Heart of Paris. Notre Dame is the heart of Paris. Beginning of French history
Vyacheslav Praha's book "Coffee House" delighted thousands of readers around the world. The author decided to create something similar, similar in atmosphere, and wrote the story "Coffee House in the Heart of Paris". This story is a little fabulous, told in a special style, it is not immediately clear what exactly is happening. It is like an interweaving of two realities: the world of the writer and the world of the main characters of the book. Readers will again be able to immerse themselves in silence and comfort, and then enjoy the emotions and experiences of the characters, which will not always be positive.
The book has a place for sadness and reflection, awareness of oneself and one's feelings. The main character shares his experiences, trying to understand how he feels. He talks about his beloved, about how he perceived her, with what eyes he looked at her. You wonder what can be called love, how true this feeling is. After all, it also happens that we only think that love lives in our heart.
The novel is filled with sensual descriptions, romance. From it you can choose a lot of deep quotes that touch the heart. It will undoubtedly appeal to everyone who wants something romantic and a little sad.
The work was published in 2017 by AST. On our site you can download the book "Coffee House in the Heart of Paris" in fb2, rtf, epub, pdf, txt format or read online. The rating of the book is 3.57 out of 5. Here, before reading, you can also refer to the reviews of readers who are already familiar with the book and find out their opinion. In the online store of our partner you can buy and read the book in paper form.
Romantic, elegant city. We see him in our dreams. We dream to be there at least one day. Fashion capital of the world. Heart . Dream Town. Paris.
In the 3rd century BC, when France did not yet exist, the Celtic tribe of the Parisians founded their settlement on the island of Cité. Later, the Romans tried to capture this fortress, but they failed. The Celts burned their city and destroyed all the bridges. Then the Romans decided to build a completely new city on the left bank of the Seine.
For the Great Roman Empire, the city had no special significance. Paris began to develop with the arrival of the Franks in these lands. But only under Philip Augustus II the city really began to grow. The city was strengthened, defended, expanded, in general, everything was done so that the capital of the French state was worthy of its status. At the same time, the Louvre fortress was built.
Later, under Louis XIV, the residence of the king moved to Versailles, but Paris still remained the center of France. The population constantly increased, the cultural and political significance of the city increased. 5 out of 21 world exhibitions in the second half of the 19th century were held in Paris. Now Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world by tourists (the number of tourists who annually come to Paris is 12 times more than the Parisians themselves), which have great international and international significance.
Paris is located on both banks of the Seine River, which divides the city into the Left Bank and the Right Bank. In the heart of the city on the river is the Island of the City. The city has 20 districts, each of which consists of 4 blocks.
The weather conditions in Paris are excellent. The average temperature in winter is +4C, and in summer +20C. It rains about 111 days a year, so it's worth bringing an umbrella.
You can move around the city by various means of transport. The densest subway network in the world will take you anywhere in the city. Traveling by taxi, bus or tram, you can look out the window and enjoy the architecture of the city at the same time. For those who follow a healthy lifestyle, a bicycle rental network provides its services.
You can also take a catamaran ride from the Austerlitz train station to Maisons Alfort. The main attraction of Paris, against which every tourist is obliged to take a picture, is, of course, the Eiffel Tower. It is interesting that initially in 1889 this building was supposed to be temporary, which is the entrance to the World Exhibition.
Many Parisians even protested against the construction of the tower, but in the end it became a symbol of France. The tower consists of three levels, each of which has restaurants and observation decks.
No less important place in the list of attractions in Paris is the masterpiece of Gothic architecture of Notre Dame de Paris - Notre Dame Cathedral. Feel free to climb the tower of the cathedral, you will have a beautiful view of Paris.
The Pantheon, the Arc de Triomphe, Les Invalides, the mills of Montmartre and many other equally beautiful buildings that you simply must see in Paris. Try to calculate your time so that you have time to see as many sights as possible. But for the Louvre, it’s not a pity to set aside a whole day. It is a museum with the largest collection of great works of art in the world. The most famous painting kept there is, of course, the Mona Lisa. You can also see the statue of Venus de Milo and many other magnificent works of art.
After visiting the places of worship, take a walk along the Champs Elysees. It is also worth enjoying the peace and quiet at the Père Lachaise cemetery, visiting the graves of Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde and many other famous and unknown personalities there.
Allow yourself for one day to forget about all the problems, worries and difficulties. Immerse yourself in a carefree, dreamlike childhood at Disneyland. Every day at 12.00 and 22.00 you can see the grandiose parade of Disney cartoon characters, and after the evening performance over the castle of the sleeping beauty you can watch a huge fireworks display.
It is simply impossible to leave Paris without shopping. Don't miss out on shopping in the fashion capital. On the Champs-Elysées you can find many completely different shops for every taste and for every need.
After sightseeing and walking around the city, you want to have a delicious dinner in some cozy restaurant. Fortunately, there are more than enough of them in Paris. Take a look at one of the traditional Parisian bistros, where the cuisine is democratic and the communication is friendly. But, of course, one should not give up on the dream of any tourist - lunch at a restaurant on the Eiffel Tower.
Paris is the center of world culture. Unforgettable impressions await those who stay at least one day in this city. Love rules in Paris. She will always be with you, in your heart, wherever you are and whatever you do.
The real heart of Paris, by all accounts, is Notre Dame de Paris, a cathedral whose appearance is known to everyone, regardless of whether he was in the great city.
It is on the Cathedral Square that the zero kilometer of Paris is located, from this mark the distance from Paris to other cities is measured. Many believe that if you stand at zero and turn around, making a wish, then it will certainly come true.
This custom has become very popular, you can almost always see a tourist in the square, joyfully spinning around himself. It is more difficult for tourist groups, there are a lot of people in them, there is not enough time, so not everyone has time to participate in the polishing of the copper plaque marking the zero kilometer.
Many French churches are dedicated to the Virgin Mary, there is a Notre Dame in Grasse, in Strasbourg, in Poitiers. But none of them can compare with Notre Dame Cathedral. The gigantic size of the cathedral, its fantastic sculptures and mysterious flair shake everyone. Perhaps there is no more famous building in Europe.
The best observation deck in Paris is the southern cathedral tower. And although those who want to climb it line up from early in the morning, do not be afraid: the queue moves quickly. The climb is quite difficult, but no one is discouraged, because as a result of overcoming a spiral staircase, they will have a breathtaking view.
An extraordinary feeling of freedom covers when you come out of the closed space of the stairs into fresh air, at a great height. The famous gargoyles and chimeras are the first to catch your eye. Their appearance does not scare, they seem cute and funny. They tease, they stick their tongues, they dine, they express surprise, they are all different. Made of durable limestone, they are perfectly preserved.
From the observation deck it is possible to see one of the inner rooms of the bell tower. It seems that the work in the Cathedral of the bell ringer was not so romantic, since already in the nineteenth century, the bell ringing here was automated. Nowadays, the bells are controlled by a computer program.
You can spend hours describing the interior decoration and interiors of the temple.
A hundred years ago, 15 thousand people lived on the island of Cité, today - less than a thousand. Only 30 residential buildings remain in the quarter, apartments in which cost about 43,000 euros per square meter. And there would be those who would like to buy them, but the owners do not want to sell their mansions even for astronomical sums. It is a rare pleasure to have an apartment in a historical place in Paris overlooking the Notre Dame Cathedral or the Conciergerie. But there are also disadvantages in this: there is a buzz on the Sita day and night - there are a huge number of tourists here.
Parisians poetically call Sité the heart of the city, the beginning of all beginnings, the cradle of the French capital. Paris really grew out of this piece of land - the first settlements were founded here in ancient times. Over the long history of the island, many luxurious buildings were built here, but, unfortunately, when in the 19th century Baron Haussmann, who was appointed prefect of the Seine department by Napoleon III, took over Paris, many ancient buildings were demolished. Only the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Place Dauphine, Sainte-Chapelle, the Palace of Justice and some other buildings have survived.
You can get to the island by metro. There is only one station here - "Cite", the deepest of all the stations of the Paris subway. Previously, to go upstairs, you had to climb a metal ladder 20 m up, now there is an elevator.
Immediately at the exit of the metro is the oldest flower market - it is about 200 years old. In addition to plants for the garden, here you can buy souvenirs that you will not find anywhere else in the city. A painted bucket, in which local cafes often serve a sliced baguette, costs 2-3 euros, Marseille soap - about 4 euros per piece. Before Christmas, Christmas decorations and home decorations are sold here. The flower market is open daily, seven days a week. On Sundays, a bird market is located next to the flower market. Nightingales, canaries, turtledoves, buntings, parrots and other birds are brought here from all over France for sale.
Left bank, right bank
In ancient times, Cite was a real island, that is, it could only be reached by boat. Now it is connected by both banks and the neighboring island of Saint-Louis by nine bridges. All of them were built at different times and, accordingly, look very different - you can study the history of the city from them. The most famous bridge on the island of Cité is the New Bridge, which is a little over 400 years old. It was the first building in Paris captured on film. Initially, it was not built up with shopping malls, like other bridges of that time. The Parisians loved to walk here, admiring the views of the Seine. But merchants were indignant that such a huge space in the city center remained unused. 30 years after the construction, they still managed to get permission to sell goods. Today it is free from shopping arcades, as it was several centuries ago. Crossing it, you find yourself in the Louvre.
Another ancient bridge on the Sit - Archeves. Few people know that it offers a stunning view of the rear of the Notre Dame Cathedral, and they are in no way inferior to the facade. In a small garden at the back of the cathedral, locals often have picnics.
You can see all the bridges of the island, and the whole of Paris, by going on a tour of the Seine. Several transport companies operate in the city. Whichever you choose, buy a 2-day pass to explore the French capital day and night.
Such different gargoyles and chimeras
Of course, the attraction on the Ile de la Cité is Notre Dame Cathedral. You can talk for hours about the gates of the building, about the luxurious stained-glass windows inside the temple, and much more. But it is difficult to describe the magnificence of the cathedral in words - it is better to see it once than to hear about it a hundred times.
In the south tower of the cathedral is one of the most beautiful observation decks in Paris. To climb it, you need to overcome the rise of 402 steps. You can look into the gallery of chimeras, it is located just below. Often tourists confuse chimeras and gargoyles. But any Frenchman knows that these are two big differences.
Gargoyles are not only and not so much a decorative element of the building. These monsters (dragon snakes) have long been used to drain rainwater from the roofs and walls of buildings. The torrential streams from their mouths can erupt far beyond the boundaries of the cathedral, so the gargoyles protect the walls and foundations of the building from destruction.
As for the chimeras installed at the base of the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral, they appeared later than the gargoyles, after the reconstruction of the building in the 19th century. It is believed that these predatory creatures personify human sins. Unlike gargoyles, their function is purely decorative.
The cathedral is known for the fact that there are the main relics of Christianity: the Crown of Thorns of the Savior, the nail of the Holy Cross and a particle of the Cross itself. On the first Friday of each month and on Good Friday of the Catholic Great Lent, the shrines are taken out for worship. In general, Saint Louis conceived the Sainte-Chapelle chapel as a place for storing sacred relics, but it did not work out. It's still worth going to Sainte-Chapelle - for the sake of 15 large stained-glass windows of the 13th century, for which it is famous. It is not easy to see the chapel: it is surrounded by the buildings of the Palace of Justice. But you can find the entrance to it in a long line. Along with a ticket to Sainte-Chapelle, buy a ticket to the Conciergerie (then it will be cheaper) - a former royal castle and the most severe prison in France. Among the prisoners of this building are Queen Marie Antoinette, one of the leaders of the revolutionary movement Maximilian Robespierre, poet Andre-Marie Chenier, writer Emile Zola and many others.
After your tours, take a break and visit the Le Soleil d'Or brasserie. The set lunch here is amazing, and costs only 15 euros and includes a main course plus a choice of dessert or appetizers.
Secret place
Day and night, the island of Cite is filled with tourists. Looking around its sights of the quarter, few people guess to look at the very tiny triangular Dauphine Square. This is a place “for their own”: during the day, nannies with children gather here, and in the evening, elderly Parisians play petanque. Then it won't be quiet here. The game itself is silent. But the traditions associated with it add heat. Pétanque players during the battle drink pastis, an anise-based drink that tastes like cough mixture. The members of the team that lost dry (with a score of 13:0) must kiss the sirloin of the girl Fanny. Since the latter has long been dead, this has to be done using posters, figurines, an image on a phone screen, and plaster fifth points. So that an interesting process does not go unnoticed, before the kiss they ring a bell or a bell, inviting the people to join the spectacle.
There are several excellent restaurants in the old buildings surrounding Place Dauphine. One of the most famous restaurants is La Rose de France. Prices here are above average, but the cuisine corresponds to them.
The island really comes to life closer to sunset. The embankments are filled with tourists and locals who, tired of the hustle and bustle, slowly walk from bridge to bridge. At this moment, you understand why Paris is called the most romantic city in the world.
Photo: Sergey Shevtsov, Fotolia/All Over Press
The tour starts at the Saint-Michel bridge, departing from Place Saint-Michel on the Left Bank - not far from the metro station and RER Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame. You can also walk from Cité metro station.
Where to eat
If a walk makes you want to taste traditional Parisian cuisine, take a look at the old Rue de la Colombe. You can eat well there. LareservedeQuasimodo(4 Rue de la Colombe) - a small cozy tavern with a good selection of wines, delicious hearty food and reasonable prices. Part of this establishment is an old wine restaurant RestocaveaVin– he has been working here for 800 years (just think, almost a contemporary of Notre Dame Cathedral!)
- We recommend starting your walk early in the morning, especially if you plan to visit museums. There are fewer visitors in the morning and more chances to explore interesting places calmly.
- If you plan not only to look outside, but also actively visit Parisian museums (including the Conciergerie, Saint-Chapelle, etc.), you can save on entrance tickets with the Paris Pass or Paris Museum Pass tourist cards. Depending on what services and discounts you need, choose the appropriate options. Read more: https://www.parispass.com/ and http://en.parismuseumpass.com
- Previously, the “headache” of tourists was a huge queue to the Notre Dame Cathedral. Now this is not such a big problem, because. recently, you can choose the exact time to visit using special devices near the cathedral or using the Jefile mobile application (in the Russian version - "Out of Queue"). Download it to your mobile device, specify in the application the number of people who want to visit the cathedral, and select the time of visit. Thus, you will "take" the queue in advance and will be able to approach the cathedral at the right time!
- Notre Dame Cathedral is not allowed with bulky luggage.
Opening hours of excursion objects
Crypt of Notre Dame de Paris
Tue-Sun 10.00-18.00 (Monday - day off)
Notre Dame Cathedral (Notre Dame de Paris)
Weekdays 7.45 – 18.45, Sat. and Sun. 7.45-19.15. Treasury: 9.30 – 18.00. Entrance to the Cathedral is free, but you have to pay to enter the Treasury.
Cathedral towers and observation deck :
From April 1 to September 30 - 10.00 - 18.30.
From July 1 to August 31 - on Fridays and Saturdays they are open until 23.00.
Admission is closed 45 minutes before closing.
Cost: €10 (possible joint ticket with a visit to the Conciergerie - €15).
Chapel Saint-Chapelle
Ticket price: €10. preferential: €8. Under 18 years old - free of charge. Combined ticket (Saint-Chapelle + Conciergerie) - 15 €, reduced 12.50 €. From November to March on the first Sunday of the month admission is free for all. Website: www.sainte-chapelle.fr/en/
Conciergerie
Daily from 9.30 to 18.00.
Ticket price: full 9 €, reduced 7 €. Combined ticket (Saint-Chapelle + Conciergerie) - 15 €, reduced 12.50 €. Website: http://www.paris-conciergerie.fr/en/
We regularly update information on the opening hours and ticket prices, but we cannot always guarantee its relevance.
