‘April in Paris,
chestnuts in blossom,
holiday tables under the trees…’ - E. Y. Harburg.

And I was there in April, with chestnuts in blossom and holiday tables under the trees…what more could one wish for! What can one say about a city that has been lauded by poets, dramatists, artists, film stars, kings and queens except sigh in ecstasy at the good fortune that has brought one there? It was difficult to decide where we should begin our tour so we tossed a coin and decided to begin with the city’s famous icon – Eiffel Tower.

It was the height of tourist season and crowds of tourists milled about enthusiastically. Trying to capture the entire tower in the camera was quite a feat that sent me scurrying backwards for a distance. A full 300 meters in the air, set in the Champs de Mars, the tower looked stunningly magnificent. It took a while to get our tickets and ride up to the second floor of the Eiffel but it was worth every franc we spent to get there. The restaurant on the second floor offered a spectacular view of the city and we concentrated more on taking pictures than sipping on the cold cappuccino on the table. We hit the streets once again and make our way to the Arc De Triomphe, another landmark of Paris. It was built by Napoleon to celebrate his victories.

All around us were elegant women, spirited teenagers, dapper men raced for the metro, dressed in stylish clothes. Paris was the fashion capital of the world, after all. The Arc de Triomphe, standing at the head of the tree-lined Champs Élysées, stands 50 metres high in the Place Charles De Gaulle. The gateway is an architectural marvel with its beautiful sculptures. The inner walls bear the names of 386 of Napoleon’s generals and 96 of his victories.

There was an air of celebration as we walked down the Champs Elysees. Tourists swamped the street-side cafes and bistros, caught up in Parisian fever. There is elegance all around us. It is there in the way the city dresses, even at its worse moments when rain Gods smile at Paris and flood the streets with their generosity. Even the Bohemian and the irreverent display a touch of the famous Parisian style. Lolling at a table in one of the cafes, all we wished is that time would stand still and the moment would last forever. The Champs Élysées, which is the most fashionable and well-known avenue in Paris. Lined by chestnut trees and costliest showrooms of global brand names like Cartier, Renault, Zara, it is the place that leaves most tourists ogling.

There are umpteen wayside cafes, and theatres including the famous Lido, cinemas all along the avenue. We ambled along the broad avenue (the broadest road I’ve ever seen) rubbing shoulders with an extremely well- heeled crowd, gasping at the window displays of designer products with 5 and 6 digit price-tags. On the eastern end of the Champs Élysées is the Place de la Concorde. During the French Revolution, this Square saw the bloodiest vendetta as hundreds of people, including King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were beheaded by a guillotine that stood here. Today, it is a beautiful square with huge statues, fountains, and the Obelisk of Luxor, a 3200 years old obelisk from the temple of Ramses II at Thebes.

When in Paris, it is impossible not to heed the call of the Notre dame. The site on which it stands, known as Île de la Cité, is the cradle of Paris. It has been the religious centre of the city for aeons. Many centuries back, the Celts had their sacred ground here, and then the Romans built a temple to worship Jupiter. Later, in the 6th century, a Christian basilica was built on these grounds and a Romanesque church stood here before the Notre-Dame was built. The high vaulted roof, the beautiful oil paintings, ancient chandeliers, impressive altar and the exquisite stained glass windows, is something that needs to be experienced by all art lovers.

The Parisian love for arts is legendary. Paris houses some of the greatest works of art in the umpteen museums scattered around the city. It is a treasure trove for the art lovers and it would be blasphemous to leave Paris without a brush with the arts. Though it was a weekend and there were long queues at the entrances, we decided to defy all hurdles and seek our date with the famous Mona Lisa housed in Louvre. It was true, whatever everyone had said about the painting. The mystique smile floored every visitor who stood there frozen for a while. There was a sense of timelessness as one stared at it with wonder forgetting that the vast galleries of Louvre display many more awe-inspiring art pieces created by the great masters like Leonardo Da Vinci.

Originally built in the 12th century as a royal fortress and palace for Philip II, the Louvre evolved into an immense complex of buildings erected over a span of four centuries, and is now one the world's great art museums. Even a full week's tour would not be enough to do justice to its daunting collection of masterpieces. After spending one full day wandering around the umpteen halls we realised that we had seen just a part of the museum.

The other museum that we were determined to see was the Musée de l'Orangerie des Tuileries, which houses the works of some of the world’s greatest artists like Cézanne, Derain, Monet, Renoir, Rousseau, Soutine, Matisse, Modigliani and Picasso. Also on our list was the Musée d'Orsay, a spectacular museum that houses paintings and sculpture from the period between 1848 and 1914. Canvases by Manet and Impressionist masterpieces from Degas, van Gogh, Monet, Pisarro and Renoir are housed here, as are Rodin sculptures.

Another place that definitely needed to be experienced was Montmartre, the Bohemian quarters of Paris, which at one time has housed masters of the art world like Cezanne, Monet, Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, Seurat, and Van Gogh. As we trudged along the steeply inclined streets flanked by cafes and art shops, we sighted the pristine white dome of the Basiliqué du Sacré Coéur perched majestically on the Butte Montmartre. The streets to the top were a bustle of tourists, tramps, baskers, waiters and painters competing for space in the cafes and the narrow streets that led to the basilica. One look at the 200 odd steps going up was enough to deflate the weak kneed amongst our group and it took a lot of coaxing to get them climbing. The sight as we panted up to the top was reward enough for the Herculean effort it had taken us to plod up to the apex of the hill. It wasn’t just the basilica that enchanted the eyes but also the fifty-kilometre panorama of Paris, which spread out like a tantalising canvas before us.

In a trice we realised why the artistes had been inspired to reside and work at Montmartre. There still remained so much to be seen but then there is only so much one can do when one has time limitations. It had been a foolhardy idea to plan a short tryst with Paris and we realised it the hard way. Maybe, some day we would go back to the City of Lights to conclude our unfinished agenda.

QUICK FACTS

Reaching There – there are regular Air India and Air France flights to Paris.

Staying There – Paris is expensive. When compared with the rupee the euro seems quite steeply prices but be prepared to rough it out if your budget is low. As far as location is concerned the Right Bank, closer to the Seine, is for those who want larger rooms and the glitzier part of the city and the Left Bank closer to the Seine is for those who want to spend time discovering old world charms. There are all kinds of accommodation available through the city. Here are a few choices – Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris – tariff starts at euro 1045 , Hotel Elysees Regencia Paris - average tariff euro 275/- , Hotel Ares Eiffel – average tariff euro 233/-, Hotel Champerret Elysees - average tariff euro 113/- . And if it is B&B you need, check out the Au Palais Gourmand where a room would cost you around euro 74/-

Travelling – the Metro service in Paris is one of the best in the world and a very sensible way to travel since there are traffic jams during the most hours of the day. The Metro is efficient and inexpensive. You could buy a ticket for a week or a day, depending on the length of your stay. For sight seeing you could opt for the Hop-on Hop-off double decker bus or the boat cruise. Be prepared to walk a lot because that is the best way to see Paris.

Shopping – Again, Paris is expensive, I repeat. If it is the designer fare you are seeking, be prepared to empty your wallet but then what the hell, you’ll not be going to Paris everyday. The dresses, bags, jewellery, perfume everything haute couture is worth a pick. Best time the best time to visit is Paris is during the spring (April – June)