Iron wandering willows full#

Opened in 1912 this ancient department store mesmerises even the most uninterested shopper, with its impressive iron and glass dome, and its arched structure rather reminiscent of a classic theatre. Not far from the Moulin Rouge lie the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, an impressive example of art nouveau decorative style. The lovely ladies of the can-can still perform for tourists today, in a vibrant rendition of the fin de siècle atmosphere. It is also the site of the world-known Moulin Rouge, where the art of cabaret was created.

Iron wandering willows full#

In order to arrive to Montmartre, you would normally walk through the Pigalle quarter, famous for being the place where the red-light activities of the city take place, as well as being a perfectly civilised neighbourhood full of family homes. It’s an excellent place to find a little café for a spot of lunch. Wandering through the winding streets of the Montmartre quarter, guided by the sight of the pearly white domes of the Basilica, you can easily understand why the area has always been a gathering point for artist, who’ve flocked here from all over, no doubt attracted by the ubiquitous beauty and surprisingly not too expensive prices. The panorama on offer is a great opportunity to size up the city, and try to contemplate it all in one go, the Eiffel Tower as striking as a solitary sentinel above the rooftops.

To begin your Parisian experience, you should climb your way up to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, a marvellous example of meringue-topped magnificence. If your time is truly limited, monuments such as Notre Dame or indeed the Louvre are so impressive in themselves, that it can often suffice to admire them from afar, maybe sat at a café with a glass of wine.

In the case of massive tourist attractions such as the Louvre, try to limit your curiosity to a few specific features, in order to make the visit more feasible. As with any large city, however, the way you experience it depends largely on how much time you have at hand. The subject of innumerable films and love stories, background for the jazz age during the twenties, European capital of fashion and art, it’s the perfect place to discover on a weekend getaway, or a longer travelling venture across French culture. An irresistible attraction for the romantic soul, an exciting destination for the explorer, a delicious destination for the gourmet, Paris has the answer to all, and much more.