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The Islands. Although they’re just a few quick steps from the “mainland,” the Ile de la Cité and Ile St-Louis are the heart of Paris. This is where you can find Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle.
Around the Eiffel Tower. With the Champs de Mars, Invalides, and the Seine nearby, many lovely strolls give you striking views of Paris’s ultimate monument.
Champs-Élysées. The Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe attract the tourists, but there are also several excellent museums here, well worth checking out.
Around the Louvre. The Faubourg St-Honoré, with its well-established shops and cafés, has always been chic, and probably always will be. Until the 1970s, Les Halles was the “Belly of Paris”—the city’s food market.
The Grands Boulevards with the Opéra Garnier. Use the Opéra Garnier as your landmark and set out to do some power shopping. There are some good, small museums in the area, too.
Montmartre. Like a small village within a big city, Montmartre feels distinctly separate from the rest of Paris—but it’s prime tourist territory, with Sacré-Coeur as its main attraction.
Marais. The Marais, which used to be Paris’s Jewish neighborhood, is now one of the city’s hippest destinations. While away the afternoon at the Place des Vosges or shop to your heart’s content.
Eastern Paris. If it’s new and happening in Paris, you’ll find it out here in neighborhoods like Canal St-Martin, Bastille, Oberkampf, and République. The area is filled with trendy restaurants, funky galleries, and cutting-edge boutiques.
The Latin Quarter. Leave yourself lots of time to wander the Latin Quarter, known for its vibrant student life.
St-Germain-des-Prés. Fabulous cafés and the Musée d’Orsay are here, but make sure you leave time to wander the Jardin du Luxembourg.
Montparnasse. Once the haunt of artists and writers—Picasso and Hemingway included—this neighborhood is now known for its contemporary-art scene, as well as the Catacombs.
Western Paris. The Bois de Boulogne and the Musée Marmottan Monet are two great reasons to trek out here.
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