Best of Paris

Rick Steves Best of Paris

Hi, I'm Rick Steves and I'm in the city that's famed for its elegance and sophistication and yet has a joie de vivre that all are welcome to enjoy. It's the best of a city that puts the sparkle in life like none other: Paris!

Paris — the "City of Light" — has been a beacon of culture for centuries. As a leader in art, fashion, food, literature, and ideas, I think of it as the capital of Europe.

On this greatest-hits tour, we'll cruise the Seine and share in French pride, enjoy medieval glory, vibrant life on the river banks, and a gilded dome marking an emperor's tomb. We'll eat unforgettably French, tour galleries lined with Europe's finest art, shop for a dinner party with a local friend, and admire Europe's palace of palaces. And we'll finish by celebrating the City of Light in vintage style.

Paris is the central city of France. The River Seine splits the city into the Right Bank and the Left Bank. Its two islands mark the center of the old town. Nearly everything of importance is within the ring road, or Périphérique, roughly between the Eiffel Tower, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Montmartre — the city's highest point. From the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Elysées leads to the Louvre Museum and the Orsay Gallery. And 10 miles to the west is the Palace of Versailles.

We start with a site near and dear to the Parisians: the Eiffel Tower. They built it in 1889 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution and to show off at a World's Fair. And this muscular symbol of the Industrial Age has been showing off ever since.

This thousand-foot-tall tower was a marvel in its day — an engineering feat trumpeting progress and ingenuity. And today it's a major tourist attraction.

Lines can be long. But we've booked online in advance and can go right up. In its day, this elevator must have been a marvel. We're checking out all three levels:

The first level, at about 200 feet, has a restaurant, a few amusements, and nice views.

But my favorite view is from the second level — at about 400 feet, it's plenty high. 

From here, I can spot the big sights we'll be visiting and take a moment to get the lay of the Parisian land.

And, for a price, you can go all the way to the top. Imagine the spectacle a century ago atop what was the world's tallest structure, enjoying an airplane view before there were airplanes.

After summiting, I enjoy walking down from the second level without the elevator for a close-up look at Eiffel's Erector-set construction…thousands of iron beams and countless rivets.

Talk about a confident age: They built this entire thing on schedule in about two years with pre-fabricated parts. And when the fair was over, they planned to tear it all down. Thank goodness they reconsidered.

For perhaps a more relaxing overview of the city, I like a touristic cruise up and down the river. Boats go all the time and come with a light narration. The Seine is the lifeblood of Paris. It's busy with boatloads of both cargo powering from the Atlantic deep into France and tourists enamored with the parade of Parisian landmarks.

The bridges — bestowed on the city by kings and emperors over the centuries — tell a story. The letter "N" means "Thanks to Napoleon." The delightfully ornamented Alexander III Bridge celebrates a French–Russian alliance from 1892. And Pont Neuf — that means the "New Bridge" — is actually the oldest. From 1607, it was the first stone bridge crossing the Seine.

The river cuts Paris in two. Going downstream, you've got the Right Bank and the Left Bank. Historically, each had a personality: the Right Bank…more grand, elegant — the king's palace, and the Left Bank…more liberal and funky — the original university district.

Today, the legacy of that university survives in the characteristic Latin Quarter — so named because in the Middle Ages the educated elite spoke Latin. One of the oldest parts of town, you'll find an inviting student vibe…tangled lanes, sidewalk bookshops, and bustling cafés.

The city was born in ancient times on an island in the middle of the river. It was here on the Ile de la Cité — centuries before Christ — that the Romans conquered a local fishing tribe called the Parisii and founded a city named for them, Paris.

And on that island, built upon the ruins of a Roman temple, was the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Imagine the faith of the people who built this — breaking ground in 1163 on a building which wouldn't be finished for 200 years. And the faithful have been worshipping in this church — inspired by its art and architecture — for more than 800 years. Gothic architects incorporated the latest technology — flying buttresses — to support the heavy rooftop. And its ghoulish gargoyles multi-task: They serve as fancy rainspouts and scare away the evil spirits.

The church is dedicated to "Our Lady" (or notre dame, in French). Mary cradles the baby Jesus while the rose window provides a majestic halo.

'Heroically rebuilt (and looking brand new) after the tragic fire of 2019, today the beloved Notre-Dame is, as much as ever, a beacon of hope for the City of Light.

As beautiful and important as the Notre-Dame is, my favorite church interior is just a couple blocks away.

The Sainte-Chapelle, or Holy Chapel, is embedded in a historic complex of governmental buildings. The church's muscular Gothic buttresses free the walls to be essentially window holders for the church's stained glass.

Remarkably, most of the stained glass is original. What we're looking at is exactly what visitors have marveled at for 800 years.

Gothic architects used their new technology to turn dark stone buildings into lanterns of light, and it was all built back in the 13th century, in just six years — a royal reliquary designed to house the supposed crown of thorns.

The altar is high up, to better display the relic. Filling the walls are 15 storytelling panels illustrating Bible passages from creation in Genesis all the way to the life of Christ.

And just upstream from the Ile de la Cité is the petite Ile St. Louis, connected to its big sister by a cute pedestrian bridge. This smaller, more residential island is 'a reminder of how even in the historic core of the city, Paris is a collection of neighborhoods. The island gives us a first taste of this city's love of good living. It seems to specialize in that joie de vivre — from thriving bistros to decadent ice cream shops, to families and friends gathering on the banks of the river.

Centuries ago, the banks of the Seine were just miserable mud, like a mucky cesspool. Then in the 1800s, these embankments were built — and today, the city no longer turns its back on its river.

Its renovated banks are now thriving — a great equalizer where all citizens can enjoy a waterfront perch. All along the river, Parisians savor the moment, gathering with friends and enjoying a picnic dinner. Summer evenings bring out the crowds, young and old, enjoying urban living at its best.

Once-busy expressways along the riverbank are now closed to cars. And each summer, the city government creates an urban beach for its people. They truck in potted palm trees, hammocks, lounge chairs, and 2,000 tons of sand to make a popular fun zone…a virtual riviera in the city center.

And the fun spills all along the riverbanks. Here, it's a multi-generational free-for-all — people dancing their hearts out, like an impromptu music festival. Inviting scenes like this offer a perfect chance to see Paris at play…and play with Paris.

Paris can be overwhelming. To feel more settled, I like to choose a neighborhood and make it home. And, it seems, each neighborhood has a market street which gives it a small-town charm.

For those learning the fine art of living Parisian style, market streets can be ideal. My local friend, Nathalie, is shopping for a dinner party on Rue Cler, and I'm tagging along.

Rick: So in France, I like the way it's all about seasonal, and that means good flavor. It's almost like a religion. You have to have the best flavor.

Nathalie: Yeah. You have to have the best flavor, the best colors, and — for example, like tomatoes. You don't eat tomatoes during the winter because they are tasteless.

Rick: If it's in season, it's local.

Nathalie: Oh, yeah. Most of them come from the Ile de France, you know — it's around Paris. And especially — look at this. Look at this.

Rick: These are beautiful.

Nathalie: Yeah. Look at this tomato. You can have this one, this color, little ones like this, you know? This one, for example — you see?

Rick: I can see that now. So it's gonna — we know it's gonna be flavorful, but also you're thinking how it looks.

Nathalie: Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Rick: So you're raising the bar. It's seasonal and it's pretty.

Nathalie: Yup.

 

Rick: OK, it's time for the meat course. There's a lot of options.

Nathalie: Yeah, yeah. But as it's summer, we don't want to eat too much meat, so lamb chops are perfect. Bonjour monsieur — bonjour. Je voudrais des petites côtes d'agneau là. Uh...cette. Je l'ai cuite pendant combien de temps?

Butcher: Pour rosé, deux, trois minutes chaque côté.

Nathalie: OK, deux, trois minutes.

Rick: So what did he tell you?

Nathalie: I asked him, How long should I cook them? He said if you like them rosé, this means not too cooked, you know, two or three minutes on each side. That's it.

Rick: So I love this. You know this man. You trust his advice.

Nathalie: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, because they know. Ce sera tout pour aujourd'hui — merci. Oui.

 

Rick: Ah, yes. The cheese shop. This is just a festival of molds.

Nathalie: Smell! Smell how good that is.

Rick: Yeah.

Nathalie: In a French meal, you really have to have cheese. Oh, we'll take this — Camembert à la truffe — un morceau. That's beautiful. It's truffled Camembert — ughh. It's a new thing. Before, they started with the Brie, but now they do the Camembert. It's so good. It's so good. Hard cheese now, you see…un morceau de Comté. Vous avez deux.…moi — I like 24-months-old Comté because it's flavory.

Rick: Flavor. OK. So the older is more flavor.

Nathalie: Oh, the older is better. Oui, oui. C'est bien, c'est bien.

The street is lined with shops to cover each item on Nathalie's menu. Up next…wine!

Nathalie: Bonjour, Corinne! Bon…

Rick: So, we know our meat, we know our cheese. Now we select the correct wine.

Nathalie: Absolutely. You can't have, like, any wine with your food. You have to pick up the right wine because it is combination of wine and food that people enjoy in France.

For the lamb chops, we select a light red wine, and something more robust for the cheese course.

Nathalie: Ça c'est, uh, l'Argent Bordeaux?

Corinne: Absolument.

Nathalie: Et c'est un Médoc. We like that.

Rick: This is so beautiful with the cheese…

Nathalie: Yeah.

Rick: And now with the wine neighboring…

Nathalie: Exactly.

Rick: …on the same street with beautiful people who are experts to help us out…

Nathalie: Absolument. Absolument.

Rick: Life is good.

Nathalie: OK. Oh, life is good.

And no French dinner would be complete without a fresh-baked baguette and a bouquet of flowers for the table.

Nathalie: This one would be perfect.

Rick: This here?

Nathalie: Yeah. This, like little sunflower.

Rick: That's nice.

Nathalie: And this one. I like this one, the pinky one. Look how pretty…yeah.

 

Nathalie: Thank you, Rick. It was — it was fun.

Rick: Bon appétit.

Nathalie: Merci beaucoup.

Rick: Merci, Nathalie. Au revoir.

Nathalie: Bye-bye.

I'm hopping the Métro to visit another neighborhood. Paris has the most extensive subway system on the continent, and it's clearly the fastest and most convenient way to get around town. Trains come frequently; the system is state-of-the-art and easy to use.It works and the people here love it!

The Marais is another distinct Parisian neighborhood. And I'm meeting up with my friend and fellow tour guide, Thierry Gauduchon.

Rick: I love the Marais.
Thierry: Of course, you do. I mean, this is a typical classical neighborhood of Paris. Look at the beautiful atmosphere! Look at the architecture everywhere, you know?
Rick: Yeah. Yeah.
Thierry: And this is my neighborhood. I live here.

I love to take a moment just to appreciate Parisian street scenes like this. Once a mucky slum — marais means swamp — it was drained and gentrified in the 17th century by King Henry IV.

With Henry's support, Place des Vosges became the centerpiece of what was the finest neighborhood in town.

Thierry: The Marais is a pretty small part of Paris, a very small neighborhood, but now this is the place to be.
Rick: And this would be the center, this Place des Vosges.
Thierry: Exactly. We say it's "bobo."
Rick: Bobo?
Thierry: Bobo. First "bo" stands for bourgeois, second "bo" for bohemian.
Rick: I like that: bobo.
Thierry: It's very bobo.

The parklike square is a reminder that Paris is more than a collection of world-class museums. For millions of people, it's home — a place to raise a family, enjoy a relaxed retirement…or rendezvous with a lover.

The Marais has long been home to Paris's Jewish community.

Thierry: So historically, they're the oldest Jewish neighborhood of Paris.
Rick: OK. So why did the Jews settle here?
Thierry: Because before there was some swamps here. Swamps.
Rick: OK.
Thierry: And nobody wanted to come over here. It was a very poor real estate, you know, very cheap part of the city.
Rick: I remember when I first came here, this was delis and so much Jewish business here.
Thierry: Still a couple of them left, but most of the time, you can see everywhere some trendy shops, boutiques everywhere.
Rick: It's a good example of how neighborhoods — they evolve and change their personality.
Thierry: Evolution of so many neighborhoods, you know.
Rick: If it's cheap, it attracts the bobo.
Thierry: Exactly. You're right. It's a new word for you, "bobo." That's pretty cool.
Rick: And then it becomes trendy!
Thierry: Exactly.

And trendy Marais boutiques make for fun window-shopping. Paris is famous for its fashion.

Rick: So the window is like a work of art.
Thierry: Yeah. We say it in French, "lèche-vitrine," like, to "lick the window." Literally, you lick the window. You want to step in, you want to spend money, you want to become French.

Along with classy boutiques, Paris is famed for its elegant department stores. Invented here in Paris, department stores were the first to offer the convenience and efficiency of a variety of small shops under one roof. And the Galeries Lafayette's roof is a fine example. Its centerpiece is a belle époque dome. Dating from 1912, it's an unforgettable example of Art Nouveau — and a hit with shoppers.

Tierry and I are having lunch at a classic Parisian bistro, in typical French style.

Thierry: French, we know how to take our time for lunch. Not like you Americans. You're always in a hurry, it seems to us. So, we start with an aperitif, like, just to open your appetite. And, normally, we have like three courses.

Rick: You know, to open your appetite, but also just to slow down.

Thierry: Exactly. Relax, relax.

Rick: Okay.

Thierry: Cheers.

Rick: Santé.

Thierry: Santé.

Just for fun (and to embarrass my friend), we're eating all the French edible clichés on the menu in one meal!

Rick: It's a little confusing for a lot of Americans. Entrée, we say, for the main course, but the entrée is the first course here.

Thierry: Entrée would be the starter for us.

Rick: Okay.

Thierry: Entrée. Then the main course is a plat du jour or la principal, like, the main dish, meat, fish, or whatever. And then the dessert after.

Rick: Okay, so this is the entrée.

Thierry: This is the entrée.

Rick: The first course.

Thierry: Yes.

Rick: And tell me what you have.

Thierry: I've got onion soup. In French, soupe à l'oignon. In Paris, you know, we have food coming from all over France, you know? Like stew from Burgundy. But one speciality, one typical dish, I would say, from Paris, it's onion soup. This is more like a winter dish, you know, than a summer dish. My onion soup, I like bread, you know, like, the old bread, and then some cheese above it, like, melted cheese, you know? So good, so good.

Rick: And I love a plate of escargot.

Thierry: Do you know why French people like escargot so much? Because we French don't like fast food.

Rick: This is as slow as it goes.

Thierry: You got it?

Rick: Okay, so, my escargot. Pull the little guy out. There we go.

Thierry: Bon appétit.

 

Thierry: Merci bien. Like with a croque monsieur, croque madame, in fact. Croque monsieur is basic, like, just toasted bread, ham, and cheese. Croque madame — it's more sophisticated, with a fried egg on the top. For the lady. Merci beaucoup.

 

Thierry: We French love steak tartare. It's very healthy. And then you put different stuff inside, like capers, like Tabasco, mustard, Dijon mustard, Burgundy mustard. And it's so good. It's very light. You can then work a job or whatever. So enjoy.

Rick: France is famous for rare steak, but this is beyond rare. This is raw.

Thierry: This is raw. The meat has to be very good, not too fat to be a tartare.

Rick: Thierry, this is a good example for the tourists to be with a little adventure.

Thierry: Exactly.

Rick: Try something different.

Thierry: Go for it.

Rick: Yeah.

Thierry: Try it.

 

Rick: Ahh!

Server: I've got a crème brûlée.

Thierry: Ah, merci.

Rick: Merci bien. What I love about crème brûlée is the sound. Beautiful.

Thierry: Caramelizing, like, sugar on the top of those eggs is so good. And the sounds, you know, give you the goose bumps. Whoa! That's good.

 

Rick: Normally, I would have coffee with the dessert.

Thierry: Oh, we French have coffee after our dessert.

Rick: Again, it's making the meal more of a --

Thierry: Exactly.

Rick: Nice. Thank you so much. It was a great lunch.

Thierry: My pleasure. Thank you.

Rick: I got to run.

Thierry: Okay. I'm going to enjoy my brandy, my cognac. Au revoir.

 

The good life in Paris is easy to take for granted. But today's freedoms and civil liberties didn't come without a struggle. And the pinnacle of that struggle — an epic event that reverberates in the spirit of its people to this day — was the French Revolution. It was launched in 1789 with the storming of a prison that stood on this square.

That notorious prison was called the Bastille. Angry Parisians stormed it, released its prisoners, and then tore it down.

Today, it's one of Europe's great non-sights: There's nothing left to see. But what we do see is the modern city that followed that revolution — a city designed not for kings but for people.

That urban design goes back to the mid-1800s, when the government commissioned Baron Haussmann to modernize the city including its riverside embankments. Along with that, he ripped up most of medieval Paris and created the city's grand boulevards. And he lined those avenues with what became known as Haussmann architecture: stately buildings with uniform facades, wrought iron balconies, and iconic slate rooftops.

Paris has built upon that planning heritage, making the city ever more green and livable: creating pedestrian zones, favoring bikes and public transit over cars, and even turning elevated rail lines of the Industrial Age into skinny green belts high above street level, ideal for bikers and strollers.

Today, like a citywide game of "connect the dots," wide Parisian boulevards lead to famous landmarks — like the Panthéon, built to honor illustrious Parisians — and to the historic Garnier opera house.

The opera's lobby, as big as the auditorium itself, provided the public an elegant showcase in which to see and be seen. This dazzling hall — just right for sipping champagne — leads into the grand theater, famously crowned with a wonderous ceiling by Marc Chagall.

Another majestic avenue leads to the Hôtel des Invalides. Built by Louis XIV in the 1600s as a veterans' hospital, this massive building now houses Europe's greatest military museum. And, under a grand dome — which glitters with 26 pounds of thinly pounded gold leaf — lies the majestic tomb of Napoleon.

It's hard to imagine a building dedicated to a mortal that's more impressive. Gazing at Napoleon's tomb, I love to ponder the story of the charismatic leader who took France from revolutionary chaos to near total dominance of Europe, and then, catastrophically, to near ruins.

Imagine Napoleon, the emperor — all of Europe at his feet. The laurel wreath… the robes… memorials to his civic accomplishments…and 12 statues of Winged Victory eternally watching over his tomb while celebrating the glory of his victories.

Perhaps no single individual destroyed so much and yet built so much. While the French exiled their former dictator on an island in the South Atlantic until his death, to this day, the French remember Napoleon for his complicated legacy: infrastructure, education system, legal code…and lots of wars.

The Arc de Triomphe was finished just in time for the funeral procession that welcomed Napoleon's body home in 1840. The stately arch is a memorial to France's many military campaigns, and is particularly stirring on national holidays, when it flies the French Red, White, and Blue.

And that arch caps the city's main drag, arguably Europe's grandest avenue: the Champs-Élysées. Built in the 1600s, it originated as a queen's carriageway leading away from the palace gardens.

The boulevard has been redesigned. With fewer lanes for cars and wider sidewalks, it's a promenade not for royals, but for the people.

Some days it's the finale of the Tour de France bike race. Some days it's decked out for Christmas, or Bastille Day parades…and some days it's entirely car-free.

This is where Parisian elegance meets the hustle of modern commerce. It's long been a favorite of the people with its trendy fashion boutiques and venerable cafes.

A classic Champs-Elysées take-away? A macaron. Pistachio, rosé, peach, or strawberry…there's always a favorite flavor just awaiting discovery.

The boulevard leads to the Place de la Concorde — where an ancient Egyptian obelisk marks the spot of the notorious guillotine from the Revolution. From there, the orderly-yet-playful Tuileries Gardens leads to the Palais du Louvre. Once the palace of the ultimate kings and the biggest building in the world, today the vast horseshoe-shaped palace, built in stages over eight centuries, with its striking 20th-century pyramid entry, houses perhaps the world's greatest collection of art treasures.

Once inside, take a moment to enjoy the modern pyramid entry — a work of art in itself. The Louvre's huge collection covers art history from ancient times to about 1850.

Remember to look up for a sense of how, long before it was a museum, this was Europe's premier palace. The collection includes royal French regalia — such as the crown of Louis XV, and the crown Napoleon wore on his coronation.

This museum is one of the world's oldest — actually opened to the public during the French Revolution in 1793. I guess it just makes sense. You behead the king, inherit his palace and a vast royal collection of art, open the doors, and — voilà! — a people's museum.

The statue of Winged Victory heralds the richness of the Louvre's ancient collection. Two centuries before Christ, this wind-whipped masterpiece of Hellenistic Greek art stood on a bluff celebrating a great naval victory.

And nearby stands an entourage of twisting and striding statues, each modeling the ideal human form. Venus de Milo has struck her pose — like a reigning beauty queen — for 2,500 years.

The crowded Grand Gallery — about a quarter-mile long — is a reminder that you just can't see the Louvre's entire collection. For a quick visit, we'll hit just a few masterpieces representing three exciting periods: Renaissance, Neoclassical, and Romantic.

François Premier, who ruled through the early 1500s, was France's Renaissance king. His private paintings became the core of the Louvre's collection.

It was trendy for kings to have a Renaissance genius in their court. Europe's greatest king, Frances I, got Europe's top genius, Leonardo da Vinci.

Leonardo's crowd-pleasing masterpiece is "Mona Lisa." This portrait is believed to be of the wife of a Florentine merchant'. With her enigmatic smile, she seems to enjoy all the attention. Her body is solid and statue-like, a perfectly balanced pyramid, angled back so we can appreciate its mass. Her arm — resting on her chair — adds stability and realism. And Leonardo masterfully creates depth in Mona's dreamy backyard.

One of the Louvre's largest canvases shows Europe's grandest coronation: Napoleon's. In Jacques-Louis David's "The Coronation of Napoleon," rhe pope traveled from Rome to Paris to crown the new emperor. But Europe's most famous megalomaniac, crown confidently in hand, pretty much ran the coronation show himself. The pope looks a little neglected.

Napoleon would approve of everything in this room. Greek, Roman, heroic, or patriotic themes; clean, simple, and logical — it's pure Neoclassical. This Parisian woman, wearing ancient garb and a Pompeii hairdo, reclines on a Roman-style couch — perfectly in vogue.

The reaction to Neoclassicism was a romantic movement: "Romanticism." Romanticism meant putting feeling over intellect, passion over restrained judgment. Artists now created not merely what the eyes saw, but what the heart felt.

What better setting for an emotional work than the story of a tragic shipwreck? In Géricault's "Raft of the Medusa," we see a human pyramid, ranging from death and despair at its base to a pinnacle of hope as one of the survivors spots a ship — which ultimately comes to their rescue. If art controls your heartbeat…this is a masterpiece.

The Romantic movement championed nationalistic causes of the 19th century. Delacroix's "Liberty Leading the People" shows the citizens in 1830, once again asserting their power and raising the French flag at a barricade in those troublesome back streets of Paris. This painting and that struggle reverberate with the French people to this day.

Today, Parisians are certainly enjoying their hard-won freedoms. You see that here, just outside the Louvre, in the way they savor the fine gardens that were once the private domain of the kings and queens they overthrew.

In post-revolutionary France, the people rule, and there's always a garden or park nearby. Perhaps the finest originated as the king's back yard, the Tuileries. The cafés, gardens, and ponds provide a fine place to simply enjoy a quiet moment of contemplation in the middle of the city. 

Here in Luxembourg Gardens there's a tranquility…a refined orderliness enjoyed by young and old alike. The gardens are impeccably tended. And for generations, children have launched dreams on this pond. Beyond its glorious monuments and buildings, Paris is a city simply in love with life. 

Every neighborhood has a time-honored gathering place. Pétanque, also known as "boules," offers the perfect escape for friends. This competitive yet convivial game, where friends toss metal balls with the same precision as their fathers, provides an ideal antidote to the pressures of modern life.

And on Sundays, certain roads are closed to traffic, as a happy horde of rollerbladers glide joyfully through town. Young, old, fast, or slow, it's one more way this city has become a playground for its citizens.

Paris is home to the ultimate café culture. With thousands of cafés, there's always one nearby.

These are where friends rendezvous…and we're meeting up with Steve Smith, co-author of my France guidebook and a consummate café sitter.

 

Rick: Café-sitting — quintessentially Parisian.

Steve: Yeah. It is, it is. I think the first cafés were invented here. Since the 1600s, people have been coming to places just like this to talk to each other, to get out of their small apartments, and enjoy life and be part of it, not be separated from it. Slowing down is the whole point, Rick. It is the whole point. You're not judged by how much you've accomplished in a day by any means in this country. You're judged by whom you've talked to, how much are you savoring life, however you define that.

Rick: A lot of times back home, when I go to my favorite café, it seems like a temporary office space. Everybody's got a laptop.

Steve: It seems like a library to me. I know what you mean. But here, there's noise in the café, because people are talking to each other. You won't see a laptop. The point of coming to a café is not to work. It is to visit.

Rick: It's a requirement not to be in a rush.

Steve: And why would you, when you have five weeks' paid vacation and a 35-hour workweek? And did I mention every Catholic holiday? They have time to enjoy doing exactly what we seem to have to wedge into a busy day.

Rick: It's one of the bad things about travel. You realize how good other people have it.

Steve: Yes, it's true.

Rick: I got so many friends that I've heard complain about slow service in France.

Steve: Yeah, well, slow service is good service over here.

Rick: That's right.

Steve: In fact, you won't get your bill until you ask for it. It's rude for the waiter to present the bill before you ask for it.

Rick: What's your take on the tipping situation in a place like this?

Steve: 5%. That's good. The waiters are paid well. They get health benefits. They get retirement. They are not working for a tip. A tip is a polite thing to do if the service was good.

Rick: They could just round it up.

Steve: I think rounding up is a really… If it's 18 euros, leave 20.

Rick: It really is about enjoying the moment. And it's… You know, for me, it's theater. I've sat right here many times over the years, and it never gets old. I mean, look how these seats are set up. It is a theater, and the stage is Paris.

Just across the river from the Louvre is the Orsay Gallery, famed for its much-loved collection of Impressionist-era masterpieces. It fills an old train station. The building itself is magnificent. Train tracks used to go right down the middle.

The art of the Orsay takes you from 1848 to 1914. This is the age when the Old World meets the modern world. It's conservative and revolutionary, side by side. 

Before the Impressionists, 19th-century artists painted idealized beauty. This was conservative art, popular throughout the 1800s because it was, simply, beautiful.

But while mainstream artists cranked out these idealized beauties, a revolutionary new breed of artists was painting a harsher reality.

Cross the tracks and you find the Realists. In "The Painter's Studio," Gustave Courbet takes us behind the scene at the painting of a goddess. The model, not a goddess, but a real woman, takes a break from posing to watch Courbet at work.

Edouard Manet rubbed Realism in the public's face. And they hated it. Manet's nude doesn't gloss over anything. The pose is classic, but the sharp outlines and harsh colors are new and shocking.

It's about 1880, artists are pushing the creative envelope and it's time for the revolution of Impressionism to begin.

Impressionism initiated the greatest change in art since the Renaissance. Now, artists were freed to delve into the world of colors, light, and fleeting impressions. They featured easygoing open-air scenes, candid spontaneity, and always…the play of light.

Impressionists made their canvases shimmer with an innovative technique. Rather than mixing colors together on a palette, they applied the colors in dabs, side-by-side on the canvas, and let these mix as they traveled to your eye. Up close it doesn't work. But move back…and voilà!

Claude Monet is called the "father of Impressionism." For him, the physical subject was now only the rack upon which to hang the light, shadows, and colors.

And Auguste Renoir caught Parisians living and loving in the afternoon sun. Dappled light was his specialty. Renoir paints a waltzing blur to capture not the physical details, but the intangible charm of a restaurant on Paris' Montmartre hill.

Today's Montmartre — crowned by the dramatic Sacré-Cœur church — was made famous by those Impressionists who captured its ambience. And these days, the main square is jumbled with painters — doing their darndest to channel those great artists.

You can almost imagine Renoir, Van Gogh, and Picasso setting up their easels…poor, carefree, seeking inspiration…and ultimately taking art to new heights.

Back then, life here on Montmartre was a working-class commotion of cafés, bistros, and dance halls. Painters (like Toulouse Lautrec) came here for the low rent and ruddy joie de vivre.

Crowning the hill with its eye-catching dome is the stately Sacré-Cœur …the church of the sacred heart. It was built in the Neo-Byzantine style — during the Romantic age — in the 1800s, when architecture was inspired by earlier ages. The interior is appreciated for its fine mosaics and for its mystical vibe.

Ah, the steps of Montmartre. This is a place where locals and travelers alike congregate to marvel at Paris, or each other. From here, fanning out in all directions stretches the City of Light. No visit to Paris is complete without a side trip to the grandest palace in all of Europe. Versailles is the palace other palaces were modeled after, the one many tried to outdo — but none succeeded.

The ultimate royal palace is all about this man: the ultimate divine monarch, Louis XIV. He spent about half of France's entire annual GNP to turn his dad's hunting lodge into a palace suitable for Europe's king of kings…and for his strategy of domesticating his political opposition by turning them into party animals.

The Palace of Versailles is a long series of lavish rooms, each with its own theme, and with every inch sumptuously decorated. In the late 1600s, Louis XIV — shown here with his capable hand literally on the rudder of state — was creating the first modern, centralized government. And, in order to personally control as much as possible, he gathered everybody and the levers of power right here.

Pleasure ruled at Versailles. The main suppers, balls, and receptions were held in this room. The ceiling is like a sunroof opening up to the sky, filled with heavenly action parallel to what was taking place right here in Louis' court. The style is pure Baroque, which lends itself to propaganda art — a riot of exuberant figures celebrating the status quo, the unbridled power of the divine monarch.

The Venus Room is a reminder that love ruled at Versailles. Here, couples would cavort, blessed from above by the goddess of love. As if to encourage the fun, Venus sends down enticing garlands to ensnare mortals in delicious amour.

The famous Hall of Mirrors was the highlight of the palace. No one had ever seen anything like it. Mirrors were a great luxury at the time, and this long hall was astounding.

Imagine this place lit by the flickering flames of thousands of candles, filled with elegant people decked out in fine silks, powdered wigs, fake moles, dancing to the orchestra.

Under gilded candelabra and amid busts of Roman emperors, servants would glide by with silver trays of hors d'oeuvres.

And from the palace, guests would gaze awestruck at Louis' amazing gardens. One more way that Louis proved he was a divine-right ruler was by controlling nature…like a god. The grounds were huge, and when you turn around they just keep on going. Louis' lavish domain, — elaborately planned, pruned, and ornamented — showed everyone that their king was in total command.

This was heaven on Earth for Europe's leading royals…until the people just couldn't take any more of their greed and corruption. And with the great French Revolution…they cut off their heads.

But that's for the history books and I'm hungry…so I'm meeting back up with my guidebook co-author Steve Smith, for a great dinner back downtown.

Rick: You know, when I'm looking for good restaurants, I really like a Michelin-rated restaurant, but not a Michelin Star restaurant. To me, the star is a little more pretentious or expensive or fine than what I'm looking for. To me, this conviviality, quality food, Michelin-rated.

Steve: And that's a new thing. I like what Michelin has done, because, historically, they're known for their high-end, high-expense restaurants. Now they're doing good quality, average-price places with the same attention, though, to quality for value.

Rick: For me, the best rating is a place filled with locals having a good time.

Steve: Well said. One thing, too, is, a restaurant like this -- they'll change their menu on a regular basis. Well, it depends on what's fresh.

Rick: It's kind of fun, with a group of people, to order four different things. And the entrée, like we're enjoying here, for me, is some of the most interesting options on the menu.

Steve: I think you're right.

Rick: So let's encourage people to get out of their comfort zone. Try the foie gras. Hey, baby.

 

Steve: This is the art of French living, what we're doing right now. Just a nice dinner, not in a hurry. Our table is ours all night. I love this experience.

For the main course, we order four different plates in order to sample as much of the menu as possible.

Laurent: And then you have also homemade lemon risotto fritters.

And Laurent knows just the right wine to fit our budget and tastes while complementing the dishes we've ordered.

Rick: C'est formidable.

 

Rick: "Bistro" is a great word for travelers to know about in France.

Steve: Yeah, bistro, to me, means neighborhood, small restaurant, friendly. This is it.

Rick: Yeah. We've been listing restaurants for 20 or 30 years together, and I think our favorite restaurants are about this size, mom and pop…or in this case, Laurent and Pascal.

Steve: Yeah. That's right.

Rick: I think my favorite restaurants all over Europe are personality-driven. Personality-driven. You don't get that at a chain restaurant.

We're finishing our meal in classic French style -- with an assorted-cheese plate to share.

Laurent: You have five different cheese tonight.

And it's accompanied by a sweet dessert wine.

Steve: The French love a dessert wine.

Rick: Yeah.

Steve: And a dessert wine also can go well with cheese.

Rick: There's something just beautiful about this -- the color of the wine and the cheese. I just love it. Mmm!

Happy and well-fed, we're ready and raring for a taste of the Parisian nightlife.

Much of Paris lights up after dark, and Steve and I are crossing the river into the Latin Quarter. Its characteristic lanes thrive with a fun-loving energy popular with both tourists and Parisians. And that includes jazz clubs.

Rick: I love how jazz is so American, and, at the same time, it's very Parisian and French.

Steve: You're right about that, man. It was the rage between the wars, thanks to American soldiers. Still is today. In fact, there are jazz clubs everywhere. I'm going to take you

to my favorite.

In this well-established haunt, which fills a centuries-old cellar with lovers of jazz and dance, locals and tourists alike mix it up.

Paris, with such a rich cultural heritage, has plenty of great sights. Sure, you gotta see the Louvre and the Orsay, but here are three of my favorites that aren't on everyone's list.

The Cluny Museum fills a medieval mansion that's actually built upon an ancient Roman bath. Its forte is Paris in the late Middle Ages, offering a delightful peek into the art of that so often underappreciated age. The sumptuous ivory pieces…vibrant enamel work…and gorgeous sculptures reflect a surprisingly refined society. 

The centerpiece is a 15th-century series of tapestries called "The Lady and the Unicorn." In medieval lore, unicorns were solitary creatures that could only be tamed by a virgin. These exquisite tapestries give us a peek at life — sensual life — from a time when the people of Paris were just stepping out of medieval darkness. It's sexy, a celebration of all the senses: sight…taste…smell…sound…and touch.

Nearby is another low-key highlight of Paris. If you like sculpture and if you like Impressionism, don't miss the Rodin Museum. Auguste Rodin was a modern Michelangelo. He sculpted human figures with powerful insight, revealing, through the body, their deepest emotions.

Here, his "Hand of God" shapes Adam and Eve from the mud of the Earth, to which they will return. In "The Kiss," a passionate woman twines around her solid man, surrendering to the power of love with their first kiss. We can almost read the emotions that led up to this meeting of the lips. This was the first work by Rodin that the public loved.

Rodin enjoyed his garden — as do visitors today. They find it a place for peaceful meditation a century after the artist last planted a statue here. He sculpted the famous "Thinker" in 1906. Leaning slightly forward, tense and compact, with every muscle working toward producing that one great thought, man contemplates his fate.

And finally, here in the king's back yard, behind the palace, is a royal indoor garden called the Orangerie.

While the Orangerie no longer contains plants, today it's filled with a garden of Impressionist and early-20th-century paintings — select works by Renoir…by Cézanne…by Gaugin…and others.

And its main attraction is Monet's "Water Lilies," floating dreamily in the oval rooms the artist himself designed to showcase his masterpiece. This series of expansive, curved panels is the epitome of Impressionism. It immerses you in Monet's garden. We're looking into his pond — dotted with water lilies and dappled by the reflections of the sky, clouds, and trees on the surface. Monet mingles the pond's many elements and then lets us sort it out. The true subject of these works is not the pond itself. It's the play of light reflecting off the water. Sublime and tranquil, Monet intended this to be a place of reflection.

Of course there's no way to cover all the delights of Paris in just an hour.  The more you know about this city, the more you appreciate its huge range of attractions:

You'll find mansions like Jacquemart-André, where a fabulously rich couple lived in unthinkable luxury while patronizing the arts.

There are museums, like Quai Branly — working to celebrate societies in the Global South and give dignity to cultures beyond Europe.

There's Père Lachaise Cemetery, my vote for the most romantic graveyard in all of Europe — eternal home for the mortal remains of permanent Parisians from Chopin to Oscar Wilde.

Or, for the nameless dead, there's the Catacombs: a mile-long series of tunnels filled with the bones of literally millions of Parisians who once filled its graveyards.

And the business district, La Défense…where Parisians live, work, and rarely see a tourist and you'll find great public art, some of which makes you feel very small in such a big, big city.

Steve and I have a fun ritual for capping any visit to Paris: we're taking a blitz tour of the city's best nighttime views. While you can do it by taxi or Uber, we're splurging for a ride in a vintage car, a Deux Chevaux car.

Driver: Paris is "La Ville de Lumiere," which means "The City of Lights," and it's magic at night.

The French raise floodlighting to an art form. And with a city as beautiful as Paris, it's no wonder. The stately Arc de Triomphe crowns its boulevard. Les Invalides, with its golden dome marking Napoleon's tomb, is magnifique. The nostalgic blades of the Moulin Rouge keep turning as red lights still tempt lost souls in Pigalle. Notre-Dame is particularly dramatic after dark. Sightseeing boats enliven the river and its sparkling bridges. The pyramid at the Louvre glows from within. And the Eiffel Tower stands

like a reliable friend to the millions of Parisians proud to call this, the City of Light, their home.

Traveling here, I realize I could come back to this city for the rest of my life and never get enough. That's why, to me, Paris is the capital of Europe. Thanks for joining us. I'm Rick Steves. Until next time, keep on travelin'. Au revoir!