subject: A Different Way To See Paris [print this page] They say you havent really seen a city if you havent experienced its hidden delights. In the case of Paris, were talking about the famous underground tunnels that run for thousands (yes, thousands) of kilometers under the city. In fact, your Paris boutique hotel is built on one. So if youve seen all the touristy places - the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the dozens of famous museums and cafes dotting the city - its time you visited the less-seen, but perhaps more interesting, places both under, and over, the ground.
The Sewers
When people want to be fancy, especially if theyre connected with your wonderful Paris boutique hotel, theyd probably refer to the sewers as Muse des Egouts. But on ordinary days, its just Egouts de Paris, or simply the sewers. But you may be wondering - whats the big deal about the citys sewers, when every other city in the world has them? The answer is simple: history. As with any other big city in the world, residents of Paris [before the time of Napoleon] dumped their waste into the Seine, which happened to also be their main source of drinking water. Not cool, right? So came Napoleon and along with his grand design for empire and conquest was the construction of one basic thing: an efficient sewerage system that would make things more pleasant for the citizen in terms of waste disposal and a general reduction in smelliness. Curiously, touring the sewers is like the underground equivalent of touring the city, because every sewer is marked with the name of the street directly above it. Naturally, this so-called [smelly] museum is closed to public access after a heavy rain.
The Catacombs
Starkly contrasting the inviting ambience of your Paris boutique hotel, the catacombs, or as they say in Paris, les catacombes, is home to the bones of six million people. It was constructed out of sheer, acute necessity: during the French Revolution, and in its bloody aftermath, the number of the dead grossly exceeded the capacity of the surrounding cemeteries. As the network of tunnels under the city was pretty much unused, why not make them a ready-made catacomb? Today, the catacombs overlap with the sewers because theyre all part of the extensive tunnel system under Paris. Like all other catacombs, this one consists of several galleries packed with human bones - most of which were products of a revolution that not only changed a country, but inspired other such uprisings around the world.
From Under the Ground, to Up in the Clouds
There is nothing quite as awesome as heading to the Heliport de Paris and boarding one of IXAIR Helicopteres choppers for a birds eye view of Paris. Thats why were including this in this underground tourist spot review: it only enhances ones sense of appreciation of whats down there, in the dark. Your Paris boutique hotel can probably help you in making a reservation with IXAIR, but be aware that its only available on Saturdays, so take that into consideration. But if you do succeed in getting on-board an IXAIR chopper, heres the fun: sweeping, unlimited views of the entire cityscape. That, plus the thrill of the ride itself. The chopper ride lasts from 30 to 50 minutes, depending on the package you choose, and covers the citys safer air space. The route will usually sweep outside the citys confines and into the countryside.
