The Best Places in Paris to Visit by Car

Earlier this summer, travelers to Paris found their journeys to and from the airport were disrupted by city-wide protests against Uber’s UberPop service. Parisians proper, however, were less alarmed by the strikes. After all, protests in the city are a fairly regular occurrence. Take their quintessential shrugging and carrying on as usual as a sign that the anti-Uber strikes shouldn’t deter you from visiting Paris.

The city’s narrow and confusing roads, prohibitive parking fees and sometimes crowded public transportation make traveling by chauffeured vehicle a wise choice. We’ve found a few Paris landmarks in particular that complement the luxury experience of chauffeured travel. Read on to discover three of our favorites.

Sacre-Couer

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart, known as the Sacre-Couer, is in Montmartre, the northernmost district of Paris, on its highest hill. From Sacre-Couer, you can take in a sweeping, panoramic view of the city that arguably rivals that of the Eiffel Tower. The view is as splendid on a sunny spring day as it is a gloomy one in autumn. The Basilica itself is a sight to behold, with its ornate, domed exterior, and containing some of the city’s most splendid devotional art.

To get there, you have your choice of trekking up the steep steps or taking a much less strenuous trip up in a funicular. Either way, you shouldn’t have to navigate the hills of Montmartre for any longer than you have to. Use EmpireCLS and save the walking for exploring the area’s boutiques and restaurants.

Château de Versailles

We’ll always offer you the height of luxury when traveling with us, but we have to humble ourselves before the Versailles Palace, possibly the most luxurious single building in the world.

A testimony to the wealth and legacy of the French ancient regime—especially King Louis XVI, with whom the palace is most closely associated—the preserved palace is covered from floor to ceiling with gilt, paint and brocaded paper. Far from being garish, the overall effect is wildly beautiful.

The grounds and palace itself easily take an entire day to explore. Make the hour drive from Paris with EmpireCLS and linger for as long as you like.

Musée Gustave Moreau

If you get weary of the crowds at tourist-heavy sites like the Notre-Dame de Paris, the Musée d’Orsay and the Louvre, use our chauffeured transportation service and travel peacefully to the small, slightly eccentric and wholly enchanting Musée Gustave Moreau.

Originally a house, this hidden gem is equal parts cozy and mysterious, with its warm brown and pink color scheme and densely arranged canvases on display, all by famed painter Gustave Moreau. Moreau was a leader of the 19^th-century Symbolist art movement, from which these artists produced vivid, sensually-charged and sometimes morbid images that preceded the later movement of Surrealism. In the case of Moreau, his paintings are characterized by intricately detailed tableaux depicting scenes from Greek mythology, often with dreamlike distortions of space and color. It’s the hiddenness of this museum that makes it such a luxury.

Whether you need chauffeured transportation in Paris, Barcelona, or Boston, travel in safety and style with EmpireCLS. Make your online reservation today!

Photon Credit: Sean MacEntree via flickr