Attractive Destinations

Grand Paris!  Think of a romantic trip to Europe, and the City of Lights springs immediately to mind!  And why not?  It’s a beautiful city.  Easy to navigate.  And the sights!  Well, there is no shortage of sights.  And because of the combination of tourist attractions, food, and romance, it is one of the most popular destinations in the world.

So what do you want to do in this grand city?  The museums?  The Monuments?  The  markets?  The bookstalls along the Seine?  Is it the food that attracts you at world class restaurants, or do you just want to sit in a sidewalk cafe and watch the world go by?

There are so many "must sees" that you really will have to choose what is most important to you.  Monuments?  How about the Eiffel Tower.  The Place de la Concorde with it’s Egyptian obelisk.  Think of the line up of the Arc du Triomphe du Carrousel through the Tuileries to the Arc de Triomphe, and the grand Grande Arche in La Defense district. Or how about Invalides where Napoleon is buried.

Landmark churches?  Start with Notre Dame de Paris.  The Basilique du Sacre-Coeur… dramatic and white on the hill in Montmartre.  The churches of La Madeleine, Sainte-Chapelle, and the Pantheon.  Or just landmark buildings like the Palais Garnier.

There are so many world class museums that it would take your entire vacation to see them.  The Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay, the Musee Rodin and the Musee Picasso to name some of the most obvious.  Museums can make your head spin after a few hours.  To avoid being overwhelmed by them, get a museum card.  They are available for 1, 3 and 5 days. 

The card will allow you can go in and out of the museums over the period of your stay and not get "museum head".  The museums are fantastic, but you want to get a feel for all of Paris don’t you?

Take time to stroll in a garden or two.  The Tuileries stretches in front of the Louvre.  The Luxembourg Garden is a great place to watch children of all ages sail small boats on the ponds.  Sit in one of the cafes and have a glass of wine.

Wander in some of the neighborhoods.  See Montparnasse with it’s artists and cafes.  See the delectable food displays in stores around La Madeleine.  Explore the Latin Quarter… see the Sorbonne and visit a bistro or two.  Or just wander along the Seine and see what the booksellers have in those green metal boxes.

The food is… well so French and wonderful.  You can certainly eat expensive meals at restaurants with who knows how many Michelin stars, but the food will be good almost everywhere.  Pop into any bistro or neighborhood restaurant and order a "prix fixe" menu and you are sure to have a great meal.  You have to try the favorite street food of Parisians…. crepes… try one with Nutella, or sugar and butter.

Food, wine, lots of action….. If we haven’t got you packing your bags for Paris, we hope we at least have you dreaming of the City of Lights.

Isn’t it hard navigating Paris on your own?  You’ve heard that they won’t speak anything but French, that the waiters are rude, and the shopkeepers are impolite.  It’s really not true.  Paris is a big city, and its citizens sometimes have that "big city attitude"….  people are hurried and may seem a bit brusque, but if you remember some of the simple rules of travel, you’ll do fine.

First thing you need to remember is to bring your sense of adventure and appreciate the differences.  The French are more reserved than most Americans.  They may not be as quick to smile at strangers, but with a little effort on your part you’ll find friendly, helpful Parisians.

Second, whenever you open your mouth, attempt to say a few words in French.  Saying hello, please and thank you in French will go a long way.  They will appreciate it.  Try to say it with a French accent… you probably won’t succeed, but this will win you friends too.  And they’ll probably ask if you would prefer to speak English.

OK, now that we’ve gotten you past your fear of people problems when navigating Paris, let’s talk about physically getting around.

First thing, be sure to bring good walking shoes.  You will be doing lots of walking… with the sights and the atmosphere of Paris, you’ll be looking around thinking, "This is Paris… I’m here!" 

But you don’t want to walk aimlessly, so let’s look at the geography of Paris.  Many Paris locations are described as being either left-bank‚ or right bank.   What does that mean?  To get real basic… the River Seine cuts Paris pretty much in half.  So the Left Bank is more or less to the south of the River Seine. (Look at a map of Paris… it’s mostly the bottom half.)  The Right Bank is to the north of the river. (So, the top half of the map.. right?)

Old Paris hands will tell you, "Oh, I stayed in the 6th Arrondissement."  Or the 16th (a wealthy neighborhood on the Right Bank near the Bois de Boulogne) or the 1st (the center of Paris where the Louvre and Palais Royal are) or whatever. 

The arrondissements are the districts that the city is divided into.  There are 20 of them.  You really don’t need to know them for navigating Paris.  You’ll see them on addresses, and they are marked on maps, but you don’t need to know them to get around…. though you might want to find out which arrondissement you decide to stay in, so you can say to your friends, "Oh WE stayed in the 7th!"  (You would then have stayed near the Eiffel Tower and the Musee d’Orsay.)

You’ll want to walk and walk, but to see more of the sights, you can’t walk everywhere.  Take the Metro to the next neighborhood and start walking again.  You’ll soon know where your landmarks are, and they will help you get your bearings.

You can also use the Paris bus system and taxis to get around or take a leisurely bateau on the Seine to see the sights.  However you get around, you’ll soon find that navigating Paris isn’t hard. 

April in Paris… Is that when you should visit?  Well that notion may be tremendously romantic, but the truth of the matter is that you have a pretty good chance of running into cold and rainy weather, so just be prepared.  It’s further north than you think! 

That’s not to say you shouldn’t go in April.  The weather in Spring may give you a taste of both sun and showers.  The temperatures should average in the high 50′s F (14 C).

If you ask people about when to visit Paris France, most will probably talk about Spring.  It’s a popular time for tourists and locals alike, and why not?  The weather will be sunny more often the later you go in Spring, and by the end of April and into May the gardens will be blooming.

Spring may be shoulder season, but you will still need to be prepared for many other tourists.  Lots of people have heard that it’s a good time to go to miss the heat of summer.  Prices for hotels may even be at high season rates.  There will be lines for some of the most popular attractions, but the locals haven’t been putting up with tourists all winter, so they will be fresh and friendly.

In spring, the worst of the summer crowds haven’t arrived yet, making a stroll down the Champs Elysees more memorable.  When the spring showers hit, head indoors to one of the museums.

Should you consider another season?  Maybe you need to go in summer because of your school or work schedule.  Summer brings lots of traveling students as well as all the other tourists.  Prices will be at their highest, and the lines will be at their longest.  It’s probably a good idea to book flights and rooms early to try and get good deals in this popular season.  The weather is nice with temperatures in the high 70s F (24 C).

July draws crowds because of Bastille Day, July 14, and the Tour de France bicycle race that ends up in Paris.  During August, most Parisians take a month long vacation… usually out of the city.  So some restaurants and businesses might be closed.

Fall is a good time to consider.  The weather is changing, and you may run into some cool days.  The upside is the crowds will be smaller, and you’re more apt to find shoulder season prices.  The locals are rejuvenated from their summer month away, and they will be relaxed, more tolerant, have more time for you.  Temperatures are in the low 60s F (16 C) — a little warmer than spring.

You might nab a wonderfully cheap airfare right after the New Year holidays.  Winter in Paris?  It can be really cold…  Temperatures in the 30s and 40s F (0-4 C). The gardens may be buried in snow, the Eiffel Tower closed due to ice.  But it can also be romantic if you’re into cafes and hot chocolate, bookstores and boutiques. 

If you decide to go then, you probably won’t run into any tourists, and the hotel rates will be as low as they get.  Still our recommendation would be one of the other seasons for the most enjoyable time to visit.

So what will it be?  Summer… Fall… Winter… Spring?  Oh, come on…. Your choice.  The City of Lights is wonderful anytime of the year.

The city of Paris in France is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Nicknamed as the city of lights, it has been attractive mainly because of its rich history, impressive architecture, influential culture and romantic atmosphere.

The city is one of the major cities in the world and is easily accessible by almost all means of transportation. Anyone who travels by plane can get in through any of its three major airports which include the Orly and Charles de Gaulle international airports. The latter is considered as one of the busiest airports in Europe. If you are from other parts of Europe, you can also travel by trains which range from normal to high speed trains. Other options also include travelling by bus and car.

First – time visitors to Paris are advised to visit three major locations in the city. These include the Louvre which is one of the most well – known museums in the world; the Eiffel Tower which is considered an architectural and engineering masterpiece and the Notre Dame Cathedral which provides a good view of the city from the top. Other very notable sites include the Musee Picasso, Arc de Triomphe, Arènes de Lutece, Sacre Coeur, the Pantheon, Quartier Latin, Place du Tertre and the areas around the Seine River.

Aside from these very famous sites and places, Paris is also notable for various yearly events that occur here. Some of the most well – known are Spring Fashion Week and the French Tennis Open.

There are so many things to do and various places to go in this famous European city that why it’s not surprising that a large number of people come to this city every year. If you are one of those who have not yet experienced the feeling that this city offers, then what are you waiting for?

The Penthouse Suite at The Hotel Martinez in Cannes, France  is the most expensive place to stay. It has four bedrooms, and the enormous terrace has a private Jacuzzi and views of the Mediterranean.

This Suite costs $37,200 per night.