Notre Dame - Paris France

I have to admit that when I looked at the list of places that we were going to visiting while in Paris this was one of the most exciting. When most people think of Notre Dame they think of gargoyles, while these are one of the must sees, there is so much more that you should make sure that you take a look at while visiting the cathedral. But if you do plan on seeing the gargoyles there are a few things that you need to prepare yourself for.

The first thing that you should keep in mind is that you are going to have to walk to the top. There are two towers, and if you want to see the south tower it will be 387 steps. That is just to the top, but you will have to walk all the way down as well. Somewhere along the way there is a gift shop, this will give you a chance to stop and catch your breath and rest for a minute. There are no places to sit and there is no way to take a break other than the gift shop on the way up. So make sure that you bring comfortable shoes to wear, and be prepared to get tired out. The good news is that it is well worth it to climb to the top.

Once you get to the top there are gargoyles and beautiful views from the top of the catherdral. You can also go and see one of the bells up close. I climbed to the top twice and the first time I missed the bell. So I point this out because apparently it is easy to miss this site. Make sure that you walk all the way around the top because you can get different views of the city and look at all the gargoyles and see them from different angles.

You can also visit the inside of the cathedral, but please keep in mind that this is a church and a place where people go to worship. There are lot of artifacts such as crowns, and crosses as well as statues and other things that you can walk through and see. The place is usually pretty busy and many people don't bother to walk through. This is a mistake. Make sure that you take note of the organs, if you want to hear them played visit during a mass and you can hear these amazing organs in person.

Don't forget to walk all around the cathedral and pay close attention to all the workings on the outside of the cathedral. Many people see the famous rose window but fail to pay much attention to anything else.

The cathedral is free and open to the public every day 8AM- 6:45 PM 7:15PM on the weekends.

The towers are open April 1- Sept. 30 10 AM - 6:30 PM
In June, July, August 10 AM- 11 PM on Saturday and Sunday
Oct. 1 - March 31 10 AM - 5:30 PM
Closed on Jan. 1, May 1, and Dec. 25

For all other information visit
http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/

Shakespeare and Company - Paris France

Shakespeare and Company is a book store that is located in Paris. It's not anything that most people would look at and stop at unless they are aware that it's there. When I went to Paris I had heard of this bookstore and was thinking that I would check it out, however one of the other people that I took the trip with was familiar with it, and told me that it was a must see. Because of that we took a special trip just to see the bookstore, and I have to admit that it was well worth the trip.

The store has a great amount of history behind it, in fact most people are not aware that the current store that is open was not the first one that was opened. The first store with this name was opened in 1919 by Sylvia Beach, then in 1922, the store closed and moved to a larger location. During it's peak in the 20s many writers would use this store as a place to gather, writers such as Hemmingway, Jame Joyce, and Ford Madox Ford, where among a few of the patrons. When the Germans occupied France in 1941, the store was closed, and did not reopen.

In 1951, a store called Le Mistral was opened by George Whitman, but in 1964, Whitman renamed the store to Shakespeare and Company as a tribute to the store that was opened by Beach. When visitors see the store today it serves as both a reading library and store. The store also has beds for writers to stay in, Whitman allowed writers to stay there for free if they did chores and worked in the shop. When George Whitman passed away his daughter took over control of the store and continues to run it in the same way that her father did.



When I visited the store I have to admit I wasn't expecting much, but they actually have many different books, old and new. I could have spent all day in the store but my time was short, when I go back to Paris I plan to spend a lot more time at the store. It can seem a little small and almost cluttered, but don't let that keep you from exploring the store and missing out on this great experience. It's a fun place to just wander and look around, and you might even find some treasures if you are interested in reading, or collecting old books. There are many days in which you can find events such as readings, workshops, and other special events at the store. If you are interested in learning what is going on during your trip you can visit their website and look at the upcoming events.

The store is located at:
37 rue de la Bûcherie
75005 Paris
Phone: 00 33 (0) 1 43 25 40 93

Hours: Monday-Friday 10am-11pm
Saturday and Sunday 11am-11pm

Website: http://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/