Paris: Art, Faith, and the Flow of the Seine

After spending months in Munich, we decided to explore Paris over a long weekend. We boarded an overnight bus from Munich, which made a brief stopover at Strasbourg before crossing the Rhine and entering France. The early morning light revealed the outskirts of Paris as the bus rolled into the city. We checked in at a standard hotel near Bercy and, after a quick rest, set out to explore the French capital using the efficient Metro system. The Bercy station connected us easily to the city’s central landmarks, making it convenient to plan the entire day using public transport.

 

Day 1: The Heart of Paris and its Icons

Our first destination was the Notre Dame Cathedral, located on the Île de la Cité. We took Metro Line 14 from Bercy to Châtelet and walked across the Seine to reach the cathedral. The gothic façade stood tall with its twin towers, intricate stone carvings, and the famous rose window. Even though restoration work was ongoing, the grandeur of the structure remained evident. The flying buttresses, gargoyles, and detailed sculptures on the portal gave a sense of medieval craftsmanship.

A short walk away brought us to Sainte-Chapelle, tucked within the Palais de Justice complex. The stained glass windows were the highlight; 15 panels of vibrant biblical scenes that filled the chapel with a kaleidoscope of colour. The upper chapel, supported by slender columns, seemed almost made of glass. The fine ribbed vaults and delicate tracery illustrated the brilliance of Gothic architecture.

From there, we took Metro Line 4 from Cité to Barbès–Rochechouart and climbed up to Montmartre. The narrow winding streets, filled with painters and souvenir shops, led us to the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur. The white domes of the basilica contrasted sharply with the blue sky. We entered the basilica, where the grand mosaic of Christ in Glory dominated the apse. Climbing to the dome was worth the effort; the panoramic view of Paris stretched in all directions, revealing the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

By noon time, we descended from Montmartre and took Metro Line 2 from Anvers to Trocadéro. Standing at Trocadéro Square, we had one of the best vantage points of the Eiffel Tower. The wide esplanade provided an unobstructed view of the iron structure, and as we walked across the Pont d’Iéna bridge toward the tower, the scale of the monument became more impressive. Built for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, it stood as a masterpiece of engineering.

We climbed up to the second floor, and then took the elevator up to the third-floor viewing platform, the highest accessible point. The entire city unfolded below; the Seine winding through, the Arc de Triomphe aligned with the Champs-Élysées, and the Sacré-Cœur visible on the hill. The lattice structure of the tower and the mechanical precision of its elevators reflected Gustave Eiffel’s genius.

After descending, we boarded a Seine River Cruise from the pier near the base of the tower. The boat glided past illuminated bridges and monuments; the Musée d’Orsay, Louvre, and Notre Dame again from the water. Along the riverbank, we also spotted the Statue of Liberty replica on the Île aux Cygnes, a smaller version gifted by the American expatriate community in Paris.

The next stop was the Arc de Triomphe, reached by Metro Line 6 from Bir-Hakeim to Charles de Gaulle–Étoile. Standing at the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, it honoured the soldiers who fought for France. The names of battles and generals were inscribed all over its massive structure. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with its eternal flame, lay beneath the arch.

We then strolled down the Champs-Élysées, the grand boulevard lined with shops, theatres, and historical buildings. At its other end stood the Grand Palais, recognizable by its glass-domed roof. The structure, originally built for the 1900 Exposition, now hosts major exhibitions. As evening descended, we took Metro Line 1 to George V and then Line 2 to Blanche, where the bright red windmill of Moulin Rouge welcomed us. The district buzzed with nightlife and artistic energy, preserving Montmartre’s bohemian spirit.

 

Day 2: Museums and Monuments

We started the second day at Les Invalides, accessible via Metro Line 8 from Bercy to La Tour-Maubourg. The vast complex housed the Army Museum (Musée de l’Armée), displaying French military history through weapons, armor, and artifacts from different centuries. The most striking feature was the golden dome of the Dôme des Invalides, under which lay the sarcophagus of Napoleon Bonaparte; an imposing red quartzite tomb resting on green granite, surrounded by sculptures symbolizing his victories.

A short ride on Metro Line 8 to Bastille brought us to the Place de la Bastille, marked by the July Column. Though the original fortress was destroyed during the French Revolution, the column stood as a memorial to the 1830 uprising. The area was busy with cafés, theaters, and the modern Bastille Opera House, symbolizing Paris’s transition from its revolutionary past to its contemporary rhythm.

From Bastille, we took Metro Line 1 to Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre. The Louvre Museum stood as one of the world’s greatest repositories of art and history. Entering through the Glass Pyramid, designed by I.M. Pei, we descended into the vast lobby connecting the three wings; Denon, Sully, and Richelieu.

We began with the Denon Wing, home to the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, displayed behind bulletproof glass and surrounded by a continuous crowd. Nearby hung the massive Wedding Feast at Cana by Veronese. The Winged Victory of Samothrace, perched atop a staircase, appeared ready to take flight. The Raft of the Medusa and Liberty Leading the People added powerful depictions of human struggle and revolution.

In the Sully Wing, the Venus de Milo and Hermes of Andros stood gracefully under spotlight. The collection here traced ancient civilizations – Greek, Roman, and Egyptian – including sarcophagi, mummies, and monumental sculptures. The medieval foundations of the original Louvre fortress were also visible below ground level.

The Richelieu Wing displayed the magnificent Mesopotamian and Near Eastern Antiquities, including the Code of Hammurabi, the French and Northern European art, with works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Rubens. The Napoleon III Apartments, richly furnished with chandeliers and red velvet draperies, illustrated the opulence of 19th-century Parisian life.

We exited through the Inverted Pyramid, a striking modern glass feature that connected the underground Carrousel du Louvre with the museum. Crossing the courtyard, we entered the Tuileries Garden, the former grounds of the Tuileries Palace. The gardens stretched elegantly toward the Place de la Concorde, with classical statues, fountains, and symmetrical pathways offering a serene contrast to the museum’s intensity.

As evening approached, we returned to Bercy by Metro Line 14, collected our bags, and boarded the night bus back to Munich. It was a short stay, with many places left unexplored; the grand halls of Versailles, the magical Disneyland, and the quiet corners along the Seine. As the city lights disappeared behind us, we knew that this visit was only an introduction, and someday we would return to experience more of Paris’s endless layers of history and charm.