Paris Things to Do

Those in Paris are probably having quite the experience right now as millions of citizens and visitors alike have hit the streets to celebrate the election of their new president, François Hollande. He beat out incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy by just a few percent, yet the victory was decisive and sparked the celebrations which speak volumes about France’s continuing pride in their nation.In the ever-historical Bastille Square, people climbed upon the July Column and stood close together with looks of happiness on their faces.

It’s the City of the Dead all the world comes to visit, the resting place of many icons: Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Marcel Proust, Edith Piaf, Chopin, Modigliani – the list goes on. Pere Lachaise Cemetery is also very beautiful. Opened in the early 19th century it became the place for celebrity burials as a bit of a marketing ploy; many people at the time felt the cemetery was too far from the center of Paris and did not want to be buried there, so the city literally moved a few well-respected citizen’s graves to Pere Lachaise making it the place to be buried.

Winter is closing in on Paris so it’s time to find places to get warm. For an authentic Parisian experience off the tourist beat and very relaxing, head to the Paris Mosque. This place is an oasis. There’s a lovely café with mint tea and cushioned sofas to relax on. In summer, there’s a little garden to sit in under the shady fig trees. If you can get past the pastries at the café counter, you’ll find the door to the hammam.

In France, Bastille Day is a national holiday that commemorates the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789. An open act of rebellion against the monarchy that ushered in the beginning of the French Revolution, the storming of the Bastille was the first step to establishing a republican government. Two days later, the king officially recognized the blue, white and red flag, symbolising liberty, equality and brotherhood. Today all that remains of the Bastille fortress prison is a small wall on the platform of Métro line 5.