Destination: PARIS, FRANCE

Paris is the capital and largest city of France, and the Historic City Centre was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001.

Paris is the cosmopolitan capital of France and - with 2.2 million people living in the centre and another 9.9 million people in the suburbs (la banlieue) - is one of the largest cities in Europe.

Located in the north of the country on the river Seine, Paris has the reputation of being the most beautiful and romantic of all cities, brimming with historical associations and remaining vastly influential in the realms of culture, art, fashion, food and design. Dubbed the City of Light, it is the most popular tourist destination in the world.

Paris started life as the Celto-Roman settlement of Lutetia on the Île de la Cite. It takes its present name from the name of the dominant Gallo-Celtic tribe in the region, the Parisii. At least that's what the Romans called them, when they showed up in 52 BCE and established their city Lutetia on the left bank of the Seine, in what is now called the "Latin Quarter" in the 5th arrondissement.

DISTRICTS OF PARIS

Central Paris is officially divided into 20 districts called arrondissements, numbered from 1 to 20 in a clockwise spiral from the centre of town. Arrondissements are named according to their number. You might, for example, stay in the "5th", which would be written as 5ème (SANK-ee-emm) in French. The 12th and 16th arrondissements include large suburban parks, the Bois de Vincennes, and the Bois de Boulogne respectively.

The very best cheap pocket map you can get for Paris is called "Paris Pratique par Arrondissement" which you can buy at any news stand. It makes navigating the city easy, so much so that one can imagine that the introduction of such map-books might be part of what made the arrondissement concept so popular in the first place.

Each arrondissement has its own unique character and selection of attractions for the traveller:

1st (1er) - the geographical centre of Paris and a great starting point for travellers. The Louvre Museum, the Jardin des Tuileries, Place Vendome, Les Halles and Palais Royal are all to be found here.
2nd (2e) - The central business district of the city - the Bourse (the Paris Stock Exchange) and the Bibliothèque Nationale are located here.
3rd (3e) - Archives Nationales, Musee Carnavalet, Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers, the northern, quieter part of the Marais
4th (4e) - Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Hotel de Ville (Paris town hall), Beaubourg, le Marais (gay Paris)
5th (5e) - Jardin des Plantes, Quartier Latin, Universites, La Sorbonne, Le Pantheon
6th (6e) - Jardin du Luxembourg, Saint-Germain des Pres
7th (7e) - Tour Eiffel, Les Invalides, Musee d'Orsay
8th (8e) - Champs-Elysees, the Palais de l'Elysee, la Madeleine
9th (9e) - Opera Garnier, Grands Magasins
10th (10e) - Canal Saint-Martin, Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est
11th (11e) - the bars and restaurants of Rue Oberkampf, Bastille, Nation, New Jewish Quarter
12th (12e) - Opera Bastille, Bercy Park and Village, Promenade plantee, Quartier d'Aligre, Gare de Lyon, the Bois de Vincennes
13th (13e) - Quartier Chinois, Place d'Italie, La Butte aux Cailles, Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BNF)
14th (14e) - Montparnasse Cemetery, Denfert-Rochereau, Parc Montsouris
15th (15e) - Montparnasse Tower, Gare Montparnasse, Stadiums
16th (16e) - Palais de Chaillot, Musee de l'Homme, the Bois de Boulogne
17th (17e) - Palais des Congrès, Place de Clichy
18th (18e) - Montmartre, Pigalle, Barbès
19th (19e) - Museum of Science and Industry, Parc de la Villette, Bassin de la Villette, Parc des Buttes Chaumont
20th (20e) - Père Lachaise Cemetery
La Defense - Although it is not officially part of the city, this skyscraper district on the western edge of town is on many visitors must-see lists for its modern architecture and public art.

Beyond central Paris, the outlying suburbs are called la banlieue. Schematically, those on the west of Paris (Neuilly, Boulogne, Saint Cloud, Levallois) are wealthy residential community. Those to the northeast are poor immigrant communities with high delinquence; keep in mind, though, that this is a very schematic classification.

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THINGS TO SEE IN PARIS

One of the best value and most convenient ways to see the sights of Paris is with the Carte Musees et Monuments , a pre-paid entry card that allows entry into over 70 museums and monuments around Paris and comes in 2-day (€30), 4-day (€45) and 6-day (€60) denominations (prices as of December 2006). The card allows you to jump otherwise sometimes lengthy queues and is available from participating museums, tourist offices, Fnac branches and all the main Metro and RER train stations. You will still need to pay to enter most special exhibitions.

Note that most museums and galleries are closed on either Monday or Tuesday - check ahead to avoid disappointment! - and most ticket counters close 30 - 45 minutes before final closing. All national museums are open free of charge on the first Sunday of the month; note, however, that this may mean long lines and crowded exhibits.

These listings are just some highlights of things that you really should see if you can during your visit to Paris. The complete listings are found on each individual district page (follow the link in parenthesis). A good listing of almost everything to do in Paris are the 'Pariscope', the 'Officiel des spectacles', and the much hipper 'Zurban' , weekly magazines listing all concerts, stage plays and museums. Available from many kiosks.

Landmarks

the Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) (7th). One of the most famous landmarks in the world.
Père-Lachaise Cemetery (20th). See the grave of Jim Morrison amongst many others.
Catacombs (14th). Used to store the exhumed bones from the overflowing Paris cemetery.
Arc de Triomphe (8th). The grave of the unknown soldier is under the arch.
Notre Dame Cathedral (4th). Impressive Gothic cathedral that was the inspiration for Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Saved in the 19th century by the most well known french architect Viollet-le-Duc.
Sacre Coeur (18th). A church perched on top of the highest point in Paris. Behind the church is the artists' area, in front are spectacular views of the whole city.
Sainte Chapelle (1st). Far more beautiful than the famous, but gloomy, Notre Dame. Make sure you go an a sunny day, as the highlight of this small chapel in RayonnanteGothic style are the large stained-glass windows which soar up to near the vaulted ceiling. Also of interest is the extremely ornate lower level. If it happens to be rainy or cloudy, give Sainte Chappelle a miss, as the play of colored lights on the floor are well worth the wait for a sunnier day.
Pantheon (5th). Underneath, the final resting place for the great heroes of the French Republic; above, a marvellous view of the city.
Chateau de Versailles (Versailles). On the outskirts of the city, the "must see" home of the Sun King Louis XIV.
Grand Arche de la Defense (La Defense). A modern office-building variant of the Arc de Triomphe. Has a viewing platform.

Museums and Galleries

The Louvre (1st). One of the finest museums in the world of art, art-history, and culture? Or a mockery...time will tell.
Musee d'Orsay (7th). Home to the great artists of the 19th century (1848-1914) - Impressionists, post-Impressionists, and the rest...
Centre Georges Pompidou (4th). the great museum of modern art, the building an attraction in itself...
Picasso Museum (3rd). Contains the master's own collections.
Rodin Museum (7th). His personal collection and archives, in a charming hotel and sprawling garden.
Delacroix. National museum housed in the home of painter Eugene Delacroix.
Invalides (7th). Museum of arms and armor from the Middle Ages to today.
Carnavalet (3rd). Museum of Paris history; exhibitions are permanent and free. Noted for its collection of French Revolution artifacts, such as David's famous painting Serment du Jeu de Paume. Located in the Marais.
Cluny (5th). Paris's medieval museum, housed in a part roman, part medieval building.

THINGS TO DO IN PARIS

Indie Music in Paris An anglophone blog with monthly venue listings, band and concert reviews in Paris can be found at, http://www.parisnormal.blogspot.com/
Paris from above (9th). Check out the skyline from the roofs of Printemps, the Galeries Lafayette. There's also a hot air balloon at Parc Andre Citroën (south-western Paris). It doesn't operate on windy days, though.

Major Events

Techno parade. During mid-September DJs and (usually young) fans from across Europe converge on Paris for five or six days of dancing etc. culminating in a parade whose route traces roughly from Pl. de Bastille to the Sorbonne.
Inline Skating. Every Friday night and Sunday afternoon (except when raining) hordes of inline skaters take to the streets of Paris on a preplanned route, for about 3.5 hours. The trip is speedy; you will have to negotiate some real slopes. You must be good at skating if you want to join.Even if you don't participate, find a cafe near the route and watch them fly by. .
Bastille Day falls on July 14th and celebrates the beginning of the French revolution. The day in particular falls on the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison by Parisians. Paris hosts several spectacular events on the day.
Bastille Parade - The parade is held on the Champs-Élysees at 10:00 AM.The entire street will be crowded with spectators so arrive early.
Bastille Day Fireworks An exceptional treat to travellers lucky enough to be in town on Bastille Day is the fireworks display. The Office du Tourisme et des Congress de Paris recommends gathering around the gardens of the Eiffel Tower.

PEOPLE OF PARIS

Paris has, in many respects, an atmosphere closer to that of London or New York than to that of any other French town; that is, hurried, and businesslike. Parisians have, in France, a reputation for arrogance and perpetual hurriedness.

Note that wheels of daily life are oiled with a high level of politeness. Even if you don't speak the language, bear in mind that courtesy is extremely important in everyday dealings. Even one word in French, like "bonjour" and "pardon" (excuse me) means a lot and the person will help you with overwhelming charm; or at least, give a greeting in English. Write on a slip of paper or even better, remember some French speak with their hands and there should be no problem.

Like city dwellers everywhere, Parisians generally expect people to speak in a measured voice when in a crowded place. They are likely to look down on people who talk very loudly in a train or subway car. While it's unlikely that anybody will say anything, such behaviour will mostly get you classified as rude and is likely to reduce the possibility that you'll get help should you need it. Keep in mind that the people around you in the Metro are not on vacation, in general: they are going to or coming back from work and thus may not appreciate another source of headache.

Keep in mind that the vast majority of the Parisian population are not in any way related to the tourism business. You are not in a resort or theme park, with paid personnel meant to give you directions around, but in a city where people have to get on with their lives.

For more information on Paris, visit the source at Wikitravel

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Paris, France