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Beyond the Périphérique
Coming into Paris for the first time is an exhilarating experience. The airport at Roissy – named after Charles De Gaulle – is itself an example of what the future of air terminals is all about. Aside from many different terminals, there are places to eat or rest and an opportunity to buy chic items you would expect to find only in the city. You can take a train for a very small fee and in no time at reach the center of Paris at kilometer zero. The train will pass through the tiny community of Drancy on the outskirts of the city, once the scene of detentions and deportations during WWII. That sad chapter in France’s history is now embodied in a new Holocaust Museum that has just opened.
At St. Denis, there are many historical sites to see. After the 5th century, the tomb of St. Denis became a place of worship, pilgrimage and later, a royal abbey where you can now discover the oldest Gothic building in France. Here some of the early Kings and Queens of France including Clovis, Henry II and Catherine of Medici are buried. There are also tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
Aside from this imposing Gothic structure – the first in France – there is one part of the royal abbey that can be seen in the middle of a 24-hectare park. The Maison de la Légion d’Honneur, dating back to the time of Louis XV, was transformed by Napoleon into a school for the daughters of the Légion. There is still a reputable school in that building at 2, place de la Légion d’Honneur.
A museum in an old Carmelite Convent displays archeological findings from the area, including items from an old apothecary and relics from the nineteenth century Commune. More about this historical City of Kings and the works by some of Frances most celebrated architects can be obtained from the Office of Tourisme at Tel: 01 55 87 08 70.
If you have time, visit the former site of Le Bourget airport terminal. The age of the airplane began here. For this is the place where Lindbergh ended the first solo transatlantic flight in 1927; a statue that commemorates the accomplishment is moving. Today it boasts the Musée de l’Air and a display of the history of aeronautics from its beginnings to the age of rockets. In addition to the 30 planes outside, displays cover 18,000 square metres in seven halls. They can be reached at 01 49 92 71 71.
At nearby Saint-Quen, the Chateau is worth a visit. It is here that Louis XVIII signed the document promising to respect the 1789 rights and freedoms. The great dining room is an historical monument made of marble and stucco with columns for further grandeur. The Chateau can be reached through the Saint-Quen Tourist Office at 01 40 11 77 36.
Farther west, at the edge of the city via the Porte de Neuilly is a concentration of buildings that offer signs of the future; it is known as La Defense. You can work there, as about 15,000 do, or live there, like more than 20,000 do. Initiated by President Mitterand, it is his legacy, complete with a conference center, open-air contemporary sculptures and an exhibition gallery. The “Quatre Temps” shopping mall covers 120,000 square metres; it’s a must. So is the wonderful automobile museum, open daily except Sunday.
The main centerpiece is the Grande Arche. It is a 110-meter hollow cube-like building that faces the Arc de Triomphe, Tuileries, Concorde and Louvre in a perfectly straight line. The cube is actually an office building, with an elevator in the open inner space that takes you to the observation deck on summit. The modern shaped buildings made of glass and cold materials gives one the feeling he/she is in a futuristic square; the view is breathtaking. Huge open space provides a place for concerts, and La Defense is connected to the city center by metro. While it is not your typical Parisian corner, it’s an amazing concept covering198 acres. I’m impressed with each visit.
Farther out there are venues for the children like Parc Asterix and the life of the world famous Gaul. It is a shuttle ride from the De Gaulle airport and a wonderful way to teach your children to appreciate the past. My family thought it was a blast! That’s not all. A day at Versailles Palace is memorable. For art lovers, Giverny boasts one of the most beautiful gardens and lilly-ponds I’ve seen. To the south there is Napoleon’s old residence at Fontainebleau.
Sightseeing never ends here in the most magnificent city I know. There is something for everyone in Paris and each of us finds his favorite street, area and form of entertainment. But don’t overlook the outer limits. Give it a try.
