Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie

One of the world's largest and most visited science museums, La Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie is on an impressive modern site in northeastern Paris. The Parc de la Villette is a unique area of culture and leisure in Paris. Offering a wide variety of exhibitions and shows, this cultural crossroads is also a lovely park, with gardens surrounding the Ourcq canal. La cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie is located at the top of the park, and is a masterwork of modern architecture.
Nearby, you will find play-grounds for children, la grande halle - a giant hall for exhibitions and shows, the national conservatory of music and dance, and the "folies" - small red buildings housing mini-exhibits and snack bars.
Among its several features are:
The Explora where you can pilot an airplane, step inside of a camera, travel throughout the human body, visit the Ariane rocket, and much much more.
The Argonaute an attack submarine open to visitors.
The Géode, one of the world's largest geodesic domes, and Franc's first Omnimax movie theatre equiped with a 1000 square metre screen.
The planetarium.
The cinaxe - a simulator outfitted with with the same equipment used to train airplane pilots and train engineers.
Images copyright (c) 1994/1995 La Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie (used with permission).

1. The Géode - A powerful symbol of the future and the past.

2. Daytime view with clouds reflected in the geodesic sphere.

3. A boat on the canal just on the southern boundary of La Cité

4. Numerous science exhibits for children and adults alike abound in the museum.

5. The park on the southern side of the museum.

6. The main museum building is surrounded by a moat.

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Notre Dame

A Bit of History Proceeded by a Gallo-Roman temple to Jupiter, a Christian basilica, and a Romanesque church, construction of Notre-Dame de Paris began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII. Pope Alexander III laid the foundation stone. The idea to replace the Romanesque church occupying the site - the Cathedral of St. Etienne (founded by Childebert in 528) - was that of Bishop Maurice de Sully (who died in 1196). (Some accounts claim that there were two churches existing on the site, one to the Virgin Mary, the other to St. Stephen.) Construction was completed roughly 200 years later in about 1345.
The choir was completed in 1182; the nave in 1208, and the west front and towers circa 1225-1250. A series of chapels were added to the nave during the period 1235-50, and during 1296-1330 to the apse (Pierre de Chelles and Jean Ravy). The transept crossings were build in 1250-67 by Jean de Chelles and Pierre de Montreuil (also the architect of the Sainte-Chapelle). It was essentially completed according to the original plans.

The reigns of Louis XIV (end of the 17th century) and Louis XV saw significant alterations including the destruction of tombs, and stained glass. At the end of the 18th century, during the Revolution, many of the treasures of the cathedral were either destroyed or plundered. Only the great bells avoided being melted down, and the Cathedral was dedicated first to the cult of Reason, and to the cult of the Supreme being. The church interior was used as a warehouse for the storage of forage and food.
After falling into disrepair, a restoration program overseen by Lassus (died 1857) and Viollet-le-Duc, was carried out in 1845. This program lasted 23 years, and included the construction of the spire (see image) and the sacristy.

During the Commune of 1871, the Cathedral was nearly burned by the Communards - and some accounts suggest that indeed a huge mound of chairs was set on fire in its interior. Whatever happened, the Notre Dame survived the Commune essentially unscathed.
Now in 1991, a 10 year program of general maintenance and restoration has begun, and sections of the structure are likely to be shrouded in scaffolds for the foreseeable future.
During its history, Notre Dame has been the site of numerous official and other ceremonial occasions. These include:
1239; The Crown of Thorns placed in the Cathedral by St. Louis during the construction of Sainte-Chapelle.
1302; Philip the Fair opens the first States General here.
1430; Henri VI of England is crowned here.
Mary Stuart becomes Queen of France after her marriage to François II, and is crowned here.
1572; Marguerite of Valoi is married to the Huguenot Henri of Navarre here.
2 December 1804; After the anointing by Pius VII, Napoléon seizes the crown from the pontiff and crowns first himself, then Josephine.
26 August 1944; The Te Deum Mass celebrates the liberation of Paris. (According to some accounts the Mass was interrupted by snipping from both the internal and external galleries.)
12 November 1970; The Requiem Mass of General de Gaulle is held here.
31 May 1980; After the Magnificat of this day, Pope John Paul II celebrates Mass on the parvis in front of the Cathedral.

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Salle des Traditions de la Garde républicaine

Salle des Traditions de la Garde Républicaine retraçant l'histoire de ce corps de 1802 à nos jours. Mannequins, hommes et chevaux, documents, coiffures, uniformes, équipements, harnachements,instruments de musique, armes sont présentés en situation sous forme de dioramas. 1er jeudi de chaque mois: démonstrations des formations spéciales de la Garde Républicaine sur invitation,par demande écrite - 6 mois à l'avance: 12, boulevard Henri IV - 75004 Paris
Exhibition on the traditions of the Garde Républicaine tracing back its history from 1802 to the present day. Models, men and horses, documents, hairstyles, uniforms, equipment, harnessing, musical instruments and arms are presented in situ in the form of dioramas. First Thursday of each month: special formation demonstrations of the Garde Républicaine by invitation, by written request - 6 months in advance: 12, boulevard Henri IV - 75004 Paris

Collections : Archéologie , Histoire , Médailles , Peinture , Photographie , Sculpture , Techniques , Textile , Documents , Musique , Maquettes

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Le Musée Du Louvre

Le musée du Louvre, ancienne demeure des rois de France, est depuis deux siècles l'un des plus grands musées dumonde. Ses collections sont réparties en 7 départements : Antiquités orientales, Antiquités égyptiennes, Antiquitésgrecques, étrusques et romaines ; Peintures, Sculptures, Objets d'art et Arts graphiques du Moyen Age jusqu'à 1850.Toujours en phase d'aménagement, le projet Grand Louvre sera totalement terminé en 1997. La première étapedu projet a été achevée en 1989 (ouverture du nouvel accès par la pyramide de verre de I.M. Pei et découverte desvestiges du Louvre médiéval). En 1993, l'aile Richelieu a été ouverte. Elle présente des sculptures françaises, des objetsd'art, des peintures des écoles du Nord et des peintures françaises (jusqu'au XVIIe siècle), des antiquités orientaleset l'art de l'islam. Parallèlement était inauguré le Carrousel du Louvre, grand espace souterrain avec boutiques - parcde stationnement - espaces d'expositions ou de manifestations prestigieuses. En octobre 1994, de nouvelles sallesprésentant les sculptures étrangères ont été inaugurées. Au cours de la dernière phase du projet de nombreusessalles seront réaménagées dans les ailes Sully et Denon du musée (avec notamment des antiquités égyptiennes,grecques, étrusques et romaines et des peintures italiennes) le Jardin des Tuileries sera rénové.
The Musée du Louvre, the former home of the kings of France, is for two centuries one now of the largest museums in the world. its collections are distributed into 7 departments: Oriental antiques, Egyptian antiques, Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiques; Paintings, Sculptures and Objets d'Art from the Middle Ages to 1850. Still in its development stage, the Grand Louvre project shall only be totally finished in 1997. The first stage of the project was finished in 1989 (opening of the new access via the glass pyramid designed by I.M. Pei and discovery of the vestiges of the medieval Louvre). In 1993, the Richelieu wing was opened. It exhibits French sculptures, objets d'art, paintings from the Northern schools and French paintings (up to the seventeenth century, oriental antiques and the art of Islam. The Carrousel du Louvre, was inaugurated in parallel. This is a large underground complex with stores, car parks and areas for exhibitions and prestigious events. In October 1994, new rooms presenting foreign sculptures were inaugurated. During the last phase of the project many rooms will be redeveloped in the Sully and Denon wings (with namely Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiques and Italian paintings), the Jardin des Tuileries will also be renovated.

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