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European Vacations -
France Vacation Packages &
Travel Information |
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Overview |
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A city rich in treasures from it's
historic past, Paris boasts many
modern attractions as well. Paris is
known for its famous buildings and
works of art, its chic fashion scene
and its modern literary, artistic,
and intellectual ideals, and is a
must for anyone wishing to
experience the best of both
contemporary and age old European
culture. Paris is family friendly
and is a city that welcomes people
of all ages and backgrounds with
open arms.
The capital of the nation and of the
historic Île de France region, Paris
is located in northern central
France, across the English channel
from Britain; 165mi southwest of
Brussels; and 315mi west of
Stuttgart. The city center, known as
Intra-Muros, (within the walls), is
bisected by the River Seine. Paris
is divided into twenty zones or
arrondissements that fan out in a
circular pattern with the Louvre as
the center point. The last two
digits of the postal zip code of
each zone indicate its location.
The area north of the river, the
Rive Droite (Right Bank), includes
the tree-lined Avenue des Champs
Élysées, running west to the Arc de
Triomphe. East of the avenue is the
Musée du Louvre, the Centre Georges
Pompidou and a lively district of
museums, shops, markets and
restaurants. Immediately south of
the Pompidou Centre on the Île de la
Cité is Notre Dame Cathedral. South
of the river, in the area known as
the Rive Gauche (Left Bank), can be
found the city's trademark, the
Eiffel Tower. To the east, are the
Saint Germain de Prés and
Montparnasse districts, in which can
be found Paris's famous academic,
artistic and intellectual enclave.
The history of Paris has been both
turbulent and exhilarating. From a
shaky start, the kings of France
gradually extended their control
over their feudal rivals,
centralizing administrative, legal,
financial and political power in
Paris as they did so. The autocratic
Louis XIV made Paris into a glorious
symbol of the preeminence of the
State.
Napoleon I added to the Louvre and
built the Arc de Triomphe. Napoleon
III had Baron Haussmann tear down
the extensive slums in the early
19th century and completely redesign
the city center. Recent presidents
have updated the skyline to include
skyscrapers at La Défense, and have
initiated projects such as the Tour
Montparnasse, Les Halles shopping
precinct, the space-age Parc de la
Villette complex, the glass pyramid
entrance to the Louvre, the Bastille
opera house, the new National
Library, and the conversion of the
once closed railway station to the
superb Musée d'Orsay.
Few cities can compare with the
eclectic mix of cafés, bars and
restaurants that line every street
and boulevard of Paris. The city's
compactness makes it possible to
explore on foot and experience the
individual feel of the different
quartier Paris is a real cinema
capital, and the best Parisian music
encompasses jazz, avant-garde, salsa
and, currently, Europe's most
vibrant African music scene.
Parts of Paris don't fit easily in
any "category". In fact, Parisians
say that their city is just a
collection of one hundred villages.
Montmartre, rising up to the north
of the center, has managed to retain
an almost rural atmosphere with its
colorful mixture of locals and
artists despite the daily influx of
tourists. Undisturbed by tourism,
the dilapidated working-class
quarters of eastern Paris offer a
rich ethnic slice of Parisian street
life and in direct contrast,
technological wonder is paraded at
the ground-breaking science museum
constructed in the recently
renovated Parc de La Villette.
Like most Parisians, you may find
there's enough in Paris to keep you
from ever thinking about the world
beyond. When you find you need a
rest from the bustle of the city,
however, there is the whole of the
Ile de France to explore.
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Facts |
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Population:
2.15 million in the city; 10.5
million in the Île de France (the
suburban area around Paris)
Elevation:
27m (90ft)
Time Zone:
Greenwich Mean Time plus one hour:
Time in Paris is 6 hours ahead of
Eastern Standard Time in New York.(7
hours ahead of central time in
Chicago, etc.)
Area:
105 sq km (41 sq mi)
International Dialing Code:
All numbers for Paris and the
outskirts of the city begin with 01
and have 10 digits. The country code
is 33. (use the country code only
when calling to Paris from another
country). Calling cards can be
purchased at tobacco stores, post
offices and at main métro/RER
stations in Paris to use in placing
calls from public or private phones.
To call the operator: dial 13. For
directory assistance, dial 12.
Local Seasons
Paris is at its best during the
temperate spring months (March to
May), with autumn coming in a close
second. In winter, there are all
sorts of cultural events to tempt
the visitor, but school holidays can
clog the streets. August is usually
hot and sticky, and it's also when
many Parisians take their yearly
vacations, so businesses are likely
to be closed.
Emergency:
police: 17
fire: 18
ambulance: 15
Emergency calls are free from phone
booths.
Currency
Currency is the Euro (EUR). The
notes are in denominations of 500,
200, 100, 50, 20, 10, and 5 euro.
The denominations of coins are 2
euro, 1 euro, 50 euro cent, 20 euro
cent, 10 euro cent, 5 euro cent, 2
euro cent, and 1 euro cent. The
easiest method of securing cash at
the best exchange rate is to make
withdrawals using a US credit card
from the ATM machines found at the
major banks and stores.
Customs Regulations:
Telephone: 01 43 12 22 22 for
information Mon.-Fri. 9-3.
National Holidays:
Jan. 1 New Year's Day
Easter Monday (dates vary each year
- Mar. or April)
April 30 Great Prayer Day
May 8 VE Day
July 14 Bastille Day
August 15 Feast of the Assumption
November 1 All Saints' Day
November 11 Armistice Day
December 25 Christmas Day
Public rest rooms:
Restrooms are not difficult to find
in most places. There is a small fee
to use the facilities in train
stations.
Electricity:
220 volt A/C). Most hotels have 110V
shaver outlets. Plugs have 2 round
pins or sometimes 3 pins in a
vertical row. American appliances
will need a plug adapter and will
require a transformer if they do not
have a dual voltage capability.
Visitors with disabilities:
Ease of access is improving. A well
researched guide called Access in
Paris is available at no charge from
Access Projects, 39 Bradley Gardens,
London W13 8HE. It deals with all
aspects of travel and sight seeing.
Children:
Children under 4 travel free on
French railways. Admission is free
to museums for those under 18.
How to get around:
Paris is well equipped in the area
of public transport, which is
administered by the state owned
company RATP. The easiest way to get
around Paris is by the metro
(subway) which runs daily from
5:30am-12:30am. Transportation maps
are available at subway stations.
Tickets can be purchased singly or
in books of 10. They are available
at the stations and from
tobacconists and must be validated
before boarding. It is also
necessary to have the ticket
available at the end of the journey.
The best buy is a Paris Viste ticket
which is valid for 1-5 days and can
be used interchangeably on the
subway, bus and rail service to some
destinations. Buses run daily from
6:30am-8:30pm.
For information in English: 08 36 68
41 14.
Balabus
A special tourist bus(the Balabus)
operates on Sundays and holidays
from April-September, circling the
main tourist sites.
Batobus
From May-September the Batobus takes
passengers on sight seeing trips on
the Seine. This boat runs between
the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame
daily from 10-7 with stops at the
main attractions: 01 44 11 33 44.
Taxis can be hailed from the street
or from one of the 470 stands around
the city. An illuminated light on
the roof indicates that the cab is
available.
Air Travel
Flights arrive at either Roissy-Charles
de Gaulle (CDG) (01 48 62 12 12 ) or
at Orly (01 49 75 15 15). Most
visitors arrive at CDG which is 14
miles north of Paris. Buses run
frequently (every 12 minutes) and
trains every 15 minutes from the
airport to the city.
The same schedule of trains and
buses operates from Orly airport,
which is 8 miles south of Paris. A
bus also runs every 20 minutes in
both directions between the two
airports. Metro, RER, Bus. RATP
Information: 08 36 68 20 20
Note: Traffic drives on the right
side of the road in France.
Pedestrians should exercise extreme
caution. Drivers assume the right of
way and often do not look for
pedestrians.
Additional Transportation
Information
The preferred route from Britain to
France is the Channel Tunnel (or
Chunnel) between London (via
Folkestone) and Paris (via Calais),
a trip that takes only three hours.
TGV services also link Paris with
Amsterdam and Brussels.
Hoverspeed runs bus-boat-bus combos
from London, but the convenience of
the Channel Tunnel has a great
advantage over the water route..
There are also ferries and
hovercraft between Ireland and
France. Euroline buses run from
Paris to cities all over Europe.
Railway:
Train (SNCF) information
08 36 35 35 35
Paris is equipped with 6 major
railway stations each of which is in
charge of a particular area of
France.
Limousine
International Limousines Tel : 33 1
53 81 14 14
Prestige Limousines Tel : 33 1 42 50
81 81
Executive Car Carey Limousine Tel :
33 1 42 65 54 20 |
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Attractions |
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French words frequently used: rue
(street) jardin (garden) palais
(palace) musée (museum)
Musée du Louvre
9 Rue du Rivoli
Tel.: 01 40 20 51 51.
Direct access from Palais Royale
metro station through the
underground complex of shops and
attractions
linking the Louvre to the Jardin des
Tuileries.
9-6 Daily. (Closed Tuesday)
Wednesday to 9:45pm.
Admission charged.
This enormous building was
constructed around 1200 to serve as
a fortress while the King was away
on crusades in the holy land. It was
rebuilt in the mid-16th century for
use as a royal palace, and began its
career as a public museum in 1793
during the French Revolution. As
part of President François
Mitterand's futuristic grands
projets in the 1980s, the Louvre was
revamped and enlarged with the
addition also of a 67ft. glass
pyramid entrance. The museum is
divided into seven departments
ranging from Egyptian, Greek and
Roman and Oriental sections through
collections of paintings and
sculpture, prints and drawings.
There is so much of immense value to
see in the Louvre, that it is best
to obtain a copy of the museum guide
in advance and plan for several
visits to specific areas over the
course of one's time in Paris.
Centre National D'Art et de Culture
Georges Pompidou
Place Beaubourg
Tel.: 01 44 78 12 33
Wed.-Fri. and Mon. Noon-10pm. Sat.,
Sun. 10-10.
The Centre Georges Pompidou,
displays and promotes modern and
contemporary art. It is the most
visited sight in Paris. Built
between 1972 and 1977, the building
features an ultra modern design in
which the structural elements
provide the building's outer face.
The structure has recently begun to
age, prompting face-lifts and
closures of many parts of the
center. Woven into this restoration
are several galleries in which to
shop for works of art. There is also
a free, three-tiered library with
over 2000 periodicals, including
English-language newspapers and
magazines from around the world. A
square just to the west attracts
street musicians and colorful
characters.
Notre Dame Cathedral
6 Place du Paris de Notre Dame
tel: 01 42 34 56 10
Sun.-Fri. 8-7 Sat. 8-12:30 and 2-7
Towers daily 9:30-6:30 April-Sept.
(9:30-5 rest of year)
RER St. Michel Metro St. Michel
Cathedral: No admission fee. Tower:
Admission is charged.
The city's cathedral ranks as one of
the greatest achievements of Gothic
architecture. Notre Dame (the
Cathedral of Our Lady) was begun in
1163 and completed around 1350. It
stands on the Ile de la Cité, the
oldest part of Paris. Notre Dame is
the nucleus around which the capital
city developed. The outside is as
spectacular as the interior. The
Cathedral is built to hold up to
9000 worshipers, but it is always
packed with visitors during the
times between church services. It is
best to arrive early and allow
enough time to walk around outside
and inside in a leisurely way. The
interior is dominated by enormous
rose windows and a 7800-pipe organ
that was recently restored. From the
base of the north tower, physically
fit visitors can climb to the top of
the west façade and look above the
cathedral's gargoyles, and out over
the city of Paris. Under the square
in front of the cathedral an
archaeological crypt displays the
remains of structures from the
Gallo-Roman and later periods.
Sainte Chapelle
4 Boulevard du Palais
tel: 01 53 73 78 50
9:30-6 (winter until 5pm)
Admission is charged.
Access through the Palais de Justice
Metro: St. Michel
Lying inside the Palais de Justice
(law courts), Sainte Chapelle was
consecrated in 1248 and built to
house what was reputedly Jesus'
crown of thorns and other relics
purchased by King Louis IX earlier
in the 13th century. The vaulted
roof was designed to be supported by
thin pillars separated by long,
narrow stained glass windows . A few
buttresses reinforce the structure
which appears to be all of stained
glass with no walls. The expanse of
13th-century stained glass (the
oldest in Paris), is best viewed
from the law courts' main gilded
18th century gate. Over 1000 scenes
from the Old and New Testaments are
depicted on the windows and give the
impression of reading the Bible in
pictures as one walks around the
chapel.
Palais de Justice
4 Boulevard du Palais
9:30-4:30 (6 pm in summer)
This part of the old royal palace
contains the courts of law and is
under tight security. Following
screening, visitors are free to walk
along the long hallways and stop in
quietly to observe the proceedings
of cases that are in session. The
matters being heard will, of course,
be conducted in French. Civil cases
are heard in the morning, while
criminal trials begin in the
afternoon after lunch.
Musée d'Orsay
1 Rue de Bellechasse
tel: 01 40 49 48 14
Closed Mon. Open Tues-Sun. 10-6
(Thurs. 10-9:45)
Admission charged.
Metro: Solférino
Spectacularly housed in a former
railway station built in 1900, the
Musée d'Orsay was reopened in its
present form in 1986. Inside is a
wealth of artistic treasures
produced between 1848 and 1914. Most
of the paintings and sculptures of
the era of the Impressionists and
post impressionists are found on the
ground floor and the skylight lit
upper level. The middle level has
some magnificent rooms showcasing
the Art Nouveau movement. For up to
date programs of events.
Musée Rodin
77 Rue de Varenne
tel.: 01 44 18 16 10
9:30-5daily. Closed Mondays.
Admission charged.
Metro: Varenne
This outstanding collection of
bronze and marble sculptures by
Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel,
is displayed in the Hotel Biron
where Rodin lived from 1907-1917.
Some of the works in bronze and
marble are in the house, others are
distributed around the shady
sculpture garden in the back. The
lovely setting is perfect for a
sunny afternoon stroll. On the first
floor of the house are casts used
for Rodin's most celebrated works -
the statues of Balzac and Victor
Hugo.
Eiffel Tower
Champ de Mars
Tel: 01 44 11 23 23
9:30am-11pm daily. (until midnight
in summer)
Admission charged.
Métro: Trocadéro or Bir-Hakeim
RER: Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel
The tower was completed by 300
workers in just over two years from
January 1887-March 1889. It contains
over 12,000 metallic parts and two
and a half million rivets! When it
was completed, it was the tallest
building in the world. The occasion
of its creation was the centenary of
the French Revolution. Named after
its designer, Gustave Eiffel, it
stands 320m (1050ft) high.
Initially intended as a temporary
structure to be displayed at the
1889 Exposition Universelle, it was
slated for demolition in 1909.
However, during the Exposition
nearly 2 million visitors paid to
see it, and by the end of the first
year 3/4 of the building costs had
been recovered. By 1909 it was
playing a new role as a radio
telephone tower.
Just southeast of the tower is a
grassy expanse that was once the
site of the world's first balloon
flights and is now used by teens as
a skateboarding arena.
Avenue des Champs-Élysées
A popular promenade for the well to
do residents and visitors of a
bygone era, the Avenue des
Champs-Élysées has long symbolized
the style and love of life of Paris.
Even though it is now lined with
fast food establishments, car
showrooms, and cinemas, the magic
remains. It provides a stirring
sight by day or in its night time
illumination, to look down its broad
expanse to the stately Arc
d'Triomphe. The one mile long, 235
foot wide street makes an ideal
place for evening walks and some
window shopping.
Cimetière du Père Lachaise
Main entrance at Boulevard de
Ménilmontant
Metro: Pére Laachaise
This is Paris's largest and most
visited cemetery. Within the
manicured, evergreen enclosure are
the tombs of over one million people
including the composer Chopin; the
writers Molière, Apollinaire, Oscar
Wilde, Balzac, Marcel Proust and
Gertrude Stein; the artists David,
Delacroix, Pissarro, Seurat and
Modigliani; the actors Sarah
Bernhardt, Simone Signoret and Yves
Montand; the singer Édith Piaf; and
the dancer Isadora Duncan. The most
visited tomb is that of The Doors
lead singer, Jim Morrison, who died
in Paris in 1971. A site plan is
available at the main entrance to
help locate the graves.
The cemetery was once the site of a
fierce battle between Communard
insurgents and government troops.
The rebels were eventually rounded
up against a wall and shot, and were
buried where they fell, in a mass
grave.
Place des Vosges
Musée Victor Hugo
6 Places de Vosges
tel.: 01 42 72 10 16
Daily 10-5:40. Closed Monday.
Admission charged.
Metro: St. Paul
In 1605, King Henri IV decided to
turn the Marais district into Paris'
most exclusive residential area.
Flanked by the Pavilion du Roi
(King's Pavillion) and the Pavilion
de la Reine (Queen's pavillion), the
area was named Place Royale. His
son, Louis XIII completed the
project. None of the royal family
ever actually lived there.
The remainder of the square is
configured with 36 symmetrical
houses each with a ground-floor
arcade, steep slate roof, large
dormer windows and vine covered
walls. The first of the houses were
built of brick, the rest were built
rapidly and given timber frames and
faced with plaster. The plaster was
later painted to resemble brick.
Duels, fought with strictly observed
formality, were once staged in the
elegant park in the middle which
contains a statue of Louis XIII.
From 1832-48 Victor Hugo lived at a
house at No 6, which has now been
turned into a museum. Cardinal
Richelieu lived at No. 21. In 1800
the square was renamed Place des
Vosges. Today, the arcades at street
level are occupied by expensive
galleries, shops, and cafes.
Les Catacombes
1 Place Denfert-Rocherau
tel.: 01 43 22 47 63
2-4 pm weekdays (closed Monday) also
open 9-11am Sat., Sun.
Admission charged.
Metro: Denfert-Rocherau
In 1785, a solution was found to the
overcrowded conditions in the city
cemeteries. Beneath the city lay
extensive remains of galleries that
were associated with three ancient
Roman stone quarries. The quarries,
all in excellent condition, were
cleaned and consecrated. They became
cemeteries and are open for guided
tours. The bones of the deceased are
stacked neatly along the galleries
on stone shelves. The tunnels, which
were used by the Résistance during
WWII as a headquarters, are south of
the Seine.
La Défense
Tel.: 01 49 07 27 27
10-7 Daily (Grande Arche)
Admission fee for tour of the Grande
Arche
Metro or RER: Grande Arche de la
Défense
A short metro ride west of the
center city, this entirely modern
business district is surrounded by a
ring road carrying through traffic,
with underground linking roads
leading to specific areas at various
levels. A broad pedestrian avenue
called the esplanade General de
Gaulle, rises in steps from the
Seine and gives access to several
blocks of office buildings,
apartment buildings, a huge shopping
complex, IMAX theater and the CNIT
international business center.
Disneyland Paris
Marne-la-Valle
Tel: 01 60 30 60 30
Open all year, but hours vary with
the season
Admission charged. One two or three
day passports available.
RER; Chessy - end of the line.
Disneyland Paris is part of a huge
resort that is one-fifth the size of
Paris! There are six hotels, an area
of wooded campsites, restaurants,
shops, golf and tennis, and night
entertainment. The theme park offers
five main areas: Main Street USA
featuring exhibits and rides
recalling America of the early
1900's; Frontierland, a reenactment
of the frontier days in the US;
Adventureland which has a pirate and
buried treasure theme; and
Fantasyland with rides and exhibits
based on Disney film characters; and
Discoveryland which focuses on space
exploration, rockets, and beyond
earth planetary adventures.
Versailles
Place d' Armes
01 30 84 74 00
RER Versailles-Rive gauche
Daily (except Monday)
Admission free. Events every Sunday
from May-October: telephone for
details. The numerous fountains are
turned on at 3:30p m on certain
days.
Combined fountains and fireworks
displays some Saturday nights in
summer.
In 1661, Louis XIV, the Sun King,
commissioned the building of a
castle for himself on the site of a
chateau built for his father in
1631. The project became the palace
at Versailles. It took 50 years to
design, build and landscape the
property. The King and his court of
3000 people moved there in 1682, and
it became the political center of
France for the next 107 years. In
1789, the French Revolution caused
changes to be made. The furniture
was sold and the chateau fell into
disrepair. In 1837, Louis-Phillippe
converted it into a museum of French
history. The castle was restored
after World War I with the financial
help of John D. Rockefeller.
Versailles has slowly regained its
original elegance.
The gardens were designed
geometrically with the canal and the
various ponds, flower beds and
sculptures all blending in a
harmonious pattern. The tour of the
palace, the Trianons (lesser
palaces) and the grounds could
easily take a full day. Be sure to
bring a camera as you will want to
remember the wonders of this
enchanting place.
Pariscope
11 bis rue Scribe
01 42 66 62 06
Fax 01 42 66 62 16
Summer: 9-9
Winter : 9-6
Admission charged.
Metro: Opéra
This award winning multimedia
production shows the development of
major cities and of Paris in
particular. The 45 minute
presentation uses 25 projectors and
offers viewers headphones with a
choice of translations in 11
languages. It is shown every hour on
the hour.
Canal Saint Martin
The Saint Martin canal, running
through the northeastern districts
of the Right Bank, is one of Paris's
hidden delights. The 3mi waterway,
parts of which are higher than the
surrounding land, was built in 1806
to link the Seine with the much
longer Canal de l'Ourcq. Its shaded
towpaths specked with sunlight are a
wonderful place for a romantic
stroll or bike ride past locks,
metal bridges and Parisian
neighborhoods. It meets the River
just south of the Bastille.
Sacre Coeur
34 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre
01 53 41 89 00
Summer: 9-7
Winter 9-6
Metro: Abbesses
Admission to church is free.
Admission to dome: small charge.
Montmartre is the zone (village)
occupying the highest hill in Paris,
and Sacre Coeur is its dominant
feature. There has been a prayer
circle in place since the church was
completed in 1914, so that there has
never been a moment during those
years when someone wasn't in the
church praying, day and night.
Opéra Bastille
Place de la Bastille
Metro: Bastille
Tel: 01 40 01 19 70
Guided tours
Admission charged for tour
The original use for the fortress
known as the Bastille when it was
built around 1370 was as a residence
for Charles V. It was part of the
fortifications just beyond the City
Center on the Right Bank. During the
reign of Louis XIII it became the
state prison where both criminals
and political dissidents were held.
Some of the famous people once
incarcerated there were the Man in
the Iron Mask, the French finance
minister, Fouquet and the
philosopher, Voltaire. On July 14,
1789 there were a total of only 7
prisoners in the whole building,
only one of whom was even vaguely
connected with politics. The
storming of the Bastille by the
revolutionary forces was mainly
symbolic of the fight of the common
people of France for freedom from
tyranny and for equality with their
rulers. The Bastille was destroyed,
and the seven prisoners released.
Its fall sparked the spirit of
freedom throughout the country. This
event is celebrated annually on the
square.
Arc de Triomphe
Place Charles de Gaulle
Tel.: 01 43 80 31 31.
Platform and Museum open 10-5 daily.
The largest triumphal arch ever
built in the tradition of Roman
architecture was commissioned by
Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806 as a
tribute to his Grand Army.
Construction stopped abruptly with
the fall of Napoleon, but resumed
eventually. The Arc was completed in
1836. In 1920 the unknown soldier
was buried under it, and every
evening at 6:30pm the flame is
rekindled in memory of the war dead.
A special service of remembrance is
held each year on November 11. |
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