Paris
Eiffel Tower
Musée du Louvre
Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris
Versailles
Sights
Activities
Shopping
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Entertainment
Paris
Paris has a timeless familiarity for first-time and frequent visitors, with instantly recognisable architectural icons, memorable cuisine, chic boutiques and priceless artistic treasures. Dining is a quintessential part of the Parisian experience – whether it be in traditional bistros, elegant Michelin-starred restaurants, boulangeries (bakeries) or raucous street markets. This is a naturally stylish city and shopping for fashion is second nature. Then there's its art repository, one of the world's best, showcasing priceless treasures in palatial museums. But against this iconic backdrop, Paris’ real magic lies in the unexpected: hidden parks, small unsung museums and sun-spangled cafe pavement terraces where you can watch Parisian life unfold.
Paris in Two Days
Start early with Notre Dame, the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower. Afterwards, head to the av des Champs-Élysées (
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; 8e; 
mCharles de Gaulle–Étoile, George V, Franklin D Roosevelt or Champs-Élysées–Clemenceau) for shopping and a climb up the Arc de Triomphe. Day two take a boat cruise along the Seine and your pick of Musée d’Orsay, Musée National du Moyen Âge and Musée Rodin. Make soulful St-German your dinner date.
Paris in Four Days
Devote day three to Montmartre. Fourth day, begin with a top sight you missed day one. Picnic in a Parisian park and spend the afternoon scouting out treasures at the St-Ouen flea market or checking out famous graves in Cimetière du Père Lachaise. By night, take in a performance at Palais Garnier or Opéra Bastille, and a bar crawl in Le Marais.
Arriving in Paris
Charles de Gaulle Airport Trains (RER), buses and night buses to the city centre €6 to €17.50; taxi €50 to €55.
Orly Airport Trains (Orlyval then RER), buses and night buses to the city centre €7.50 to €12.50; T7 tram to Villejuif-Louis Aragon then metro to centre (€3.60); taxi €30 to €35.
Gare du Nord Train Station Within central Paris; served by metro (€1.80).
Sleeping
Paris has a wealth of accommodation for all budgets, but it’s often complet (full). Advance reservations are recommended year-round and essential during the warmer months (April to October) and all holidays.
Parisian hotel rooms tend to be small by international standards. Breakfast is rarely included in hotel rates.
See Where to Stay for a lowdown on which Parisian neighbourhood suits you best.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Eiffel Tower
No one could imagine Paris today without it. But Gustave Eiffel only constructed this 320m-tall spire as a temporary exhibit for the 1889 World Fair. Climb it to admire Paris laid out at your feet.
Great For…
yDon't Miss
A glass of bubbly in the top-floor champagne bar (open noon to 10pm).
8Need to Know
Eiffel Tower (
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; 
%08 92 70 12 39; www.toureiffel.paris; Champ de Mars, 5 av Anatole France, 7e; adult/child lift to top €17/8, lift to 2nd fl €11/4, stairs to 2nd fl €7/3; 
hlifts & stairs 9am-12.45am mid-Jun–Aug, lifts 9.30am-11pm, stairs 9.30am-6.30pm Sep–mid-Jun; mBir Hakeim or RER Champ de Mars–Tour Eiffel)
5Take a Break
Dine quintessential-brasserie style at 58 Tour Eiffel (
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; %01 76 64 14 64; www.restaurants-toureiffel.com; 1st fl, Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars, 7e; menus lunch €41.50, dinner €85-180; h11.30am-4.30pm & 6.30-11pm; 
v
c; mBir Hakeim or RER Champ de Mars–Tour Eiffel), on the tower's 1st floor.
oTop Tip
Cut queues by buying lift tickets ahead online; print or display on a smart phone.
It took 300 workers, 2.5 million rivets and two years of nonstop labour to assemble the Eiffel Tower, named after its designer Gustave Eiffel. Upon completion the tower became the tallest human-made structure in the world (324m or 1063ft) – a record held until the completion of New York's Chrysler Building (1930). A symbol of the modern age, it faced massive opposition from Paris’ artistic and literary elite, and the ‘metal asparagus’, as some Parisians snidely called it, was originally slated to be torn down in 1909. It was spared only because it proved an ideal platform for the transmitting antennas needed for the newfangled science of radiotelegraphy.
1st Floor
Of the tower's three floors, the 1st (57m) has the most space but the least impressive views. The glass-enclosed Pavillon Ferrié houses an immersion film along with a cafe and souvenir shop, while the outer walkway features a discovery circuit to help visitors learn more about the tower’s ingenious design. Check out the sections of glass flooring that proffer a dizzying view of the ant-like people walking on the ground far below.
2nd Floor
Views from the 2nd floor (115m) are the best – impressively high but still close enough to see the details of the city below. Telescopes and panoramic maps placed around the tower pinpoint locations in Paris and beyond. Story windows give an overview of the lifts’ mechanics, and the vision well allows you to gaze through glass panels to the ground.
Top Floor
Views from the wind-buffeted top floor (276m) stretch up to 60km on a clear day, though at this height the panoramas are more sweeping than detailed. Afterwards peep into Gustave Eiffel’s restored top-level office where lifelike wax models of Eiffel and his daughter Claire greet Thomas Edison.
To access the top floor, take a separate lift on the 2nd floor (closed during heavy winds).
Nightly Sparkles
Every hour on the hour, the entire tower sparkles for five minutes with 20,000 6-watt lights. They were first installed for Paris’ millennium celebration in 2000 – it took 25 mountain climbers five months to install the current bulbs and 40km of electrical cords. For the best view of the light show, head across the Seine to the Jardins du Trocadéro.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Musée du Louvre
Few art galleries are as prized or daunting as the Musée du Louvre, Paris’ pièce de résistance. One of the world’s largest and most diverse museums, it showcases an unbelievable 35,000-odd works of art.
Great For…
yDon't Miss
Da Vinci's bewitching Mona Lisa; the Mesopotamian and Egyptian collections.
8Need to Know
Musée du Louvre (
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; %01 40 20 53 17; www.louvre.fr; rue de Rivoli & quai des Tuileries, 1er; adult/child €15/free; h9am-6pm Mon, Thu, Sat & Sun, to 9.45pm Wed & Fri; mPalais Royal–Musée du Louvre)
5Take a Break
Picnic in the Jardin des Tuileries or enjoy fine wine and cuisine at Racines 2 (
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; %01 42 60 77 34; www.racinesparis.com; 39 rue de l’Arbre Sec, 1er; 2-/3-course lunch menu €28/32, mains €24-32; hnoon-2.30pm & 7.30-10.30pm Mon-Wed, noon-2.30pm & 7.30-11pm Thu & Fri, 7.30-11pm Sat; mLouvre Rivoli).
oTop Tip
The longest queues are outside the Grande Pyramide – use the Carrousel du Louvre or Porte de Lions entrances instead.
The Louvre today rambles over four floors and through three wings: the Sully Wing creates the four sides of the Cour Carrée (literally ‘Square Courtyard’) at the eastern end of the complex; the Denon Wing stretches 800m along the Seine to the south; and the northern Richelieu Wing skirts rue de Rivoli. The building started life as a fortress built by Philippe-Auguste in the 12th century – medieval remnants are still visible on the Lower Ground Floor (Sully). In the 16th century it became a royal residence and after the Revolution, in 1793, it was turned into a national museum.
Priceless Antiquities
Don't rush by the Louvre's astonishing cache of treasures from antiquity: both Mesopotamia (ground floor, Richelieu) and Egypt (ground and 1st floors, Sully) are well represented, as seen in the Code of Hammurabi (Room 3, ground floor, Richelieu) and the Seated Scribe (Room 22, 1st floor, Sully). Room 12a (ground floor, Sully) holds impressive friezes and an enormous two-headed-bull column from the Darius Palace in ancient Iran, while an enormous seated statue of Pharaoh Ramesses II highlights the temple room (Room 12, ground floor, Sully).
French & Italian Masterpieces
The 1st floor of the Denon Wing, where the Mona Lisa is found, is easily the most popular part of the Louvre – and with good reason. Rooms 75 through 77 are hung with monumental French paintings, many iconic: look for the Consecration of the Emperor Napoleon I (David), The Raft of the Medusa (Géricault) and Grande Odalisque (Ingres).
Rooms 1, 3, 5 and 8 are also must-visits. Filled with classic works by Renaissance masters – Raphael, Titian, Uccello, Botticini – this area culminates with the crowds around the Mona Lisa. But you'll find plenty else to contemplate, from Botticelli's graceful frescoes (Room 1) to the superbly detailed Wedding Feast at Cana (Room 6). On the ground floor of the Denon Wing, take time for the Italian sculptures, including Michelangelo’s The Dying Slave and Canova's Psyche and Cupid (Room 4).
Mona Lisa
Easily the Louvre’s most famous painting, Leonardo da Vinci’s La Joconde (in French) is the lady with that enigmatic smile known as Mona Lisa (Room 6, 1st floor, Denon). For centuries admirers speculated on everything from the possibility that the subject was mourning the death of a loved one to the possibility that she might have been in love or in bed with her portraitist.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris
Paris' mighty cathedral is a masterpiece of French Gothic architecture. Highlights include its spectacular rose windows, treasury and spectacular city views from the top of its gargoyled bell towers.
Great For…
yDon't Miss
An evening concert at the cathedral (October to June); program online at www.musique-sacree-notredamedeparis.fr.
8Need to Know
Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris (
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; %01 42 34 56 10; www.notredamedeparis.fr; 6 place du Parvis Notre Dame, 4e; cathedral free, adult/child towers €10/free, treasury €4/2; hcathedral 7.45am-6.45pm Mon-Fri, to 7.15pm Sat & Sun, towers 10am-6.30pm Sun-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat Jul & Aug, 10am-6.30pm Apr-Jun & Sep, 10am-5.30pm Oct-Mar, treasury 9.30am-6pm Apr-Sep, 10am-5.30pm Oct-Mar; mCité)
5Take a Break
Pop across the water to Île St-Louis for a drink, snack or meal at Café Saint Régis (
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; www.cafesaintregisparis.com; 6 rue Jean du Bellay, 4e; breakfast & snacks €3.50-14.50, mains €18-32; hkitchen 8am-midnight, bar to 2am; 
W; mPont Marie).
oTop Tip
Free 45-minute English-language tours take place at 2pm Wednesday and Thursday and 2.30pm Saturday.
Notre Dame was begun in 1163 and largely completed by the early 14th century. The cathedral was badly damaged during the Revolution, prompting architect Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc to oversee extensive renovations between 1845 and 1864. Enter the magnificent forest of ornate flying buttresses that encircle the cathedral chancel and support its walls and roof.
Rose Windows
The cathedral's grand dimensions are immediately evident: the interior is 127m long, 48m wide and can accommodate some 6000 worshippers. Its most spectacular interior features are three rose windows, particularly the 10m-wide window over the western façade above the organ – one of the largest in the world, with 7800 pipes – and the window on the northern side of the transept, virtually unchanged since the 13th century.
Bell Towers
A constant queue marks the entrance to the Tours de Notre Dame. Climb the 400-odd spiralling steps to the top of the western façade of the North Tower to find yourself on the rooftop Galerie des Chimères (Gargoyles Gallery), face-to-face with frightening and fantastic gargoyles. These grotesque statues divert rainwater from the roof to prevent masonry damage, with the water exiting through the elongated, open mouth; and, purportedly, ward off evil spirits. From the rooftop there's a spectacular view over Paris.
Bible of the Poor
The statues above the three main portals were once brightly coloured to make them more effective as a Biblia pauperum – a ‘Bible of the poor’ – to help the illiterate faithful understand Old Testament stories, the Passion of the Christ and the lives of the saints.
Treasury
In the southeastern transept, the trésor (treasury) contains artwork, liturgical objects and first-class relics; pay a small fee to enter. Among its religious jewels and gems is the Ste-Couronne (Holy Crown), purportedly the wreath of thorns placed on Jesus’ head before he was crucified.
Easier to admire is the treasury's wonderful collection, Les Camées des Papes (Papal cameos). Sculpted with incredible finesse in shell and framed in silver, the 268-piece collection depicts every pope in miniature from St Pierre to the present day, ending with Pope Benoit XVI.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Versailles
This monumental, 700-room palace and sprawling estate – with its gardens, fountains, ponds and canals – is a Unesco World Heritage–listed wonder situated an easy 40-minute train ride from central Paris.
Great For...
yDon't Miss
Summertime 'dancing water' displays set to music by baroque- and classical-era composers.
8Need to Know
Château de Versaille (
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; %01 30 83 78 00; www.chateauversailles.fr; place d'Armes; adult/child passport ticket incl estate-wide access €20/free, with musical events €27/free, palace €15/free; h9am-6.30pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, to 5.30pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar; mRER Versailles-Château–Rive Gauche)
5Take a Break
Nearby rue de Satory is lined with restaurants and cafes.
oTop Tip
Arrive early morning and avoid Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday, Versailles' busiest days.
Amid magnificently landscaped formal gardens, this splendid and enormous palace was built in the mid-17th century during the reign of Louis XIV – the Roi Soleil (Sun King) – to project the absolute power of the French monarchy, which was then at the height of its glory. The château has undergone relatively few alterations since its construction, though almost all the interior furnishings disappeared during the Revolution and many of the rooms were rebuilt by Louis-Philippe (r 1830–48).
Some 30,000 workers and soldiers toiled on the structure, the bills for which all but emptied the kingdom’s coffers.
Work began in 1661 under the guidance of architect Louis Le Vau (Jules Hardouin-Mansart took over from Le Vau in the mid-1670s); painter and interior designer Charles Le Brun; and landscape artist André Le Nôtre, whose workers flattened hills, drained marshes and relocated forests as they laid out the seemingly endless gardens (
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; www.chateauversailles.fr; place d'Armes; free except during musical events; hgardens 8am-8.30pm Apr-Oct, to 6pm Nov-Mar, park 7am-8.30pm Apr-Oct, 8am-6pm Nov-Mar), ponds and fountains.
Le Brun and his hundreds of artisans decorated every moulding, cornice, ceiling and door of the interior with the most luxurious and ostentatious of appointments: frescoes, marble, gilt and woodcarvings, many with themes and symbols drawn from Greek and Roman mythology. The King’s Suite of the Grands Appartements du Roi et de la Reine (King’s and Queen’s State Apartments), for example, includes rooms dedicated to Hercules, Venus, Diana, Mars and Mercury. The opulence reaches its peak in the Galerie des Glaces (Hall of Mirrors), a 75m-long ballroom with 17 huge mirrors on one side and, on the other, an equal number of windows looking out over the gardens and the setting sun.
To access areas that are otherwise off limits and to learn more about Versailles’ history, pre-book a 90-minute guided tour (
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; %01 30 83 77 88; www.chateauversailles.fr; Château de Versailles; tours €7, plus palace entry; hEnglish-language tours 9.30am Tue-Sun) of the Private Apartments of Louis XV and Louis XVI and the Opera House or Royal Chapel. Tours also cover the most famous parts of the palace.
The current €400 million restoration program is the most ambitious yet, and until it’s completed in 2020, at least a part of the palace is likely to be clad in scaffolding when you visit.
The château is situated in the leafy, bourgeois suburb of Versailles, about 22km southwest of central Paris. Take the frequent RER C5 (€4.20) from Paris’ Left Bank RER stations to Versailles-Château–Rive Gauche station.
1Sights
1Eiffel Tower & Western Paris
Musée du Quai BranlyMuseum
(
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; %01 56 61 70 00; www.quaibranly.fr; 37 quai Branly, 7e; adult/child €10/free; h11am-7pm Tue, Wed & Sun, 11am-9pm Thu-Sat; mAlma Marceau or RER Pont de l’Alma)
No other museum in Paris so inspires travellers, armchair anthropologists and those who simply appreciate the beauty of traditional craftsmanship. A tribute to the diversity of human culture, Musée du Quai Branly presents an overview of indigenous and folk art. Its four main sections focus on Oceania, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
An impressive array of masks, carvings, weapons, jewellery and more make up the body of the rich collection, displayed in a refreshingly unique interior without rooms or high walls.
Cité de l’Architecture et du PatrimoineMuseum
(
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; www.citechaillot.fr; 1 place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, 16e; adult/child €8/free; h11am-7pm Wed & Fri-Sun, to 9pm Thu; mTrocadéro)
This mammoth 23,000-sq-metre space is an ode on three floors to French architecture. The highlight is the light-filled ground floor with a beautiful collection of plaster and wood moulages (casts) of cathedral portals, columns and gargoyles; replicas of murals and stained glass originally created for the 1878 Exposition Universelle are on display on the upper floors. Views of the Eiffel Tower are equally monumental.
Musée Marmottan MonetGallery
(
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; %01 44 96 50 33; www.marmottan.fr; 2 rue Louis Boilly, 16e; adult/child €11/7.50; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 9pm Thu; mLa Muette)
This museum showcases the world’s largest collection of works by impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840–1926) – about 100 – as well as paintings by Gauguin, Sisley, Pissarro, Renoir, Degas, Manet and Berthe Morisot. It also contains an important collection of French, English, Italian and Flemish illuminations from the 13th to the 16th centuries.
Western Paris, Champs-Élysées, St-Germain & Les Invalides
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
7Shopping
5Eating
1Champs-Élysées & Grands Boulevards
Arc de TriompheLandmark
(
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; www.paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr; place Charles de Gaulle, 8e; viewing platform adult/child €12/free; h10am-11pm Apr-Sep, to 10.30pm Oct-Mar; mCharles de Gaulle–Étoile)
If anything rivals the Eiffel Tower as the symbol of Paris, it’s this magnificent 1836 monument to Napoléon’s victory at Austerlitz (1805), which he commissioned the following year. The intricately sculpted triumphal arch stands sentinel in the centre of the Étoile (‘Star’) roundabout. From the viewing platform on top of the arch (50m up via 284 steps and well worth the climb) you can see the dozen avenues.
Palais GarnierHistoric Building
(
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; %08 25 05 44 05; www.operadeparis.fr; cnr rues Scribe & Auber, 9e; audio-guided tours €5, guided tours adult/child €15.50/11; haudio-guided tours 10am-5pm, to 1pm on matinee performance days, guided tours by reservation; mOpéra)
The fabled ‘phantom of the opera’ lurked in this opulent opera house designed in 1860 by Charles Garnier (then an unknown 35-year-old architect). Reserve a spot on an English-language guided tour or take an unguided tour of the attached museum, with posters, costumes, backdrops, original scores and other memorabilia, which includes a behind-the scenes peek (except during matinees and rehearsals). Highlights include the Grand Staircase and horseshoe-shaped, gilded auditorium with red velvet seats, a massive chandelier and Chagall’s gorgeous ceiling mural.
Grand PalaisGallery
(
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; %01 44 13 17 17; www.grandpalais.fr; 3 av du Général Eisenhower, 8e; adult/child €11/8; h10am-10pm Wed & Fri-Mon, to 8pm Thu; mChamps-Élysées–Clemenceau)
Erected for the 1900 Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair), the Grand Palais today houses several exhibition spaces beneath its huge 8.5-tonne art nouveau glass roof. Some of Paris’ biggest shows (Renoir, Chagall, Turner) are held in the Galeries Nationales, lasting three to four months. Hours, prices and exhibition dates vary significantly for all galleries. Those listed here generally apply to the Galeries Nationales, but always check the website for exact details. Reserving a ticket online for any show is strongly advised.
Paris with Locals
Parisien d'un Jour – Paris Greeters (www.greeters.paris; by donation) See Paris through local eyes with these two- to three-hour city tours. Volunteers – mainly knowledgeable Parisians passionate about their city – lead groups (maximum six people) to their favourite spots. Minimum two weeks' notice is needed.
1Louvre & Les Halles
Centre PompidouMuseum
(
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; %01 44 78 12 33; www.centrepompidou.fr; place Georges Pompidou, 4e; museum, exhibitions & panorama adult/child €14/free, panorama ticket only €5; h11am-10pm Wed & Fri-Mon (exhibitions close at 9pm), to 11pm Thu; mRambuteau)
The Centre Pompidou has amazed and delighted visitors ever since it opened in 1977, not just for its outstanding collection of modern art – the largest in Europe – but also for its radical architectural statement. The dynamic and vibrant arts centre delights with its irresistible cocktail of galleries and cutting-edge exhibitions, hands-on workshops, dance performances, cinemas and other entertainment venues. The exterior, with its street performers and fanciful fountains (place Igor Stravinsky), is a fun place to linger.
Musée de l’OrangerieMuseum
(
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; %01 44 77 80 07; www.musee-orangerie.fr; place de la Concorde, 1er; adult/child €9/free; h9am-6pm Wed-Mon; mConcorde)
Located in the southwestern corner of the Jardin des Tuileries, this museum, with the Jeu de Paume (
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; %01 47 03 12 50; www.jeudepaume.org; 1 place de la Concorde, 1er; adult/child €10/free; h11am-9pm Tue, to 7pm Wed-Sun; mConcorde), is all that remains of the former Palais des Tuileries, which was razed during the Paris Commune in 1871. It exhibits important impressionist works, including a series of Monet's Decorations des Nymphéas (Water Lilies) in two huge oval rooms purpose-built in 1927 on the artist's instructions, as well as works by Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, Sisley, Soutine and Utrillo. An audioguide costs €5.
Les Halles, Le Marais & The Islands
1Sights
7Shopping
5Eating
6Drinking & Nightlife
3Entertainment
1Montmartre & Northern Paris
Basilique du Sacré-CœurBasilica
(
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; %01 53 41 89 00; www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com; Parvis du Sacré-Cœur; basilica free, dome adult/child €6/4, cash only; hbasilica 6am-10.30pm, dome 8.30am-8pm May-Sep, to 5pm Oct-Apr; mAnvers, Abbesses)
Although some may poke fun at Sacré-Cœur’s unsubtle design, the view from its parvis is one of those perfect Paris postcards. More than just a basilica, Sacré-Cœur is a veritable experience, from the musicians performing on the steps to the groups of friends picnicking on the hillside park. Touristy, yes. But beneath it all, Sacré-Cœur’s heart is gold.
Le Mur des je t'aimePublic Art
(
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; www.lesjetaime.com; Sq Jehan Rictus, place des Abbesses ,18e; h8am-9.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-9.30pm Sat & Sun mid-May–Aug, shorter hours Sep–mid-May; mAbbesses)
Few visitors to Paris can resist a selfie in front of Montmartre's 'I Love You' wall, a public art work created in a small city-square park by artists Frédéric Baron and Claire Kito in the year 2000. The striking wall mural made from dark-blue enamel tiles features the immortal phrase 'I love you!' 311 times in 250 different languages. Find a bench beneath a maple tree and brush up your language skills romantic Paris-style.
Cité des SciencesMuseum
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 85 53 99 74; www.cite-sciences.fr; 30 av Corentin Cariou, Parc de la Villette, 19e; per attraction adult/child €12/9; h10am-6pm Tue-Sat, to 7pm Sun, La Géode 10.30am-8.30pm Tue-Sun; mPorte de la Villette)
This is the city’s top museum for kids, with three floors of hands-on exhibits for children aged two and up, special-effect cinema La Géode, a planetarium and a retired submarine. Each exhibit has a separate admission fee (combined tickets exist), so research online beforehand to work out what’s most appropriate. Be sure to reserve tickets in advance for both weekend and school-holiday visits, plus for the fabulous Cité des Enfants educative play sessions (1½ hours, ages two to seven years or five to 12 years) year-round.
1Le Marais
Musée National PicassoGallery
(
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; %01 85 56 00 36; www.museepicassoparis.fr; 5 rue de Thorigny, 3e; adult/child €12.50/free; h10.30am-6pm Tue-Fri, 9.30am-6pm Sat & Sun; mSt-Paul, Chemin Vert)
One of Paris’ most beloved art collections is showcased inside the mid-17th-century Hôtel Salé, an exquisite private mansion owned by the city since 1964. Inside is the Musée National Picasso, a staggering art museum devoted to the eccentric Spanish artist, Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), who spent much of his life living and working in Paris. The collection includes more than 5000 drawings, engravings, paintings, ceramic works and sculptures by the grand maître (great master), although they're not all displayed at the same time.
Cimetière du Père LachaiseCemetery
(
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; %01 55 25 82 10; www.pere-lachaise.com; 16 rue du Repos & 8 bd de Ménilmontant, 20e; h8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 8.30am-6pm Sat, 9am-6pm Sun mid-Mar–Oct, shorter hours Nov–mid-Mar; mPère Lachaise, Gambetta)
The world’s most visited cemetery, Père Lachaise, opened in 1804. Its 70,000 ornate, even ostentatious, tombs of the rich and/or famous form a verdant, 44-hectare sculpture garden. The most visited are those of 1960s rock star Jim Morrison (division 6) and Oscar Wilde (division 89). Pick up cemetery maps at the conservation office (Bureaux de la Conservation;
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 55 25 82 10; 16 rue du Repos, 20e; h8.30am-12.30pm & 2-5pm Mon-Fri; mPhilippe Auguste, Père Lachaise) near the main bd de Ménilmontant entrance. Other notables buried here include composer Chopin; playwright Molière; poet Apollinaire; and writers Balzac, Proust, Gertrude Stein and Colette.
1Latin Quarter
PanthéonMausoleum
(
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; www.paris-pantheon.fr; place du Panthéon, 5e; adult/child €9/free; h10am-6.30pm Apr-Sep, to 6pm Oct-Mar; mMaubert-Mutualité or RER Luxembourg)
Overlooking the city from its Left Bank perch, the Panthéon's stately neoclassical dome stands out as one of the most recognisable icons on the Parisian skyline. An architectural masterpiece, the interior is impressively vast. Originally a church and now a mausoleum, it has served since 1791 as the resting place of some of France’s greatest thinkers, including Voltaire, Rousseau, Braille and Hugo. Its four newest 'residents' are Resistance fighters Germaine Tillion, Genèvieve de Gaulle-Anthonioz, Pierre Brossolette and Jean Zay.
Musée National du Moyen ÂgeMuseum
(
MAP
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; www.musee-moyenage.fr; 6 place Paul Painlevé, 5e; adult/child incl audioguide €8/free, during temporary exhibitions €9/free; h9.15am-5.45pm Wed-Mon; mCluny–La Sorbonne)
The National Museum of the Middle Ages holds a series of sublime treasures, from medieval statuary, stained glass and objets d'art to its celebrated series of tapestries, The Lady with the Unicorn (1500). Throw in the extant architecture – an ornate 15th-century mansion (the Hôtel de Cluny), and the frigidarium (cold room) of an enormous Roman-era bathhouse – and you have one of Paris' top small museums. Outside, four medieval gardens grace the northeastern corner; more bathhouse remains are to the west.
1St-Germain & Les Invalides
Musée d’OrsayMuseum
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.musee-orsay.fr; 1 rue de la Légion d'Honneur, 7e; adult/child €12/free; h9.30am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 9.45pm Thu; mAssemblée Nationale, RER Musée d’Orsay)
The home of France’s national collection from the impressionist, postimpressionist and art nouveau movements spanning the 1840s and 1914 is the glorious former Gare d’Orsay railway station – itself an art nouveau showpiece – where a roll-call of masters and their world-famous works are on display.
Top of every visitor’s must-see list is the museum’s painting collections, centred on the world’s largest collection of impressionist and postimpressionist art.
Musée RodinMuseum, Garden
(
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; www.musee-rodin.fr; 79 rue de Varenne, 7e; adult/child museum incl garden €10/free, garden only €4/free; h10am-5.45pm Tue-Sun; mVarenne)
Sculptor, painter, sketcher, engraver and collector Auguste Rodin donated his entire collection to the French state in 1908 on the proviso that they dedicate his former workshop and showroom, the beautiful 1730 Hôtel Biron, to displaying his works. They’re now installed not only in the magnificently restored mansion itself, but in its rose-filled garden – one of the most peaceful places in central Paris and a wonderful spot to contemplate his famous work The Thinker.
Prepurchase tickets online to avoid queuing.
Hôtel des InvalidesMonument, Museum
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; www.musee-armee.fr; 129 rue de Grenelle, 7e; adult/child €11/free; h10am-6pm Apr-Oct, to 5pm Nov-Mar, hours can vary; mVarenne, La Tour Maubourg)
Flanked by the 500m-long Esplanade des Invalides lawns, the Hôtel des Invalides was built in the 1670s by Louis XIV to house 4000 invalides (disabled war veterans). On 14 July 1789, a mob broke into the building and seized 32,000 rifles before heading on to the prison at Bastille and the start of the French Revolution.
Admission includes entry to all Hôtel des Invalides sights. Hours for individual sites often vary – check the website for updates.
Parisian Parks
Explore the city's lush green parks where Parisians stroll in style, admire art, lounge around fountains on sun chairs, bust out cheese and wine...
oJardin du Luxembourg (
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; www.senat.fr/visite/jardin; numerous entrances; hhours vary; mMabillon, St-Sulpice, Rennes, Notre Dame des Champs, RER Luxembourg) Napoléon dedicated the 23 gracefully laid-out hectares of formal terraces, chestnut groves and lush lawns here to the children of Paris. Prod 1920s wooden sailboats (
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; Jardin du Luxembourg; sailboat rental per 30min €3.50; hApr-Oct; mNotre Dame des Champs, RER Luxembourg) with long sticks on the octagonal Grand Bassin pond; watch puppet shows.
oJardin des Tuileries (
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; rue de Rivoli, 1er; h7am-9pm late Mar–late Sep, 7.30am-7.30pm late Sep–late Mar; c; mTuileries, Concorde) Filled with fountains and sculptures, these formal, 28-hectare gardens were laid out in 1664 by André Le Nôtre. They soon became the most fashionable spot in Paris for parading in one’s finery; it's now part of the Banks of the Seine Unesco World Heritage Site.
oJardin du Palais Royal (
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; www.domaine-palais-royal.fr; 2 place Colette, 1er; h8am-10.30pm Apr-Sep, to 8.30pm Oct-Mar; mPalais Royal–Musée du Louvre) Sit, contemplate and picnic between boxed hedges, or shop in the trio of arcades that frame this garden so beautifully: the Galerie de Valois (east), Galerie de Montpensier (west) and Galerie Beaujolais. Don't miss sculptor Daniel Buren's 260 black-and-white striped columns.
2Activities
Bateaux-MouchesBoating
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; %01 42 25 96 10; www.bateaux-mouches.fr; Port de la Conférence, 8e; adult/child €13.50/6; mAlma Marceau)
The largest river cruise company in Paris and a favourite with tour groups. Cruises (70 minutes) run regularly from 10.15am to 10.30pm April to September and 13 times a day between 11am and 9.20pm the rest of the year. Commentary is in French and English. It's located on the Right Bank, just east of the Pont de l’Alma.
7Shopping
Galeries LafayetteDepartment Store
(
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; http://haussmann.galerieslafayette.com; 40 bd Haussmann, 9e; h9.30am-8.30pm Mon-Sat, 11am-7pm Sun; W; mChaussée d’Antin or RER Auber)
Grande dame department store Galeries Lafayette is spread across the main store (whose magnificent stained-glass dome is over a century old), men’s store (
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; http://haussmann.galerieslafayette.com; bd Haussmann, 9e; h9.30am-8.30pm Mon-Sat, 11am-7pm Sun; W; mChaussée d'Antin or RER Auber) and homewares (
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; http://haussmann.galerieslafayette.com; bd Haussmann, 9e; h9.30am-8.30pm Mon-Sat, 11am-7pm Sun; W; mHavre Caumartin or RER Auber) store, and includes a gourmet emporium (
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; http://haussmann.galerieslafayette.com; bd Haussmann, 9e; h8.30am-9.30pm Mon-Sat; mHavre Caumartin or RER Auber).
Catch modern art in the gallery (
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; www.galeriedesgaleries.com; 1st fl, Galeries Lafayette, 40 bd Haussmann, 9e; h11am-7pm Tue-Sat; mChaussée d'Antin or RER Auber), take in a fashion show (
GOOGLE MAP
; %bookings 01 42 82 81 98; www.haussmann.galerieslafayette.com; 40 bd Haussmann, 9e; h3pm Fri Mar-Jun & Sep-Dec by reservation; mChaussée d’Antin or RER Auber), ascend to a free, windswept rooftop panorama, or take a break at one of its 24 restaurants and cafes.
Le Bon MarchéDepartment Store
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GOOGLE MAP
; www.bonmarche.com; 24 rue de Sèvres, 7e; h10am-8pm Mon-Wed & Sat, to 8.45pm Thu & Fri, 11am-8pm Sun; mSèvres-Babylone)
Built by Gustave Eiffel as Paris’ first department store in 1852, Le Bon Marché is the epitome of style, with a superb concentration of men’s and women’s fashions, beautiful homewares, stationery, books and toys as well as chic dining options.
The icing on the cake is its glorious food hall, La Grande Épicerie de Paris (
GOOGLE MAP
; www.lagrandeepicerie.com; 36 rue de Sèvres, 7e; h8.30am-9pm Mon-Sat, 10am-8pm Sun; mSèvres-Babylone).
MerciGifts & Souvenirs
(
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; %01 42 77 00 33; www.merci-merci.com; 111 bd Beaumarchais, 3e; h10am-7.30pm; mSt-Sébastien–Froissart)
A Fiat Cinquecento marks the entrance to this unique concept store, which donates all its profits to a children’s charity in Madagascar. Shop for fashion, accessories, linens, lamps and nifty designs for the home; and complete the experience with a coffee in its hybrid used-book-shop-cafe or lunch in its stylish basement La Cantine de Merci (
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; %01 42 77 00 33; www.merci-merci.com; 111 bd Beaumarchais, 3e; dishes €11-19; h10am-7.30pm; mSt-Sébastien–Froissart).
Marché aux Puces St-Ouen
A vast flea market, the Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen (
GOOGLE MAP
; www.marcheauxpuces-saintouen.com; rue des Rosiers, St-Ouen; hSat-Mon; mPorte de Clignancourt) was founded in the late 19th century. It's said to be Europe’s largest market, and has more than 2500 stalls grouped into 15 marchés (market areas), each with its own speciality (eg Paul Bert for 17th-century furniture, Malik for clothing, Biron for Asian art). There are miles upon miles of ‘freelance’ stalls; come prepared to spend some time.
5Eating
5Eiffel Tower & Western Paris
Hugo DesnoyerModern French€€€
(
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; %01 46 47 83 00; www.hugodesnoyer.com; 28 rue du Docteur Blanche, 16e; 2-course lunch menu €22, mains €28-46; hrestaurant 11.30am-3.30pm Tue & Thu-Sat, 8-11pm Wed, closed Aug; mJasmin)
Hugo Desnoyer is Paris' most famous butcher and the trip to his shop in the 16e is well worth it. Arrive by noon or reserve to snag a table and settle down to a table d'hôte feast of homemade terrines, quiches, foie gras and cold cuts followed by the finest meat in Paris – cooked to perfection naturellement.
A more convenient branch, Steak Point (
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; Lafayette Gourmet, bd Haussmann, 9e; mains €12-26.50; h11.30am-7.30pm Mon-Sat; mHavre Caumartin or RER Auber), is located in the basement of Galeries Lafeyette Gourmet.
5Champs-Élysées & Grands Boulevards
LaduréePatisserie€€
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; www.laduree.com; 75 av des Champs-Élysées, 8e; pastries from €1.90, mains €20-33, 2-/3-course menu €35/42; h7.30am-11.30pm Mon-Thu, 7.30am-12.30am Fri, 8.30am-12.30am Sat, 8.30am-11.30pm Sun; c; mGeorge V)
One of the oldest patisseries in Paris, Ladurée has been around since 1862 and was the original creator of the lighter-than-air macaron. Its tearoom is the classiest spot to indulge on the Champs. Alternatively, pick up some pastries to go – from croissants to its trademark macarons, it’s all quite heavenly.
RicherBistro€
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; www.lericher.com; 2 rue Richer, 9e; mains €18-20; hnoon-2.30pm and 7.30-10.30pm; mPoissonière, Bonne Nouvelle)
Run by the same team as across-the-street neighbour L'Office (
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; %01 47 70 67 31; www.office-resto.com; 3 rue Richer, 9e; 2-/3-course lunch menus €22/27, mains €19-32; hnoon-2pm & 7.30-10.30pm Mon-Fri; mPoissonière, Bonne Nouvelle), Richer's pared-back, exposed-brick decor is a smart setting for genius creations like trout tartare with cauliflower and tomato and citrus mousse, and quince and lime cheesecake for dessert. It doesn't take reservations, but it serves up snacks, Chinese tea and has a full bar outside meal times. Fantastic value.
5Louvre & Les Halles
UmaFusion€€
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; %01 40 15 08 15; www.uma-restaurant.fr; 7 rue du 29 Juillet, 1er; 2-/3-course lunch €25/29, mains €23-25; h12.30-2.30pm & 7.30-10.30pm Tue-Sat; mTuileries)
Embark on a culinary voyage at Uma, where chef Lucas Felzine infuses contemporary French sensibilities with Nikkei: Peruvian-Japanese fusion food. The lunch menu comes with two exquisitely prepared starters (think ceviche with daikon radish or smoked duck with lychees and huacatay); grab a table upstairs to spy on the open kitchen. Mezcal, pisco and vodka cocktails served until 1.30am. Reserve.
FrenchieBistro€€€
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; %01 40 39 96 19; www.frenchie-restaurant.com; 5 rue du Nil, 2e; 4-course lunch menu €45, 5-course dinner menu €74, with wine €175; h6.30-11pm Mon-Wed, noon-2.30pm & 6.30-11pm Fri; mSentier)
Tucked down an alley you wouldn’t venture down otherwise, this bijou bistro with wooden tables and old stone walls is iconic. Frenchie is always packed and for good reason: excellent-value dishes are modern, market-driven and prepared with just the right dose of unpretentious creative flair by French chef Gregory Marchand.
The only hiccup is snagging a table: reserve well in advance, arrive at 6.30pm and pray for a cancellation (it does happen) or – failing that – share tapas-style small plates with friends across the street at Frenchie Bar à Vins (
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; www.frenchie-restaurant.com; 6 rue du Nil, 2e; dishes €9-23; h6.30-11pm Mon-Fri; mSentier). No reservations at the latter – write your name on the sheet of paper strung outside, loiter in the alley and wait for your name to be called.
5Montmartre & Northern Paris
Du Pain et des IdéesBakery€
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; www.dupainetdesidees.com; 34 rue Yves Toudic, 10e; h6.45am-8pm Mon-Fri; mJacques Bonsergent)
This traditional bakery with exquisite interior from 1889 is famed for its naturally leavened bread, orange-blossom brioche and decadent escargots ('snails', like cinnamon rolls) in four sweet flavours. Its mini savoury pavés (breads) flavoured with reblochon cheese and fig, or goat's cheese, sesame and honey make for the perfect lunch on the hoof. Top marks for the wooden picnic table on the pavement outside.
52 Faubourg St-DenisModern French€
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; www.faubourgstdenis.com; 52 rue du Faubourg St-Denis, 10e; mains €16-20; h8am-midnight, kitchen noon-2.30pm & 7-11pm; W; mChâteau d'Eau)
This thoroughly contemporary, neighbourhood cafe-restaurant is simply a brilliant space to hang out in at any time of day. Be it for breakfast, coffee, a zingy fresh-sage infusion, dinner or drinks, 52 Faubourg, as locals call it, gets it just right. Cuisine is modern and creative, and the chef is not shy in mixing veg with fruit in every course – including dessert. No reservations.
HolybellyInternational€
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; http://holybel.ly; 19 rue Lucien Sampaix, 10e; breakfast €5-11.50, lunch mains €15.50-16.50; hkitchen 9am-2.15pm Thu, Fri & Mon, 10am-3.15pm Sat & Sun, cafe to 5pm; mJacques Bonsergent)
This outstanding barista-run coffee shop and kitchen is always rammed with a buoyant crowd, who never tire of Holybelly's exceptional service, Belleville-roasted coffee and cuisine. Sarah's breakfast pancakes served with egg, bacon, homemade bourbon butter and maple syrup are legendary, while her lunch menu features everything from traditional braised veal shank to squid à la plancha.
Le Verre VoléBistro€€
(
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; %01 48 03 17 34; http://leverrevole.fr; 67 rue de Lancry, 10e; 2-/3-course lunch menu €19/22, mains €16.50-26; hbistro 12.30-2.30pm & 7.30-11.30pm, wine bar 10am-2am; W; mJacques Bonsergent)
The tiny ‘Stolen Glass’ – a wine shop with a few tables – is just about the most perfect wine-bar-restaurant in Paris, with top wines and expert advice. Unpretentious and hearty plats du jour (dishes of the day) are excellent. Reserve well in advance for meals, or stop by to pick up a bottle.
Montmartre
5Le Marais
Breizh CaféCrêpes€
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; %01 42 72 13 77; http://breizhcafe.com; 109 rue Vieille du Temple, 3e; crêpes & galettes €6.50-18.80; h11.30am-11pm Tue-Sun; mSt-Sébastien–Froissart)
It is a well-known fact among Parisians: everything at the Breton Café (breizh is ‘Breton’ in Breton) is 100% authentic, rendering it the top spot in the city for authentic crêpes. Be it the Cancale oysters, 20 types of cider or the buttery organic-flour crêpes, everything here is cooked to perfection. If you fail to snag a table, try L'Épicerie (
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; www.breizhcafe.com; 111 rue Vieille du Temple, 3e; crêpes & galettes €6.50-18.80; h11.30am-10pm Wed-Sun; mSt-Sébastien–Froissart) next door.
Chez Alain Miam MiamSandwiches, Crêperie€
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; www.facebook.com/ChezAlainMiamMiam; Marché des Enfants Rouges, 39 rue de Bretagne & 33bis rue Charlot, 3e; dishes €3-9.50; h9am-3.30pm Wed-Fri, to 5.30pm Sat, to 3pm Sun; v; mFilles du Calvaire)
Weave your way through the makeshift kitchens inside Marché des Enfants Rouges (
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; 39 rue de Bretagne & 33bis rue Charlot, 3e; h8.30am-1pm & 4-7.30pm Tue-Fri, 4-8pm Sat, 8.30am-2pm Sun; mFilles du Calvaire) to find Alain, a retired baker with grey surfer locks and T-shirt with attitude. Watch him prepare you a monster sandwich or galette (savoury pancake) on a sizzling crêpe griddle from a bespoke combo of fresh, organic ingredients – grated fennel, smoked air-dried beef, avocado, sesame salt and carefully curated honeys.
Jacques GeninPastries€
(
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; %01 45 77 29 01; www.jacquesgenin.fr; 133 rue de Turenne, 3e; pastries €9; h11am-7pm Tue-Sun; mOberkampf, Filles du Calvaire)
Wildly creative chocolatier Jacques Genin is famed for his flavoured caramels, pâtes de fruits (fruit jellies) and exquisitely embossed bonbons de chocolat (chocolate sweets). But what completely steals the show at his elegant chocolate showroom is the salon de dégustation (aka tearoom), where you can order a pot of outrageously thick hot chocolate and legendary Genin millefeuille, assembled to order.
Au PassageBistro€€
(
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; %01 73 20 23 23; www.restaurant-aupassage.fr; 1bis passage St-Sébastien, 11e; small plates €7-14, meats to share €18-70; h7-11.30pm Mon-Sat; mSt-Sébastien-Froissart)
Spawned by talented Australian chef James Henry, who went on to open Bones then Parisian bistro Belon in Hong Kong, this petit bar de quartier (neighbourhood bar) is still raved about. Pick from a good-value, uncomplicated choice selection of petites assiettes (small plates designed to be shared) featuring various market produce – cold meats, raw or cooked fish, vegetables and so on. Advance reservations essential.
Le Clown BarModern French€€
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; %01 43 55 87 35; www.clown-bar-paris.com; 114 rue Amelot, 11e; mains €28-36; hkitchen noon-2.30pm & 7-10.30pm Wed-Sun, bar 7.30am-1.30am; mFilles du Calvaire)
A historic monument next to the city's winter circus, the Cirque d’Hiver (1852), this unique address is practically a museum with its ceramics, mosaics, original zinc bar and purist art deco style. A restaurant for decades, this mythical address now serves up fabulous modern French cuisine and excellent natural wines for a jovial crowd. Its pavement terrace gets packed out on sunny days.
5Latin Quarter
Shakespeare & Company CaféCafe€
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; www.shakespeareandcompany.com; 2 rue St-Julien le Pauvre, 5e; dishes €3.50-10.50; h9.30am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 8pm Sat & Sun; Wvc; mSt-Michel)
Instant history was made when this light-filled, literary-inspired cafe opened in 2015 adjacent to magical bookshop Shakespeare & Company (
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; %01 43 25 40 93; www.shakespeareandcompany.com; 37 rue de la Bûcherie, 5e; h10am-11pm; mSt-Michel), designed from long-lost sketches to fulfil a dream of late bookshop founder George Whitman from the 1960s. Its primarily vegetarian menu (with vegan and gluten-free dishes available) includes homemade bagels, rye bread, soups, salads and pastries, plus Parisian-roasted Café Lomi coffee.
Café de la Nouvelle MairieCafe€
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; %01 44 07 04 41; 19 rue des Fossés St-Jacques, 5e; mains €9-19; hkitchen noon-2.30pm & 8-10.30pm Mon-Thu, 8-10pm Fri; mCardinal Lemoine)
Shhhh…just around the corner from the Panthéon but hidden away on a small, fountained square, this narrow wine bar is a neighbourhood secret, serving blackboard-chalked natural wines by the glass and delicious seasonal bistro fare from oysters and ribs (à la française) to grilled lamb sausage over lentils. It takes reservations for dinner but not lunch – arrive early.
Restaurant ATGastronomy€€€
(
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; %01 56 81 94 08; www.atsushitanaka.com; 4 rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 5e; 6-course lunch menu €55, 12-course dinner tasting menu €95; h12.15-2pm & 8-9.30pm Tue-Sat; mCardinal Lemoine)
Trained by some of the biggest names in gastronomy (Pierre Gagnaire included), chef Atsushi Tanaka showcases abstract artlike masterpieces incorporating rare ingredients (charred bamboo, kohlrabi turnip cabbage, juniper berry powder, wild purple fennel, Nepalese Timut pepper) in a blank-canvas-style dining space on stunning outsized plates. Just off the entrance, steps lead to his cellar wine bar, Bar à Vins AT (
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; %01 56 81 94 08; http://atsushitanaka.com; 4 rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 5e; dishes €12-16; h7pm-2am Tue-Sun; mCardinal Lemoine).
Latin Quarter
1Sights
7Shopping
5Eating
6Drinking & Nightlife
5St-Germain & Les Invalides
L'Avant Comptoir de la MerSeafood€
(
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; www.hotel-paris-relais-saint-germain.com; 3 Carrefour de l'Odéon, 6e; tapas €5-25; h11am-11pm; mOdéon)
The latest in Yves Camdeborde's stunning line-up of Carrefour de l'Odéon eateries, alongside Le Comptoir (
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; %01 44 27 07 97; www.hotel-paris-relais-saint-germain.com; 9 Carrefour de l’Odéon, 6e; lunch mains €14-28, dinner menu €60; hnoon-6pm & 8.30-11.30pm Mon-Fri, noon-11pm Sat & Sun; mOdéon) and L'Avant Comptoir (
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; www.hotel-paris-relais-saint-germain.com; 3 Carrefour de l’Odéon, 6e; tapas €4-10; hnoon-midnight; mOdéon), serves succulent oysters (Bloody Mary–style or with chipolata sausages), herring tartine, cauliflower and trout roe, blood-orange razor clams, lobster with almond milk foam, roasted scallops and salmon croquettes, complemented by its bar's artisan bread, flavoured butters, sea salt and Kalamata olives.
Bouillon RacineBrasserie€€
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; %01 44 32 15 60; www.bouillonracine.com; 3 rue Racine, 6e; weekday 2-course lunch menu €17, menus €33-46, mains €18.50-29; hnoon-11pm; c; mCluny-La Sorbonne)
Inconspicuously situated in a quiet street, this heritage-listed 1906 art nouveau ‘soup kitchen’, with mirrored walls, floral motifs and ceramic tiling, was built in 1906 to feed market workers. Despite the magnificent interior, the food – inspired by age-old recipes – is no afterthought but superbly executed (stuffed, spit-roasted suckling pig, pork shank in Rodenbach red beer, scallops and shrimps with lobster coulis).
CloverBistro€€
(
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; %01 75 50 00 05; www.clover-paris.com; 5 rue Perronet, 7e; 2-/3-course lunch menus €35/45, 3-/5-course dinner menus €60/73; h12.30-2pm & 7-10pm Tue-Sat; mSt-Germain des Prés)
Dining at hot-shot chef Jean-François Piège's casual bistro is like attending a private party: the galley-style open kitchen adjoining the 20 seats (reserve ahead!) is part of the dining-room decor, putting customers front and centre of the culinary action. Light, luscious dishes span quinoa chips with aubergine and black sesame to cabbage leaves with smoked herring crème and chestnuts.
Restaurant David ToutainGastronomy€€€
(
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; %01 45 50 11 10; http://davidtoutain.com; 29 rue Surcouf, 7e; 3-course lunch menu €55, 9-/15-course tasting menus €80/110; hnoon-2pm & 8-10pm Mon-Fri; mInvalides)
Prepare to be wowed: David Toutain pushes the envelope at his eponymous Michelin-starred restaurant with some of the most creative high-end cooking in Paris. Mystery degustation courses include unlikely combinations such as smoked eel in green-apple-and-black-sesame mousse, cauliflower, white chocolate and coconut truffles, or candied celery and truffled rice pudding with artichoke praline (stunning wine pairings available).
Gluten-free Greatness
In a city known for its bakeries, it's only right there's Chambelland (
MAP
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; %01 43 55 07 30; http://chambelland.com; 14 rue Ternaux, 11e; lunch menu €10-12; h9am-8pm Tue-Sun; mParmentier) – a 100% gluten-free bakery with serious breads to die for. Using rice and buckwheat flour milled at the bakery's very own mill in southern France, this pioneering bakery creates exquisite cakes and pastries as well as sourdough loaves and brioches (sweet breads) peppered with nuts, seeds, chocolate and fruit.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Le Verre à PiedCafe
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; 118bis rue Mouffetard, 5e; h9am-9pm Tue-Sat, 9.30am-4pm Sun; mCensier Daubenton)
This café-tabac is a pearl of a place where little has changed since 1870. Its nicotine-hued mirrored wall, moulded cornices and original bar make it part of a dying breed, but it epitomises the charm, glamour and romance of an old Paris everyone loves, including stall holders from the rue Mouffetard market who yo-yo in and out.
L’EbouillantéCafe
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; http://ebouillante.fr; 6 rue des Barres, 4e; hnoon-10pm Tue-Sun Jun-Aug, noon-7pm Tue-Sun Sep-May; mPont Marie, Hôtel de Ville)
On sunny days there is no prettier cafe terrace. Enjoying a privileged position on a pedestrian, stone-flagged street just footsteps from the Seine, L'Ebouillanté buzzes with savvy Parisians sipping refreshing glasses of homemade citronnade (ginger lemonade), hibiscus-flower cordial and herbal teas. Delicious cakes, jumbo salads, savoury crêpes and Sunday brunch (€21) complement the long drinks menu.
Wild & the MoonJuice Bar
(
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; www.wildandthemoon.com; 55 rue Charlot, 3e; h8am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9am-7pm Sat & Sun; mFilles du Calvaire)
A beautiful crowd hobnobs over nut milks, vitality shots, smoothies, cold-pressed juices and raw food in this sleek new juice bar in the fashionable Haut Marais. Ingredients are fresh, seasonal and organic, and it is one of the few places in town where you can have moon porridge or avocado slices on almond and rosemary crackers for breakfast.
Le Mary CélesteCocktail Bar
(
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; www.quixotic-projects.com/venue/mary-celeste; 1 rue Commines, 3e; h6pm-2am, kitchen 7-11.30pm; mFilles du Calvaire)
Predictably there's a distinct nautical feel to this fashionable, ubercool cocktail bar in the Marais. Snag a stool at the central circular bar or play savvy and reserve one of a handful of tables (in advance online). Cocktails (€12 to €13) are creative and the perfect partner to a dozen oysters or your pick of tapas-style 'small plates' designed to be shared (€8 to €15).
Lulu WhiteCocktail Bar
(
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; www.luluwhite.bar; 12 rue Frochot, 9e; h7pm-2am Mon-Thu, to 4am Fri & Sat; mPigalle)
Sip absinthe-based cocktails in Prohibition-era New Orleans surrounds at this elegant, serious and supremely busy cocktail bar on rue Frochot; several more line the same street making for a fabulous evening out. Should you be wondering, Lulu White was an infamous African-American brothel owner in early 20th-century New Orleans.
Les Jardins du Pont-NeufCocktail Bar
(
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; http://lesjardinsdupontneuf.com; quai de l'Horloge, 1er; h7pm-2am Tue-Sat, hours can vary; W; mPont Neuf)
Island life became more glamorous with the opening of this ultra-chic floating cocktail bar aboard a barge moored by the Pont Neuf. Decked out with art-nouveau-inspired decor including rattan furniture and hanging plants, its two vast terraces overlook the Seine. There's also a dance floor; check the website for upcoming soirées.
Le Baron RougeWine Bar
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 43 43 14 32; www.lebaronrouge.net; 1 rue Théophile Roussel, 12e; h5-10pm Mon, 10am-2pm & 5-10pm Tue-Fri, 10am-10pm Sat, 10am-4pm Sun; mLedru-Rollin)
Just about the ultimate Parisian wine-bar experience, this place has barrels stacked against the bottle-lined walls. As unpretentious as you’ll find, it’s a local meeting place where everyone is welcome and it's especially busy on Sunday after the Marché d'Aligre (
GOOGLE MAP
; rue d’Aligre, 12e; h8am-1pm Tue-Sun; mLedru-Rollin) wraps up. All the usual suspects – cheese, charcuterie and oysters – will keep your belly full.
Le Petit Fer à ChevalBar
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.cafeine.com/petit-fer-a-cheval; 30 rue Vieille du Temple, 4e; h9am-2am; mHôtel de Ville, St-Paul)
A Marais institution, the Little Horseshoe is a minute cafe-bar with an original horseshoe-shaped zinc bar from 1903. The place overflows with regulars from dawn to dark. Great apéro (predinner drink) spot and great WC – stainless-steel toilet stalls straight out of a Flash Gordon film (actually inspired by the interior of the Nautilus submarine in Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues under the Sea).
ConcreteClub
(
GOOGLE MAP
; www.concreteparis.fr; 69 Port de la Rapée, 12e; hThu-Sun; mGare de Lyon)
This hugely popular, wild-child club with different dance floors lures a young international set to a boat on the Seine, firmly moored by Gare de Lyon. Notorious for introducing an 'after-hours' element to Paris' somewhat staid clubbing scene, Concrete is the trendy place to party all night until sunrise and beyond. Watch for all-weekend events aka electronic dance music around the clock.
Le BatofarClub
(
GOOGLE MAP
; www.batofar.fr; opposite 11 quai François Mauriac, 13e; hclub 11.30pm-6am Tue-Sat, bar 6-11pm Tue-Sat May-Sep, 7pm-midnight Tue-Sat Oct-Apr; mQuai de la Gare, Bibliothèque)
This much-loved, red-metal tugboat has a rooftop bar that’s terrific in summer, and a respected restaurant, while the club underneath provides memorable underwater acoustics between its metal walls and portholes. Le Batofar is known for its edgy, experimental music policy and live performances from 7pm, mostly electro-oriented but also incorporating hip-hop, new wave, rock, punk or jazz.
Best Coffee
oBoot Café (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; 19 rue du Pont aux Choux, 3e; h10am-6pm; mSt-Sébastien–Froissart) The charm of this three-table ode to good coffee is its façade – an old cobbler's shop – which must win a prize for 'most photographed'. Excellent coffee, roasted in Paris, to boot.
oLockwood (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 77 32 97 21; www.lockwoodparis.com; 73 rue d'Aboukir, 2e; h6pm-2am Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm & 6pm-2am Sat, 10am-4pm Sun; mSentier) Savour beans from Paris' Belleville Brûlerie during the day, brunch on weekends and well-mixed cocktails in the subterranean candle-lit cave at night.
oHardware Société (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 42 51 69 03; 10 rue Lamarck, 18e; h9am-4.30pm Thu-Mon, kitchen 9am-3.30pm Thu-Mon; W; mChâteau Rouge, Lamarck-Caulaincourt) With black-and-white floor, Christian Lacroix butterflies fluttering across one wall and perfect love-heart-embossed cappuccinos, there's no finer spot around Montmartre's Sacré-Cœur to linger over superb barista-crafted coffee. Feisty breakfasts and brunches too.
oCoutume (
GOOGLE MAP
; www.coutumecafe.com; 47 rue de Babylone, 7e; h8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat & Sun; W; mSt-François Xavier) The flagship cafe of this artisan roaster of premium beans is ground zero for innovative preparation methods including cold extraction and siphon brews. Fabulous organic fare and pastries.
3Entertainment
Opéra BastilleOpera
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %international calls 01 71 25 24 23, within France 08 92 89 90 90; www.operadeparis.fr; 2-6 place de la Bastille, 12e; hbox office 11.30am-6.30pm Mon-Sat, 1hr prior to performances Sun; mBastille)
This 3400-seat venue is the city’s main opera hall; it also stages ballet and classical concerts. Tickets go on sale online up to two weeks before they’re available by telephone or at the box office. Standing-only tickets (places débouts; €5) are available 90 minutes before performances begin. By day, explore the opera house with a 90-minute guided tour backstage; check hours online.
Palais GarnierOpera, Ballet
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.operadeparis.fr; place de l’Opéra, 9e; mOpéra)
The city’s original opera house is smaller than its Bastille counterpart, but has perfect acoustics. Due to its odd shape, some seats have limited or no visibility – book carefully. Ticket prices and conditions (including last-minute discounts) are available from the box office (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %international calls 01 71 25 24 23, within France 08 25 05 44 05; www.operadeparis.fr; cnr rues Scribe & Auber; h11am-6.30pm Mon-Sat; mOpéra).
Life is a Cabaret
Whirling lines of feather boa–clad, high-kicking dancers at grand-scale cabarets like the cancan creator, the Moulin Rouge, are a quintessential fixture on Paris’ entertainment scene – for everyone but Parisians. Still, the dazzling sets, costumes and dancing guarantee an entertaining evening (or matinee).
oMoulin Rouge (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 53 09 82 82; www.moulinrouge.fr; 82 bd de Clichy, 18e; show/dinner show from €87/165; hshows 7pm, 9pm & 11pm; mBlanche) The flagship cafe of this artisan roaster of premium beans is ground zero for innovative preparation methods including cold extraction and siphon brews. Fabulous organic fare and pastries.
oAu Lapin Agile (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 46 06 85 87; www.au-lapin-agile.com; 22 rue des Saules, 18e; adult €28, student except Sat €20; h9pm-1am Tue-Sun; mLamarck–Caulaincourt) This rustic cabaret venue was favoured by artists and intellectuals in the early 20th century and traditional chansons are still performed here.
8Information
Medical Services
American Hospital of ParisHospital
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 46 41 25 25; www.american-hospital.org; 63 bd Victor Hugo, Neuilly-sur-Seine; mPont de Levallois)
Private hospital with emergency 24-hour medical and dental care.
Hôpital Hôtel DieuHospital
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 42 34 88 19; www.aphp.fr; 1 place du Parvis Notre Dame, 4e; mCité)
One of the city’s main government-run public hospitals; after 8pm use the emergency entrance on rue de la Cité.
Pharmacie Les ChampsPharmacy
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 45 62 02 41; Galerie des Champs-Élysées, 84 av des Champs-Élysées, 8e; h24hrs; mGeorge V)
Tourist Information
Paris Convention & Visitors Bureau (Office du Tourisme et des Congrès de Paris;
GOOGLE MAP
; www.parisinfo.com; 25 rue des Pyramides, 1er; h9am-7pm May-Oct, 10am-7pm Nov-Apr; mPyramides) The main branch is 500m northwest of the Louvre. It sells tickets for tours and several attractions, plus museum and transport passes. Also books accommodation.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Aéroport de Charles de GaulleAirport
(CDG;
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 70 36 39 50; www.parisaeroport.fr)
Most international airlines fly to Aéroport de Charles de Gaulle, 28km northeast of central Paris. (In French the airport is commonly called 'Roissy' after the suburb in which it is located.)
Aéroport d’OrlyAirport
(ORY;
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 70 36 39 50; www.parisaeroport.fr)
Aéroport d’Orly is located 19km south of central Paris but, despite being closer to the centre than CDG, it is not as frequently used by international airlines and public transportation options aren’t quite as straightforward.
Train
Paris has six major train stations. For mainline train information visit the SNCF (www.voyages-sncf.com) website.
Gare du NordTrain Station
(
GOOGLE MAP
; rue de Dunkerque, 10e; mGare du Nord)
Trains to/from the UK, Belgium, northern Germany, Scandinavia and Moscow (terminus of the high-speed Thalys trains to/from Amsterdam, Brussels, Cologne and Geneva and the Eurostar to London); trains to the northern suburbs of Paris and northern France.
Gare de LyonTrain Station
(
GOOGLE MAP
; bd Diderot, 12e; mGare de Lyon)
Gare de Lyon, in eastern Paris, is the terminus for trains from Provence, the Alps, the Riviera and Italy. Also serves Geneva, Switzerland.
Gare de l’EstTrain Station
(
GOOGLE MAP
; bd de Strasbourg, 10e; mGare de l’Est)
For trains to/from Luxembourg, parts of Switzerland, southern Germany and points further east; regular and TGV Est trains to areas of France east of Paris including Champagne.
Gare St-LazareTrain
(
GOOGLE MAP
; esplanade de la Gare St-Lazare, 8e; mSt-Lazare)
Terminus for trains from Normandy.
Gare MontparnasseTrain Station
(
GOOGLE MAP
; av du Maine & bd de Vaugirard, 15e; mMontparnasse Bienvenüe)
Gare Montparnasse is the terminus for trains from the southwest and west, including services from Brittany, the Loire, Bordeaux, and Spain and Portugal.
Gare d’AusterlitzTrain Station
(
GOOGLE MAP
; bd de l’Hôpital, 13e; mGare d’Austerlitz)
Gare d'Austerlitz is the terminus for a handful of trains from the south, including services from Orléans. High-speed trains to/from Barcelona and Madrid also use Austerlitz.
8Getting Around
To/from the Airport
Getting into town is straightforward and inexpensive thanks to a fleet of public transport options; the most expedient are listed here. Bus drivers sell tickets.
Aéroport Charles de Gaulle
Train
CDG is served by the RER B line (€9.75, approximately 50 minutes, every 10 to 20 minutes), which connects with the Gare du Nord, Châtelet–Les Halles and St-Michel–Notre Dame stations in the city centre. Trains run from 5am to 11pm; there are fewer trains on weekends.
Bus
There are six main bus lines.
Les Cars Air France line 2 (€17, 1hr, every 20min, 6am-11pm) Links the airport with the Arc de Triomphe. Children aged 2-11 pay half price.
Les Cars Air France line 4 (€17.50, 50-55min, every 30min, 6am-10pm) Links the airport with Gare de Lyon in eastern Paris and Gare Montparnasse in southern Paris. Children aged 2-11 pay half price.
Noctilien bus 140 & 143 (€8 or 4 metro tickets, line 140 1¼hrs, line 143 2hr, every 30min, 6am-10pm) Part of the RATP night service, Noctilien has two buses that go to CDG: bus 140 from Gare de l’Est, and 143 from Gare de l’Est and Gare du Nord.
RATP bus 350 (€6, 70min, every 30min, 5.30am-11pm) Links the airport with Gare de l’Est in northern Paris.
RATP bus 351 (€6, 70min, every 30min, 5.30am-11pm) Links the airport with place de la Nation in eastern Paris.
Roissybus (€11, 1hr, from CDG every 15min 5.30am-10pm & every 30min, 10pm &11pm; from Paris every 15min 5.15am-10pm & every 30min 10pm-12.30am) Links the airport with the Opéra.
Taxi
A taxi to the city centre takes 40 minutes. From 2016, fares have been standardised to a flat rate: €50 to the Right Bank and €55 to the Left Bank. The fare increases by 15% between 5pm and 10am and on Sundays.
Aéroport d'Orly
Train
RER B (€12.05, 35 minutes, every four to 12 minutes) This line connects Orly with the St-Michel–Notre Dame, Châtelet–Les Halles and Gare du Nord stations in the city centre. In order to get from Orly to the RER station (Antony), you must first take the Orlyval automatic train. The service runs from 6am to 11pm (less frequently on weekends). You only need one ticket to take the two trains.
Bus
Les Cars Air France line 1 (€12.50, one hour, every 20 minutes, 6am to 11.40pm from Orly, 5am to 10.40pm from Invalides) Runs to/from the Gare Montparnasse (35 minutes) in southern Paris, Invalides in the 7e, and the Arc de Triomphe. Children aged two to 11 pay half price.
Orlybus (€7.50, 30 minutes, every 15 minutes, 6am to 12.30pm from Orly, 5.35am to midnight from Paris) Runs to/from the metro station Denfert Rochereau in southern Paris, making several stops en route.
Tram
Tramway T7 (€1.80, every six minutes, 40 minutes, 5.30am to 12.30am) This tramway links Orly with Villejuif-Louis Aragon metro station in southern Paris; buy tickets from the machine at the tram stop as no tickets are sold on board.
Taxi
A taxi to the city centre takes roughly 30 minutes. Standardised flat-rate fares are €30 to the Left Bank and €35 to the Right Bank.
Tourist Passes
The Mobilis and Paris Visite passes are valid on the metro, RER, SNCF’s suburban lines, buses, night buses, trams and Montmartre funicular railway. Buy them at the airports and larger metro and RER stations.
Mobilis Allows unlimited travel for one day and costs €7 (two zones) to €16.60 (five zones). Depending on how many times you plan to hop on/off the metro in a day, a carnet might work out cheaper.
Paris Visite Allows unlimited travel as well as discounted entry to certain museums and other discounts and bonuses. The 'Paris+Suburbs+Airports' pass includes transport to/from the airports and costs €23.50/35.70/50.05/61.25 for one/two/three/five days. The cheaper 'Paris Centre' pass, valid for zones 1 to 3, costs €11.15/18.15/24.80/35.70 for one/two/three/five days. Children aged four to 11 years pay half price.
Bicycle
Paris is increasingly bike-friendly. The Vélib’ (%01 30 79 79 30; www.velib.paris.fr; day/week subscription €1.70/8, bike hire up to 30/60/90/120min free/€1/2/4) bike share scheme puts 23,600 bikes at the disposal of Parisians and visitors for getting around the city. There are some 1800 stations throughout the city, accessible around the clock.
Boat
Batobus (www.batobus.com; adult/child 1-day pass €17/8, 2-day pass €19/10; h10am-9.30pm Apr-Aug, to 7pm Sep-Mar) runs glassed-in trimarans that dock every 20 to 25 minutes at nine small piers along the Seine: Beaugrenelle, Eiffel Tower, Musée d’Orsay, St-Germain des Prés, Notre Dame, Jardin des Plantes/Cité de la Mode et du Design, Hôtel de Ville, Musée du Louvre and Champs-Élysées.
Buy tickets online, at ferry stops or tourist offices.
Public Transport
Paris’ underground network is run by RATP and consists of two separate but linked systems: the metro and the Réseau Express Régional (RER) suburban train line. The metro has 14 numbered lines; the RER has five main lines (but you'll probably only need to use A, B and C). When buying tickets consider how many zones your journey will cover; there are five concentric transport zones rippling out from Paris (zone 5 being the furthest); if you travel from Charles de Gaulle airport to Paris, for instance, buy a zone 1–5 ticket.
The same RATP tickets are valid on the metro, the RER (for travel within the city limits), buses, trams and the Montmartre funicular. A ticket – white in colour and called Le Ticket t+ – costs €1.80 (half price for children aged four to nine years) if bought individually and €14.10 for adults for a carnet (book) of 10.
For information on the metro, RER and bus systems, visit www.ratp.fr.
Sleeping
Choose accommodation somewhere within Paris’ 20 arrondissements (city districts) to experience Parisian life the moment you step out the door. Although marginally cheaper, accommodation outside central Paris is invariably a false economy given travel time and costs.
| Neighbourhood | Atmosphere |
|---|---|
| Eiffel Tower & Western Paris | Close to Paris’ iconic tower and museums. Upmarket area with quiet residential streets. Short on budget and midrange accommodation. Limited nightlife. |
| Champs-Élysées & Grands Boulevards | Luxury hotels, famous boutiques and department stores, gastronomic restaurants, great nightlife. Some areas extremely pricey. Nightlife hotspots can be noisy. |
| Louvre & Les Halles | Epicentral location, excellent transport links, major museums, shopping galore. Not many bargains. Noise can be an issue in some areas. |
| Montmartre & Northern Paris | Village atmosphere and some lively multicultural areas. Many places have views across Paris. Hilly streets, further out than some areas, some parts very touristy. The red-light district around Pigalle, although well lit and safe, won’t appeal to all travellers. |
| Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville | Buzzing nightlife, hip shopping, fantastic eating options in all price ranges. Excellent museums. Lively gay and lesbian scene. Busier on Sundays than most areas. Very central. Can be seriously noisy in areas where bars and clubs are concentrated. |
| Bastille & Eastern Paris | Few tourists, allowing you to see the ‘real’ Paris up close. Excellent markets, loads of nightlife options. Some areas slightly out of the way. |
| The Islands | As geographically central as it gets. Accommodation centred on the peaceful, romantic Île St-Louis. No metro station on the Île St-Louis. Limited self-catering shops, minimal nightlife. |
| Latin Quarter | Energetic student area, stacks of eating and drinking options, late-opening bookshops. Popularity with students and visiting academics makes rooms hardest to find during conferences and seminars from March to June and in October. |
| St-Germain & Les Invalides | Stylish, central location, superb shopping, sophisticated dining, proximity to the Jardin du Luxembourg. Budget accommodation is seriously short changed. |
| Montparnasse & Southern Paris | Good value, few tourists, excellent links to both major airports. Some areas out of the way and/or not well served by metro. |