Category: France
Advance reservations for the Eiffel Tower now available.
Every visitor to Paris
should go to the top of Eiffel Tower at least once. Although there are
other places in Paris with good views, nothing can compare to the
360-degree panorama you’ll enjoy here. But during the summer, the
lines at the Eiffel Tower can be two hours long -- or more. And
spending that much of your precious vacation time in line is a sin.
But now -- finally -- you can make reservations and buy tickets for the Eiffel
Tower in advance. You need to select a time for your visit and then show up as scheduled. But you shouldn’t have to wait.
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Off the beaten path in Paris on Ile St-Louis.
The Seine runs through Paris, dividing the city into the Left and Right Banks. The larger of the two islands in the river, the Ile de la Cité packs a lot of sightseeing bang, -- including Sainte-Chapelle and Notre Dame -- into a few blocks.
But it’s the other island, the Ile St-Louis, that we always return to. When the square in front of Notre Dame is packed with tourists, Ile St-Louis offers a comparatively peaceful respite about five minutes away. To reach it, walk to the back side of Notre Dame, where you’ll have great views of the magnificent buttresses. Then walk through the lime tress in the park and cross the Pont St-Louis bridge.
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Picasso's Provence studio open for the first time.
The light in Provence is remarkable. So much so that many artists had their most productive periods while living there. Born in Aix-en-Provence, Cezanne spent most of his life there. And Van Gogh, Renoir, Cezanne, and Matisse were all inspired by the shimmering light and staggering natural beauty. Picasso too spent many summers in Provence, and lived in Vallauris, Mougins and Cannes. In 1958, at the age of 79, Picasso bought Chateau de Vauvenargues with Jacqueline, his second wife. The castle, which was extensively rebuilt in the 17th century, includes Picasso's studio, which is now open to the public for the first time.
Image Flickr: Monica Arellano-Ongpin
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