Several students are taking business classes in Paris through a summer program sponsored by the David Eccles School of Business, exploring the city, its culture and its business landscape. We’ll be sharing several of their experiences here.
Here, student Sarah Brown writes about Arrondissment #4, one of the city’s 20 distinct districts:
Paris is a highly romanticized city, and for good reason. You have the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arch de Triumph, the Palais Garnier Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Sacre Coeur and so much more. They are some of the things that have brought fame to Paris and they are spread out through the 20 districts or arrondissements that make up the city.
To me, Paris has the most to offer when it comes to sightseeing, fashion and food. When I step onto the cobblestone streets I can practically taste the gelato in the air, I see the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower and I feel on top of the world, and when I walk down the Champs Elysees I can’t help but feel under-dressed.
Arrondissment #4
The fourth district happens to be the third smallest district with 28,192 residents. Seventy-eight percent of these residents were born in Paris and 10.8% are non-European immigrants. This district is probably one of the most popular, housing both Notre Dame and Pont des Arts, or the “love-lock bridge.” If you want to stay in this historic district, you could check out Hotel Louis Marias. It’s a nice two-star hotel with double rooms starting at €169.
Tourist Attraction:
I would say the largest tourist attraction in the fourth district would be the Notre Dame Cathedral. I would give you the address but if you can’t find Notre Dame then you don’t deserve to be in Paris. The cathedral is open every day of the year from 8 a.m. until 6:45 p.m. If you are interested you can go to mass at Notre Dame, but be prepared because they do not close it off to the public so you may have a tourist sit down by you, snap a picture and walk away. If mass is not your cup of tea, you should definitely go inside because it is a gorgeous building with its Gothic architecture.
Notre Dame Cathedral
Amazing Architectural Finds:
The Hotel de Ville is just across from Notre Dame and is a huge castle-like building that will stop you in your steps. Paris’s municipal government uses this building as its city hall, but it also houses its mayor within its elegant walls. It also serves as a reception hall if you happen to be in need of a huge reception hall and have enough money to pay for it.
Hotel de Ville
Today’s Business Shout Out!
Subway! If you’re looking for a taste of America or for some reason decided that you no longer want to eat French food then you have the wonderful alternative of a Subway sandwich shop. I personally wouldn’t waste my time here when you are in one of the food capitols of the world, but to each his own.
The Most Interesting Thing I Found:
The most interesting thing to me and many, many tourists that come through district four would be Pont des Arts, or the Lock Bridge. Pont des Arts is a pedestrian bridge that crosses the Seine river in the fourth district. Over the years it has become famous for lovers to put a lock on the bridge with their names on it to symbolically lock their love forever. This summer, a panel of the lock bridge collapsed under the weight of the locks. It is currently under repair. Even though you may want to lock your love to this bridge, the city does have to cut locks off occasionally because it has been damaging the structure of the bridge for years.
Pont des Arts (or, the Lock Bridge)
I hope you lock your love while in this district! Au revoir!
(All photos courtesy of Sarah Brown. You can follow her adventures in Paris on her Mona, Macarons and Snails blog.)