Hi, I'll be going my first trip to Paris quite soon, and wonder what are the architectural must see buildings and interiors?

Also, deciding on a short visit to one of either Amsterdam, Brussels or Barcelona - which would you all recommend for contemporary architecture and cityscapes?

Cheers,
spadestick

musee d'orsay (art museum converted from railway station)
eifel tower!

There's just so much! Maybe just enjoy Paris for being Paris the first time. Stay somewhere central - maybe in the Latin Quarter, see all the tourist sights!

I've always enjoyed the recently restored Opera Garnier because of its grandeur.

Also La Defence with the Grand Arch and Parc La Vilette with its constructionist follies.

The Picasso Museum is on of the best designed layouts for a museum ever, plus lots of amazing art of course. Centre Pompidou.

How long are you going for? If its only a little while- be a tourist. If not there's a few places Swank-E's covered in the travel thread to go see.

It's been ages since I was in Paris but from experience I would recommend the Pompidou Centre and the Arab Institute. But above anything else, if possible, try to get out to Villa Savoye.

A new trip is well overdue on my part but I do want to see the National Library (jparchitectus has a thread on Dominic Perrault (http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2212)) and Musée du Quai Branly (digdoi started a thread (http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3583) on this one)

thanks for the suggestions, i found the thread "Paris trip"... good tips too!

from Paris, which city do you think and feel is better to head to - Brussels, Amsterdam, or Barcelona?

I can't decide, based on cost of travel via train / flight to these places.

It depends what you are looking for. I would suggest either Barcelona or Amsterdam. There is a lot of great and inspiring architecture to see in an around Amsterdam. I have not yet been to Barcelona but right now it is topping my list of next places to visit....it is even more overdue than Paris. Any architect I have met who has been there says I have to go.

if possible, try to get out to Villa Savoye.


The Villa is worth the trip and, while not contemporary, you should go to the Palace of Versailles. It's humongous and the gardens are very nice.

Amsterdam and Barcelona are both keepers. You can just flip a coin. You will have a great experiance in either city. You are in a lucky position when you have a choice between two spectacular places. Seriously, flip a coin.

Barcelona's warmer! Amsterdam's cooler & wetter!

You want to sweat it out, or get wet? Your choice! :D

thanks guys, i hate to sweat, since I'm from a sweaty region

I would suggest you to visit also some less recent but reference buildings, like Pierre Chareau's maison de verre, Le Corbusier's swiss pavillion and maison La Roche / Jeanneret (headquarters of the Fondation Le Corbusier), Niemeyer's french comunist party headquarters, and I'm sure there are a lot more of the same period that are worth a visit.
I find Lacaton & Vassal's Palais de Tokyo quite intriguing (from photos - I've never been there) and personally I would include it in my list of buildings to visit in Paris. You can find some travel info and images in Ivar Hagendoorn's website (http://www.ivarhagendoorn.com/photos/series/palais-de-tokyo-1).
For info on some of these and other buildings don't forget to check MIMOA (http://www.mimoa.eu/browse/projects/France/Paris/).
As for the other cities, my choice would be between Barcelona and Amsterdam and I would follow Ryarch's selection method... ;)

thank you vOid!

The Picasso Museum is on of the best designed layouts for a museum ever, plus lots of amazing art of course. Centre Pompidou.

yes, i took a lot of pictures in this recent trip and planning on posting that as a thread soon...

not in the next few days though

If you're looking for a place to sleep, have a look here (http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1815&highlight=paris)
Fouquet’s Barrière hotel by Edouard François

It's certainly on my list for the next visit! Though we might go for a more budget friendly place to sleep :wondering

pitrak, only a cool 700 Euro for a night!

Montmarte is a relativelyl inexpensive as far as lodging goes. You can get anywhere in Paris rather quickly using the Metro. Paris has the best public transportation systems I have seen so far. If you are there for more than a couple of days I would strongly recommend getting a 3, 5, or 7 day pass for the metro. As far as things to see, everything mentioned so far is excellent. Take some time to explore.

Although you have to take the TGV and a bus to get there Mont Saint Michelle is worth the wait.

Montmarte is a relativelyl inexpensive as far as lodging goes. You can get anywhere in Paris rather quickly using the Metro.

Jason is right.

Montmarte is a great location. I have stayed in a B&B run by a wonderful woman that would bring us a tray of fruit and pastries each morning. She had a wonderful balcony that was filled with flowers. The B&B was near the Sacre Coeur and just a short walk from the Metro. Great sunny place to start the day.

most of the listed buildings in the thread and more can be found with their addresses and visiting routes below.
http://www.galinsky.com/travelpacks/galinskyparis.pdf

and also if you plan to go to Villa Savoye with train, do NOT THROW AWAY your train ticket as long as you get to Poissy. To go out of tourniquets of the train station you will need it.( it was like this in 2005)
and enjoy Paris :rock on:

Brussels is definitely worth a visit.

http://www.atomium.be/ it has just been renovated.

I'm in Paris right now, and so far, after going around and seeing so much within Paris - I'm honestly only impressed by 2 things -

Edouard Francois' TowerFlower - this is one of those true genius projects and it has had me and everyone else thinking - now, why didn't I think of that?, and
Jean Nouvel's Quai Branly Museum - just wondering whether it's worth the Euros to see the interiors and exhibits.

Both of these projects truly incorporate the French peoples' obsession with plants, flowers and vegetation. It's a very unique form of planting, unlike that of Australian, Asian, even the English gardens - a mixture of flowers, green ground cover and lush and sparse shrubs, and bursts of colour that are sometimes left to overgrow, but somehow pruned back to prevent a chaotic mess. Totally unique. Even though I like the Australian bush landscape, sometimes it is too chaotic and let too loose and too rough on the edges, which in a way starts to lose it's beauty. You'll find that South east Asian pruning and plant selection for complement and contrast is almost like a formula... quite ugly at times.

I liked the Deportation monument as Kevin had featured, however, it looks better in Kevin's photos than in real life, so I guess I was kind of spoilt there.

French girls are pretty, it also seems that they either eat pretty well here or they practice bulimia. Obesity is virtually non existent amongst the French women! Why is that so? In America and Australia, there are many cases of obesity. I think it is a food problem.

The not so nice things about Paris: some of the subways (metro) stink quite badly as they run under or over sewers. It's almost summer and the trains are still heated inside so it gets really stuffy - they should switch it off, especially it seems that the subway tunnels are heated? Quite an amazing feat really benefitting the users and tramps who live above them in the winter.

We as architects tend to look up at buildings when we walk around. Be careful, as this is one of the dog shit capitals of the world. Lots of it everywhere.

LOL at the women watching, the dog poos and the stinky subways!

The first time I went to Paris, I wasnt impressed either. The second time was like it was a totally different city! I really enjoyed it.

Good luck for the rest of your trip mate! ;)

I experienced the exact same thing el-capitano.
I went twice within three weeks (start and tale end of a trip in UK). The first time was awful. It was dark, smelly, deserted and cold.
The second time i visited was brilliant. The sun had come out, leave were on trees, people on the sidewalkes, etc. I think the weather is a real factor in Paris.
What is the weather like Spadestick?

it's up and down, certain days are sunny, certain days like today, you get a bit of rain. Kinda like melbourne's weather at this point of time.
i'm trying to at least make it to Villa Savoye today - sounds kinda cheesy, feel like a pilgrim. HA!