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Paris, Ville-Lumière, City of Light. Well informed, eloquent and romantic, like a philosopher, a poet and a crooner. Paris is a million different things to a million different people and my first impression is damn there's a million people on every street. For a city which hasn't really changed since 1860, has an estimated population of just under 12 million. It's one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe and the world's most, expensive to live in. 42 million tourists per year, 17 million of which are foreign, Paris is the most visited city in the world. Within the city and its region lies 3,800 historical monuments and four UNESCO World Heritage Sites. I won't be seeing all of them, but since Paris probably has more familiar landmarks than any other city in the world, first-time visitors often arrive with all sorts of expectations. Grand vistas, of intellectuals discussing weighty matters in cafés. Romance along the Seine. Naughty nightclubs and rude people who won't speak English. (Arc de Triomphe) Speaking of war we head over to Paris' Triumphal Arch. The Arc de Triomphe is the world's largest traffic roundabout, commissioned by Napoléon in 1806 to commemorate his imperial victories but remained unfinished when he started losing battles and then entire wars. It was not completed until 1836. Since 1920, the body of an Unknown Soldier from WWI, taken from Verdun in Lorraine, has lain beneath the arch; his fate and that of countless others is commemorated by a memorial flame that is rekindled each evening around 6.30pm. Inside, 50 metres up, 284 steps of pain but worth the climb, you can see all the avenues, many named after Napoleon victories and generals radiating out towards every part of the city. (Interlude) So, romance along the Seine, naughty nightclubs and rude people who won't speak English...If you look hard enough, you can find all those things in Paris but another approach is to set aside the preconceptions of Paris and explore the city's avenues and backstreets as if the tip of the Eiffel Tower wasn't about to pop into view at any moment. ...huh, guess I spoke too soon. (Tour Eiffel) When it was built for the 1889 Exposition Universelle (World Fair), it faced massive opposition from Paris' artistic and literary elite. The 'metal asparagus', as some snidely called it, was almost torn down in 1909 but was spared because it was useful for transmitting radio signals. Named after its designer, Gustave Eiffel, the tower is 324m high, 7300 tonnes of iron with 2.5 million rivets. Three levels with a lift to each one and if your feeling hardcore you can use the stairs. The hell with that I took the lift. When entering or exiting the Tower be sure avoid the vendors selling fake Eiffel Towers (Basilique du Sacré Cœur) Perched at the highest point in the city, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart was built from contributions pledged by Parisian Catholics. Construction began in 1873, but the basilica was not consecrated until 1919. 234 spiralling steps lead you to the basilica's dome, which gives yet another spectacular panoramic view of the city. They say you can see for 30km on a clear day...
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