King Louis the 14th of France, decided to build a new palace outside Paris in 1668. Its 70 meters long hall of mirrors, the king and queen luxurious apartments and the Le Notre French style park owe Versailles a universal reputation as a perfect incarnation of French classicism. The Versailles palace was copied by many monarchs throughout Europe during the 18th century.The Versailles .park (left) can also be a perfect destination for a day rest outside of Paris. Versailles can be reached in half an hour by train from Paris. We recommend you the "Grandes Eaux Musicales", a fountain and music show in the marvellous setting of the park The largest in Europe, the palace housed 20 000 nobles and was the center of the French monarchy until the 1789 revolution which overthrew King Louis the 16th.

The Sacre-Coeur Catholic Church was built at the end of the 19th century at the top of Montmartre hill in Paris. Its famous white architecture dominates the city, and offers a wonderful view. The nearby streets of Montmarte are full of artists andrestaurants. The interior of the church contains one of the worlds largest mosaics, and depicts Christ with outstretched arms. The nearby bell tower contains the ``Savoyarde''. Cast in Annecy in 1895, it is one of the worlds heaviest at 19 tons.