From a train station to a world-known museum

This museum was definitely a big discovering for me. I honestly did not know about its existence before visiting it, and it was actually my travel buddy who mentioned it and made me feel curious about it. She said it was a former train station (Gare d'Orsay) and I love them, so with no more discussion we got in. The building has a lot of history since it was initially built for the Universal Exposition in 1900, and trains ran until 1939 when it became unsuitable for longer trains. During the II World War, this space was turned into a mailing centre and finally, after many years about to be demolished, it was listed as Historical Monument and converted into the current museum in 1986. Its strategic position creats a magical three-in-a-row together with the Louvre Museum and the National Museum of Modern Art (located at the Centre Georges Pompidou). The museum holds a large collection of artworks from well-known artists such as Monet, Gauguin or Van Gogh, besides obviously the architecture of the building itself, which is stunning.

Luckily for low-budgets, the most of French museums are free of charge for under-18 and European citizens, but also on the first Sunday of the month! You must watch out it is not Monday, it is most of museum's off day.

Photo: Giant clock-shaped window at the top floor of the museum.

Views over Paris

Photo: Views over La Défense and Avenue de la Grande Armée.

As many of you may know, there are many triumphal arches conmemmoring war victories around the world, but maybe the best-known is located in Paris. This neoclassical monument was finished in 1836 under Napoleon's command to remember all those French soldiers who died during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars (their names are engraved on the building).

If you have time, I recommend you to climb up to the rooftop, which offers magnificient views over the city – from La Défense to Montmartre, including the towers Eiffel and Montparnasse. The entrance costs 12€ but children and European citizens can get up there for free!

By the way, do you see the 12 avenues starting from the square nowadays called “Charles de Gaulle”? Those are the twelve reasons why that square was called “Place de l’Étoile” until 1970! The most famous of those avenues is Champs-Élysées, shopping street for excellence and known for many annual events (Tour de France, Bastille Day militar parade…)

Capital of fashion

Photo: View over the inner balconies @ Galeries Lafayette.

Everybody know Paris for being one of the capitals of fashion around the world and so it is confirmed with the quality of Parisian fashion institutes and schools. This reaches its highest point during Paris Fashion Week, the biggest event concerning new trends and world's best designers. 

Besides this clothing exhibition, included in the "big 4" together with New York, London and Milan, fashion is at every corner of the city. Its maximum expression is held in the Avenue des Champs Élysées and in the luxurious shopping mall Galeries Lafayette (photo). Best designers around the world have their fancy boutiques in this 5-floor commercial mall, such as Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Tiffany & Co, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Prada, Jean Paul Gaultier... 

Lafayette is located in the Opera district, nearby the famous Opéra Garnier, halfway from the city centre to Montmartre neighbourhood. The rooftop offers great views over Paris, check it out!