Top Ten Attractions
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The Eiffel Tower
Built for the International Exhibition of 1889, it’s the most famous landmark in Paris and can be climbed (by stairs or elevator) to give spectacular views of the city. http://www.tour-eiffel.fr
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The Arc de Triomphe
Napoleon’s victory arch, completed in 1836, containing the tomb of the unknown soldier and the eternal flame. http://www.paris.org/Monuments/Arc
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Notre Dame Cathedral
A masterpiece of Gothic architecture built between the 12th and 14th centuries. There’s a 387-step climb to the top of the towers for an amazing city view. http://www.paris.org/Monuments/NDame
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The Champs Elysées
The famous wide boulevard that’s central to most French celebrations. Stop for an expensive coffee and pastry in one of the chic cafes.
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The Sacre Cœur
Another famous Parisian landmark. The beautiful 19th century Basilica in Montmartre is at the heart of a bustling area of street artists. http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com
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The Latin Quarter
The hip, young, vibrant area full of cafes, bookshops, small boutiques, nightclubs and street-traders.
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The Louvre
One of the most beautiful museums in the world, housing work from every major artist throughout history. See the Mona Lisa … but arrive early to avoid the queues! http://www.paris.org/Musees/Louvre
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The Pompidou Centre
One of the most spectacular and controversial modern buildings in the city. Top modern art inside and street theatre outside. http://www.centrepompidou.fr
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Disneyland, Paris
Mickey and Dumbo and the rest on a 140-acre site 20 miles east of the centre. Disney with a French touch. http://www.disneylandparis.com
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The Père Lachaise Cemetery
OK, not your average tourist attraction, but here can be found the graves of Chopin, Rossini, Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison among others. http://www.fortunecity.com
Eating and Drinking
The French passion for good cuisine means that eating out is one of the greatest pleasures of a visit to Paris. You can eat well in almost any part of the city, with a range of food from traditional French to Lebanese and Indian. The Left Bank probably has the greatest concentration of restaurants, especially in tourist areas such as St- Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter. Some great cafes of the 1920s are in the Montparnasse area. Book before you go … and find the most stylish places to eat at http://www.toptable.co.uk.
Shopping
Paris is a shopper’s dream with world-famous fashion houses, food halls and flea markets. Many of the couture houses are on or near the Rue du Faubourg-St-Honore and the Avenue Montaigne, while the Bastille area has many trendy boutiques. If time is short and you want to get all your purchases under one roof, try the grands magasins (department stores). Le Bon Marche was the first and is the most chic with a great food hall; Au Printemps is known for its exciting and innovative household goods and Galeries Lafayette has a wide range of clothes at all price levels. For markets, try the Marche de la Porte de Vanves (weekends only) which sells old books, linen, postcards, china and musical instruments. There’s also the vast Marche aux Puces de St-Ouen on the northern outskirts of the city – a short walk from Clignancourt Metro station. Perhaps the cheapest and liveliest market in Paris is Marche d’Aligre, which is reminiscent of a Moroccan bazaar. And the market at Rue Mouffetard offers a range of cheeses and other quality foods.
Night Life
The music in Paris clubs tends to follow the trends set in Britain and the United States. Only a few clubs, however, are genuinely up-to-the-minute. Balajo (www.balajo.fr) has gone upmarket but is still one of the best clubs for dancing, while an ultra-hip young crowd flock to the small and cosy Folie’s Pigalle (www.folies-pigalle.com), one-time strip joint and present day venue for live music. And jazz-crazy Paris has innumerable packed clubs where the best talent can be heard every evening. The Lido (www.lido.fr) is the most Las Vegas-like of the cabarets and stars the legendary Bluebell Girls. The Folies-Bergere (www.foliesbergere.com) is the oldest music-hall in Paris and probably the most famous in the world.
