1

2

List of Content =======================================================================

Topic Page No. 1. The Land of Magic- France! 3 2. The Golden Cities! 4 3. Paris- The City of Lights! 4

· The Eiffel Tower 4 · Louvre 5 · Notre Dame Cathedral 5 · Arc de Triomphe 6 · Montmartre 6 · Musée d'Orsay 7

4. Nice- Nice la Belle! 8 · Vieille Ville 8 · Promenade des Anglais 9 · Musée Matisse 9 · Cathédrale Orthodoxe Russe Saint-Nicolas 10 · Nice cathedral 10 · Opéra de Nice 11 · Musée d'art moderne et d'art contemporain 12

5. Strasbourg! 13 · Strasbourg Cathedral 13 · Strasbourg Museum of Modern and Contemporary art 14 · Palais Rohan 14 · Musée Alsacien 15 · Barrage Vauban 15 · Palace of Europe 16 · Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame 16

6. Lyon! 17 · Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourvière 17 · Vieux lyon 18 · Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon 18 · Lyon Cathedral 19 · Ancient theatre of Fourvière 19

7. Marseille! 20 · Old port of Marseille 20 · Notre Dame de la Garde 21 · Fort Saint Jean 21 · Palais Longchamp 22 · Abbey of St. Victor 22 · Marseille cathedral 23

8. Final Note! 23

3

The Land of Magic - France! =======================================================================

France is perhaps one of the most magical countries that travellers could ever lay their eyes on. Their buttery smooth language, beautiful houses, majestic monuments, delectable dishes and the deep azure waters are more precious than any treasure for a traveller’s heart.

Looking down on the panoramic view that Paris offers from the top of the Eiffel Tower, overseeing the horizon of Cote d’Azur, learning about the culture and heritage of Lyon or, taking a walk through the mild and sleeping city of Bordeaux, all these experiences are to die for and every traveller deserves to get a taste of it at least once in their lifetime!

France has the power to be a living testimony to claims that magic is real. It indeed is; because ‘magical’ is the sole word that comes to mind when you try to think of a perfect adjective to capture the essence of France. It’s how the country breathes- magically! The absolute sense of beauty and life can be found in the lands of France.

4

The Golden Cities!

Some of the most beautiful and popular cities, along with their major attractions, have been discussed here briefly.

Paris- The City of Lights!

The city of Light or La Ville Lumière is the capital of France and for good reasons It has the best attractions of the country and receives millions of visitors every year. The city’s landmarks such as Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and Arc de Triomphe are a few of the most revered tourist destinations across the entire globe!

v The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel tower is one of the most visited places of Paris and displays human workmanship, art and skills at the peak of their magnificence. It also has two restaurants at the first and second storey- Le 58 Tour Eiffel at first level and Le Jules Verne on the second one.

5

v Louvre

The Louvre museum located at the centre of Paris along the right bank of river Seine, is deemed to be the world’s largest museum. The building has a historical significance. The collections range from Egyptian,Greek, Etruscan and Roman artefacts, to Islamic art and near-Eastern antiquities.

v Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. Notre Dame de Paris means “Our Lady of Paris” and it does its title much justice. Amongst the largest and most famous buildings of the world, Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the top names. The very mention of the place reminds one of the Victor Hugo classic “The Hunchback of Nortre Dame”.

6

v Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is a gateway between ages past and present. It was built in memory of all the martyrs of the 1785 French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars. The names of numerous soldiers are inscribed on the internal and external walls of the arc. A tomb of an unknown soldier from World War I lies beneath the arc. It shows that history can indeed be beautiful and horrifying at the same time!

v Montmartre

Montmartre is a hill in the city of Paris. There is an old church on the hill- Saint Pierre de Montmartre. According to tales, the Jesuit order of the priests was founded here.

7

v Musée d'Orsay

The Musée d’Orsay is another magnificent museum of Paris and is located on the left bank of the river Siene. It has several items of French art and is known to house the largest collection of impressionist and post impressionist masterpieces in the entire globe.

8

Nice- Nice la Belle! The city is referred to as Nice la Belle which means “Nice the beautiful” and it very well justifies the title. Nice is the fifth most populous city in France and is located in the Cote d’Azur area. Nice is the second most popular city of France after Paris. There are lots of sites in Nice which are worth visiting. Some of them have been discussed here.

v Vieille Ville

This old town of Nice is almost like a town from one’s dreams. The narrow maze-like alleyways and cobblestone streets, give a picturesque scene on the whole. The ambience of the town will remind anyone of Italy.

9

v Promenade des Anglais

Promenade des Anglais runs alongside the Baie des Anges beach.It is adorned by opulent buildings on its side. Being one of the most emblematic streets of Nice, it receives lots of tourists.

v Musée Matisse

The Musée Matisse is a museum located on hill Cimiez. It is a delight for art lovers. The building is located inside a Genoese Villa which has historical significance and is surrounded by Italianate gardens. It has a very good collection of Matisse’s work.

10

v Cathédrale Orthodoxe Russe Saint-Nicolas

It is known to be one of the most beautiful Russian Orthodox churches outside of Russia and is in fact the most visited monument in Nice. Its structure is inspired from the Muscovite style. The interiors of the cathedral are rich and beautiful, and it is still used as a place of worship.

v Nice cathedral

Nice Cathedral is dedicated to the Assumption of Virgin Mary and Saint Reparte. The interior of the Nice Cathedral includes ten chapels dedicated to ten different holy men and women from the past.

11

v Opéra de Nice

This opera is one of the principal opera venues of Nice and is known to offer three types of performances namely operas, ballets and classical concerts. The building houses rehearsal rooms and workshops too.

12

v Musée d'art moderne et d'art contemporain

This museum mostly features modern and contemporary art. All the items are housed in a sleek building which was primarily designed by two architects. The terrace of the museum gives a breathtaking view of Nice.

13

Strasbourg

Strasbourg is also known as the capital of the Alsace region of France and houses several European institutions. Strasbourg happens to be one of the largest nine cities of France and is just alongside Germany. It is in fact, the official seat of the European parliament. It houses institutions like the Council of Europe, the Eurocorps, Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine and the International Institute of Human Rights.

v Strasbourg Cathedral

It is a “gigantic and delicate beauty” in the words of Victor Hugo and a “sublimely towering, wide-spreading tree of God” in the words of Goethe. Parts of the cathedral are considered to be Romanesque architecture, whereas most of it is fine quality Gothic architecture.

14

v Strasbourg Museum of Modern and Contemporary art

The museum houses a large collection of sculptures, paintings and graphic art. It also has a photographic library and organizes several exhibitions per year to highlight particular artists- old and new.

v Palais Rohan

The monument previously sheltered the Prince-bishops and Cardinals of an ancient house of France, known as the House of Rohan. It is a magnificent architectural, historical and cultural landmark in the city of Strasbourg. It is based on French Baroque architecture.

15

v Musée Alsacien

This museum is located in the Bas-Rhin department of France. It is dedicated mostly to all aspects of the early industrial Alsace. It also has a wide range of documents which say a lot about the regular lives of the Alsatian Jews.

v Barrage Vauban

Barrage Vauban, also known as Vauban dam was constructed over the River III in the city of Strasbourg. It was basically designed as a bridge long ago and now serves as a display for sculptures. It also has a terrace which gives a great view of Strasbourg.

16

v Palace of Europe

The Palace of Europe served as the seat for the Council of Europe for several years. The Palace is square in shape and represents a fortress when viewed from the outside. The Palace was also used by the European Parliament.

v Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame

The museum houses art works from the Middle Ages; especially Rhenish fine and decorative arts. It possesses original sculptures, glass windows and has elaborate architectural fragments and building plans.

17

Lyon

Lyon is the third largest city of France and is considered to have a strong historical background. It is the respected capital of Rhone Alpes region and has a colourful culture and heritage. The city of Lyon is flanked by two rivers namely the Rhone river and river Saone. Lyon is a traveller’s delight and some of its attractions are discussed below.

v Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourvière

The Fourvière hill houses several religious institutions and churches and thus, is sometimes referred to as “the hill that prays”. It is also known that the Romans settled in this hill. The most glorious body adorning this hill is the Basilica of Notre Dame. It gives a beautiful view of the city of Lyon.

18

v Vieux lyon

One of Lyon’s oldest districts, Vieux Lyon also happens to be the largest Renaissance district of the city of Lyon. This old town was once the city of important governing bodies.

v Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon

This museum is one of the most important museums in Europe and has a collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities and modern art. It is near place des Terreaux and has been restored twice.

19

v Lyon Cathedral

Lyon cathedral is a cathedral dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. It is a beautiful Roman Catholic Church and is also the seat of Archbishop of Lyon who holds the title of “Primate of All the Gauls”.

v Ancient theatre of Fourvière

This ancient theatre was built under the orders of Augustus, the Roman King. It was built on the hill Fouviere, located in the centre of the city. It could house a total of ten thousand people during its time. Today its under the care and protection of UNESCO.

20

Marseille

Marseille is a port city of France on the Southern coast. It also is the economic hub of the province of Cote d’Azur. With a complex history and beautiful culture, Marseille shelters a high population of France, deeming itself the second most populated city in the French country.

v Old port of Marseille

Located at the end of Canerbiere, the old port of Marseille has served the land for ages. It is now one of the most popular locations of the city and has several points of interest surrounding it.

21

v Notre Dame de la Garde

Notre Dame de la Garde or “Our lady of the Guard” is a Neo-Byzantine Catholic Church. It has a vivid history and marvellous architecture with layered stonework and contrasting colours.

v Fort Saint Jean

Fort Saint Jean is a fortification built in the land of Marseille during the seventeenth century, at the entrance of the old port. Two thin bridges link it to the historical district of le Panier and to the first French museum outside of Paris.

22

v Palais Longchamp

Palais Longchamp houses few of the city’s best museums like Natural history museum and Musee des beaux arts. A park surrounds it and is considered to be one of the most notable gardens of France.

v Abbey of St. Victor

A late Roman former monastic foundation in Marseille, also known as the Abbey of St. Victor, is in honour of the local soldiers, saints and martyrs.

23

v Marseille cathedral

The Marseille cathedral, a Roman catholic cathedral is revered as a national French monument. It has two counterparts- an old cathedral and a new one.

Final Note! All these cities and their wonderful attractions are just a glimpse into the overflowing cup of beauty! There are endless more things to experience in France and endless more cities to step into.

Vive la France!