14. DRIVE THROUGH PARIS.
Nothing will serve to convey to the stranger so good an idea
of the general aspect and topography of the French metropolis
as a drive on the top of an omnibus or in an open carriage through
the principal streets. The vehicle should of course in this case
be engaged à l'heure, and the driver desired to convey the visitor
through the town by the following route.
The Palais Royal is selected as the most convenient starting-point.
Thence through the Rue de Rivoli to the Place de la
Concorde (p. 78), the Champs Elysées (p. 82), Palais de l'Industrie
(p. 83), Arc de l'Etoile (p. 85); down to the Pont d'Iéna,
Champ de Mars; Hôtel des Invalides (p. 155), Boulevard des Invalides,
Boulevard du Mont Parnasse, at the extremity of which,
to the r., is situated the Observatoire (p. 134); thence to the l.,
to the Boulevard St. Michel, along the Boulevard, passing Ney's
monument, the Jardin du Luxembourg (p. 133), the Panthéon (p. 138),
the extremity of the Rue Soufflot and the Palais de Justice (p. 94),
near which the two bridges are crossed; then to the r. through
the Rue de Rivoli, passing the Tour St. Jacques (p. 46) and the
Hôtel de Ville (p. 92); through the Rue St. Antoine to the Place
de la Bastille and the July Column, then along the old Boulevards
(see p. 33) to the Madeleine.
The drive will occupy about 3 hrs. and (according as the
vehicle is hired at 2 fr. or 2½ fr. per hour) cost 6—7 fr., including
1 fr. gratuity. It may, however, be reduced to 2½ hrs.,
if the carriage be quitted at the Colonne de Juillet. The Boulevards,
which would thus be omitted, may be sufficiently inspected
in the course of subsequent walks. In this case the stranger
may proceed to the cemetery of
Père Lachaise, a walk through the
principal parts of which occupies at least 2 hrs.
From Ménilmontant, at the corner of the Boulevards Extérieurs,
near Père Lachaise, an omnibus starts every quarter of an hour
for the Boulevard de Filles du Calvaire (a drive of 10 min.),
whence (correspondance, p. 23) omnibuses run every 5 min.,
along the entire length of the Boulevards, to the Madeleine (in
25 min.).
After this preliminary voyage of discovery, the stranger may
then proceed at his leisure to explore the metropolis in detail.
