31 Bastille The Bastille built during the 14th century as a fortified royal residence is the most famous monument in Paris that doesn't exist: the notorious prison - the quintessential symbol of monarchic despotism - was demolished shortly after a mob stormed it on 14 July 1789 and freed all seven prisoners. The site where it once stood: Place de la Bastille, is marked by an outline of the prison in paving stones. In the centre of Place de la Bastille is the 52-metre bronze Colonne de Juillet (July column) topped by a figure of Liberty. It was erected in memory of the victims of the July Revolution of 1830 and the February Revolution of 1848. They are buried in vaults under the column. Very central In Paris, just closed to the Place des Vosges, the Bastille area is not only wellknown for its cafes/bars/restaurants but for its harbour (the most beautiful one in Paris), the Bastille opera and its easy access to all public transportations: many lines of bus, metro and open tour stop. Our apartments are only in the heart of Bastille, the ouest part, closed to the Marais. 38 39 40 43 51 55 64 71 74 76 79 99 44 Champs elysees 67 68 83 86 100 33 Eiffel-Troca Eiffel tower: this towering edifice was built for the World Fair of 1889, held to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution. Named after its designer, Gustave Eiffel, it stands 320 metres high and was the world's tallest structure until 1930. Initially opposed by the city's artistic and literary elite - who were only affirming their right to disagree with everything - the tower was almost torn down in 1909, but was spared when it proved an ideal platform for the antennas needed for the new science of radiotelegraphy. The Champs de Mars, starting at the foot of the Eiffel Tower welcomes everyday french people for picnic, other activities or simply to have a break. On the other side of the Seine, in front of the Eiffel Tower, the impressive Palais Chaillot and the Trocadero Place will be one of the highlights of your stay. The Eiffel tower and the Trocadero areas are recommanded if you are looking for a luxuruous and quiet area, closed to the Champs Elysees. 58 42 Invalides A vast complex, now encompassing four museums and two churches. Les Invalides was established as a lodging and hospital for wounded military veterans in 1670, it once accommodated 7 000 soldiers. Les Invalides is surmounted by the soaring gilt cupola of the Dôme Church and as a building rivals the Louvre in terms of sheer size and Gallic self-assurance. It's also the foremost 17th-century landmark in Paris. Of the museums, probably the most interesting, is the Musée de l'Armée: begun in the 1700s this military museum is perhaps the most impressive and comprehensive of its kind in the world. Naturally, a large portion of its two galleries is devoted to the exploits of the little general from Corsica. You'll see his death mask and stuffed dog and horse here, as well as uniforms, medals and weapons. The rest of the museum is devoted to weapons from the Stone Age through World War II. Other museums in Les Invalides are the Musée de l'Ordre de la Libération; which commemorates the WWII French Resistance movement; and the Musée des Plans-Reliefs which features military maps and models of French towns and forts. The Historical Invalides which proudly holds the remains of a little man named Napoleon with a great big history district is very central and convenient. A quiet area but tasty and definitely central: The rue Grenelle and rue Saint Dominique are full of french shops (wine, cheese, french bread) and all kind of commodities (supermarket, laundry, post office, etc) including a pieace of the french way of life with the well known rue clerc's french market. 44 59 45 L'ile Saint Louis 46 90 105 37 Louvre This enormous building constructed around 1200 as a fortress and rebuilt in the mid-16th century for use as a royal palace began its career as a public museum in 1793. As part of Mitterand's grands projets. the Louvre was revamped in the 1980s with the addition of a 21-metre glass pyramid entrance. Initially deemed a failure, the new design has since won over those who regard consistency as inexcusably boring. Vast scrums of people puff and pant through the rooms full of paintings, sculptures and antiquities, including the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory (which looks like it's been dropped and put back together). If the clamour becomes unbearable, your best bet is to pick a period or section of the Louvre and pretend that the rest is somewhere across town. 49 63 65 69 84 87 91 92 95 98 28 Marais The area of the 4e arrondissement directly north of Ile Saint Louis, was in fact a swamp until the 13th century, when it was converted to agricultural use. In the early 1600s, Henry IV built Place des Vosges, turning the area into the Paris's most fashionable residential district and attracting wealthy aristocrats, who erected luxurious but discreet hotels particuliers (private mansions). When the aristocracy moved to Versailles and Faubourg Saint Germain during the late 17th and 18th centuries, the Marais and its mansions passed into the hands of ordinary Parisians. Today, the Marais is one of the few neighborhoods of Paris that still has almost all of its pre-Revolutionary architecture. In recent years the area has become trendy and remains one of the best location to feel like a real Parisian with most of tourists attractions at walking distance : Notre-Dame Paris's cathedral, La Seine, The "Ile de la Cité", the Louvre, the Pompidou center and the bastille Opera surrounds you. 36 37 40 43 47 51 52 53 55 61 62 64 65 69 70 71 73 75 79 80 81 89 94 95 97 99 101 103 41 Montmartre Until the 19th century, it remained a farming area, covered with vineyards and wheat fields. The last of these vineyards is still operational. After the commune, the narrow streets and shape corners of Montmartre attracted notable bohemians such as Charpentier, Toulouse Lautrec, and Satie, and performers such as « La Goulue » and Aristide Bruant Today Montmartre is home to the Place du Tertre renowned for its artists. Visit the Place du Tertre in the early morning when it relates best an image of a small village square. Towards noon and in the afternoon it is thronged with tourists. Today, should you wish your portrait or caricature taken, the Place du Tertre will offer you a large artistic choice. The paintings on display are commercial but Montmartre retains its bohemian style and a painting just might suit you as a souvenir. The testimony of a country's artistic richness is often witnessed in its cemeteries where repose those whose talents and careers contributed to its greatness. The Montmartre cemeteries contain the graves of very many of France's authors, artistic, theatrical and cinematic celebrities, as those of Guitry, Zola, Berlioz, Truffaut, Degas, Offenbach, Nijinsky, Stendahl. Place du Tertre is an haven attracted by the poetry clubs, the cafe-concerts (coffeehouses with musicians and singers) and the gaiety of its night life. 57 38 Montparnasse 54 35 Opera Opera Charles Garnier's grandiose Opera is the most extravagant creation of the Second Empire; an outpouring of opulence and meaningless allegory. It did not actually open until 1875, five years after the Empire's collapse. With its grand staircase, enormous golden foyer, vestibule, and five-tiered auditorium, the Opera was designed so that audience members could watch each other as much as the action onstage. The interior is adorned by Gobelin tapestries, gilded mosaics, a 1964 Chagall ceiling; and the six-ton chandelier that fell on the audience in 1896. Since 1989, when the new Opera de la Bastille was inaugurated, most operas have taken place there: Garnier's hall is now used mainly for ballets and films on dance. 45 63 72 91 93 24 Paris Yellowstay offers a large selection of serviced apartments in Paris. Every day we provide holiday rentals and business rentals for people around the world. Try the comfort and privacy of our short term Paris accommodation and experience what it means to be a real Parisian. We offer vacation rentals which are ideal for family vacation where children and adults require their own space. All our apartments in Paris come with fully equipped kitchen to allow self catering and you can let an apartment from one night to one year. Localization and charm are our priorities. Competitive rates and Last Minute offers are available all year long. 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 57 58 59 60 61 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 30 St Germain Saint Germain des Près is home to the two most famous and traditional cafes in the Latin Quarter, namely CafeFlore and Les Deux Magots. These two celebrated cafes are located ten meters from one another on Boulevard St Germain, directly opposite the church of St. Germain des Prè s. The CafeFlore was a favorite with Rohmer, Bardot and Largerfeld , whilst Les Deux Magots was preferred by Picasso, Hemingway and Sartre amongst others. These cafes provide an ideal place to have an evening drink before heading off into a nearby restaurant for dinner. Weather permitting, you should take table on the terrace, so as not to miss out on any of the street-side entertainment that unfolds around you. Musicians and entertainers put on mini-shows for an enthusiastic audience, but don't get too distracted or you will miss the countless stars that can be seen roaming along the Boulevard. Keep your eyes open as just about anybody could wander by - even Jacko or Madonna! No stay in Paris is complete without following in the footsteps of Sartre and co., by having a coffee in one of these cafes...unfortunately the owners realize this only too well, so be prepared to pay for the privilege ! However, you may console yourself with the knowledge that whatever you lose on the coffees, you will more than make up for in the fashion boutiques of the district, as those expensive foreign designer clothes are much cheaper when you're buying them where they're made ! Just as Paris is the World capital of fashion, so Saint Germain des Prè s is Paris's fashion epicenter. It is here that supermodels have pursued their career in "haute couture" walking down the catwalks for such giants as Yves Saint-Laurent and Christian Dior. There are also many small boutiques with bargains abundant for those who find themselves unable to spend $800 on a dress without feeling guilty ! 41 42 48 50 60 66 77 78 82 85 88 90 102 104