Want to see some of the highlights of Paris while getting a bit of exercise? Try this hike through the city to work out those kinks after a long flight or to work off some of that dinner from last evening. Start at the Arc de Triomphe and travel southeast down the Champs Elysees. Cross Place de la Concorde, continue through the Jardin des Tuileries then along the river past the Louvre, to finish at la Samaritaine for a nice cup of tea or a cold beer and one of the best views of the city to be had at any price (this one is free, incidentally). Distance is about four km (two and a half miles) and at a steady pace just short of brisk, it can easily be done in an hour, but really, what’s the point in that? Covering the distance that quickly will just leave you feeling that you‘ve missed something., so relax and take it at a more leisurely pace - you‘re in Paris, after all.
The north-western starting point is the Arc de Triomphe (Metro: Charles de Gaulle-Etoile) where an underground walkway takes you beneath Place de l’Etoile (now called Place Charles de Gaulle, I know, but I prefer the older and still more common name for personal reasons) and brings you up again directly beneath the Arc. At street-level beneath the Arc you’ll find the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and from the top of the Arc, a great view of the city and the twelve avenues that radiate outward from that point. On the day my wife and I visited on this most recent trip to Paris, there was a long queue of people waiting to purchase tickets to climb to the top and nearly as long a queue to actually go up the stairs, so we didn’t bother. Instead we contented ourselves with a welcome bit of sunshine and the views from ground-level. One of my favourite views is to the northwest toward La Defense and La Grande Arche, which is impressive even from more than 5 km away.
While still at the Arc, find a cozy place to sit and spend a few moments watching (either from ground level or from the top) the mesmerizing traffic on the roundabout that surrounds the Arc. To the unaccustomed North American eye, the traffic seems like utter chaos, destined to result in dents, dings and hard feelings all around. Watch for a little while, though, and you’ll soon realize that this isn’t the case. What appears to be a driving style composed almost entirely of reckless abandon is, in reality, just a style that has evolved differently from the comparatively slow, predictable pace at which we NAs drive. One could attribute the difference to the fact that European countries are comparatively ancient, where roads and towns existed many centuries before HF’s production line made the auto the ubiquitous beast it is today and where the driving style has adapted to pre-existing routes, rather than roads, towns and cities having been so completely adapted to the automobile. Sounds reasonable enough, but it doesn’t explain the driving in Latin America. But enough philosophizing.
Walking south-easterly along the Champs Elysees you pass through what was formerly one of the most glamorous streets in the world, unfortunately now suffering the effects of globalization and full of fast-food joints, movie theatres and the like; cafes along this stretch tend to be pricey, too. Visiting this area is still very worthwhile, though: pay attention to the buildings themselves as you walk along and you may be pleasantly surprised to find some beautiful architecture beneath the commercial trappings. You may also find the place completely engaging and it looks like it may be a great place to shop, but I’m far from an expert in that area.
Continuing along past the roundabout at Rond Pont des Champs Elysees, rampant commercialism gives way to street-side gardens with the Grand and Petite Palais visible through and above the trees on the south side of the street. Don’t hope for peace and quiet, though, as this is a busy street and the foliage is neither dense enough nor far enough from the street to muffle the noise. Don’t despair, though, tranquility is not far off.
Continuing south-easterly, you reach the beginning of Ave. des Champs Elysees at Place de la Concorde, site of two historical tragedies. The first, of course, the sacrifice of nearly three thousand aristocrats to Mme. Le Guillotine in the last decade of the 18th century. The second was the erection of an obelisque, donated by Egypt from the temple of Ramses in Luxor about 40 years later. I will admit that describing this as a tragedy is tenuous at best, but standing in the centre of the square, surrounded by the constant stop-and-go traffic and the throngs of people, I couldn’t help but feel that the obelisque is somehow diminished by having been removed from it’s temple in Luxor, even if the temple itself is not so diminished by the loss. In any case, this is a beautiful and impressive piece of work and worth a few minutes; be sure to take in the view from a distance before approaching for a closer look. Incidentally, I believe the inscriptions at the base describe its transportation from Egypt to Paris, rather than the method of it’s original placement, as Egyptologists are still unsure of how these single-piece works were originally erected, though theories abound.
Crossing the other side of the square, you enter the Jardin des Tuileries, the ancient market place of Paris’ tile makers, now a public garden. Popular with Parisians and tourists alike, the gardens provide a respite from the noise of the surrounding environs and some much needed shade on those sizzling summer days. Unfortunately, some of the trees were damaged by a severe storm in late December 1999 and will be many years recovering; by comparison, though, the damage done at Versailles by the same storm is almost heart-breaking.
At their far end, the gardens merge gracefully into the outer courtyard and entrance to one of the most famous museums in the world: the Louvre. On this trip we didn’t visit the Louvre so I’m not going to spend much time talking about it, except to say that it is a definite must, but be prepared to spend more than a day. An entire week in Paris could easily be built around the Louvre and the Musee d’Orsay. Continuing through the courtyard of the Louvre, make your way to the right and outward to the Quai du Louvre. Walking along the river past artists hawking their wares, you gain an appreciation for the size of the Louvre and the time required to see it’s exhibits in any depth.
A block or so down from the far end of the Louvre is our destination: La Samaritaine, one of Paris’ oldest and most famous department stores. Built in the early 20th century, the building itself is worth exploring for its art nouveau décor. It imparts a sense that shopping should be a relaxing, civilized affair of free choice, rather than a frenetic activity guided by the neo-conformist psychology of globalization in advertising. The best, however, is hidden away at the top of the building, one flight of stairs up from the ninth floor: the roof-top terrace. Here you will find a café and a narrow, winding, claustrophobic metal staircase that emerges in a look-out spot at the very top of the building. From here a painting of the surrounding cityscape, with all of the major sites labelled, depicts the incredible view. The open-air café below is an ideal place to spend a bit of time relaxing with a drink while slowly absorbing the view over one of the most beautiful cities in the world.