Paris, France — Things to Do
Sightseeing in Paris
With the quick train from London, Paris is now more popular than ever and is an easy weekend destination. Paris is fairly compact and easy to navigate and many tourists opt to walk or bicycle around to soak up the flavor of the city and take in the numerous iconic landmarks and parks or stop at one of the many pavement cafés. A cruise down the Seine is also a popular option as many of the city's greatest sights are on the river including Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Place de la Concorde and the Eiffel Tower.
Other things to see in Paris include the Basilique du Sacre-CSur, which offers great views over Paris, and the Pompidou Center, housing the Musée National d'Art Modern, while the square to the west of the building attracts a varied assortment of street performers. Stroll around the cobblestone streets of the Marais district with its mansions and museums, or visit the courtyards and antique shops of Ile St-Louis, which also boasts the former home of Marie Curie, Baudelaire, and Voltaire.
South of the river you can visit the Musée d'Orsay, the Rodin Museum and the Hotel des Invalides, the burial place of many great French soldiers, including Napoleon Bonaparte, or idle away an afternoon in the Jardin du Luxembourg. Further along you can stroll through the Jardin des Plantes, Paris' first public garden, created by Louis XIII's doctor for the cultivation of medicinal plants, or visit the National History Museum. The St-Germain-des-Pres neighborhood, the former residence of existentialists Sartre and Camus, has retained much of its bohemian atmosphere with bookshops, art galleries and coffeehouses.
For free or discounted admission to many attractions in Paris and the chance to bypass the queues, you can buy the Paris Museum Pass at many tourist offices, museums, or metro stations. Passes range from EUR40 for 2 days to EUR76 for six days.
Shopping in Paris
Paris is a shopper's paradise. Jet-setters will feel at home in famous names of the haute couture boutiques found on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré: Dior, Chanel, Givenchy, Jean-Paul Gaultier, and others; while trend-setting fashions will be found in Rue Etienne Marcel shops. Sadly, the Champs-Elysées is not what it used to be with banks, fast-food chains and malls strategically placed to trap tourists. However some good stores still remain - perfume from Guerlain Parfumerie is a classic Paris souvenir.
Les Halles is a subterranean shopping mall with over 180 stores where bargain hunters will be able to find cheap knockoffs and other trendy clothes. Mainstream department stores offer some great finds such as La Samaritaine, which prides itself as being the one where on trouve tout(one finds everything). Just outside the city, La Vallée Village offers designer goods at steep discounts... you may even spot a celebrity or two!
Bargains closer to town are in abundance at the three main flea markets situated around the old gates of the city. They are, however, teeming with pickpockets and shoppers should be on their guard. Les Bouquinistes, which consists of rows of bookstalls perched against the walls of the Seine River, is a great place for bookworms to browse and barter.
If you are determined to buy a plastic Eiffel Tower or other kitschy souvenir, then the rue de Rivoli is the place to go; if you are looking for something a bit different, however, visit the La Plaque Emaillées in Filles-du-Calvaire for a taste of turn-of-the-century Parisian Art Nouveau, or
Traditional Parisians buy most of their food from specialty stores such as bakeries and butcheries with pastries, cheeses or pâtés to die for. The open-air markets are a fantastic place to find flowers, produce and clothing and are frequented by most of the locals. Paris also offers a wealth of window-shopping opportunities, making it the ultimate destination for the discerning consumer.
Most shops open between 9 and 10am, and close at 7 or 8pm. France levies a sales tax of between 5-17%, depending on what you are buying. There is a refund scheme for non-EU residents if you spend more than EUR175 in one day.
Paris Nightlife
Paris' nightlife has a reputation extending back for hundreds of years, and it shows no sign of slowing down. While many tourists won't venture beyond the crowded and overpriced bars of the Champs-Elysées, there are many bustling nightlife districts in Paris worth exploring.
Bastille has a mixture of noisy nightclubs and bars best suited to twenty-somethings, including the bordello-themed Sans Sanz and the salsa club La Balajo. Oberkampf was the place to be in the 1990s, and still buzzes with hipster-filled cafes like Café Charbon and Au Chat Noir. The area around the Louvre is home to some of the most upmarket, and expensive, bars in Paris, including the Ritz's Hemingway Bar in Place Vendome, a piano bar frequented by the writer in the 1940s.
Montmartre is the home of the famous (or infamous) Moulin Rouge cabaret, which still presents glittering can can extravaganzas on a nightly basis, though the price tag is a bit higher than when it started in 1889. Nearby Pigalle is seedy, but offers some good rock music venues. Marais has another selection of bars and cafes, with a thriving gay and lesbian scene that includes Amnesia and the more sedate Le Central.
There is no end to the live music possibilities in Paris. Nouveau Casino hosts a variety of bands on most nights, and La Flèche d'Or is known as an indie-rock venue. Belleville's La Java hosts an eclectic mix of artists in the venue where Edith Piaf debuted. You can end your night with a visit to La Cithéa, which hosts jazz until early in the morning.
For a more sedate music experience, the Cité de la Musique hosts classical, jazz and traditional concerts in a network of concert halls. Paris is of course an opera paradise, and you'll find symphonies and operas at the Opéra Bastille, lighter opera at the Opéra Comique, and you might even spot the phantom of the opera at the grand Opéra Garnier, the home of the Ballet de l'Opera National de Paris.
Cafes and bars are generally open from late afternoon to 1am with some variation, and clubs don't open until 11pm on the weekends, staying open until 5 or 6am. It's not fashionable to arrive at a Paris club until well after midnight. The drinking age in France is 16 for wine and beer, and 18 for spirits.
Pick up a copy of the weekly Pariscope, or the English-language Boulevard for up-to-date entertainment listings.
Attractions for Kids
Paris might be the most romantic city in the world but it's also very well geared towards children so parents will find there are endless activities and attractions to enjoy.
Take a walk to the top of the Eiffel Tower and marvel at the views over this glorious city, or head down the Champs Elysées for a spot of shopping, but beware the tourist traps. Kids will love the miles of beach along the shores of the Seine River and playing in the sun and splashing in the river has become a popular activity for families and children during the summer months. The Jardin des Tuileries is a great place to take the kids for a stroll and to let out some of their pent-up energy.
Paris is a haven for carousels, and you'll find them at various parks around the city, including the Parc du Champ de Mars, the Jardin Des Tuileries, and Luxembourg Gardens.
When the weather turns bad and outdoor activities are not an option, visit some of the exciting museums and indoor playgrounds dotted throughout this exciting city, such as the Ludimax, a giant indoor playground situated near St Germain-en Laye and Versailles, and the Aquaboulevard indoor waterpark.
