One of the easiest ways to relax while sightseeing in Paris is to grab a quick snack and watch busy tourists and Parisians pass by. In a city with so much to do and amazing food, savvy travelers can take a break from their busy itineraries by enjoy a tasty snack, beautiful scenery, and some carefree people watching in these top Paris locations:
- Jardin du Luxembourg
My favorite spot in Paris! The Luxembourg garden is a great place to enjoy the good life and pretend your French royalty. Queen Marie de Medici created this beautiful palace garden, situated between Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter, in 1612. The Luxembourg garden played a prominent role in Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables as the location where Marius Pontmercy and Cossette first meet.
Take the Metro to Luxembourg station and walk north on Boulevard Saint-Michel to enter the garden through the East gates. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the gardens and appreciate the hundreds of statues, monuments, and fountains. Walk clockwise around the palace to the Medici Fountain. Here, relish in this Roman-styled grotto, restored by legendary architect of the Arc de Triomphe, Jean Chalgrin. Take a seat on one of the wooden benches shaded by the plane trees and enjoy the nature and the opulent surroundings of the Luxembourg garden.
After you finish your snack, join the onlookers of chess and bridge games as you walk toward the Grand Bassin, the large pond. Take a seat by the edge of the water and watch tourists and Parisians push miniature sailboats with bamboo rods. For 3.50 euros, you can rent a sailboat for 30 minutes and join in on the fun. The Jardin du Luxembourg is the perfect spot to enjoy a snack and a leisurely break from your busy schedule.
- Stravinsky Fountain
After a visit to the Musée National d’Art Moderne at the Centre Georges Pompidou, walk south across the central plaza and Rue Saint-Merri to the Stravinsky Fountain. Where modern art collides with gothic architecture, the Stravinsky Fountain is a great resting point to sit with a small snack and enjoy the whimsical music and the beautifully animated water fountains.
Look around and appreciate the contrasting artistic styles. Flanked by the “high-tech” styled Centre Georges Pompidou and the 16th century gothic Church of Saint-Merri, the Stravinsky Fountain is the perfect place to admire innovative, modern art in a historic setting. Take a walk around the fountain to ponder the meaning of the bubbling fountains. On the southeast corner of the fountain area, you will find a large panel of wall graffiti playfully juxtaposing Saint-Merri.
The Centre Georges Pompidou and the Stravinsky Fountain are located in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. Take the Metro to Rambuteau and walk south along Rue Beaubourg for one block.
- Square Jean XXIII
Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis, two islands essentially in the heart of Paris, are packed with iconic Parisian sites such as, Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, Pont Neuf, and the Conciergerie. Wander your way through the narrow streets and find Square Jean XXIII. Located behind Notre Dame, this square is a great place to bring a small snack and admire the elaborate flying buttresses and the stunning apse of Notre Dame.
Afterwards, if you are craving some tasty ice cream, take the 7-minute walk to Berthillon. This busy shop in the heart of Île Saint-Louis is a great place to enjoy some of the world’s best ice cream. To get there from Square Jean XXIII, walk north along Quai de l’Archevêché to Pont Saint-Louis and cross the bridge. Walk southeast on Rue Saint-Louis en l’Île for 300 meters enjoying the quiet streets of Île Saint-Louis. Once you have your ice cream, walk north to Pont Marie for a beautiful view of the tree-lined Seine and the 4th arrondissement.
By: Justin Hartzler
Leave a Reply