Introduction
Gay Paree will put the joie back in your vivre. Paris stimulates the senses, demanding to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and smelt. From romance along the Seine to landscapes on bus-sized canvases to the pick-an-ism types in cafes monologuing on the use of garlic or the finer points of Jerry Lewis, Paris is the essence of all things French.
Gaze rapturously at its breezy boulevards, impressive monuments, great works of art and magic lights. Savour its gourmet selection of cheese, chocolate, wine and seafood. Feel the wind in your face as you rollerblade through Bastille, or a frisson of fear and pleasure atop the Eiffel Tower.
'Paris, I believe, is a man in his twenties in love with an older woman.' - John Berger
Both the capital of the nation and of the historic Î le de France region, Paris is located in northern central France. Central Paris - known as Intra-Muros, or within the walls - is a nice, oval-ish shape, divided neatly in two by the Seine, with 20 arrondissements (districts) spiralling clockwise from the centre in a logical fashion. The area north of the river, the Rive Droite (Right Bank), includes the tree-lined Avenue des Champs- É lys é es, running west to the Arc de Triomphe. East of the avenue is the massive Mus é e du Louvre, the Centre Georges Pompidou and a lively district of museums, shops, markets and restaurants. Immediately south of the Centre Georges Pompidou on the Î le de la Cit é is the world-famous Notre Dame. The area south of the river, the Rive Gauche (Left Bank), is home to the city's most prominent landmark, the Eiffel Tower. To the east, in the Saint Germain de Pr é s and Montparnasse districts, Paris' famous academic, artistic and intellectual milieus waft in and out of focus through a haze of Gitanes smoke.
Destination Facts
Mayor: Bertrand Delano ë
Time zone: GMT +1 (Central European Time).
Area: 105
Coordinates: 48.8819999695 latitude and 2.43300008774 longitude
Population: 2200000
Daylight Saving: From last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October
Area codes: Area codes have been integrated into all French telephone numbers. Dial all 10 digits for calls within France. Paris numbers always start with 01.
Getting there and away
Paris is a major international hub served by three airports and six long-distance train stations. The train system is most impressive, and will whip you quickly to most places in France; there are TGV services to Amsterdam and Brussels and the Eurostar to London. Buses are fine for travel between Paris and other countries, but for the rest of France they're not so hot.
Getting around
The most satisfying way to get around Paris is on foot - just watch out for the pedestrian crossings, which cars tend not to respect - or on its efficient public transport system which incorporates the M é tro, the RER (regional express trains), trams, buses and night buses . The m é tro fluvial ('metro boat') known as the Vogu é o (www.vogueo.fr) also operates along the Seine. Cycling is also now a viable option thanks to the success of the V é lib' (www.velib.paris.fr), a self-service bike hiring system.
Weather
The Paris basin lies midway between Brittany and Alsace, and is affected by the climates of both. The Î le de France region records the nation's lowest annual precipitation, but rainfall patterns are erratic; you're just as likely to be caught in a heavy spring shower or an autumn downpour as in a sudden summer cloudburst. Paris' average yearly temperature is 12 ° C (54 ° F) (3 ° C/37 ° F in January, 19 ° C/66 ° F in July), but the mercury sometimes drops below zero in winter and can climb to the mid-30s (high-80s/low-90s ° F) or higher in the middle of summer.
Places of Interest
From Left Bank swagger to Right Bank swank. Many of Paris' significant sights are strung along its river, and its quartiers each have their own distinct personalities, so you can experience a lot without covering much ground. The museums, monuments and the two islands are a magnet for visitors but it can be just as rewarding to wander.
Paris stimulates the senses, demanding to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and smelt. From romance along the Seine to landscapes on bus-sized canvases to the pick-an-ism types in cafes monologuing on the use of garlic or the finer points of Jerry Lewis, Paris is the essence of all things French.
Gaze rapturously at its breezy boulevards, impressive monuments, great works of art and magic lights. Savour its gourmet selection of cheese, chocolate, wine and seafood. Feel the wind in your face as you rollerblade through Bastille, or a frisson of fear and pleasure atop the Eiffel Tower.
Events
Most museums and shops are closed on France's jours f é ri é s (public holidays). When a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, expect to see a lot of shuttered storefronts on that Monday or Friday as well. The doors of banks are good places to check for announcements of long holiday weekends.France's national day, 14 July, commemorates the 1789 storming of the Bastille prison, the event that kicked off the French Revolution. Across the country, the holiday is celebrated with serious abandon, especially in Paris, where the day ends with a massive fireworks display and throngs of people in the streets.
Related Posts: France country
Gay Paree will put the joie back in your vivre. Paris stimulates the senses, demanding to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and smelt. From romance along the Seine to landscapes on bus-sized canvases to the pick-an-ism types in cafes monologuing on the use of garlic or the finer points of Jerry Lewis, Paris is the essence of all things French.
Gaze rapturously at its breezy boulevards, impressive monuments, great works of art and magic lights. Savour its gourmet selection of cheese, chocolate, wine and seafood. Feel the wind in your face as you rollerblade through Bastille, or a frisson of fear and pleasure atop the Eiffel Tower.
'Paris, I believe, is a man in his twenties in love with an older woman.' - John Berger
Both the capital of the nation and of the historic Î le de France region, Paris is located in northern central France. Central Paris - known as Intra-Muros, or within the walls - is a nice, oval-ish shape, divided neatly in two by the Seine, with 20 arrondissements (districts) spiralling clockwise from the centre in a logical fashion. The area north of the river, the Rive Droite (Right Bank), includes the tree-lined Avenue des Champs- É lys é es, running west to the Arc de Triomphe. East of the avenue is the massive Mus é e du Louvre, the Centre Georges Pompidou and a lively district of museums, shops, markets and restaurants. Immediately south of the Centre Georges Pompidou on the Î le de la Cit é is the world-famous Notre Dame. The area south of the river, the Rive Gauche (Left Bank), is home to the city's most prominent landmark, the Eiffel Tower. To the east, in the Saint Germain de Pr é s and Montparnasse districts, Paris' famous academic, artistic and intellectual milieus waft in and out of focus through a haze of Gitanes smoke.
Destination Facts
Mayor: Bertrand Delano ë
Time zone: GMT +1 (Central European Time).
Area: 105
Coordinates: 48.8819999695 latitude and 2.43300008774 longitude
Population: 2200000
Daylight Saving: From last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October
Area codes: Area codes have been integrated into all French telephone numbers. Dial all 10 digits for calls within France. Paris numbers always start with 01.
Getting there and away
Paris is a major international hub served by three airports and six long-distance train stations. The train system is most impressive, and will whip you quickly to most places in France; there are TGV services to Amsterdam and Brussels and the Eurostar to London. Buses are fine for travel between Paris and other countries, but for the rest of France they're not so hot.
Getting around
The most satisfying way to get around Paris is on foot - just watch out for the pedestrian crossings, which cars tend not to respect - or on its efficient public transport system which incorporates the M é tro, the RER (regional express trains), trams, buses and night buses . The m é tro fluvial ('metro boat') known as the Vogu é o (www.vogueo.fr) also operates along the Seine. Cycling is also now a viable option thanks to the success of the V é lib' (www.velib.paris.fr), a self-service bike hiring system.
Weather
The Paris basin lies midway between Brittany and Alsace, and is affected by the climates of both. The Î le de France region records the nation's lowest annual precipitation, but rainfall patterns are erratic; you're just as likely to be caught in a heavy spring shower or an autumn downpour as in a sudden summer cloudburst. Paris' average yearly temperature is 12 ° C (54 ° F) (3 ° C/37 ° F in January, 19 ° C/66 ° F in July), but the mercury sometimes drops below zero in winter and can climb to the mid-30s (high-80s/low-90s ° F) or higher in the middle of summer.
Places of Interest
From Left Bank swagger to Right Bank swank. Many of Paris' significant sights are strung along its river, and its quartiers each have their own distinct personalities, so you can experience a lot without covering much ground. The museums, monuments and the two islands are a magnet for visitors but it can be just as rewarding to wander.
Most museums and shops are closed on France's jours f é ri é s (public holidays). When a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, expect to see a lot of shuttered storefronts on that Monday or Friday as well. The doors of banks are good places to check for announcements of long holiday weekends.France's national day, 14 July, commemorates the 1789 storming of the Bastille prison, the event that kicked off the French Revolution. Across the country, the holiday is celebrated with serious abandon, especially in Paris, where the day ends with a massive fireworks display and throngs of people in the streets.
Related Posts: France country
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