Official Language:
French
|
Currency:
EUR
|
Population:
Over 2 million people call Le Havre home and over
|
Weather:
Climate and current weather information for Paris France: Spring and autumn are the most favorable times of the year to visit as the climate is the best. Temperatures in July and August can get a little hot and sticky with temperatures reaching the 80°F/26°C. The average temperature 66°F/19°C in July and 37°F/3°C in January. The 585 mm (23 in) of precipitation is well distributed throughout the year, often in the form of a soft drizzle.
|
|
|
|
|
One of the most important ports in France is Le Havre which was founded in the 16th century. Le Havre on the English Channel, at the mouth of the River Seine in Normandy, is the gateway for cruise passengers to Paris. Visiting Paris is a three hour drive from Le Havre. With its old stones, museums, music, theater, dancing and reading, Le Havre has something for everyone, for every age or season.
|
|
Attractions |
 |
 |
Paris is known as the "City of Love", "The City of Lights" and just may be the most romantic city in the world! It is glamorous, chic, sensuous, and oh so stylish. It's a combination of Old World charm with so much history and flair. Paris is elegant and bourgeois, fashion-conscious, at the same time bohemian and as modern as a high-speed train. Visitors are immediately seduced by this city which is also one of the most visited destinations on the planet.
Paris is busy with grand museums, broad avenues and monumental traffic circles, inviting cafes, and some of the best shopping in the world. This is the birthplace of haute couture and it's high fashion has gone global, yet Paris retains its own special cachet found nowhere else in the world. It's a magnet for stylists and fashion fiends, and it's en vogue attire is an essential cog in the French economy. Paris is not all style and no substance, for the Parisian, style is substance.
Behind the city's grand avenues and glorious museums, beyond the famed cafes where writers and artists have gathered for centuries, and past the chic clothing boutiques selling one-of-a-kind designer labels, there's another Paris that many often see but never notice. People live and work here; they walk their dogs (dine in restaurants with them, too), shop almost daily for fresh bread and vegetables, window shop relentlessly, complain continuously, poke fun at themselves without mercy, and criticize everything that's not Paris or Parisian.
Eiffel Tower
Built for the World's Fair of 1889 to commemorate the French Revolution. The Eiffel Tower has come to stand as a worldwide symbol for Paris. Named for its designer, Gustave Eiffel, the Tower stands 1050 feet high. No trip to Paris is complete without traveling to the top of this incredible monument. The sights of Paris are awe inspiring during the day or night were the lights of Paris shine beautifully.
Arc de Triomphe
Commissioned in 1806 by Napoleon to celebrate his army's victory. The Arc de Triomphe is the largest triumphal arch in the world, standing 163 feet high, and 147 feet wide. The arch stands at the western end of the Champs-Élysées and has marked many of France's glories and defeats. The top of the arch offers a terrific view of the Champs-Élysées.
The Louvre
This is perhaps one of world's most famous art museums and should not be missed. Constructed in 1200 as a fortress, and rebuilt in 1600 to serve as a royal palace for the French monarchy, the enormous building has served as a museum since the late 1700s. The Louvre features some of the world's most impressive works of art, including Leonardo Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa." Wear your comfortable shoes and watch history come to life.
Notre Dame Cathedral
where Joan of Arc was tried and condemned in 1429. Author Victor Hugo put this Cathedral on the map with his book, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame;" and Napoleon was crowned emperor here in 1804. Though it's not the most beautiful church in France, this massive Gothic Church is certainly the most famous and most visited. The large rose stained glass window is gorgeous as the sun shines over the Seine River.
Pompidou Center
A popular sight in Paris. Built between 1972 and 1977, the Pompidou Center features some of the most prominent art galleries in the world, its Matisse and Picasso collections are almost unsurpassed anywhere. The center also includes a three-level library with over 2,000 periodicals.
Avenue de Champs-Élysées
This is the Rodeo Drive of Paris. Posh mansions, opulent boutiques, fine restaurants and cafes all line the city's most famous street. Champs-Élysées has long stood as a symbol of style and Paris' joie de vivre. Be sure to take a stroll down this street, even if all you plan to do is window shop and people watch.
As cruise passengers, you'll be arriving, or perhaps departing, in Le Havre, a convenient starting point for touring the French coast and countryside, but not so convenient to distant Paris (around three hours by motorcoach). If you've visited Paris before, perhaps it's now time to look at the often-overlooked coastal region of northern France. The historic beaches and battlefields of Normandy; Rouen, the city where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake; the handsome, seaside resort city of Deauville where Coco Chanel launched her career; and the almost impossibly quaint fishing village of Honfleur; all are delightful alternatives to Paris.
Cruise Passengers may opt not to take the three hour journey to Paris and should not miss the impressive modernist St Joseph church, Town Hall and seafront Fine Arts Museum in Le Havre. The Musee de I'Ancien Havre and the Gothic Cathedral are among the cities historical past that should not be missed.
Le Havre
A bustling and modern town for visitors to discover in the north part of France. Among Le Havre's special attractions are the shinning metal and glass Music des Beaux-Arts and the picturesque quarter of Ste-Adresse, with it's shops, boutiques and restaurants. Strategically situated along the coast, Le Havre makes for an excellent departure point to visit all the highlights of the area, which include the historic Normandy Beaches, the medieval city of Rouen, the artisan and resort towns of Honfleur and Deauville, or the beautiful villages of the Alabaster Coast.
Normandy
Le Havre lies in the heart of the Normandy region, which has numerous well-known sights to see. Among a few of them: a World War II- trip to the D-Day Beaches where the American, British, Canadian and French troops landed on June 6.1944. Some of the key points-of-interest include Sainte Mère Eglise, Utah Beach, the Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach. Or if you prefer a trip to Honfleur, a quaint port town made famous by impressionists like Claude Monet. Honfleur is a wonderful destination if you prefer a low-key day to shop there are a lot of antique stores and boutiques. You can eat a great French lunch and wonder through the town.
Mont St. Michael
The famous abbey located on a rocky inlet near St. Malo at the junction of the Normandy and Brittany provinces. The abbey is an impressive sight, with its towering granite walls sitting some 240 feet above sea level atop a stratum of stone shops and small houses that angle upwards from the imposing stone wall at the base of the islet. It is a fine example of Gothic architecture, portions of which date from the thirteenth century. It was originally built as a medieval castle, and definitely retains the look and feel of one.
|
|
More Information |
|
|
|
Le Havre: www.lehavretourisme.com
Normandy: www.normandy-tourism.org
Paris: www.paris-touristoffice.com
www.paris.org/Accueil/
|
|
