PARIS TRAVEL GUIDE

The main Paris Tourist attractions

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Paris offers the largest concentration of tourist attractions in France, and possibly in Europe. Besides some of the world's most famous musuems, its offers a vibrant historic city centre, a beautiful riverscape, an extensive range of historic monuments, including cathedrals, chapels and palaces, plus one of the most famous nightlife scenes in the world.
Paris is also famous for its cafés and restaurants, its theatres and cinemas, and just its general ambiance. While there are a thousand other things to do in Paris apart from those mentioned on this page, for the traveller spending no more than a week in Paris, this list offers more than enough choice to fill the time.

Museums:
The Louvre - one of the world's great art galleries, with masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa, and works by almost every great master there has ever been. The Louvre is also a major museum, with an exceptionally rich collection of antiquities and artefacts, including Egyptian mummies, Classical bronzes, and artefacts from round the world. Note: the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.

The Musée d'Orsay (Paris 7- Metro Solférino) , the museum of the nineteenth century, containg the works of the Impressionists - Monet, Manet, Sisley, Van Gogh, Renoir and others. Note: closed on Mondays.

The Musée d'Art Moderne, at the Trocadero. The City of Paris's collection of modern art. And it's free.

The Musée Marmottan, in the 16th Arondissement, with a fine collection of Monets and other French art. This is the place to go if you missed the great Paris Monet Exhibition.....

Centre Georges Pompidou, (Beaubourg, 4° arrondissement), Large collection of avant garde art, housed in a very avant garde building. Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed on Tuesdays.

Musée Rodin 7° arrondissement - museum devoted to the works of the great sculptor Auguste Rodin. Closed Mondays.

Musée National Picasso, 3° arrond. Metro St.Paul - !!! The Picasso Museum is closed for renovation until 2012.

Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris 1°. Metro Louvre. Museum of decorative arts, close to the Louvre.
Note that national museums (i.e. the main museums) are generally closed on Tuesdays - though a few, including the Musée d'Orsay, are closed on Mondays.

La Cité des Sciences
Paris 19 . Metro line 7 - Porte de la Villette. The Paris science museum.

The Paris Museum Pass: this allows unlimited visits to 60 museums and sites in and around Paris: however, to make it worthwhile you would really need to take in at least three museums a day over 2, 4 or 6 consecutive days. Given that it is easy to spend a full day (9 a.m - 6 p.m.) in the Louvre alone - cost 9 Euros a day - the cheapest Paris Museum Pass, at 32 €uros for 2 days - is hard to justify unless you are planning just an hour and a half on average per museum.
The pass is on sale at most participating museums - which means most main Paris museums.
TIP: if visiting Paris in a busy tourist period, start by visiting a less busy museum, such as the Musée Rodin, the Army Museum, or the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. Buy your pass here, then avoid the (often long) ticket queues for the other busier museums.

Cafés on the boulevard St. Michel - the essence of Paris and of France

Eating out in Paris
There are thousands of restaurants to choose from in Paris; as well as plenty of French restaurants, there are hundreds of Italian restaurants, pizzerias, Vietnamese restaurants, and restuarants serving food from just about every country in the world. There are also interesting French regional restaurants, serving traditional regional dishes.
There are restaurants all over Paris, because Paris is very much a lived-in city. The best concentrations of top-class restaurants in Paris are near the Champs Elysees, in the 8th, 16th and 17th arrondissements, where there are a good number of Michelin starred restaurants. For more affordable eating, and plenty of choice and atmosphere, try the small streets in the Latin quarter (5th and 6th districts), or on the Ile St. Louis. For the best oriental cuisine, go to the Paris Chinatown, south from the Place d'Italie in the 13th.

Other places to visit:
The Eiffel tower - take the lift to the top, for a spectacular panorama of Paris. The tower is 317 metres high, over 1,000 ft.

The Montparnase Tower -Tour Maine-Montparnasse (Maine-Montparnasse Tower), also commonly named Tour Montparnasse is a 210 metre (689 foot) tall office skyscraper located in Paris, France, in the area of Montparnasse. Constructed from 1969 to 1972, it is the tallest skyscraper in France. In the future, it may be surpassed in height by the renovated Tour AXA (225 m), and later by Tour Phare and Tour Generali (both approximately 300 meters).

Its simple architecture, gigantic proportions and monolithic appearance have been often criticised for being out of place in Paris's urban landscape and, as a result, two years after its completion, the construction of skyscrapers in the city centre was banned. The design of the tower predates architectural trends that placed high importance on a view of the outside, and so only offices around the perimeter of each floor have windows (more modern skyscrapers are often designed to provide a window for every office, if possible). It is sometimes said, only half-jokingly, that the view from the top is the most beautiful in Paris, since it is the only place from which you cannot see the tower.

Notre Dame cathedral - one of the finest gothic cathedrals in Europe. Climb the 400 steps to the top of the towers (included in Paris Museum pass).
La Sainte Chapelle, not far from Notre Dame. thirteenth century royal chapel, with remarkable stained glass windows. (included in ParisMuseum pass)
The Arc de Triomphe - the largest triumphal arch in the world, commissioned by Napoleon. Another place with spectacular views over Paris. (included in Paris Museum pass)
Montmartre, and the Sacré Coeur. Narrow streets, filled with artists, round the 19th century basilica on top of a hill on the north edge of Paris.
The banks of the Seine - just wander along the footpaths through the centre of the city. Free !
The Latin quarter; narrow streets, with lots of cafés and restaurants, antique shops and boutiques, near the Sorbonne university. Free!

The Louvre museum, and its glass pyramid

Paris's river boats - for a cruise on the Seine

The Champs Elysées

Medieval sculptures on the entrance to Notre Dame Cathedral

The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame cathedral, La Sainte Chapelle, the Champs Elysées, The Arc de Triomphe, The Louvre, The Orsay Museum, The Latin Quarter, Montmartre, The Moulin Rouge,Seine river boats, The Pompidou Center, Book Paris hotels

Paris Information and Paris Tourism

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Paris, France is one of the most fascinating and romantic cities in Europe, and tourists visiting this wonderful city will find that things to see and do are almost limitless. Known as the 'City of Light', the beauty of Paris is overwhelming and its architectural and artistic heritage combine with undeniable appeal and world-class tourism to make any visit an unforgettable experience.

Divided into a total of 20 different numbered districts (arrondissements), Paris spirals around the River Seine and comprises almost 400 different metro stations, meaning that finding your away around really is a breeze. The most familiar arrondissements comprise the areas named Bastille, Élysée, Ile de la Cite, Louvre, Marais, Montmartre, Montparnasse, Opéra and the Latin Quarter.

If you are in the Louvre area, you may well choose to pay a visit to the city's tourist information centre, named the Office de Tourisme et de Congrès de Paris. Further official tourism outlets are to be found at Anvers, Montmartre, the Porte de Versailles and Pyramides, as well as at the train stations known as the Gare de l'Est, the Gare de Lyon and the Gare du Nord.

Visitors will find that there is a vast selection of Paris hotels available to suit every taste and budget. Paris accommodation ranges from the most luxurious hotels and large chains, to small guest houses rich in old-fashioned ambience, many of which are much cheaper than you might first expect. Les Halles is an especially popular central district with plenty of hotels, while others prefer to stay in the Bastille and Marais areas, close to the Gare Montparnasse, within the Écoles and Sorbonne areas of the Latin Quarter, or the Ile St. Louis - a large island on the River Seine itself. Despite having such a choice of hotels, it is always wise to select and book a hotel for your Paris vacation well in advance. Self-catering Paris apartments provide an affordable alternative for long- or short-term stays, rising greatly in price as you approach central attractions, with those based around the Avenue des Champs Élysées being especially desirable.

Many popular Paris apartments line the banks of the River Seine and tend to become more expensive as they approach the Avenue de New York (next to the Palais de Chaillot) and the Quai Branly, which stands alongside the iconic Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) and close to the expansive Parc du Champs de Mars. Accommodation is also in plentiful supply within the vibrant Montmartre area, where the Sacré Coeur and the Moulin Rouge cabaret are amongst the main tourist magnets.

Every year millions of people come to Paris to marvel at its exquisite beauty, savour its exceptional cuisine and indulge in its world-famous shopping. The sheer magnificence of Paris never fails to surpass all expectations and every visitor finds what they are looking for, be it history, architecture, arts and culture, or even the most modern attraction such as Disneyland Paris. Being relatively small in comparison to many capital cities makes Paris a very practical city for visitors, with many of the major points of interest and splendid Parisian landmarks being within walking distance of one another.

Paris, France is one of the world's best-loved cities and the River Seine, as it weaves its way passing under numerous bridges, adds to the immeasurable beauty and charm, whilst neatly dividing the city into two. Situated north of the river, in the area known as the Rive Droite (Right Bank), are some of the most renowned Paris landmarks including the Champs Élysées leading to l'Arc de Triomphe. Lying at the other end of the Champs Élysées is La Place de la Concorde, a beautiful square where several important historical events have taken place, including the execution of Louis XVI. East of the avenue is the acclaimed Louvre and the Centre Georges Pompidou. South of Centre Pompidou is the majestic Notre Dame on Île de la Cité.

The area to the south of the river is known as the Rive Gauche (Left Bank) and it is here that the Eiffel Tower, the most prominent landmark in Paris and famed throughout the world, dominates the skyline, and provides breathtaking views of the wonderful symmetry of the city. More information on Paris Tourist Attractions.

The city of Paris offers a wide selection of restaurants serving mouthwatering French food, as well as a choice of international cuisine, and the vibrant French nightlife provides a wealth of entertainment options.

Disneyland Paris, Parc Astérix and the Palace of Versailles are just a few of the many places of interest which are situated within easy reach of this French capital.

The city's two airports are Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), which is located 23 kilometres / 14 miles to the north (approximate journey time 45 minutes), and Paris Orly Airport (ORY), lying some 14 kilometres / 9 miles south of the city (approximate journey time 35 minutes).

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airports Guide - useful Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) information.

Paris Orly Airports Guide - useful Paris Orly Airport (ORY) information.

More Paris Information / Fast Facts and Orientation

Country: France
Status: Capital city
Area: Approximately 105 square kilometres / 41 square miles
Population: 2.2 million in the city; 10.95 million in the Île de France area
Language: French
Currency: Euro
World time zones: GMT / UTC +1
Country dialling code: +33
Telephone area code: 01
Religion: Predominantly Catholic
Tourism: 20 million visitors annually
Layout: Consists of 20 Arrondissements (Districts)