Reflecting pool at the American Cemetery above Omaha Beach.

The D-Day landings at Normandy on June 6, 1944 were the beginning of the end of World War II much due to the  heroic action by Allied troops including US and British forces, to begin taking Europe back from the Nazis.

The 50-mile (80-km) stretch of beaches codenamed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword are now one of the most visited sites in France, housing memorial museums (at Caen and Bayeaux), cemeteries (Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial) and a self-guided walk at Omaha Beach (Circuit de la Plage d’Omaha), the site of the worst fighting. The clifftop American cemetery above Omaha Beach is haunting with its rows of plain white crosses covering 170 acres (70ha) and containing nearly 10,000 US soldiers who were killed in action during WWII. A memorial nearby is inscribed with the names of the missing or unidentified dead.

You can visit the area in a day from Paris, although many people choose to stay overnight at nearby Bayeaux or Caen. A day trip leaving plenty of time to visit the American cemetery at Saint-Laurent, the Omaha Beach Visitor Center, Juno and Gold beaches, and the Caen Memorial will take around 14 hours from Paris and back.

The Caen Memorial – A Museum for Peace is particularly impressive with its high-tech displays which bring to vivid life the events of World War II and the D-Day Landings.

Bayeaux, south of the beaches, has the equally evocative Battle of Normandy Memorial Museum with artifacts, personal memoirs, photographs and dioramas. Nearby is the Bayeaux War Cemetery.

- Philippa B.

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Normandy Day Trips from Paris Things to Do

July Column Place de Bastille. Photo courtesy of Carlos Marta via Flickr

Those in Paris are probably having quite the experience right now as thousands 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. They were smiling and greeting new and old friends as the flags of France, big and small, waved above their heads. The incredible spirit can be felt through photographs like these.

In a recent interview, President-elect Hollande predicted that he would heal the rifts among the people that had been created by his opponent. Soon he will take office, and we will find out if this comes true. Perhaps the political environment of France is about to change, but the spirit of the people will most definitely remain the same.

-Viator Team

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Paris Celebrates Their New President in Place de la Bastille from Paris Things to Do

Take a lovely walk through Pere LaChaise. Photo courtesy of Till Krech via Flickr.

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.

These days, of course, it’s embraced by the city and easily reached by metro. Despite already having over a million graves, the cemetery is still holding funerals, although there is now a waiting list! Covering 110 acres (44 ha) of hilly ground, with plentiful trees and flowers and a well-planned system of avenues, a stroll in Pere Lachaise is really a stroll in the park with history thrown in. The tombs range from very simple headstones to huge sculptures and mini-chapels. The most famous grave is that of Jim Morrison; it’s said to be the fourth most-visited tourist site in Paris. Since he was buried there in 1971 there has been a constant stream of fans who have stolen his headstone, graffitied it, left drugs and other offerings and even tried to dig up his body. The site is now well-guarded but also not easy to find as it’s tucked in behind other graves in a small plot. A much larger monument which attracts fans is that of Oscar Wilde. Recently the scrawled messages and lipstick kisses have been cleaned off and the tomb is now protected by glass. The monument to famous lovers Abelard and Heloise is also a homage site where romantics leave letters outlining their hopes and dreams.

- Philippa B.

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Pere Lachaise Cemetery from Paris Things to Do

The Luxembourg Gardens are one of the world’s great places. They’re beautiful and iconic of Paris, they’re full of history and contain plenty to do and see. Built along with the Palais du Luxembourg in the 17th century by a heartbroken Marie de Medicis, after the assassination of her husband Henry IV, the park is typical of the time with its formal layout of avenues of trees, the central fountain and vista of the palace.

These days the Palais is the seat of the French Senate and you can go inside and watch a session for free. The building is based of Marie’s home in Florence, the Pitti Palace, with an updated, more French look to it. The 60 acre (25ha) gardens themselves are very popular with both Parisians and tourists. French children grow up pushing boats in the central fountain, Grand Basin, and you can rent the small sailing boats and launch your own.

Other activities in the park include tennis, pony rides, and a puppet theater, Les Marionnettes du Luxembourg. Times of puppet shows vary throughout the year but you can find them listed here, under Les Programmes. The puppets and pony rides are generally on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays but more frequently during the spring and summer months with several performances each day. The park is great for kids with a classic carousel, Manege, and a very clean playground (parc a jeux). There is a fee to enter the playground but it is filled with activities divided into age-specific sections.

When you get hungry there is a café and other food vendors dotted around the park. In line with Parisians’ aversion to sitting on the grass you can hire chairs, which you may move to wherever you like. Don’t miss the baroque Fontaine de Medicis to one side of the palace building; it’s beautiful and tranquil. The park is free and closes at sunset each day.

If you like the Luxembourg Gardens you should also check out these Top 5 Gardens in Paris along with my recommendations for where to go in Paris in Spring.

- Philippa Burne

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Tips for Visiting the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris from Paris Things to Do

Macaroons in Paris are a delightful treat.

Paris is a city of the senses – sight and taste predominate. In terms of sounds, it can be filled with music or just the rush of traffic; smells can go from sublime to awful depending whether you’re standing in the food court of Galeries Lafayette or next to a busy road, and touch.

But predominantly, Paris fills the eyes and tempts the taste buds. One of the things the French are famous for are their sweet treats – pastries, cakes, and desserts – and of these, one of their most famous gifts to the world is the macaron (sometimes spelled “macaroon”, which is actually a coconut cookie) – two shiny, crisp, thin meringue-like biscuits filled with a delicate cream. Little bite size explosions of flavor that weigh a few grams and entice the eye with their many colors and the palate with their many flavors. You cannot leave Paris without tasting at least one macaroon, and if you are going to limit it to just one, then make sure it comes from one of the following two establishments:

Laduree. Deservedly famous for their macarons, Laduree have a restaurant and retail shop on the Champs Elysses, as well as an outlet in Le Printemps department store. If you really leave it to the last minute, they have a small outlet at Orly Airport. For their 150th anniversary, Laduree is releasing a cherry blossom flavored macaroon designed by Japanese fashion designer Tsumori Chisato. In their four stores in Paris they sell around 800 macarons a day.

Pierre Herme. With around 20 flavors, macarons are their specialty. They have a store near Opera and also inside Galeries Lafayette, as well as dotted around the city. Don’t be put off by the lines outside; it’s worth the wait. White truffle hazelnut macaron, anyone?

You’ll find even more of France’s Best Food at Maison Dalloyau.

- Philippa Burne

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Where to Find Macarons in Paris from Paris Things to Do

Luxembourg Gardens and Palace in the Distance

Spring is a happy time in Paris; everyone’s emerging from their winter hibernation and venturing back onto the streets and into the parks and cafes. You might need to take a jacket and scarf but the sun will be out and the flowers blooming. Some of the best places to soak up the spring sun are:

Jardin du Luxembourg

Marie de Medici’s royal residence during the Renaissance, there are wonderful formal gardens, daffodils, blossoms and green benches near the fountain for sitting and people-watching, an excellent Parisian pastime. Remember, there is no sitting on the grass – the French are too elegant for that.

Jardin des Tuileries

Between the Louvre and the Champs Elysees, this is a place to stroll and sit for a while but it’s more about people-watching than floral displays.

Promenade Plantee

Floral gardens planted on a defunct elevated railway line with springtime cherry blossoms, chestnut trees, bamboo and colorful flower gardens. It’s a hidden gem leading from the Bastille to the Bois des Vincenne. Enter above the Viaduc des Arts.

Seine River Cruise/Canal Cruise

Seeing Paris from the water gives a whole new perspective. Take the Canal Saint Martin cruise and then head to the Buttes-Chaumont Park where sitting on the grass is actually not forbidden!

Jardin des Plantes

This is the place for flowers in Paris with a rose garden, a tropical garden, a botanical garden and an iris garden. It’s also the location of the National Museum of Natural History so there’s plenty of learning for kids.

Musee Rodin

Good to visit any time of the year but one of its splendors is the garden which in spring has roses blooming among the Rodin sculptures.

City of Lights

Taking a bottle of wine onto one of Paris’s many bridges or to the riverside as the sun sets is a lovely way to start the evening. From the Pont des Arts pedestrian bridge you can watch the Eiffel Tower light up.

- Philippa Burne

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Paris in Spring – Things to Do from Paris Things to Do

Promenade Plantée. Photo courtesy of Felipe Ventura dos Santos via Flickr.

At first sight, central Paris can seem like a city crammed with buildings. Look closer and of course you’ll discover the manicured lawns and clipped trees of large gardens like the Luxembourg and Tuileries. Tucked away though are smaller stretches of greenery with seasonal plantings of flowers and meandering gravel pathways. Here are our favorite top 5 lesser known Paris gardens.

1. Jardin des Plantes

The Jardin des Plantes is the largest of our Paris gardens – in fact, it’s the city’s main botanical gardens. But it’s so charming and comparatively tucked away, it really is a must-see.

The gardens are right by Gare d’Austerlitz on the Left Bank, running back from the Seine. Tree-lined promenades run in ordered ranks down the centre, but much more interesting are the flower beds of picturesquely planted perennials and annuals, the iris water gardens, rambling Alpine rock garden, greenhouses, roses and tropical plants. Depending on the season, you might also spot massed plantings of peonies, tulips, lilies, poppies, violas and primroses.

If you’re a garden lover you’ll find plenty of diversions in the garden beds alone. If not, the garden is also home to a Geology Museum, Children’s Gallery, Palaeontology Museum, the Grand Gallery of Evolution, the Museum of Man and a tiny but very historic children’s zoo.

2. Promenade Plantée

Almost 5km (3 miles) of former railway line has been transformed into a floral walkway, running through the 12th arrondissement from the Bastille to the Bois de Vincennes.

Near the Bastille, the elevated garden runs above the archway boutiques and workshops of the Viaduc des Arts, and is accessed along the way by footbridges, steps and tunnels. The views are unique, and the areas of Paris you’ll pass through are off the beaten track, granting you secret glimpses of houses and backstreets.

The walkway is planted with a variety of trees, including maples and limes, along with seasonal beauties like roses, lavender and wisteria.

3. Rodin Museum

It’s hard to believe that the walled gardens surrounding the Rodin Museum were once considered something of a secret. Now the secret is well and truly out, and visitors come to the museum as much to admire Rodin’s incomparable marble statues as to take an inner-city wander through the garden’s tranquil avenues of trees.

Several of Rodin’s statues are tucked away behind trees and within the garden’s landscaped stretches of lawns, gravel pathways, rose beds and pond. Seek out the bronze copies of the Kiss, the Thinker, Balzac and of course the Burghers of Calais.

The garden’s lilies, irises, peonies, hostas and oak-leafed hydrangeas are especially lovely. You’ll also find a marquee-style cafe in the garden, serving a sumptuous range of cakes, salads and sandwiches.

4. Palais Royale

Step through the Palais Royale’s arcades and courtyards, opposite the Louvre, and you’ll discover a long stretch of manicured lawn edged by avenues of neatly clipped trees, backed by the historic colonnades of the Palais Royale.

Parisians come to this secluded formal garden to read newspapers in the sun on chairs surrounding ornamental ponds, fountains and quirky sculptures. Just metres away, under the arcades, is the historic Le Grand Véfour restaurant. Also under the colonnade is the spot where the Revolutionary crowds were exhorted by Camille Desmoulins to take arms in July 1789, just days before the fall of the Bastille.

The gardens are entered via the Cour d’Honneur, with its modern black and white striped columns that look like boiled sweets. After you’ve relaxed in the sunshine around the central pond, take a wander under the arcades past chic boutiques, antiques stores and perfumiers, and soak up the long history of the Palais Royale, created by Cardinal Richelieu back in the 1630s. Look up and imagine legendary French writer Colette looking down onto the garden – in the 1930s she lived in one of the highly sought-after apartments above the arcades.

5. Square du Vert Galant

Square du Vert-Galant Paris. Photo courtesy of RachelH via Flickr.

This tiny, incredibly central, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it patch of landscaped garden is tucked away on the Ile de la Cité’s western tip as you cross the River Seine via the Pont Neuf bridge.

Squeezed onto the island’s tip is a teeny plectrum-shaped patch of grass, a ring of shady trees overlooking the water, some park benches and the occasional flower bed. Steps lead down to the garden from behind the statue of Henri IV sitting astride his horse. The park is named for Henri, the ‘green galant’ who was known for his dashing ways, and true to its name it’s popular with amorous couples today.

-Viator Team

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Top 5 Gardens in Paris from Paris Things to Do

Paris By Citroen 2CV Tours

If you are looking for the most charming way to see a side of Paris ordinary tours cannot give you – the Paris Private Citroen 2CV Tour is the perfect way to enjoy Paris like a movie star.

Your intimate journey through Paris in a chauffeur driven Citroen 2CV, with its convertible roof, will make you really feel like you are in a movie as this iconic little car twists down Paris’s labyrinth of narrow alleyways and side streets. This is the perfect tour for couples, or small families, and so unique it will charm even the seasoned Paris visitor.

The quintessentially Parisian 2CV will take you to some of Paris’s secret gems such as the Place Vendome and the Hotel de Sens. Your chauffeur is the most charming tour guide and will fully cater to all your wants and needs, while filling you on some of the more juicy and intriguing history of Paris and given you fabulous itinerary ideas for your stay in Paris.

The Private Citroen tour takes as a little as an hour, or you can book up to a whole day of fun, the choice of how long you take the tour, and what time of day is completely up to you. Having a private tour also gives you a lot more flexibility in terms of where to eat, what to do and what to see. A good idea is to combine your Citroen tour with another activity, such as a day trip outside Paris, or wine-tasting.

- Viator Travel Team

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[VIDEO] Paris By Citroen 2CV Tour from Paris Things to Do

Get some colorful macaroons while in Paris. Photo courtesy of UggBoy via Flickr.

You’ll discover a delicious emal at the Maison Dalloyau house of gastronomy. France is as much about food as it is about art and when you combine the two you get the gorgeous edibles produced by Maison Dalloyau. From their famous colorful macaroons and the beautiful and delicious cakes, to that Frenchest of things, foie gras and a fricassee de champignons, these people know how to make something special with food.

Established in 1682, Maison Dalloyau is still in the hands of the original family with a new generation recently having taken over from their mother. The very first Dalloyau prepared banquets for Louis XIV at Versailles. These days creative cuisine is available to all of us not just the kings and queens, and there are eight locations in Paris including five Salon de The Dalloyau, or tea rooms at Bastille, Luxembourg, Boulogne, Convention and Saint-Honore. This last one is their original store and has a restaurant upstairs if you can drag yourself past the cakes and pastries.

Dalloyau cakes are also available in the gourmet food hall at Galeries Lafayette, Paris’s iconic department store near the Opera. One of Dalloyau’s most famous cakes, invented in 1955, is called Opera and is eight layers of liquer soaked cake, chocolate ganache and coffee buttercream. They will also make up gift boxes and mealtrays if you have a special occasion and cater dinners, receptions and so on. Recently they have taken over the kitchens of the Moulin Rouge which is a great honor for that iconic club. Paris is full of cake shops but Maison Dalloyau is the one to head for if you want to taste the best French patisseries in the world.

Browse Paris food tours or read more about Cooking in Paris.

- Philippa Burne

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France’s Best Food from Paris Things to Do

Galignani has been around since the invention of the Printing Press.

Living history and written history, the famous Parisian bookshop Galignani has both. With family roots going back to the first printing presses in Venice in the 16th century when Simone Galignani published a Latin grammar book, Galignani has been an important name for books since they became mass produced.

There has been a Galignani bookshop in Paris since 1801, also a publishing business and a reading room for books and newspapers in English. They created Galignani’s Messenger, a daily English-language paper and help for tourists – sadly no longer in existence. But the quality of this paper and the importance of Galignani is shown by the fact that writers contributing included Lord Byron, the poet Wordsworth and novelists Thackeray and Scott. In 1856 the shop moved to a large elegantly arched building at 224, Rue de Rivoli, near the Louvre and across the road from the Tuileries Gardens, and that’s where you still find it today, still in the hands of the Galignani family. The huge wooden shelves hold 50,000 English-language books specializing in fine art and fashion books, and what they haven’t got, they’ll order in for you and ship home so you don’t have to carry it.

I love places like this, where you can go and feel at home, share a passion for history, beauty, travel and books with people who speak your language – especially in Paris which can be a lonely place if you don’t speak French. And even if you’re not book buying on your travels, go and look at the Galignani windows, their displays are famous and they get the best such as items from the Hermes archives and other fashion houses, or they’ll let loose a chef to decorate the place. You’ll see why the place is such an icon and such a magnet for travelers.

- Philippa Burne

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Paris tours and things to do, Paris attractions, and Paris travel recommendations, or book a private tour guide in Paris for a customized tour!

Galignani Bookstore from Paris Things to Do