Travel Articles - Travelling Around France

Travelling to and around France -

This week we will leave Orleans and Saint Joan of Arc and I will take you further north on to the A10 motorway to the north coast and the gateway to the UK. Firstly we will pass very close to Chartres, south west of Paris and which boasts one of the most famous cathedrals in the whole of France and is well worth a visit.

The cathedral had been a cult centre of the Virgin Mary throughout the middle ages since it possessed a statue of Mary reportedly carved by St. Luke, as well as the ‘sacred Tunic’ supposedly worn by the Virgin Mary at the time of the birth of Christ. The people of Chartres believed that this sacred relic acted as their protector. When the first early Gothic cathedral, as well as much of the town, burned down in 1194, the rebuilding was considered futile, since the townspeople believed they had been deserted by their protector. However, a representative of the Pope persuaded the citizens to rebuild the cathedral. The four evangelists are represented in the cathedral as winged creatures. Mark being a lion, Luke an ox, John an eagle and Matthew as a man.

The cathedral also houses a labyrinth, which was laid around 1200 into the floor. At one time labyrinths were very popular and were meant to be walked on. In the past it could be walked as a pilgrimage or for repentance. Although my family and I have ventured into Paris on many occasions, this isn’t necessary any longer as roads to the west of Paris are equally as good as the rest of France, but at one time it was faster to take the ‘Boulevard Périphérique’, the Paris ring road, especially when travelling through the night. It seems such a shame to miss out visiting Paris when travelling so close as it is, in my mind, a beautiful city. The saying goes that the French people like to tell people that whilst London was built for the English, Paris was built for the world. Paris is an extremely light and spacious city and there are lots of places to visit, but I am afraid that I can only take you on a few of these.

Paris is split in two by the River Seine, the right bank and the left bank. The right bank houses the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and the Palais-Royal, whilst the left bank is home to the famous Sorbonne, Pantheon and of course the Eiffel Tower. We found the best way to travel the sights of Paris is by the metro, where you will find maps on every station to guide you on your way.

The Arc de Triomphe and its massive piers depict scenes from the revolutionary era. To the right on the side facing the Champs-Elysees is the Marseillaise by Rude from 1792, whilst to the left is Napoleon's Triumph of 1810 by Cortot. The resistance of 1814 and the Peace of 1815 are on the other side, modestly facing away from the city.

The Eiffel Tower, a must for anyone seeing Paris for the first time, was built for the International Exhibition of Paris of 1889 commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution. The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England, opened the tower. Of the 700 proposals submitted in a design competition, Gustave Eiffel's was chosen. At 300 metres high and 7000 tons in weight, it was the world's tallest building until 1930. It took 300 steel workers, and 2 years (1887-1889) to construct. It has a sway of up to 12 cm in high winds and the height varies up to 15 cm depending on temperature. It uses 40 tons of paint and has 1652 steps to the top. Only the brave take the steps all the way to the top, needless to say I took steps and the lift. The tower has three platforms. The restaurant Jules Vernes is on the second platform which is extremely expensive, whilst the top platform has a bar, souvenir shop, and the restored office of Gustave Eiffel. From its platforms, especially the top one, the view of Paris is superb and not to be missed. It is generally agreed that one hour before sunset, the panorama is at its best.

Construction of the ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’ began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII, and the foundation stone was laid by Pope Alexander III. During its history, Notre Dame has been the site of numerous official and other ceremonial occasions.

A must for anyone roaming round Paris is a trip on the Bateaux-Mouches, which is a nice relaxing way to see the sights of Paris, capturing the Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Trocadero, the Louvre and many more places of interest, not forgetting the 35 bridges that span the Seine. A night-time cruise is perhaps the most stunning, as the boats are equipped with huge floodlights illuminating the riverside monuments, so bright that their glow is visible throughout the city on cloudy or foggy nights. If you really want the lap of luxury then take either the lunch time or evening gourmet trip. The first time that my husband and I took this tour was during 1980 when the price of the evening dinner was a mere £25 per person. Now the price has quadrupled I believe. The boarding time was 8.30pm and lasted until midnight. During that time course after course was placed in front of us, with all the relevant wines to accompany the dishes. Please do remember to take suitable dress attire, as you will not be accepted on board in jeans or open shirt, and ladies, evening clothes are the mode for you. Paris is home to the largest ‘flea’ market in Europe and Montmartre although at one time very ‘Bohemian’, is now less so, but in the main tourist centre here on the Place du Tertre, you will still find plenty of hopeful budding artists, both young, and old.

This is where we will end for this week and next week will arrive at the ports on the northern coast of France.

Article provided by kind permission of The Leader Newspaper (Written by Jill Attfield)

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