Paris - July 2004 and several other previous visits

I've got to say straight off, I LOVE Paris, and I'm fortunate to have a number of connections to the city. I've worked there for a short period, over in Western Paris's La Defense in 2000. We have great friends who live over in the 11th Arrondissement, and I have some cousins in the city as well.
I wanted to share a few photos of some of my favourite Parisian views, starting with the Eiffel Tower.
This first shot shows the Eiffel Tower at dusk. This shows the tower from the first floor, looking down to the ground. I once
...and this one shows the view from the very top... that's La Defense you can see in the distance.

Here are a few facts about the Eiffel Tower:

  • It is 324 metres (about 985ft) high and really does tower (sorry) over the Paris skyline.
  • It was opened in March 1889. for the Great Exhibition in Paris. It only took 30 months to construct.
  • It was very unpopular with the locals when it was opened!
  • Gustav Eiffel was actually the chief contractor, the architect was a chap called Stephen Sauvestre.
  • It hosts around 6 million vistors a year.
  • It was over 2.5 million rivets.

A link to the official site is HERE.

 
The Sacre Coeur:
This beautiful building is the top of the Basilica of Sacre Coeur ("Sacred Heart") in Montmartre ("Marytr's Mount"), in the North of Paris, high up on a hill. It was built over the period at the end of C19 and early C20. The area is one of the key artistic areas of the city.
 
Notre Dame Cathedral