France is an extraordinary country, endowed with notnot only the stunning beauty of nature, but also the embodiment of the best in architecture, cuisine, art and fashion. It wonderfully combines the sophistication of the capital's palaces with the sweet simplicity of the villages of Provence. There is absolutely everything for a luxurious holiday and a prosperous life: the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, the azure coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the snow-capped peaks of the Alps, magnificent forests and meadows, and, of course, a developed economy. But a special reason for the pride of every Frenchman is the majestic, unrivaled and incomparable with any other capital in the world - Paris! If you decide to visit Paris, you will encounter attractions at every step. Among other cities in the world, Paris is distinguished by luxurious parks, an inimitable lifestyle, and, of course, the Parisians themselves, endowed with a mysterious charm and some kind of casual sophistication. Paris is a city of lovers, poets and artists; the city that dictates fashion to the entire globe, and where masterpieces of world cuisine are born. This is a fairy-tale city, a dream city that has never left anyone indifferent, it conquers immediately and for life, and having met this dandy once, you will never throw him out of your heart. But, nevertheless, the first thing that attracts everyone's attention when getting to know the French capital is the sights of Paris, which are the legacy of great history and have enormous artistic value.
Eiffel Tower
It is impossible to talk about this city without mentioningabout its main symbol – the Eiffel Tower. Today it has become a real Mecca for tourists, striking in its grandeur both during the day and in the light of night lights. It is hard to even imagine that immediately after its construction it caused a storm of protests and complaints. And only the fact that its creator, Gustave Eiffel, was able to find a commercial use for the tower - it houses a device for transmitting radio and TV waves, as well as a weather bureau - helped the legendary metal structure survive to this day. Today the Eiffel Tower is a major tourist attraction, on its three levels in addition to observation decks there are also chic restaurants where you can taste the best dishes of French cuisine and at the same time admire the sights of Paris from a bird's eye view. But especially delightful are the night views of the city, flooded with gold lights, such a sight simply takes your breath away! At the very foot of this grand symbol of all of France, the Champs Elysees are majestically spread out, which for many years in a row have been attracting people with the luxury of shop windows, fashionable restaurants and cozy coffee shops. It is in this place that employees of the most famous French corporations spend their working days and famous Parisians prefer to live.
Triumphal Arch
Paris is unthinkable without the world-famousThe Arc de Triomphe on the Place du Carrousel. It embodies the greatness of the once invincible emperor, the achievements of the entire French monarchy and its people. Circumstances developed in such a way that the great commander could not admire this architectural masterpiece, the construction of which dragged on for decades. There is one piquant detail connected with the history of this monument. The fact is that up to a certain point, the ensemble of the arch was organically complemented by bronze horses, which Napoleon Bonaparte took from an Italian temple as a trophy. Later, they had to be returned to their rightful owners.
The Louvre
From the Arc de Triomphe along the symbolic victorythe route takes you straight to the Louvre. And this is no coincidence, because in our time it is the greatest world museum, and once the Louvre was both a fortress and one of the royal residences. Beginning in the 12th century, each of the ruling kings sought to remake the castle in his own way, complementing it with various artistic elements and entire architectural ensembles. Thanks to their efforts, we can admire such an unusual and harmoniously united into one ideological whole building. The most recent modernization of the Louvre is considered to be the construction of a glass pyramidal dome at the end of the last century. Today, the Louvre is perhaps the most popular tourist attraction, like other attractions in Paris, it is like a magnet attracting guests from all over the world. Even people indifferent to the historical cultural heritage consider it their duty to visit this treasure trove of masterpieces of world art, which simply has no analogues. Tours of the Louvre are not like idle wandering around museums; they help you to travel back in time and come into contact with the greatest creations of human genius.
Versailles
One of the most luxurious castles in Francemonarchy, also one of the main attractions of Paris - Versailles. This castle has come a long way in its development, appearing at the beginning of its life as a small settlement of villagers, and becoming a luxurious palace much later, which the Sun King Louis XIV made it. The idea to give the palace the appearance that we know today came to Louis out of envy of his finance minister, who had a luxurious palace in the town of Vaux-le-Vicomte. It was indulging his whim that the French king decided that his castle should be a hundred times more luxurious than the minister's palace. Yes, kings have never been able to deny themselves "little" weaknesses! Today it is so easy to imagine in your mind's eye how ladies walked along the green, well-groomed territory of the Versailles park accompanied by fashionable gentlemen, and in its dark corners palace intrigues were carried out.
Notre Dame Cathedral
Absolutely all the sights of Parisare worthy of attention and admiration. But perhaps none of them is as praised as the world-famous Notre Dame Cathedral, which even deeply convinced atheists find thrilling. It is no wonder that this masterpiece of world architecture is the subject of an equally famous novel of the same name by Victor Hugo, a true Frenchman and a true patriot of his country. The Gothic-style temple amazes with the elegance of its forms, the thoughtfulness of every detail, the exquisite artistic design, the entire architectural ensemble is permeated with harmony. This building cannot fail to captivate. Before going inside, you wander around the perimeter, enchanted, admiring how brilliant a creation of human hands can be, how subtly beauty can be conveyed in stone, and how this beauty remains unshakable over the centuries. Notre Dame de Paris, as the French call it, is the result of the work of more than a dozen architects; it was built over several centuries, and the best materials, advanced technologies and unique artistic embodiments were used for its construction. This is the work of thousands of people who put their whole souls into its construction. And, perhaps, that is why people from all over the world have been rushing to the small Ile de la Cité, which is separated from the noisy city by the calm waters of the Seine, for hundreds of years. Be sure to come here too, to enjoy the majestic peace and feel the indescribable harmony that reigns here. In addition, a wonderful panorama of the city opens up from the heights of the cathedral; in the silence of the temple, you can calmly observe the bustle of the metropolis. And here you can also walk through the most unusual gallery - the Gallery of Chimeras. Without exception, all the masterpieces of Paris fill the soul with a sense of beauty, are a confirmation of the harmony of our world and the genius of human thought. There are a huge number of different information carriers capable of capturing the sights of Paris: photos, videos, canvas, but believe me, they will be most reliably preserved in your pleasant memories and in your heart, which Paris has conquered once and for all.
