Le Louvre – Les Halles – Châtelet

Sainte Chapelle

With so many breathtaking cathedrals in Paris, it’s hard not to want to see them all. But touring from one to the next can definitely lead to “cathedral-fatigue.”  One chapel that is sure to awe even the weariest of travelers is the divine Sainte-Chapelle.

Located in the heart of Paris on the Ile-de-la-Cité, Sainte-Chapelle is an architectural gem and a national historic monument. Its delicate skeletal structure, ornate vaulted ceilings and brilliant stained glass windows make it perhaps the best example of the French High Gothic style.

The 1st arrondissement cathedral’s 6,000 square feet of stained glass is a staggering site. Each window reads from left to right and from top to bottom, telling the story of the Old Testament and the Passion of the Christ – with 1,113 biblical scenes depicted in all. While the chapel was all but destroyed during the French Revolution, nearly two-thirds of the windows are authentic.

Commissioned by King Louis XI in 1241, the cathedral was built to house precious Christian relics, including Christ’s crown of thorns, a piece of the true cross and more than thirty other relics that the king purchased from the Byzantine Empire.  In fact, King Louis XI paid almost three times more for the relics than he did the construction of the cathedral. Today, what remains of the relics are housed in the nearby Treasury House of the Cathedral of Notre Dame.

While located in the middle of Paris, Sainte-Chapelle isn’t very noticeable from the street. The cathedral is tucked away within the Palais de Justice, and to enter you must turn left at the palace’s main entrance gate. The cathedral is open daily from 9 am – 5 pm, but closed on Christmas and New Years Day. Read the entire story here…»

Photograph of the Louvre in Paris

Visiting the Louvre is at the top of the list for any first-time visitor to Paris. Quite easily one of the world’s finest museums, the Louvre, is known almost as much for its architecture and history as for the artwork it houses. While the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo draw plenty of attention on the inside of the building, I.M Pei’s pyramid and the beautiful architecture of the former royal fortress provide the photo opportunities for guests waiting patiently in line. Indeed, located in the 1st arrondissement, the Louvre has an impressive history, and one that has played a central role in the story of Paris. New York Habitat’s apartments also play a role in the fabric of the city, and guests are invited to engage the city by staying in an authentic Paris apartment.

The Louvre dates back to the late 12th century, when it was built for French royalty. The grounds remained property of the throne until 1793 when the Musée du Louvre was born as a public institution. However, the Louvre museum has not been immune from outside events. In 1939, on the eve of Nazi occupation, concerned Frenchman evacuated the Louvre’s collections, except for the heaviest pieces which were too obtuse to transport. For the next 6 years works were shuffled between Chateaus in the south of the country in order to keep them from falling into enemy hands. This summer, the museum will be displaying its history during WWII by presenting some 40 photographs of the Louvre taken by both professionals and amateurs between 1939 and 1947. The photographs offer a unique view on the life of one of France’s icons during the country’s most trying moments. Read the entire story here…»

Versailles Gardens

As discussed in an earlier post, the life and death of Marie Antoinette is something that captures the imagination. The story of the frivolous queen being sent to death by her own subjects has been played out time and time again in literature, film and theater. Visitors that still have a yearning for more Marie after a visit to the Grand Palais’ Marie Antoinette exhibition need not worry, Paris is the city where the history of Marie Antoinette’s rise and fall took place, and her lasting impression is everywhere. New York Habitat has dozens of  Paris rental accommodations near the gardens where Marie spent her youth, the prison she stayed while awaiting execution and the square where the guillotine finally struck down royalty.

Don’t feel too bad for the headless queen yet; visitors must first visit the grounds of Versailles to understand the causes for the public outrage and the queen’s eventual execution. Versailles can be a daunting place to visit, the grounds of the main Chateau are massive, attempting to visit the interiors and gardens of Versailles in one day is quite a feat. Instead of wearing yourself out with a marathon visit, guests should spend a full day focusing on Marie Antoinette’s life at Versailles. Save the long lines at the main castle for another day and continue on to the Petit Trianon, a neoclassical chateau on the Versailles grounds was the private domain of Ms. Antoinette. Marie sought refuge from the demands of royalty here, forbidding anyone to visit without her personal invitation. The cube-shaped chateau is rather small in comparison to the other castles in Versailles, however when viewed in the context of the late 18th century–a time of great hardship for France’s commoners–the scale and opulence of the building is quite staggering. Read the entire story here…»