PARIS - France 2014 - page 187

Then stroll gradually downhill among the glass buildings to the Esplanade de la Défense
Métro station, and return home from there.
La Grande Arche de la Fraternité: The centerpiece ofthis ambitious complex, this
mammoth arch was inaugurated in 1989 on the 200th anniversary of the French Revolu-
tion. It was, like the Revolution, dedicated to human rights and brotherhood. The place is
big—Notre-Dame Cathedral could fit under its arch. The “cloud”—a huge canvas canopy
under the arch—is an attempt to cut down on the wind-tunnel effect this gigantic building
creates.
Lunch on the Steps: Join the locals and picnic on the arch steps; good to-go places
are plentiful (and cafés are nearby).
The Esplanade: La Défense is much more than its eye-catching arch. Survey the
skyscraping scene from the top of the steps. Wander from the arch back toward the city
center(andtothenextMétrostop)alongtheEsplanade(a.k.a.“leParvis”).TheEsplanade
is a virtual open-air modern art gallery, sporting pieces by Joan Miró (blue, red, and yel-
low), Alexander Calder (red), and Yaacov Agam (the fountain with colorful stripes and
rhythmically dancing spouts), among others. La Défense de Paris, the statue that gave the
area its name, recalls the 1871 Franco-Prussian war—it's a rare bit of old Paris out here in
the 'burbs.
As you descend the Esplanade, notice how the small gardens and boules courts (red-
dish dirt areas) are designed to integrate tradition into this celebration of modern com-
merce. Note also how the buildings decrease in height and increase in age—the Nexity
Tower (closest to central Paris) looks old compared to the other skyscrapers. Dating from
the 1960s, it was one of the first buildings at La Défense. Your walk ends at the amusing
fountain of Bassin Takis, where you'll find the Esplanade de la Défense Métro station that
zips you out of all this modernity and directly back into town.
Marais Neighborhood and Nearby
(See “Marais Neighborhood & Nearby” map, here . )
The Marais neighborhood extends along the Right Bank of the Seine, from the Pompidou
Center to the Bastille, the prison of Revolution fame. But don't waste time looking for the
Bastille; the building is long gone, and just the square remains.
With more pre-Revolutionary lanes and buildings than any-where else in town, the
Marais is more atmospheric than touristy. It's medieval Paris, and the haunt of the old no-
bility. During the reign of Henry IV, this area—originally a swamp (marais) —became the
hometown of the French aristocracy. In the 17th century, big shots built their private man-
sions (hôtels) close to Henry's stylish Place des Vosges.