An Evening Stroll Along the Seine, from Pont Marie to Pont des Arts

After the Eiffel Tower, your guide's favorite place in Paris is the Seine. The banks of the Seine were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, so it's recognized worldwide. In her view, the Seine feels very different depending on where you see Paris from. Around Pont Marie, the island of Île Saint-Louis sits in the middle, so the river is narrow and the scene feels warm and cozy. In front of the Musée d'Orsay, you get the classic Paris that everyone pictures, and in front of Les Invalides at sunset, it turns deeply romantic. The other thing the Seine brings to mind is its bridges: there are 37 of them in Paris. When her mother visited, she said the best part was taking a river cruise and admiring the bridges and buildings, each with its own charm.

So tonight, let's walk along the river. The route from Pont Marie to Pont des Arts takes about 20 to 30 minutes, passing the City Hall and its square, which look beautiful at night, then Notre-Dame, with views of the Eiffel Tower along the way. You'll cross seven bridges in all. The French word for bridge is "pont," so any place name starting with "Pont" is a bridge.

Pont Marie and the next bridge, Pont Louis-Philippe, connect to Île Saint-Louis. The Seine has two islands: Île de la Cité, home to Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle and the flower market, and Île Saint-Louis. The Cité is full of sights and draws crowds, especially for Notre-Dame. These days, Sainte-Chapelle is a favorite as well, and its stained glass is said to be breathtaking. Île Saint-Louis, by contrast, is mostly residential and not much of a tourist stop. Your guide drops by now and then for the quiet atmosphere and the many good ice cream shops. Property here is very expensive, so the houses are grand and imposing, which makes walking past them fun.

A little farther along the river, you'll reach the Paris City Hall. Town halls in France tend to be ornate, but Paris's is especially huge, like a palace. At night, the lamps in the square in front glow beautifully, which to your guide feels like a place from a fairy tale. Walk on along the river and the Eiffel Tower appears. The tower is gorgeous when you see it up close, but she loves coming across it unexpectedly on a walk, which is why she often takes this route. Continue a bit farther and you reach Pont Neuf, Paris's oldest bridge, begun in 1578 and completed in 1607. After it comes the final stop, Pont des Arts, which links the Institut de France with the Louvre. It's a bridge for lovers worldwide, where many couples once pledged their love with padlocks. The padlocks were all removed in 2015, because their weight damaged the bridge and they spoiled its look, so none remain. It's one of the bridges your guide finds most beautiful. Cross it, and we're on our way to the last stop of the day.