24 hours in Paris: things to see and do
Check out my blog post of all the best things to see and do in 24 hours in Paris. Get away from the tourists and head over to the secret gems that Parisians don’t want you to know about.
All posts filed under: 4th arrondissement
Summer promenade along La Seine, Paris
Summers in Paris are made for wandering along the Seine, and enjoying the beautiful sights of the city. There’s honestly nothing better than an aimless promenade, capturing the different views of the city. And what better way to enjoy being a flâneur, than treating yourself to the odd macaron as well! A promenade along la Seine, no matter what the season, is one of my favourite things to do in Paris.
Ascending the mysterious La Tour Saint-Jacques
Have you ever walked past this big tower near Hôtel de ville on Rue de Rivoli, and thought ‘what is that?!’ If so, you’re not alone, with myself included. I have often been around this mysterious tower, and known nothing about it… untill now. What you are viewing is la Tour Saint-Jacques. Built in the early 16th century, the tower was part of the church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie (yes you might have guessed it – ‘Saint James of the Butchery’). However, the church was demolished during the French Revolution in 1797, and all that remains today is the tower. After lots of reconstruction beginning in the 19th century and finishing in 2009, the tower was given a new facelift and brought back to its original splendor. However, la Tour Saint-Jacques still possesses an air of mystery. While you can access the square surrounding it, it’s another story with the tower itself. Often I have found myself by its gates, wondering if the lock preventing people from entering is ever unlocked – and only last week were …
The blossom of Notre-Dame
Just when you thought Paris couldn’t get any more beautiful, it can. Surrounding Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Square Jean XXIII is in full bloom. So after school one day I could not resist paying a little visit to attempt to capture the charm of the scene. I have never really been a massive fan of the colour pink, but I think spending my Spring in Paris has totally made me change my mind. Don’t forget, you can view all the photos that I took here on my Flickr account: https://www.flickr.com/photos/roisingrace/sets/72157651966672755/
Christmas at Notre-Dame Cathedral
With just a week to go till Christmas Eve and the big day itself, I thought it was about time that I uploaded some of the recent photographs that I took one night of Notre-Dame Cathedral being all festive. The Christmas Tree that adorns the square infant of the Cathedral was actually donated by Russia. Due to the struggle of the Cathedral to raise the money to purchase a tree, it appealed to foreign embassies in Paris for aid. According to Russia’s ambassador to France, the “Tree is a message of peace”, as I am sure that we are all aware of the current political occurrences regarding Russia. Although I’m actually not that impressed by the tree – I’m more of a gold and red Christmas decoration kinda’ girl – it is still lovely to see and photograph the beautiful Notre-Dame Cathedral during this merry time of year. What are your thoughts on the Tree?
Róisín Astell 