Springtime in Paris: Most Overrated Attractions and Their Brilliant Alternatives

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The city of Paris, whose bohemian cafes and picturesque streets served once as a refuge for damned poets and self-exiled painters, has nowadays become a money-making machine that attracts millions and millions of travelers every year. But it would be unfair to claim that Paris as a whole is overrated – few other cities can match Paris in terms of architectural excellence, number of museums or glamorous boutiques.
It is a common mistake among Paris tourists to spend half of their time standing in lines and waiting in the traffic. No one can deny the importance of such sites as Notre Dame or the Louvre, but let us just accept that, if it wasn’t for a few famous movies, these places would have received only half of the attention they are enjoying now. Paris is the kind of city that requires lots of patience and the willingness to explore it all by yourself. So, of you really want to get a taste of Paris an not just a scrap book full of clichéd pictures, the first thing to do is leave all those overrated, time wasting attractions behind and just enjoy everything else:

Eiffel Tower

With no disregard to the 360 degree view of central Paris that one can admire from the top floor of Eiffel Tower, it really doesn’t worth half a day of standing in line just for 10 minutes of taking pictures and looking around. Just a few miles away you can take the Salvatore at Tour Montparnasse (Montparnesse 56) and see everything there is to see without too much drama. Another option would be to climb up to Sacre Coeur Cathedral in Montmartre – a great opportunity to admire the city’s most bohemian district and get a free panorama.

Louvre Museum

Louvre might claim to be the biggest museum in the world, but do you really want to spend here an entire day, walking on your tiptoes in hope that you will get a glance at Mona Lisa’s mysterious smile? Just head for Centre George Pompidou, a one of a kind Parisian building that is home to an impressive collection of modern art. Focused mainly on the painters and sculptors that have lived and created in Paris’ workshops, Centre Pompidou represents ‘la crème de la crème’ in terms of modern art.

Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris might be the only Disney themed park in Europe, but it has nothing in common with the City of Lights. If you are traveling with your family and are trying to make your trip as children friendly as possible, all you have to do is take them to visit the old carousels at Jardins de Tuilerie, Jardins de Louxembourg or Champ de Mars. A boat ride on the Seine or some guided tours for children can be just as fun.

Notre Dame

Just one sight of all those hundreds of people crowding to get inside the masterfully carved walls of Notre Dame is enough to spoil your appetite for taking a picture with the gargoyles on top. No Quasimodo or  Esmeralda will ever welcome you here, so, in case you are not willing to wake up at 7 a clock when the church opens, just try and give a chance to some other splendid churches like the neighboring Sainte Chapelle, Saint Denis Basilica, or St. Gervais-St.Protais Church.

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