By Alexa Boyce
One theory on the origin of the name Seine has it coming from the Latin Sanctus, or sacred. Today when walking along the Seine in Paris, France, you can still feel the tranquility that may have precipitated this name, even among the hustle and bustle of this capital city. The beauty of this river has inspired many painters over the years, including Claude Monet, Charles François Daubigny and Emile Othon Friesz.
From the popular Bateaux Mouches tourist boats, one can travel the waterway located between the famed Rive Gauche (Left Bank) and Rive Droite (Right Bank). Many of the most famous sights in Paris can be seen from these boats, which could explain why they are so popular among tourists. These sights include: among other sites, the Eiffel Tower, "Notre-Dame" Cathedral, the Alexander III Bridge, Arc du Triomphe, the Orsay Museum, the Louvre Museum and the "Les Invalides" where Napoleon's tomb is located.
You can also travel under the Pont Neuf, whose name means "new bridge". Actually, the Pont Neuf was built in the early 17th century, and is the oldest standing bridge in Paris. This bridge is west of the Ile de la Cité, and connects the Left and Right Banks. The bridge also holds the famous equestrian statue of Henry IV.
The Rive Gauche is the romantic district of Paris past: Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald are among the artists of the Montpamasse. Besides being just a neighborhood, Rive Gauche can also refer to a certain type of fashion or way of life. This bohemian attitude was captured most recently in the film Moulin Rouge. The famous university district the Quartier Latin is also found on the Rive Gauche.
The Rive Droite is less artsy then its sister to the south, but it has attained a level of elegance due to the fact that it houses the Place Vendôme plaza built by Jules Hardouin-Mansart. In this plaza, you can find the Column built by Napoleon in order to commemorate the victory at Austerlitz. It was supposedly built by the captured cannons of the combined armies of Euroope. The Rive Droite is also home to the stylish shopping streets of the Champs Elysées, and Rue de Rivoli.
SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seine, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bateaux_Mouches
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont_Neuf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rive_Gauche
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rive_Droite
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Place_Vend%C3%B4me
ShareThis
