7th Arondissement - Eiffel Tower and Invalides
Paris at its poshest and most stiff. The 7th arrondissement is home to a lot of sights: the Eiffel Tower, the Invalides (where they let you peek, from a respectable distance, at Napoleon's coffin), the Musee Rodin and the Musee d'Orsay. But they are connected by acres and acres of urban wasteland: long, wide boulevards without shops, restaurants or any other sign of life. It is almost as though some town planner had designed the 7th as an advertisement for living life in the economy class – if this is what it's like to be wealthy, you will be tempted to conclude, I'd rather stay poor, thank you very much.But then again, the combination of long, tree-lined boulevards and the need to cover substantial distances in between sights may make the 7th the perfect area for trying out the local Rent-a-Bike scheme, the "Velib'" – a snip at € 8 per week. Or perhaps even for experiencing Paris in the "most Parisian way of all", from the back of a scooter – there are quite a few companies who will let you rent one or even offer you guided tours. (All you need is a valid car driver's license.)
