Paris is going through a very difficult time right now, but it has consistently ranked at or near the top of the world's most visited cities (number 3 in 2014, probably down a little in 2015).  

Why should you visit Paris?  For one, it is a beautiful city.  The homogeneous Haussmann architecture and uniformity of design makes it beautiful from street level.  Iconic monuments such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame add to the splendor.  Then, consider the art within these buildings.  There is the Louvre, containing not only some of the most well-known works of art, but also rooms upon rooms of art waiting to be discovered by YOU!  Then there's my favorite museum, the Musée D'Orsay, which basically continues where the Louvre finishes, including the Impressionists gallery.  Then there's the food, which, in my opinion, ties brilliantly with Italian as the top cuisine in the world.  In fact, the word cuisine is French.  There is also the experience.  No one has yet asked about the name "Global Café." This comes from my desire to experience a culture, not just see it from the outside.  You cannot experience France without enjoying a long, generous meal at a sidewalk café.  For the American readers, those would be the places where you cannot get your bill, and service seems slow because they do not want to bother you in the middle of your conversation.  In France, a meal time is an experience, not just for nourishment.

Are you convinced yet?  How about France in 2016 and 2017?  My opinion is, this is a great time to go!  The novices will be scared away by the unfortunate events of last year, hopefully leaving the city less crowded for your enjoyment.  My tip of the day, is one thing you should be SURE to do before you travel is reserve your ticket to the top of the Eiffel Tower.  This can be done by clicking here.  Should you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of the top being sold out, have no fear!  Book to the second level, allowing at least two hours after your time before closing (the top closes before the scheduled close of the tower), and buy the tickets to the sommet (top)  on the second level.

There will be many more tips and tricks for Paris in the future, after all, how do you put one of the world's greatest cities into a single post?

À bientôt!