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Paris, France
Eiffel's Tower is without doubt the most famous Parisian landmark with the Arc de Triomphe a close second. Other sights on most visitors "must see" list include the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Sacre Couer on top of Montmatre. For art lovers there is the Louvre including Mitterand's glass pyramid, the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, the Musée de Orsay with its Impressionist masterpieces and the Beauborg Centre with the colourful street artists in the square below.
But we have only just started to scratch the surface. Other destinations depend upon taste but include Hôtel des Invalides home to war veterans from the C17 it now houses two museums. La Defense with its ultra modern office towers and the Grand Arch with its views down to the Arc de Triomphe and along the Champs Elysées is also on my list of favourites.
To get to know the city then try one of the many Paris
Paris is also a shopper's paradise with Au Primtemps and Galeries Lafeyette heading up the field. There are tempting shops of all kinds, but there are also some very good Flea Markets like the Marché aux Puces and Food Markets throughout the city.
Getting Around Paris
I have driven in Paris on numerous occasions, but I cannot say it is an enjoyable experience. If you are travelling by car then it is best to leave it outside in the suburbs and take Public Transport. If you insist on taking your car in then go on a Sunday or Bank Holiday. The roads will be quiet and the Spaces by the Parking Meters will be free.
The Metro is an efficient way of getting around Paris and for visits to the Airport, Versailles, Fontainbleu etc there is the RER or SNCF Railways. If you are travelling a lot then you can buy Carnets of 10 tickets at a reduced price. These will allow travel on RATP, RER and buses in the selected Zones. You can also get 3 Day Passes for extensive travel at a discount.
Guidebook
Eyewitness Travel Guide: ParisParisian Breaks can be quite reasonable with prices for a 3 night stay starting at £50 per person including ferry and hotel. You can go to a Tour Operator or use the power of the Internet to put your own package together. For more information on accommodation of all types Budget, Mid Range, Luxury and Self Catering Apartments look up the Paris tourist office
Eurapart Paris Accommodation page.
Getting There
Getting to Paris is straightforward. It is well served by Airports, mainly Charles de Gaulle and Orly. It is at a hub of the European Rail Network with numerous High Speed TGV routes connecting it to other major European cities. Finally it is well served by the European Autoroute system.
The main choices available from my home in Wales are rail. Eurostar from London. Currently the journey time is just over 3 hours but this will improve when the Channel Tunnel Rail Link is completed on the UK side. Prices are very keen with a 14 Day Advance Return retailing for £59 (January 2005). You can book a rail ticket through Opodo one of Eurapart's partners.
Paris tourist office
Eurostar.
Air connections to Paris are numerous with all of the major airlines serving the city. In addition many of the low cost carriers have Paris on their timetables. The last one to open up the route being EasyJet. To look up ticket prices to Paris try the Paris tourist office
Opodo flight booking engine.
My family normally travel by car, crossing the Channel and driving via the A26 / A1 Autoroutes. You can get a good deal on channel crossings using our partner Ferrysavers . They offer some of the most competitive deals around. Their booking engine gives you the cheapest option along with numerous comparison fares.
Food and Fuel
Paris has a good reputation for Gastronomy. There are numerous restaurants in the city, catering for all tastes and budgets. If you are on a very tight budget then you can eat at Hypermarket Cafeterias and Restaurants such as Flunch.
Hypermarkets are ideal for picking up some wonderful picnic foods such as cheeses, pate, baguettes etc. They are located all around the periphery of Paris while the city centre has plenty of smaller supermarkets. The Hypermarkets are cheaper and often have petrol stations where you can refuel your car cheaper than at roadside service stations
Useful Links
Paris tourist office
http//www.paris-touristoffice.com
Paris Isle de France Tourist Board
Paris
Day and night sightseeing tours of Paris.www.pidf.com
Paris In Sites
Paris travel and leisure guide. Free email newsletter about Paris.
Where to stay
For information on Hotels and self catering apartments, look up our Paris accommodation page..
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© Copyright Eurapart 1997 - 2005 Evolution 4 (12 Oct 05)