Coming to Paris can be the achievement of a lifetime and, at least, the way of discovering the treasures of the “city of lights”. Paris is covered with landmarks famous all over the world and they attract many visitors.
Paris, the capital of France, is located in the north-central part of the country. The city was founded more than 2,000 years ago on an island in the Seine River, some 233 miles (375 kilometres) upstream from the river's mouth on the English Channel. The modern city has spread from the island (the Ile de la Cite) and far beyond both banks of the Seine. The City of Paris itself covers an area of 41 square miles (105 square kilometres); the Greater Paris conurbation, formed of suburbs and other built-up areas, extends around it in all directions to cover approximately 890 square miles. It is by far the nation's most important centre of commerce and culture.
From Notre-Dame to the Eiffel Tower, Paris is home to some of the world’s most famous sights, many of which have been landmarks of this elegant and romantic capital for centuries and remain awe-inspiring sights, no matter how often you visit the city.
It is impossible not to be moved by delights like the Sainte-Chapelle, the Louvre and the endless sights and treasures of this spectacular city.
Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements, in a spiral beginning at Notre-Dame and finishing at the Porte de Montreuil.
Paris has it all: grandeur and gaudiness, history and hearsay, culture and charisma, even a sandy summer beach draped with tanned hides. The diverse architecture throughout the city is magnificent. Be ready to gawp in the city that gave the world Gothic grace and Modern Movement masterpieces.
Paris assaults the senses, demanding to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and smelt. Paris is the essence of all things French.
Paris is a city to discover. So see the sights, visit the museums - they're part of the experience. But then jump on the metro or a bus and get off at a place you've never heard of, wander through a quartier where French mixes with Arabic or Vietnamese, poke your head into mysterious shops, have lunch in a local restaurant, or just perch on a cafe terrace with a vin blanc and let yourself fall in love with your very own Paris.
Charles de Gaulle international airport is a major international hub, so you can take your pick of flights in and out. It is 27km (17mi) north of Paris. There are a choice of ways from Charles de Gaulle to the city, from shuttle trains to public buses, private shuttles and taxis. Taxis take at least 30 minutes to the city centre, sometimes more.
The city's second main airport, Orly, is 16km (10mi) south of central Paris. A bus runs between d'Orly and Charles de Gaulle. Taxis take about 30 minutes.
You can get to or travel from Britain (and Ireland) by ferry, but Eurostar is perhaps the most relaxing and luxurious way to get to Paris, and you can pop your car on board as well. Eurostar trains arrive at Gare du Nord, slightly north of the city centre. The station has 3 metro lines and has a taxi rank outside, usually manned by assistants to help newly arrived visitors.
There are six major train stations in Paris, each of which handles traffic to different parts of France and the rest of Europe. The most spectacular route is via the Channel Tunnel (or Chunnel); the Eurostar passenger service takes only three hours.
Paris is surprisingly pedestrian-friendly: it's compact and there are few hills. Watch out on pedestrian crossings, though - cars tend not to stop. The best way to get around Paris is on foot - just watch out for the pedestrian crossings.
The Paris Métro system is a cheap and efficient way of getting around the city. The network is comprehensive and the service is very frequent. The service operates from roughly 5:30am-12:30am and exact times for each line are given at stations.
The most charming of Paris' public transport options, the underground Métropolitain (and its sister system, the RER), is a simply massive network. No matter where you are, chances are there's a metro station within a few blocks. The RER train system (5am-midnight) has only five lines, but the network goes further into the suburbs.
If you're in a hurry to get somewhere, don't take the river shuttles that ply the Seine - they are more meandering, sight-seeing affairs than A to B propositions - or the bus system, which is not known for reliability. The Batobus only runs from May to September, but its six stops link major attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum and Notre-Dame. Boats run every 20 minutes from 10pm-7pm.
There are night buses, which is handy when the Métro closes down. The Noctambus network takes over in the heavily trafficked areas once both the underground and the day buses go to sleep.
Choose travel passes carefully - depending on how many trips you make, daily passes aren't always good value for money. The weekly (also monthly) Carte Orange travel pass can be a better deal, even if you're staying less than a week.
Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements (districts), which radiate out in a clockwise spiral from the centre.
Driving around Paris is a job best reserved for the terminally aggressive - you're better off taking public transport, which is generally well-maintained and highly convenient.
- The world’s largest museum exhibiting major collections of art and antiquities. The labyrinthine Louvre is the museum to end all museums with something to suit everyone.
Eiffel Tower
- Famous Paris landmark offering spectacular views. Six million people visit the Tower each year.
Musee d’Orsay
- One of the world’s leading art galleries which is, for many, reason alone to visit Paris. Don’t miss the view of this modern art gallery from the Right Bank of the Seine.
Notre-Dame
- This great Gothic cathedral, founded on the site of a Roman Temple, is a repository of French art and history.
Sacre-Coeur
- The terrace in front of this monumental white-domed basilica in Montmartre affords one of the best views over Paris.
Arc de Triomphe
- Napoleon’s triumphal arch, celebrating battle victories, stands proudly at the top of the Champs-Elysees and is one of the city’s most enduring images.
Centre Georges Pompidou
- Home to the Paris Museum of Modern Art, the design of the Pompidou Centre makes it a distinctive exhibition in itself.
Pantheon
- The great and the good of France are buried in the Pantheon, including Voltaire and Victor Hugo.
Sante-Chapelle
- Called “a gateway to heaven”, this splendid medieval church was built to house the relics collected by St Louis on his many Crusades.
Hotel des Invalides
- The glowing golden dome of the Hotel des Invalides church is unmistakable across the rooftops of Paris.
- French and Italian sculpture, Greek and Roman antiquities and paintings from the 12th to 19th centuries are just some of the highlights of the world’s largest museum.
Musee Carnavalet
- Housed in a grand Marais mansion, this museum presents Parisian decorative arts through the ages. The collection includes painting, sculpture and antique furniture, recreating private residences.
Musee National de la Mode et du Textile
- This museum is dedicated to Paris’s most successful and glamorous industry - fashion.
Musee National du Moyen-Age
- This splendid museum dedicated to the art of the Middle Ages is known by several names, including the Musee de Cluny after the Roman baths adjoining the museum.
Musee National D’Histoire Naturelle
- Paris’s Natural History Museum contains a fascinating collection of animal skeletons, plant fossils, minerals and gemstones.
Musee de l’Homme
- Head-shrinking, tattooing and mummification are some of mankind’s more unusual rituals, explored in this ethnological and anthropological museum housed in the Palais de Chaillot.
Musee declare -
France’s proud military history is on display in this museum. Napoleon’s campaign tent and suits of armor and weapons from medieval times are among the highlights.
Musee Cognacq-Jay
- Superb collection of 18th- century art, furniture, porcelain and other decorative arts.
Musee del’Erotisme
- Appropriately located between the shows and cabarets of Pigalle, is a fascinating look at erotic art from around the world.
Musee de Montmartre -
Montmartre has long been home to the artists of Paris and several of them have lived here. The garden gives great views of the surrounding district.
- A favorite of Parisians and visitors alike. A splendid setting for this extensive collection of paintings, sculptures, drawings and other works by Pablo Picasso.
Musee d’Orsay
- This wonderful collection includes a superb impressionists section and is highly impressive.
Musee Rodin
- Head for the gardens of the Musee Rodin, where you can enjoy some of the French sculptor’s most famous works.
Musee National d’Art Moderne
- The revolutionary Pompidou Centre is the perfect home for the city’s outstanding Modern Art Museum.
Jeu de Paume
- This gallery is one of the finest exhibition spaces in the city, staging outstanding changing shows, focusing on contemporary art.
L’Orangerie
- The prime exhibits here are eight of Monet’s huge water lily canvases and the gallery, in a corner of the Tuileries, is excellent.
Espace Montmartre Salvadore Dali
- This underground museum with its black walls, lighting effects and soundtrack features some of Dali’s lesser-known works.
Musee Marmottan-Claude Monet
- The impressionist paintings of Claude Monet are the star attraction at this museum.
Musee Maillol
- Works of the French artist Aristide Maillol are the focal point of this museum, which was created by model Dina Vierny. Works by Rodin and Picasso are also on display.
Maison Europeene de la Photographie
- If you’re a photography fan, don’t miss this splendid gallery in the Marais.
- Top Paris department store which opened in 1864. Its goods range from designer clothing and accessories, to middle-of-the-range labels and funky fashions, home décor and furniture.
Flower and Bird Markets
- Dating from 1808, the colourful flower market on the lie de la Cite is the oldest and one of the largest flower markets in Paris. On Sundays it is joined by the colourful bird market.
Galeries Lafayette
- Printemp’s great rival store opened in 1894 and is a monument to Parisian style, topped by a glorious steel and glass dome.
Place de la Madeleine
- This is a gourmand’s delight. Some of the most delectable speciality food shops in Paris are dotted along the edges of the square, including the famous Fauchon supermarket.
Marche Richard-Lenoir
- Every Thursday and Sunday, this market stretches along the tree-lined boulevard that separates the Marais from the Bastille.
Rue de Buci
- The artist Picasso reputedly did his shopping at this daily morning market in the heart of St-Germain.
Rue Mouffetard
- One of the oldest street markets in Paris winds downhill through the Latin Quarter every Tuesday to Sunday morning. Colourful food stalls, speciality shops and there are good restaurants in the quieter side streets.
Le Bon Marche
- Paris’s first department store was founded on the Left Bank in 1852, its structure partially designed by Gustave Eiffel. Today it’s even more hip than its competitors featuring avant-garde fashions and music.
Aligre Market
- This Bastille market, dubbed the ‘Notre-Dame of Markets’, retains an authentic Parisian atmosphere.
Marche aux Puces de St-Ouen
- Every Saturday to Monday the largest antiques market in the world comes alive. There are actually 13 markets here.
These formal gardens were laid out in the 17th century as part of the old Palais de Tuileries and stretch along the Seine between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde.
Jardin du Luxembourg
- Parisians love this centrally located park, set around the Palais du Luxembourg.
Jardin des Plantes
- These vast botanical gardens are a wonderfully tranquil spot. There is also an alpine garden.
Bois de Boulogne
- At the weekends, Parisians head for this vast park on the western edge of the city, with a boating lake and paths for cycling, jogging and strolling.
Bois de Vincennes
- A great escape from the city, this park is to the east of Paris what the Bois de Boulogne is to the west.
Parc Monceau
- The most fashionable green space in Paris, full of well-heeled residents of the nearby mansions and apartments.
Jardins du Palais Royal
- Once part of the Palais Royal, these lovely gardens are surrounded by arcades and by an impressive modern pillar arrangement.
Versailles
- There are gardens galore at this famous royal palace, from the formal French gardens to the wandering paths.
Parc Montsouris
- Located south of Montparnasse, this is the 2nd largest park in central Paris and very popular with city residents.
Parc des Buttes Chaumont
- This is a wonderful retreat northeast of the city centre with artificial cliffs, waterfalls, streams, and a lake.
Disneyland Resort Paris - The French offspring of America’s favorite theme park is a clone of its parent, and has now been joined by the Walt Disney Studios complex.
Parc de la Villente - One of the city’s top children’s attractions, with activities for all ages.
Grande Galerie de l’Evolution - The most exciting display in the Natural History Museum with interactive displays.
Eiffel Tower - A trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower is one of the most memorable activities for children in Paris.
Musee de la Curiosite et de la Magie - Kids are enchanted by this museum of magic, located in the atmospheric cellars of the former home of the Marquis de Sade.
Parc Zoologique de Paris - The Paris zoo is one of the largest in Europe, where you can see a host of creatures in landscaped habitats designed to look as natural as possible.
Jardin d’Acclimatation - A much-loved feature of every Paris childhood. The ‘Clim’ includes boat rides, a Chinese fragon roller coaster, the Enchanted House for two-to-fours, the fairground horses, and the more futuristic Explor@dome, packed with interactive gadgetry.
Grevin - The waxworks museum retains an old-fashioned charm. Kids will enjoy seeing their favorite celebrities.
Cirque de Paris - A day out at the circus. In the morning kids can put on clown make-up, see the animals or try tightrope walking.
Jardin des Enfants aux Halles - This supervised playground for 7-11 year-olds is a treat for kids with landscapes of tunnels and swings.
The average January temperature in Paris is a chilly 3° Celsius (37° Fahrenheit), rising steadily to a fairly warm spring and very pleasant July average of approximately 26° Celsius (79° Fahrenheit). Rain falls consistently throughout the year, with only the occasional northern European heat-wave causing prolonged dry periods. It is more usual to experience less rainfall during the winter in Paris than in spring and summer. Snow is a common feature of a Parisian winter, but the modern transportation system means there is rarely any disruption to services.
Paris is at its best in springtime, even if it is sometimes a little wet. There are plenty of parks and tree-lined boulevards to enjoy. In winter, Paris has all sorts of cultural events going on, while in summer the weather is warm and sometimes sizzling. In August, when Parisians flee for the beaches to the west and south, many restaurateurs lock up and leave town too, but this is changing rapidly and you'll find considerably more places open in summer than even a decade ago.
