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There are more than 177 miles of man-made tunnels and disused quarries under the streets of Paris. These cavernous spaces have become a focal point for urban culture and creativity, resulting in a private treasure-house of art, music and writing. For over 300 years anonymous and illicit visitors have sought to memorialize and comment on events above ground. Hidden in the darkness, and working in uncomfortable conditions, they have created paintings, drawings, graffiti, and sculpture on the walls on the walls of the tunnels as well as ephemeral paper works that are concealed in the stone.
Some visitors have been fugitives, many have simply sought a place to create undisturbed. Their subject matter is varied and often subversive, it ranges from current events and politics to the poetic and downright strange; but whatever the subject, the underground art records history with originality, creativity and style. New material is continually being added, it is rare anything is removed, and after 300 years a riot of imagery and objects have amassed, making a startling and unique environment.
Paris has huge subterranean cavities, built in 2000 years of history for many purposes like quarries, religious hideout, beer cellars, subways and bunkers. Most of the excavations are located at the base of the three “mountains” – Montparnasse, Montrouge and Montsouris. There are approximately 300km of galleries all together, not all of them are connected.
Cataphiles have been illicitly producing art in the underground since the early 1980s and their paintings are found over a large area of the quarry network. It is an atmosphere that has encouraged many artists to look inwards rather than outwards to produce meditative, contemplative and decidedly personal impressions of subjects that are always extraordinary and frequently bizarre – monsters and beasts, phantoms and ghouls are favorites; futuristic topics recur; and politics, religion and sex inevitably find wall space. The dimensions of the kata-art ranges from small mosaics that is no more than ten centimeters in diameter, to large ceramics of two meters high, or huge paintings that are in excess of twenty meters wide.
The Catacombs has many dates on the walls to indicate work done to consolidate the existing quarries, an enormous project to catalogue the location of the many unknown parts of the quarries and shore up their ceilings to allow Paris to grow. It was these efforts that were responsible for linking the entire tunnel system together.
The name catacombs are derived from the usage as graves. This name is sometimes used for all the underground caverns of Paris, but the tourist spot, open to the public, are the graves. They do not really promote them to tourists, but they are open to the public. At the end of the 18th century, the government began converting several subterranean rooms into mass graves. This was necessary to meet desperate overcrowding in the medieval cemeteries in the center of Paris, which also became a hygienic problem. From 1785 to 1786, in 15 months, millions of bones and rotting corpses were transported from the unsanitary city cemetery in Les Halles to this place. It was a colossal project to transport the bones in huge carts at night across the city.
And here they are, in huge piles, arranged as crosses, as faces and in other different configurations. Above the door outside are the words – in French – Stop! This is the empire of death.
Anil Gupta recommends that you visit http://www.bookings.fr/city/fr/paris.html?aid=305255 for more information on Paris hotels.
Although Geneva airport has a good bus and train network, many people prefer to take car hire Geneva if they are going to more than one destination. Car hire is also the most feasible way to travel in Geneva and Switzerland if you plan to go skiing. There are car hire packages where you can get a suitable vehicle with snow chains and ski racks. If you don’t drive or can’t afford to hire a car, there are some buses which go to the main ski resorts like Chamonix, but these only run on a seasonal basis. Cars come with an unlimited mileage offer so that it doesn’t matter how far you drive. Therefore a cheap weekly car hire Geneva rate of eighty nine Euros per week will definitely work out cheaper than taking three 20 minute taxi journeys or the equivalent. There are motorways all around the airport so getting there or back by car should be a doddle as long as you avoid rush hour.
About Geneva Airport Car Hire
Geneva airport is a very busy airport which has more than 11 million passengers. That makes it all the more necessary to prebook car hire so you don’t have to queue with everyone else who is waiting for a vehicle. Look out for the car hire offices of all the major companies such as Hertz, Avis and Sixt. Geneva airport has the longest airport runway in Switzerland. The airport serves both Switzerland and France so you want to make sure that you are disembarking on the right side. That way you do not have to waste time going through the wrong set of customs.As the airport is four kilometres to the North West of the city centre you will need some form of transportation. Tourists who are coming in tour groups will also find a large array of coaches waiting to collect them outside of the main terminal building. If you plan to take the bus in Geneva city centre there are free tickets which are valid for eighty minutes worth of travel. You can find them at a machine on your way out of customs. Geneva is a city built around a beautiful lake and a scenic travel option there is to take the intercity lake boats. The boats depart every 10 minutes to half and hour and are inexpensive. To be found on either the right or left bank of the city these boats operate all year around.
Geneva International Airport is situated at CH -1215 Geneva 15. Half of Geneva airport is located in the commune of Grand Saconnex and other half is in the commune of Meyrin. Add the area code 022 if you are outside of Switzerland. The main airlines to have hubs here are Flybaboo and Easyjet. Swiss International Airlines is one of the other forty airlines based there and you can fly to any of the major European cities including Paris, Rome and London. There are also some cargo flights with Farnair Switzerland to Cologne and Bonn as well as DHL Aviation to Brussels.
If you get stuck in Geneva airport due to bad weather or a delayed flight fear not. Geneva airport has some excellent shopping opportunities. To find Geneva airport on an international airport flight board look out for the airport code GVA. You can contact the airport ahead of time by phoning 717 7111.
Ronnie Seifert is a freelance writer who contributes to http://www.anyairportcarhire.com/. During his day job he works in the Swiss aviation industry. The car hire Geneva airport article is one of two pieces he has written about travel in Switzerland.
Paris for some, represents a city of romance, for others, the French capital is a sparkling mix of writers and artists. The city’s people are stylish and flirtatious, its architecture seductive, its restaurants and nightlife devoted to the pursuit of pleasure and its streets are scattered with dreams. It is a fascinating city on all levels – historical, architectural, and cultural.
Paris offers plenty of choice and a wide variety of lively festivals. Among these are the free, city-wide Fête de la Musique which is held on 21 June, the Festival du Film de Paris in early April and the biennial Festival d’Automne from September to December contemporary dance event. Free concerts are held within the city’s churches, during the Festival d’Art Sacré in the weeks preceding Christmas. Classical concerts are listed in the monthly Le Monde de la Musique.
Live jazz is played nightly at Le Bilboquet, 13 rue St-Benoît, 6th generally from 2200 onwards by local and international high-caliber musicians. Though there are no charges for entry, the drinks served are quite expensive. A young, unsophisticated crowd is drawn to La Flèche d’Or Café, 102 bis rue de Bagnolet, 20th, a converted station turned live music venue. Concerts run from Thursday to Sunday evenings and the music ranges from rock to blues or reggae and satirical French chansons. Chesterfield Café, 124 rue La Boétie, 8th, just off the avenue des Champs-Elysées is popular with expatriates and hosts US rock and blues bands. Major rock concerts take place at the Palais des Congrès, place de la Porte-Maillot, 17th.
Performances of classical music can be found at the many opera houses and theatres in Paris, including the Philharmonia Orchestra at the Chatelet Theatre, the Palais Garnier at the Place de l’Opéra, and the Opéra Bastille. Other theatres offering classical works are: La Salle Pleyel, le Théâtre des Champs-Elysées , and Théâtre Musical de Paris. There are other musical venues like the La Cité de la Musique, whose unique seating can be reconfigured to suit any type of musical or dance performance; Regard du Cygne, which hosts innovative performance in dance and movement by young companies, and offers student and senior discounts, a half hour before performance time; Théâtre de la Ville which features theatre, dance, and a broad range of music.
With its unparalleled historic sites and the rich art collections of the Louvre, Paris is often thought of as the most famous museum in the world. But Paris’s culture is not just about the past; the city of light also celebrates cinema and music, and the nightlife is becoming as exciting as that of London or New York. The biggest source of entertainment and wonder in Paris is the city itself. It’s full of architectural treasures, and each street, park and district has something to offer. Think of the contrast between the stylish St-Germain-des-Prés with its luxury shops and the picturesque Montmartre, with its painters in the Place du Tertre. What about stroll along the romantic Canal St-Martin or a walk down the world-famous Champs-Elysées avenue? All along the route one will find symbols of the city’s history: what was the purpose of the Eiffel Tower? Did Quasimodo really live in the cathedral of Notre-Dame? Who built the Arc de Triomphe? One can relax in the capitals notable parks and gardens – the Buttes-Chaumont, perfect for family outings, or the famous Luxembourg Gardens close to the Sorbonne University. Take full advantage of them because they are free.
Anil Gupta recommends that you visit http://www.bookings.fr/city/fr/paris.html?aid=305255 for more information on Paris hotels.
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Flashbooking provides backpackers, students and families with a list of budget selected and independent accommodations worldwide -mostly run by locals- in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and different societies. Flashbooking accommodation database is easily available online and comes completed with all relevant information about Cheap hostel Paris location, description, contacts, prices, instant real availability, customer ratings, facilities and pictures.
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Recently put at travellers’ disposal is another useful tool: the Free Pocket City Guide of Paris. This free travel guide of Paris contains, in just 9 printable pages, all the essential information and very good suggestions about the France Capital as shopping areas and flea markets, Museums and Art Galleries, budget restaurants and cheap lodgings, classic itineraries you can’t miss, transports and a lot more. The Paris Travel Pocket Guide comes with colour pictures and it is free and downloadable for anyone who wish to book and go!
Moreover, for anyone that owns a personal website or a travel blog, the travel guides (London, Rome, Amsterdam, Florence, Prague, Barcelona and more coming on soon!) come for free and can be used as an extra travel resource for theirs users.
In Flashbooking website there is also a section dedicated to the world cities events where you can also get a quite exhaustive list of main festivals, exhibitions, concerts and cool things to do and see in other top European cities.
The customer service is always available to suggest you the perfect accommodation for your trip. A Skype account has been recently added in order to give more assistance to our travellers and backpackers needs. In just a sentence here the flashbooking motto:
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This article was written by Michele De Capitani with support from Cheap Youth Hostels and Mrs. Vera Bonaventura. For any information on how travel insurance, please visit us to download your free pocket travel guides for Paris City in France.
Paris has many sandy beaches, including Vendee, which has over a 100 miles of dunes with backgrounds of pine. The climate is usually mild, which allows you to enjoy surfing, diving, swimming and so on. On the south end of the beach is the nude area. Throughout the beach are marshes that spark attention of birds. You also have a batch of lakes and rivers to cast your fishing rod. Throughout the area, you will enjoy wildlife at its best. Along the shores are scores of walkways that take you through some of Paris’s finest environments. You also have museums nearby as well as abbey, places of worship and more.
Paris’s Cap Ferret is a nice beach where you will enjoy boating adventures. At the beach, you will enjoy swimming, surfing, fishing, diving and quietness. Around the area are nice campgrounds and fabulous hotels. Along this area is Frances popular coastline that stretches to the La Marenda and surrounds villages around Pyrées-Orientales, which is the location of département around Paris.
Paris also has nice beaches at the Pegasus Bridge and along through Benouville and Normandy. Around the beach, you can enjoy tasty pastries at the Café Gondree and then move onto the coastlines of Landing Beach. Harbors around this area were built in a few days, which the structures are artificially patterned along Gold and Juno. At the front area of the sea is one of Paris’s fine restaurants where many tourists enjoy a hardy meal. Pointe du Hoc is one of the main attractions along this beach. St. Laurent Cemetery is another of the main attractions. Omaha Landing is the beach areas where you can enjoy fine dining as well.
How to find deals:
If you want to visit Normandy area go online to find great deals. Packages are available, which you can visit the area for under $200.
Crozet Islands is another area you may want to visit in France. This South Territories is in France district, yet it stretches to the Indian Ocean grouping around smaller islands. The islands make up the Big/Little Islands, which are France’s major inlets. Around the area are rock foundations and uninhibited regions. You may want to visit this area, but I am not sure you want to swim in the waters, at least not in deep waters. According to the history, this region has been noted fro preys, such as the Killer Whales. A nice selection of seals swims these waters also. The waters have a history of shipwrecks also. In fact, so many wrecks and disappearances occurred in these waters that the military took action.
Paris is surrounded about many areas where the Mediterranean Sea spreads over the Black Sea, Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Caspian Sea, and so on. Much of Paris’s water however streams from the Seine River and the Atlantic Ocean. Around the Seine River, you will find waterways, ponds, lakes and more. At some areas, you can enjoy fishing, diving, swimming, boating, water skiing, and so forth. Downstream of the Seine River is where you will find Normandy Beach.
The Seine River has areas where you can enjoy rides on riverboats, traveling calm waters where the boats will navigate easily through the streams. Make sure that you look along the shores where you will enjoy many brilliantly lit buildings around Paris.
When visiting Paris be sure to check out the history of the Seine River to see where it leads you. The history has an amazing punch line that takes you back to the massacre in Paris.
There are the obvious sights to see when on holiday in Paris with the family, such as the Eiffel Tower, but the there are numerous beautiful gardens situated throughout the city that are a great way to relax with a picnic and let the children enjoy themselves on the playgrounds.
Many gardens have pony or donkey rides along with merry-go-rounds such as the famous old one at the Jardin du Luxembourg, which is a great thrill for the young children, but for the harder to please teenagers there are specific areas for skating and even activities like table tennis at the Parc Andre-Citroen.
During the summer months Paris comes alive with lots of different festivals, fetes and shows which take place all over the city, and from puppet shows to fairs through to open air jazz concerts, there is going to be something to keep everyone amused.
Yet how about going to the beach? Well Paris may not be near to the beach, but every year they create a beach scene on the banks of the River Seine called the Paris Plage where they bring in tonnes of sand and create activities such as volleyball courts and even have a floating swimming pool.
Thinking of the River Seine, why not take a trip down the river on one of the traditional bateau mouches long-boats and see the famous monuments like Notre Dame cathedral, and you could even opt to have lunch or dinner on board, yet the evening is a fantastic experience with the bridges and the Paris landmarks all lit up along the route.
Rather than using the metro, younger children would often prefer a bus ride and you could choose a site seeing tour on an open double decker bus that goes around the city, which is a lot more fun. One particular firm called the l’Open Tour buses has four different routes where you can even get to see places like the Sacre-Coeur Basilica.
You cannot forget about walking along the Champs Elysees with its famous shops, but when those little legs get tired, the Häagen-Dazs ice cream house will be a delight for all members of the family.
Ok, so you would like to get out of the city for the day. Well how about a day trip to a Safari Park at the Parc Zoologique de Thoiry, which also has a beautiful chateau and a unique interactive maze, which is the only one of its kind in the world. Also if you are into outdoor activities then there are a couple of great places such as the Base Regionale de Loisirs de Saint Quentin en Yvelines for activities like fishing, golf, sailing, a wave pool, quad biking, karting and even a tree top adventure centre called the Paris Ouest Aventure.
And of course there are the theme parks like Disneyland Paris and Parc Asterix, which we have all heard about, but what about the Mer de Sable, which has a wild west theme where you can see shows, yet if you prefer wildlife rather than wild rides, you can watch eagles in flight along with tree top walks at the Espace Rambouillet. France Miniature is another theme park designed as a map of France showing numerous monuments and landmarks in miniature, but from here you may even wish to take a short trip to the famous Chateau de Versailles, where you can experience an equestrian show or fountain show on specific days during the summer months.
But what about in bad weather, we hear you asking. Well, Paris is a city that has it all, with a wide variety of entertainment and activities available for all ages. You could think about a visit to the Cite de Sciences and experience the Geode movie dome or different interactive experiments, then venture into the L’Argonaute submarine that sits just outside.
How about a circus? This is often a good family entertainment option and Paris has two main circuses called the Cirque Diana Moreno Bormann and the Cirque d’Hiver Bouglione, and you can even book trapeze lessons or see shows at the Club Med World, but for the older members of your family, Club Med World also has a nightclub.
There are so many different options for shows, like magic at the Double Fond or a horse show at the Theatre Equestre Zingaro, but perhaps an aquarium would be of more interest to you and your family and in the centre of Paris there is the incredible CineAqua that has the largest viewing screen in the world.
PlayMobil is a great place for young children where they can actually play with different PlayMobil toys set out in different themes like a castle, or for older children and teenagers the, Aquaboulevard leisure centre will keep everyone entertained with the flumes, wave pool and jacuzzi’s etc, but don’t worry you could in the restaurant watching them!
You have no doubt gathered by now that Paris has so many activities on offer and we are only scratching the surface, but hopefully this has provided you with more of an insight into a city that caters for all ages, so you can plan your holiday and get the most out of it
http://www.placesinfrance.com
Martyn Davis European Traveller, Author, Photographer and Business Development Manager, For all your French holiday needs and travel guide to France, with tourist information, landmarks and attractions – http://www.placesinfrance.com/family_travel_guide_to_paris.html
Paris has a number of employment opportunities in the service sector, where one can easily find work. It must be mentioned however, that finding employment in Paris has a lot to do with the kind of contacts that one has. Like with most countries, a lot of the jobs are filled by recommendation and contacts, and so if you are looking to find a job in Paris, it is a very good idea to cultivate your contacts in the city first. This is because, some of the employment situations on the market are often not advertised in a public manner and are only open to people with contacts within the company.
If you do not have many useful contacts, then it is a good idea to go through an employment agency. There are two national employment agencies, which are the most effective to finding work in Paris. The first one is called the ANPE or the Agence Nationale Pour l’Emploi, which is focuses on unskilled and manual labour jobs. This agency has a number of offices in Paris and they advertise their postings on their website. The second agency is the APEC or Agence Pour l’Emploi de Cadres. This is a national agency that employs executives and professionals for employment positions in offices and corporates. There are also a number of smaller employment agencies in Paris that have been used by people with varying degree of success.
Other ways of looking for employment in Paris, includes the Internet, newspaper advertisements and putting up your own advertisement offering your services.
If you are a non-EU/EAA national looking to work in Paris, you will need to possess both a work permit and a residency permit, and will have to apply for both simultaneously. Depending on the kind of work you intend to do, you will need to apply for either a long term work permit or a temporary work permit.
Foreigners who look for employment in Paris usually do so to try and finance their stay in the country so that they can save enough money to travel. There are a number of jobs in Paris that cater to foreign nationals, such as au pairing, seasonal agriculture jobs outside the city, foreign language training, travel and tourism jobs and casual internships available for students. If you have knowledge of two or more languages, this skill will be is a definite bonus when you are looking for employment.
You have a wide array of shopping malls in Paris to choose. Paris has an array of kitchenware, discount shopping, fashion shops, art stores, antique malls, department stores, jewelry shops, bookstores and more. Paris has a selection of music stores, perfume and cosmetics, souvenir shops, China and Glassware stores, malls, Lingerie shops and so forth. No matter what you like, Paris has something for you.
How to choose stores:
When choosing stores in Paris it is best to shop around. If you know what you want, then shop at the stores that sell your items. For instance, if you are searching for antiques, check our Paris’s Antique malls. If you plan to carry souvenirs home then shop at the stores where souvenirs are sold.
If you want, a variety visits Paris’s discount shopping malls, department stores, and so on. When searching for designers you may want to visit Paris’s popular Alain Figaret mall. The store has a wide array of clothing, including shirts and blouses for men and women. The stores have a selection of fabulous silk ties for men and scarves made of silk for the ladies. Alain also sells a selection of nightgowns, pajamas, underwear, bras, shirts, and more.
Across from the fabulous Paris Bristol Lodge is the wonderful boutique Anna Lowe’s. The store has a wide selection of discounted items. The store sells famous clothing, designed by well-known designers. The clothes may have been worn, but you are purchasing items worn by famous models. The store sells a collection of Galliano creations, Mugler, Valentino, and more. The items are sold used, but visitors say that the labels remain on the items, and the prices are within your means.
The fabulous Au Bon Machê, which is a low-budgeting mall in Paris. If you are searching for furniture, fashion designers, children clothes, houseware, or related items then visiting Machê is where you want to go.
Inside the mall, you will find one of Paris’s prevalent dining areas. Paris also presents the wonderful mall of Annexe des Crêateurs. The discount store should not fool you. This particular store has received high-media attention for its popularity of selling some of the top-of-the-line products. Annexe des Crêateurs offers discounts up to 70%, yet you will find a wide array of Meister fashions, McCartney, Westwood, and more. Most clothes are used is why the prices are affordable, yet the clothes were worn once by meticulous fashion faders. Therefore, what you are purchasing is the top-of-the-line garments perhaps worn by famous people once.
How do I choose flower shops in Paris?
If you are searching for flowers visit the outstanding Marché aux Fleurs. In English, it means the Market of Flowers. This market has attracted the interest of popular photographers and artists (In French: artistique) respectively.
The floral market sells a wide selection of perfumes, flowers and so on. French Riviera from the Grasse factories is the designer of many perfumes sold at Marché aux Fleurs. At the store, you will find colorful Fleurs on a stylish display case.
How about flea markets?
Paris has flea markets. One of the popular flea markets in Paris includes the popular Marché (Market) aux Puces St-Quen de Clignancourt. (Paris Metro) Puces, St-Quen sums up the used variety of products sold at Paris’s popular flea market.
Choosing Tasty Dishes in Paris Flea Markets:
The flea market also has a wide array of pizza stores, cafés, restaurants, and so forth. At the eating areas, you can enjoy salads (French: Salade), sauces and more. No matter what your tastes are, you will find it at the Paris Metro Flea Market. Before hopping a flight to Paris consider planning your activities, hotel stay and so on.
A quick guide to how to clean wood jewelry can be found at the Cleaning Wood website. Visit the 50th Birthday Ideas website for a short guide to ideas for 50th birthdays. Interesting info on how to clean silver can be found at the Cleaning Silver website.
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