The Orsay Gallery, famous for its much-loved collection of Impressionist masterpieces, fills a magnificent building once used as a train station with art from 1848 to 1914. Old World meets the modern world in these halls, resulting in conservative and revolutionary pieces side by side. For more information on the Rick Steves’ Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com. Paris Guide –
The Eiffel Tower was built to stand for just 20 years but has lured lovers and sightseers to her heights for more than 120 years! This beautiful tower was constructed for the 1889 Worlds Fair and at 324 metres high remained the tallest structure in the world until 1930. It is now the world’s most visited man-made structure and it has been estimated that more than 200 million people have visited the tower – but it is anyone’s guess how many proposals on bended knee have been made here! France Travel Guide: www.pleasetakemeto.com Paris Guide –
The Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysees, Arche de Triomphe, the Musee de Louvre, the Moulin Rouge – is there anything in Paris that is not beautiful? Non! This magnificent city on the banks of the River Seine has been luring the world’s greatest philosophers, artists and lovers for hundreds of years, and spend even a few moments here and you will see why. The city’s spirit and energy – the Parisian’s love of life – le joy de vivre – are mesmerizing and intoxicating. One small sip and you will be drunk on Paris’ sophisticated elegance for life. And when you leave your memories of Paris will be warm and your desire to return will be strong. And when you undoubtedly come back she will embrace you warmly as though you had never left. Paris Guide –
In Part 3 of this video series about traveling the waterways of France on a tug boat, Richard Goodwin first stops at the Place de la Bastille. This is the traditional venue for all Parisian street protests ever since the storming of the notorious Bastille Prison which marked the beginning of the French Revolution. Whilst we were there the famous Tour de France rode past on the final stage of their race around France. Then we visit the Faubourg St. Antoine which is the centre of the French furniture business. Then we come to one of the most amazing timber stores in the world where they have amongst other logs some mahogany from Cuba which arrived before the French Revolution in 1789. We see how they make veneers here. We then see veneering in some of the many workshops of the area and also many of the brass fittings and decorations they make to decorate their furniture. We then see my niece Elisabeth try on some fancy jewellery. My next visit in this extraordinary district was to a man who restored marble statues to their former glory. He also showed us a table top he was making with stones from all over the world, from South Africa and Oregon. One of the most famous French sons of the late 19th. century was Frou Frou, literally the sound of a woman’s skirt as she walked along. Here we see a man making the folding sheets of cardboard which are pierced to allow through the air which feeds the pipes of his mechanical organ. Then on to the cheapest food market in Paris, the A … Paris Guide –
