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Things To Do
Drink in the sights, sounds and smells of the City of Light. As the capital of France, Paris is home to more than two million people within the city borders, where the rich historical setting, glamour and architectural grandeur combine to cast a spell on locals and visitors alike. The River Seine divides the city into the Rive Droite (Right Bank) and Rive Gauche (Left Bank). Stroll along the Seine, discover the lesser-known gardens and charming homes, and make sure to sample the elegant French cuisine.
Sports & Outdoors
Arts Museums & Landmarks
Magnificent artwork, tree-lined boulevards, towering monuments and twinkling lights characterize the overwhelming beauty of Paris.
The magnificent Eiffel Tower, Paris’ most-visited attraction, was built to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution. Standing more than 300 meters tall and weighing more than 10,000 tons, the Eiffel Tower provides breathtaking views of the City of Light. Visitors can send postcards from the tower’s first-level post office. For more information, call 01-4411-2323. Champ de Mars, 7th Arrondissement, Paris.
Notre Dame, the first great Gothic cathedral, features three rose windows, two 69-meter towers and gargoyles after a climb up 387 spiral steps. A 13-ton bell still rings on special occasions. For more information, call 01-4234-5610. 6 Place du Parvis-Notre-Dame, 4th Arrondissement, Paris.
Guests can traipse through the Louvre Museum to find da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and the ancient Greek statue, Venus de Milo, but they would be remiss to overlook the displays of more than 35,000 works of art, spanning the birth of civilization to the 19th century. The sprawling former palace is organized into three wings over four floors: Richelieu (along rue de Rivoli), Sully (around cour Carree) and Denon (along the River Seine). For more information, call 01-4020-5050. Cour Napoleon, 1st Arrondissement, Paris.
Glass and iron ceilings frame the Musee d’Orsay, a former rail station that attracts more than two million visitors each year. Widely known and celebrated for its Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist collection, the museum features sculptures, decorative objects, Monet masterpieces and Rodin’s Balzac. For more information, call 01-4049-4814. 1 rue de Bellechasse, 7th Arrondissement, Paris.
Dining
An exquisitely prepared meal is reason enough to splurge in Paris, but for those who can’t afford to eat like kings at every meal, there are bistros, brasseries and cafes on every street corner.
Featuring a rustic stonework setting, the popular vegetarian restaurant Le Marais is known for flavorful, wholesome meals paired with organic wines. Mushroom tarts, galettes of wheat with raw veggies and seafood selections make Le Marais one of the best-known vegetarian eateries in the Marais district. For more information, call 01-4887-4871. 54 rue Ste-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie, 4th Arrondissement, Paris.
Le Grand Vefour has been in business since 1784, serving the likes of Napoleon and Josephine, Victor Hugo and Jean-Paul Sartre. The romantic restaurant features a mirrored ceiling, plaques above almost every seat commemorating famous patrons, and 19th-century paintings of goddesses and muses. Guests delight in truffle-cream emulsion and foie gras-stuffed ravioli. For reservations, call 01-4296-5327. 17 rue Beaujolais, 1st Arrondissement, Paris.
Shopping
Department stores, upscale grocers and haute couture boutiques can be found in virtually every neighborhood of Paris, where serious shoppers find great deals and unique finds at the same spot.
Founded in 1852, Le Bon Marche serves as shopping playground to celebrities and locals alike. Designer labels such as Burberry, Yves Saint Laurent and Paul Smith can be found here, along with La Grande Epicerie, the next-door couture grocery store. For more information, call 01-4439-8000. 24 rue de Sevres, 7th Arrondissement, Paris.
Shoppers compete for fabulously cheap finds and have fun in the process at Tati, one of the most inexpensive department stores in the city. Bargain-basement prices, mounds of clothing and jewelry and big crowds are what Tati is all about. For more information, call 01-5529-5000. 2-28 Rochechouart, 18th Arrondissement, Paris.
The Belle Époque stained-glass dome of Galeries Lafayette encompasses everything from gourmet groceries to wedding accessories to designer fashions. Galfa is the menswear department, Lafayette Gourmet is the upscale grocer and the Salon Opera holds at least one fashion show daily. Opened in 1896, Europe’s largest department store is a must for the die-hard shopper. For more information, call 01-4282-3456. 35-40 Haussmann, 9th Arrondissement, Paris.
The lower-priced alternative to Galeries Lafayette is Printemps, which is made up of three major stores: Printemps de la Maison (home furnishings); Printemps de l’Homme (six floors of menswear) and Printemps de la Mode (women’s fashion). The beauty area houses the Nuxe spa, hairdressers and numerous beauty products. Free fashion shows take place every Tuesday under the cupola on the seventh floor. For more information, call 01-4282-5000. 64 Haussmann, 9th Arrondissement, Paris.
Events
Parisians enjoy a variety of year-round activities; however, many leave the city during the month of August for summer break.
France’s national holiday, Bastille Day, commemorates the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, with festivities and fireworks. There is a military parade along the Champs-Elysees in the morning and evening fireworks at Trocadero. Various locations.
The Parc de la Villette hosts the annual Cinema en Plein Air, the free outdoor film festival, where crowds bring picnics to watch classic films as well as new American releases. The festival runs from July 4 to Aug. 13, 2006. For more information, call 01-4003-7575. 19th Arrondissement, Paris.
Welcome the cyclists at the end of Le Tour de France, where the grand finale finishes on avenue des Champs-Elysees. The race ends on the last Sunday in July (July 23 in 2006). Champs-Elysees, 8th Arrondissement, Paris.
Gay Pride Events and Gay Parades in Paris
Neighborhoods
Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements, or districts, with the first in the center of the city and the others following in a clockwise spiral.
1. Louvre/Center of Paris (First Arrondissement)
Paris is a very walkable city, with attractions and sights within blocks of each other. The Louvre, the adjoining Jardin de Tuileries and place Vendome provide hours of sightseeing and exploring.
2. Marais (Third Arrondissement)
Located on the Right Bank, the Marais district is filled with 17th-century mansions, trendy bars, boutiques and cafes. The Musee Carnavalet, a museum tracing the evolution of Gallic furnishings, paintings and sculptures, can be found in Marais.
3. Ile de la Cite/Ile St. Louis (Fourth Arrondissement)
The picturesque districts feature the neo-Renaissance town hall, Hotel de Ville, the magnificent Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral and the famous ice cream at Berthillon in Ile St. Louis.
4. Latin Quarter/St. Germain (Fifth and Sixth Arrondissements)
The Left Bank district, the Latin Quarter, serves as an epicenter where professionals and students mingle. The quarter was named as such at a time when professors and students spoke only Latin at the Sorbonne. Popular attractions include the Jardin de Luxembourg and the Pantheon.
5. Minister’s Quarter (Seventh Arrondissement)
This Left Bank district features offices and residences. The Eiffel Tower soars over the city from the Minister’s Quarter. The tomb of Napoleon can be found here, as well as the city’s oldest upscale department store, Le Bon Marche, and the Musee d’Orsay.
6. Champs-Elysees (Eighth Arrondissement)
This beautiful two-kilometer avenue features restaurants, exchange banks, elegant hotels and fashion houses. The Arc d’Triomphe resides at one end of the grand boulevard.
7. Montmartre (Eighteenth Arrondissement)
Trendy boutiques and bars outline this area, where Paris’ red light district is located in the netherworld of Pigalle. Pigalle is home to the famous nightlife of cabarets and bars, including the Moulin Rouge. The Basilique du Sacre-Couer is located in Montmartre.
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