Note: Javascript is disabled in your browser.
To see the gallery in all its glory, you'll need to enable Javascript.
Introducing Paris
Well informed, eloquent and oh-so-romantic, the ‘City of Light’ is a philosopher, a poet, a crooner. As it always has been, Paris is a million different things to a million different people.
Advertisement
Paris has all but exhausted the superlatives that can reasonably be applied to any city. Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower – at sunrise, at sunset, at night – have been described countless times, as have the Seine and the subtle (and not-so-subtle) differences between the Left and Right Banks. But what writers have been unable to capture is the grandness and even the magic.
Paris probably has more familiar landmarks than any other city in the world. As a result, first-time visitors often arrive in the French capital with all sorts of expectations: of grand vistas, of intellectuals discussing weighty matters in cafés, of romance along the Seine, of naughty nightclub revues, of rude people who won’t speak English. If you look hard enough, you can probably find all of those. But another approach is to set aside the preconceptions of Paris and to explore the city’s avenues and backstreets as if the tip of the Eiffel Tower or the spire of Notre Dame wasn’t about to pop into view at any moment.
You’ll soon discover (as so many others before you have) that Paris is enchanting almost everywhere, at any time, even ‘in the summer, when it sizzles’ and ‘in the winter, when it drizzles’, as Cole Porter put it. And you’ll be back. Trust us.
Make it happen
- check out our complete range of Paris guidebooks
- book Lonely Planet reviewed and recommended hotels in Paris
Ready to go? Skip the queues and get straight to the good stuff with these recommended offers and tours:
- get free entry to the best attractions with the Paris Pass
- Let the good times roll with this Eiffel Tower, dinner and Moulin Rouge adventure
Want more? We can recommend day trips and excursions, cultural and themed tours , and transfer and transport options
Last updated: Nov 9, 2009
Tips & articles
-
Graveyard goodtimes: the world’s best cemeteries
29 October 2009
With Halloween and Day of the Dead fast approaching, it’s only natural that our thoughts turn to...
-
Top places to steal a kiss
30 September 2009
Like they say, it’s all in the lips – so pucker up for everything from passion to cinematic history at...
-
Your favourite destinations September 3rd-11th
14 September 2009
You may have noticed around the Lonely Planet website that you can save your favourite places. The destinations...
Paris
Recommended things to do & see
- Entertainment (60)
- Restaurants (59)
- Shopping (41)
- Sights (142)
- Hotels & hostels
Our Top Picks For Paris
-
1 Eiffel Tower
Is the queue worth it? Yes, it is! Grab a 360-degree panorama over Paris from the tip of the city's iconic spire. Night-time viewing is highly recommended - the queues are shorter then too.
-
2 Musée d'Orsay
Marvel at the incomparable collection of impressionist and post-impressionist art at the waterfront Musée d'Orsay
-
3 Sainte-Chapelle
Be stunned (and inspired) by the veritable wall of sublime stained glass in Sainte-Chapelle, one of the most beautiful houses of worship in Christendom
-
4 Jardin Du Luxembourg
Unwind with the locals in one of the city's most beloved parks, dedicated to the children of Paris by Napoleon.
-
5 Shakespeare & Company
Browse the shelves at this charming English-language bookshop opposite Notre Dame. At night its couches turn into beds for resident writers.
Related Groups
Our favourite Paris Blogs (beta)
-
Meredith Mullins: Eiffel Madness
Blog: I Prefer Paris - 16 November 2009
No matter how many times you see the Eiffel Tower, or cruise the chaos of Trocadero after dark, it’s always an adventure. From spectacular sparkles to Senegalese shadows whispering “Wanna buy an Eiffel Tower?” … the moments are mysterious and...
-
A New Paris Showcase for L’Éclaireur
Blog: ParisienSalon.com - 13 November 2009
The Paris concept store opens a new space in the Marais.
-
VAT Cut Benefits Everyone In Paris
Blog: ParisienSalon.com - 13 November 2009
Earlier this year, France announced a major cut in its VAT (Value Added Tax) rate. Effective from 1st July in the restaurant sector, the cut from 19.6% to 5.5% has brought about a number of changes. The price of items such as meat, fish, soft drinks, mineral water and coffee is now down by 11.8%. Eager to take advantage of this new legislation, some of the capital’s restaurants and restaurant chains have already taken steps to ensure the cut benefits customers, the capital’s residents and visitors alike.
