Paris visitors see city in new light

The famous Notre Dame Cathedral is free of scaffolding after nearly a decade of restoration

From Stephanie Oswald
CNN Travel Now

PARIS, France (CNN) -- From exploring ancient palaces to buying baguettes at a boulangerie to gazing at the Eiffel Tower, visions of classic France have lured tourists for centuries.

But France is putting a fresh face on tradition, and nowhere is that more evident than in Paris. So if you've never been to Paris, or if it's been a while since your last visit, it's about time to see what's happening in the ever- evolving French capital.

"I think there is a lot going on," said Natasha Edwards of Time Out Paris. "It's a city that perhaps from outside appears very historic, that's obviously true -- it's very harmonious at first sight. But it's also a city that changes a lot."

Among the new developments: Notre Dame Cathedral is now free of scaffolding after nearly a decade of restoration. And it's not the only building that looks sharper.

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"I just notice from five or six years ago that the city is much cleaner and that all of the buildings have been cleaned and restored," one visitor said. "Everything just gleams."

Louvre expands

The Mona Lisa still draws a crowd at the world-renowned Louvre, but the museum also has added two galleries featuring antique furniture and primitive art from across the world.

Then there's the newly renovated George V hotel off the Champs Elysees. The Four Seasons company spent $125 million on the hotel, which opened in 1928, to keep the period charm and turn it into a flagship property.

The Hotel de Crillon, originally built for King Louis XV, is another royal member in the family of French accommodations. You could call it the home address for Parisian elegance.

A perfect stay might include dining in the marble-encased Les Ambassadeurs restaurant, followed by a night in the newly restored Leonard Bernstein suite. You'll pay plenty for the glorious view -- 36,000 francs per night. At the current exchange rate, that's more than $4,600.

New galleries at the Louvre feature antique furnishings and paintings as well as art from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas

Hip community

While classic Paris will always capture people's hearts, there is a hip side of the city -- St. Germain des Pres -- that's also riding the wave of change.

Travelers come from far and wide to soak up the ambiance at Les Deux Magots and Caf‚ de Flore, historic haunts of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. Some come in search of entertainment. Others seek out the latest literary gem or wander the charming streets to find an ancient treasure.

For many, St. Germain des Pres has simply always been the most fashionable place to let time slide away in Paris. And when day turns to night, there are new places to rest your head.

One is the Bel Ami, designed to be at once contemporary and timeless. Another is the Hotel Montalembert, where guests have a choice of sleeping in the chic surroundings of today or rooms with a more classic d‚cor -- a reflection of the dichotomy of old and new living in every layer of this capital city.