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15 Things To Do In Paris, France
What
to do in Paris?
11 (5) Les Catacombes
 Them
bones..
Come
face to skull with the former inhabitants of Paris. The Catacombes
is an underground cemetery that holds 200-year-old skeletons. You
can see dead people. A lot of them. The Catacombs contain the remains
of an estimated six million Parisians.
The
rise of Christianity brought with it the practice of burying the
faithful in consecrated ground. This resulted in many more Parisians
being buried within the city. Eventually the grave yards could not
cope with the number of bodies. Paris's water supply and the health
of its citizens were under threat. The dead were killing the living.
Something
had to be done and the Catacombs was the solution. Behind a procession
of chanting priests, began a parade of black-covered bone-laden
horse-drawn wagons full of human remains. The process took years.
The
bones have been laid out in a macabre decoration. There are walls
of human skulls and other bones. The shear quantum of human remains
is hard to fathom.
12 (9) St
Sulpice
 The
Da Vinci Code's St Sulpice
With vast renovated
to be towers the Saint-Sulpice is just huge. St Sulpice popularity
has been increased by the fictional tale in the best selling book
the Da Vinci Code.
The main internal
attractions of St-Sulpice are the Delacroix frescoes in the Chapelle
des Anges (Chapel of the Angels), Servandoni's rococo Chapelle de
la Madone (Chapel of the Madonna) and the Pigalle statue of the
Virgin.
13 (30) Sacre-Coeur
Catholic Basilic or Sacred Heart
 Sacre-Coeur
Basilic or 'Sacred Heart' provides magnificent views of Paris
Perched on
top of butte Montmartre, the biggest hill in Paris, Sacre-Coeur
Basilic or 'Sacred Heart' provides magnificent views of Paris. But
there is more to the Basilic than great views. The Basilic is very
much part of Paris's fascinating and turbulent past. Joseph-Hippolyte
Guibert, the Archbishop of Paris had a vision "It is here,
it is here where the martyrs are, it is here that the Sacred Heart
must reign so that it can beckon all to come". The martyrs
very much included his predecessor who was killed by Communards.
The Church
is a functional building so Shhhhhh. No entrance fee but please
make a donation.
14 (22) Châteaux
de Versailles
 Be
overwhelmed by the overwhelming beauty of the Chateau Versailles
The Châteaux
de Versailles, also known as the Palace of Versailles, is one of
the largest and most opulent castles in the world. Its beautiful
architecture, stunning gardens and long history makes it one of
the most visited attractions in France.
The Court of
Versailles was long the unofficial centre of power in France. Also
know as the “cradle of liberty” (Berceau-de-la-Liberté)
it was here that the people of Paris made their stand against King
Louis XV1, forcing the Royal Family to leave behind their life of
decadence and move back to the true capital city of Paris.
The Palace
of Versailles is surrounded by a number of spectacular groves and
gardens which are scattered, in amazing numbers, with beautiful
sculptures and fountains.
You can visit
the palace free of charge with a Paris
Pass
15 (33) Luxembourg
Palace and its Gardens
 Luxembourg
Palace and its sumptuous gardens
Luxembourg
Palace
The Luxembourg
Palace is a beautiful seventeenth century palace originally built
for King Louis. The Palace was turned into a prison during the Revolution
and is now home to the Senate. Rubens paintings adorn the walls
and the library contains masterpieces by Eugene Delacroix. You'll
find it close to the Louvre near the Quartier Latin.
Luxembourg
Gardens
A visit to
Paris isn't complete without a visit to the Luxembourg Gardens unless
you suffer from hay fever, hate flowers, children and don't have
a romantic cell in your body.
At the Luxembourg
Gardens you can take a leisurely stroll an through orchard of apple
and pear trees, relax, read, think, be people watched, smell the
roses or tulips or whatever or do nothing. The Luxembourg Gardens
are formal gardens consisting of gravel and lawn populated by statues
of saints and French royalty. The Gardens are well known for their
stella chill out quality.
The Family
Friendly Luxemburg Gardens
For the little
ones with no intention of chilling out there is much to amuse. The
Gardens feature a large octagonal pond in which children famously
play, and play famously with, their model boats. The large fenced-in
playground is a must with its vintage carousel and there is a puppet
theatre (théâtre des marionnettes) and even the possibility
of a pony ride in summer.
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100 Things To Do In Paris, France
