Online dictionary of France travel and tourism: paris suburb

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Paris tramway

French words: Tramway de Paris , Tramway Parisien
alternative words: Paris tram, Tramway in Paris
keywords: paris , paris suburb , transport
related topics: Paris subway , Parisian bus , RATP
related web sites: http://www.tramway.paris.fr , http://www.ratp.fr
explanation: The first tramway attracted by horses began its service in Paris in 1853. It was gradually electrified between 1891-1899 to reach 300 lines. But due to a concurrence of the subway opened in 1900 and buses, it disappeared from the city center in 1937 and from the suburb in 1957. After the first energy crisis in 70s, people looked over again the tramway as clean and energy efficient transport method. The first modern tramway appeared in Paris suburb in 1992 and the city center (boulevards Maréchaux) in 2006.

Parisian bus

French words: Bus parisien
alternative words: Paris bus
keywords: paris , paris suburb , transport
related topics: Paris subway , RATP , Paris tramway
related web sites: http://www.ratp.fr , http://www.amtuir.org
explanation: Parisian bus has nearly 2 centuries old, because it had been already operating in Paris with horse traction since 1828. Though all the companies merged in 1855, they had suffered a concurrence from tramways opened in 1870 and subways opened in 1900 before passing to engine traction in 1905. Covering length of 3403km by 58 lines (569km inside Paris), the bus is one of the fastest methods, along with the subway, to move inside Paris thanks to special bus lanes. It is managed now by a public company, RATP.

Petit Trianon palace

French words: Palais du Petit Trianon
alternative words: Petit Trianon, Queen's hamlet
keywords: castle , human heritage , paris suburb , tourist resort
related topics: Versailles palace , Grand Trianon palace
related web sites: http://www.insecula.com/musee/M0131.html , http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petit_Trianon
explanation: In 1761, Louis XV charged the architect Jacques-Ange Gabriel to build a small palace near Grand Trianon, for his mistress, Madame de Pompadour. Achieved after their death and given by Louis XVI to Queen Marie Antoinette in 1774, Petit Trianon palace is considered a perfect example of French neoclassic building. Some farm houses of 18th century built around a lake, where Marie Antoinette had spent her time to gather vegetables, are restored and called "Queen's hamlet".

Provins

French words: Provins , Ville de Provins
alternative words: Provins City
keywords: castle , human heritage , paris suburb , tourist resort , town
related web sites: http://www.provins.net
explanation: Having belonged to the powerful Counts of Champagne, Provins has well preserved the aspect of a medieval city (12th-13th centuries) until today and for that reason, it was chosen as a human heritage of UNESCO in 2001. As remarkable architecture, we can quote city's rampart, Cesar tower and St Quiriace church. Each Sunday of summer, the show on a duel of chevalier is organized. Located 100 km east of Paris, you cannot enter Provins with a private car during the high season.

RATP

French words: RATP , Régie autonome des transports parisiens
keywords: paris , paris suburb , transport
related topics: RER , Paris subway , Montmartre hill , Parisian bus
related web sites: http://www.ratp.fr , http://www.navily.net
explanation: Public company which covers most of Paris and its suburb transport system. It includes Paris subway (16 lines, including full automatic Meteor line), Parisian bus network (total length 3400 km), a part of suburb railroads (lines A and B of RER), Montmatre hill's funicular and tramway (2 lines already operating in the suburb area and a circular line around Paris under construction). RATP transported total 2666 million persons in 2002 with 44000 employees. RATP means "Regie autonome des transports parisiens".

RER

French words: RER , Réseau Express Régional
alternative words: Regional Express Network, Paris suburban railway
keywords: paris , paris suburb , transport
related topics: Paris subway , SNCF , RATP
related web sites: http://www.ratp.fr , http://idf.sncf.com , http://www.navily.net/histreranc.php
explanation: Though there had existed already railroads which connected the suburbs to Paris before WWII, those lines belonged to different companies and badly interconnected between them So the government built in 1977 a public organisation, RER which would unified those scattered lines by completing lacking segments and electrifying them if necessary. There exist now 5 RER lines with an alphabet initial. The oldest is the line A which runs from west to east through Paris, followed by the line B, from north to south.

Saint Denis

French words: Saint Denis
alternative words: Saint Denis Cathedral
keywords: church , paris suburb , sport , town
related topics: Montmartre hill
related web sites: http://www.saint-denis-tourisme.com , http://www.saint-denis.culture.fr
explanation: Located in northern suburb of Paris, Saint Denis is known for its necropolis of French kings. According to a legend, the first bishop of Paris, Saint Denis might walk 6km north with his head hold after being beheaded at Montmartre hill in 3th century. French kings used to be buried in a basilica built in 12th century at the place where he might fall. Saint Denis was also a center of labor movement between 2 world wars. 2007 rugby world cup will be played at "Stade de France" built for 1998 soccer world cup.

Saint Germain castle

French words: Château de Saint Germain , Château de Saint Germain en Laye
alternative words: Château de Saint Germain, Saint Germain en Laye, Saint Germain
keywords: castle , paris suburb , tourist resort
related topics: RER , Versailles palace
related web sites: http://www.ville-st-germain-en-laye.fr , http://www.musee-antiquitesnationales.fr
explanation: Located 20km west of Paris and north of Versailles, the first Saint Germain castle was built by King Louis VI in 1122. Louis IX (Saint Louis) enlarged it. During 100 years war, the castle was burned out in 1346 by English troops but rebuilt by Charles V in 1367. The garden which commands Seine river was built in 1556 by Henri II and enlarged by Henri IV. King Louis XIV was born at Saint Germain. Restored by Napoleon III, the castle houses now National antiquity museum. You can reach Saint Germain via RER.

Vaux-le-Vicomte castle

French words: Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte
alternative words: Vaux-le-Vicomte palace, Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte
keywords: castle , paris suburb , tourist resort
related topics: Versailles palace , Fontainebleau castle
related web sites: http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Castles/Vaux-le-Vicomte1.shtml
explanation: Young assemblyman, Nicolas Fouquet, purchased in 1641 a small castle at 50km southeast of Paris, near Fontainebleau. Becoming finance minister, he decided to enlarge it with an aid of artists such as Louis le Vau and Charles le Brun and organised an inaugural ceremony in 1661 by inviting French king, Louis XIV. Jealous of the beauty of the castle, Louis XIV ordered to arrest him, next day, pretending that he had built the castle with the state money and condemned him to a life imprisonment.

Versailles palace

French words: Versailles , Château de Versailles , Palais de Versailles
alternative words: Chateau of Versailles, Versailles castle, Versailles
keywords: castle , human heritage , paris suburb , tourist resort
related topics: Vaux-le-Vicomte castle , Grand Trianon palace , Petit Trianon palace
related web sites: http://www.chateauversailles.fr , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Versailles , http://www.mairie-versailles.fr , http://www.versailles-tourisme.com
explanation: There was a hunting lodge for French king, Louis XIII at 20km west of Paris. In order to avoid a turbulent Paris and also to outdo Vaux-le-Vicomte castle, Louis XIV decided in 1664 to build his residence at the same place by enlarging it and moved there in 1682. After his death in 1715, his successors, Louis XV and Louis XVI added small buildings such as Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon. A proclamation of German empire in 1871 as well as Versailles treaty to end WWI in 1919 took place at Versailles palace.

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