Paris, the cosmopolitan capital of France, is - with 2.2 million people living in the dense (105 km²) central city and almost 12 million people living in the whole metropolitan area - one of the largest agglomerations in Europe. Located in the north of the country on the river Seine, Paris has the reputation of being the most beautiful and romantic of all cities, brimming with historic associations and remaining vastly influential in the realms of culture, art, fashion, food and design. Dubbed the City of Light (la Ville Lumière) and Capital of Fashion, it is home to the world's finest and most luxorious fashion designers and cosmetics, such as Chanel, Christian Dior, Yves Saint-Laurent, Guerlain, Lancôme, L'Oréal, Clarins, etc. A large part of the city, including the River Seine, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city has the second highest number of Michelin-restaurants in the world (after Tokyo) and contain numerous iconic landmarks, such as the world's most visited tourist sight the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, Moulin Rouge, Lido etc, making it the most popular tourist destination in the world with 45 million tourists annually.

Get in

By plane

Paris is served by three international airports - for more information, including arrival/departure times, check the official sites.

Charles de Gaulle International Airport (Roissy)

ICAO: LFPG, IATA: CDG. The major hub airport to the north-east of the city. It's notoriously confusing, so allow plenty of time for transfers. There are three terminals: Terminal 1, Terminal 2 (which is huge and subdivided into 2A through 2G), and Terminal 3 (formerly T9). The newest exception is terminal 2G which is a separate building and is only reachable via navette/bus in 10-15 min (bus leaves every 20 min) so allow extra time. The free CDGVAL shuttle train connects the terminals together. Everything at this airport is very expensive, especially food. If you're traveling from Terminal 1 it's also worth noting that the food court is located at the CDGVAL floor, before the security check. There are hardly any benches around. There are no public shower facilities in the airport. Air France lounges have such facilities, and the departure lounges have showers. Lounge access is included for Air France business and first class travelers. The members of the Air France and cooperating frequent flyer programs may gain access with sufficient status. There is a possibility that some lounges may grant access to travelers on their flights for a fee. If you consider paying for access to the lounge, inquire when checking in for your departure. If you must have a shower and your frequent flyer status (and charm) are insufficient to gain entry to a lounge, the airport hotels generally have rooms available (in Sep 2009, the Sheraton in Terminal 2 at the train station charged €155).
When you arrive at CDG, you should note what terminal you arrived at (2A, 2D, etc.), because when you come back to the airport to depart at the end of your trip, the RER subway train makes two stops at CDG to cover the three terminals, but there are few indications of which airlines are at which terminals. Have a close look at your air ticket to figure out which terminal you are departing from. Air France and associates leave from Terminal 2.

Terminal 1

There are quite a few points with power outlets specifically for charging passengers' laptops/mobiles, both down by the food court and by some of the gates.

Terminal 2E

VAT Tax refund: First, have your tax refund papers stamped at the tax refund counter in the main terminal area, before you check in with your airline. Showing goods is signposted as mandatory, usually only required for high priced, marquee items.
To locate the tax refund counter in the terminal, look for the signs or ask any airline employee for directions. Don't be confused by a single line splitting between currency exchange and tax refund office: choose tax refund if you prefer Euros--while currency exchange refunds only in USD or your national currency, both buy at a robbery rate (and with no rollback to the refund window after you realized the rate).
The line can take a long time, expect several minutes per customer. At either office, you can also receive refund for your spouse if you have his/her passport and refund forms.
Duty-free shopping: There are no shops before security check zone. When you shop in post-security check zone, it's not genuinely taxfree, as you can receive a tax refund for those purchases as well.
Contrary to what one may expect, there is no L'Occitane; cheese is limited to soft sorts (and there are no ripe varietes); wines starts at €11 and some popular sorts like Chinin can't be found; selection of sausages is extremely limited.
There are no mid-range clothes or shoes stores, only luxury brands.

Get in / out

For getting to or from Paris, the RER commuter train, line B, has stations in T3 (from where you can take the free CDGVAL shuttle train to T1) and T2. Trains to Paris leave every 7-8 minutes and stop at Gare du Nord, Châtelet-Les Halles, Saint-Michel Notre-Dame, Luxembourg, Port-Royal, Denfert-Rochereau and Cité Universitaire. Adult tickets cost €8.50, and for children between 4-10 the fare is €5.95 each. The train takes around 35 minutes to Gare du Nord and 45 minutes to Denfert-Rochereau, making this the fastest way to get to the city. Tickets can be purchased either through green (sometimes blue) automated ticket vending machines ("Billetterie Ile-de-France") or through the ticket office serviced by transport authority personnel. Engineering works near CDG Terminal-1 and Aulnay-Sois-Bois stations are conducted between 2300hrs and 0100hrs everyday, so you must take a coach (bus) from Terminal 3 to the station where you can take the RER B train to Paris. The fare is included in the train ticket you purchase. The automated ticket machines accept Euro coins of €2, €1 and 50, 20, 10, 5 cent denominations and give change. Note that Euro notes are not accepted. There is one separate automated machine which changes €20, €10 and €5 notes to €2 and €1 coins. However, due to the high demand, the machine frequently runs out of coins. There are currency exchange centres, but they explicitly state notes will not be changed for coins. Alternatively, smart-chip credit cards can be used on the ticket machines. But, some non-European credit cards are not accepted. Because of the above limitations, purchasing tickets from the ticket office may seem to be an attractive method. Although there are many counters, the queues can be very long. Although it is a nuisance, the fastest way to get some tickets is to take a lot of Euro coins with you. It is also possible to explain the situation to a European buying a ticket with a working credit card, and ask them to buy one for you in exchange for a paper note.
Trains for Paris usually leave from platforms 11 and 12. Look for signs saying "RER B" or "All trains go to Paris". When using the ticket from and to the airport (as with tickets for the RER commuter trains in general) you have to use it to enter and to exit the train. Always keep the ticket handy as the SNCF officials sometimes check for tickets, and if you are without one you may be fined €40. This means that after you put the ticket into the entry gate and are cleared to pass, you must retrieve the ticket from the machine and keep it with you until you leave the train system including any connections.
Alternatively, the Roissybus service connects all terminals directly to Opéra Garnier in central Paris, but it's subject to traffic jams and rush hour, so it averages 60-90 min even on a good day. You could take bus number 350 and 351 to the city and it costs around €5.20 making it the cheapest option to go to Paris. The tickets can be purchased inside the bus from the driver and they need to be punched with a device lying next to the driver's seat.
Air France buses offer two stops in Paris (Porte Maillot, Montparnasse) from CDG with a 50-min ride. To reach a specific address into the city, this shared shuttle service costs €19 per person, private transfers cost €79. Mercedes E transfer costs €129 and are available from CDG and ORY. There is also a TGV station in T2 for high-speed connections, mostly towards Lille and Brussels, but there are also some trains that head south to eg. Rennes and Nantes, bypassing Paris.

Contact

Post office only exists in B and D terminals. However, you can send postcards buying post stamps in a newspaper stand, and dropping them into a postbox (both exist in every terminal).

Orly International Airport

(ICAO: LFPO, IATA: ORY. This airport is southwest of the city, and served by a southern branch of the RER-B line that heads in the direction of Saint-Rémy-les-Chevreuse (not Robinson). This older international airport is used mainly by Air France for national lines, and other international carriers in Europe. Orly is roughly 40 min from Paris via the OrlyBus, which departs from Métro Denfert-Rochereau (ligne 6); the price is €6.40. There are buses every 10 minutes from the Orly Sud (Platform 4) and it stops at Orly Ouest on its way to the city. Tickets can be bought at a counter near the baggage claim area or directly at the counter in Platform 4. The tickets need to be validated once on the bus. Another option is bus 285 that takes you to the Métro Villejuif - Louis Aragon(Line 7) in 15 min, but it stops on the way and is designed for commuters and not for travellers. Bus 285 costs €1.80 and runs every 10 min, stopping at airport level -1.
The Orlyval light rail connects the two terminals to each other and to the RER B line at Antony. It runs every 4-7 min and cost €9.85 for transfer to Paris, including connections to central area metro stations. The RER B from Antony runs through Paris to Aéroport Charles de Gaulle.

Beauvais (Aéroport de Beauvais Tillé)

ICAO: LFOB, IATA: BVA. This airport, a distance north of the city, is a smaller regional airport that is used by some low-cost carriers such as Ryanair (list flights) and WizzAir. The airport operates a shuttle service connecting with the Métro at Porte Maillot station. Buses run even during the wee hours of the morning (6AM). Buses leave 20 min after each flight arrives, and a few hours before each flight departs. Exact times can be found on the Beauvais Airport website. The journey will take about an hour in good traffic conditions, and costs €15 each way.

Airline Shuttles

In addition to public transport, Air France operates shuttles between Charles de Gaulle and Paris (€10-12), Orly and Paris (€7.5) and between the two airports (€15). Note that if you have connecting Air France flights that land and depart from different airports, you would still generally need to fetch your luggage after landing, catch either the Air France shuttle or a taxi (readily available at all airports) to the other airport and check-in again. This altogether could take up to 2 hours particularly if traffic is at its worst. It is also common to lose time during disembarking, as passengers often need to get off at the tarmac and get on buses which will bring them to the terminal building. Be sure to have sufficient time between flights to catch your connection. Note that check-in counters usually close 30 min before the flight departs, longer if flights are international carriers.
If you want to take RER B and catch an early flight, make sure you bring enough change, because you can only buy tickets at the coins-only machines before the counter opens.
If you arrive to CDG Airport at night you'll need a Noctilien bus to get to the city center. The bus stops in all three terminals (in terminal 2F it will be the second level in departure section - it is very difficult to find, but it really exists). The bus leaves every 30 min after 12:30AM. The buses you'll need are N121 and N120; the price is €7.

By train

Paris is well connected to the rest of Europe by train. There is no central station serving Paris, the six different stations are not connected to each other. You will probably want to know in advance at which station your train is arriving, so as to better choose a hotel and plan for transport within the city.

Gare du Nord, (10th), Métro: Gare du Nord - TGV trains to and from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Cologne, Germany (Thalys), and the United Kingdom (Eurostar) and regular trains from Northern Europe.
Gare d'Austerlitz, (13th), Métro: Gare d'Austerlitz - regular trains to and from the center and southwest of France (Orléans, Limoges, Toulouse the long way), Spain and Portugal and arrival of majority of the night trains.
Gare de l'Est, (10th), Métro: Gare de l'Est - ICE/TGV to and from Luxembourg, Saarbrücken, Kaiserslautern, Frankfurt, and Stuttgart, Munich in Germany and Basel and Zurich in Switzerland.
Gare de Lyon, (12th), Métro: Gare de Lyon - regular and TGV trains to and from Southern and eastern France: French Alps, Marseille, Lyon, Dijon, Switzerland: Geneva, Lausanne, Bern and Italy.
Gare St Lazare, (8th) Métro: St-Lazare - trains to and from Basse-Normandie, Haute-Normandie.
Gare Montparnasse, (15th), Métro: Montparnasse-Bienvenüe - TGV and regular trains to and from the west and south-west of France (Brest, Rennes, Nantes, Bordeaux, Toulouse the fastest way and Spain).

The SNCF (French national railway authority) operates practically all trains within France excluding the Eurostar to St Pancras, London and the Thalys to Brussels and onward to the Netherlands and Germany. There are also a few local lines of high touristic interest which are privately owned. All SNCF, Eurostar and Thalys tickets can be bought in railway stations, city offices and travel agencies (no surcharge). The SNCF website allows to book and buy tickets up to two months in advance. There are significant discounts if you book weeks ahead. Reduced ticket prices are different for each day and each train and can be used only on the train the reservation is for. Surprisingly, round trip tickets (aller-retour) with a stay over Saturday night can be cheaper than a single one-way ticket (aller simple). A very limited selection of last minute trips are published on the SNCF website every Tuesday, with discounts of more than 50%.
There are a number of different kinds of high speed and normal trains:

TER. Regional trains : TER are slower, stopping at almost all stations.
Intercités. normal day (no special name) operate to and from most cities in France and are usually your best bet for destinations all over France. These are the trains you'll find yourself on if you have a Eurail pass, and don't want to pay extra for reservations.
Téoz. As Corail Intercité but you need a reservation.
Lunéa. night trains (no special name) operate to and from most cities in France and are usually your best bet for destinations all over France. These are the trains you'll find yourself on if you have a Eurail pass, and don't want to pay extra for reservations.
TGV, The world-famous French high-speed trains (Trains à Grande Vitesse) run very frequently to the Southeast Nice(5-6h), Marseille (3h) and Avignon (2.5 h), the East Geneva (3h) or Lausanne, Switzerland and Dijon (1h15) , the Southwest Bordeaux (3h), the West Rennes (3h) and the North Lille (less than 1h). Eurostar to London (2h15) and Thalys to Brussels (1h20) use almost identical trains.
Thalys, A high-speed train service running daily to/from the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. It can be a bit expensive compared to normal trains, but cheap enough if you buy in advance.
Intercity. Intercity trains leave for all parts of Europe, including overnight trains to San Sebastian in Spain, Porto and Lisbon in Portugal.
Eurostar, The Eurostar service connects Paris with London directly and Brussels indirectly, as well many other destinations indirectly through the various west European rail services. Travel time between Paris and London St Pancras International currently averages at 2h15min, following the opening of a new rail link in late 2007.

By bus

Eurolines, A transEuropean bus company that offers trips to and from Paris. Generally offers prices significantly cheaper than the train at the cost of much longer journeys. The Parisian office is located at Bagnolet, adjacent to the Gallieni metro station.

By car

Several autoroutes (expressway, motorway) link Paris with the rest of France: A1 and A3 to the north, A5 and A6 to the south, A4 to the east and A13 and A10 to the west. Not surprisingly, traffic jams are significantly worse during French school holidays.
The multi-lane highway around Paris, called the Périphérique (BP), is probably preferable to driving through the center. Another beltway nearing completion; L'A86 (also A186 and A286) loops around Paris about 10 km further out from the Périphérique. A third, incomplete beltway is much further out and called La Francilienne (N104).
It is advised not to drive in the Paris Metro Area. It is better to drive to a suburban train station with a parking lot and then use the train to continue your trip throughout Paris. Most of Paris' roads were created long before the invention of automobiles. Traffic inside the city tends to be heavy, especially at rush hour; driving, however, may be rather easy and efficient in the evening. Parking is also difficult. Furthermore, the medieval nature of parts of the city's street system makes it very confusing, and traffic will almost never allow one to stop or slow down to get one's bearings. If you are unfamiliar with the streets and still insist on driving in the city, make sure you have a navigator in the passenger seat with you.

Climate

Being located in Western Europe, Paris has a maritime climate with cool winters and warm summers. The moderating effect of the Atlantic Ocean helps to temper temperature extremes in much of western Europe, including France. Even in January, the coldest month, temperatures nearly always exceed the freezing point with an average high of 6°C (43°F). Snow is not common in Paris, although it will fall a few times a year. Most of Paris' precipitation comes in the form of light rain year-round.
Summers in Paris are warm and pleasant, with an average high of 23°C (75°F) during the mid-summer months. Spring and fall are normally cool and wet.

Districts

Central Paris is officially divided into 20 districts called arrondissements, numbered from 1 to 20 in a clockwise spiral from the centre of the city (known as Kilometre Zero and is located at the front of Notre Dame). Arrondissements are named according to their number. You might, for example, stay in the "5th", which would be written as 5e (SANK-ee-emm) in French. The 12th and 16th arrondissements include large suburban parks, the Bois de Vincennes, and the Bois de Boulogne respectively.
The very best map you can get for Paris is called "Paris Pratique par Arrondissement" which you can buy for about €3-5 at any news stand. It makes navigating the city easy- so much that one can imagine that the introduction of such map-books might be part of what made the arrondissement concept so popular in the first place. Each arrondissement has its own unique character and selection of attractions for the traveler.

1st arrondissement

The center of contemporary Paris and the site of such landmarks as the Louvre and of the Tuileries and Palais-Royal, the 1st Arrondissement is full of attractions for travelers of all inclinations, including some of the finest parks, museums, shops, and bars in the city. The 1st occupies the Right Bank of the River Seine and extends onto the western section of the Île de la Cité in the midst of the river.
For occupying such a compact space, however the 1st feels remarkably different from one end to the other. The almost incredibly upscale western end of the arrondissement gives way to the hustle and bustle of the big city east of the Palais Royal, and then further east to the pedestrian (and tourist) dominated area around Les Halles and the (currently shuttered) Samaritaine, where tourists mix with (especially young) Parisiens and Parisiennes in huge numbers (on the order of 800,000 unique visitors per day according to the Mayor's office).

Get in

Travelers arriving at one of the airports will probably get in via the RER-B line at the formidable Métro station Châtelet/Les Halles, read on for details.

By Métro

Châtelet/Les Halles, the hub for the 1 and D lines is the largest and busiest of all Métro stations. There exists a total of seven entrances/exits scattered around the eastern end of the 1st Arrondissement, concentrated (not surprisingly) between Les Halles and Place du Châtelet, and also accessing the basement of the Les Halles shopping mall itself. If you are in a hurry—or have never used this station previously—it might be better to alight one Métro stop earlier or later. Of course, if you are transferring to or traveling on one of the RER lines, brace yourself. Châtelet/Les Halles is a French equivalent for New York City's Grand Central Station.
Line 1 line crosses travels the length of the arrondissement, arriving from Chateau de Vincinnes in the east via Gare de Lyon, and La Défence in the west. Most of the stations are fairly easy to use with the exception of Châtelet/Les-Halles. If you have a choice go for Palais-Royale/Musée-de-Louvre or Tuileries.
Line 14 line is the newest metro line, and probably the best way to arrive from Gare de Lyon, and thus from Switzerland or the South of France since it is a fully automated express train. Think of it as a sort of a horizontal elevator. It stops at Châtelet/Les-Halles and Pyramides.
Line 7 cuts diagonally across from the northwest to the southeast or the other way depending on how you look at it. Entering from the southwest (perhaps Gare d Austerlitz) you'll want to get off at Pont Neuf.
Line 4 runs north and south through the east end of the arrondissement, mostly under Châtelet. Again, we prefer the Cité or Etienne-Marcel stops to the Châtelet madness.
All four RER lines cross the arrondissement and stop at Chatelet/Les-Halles.

Get around

Having arrived in the 1st arrondissement walking will most likely suffice for transport. That said, Paris cabs are quite cheap. Still, even they don't have access to much of the carfree eastern end of the arrondissement.
If traveling from east to west by Métro you are probably best off using any other stations than Châtelet/Les Halles unless you have to connect there. Although the Métro trains themselves are fast and frequent, the crowded labyrinth at Châtelet can make getting to the trains an adventure.

Places to see

Landmarks

Le Louvre (The Louvre), (Métro: Palais Royal/Louvre), +33 1 40 20 53 17, Open daily except Tuesdays and certain public holidays. Permanent collections 9 am to 6 pm (Wed and Fri til 10 pm). Under the pyramid is open 9 am to 10 pm. The primary landmark of the 1st arrondissement: as well as housing one of the world's great museums since 1793, the former palace offers some dazzling architecture, wide public spaces and the glass pyramid of I M Pei.
Jardin des Tuileries, (Métro: Tuileries). Originally adjoining the now-disappeared royal palace of the Tuileries, these gardens lying immediately west of the Louvre offer a central open space for Parisians and visitors with semi-formal gardens (an outdoor gallery for modern sculpture), various cafés, ice-cream and crépe stalls and a summer fun fair. The gardens are frequently home to a giant ferris wheel and enclose the Musée de la Orangerie and the Jeu de Paume (see below).

Colonne Vendôme, (Métro: Opéra). The centerpiece of a magnificent 8-sided square first laid out in 1699 to show off an equestrian statue of the Sun King, Louis XIV. The statue was removed amidst Revolutionary fervor in 1792 and replaced in 1806 with the Colonne de la Grande Armée. This was modeled on Trajan's column in Rome and decorated with Napoleon's military exploits. The present column is a replica, however, as the original was pulled down during the 1871 Paris Commune. Place Vendôme represents the best of well-heeled Paris, being home to an abundance of exclusive boutiques, jewelers and fashion labels - Cartier, Boucheron, Trussardi, van Cleef & Arpels - several banks, the French Ministry of Justice and the Ritz Hotel.

Le Palais Royal, +33 1 45 20 82 56, 7:00am to 11:00pm during the summer and 7:00am to 8:30pm in the winter with hours varying in the spring and Autumn months. Ordered by Cardinal de Richelieu (1585-1642), King Louis XIIIth's prime Minister in 1629 (completed in 1636); originally called Palais Cardinal; it became Le Palais Royal when Anne d'Autriche, Louis XIIIth's wife, came to live here to get away from the Louvre palace. It eventually housed Louis the XIVth until the move to Versailles. It includes also a beautiful garden Les jardins du Palais Royal, enclosed within the buildings. It's been the theater of one of the seminal events of the French Revolution (Camille Desmoulins made a famous declaration here in 1789). The Théatre Français nearby was built in 1716. There are numerous restaurants inside the garden , including famous Le Grand Véfour. There's also the controversial Colonnes de Buren, striped columns installed within the inside yard among the XVIIth century architecture.
Église Saint-Eustache, (Located near Les Halles and the Bourse de Commerce). This massive church is one of the best standing examples of the early Gothic style.

Sainte Chapelle, 4 blvd du Palais (Métro: Cité), +33 (0)1 53 73 8 51. Soaring stained glass windows beaming ample light onto the rich primary colors of the tile mosaics on the floor, this photogenic church was built by the French kings to house the relics of the Crown of Thorns - far more beautiful than the famous, but gloomy, Notre Dame which is nearby. Make sure you go on a sunny day, as the highlight of this small chapel in Rayonnante Gothic style are the large stained-glass windows which soar up to near the vaulted ceiling. Also of interest is the extremely ornate lower level. If it happens to be rainy or cloudy, give Sainte Chappelle a miss, as the play of colored lights on the floor are well worth the wait for a sunnier day. The chapelle is located inside the Courts of Justice, there will thus be a security check.
La Conciergerie, (Métro: Cité), +33 1 53 73 78 50, open daily 9.30am - 6.30pm April - September; daily 10 am - 5 pm October - March, entry €6.10, concessions and guided tours available, under-18s free - the ancient medieval fortress and prison of the city's island, site of some remarkable medieval royal architecture and the scene of Marie Antoinette's imprisonment in the period leading to her execution in 1793 - lots of Revolutionary associations.

Museums and Galleries

Musée du Louvre, Place du Carrousel (Métro: Louvre), +33 1 40 20 53 17, open daily 10am-6pm, closed Tuesdays and some public holidays, evening openings We and Fr until 9.45pm, 1st Su of the month. Free admission for all, general admission (not including special exhibitions) adults €9, evening openings adults €6, special exhibition €8.50; combined ticket (museum + special exhibition) adults €13, evening openings €11 Carte Musée. Its exhibits come from such diverse origins as ancient Egypt, classical Greece and Rome, medieval Europe and Napoleonic France. Its most famous exhibit, of course, is Leonardo da Vinci's painting of the Mona Lisa (French: La Joconde, Italian: La Gioconda), generally to be found surrounded by hordes of camera-flashing tourists. If you want to see everything in the Louvre, plan at least two full days. However, it is better to pick and choose, as the collection was assembled with an eye to completeness rather than quality.
Musée en Herbe, 21 rue Hérold (Métro: Les Halles, Palais Royal, Rambuteau, Sentier), +33 1 40 67 97 66, Open daily 10 :00 am to 7 :00 pm.. A little brother for the original Musée en Herbe in the Bois de Boulogne, this museum is also geared for children. They have games and hands-on exhibits so won't have to supervise quite as closely as in other museums. Arts workshops are available as well, but you'll need to reserve a space in advance. €4 for the exhibitions, €8 for the workshops.
l'Orangerie (Musée de la Orangerie), +33 1 44 77 80 07, open daily, except Tu, Christmas Day and 1st May; individuals 12.30pm-7pm, until 9pm Th; groups 9.30am-12.30pm; admission €6.50 adults, concessions €4.50, special exhibition + €1.20; audio guides available in several languages €4.50 / €3 - recently reopened after extensive renovations, this small museum near the Louvre houses the Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume Collection, sold to the French Republic on very generous terms and numbering 143 paintings from the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century (15 Cézannes, 24 Renoirs, 10 Matisses, 12 Picassos, 28 Derains, 22 Soutines… ). The collection joined the eight immense Water Lilies that Monet gave France in 1922 and which have been displayed since 1927 in two huge oval rooms purpose-built on the artist's instructions.
Jeu de Paume, (northwestern corner of the Jardin des Tuileries). Built during the First Empire, in imitation of the Orangerie this small building is used by the Galerie Nationale to mount shows dedicated to lesser known, but nonetheless interesting artists, or (sometimes) the lesser known works of the Great Masters. This museum once housed many of the Impressionist painters that are now to be found in the Musée d'Orsay on the other side of the River Seine.
Musée des Arts décoratifs, 107, rue de Rivoli, +33 1 44 55 57 50, Around the corner from the Musée du Louvre at Rue de Rivoli 107 - monument to the French art de vivre, housed in a 19th-century wing of the Louvre that has been restored to Beaux-Arts splendor, its galleries and period rooms showcasing eight centuries of Gallic taste in interior decoration.

Things to do

One of the great joys of a visit to Paris is to simply walk around and explore to get the feel of the city. The 1st is as good a place to start as any, with the largely car-free section around Les Halles, and the right bank of the river Seine as good places to start. As a little bonus if you are in Paris in the summer time, the express lanes at river level are converted to an all pedestrian road called "Paris Plage" which fills with rollerbladers and sun-bathers just about every afternoon.
A number of Paris theaters are located in the eastern end of the 1st. English language productions are not unheard of, but the opera is likely to be in Italian anyhow. Your best bet if you are interested in finding a show in either language is to pick up a copy of Pariscope which you can find at any newsstand for around €0.50. There are ticket outlets at Forum Les Halles (FNAC) among other locations.

Shopping attractions

Forum les Halles, (Métro: Les Halles). Open daily from 9am to 7pm. In the late 1960s what was Paris' primary farmers' market moved out to the suburbs to be replaced by a park above ground, and a sprawling underground shopping center below. The interior design is strikingly period (think Logan's Run). The place is showing its age now, but still draws nearly a half-million parisien/ennes per day, mostly teenagers. There's a movie theater and a media library too.
Rue Montorgueil, (Métro: Les Halles or Etienne-Marcel). To the north and west of Les Halles almost all of the streets are car-free including this one, on which you can find a wide range of food shops including two great bakers, a fish market, and a bio organic foods store.
Le Carrousel du Louvre. A diverse underground shopping precinct adjoining the Louvre Museum. Open daily including Sundays. There is also a direct access into the Louvre.
W.H. Smith, 248 rue de Rivoli (Métro: Concorde), +33 1 44 77 88 99, Monday through Saturday 9:00am to 7:30pm, Sunday 1:00pm to 7:30pm. The largest English language bookshop in Paris carries many of the newest releases.
Colette, 213 rue Saint-Honoré (Métro: Tuileries), +33 1 55 35 33 90 (contact@colette.fr, fax: +33 1 55 35 33 99), Monday through Saturday 11:00am to 7:00pm. One of the most interesting shopping experiences anywhere, an eclectic collection of design, fashion, gadgets and music
Librairie Galignani, 224 rue Rivoli (Métro : Concorde), +33 1 42 60 76, British & American bookshop, specialized in fine arts.

Places to eat

The 1st provides rather a wide range of eating possibilities, considering its central location and overall poshness. A large variety of inexpensive food is sold out of windows and stalls, especially on the car-free east end of the arrondissement near Les Halles. You'll always pay a bit more to sit down, of course.
On the other hand if you are looking for a nice posh place to take your mom or a date there are plenty, and some of them actually have food that is good enough to be worth the considerable prices.

Budget

La Crypte Polska, place Maurice Barrés (Métro: Concorde), +33 1 42 60 43 33. Noon-3pm and 7pm to 10pm. Closed Monday. Believe it or not this little Polish restaurant is in the crypt under the church of Our Lady of the Assumption, and the Catholic-mystic decor alone makes a visit worthwhile. Plus the pierogies are about as good as you are going to find in Paris. Expect to pay 12 to 20€ per person for the whole meal.
Lemoni Café (1st, 5 Rue Hérold), (Métro: Palais Royal), +33 1 45 08 49 84. closed Sundays.
Universal Resto, mezzanine level, Le Carrousel du Louvre, 99 rue de Rivoli - 75001 Paris (Métro: Palais Royal), +33 1 40 20 04 04 (infos@universal-resto.com, fax: +33 1 40 20 93 93), daily 8.00 AM - 11.00 PM. A food court where some 13 stalls offer a variety of French and international cuisine including Lebanese, Mexican, Moroccan, Chinese and Japanese. Affordable prices starting from 10€.

Mid-Range

Café Marly, 93 rue de Rivoli / cour Napoléon du Louvre (Métro: Palais Royal), +33 1 49 26 06 60. Open daily 8 am - 2 pm. Part of the Grand Louvre redevelopment, Café Marly was opened in 1994 and is situated within the balcony on the northern terrace of the Cour Napoléon. Patrons can enjoy the direct views of the Louvre Pyramid whilst sitting back in comfortable chairs, watching tourists stroll by whilst supping on slightly / not outrageously above-average-price brasserie selections (you're paying a premium for the location!)-- Especially recommended : Sunday morning Brunch! Stunning view in the rising sun.
Aux Trois Oliviers, 37 bis rue de Montpensier (Métro: Palais Royal-Louvre), +33 1 40 20 03 02. This colorful and non-pretentious restaurant offers a range of dishes from throughout France and around the world. The mojitos are said to be quite good, as is the wine list. There's live entertainment (chansons français) each Friday night. Expect to spend around 15€ per person at lunch or 20€ at night.
Chez Denise (Tour de Montlhéry), 5 rue Prouvaires (Métro: Les Halles), +33 1 42 36 21 82. Tues-Sun: noon-2:15pm & 7pm-11pm Mon: 7pm-11pm This little owner-operated bistro presents traditional French country food in a nearly rustic setting. As such it's not exactly veggie-friendly, but it is open for dinner until an incredible 5:00am. Starters are from 10-12€ and main courses are 18-25€, then there's the wine.
La Robe et le Palais, 13 rue des Lavandieres Sainte Opportune, +33 1 45 08 07 41, Mon-Sat: noon-14:40 & 19:30-23:00. A small restaurant serving mostly tasty Basque food. Fantastic choice of wines.

Splurge

Point Bar, 40 Place du Marché Saint-Honoré (Métro: Opéra or Pyramides), +33 1 42 61 76 28. Alice Bardet, the daughter of a famous French chef de cuisine, Jean Bardet, has provided a prime example of great French restauranteering for the rest of us as a way of making her own name in the business. She is said to have grown up in her parent's restaurant, and has brought the style, the techniques, and a feeling for quality ingredients along. Lunchtime Menus start at just 15€, but the prices move toward the splurge category at night when you'll spend around 40€ per person ordering à la carte.
Maceo, 15, rue des Petits Champs (Métro: Pyramides), +33 1 42 96 98 89, What was once just a great wine bar with decent food has become a must-visit restaurant with the addition of star chef Thierry Bourbonnais. The second-empire atmosphere sets the stage for the fantastic food, making this a great value for a not terribly pricey splurge. Starters run 13-18€ and main courses are 25-28€. There's even a Vegetarian menu for around 30€.

Places to drink

Bar Hemingway, 15 Place Vendôme (Métro: Pyramides), +33 1 43 16 33 65 (fax: +33 1 43 16 33 75). Hemingway tried to drink here once per week even before he made it. Afterwards it was his favorite: when in August of 1944 Hemingway made a booze-powered drive into Paris ahead of the advancing Free French 2nd tank division it was to "liberate the Ritz", and specifically the bar which was shortly thereafter re-named in his honor. Today the bar is considered by many to be one of the best bars in the world, in no small part due to the bar-tending skills of Colin Field, who creates elaborate cocktails as a fine art, and with the rest of the staff is skilled at bringing his guests together in conversation. Expect to pay €30 or more per drink. (48.8690130,2.3276673)

Le Comptoir Paris-Marrakech, 37, rue Berger (Métro: Les Halles), +33 1 40 26 26 66. A swank drinking and people watching spot on a corner across from the park above Les Halles. There are nice stuffed couches all over the room, and meze snacks are served. The place picks up speed a bit in the evening, attracting quite a mixed crowd. (48.8617962,2.3435712)

Le Cab, 2, Place du Palais Royal (Métro: Palais Royal/Louvre), +33 1 58 62 56 25 (fax: +33 1 58 62 56 40), Featuring several spaces for divergent tastes, the Cabaret has an all white Easy-Listener space, a tropical cabana, a gigantic dance floor and more. The sounds vary from hip-hop to house to R'n'B. Expect to pay 8€ for beer and 13€ for a mixed drink, assuming the bouncers let you in.
Café Oz, 18, rue Saint Denis, +33 1 40 39 00 18, You probably didn't think you were coming to Paris to sample Australian culture, but if after a long day of strolling from one end of the city to another you would just like to let go a bit and meet up with some fellow Anglophones then you could do a lot worse than this almost legendarily hard-partying Aussie joint (ask the neighbors). Warning: as with other Aussie places in Paris for some reason, weekend nights here tend to bring out hoards of young single Frenchmen looking to chat up some (any) visiting anglophonette. This has been known to lead to, um, confrontations. ~7€ Pints.
Juvénile's, 47 rue Richelieu, +33 1 42 97 46 49. Nice wine + tapas bar cum wine shop : nice food, nice wines from around the world, & you can buy a bottle to take home if you like it!
Willi's Wine Bar, 13 rue des Petits Champs, +33 1 42 61 05 09, It's actually a restaurant and is more upscale than 'Juvéniles', serving good food and good to great bottles of wine with a focus on the Rhône valley, but including many from Burgundy, the Loire, as well as Italians and "Atlantic crossing" Califorians. The dinner menu by chef François Yon Great won the "Bib Gourmet 2009" award, and there are cheeses & deserts (yummy crumble)) for after. Reservation recommended. €20.50-€35.00.

Places to stay

Some of the most opulent hotels in the world are located either in or very close to the 1st arrondissement, and there's some choice in the mid-range. Budget travelers, on the other hand are probably better off in other, less central parts of town.

Budget

Centre International BVJ Paris-Louvre, 20 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Métro: Louvre), +33 1 53 00 90 90 (fax: +33 1 53 00 90 91). With beds starting at 26€ this is just about as cheap as it's going to get in the 1st. If you are here to study the art at the Louvre, and want to stay focused it has a location which can't be beat, just across rue Rivoli. (48.8625381,2.3410622)
Hotel de Rouen, 42, Rue Croix des Petits Champs (Métro: Louvre), +33 1 42 61 38 21 (reservation@hotelderouen.net), 3 minutes walk from the louvre. Doubles start at 55€, singles at 45€. Breakfast is 6€.. (48.8643861,2.3404551)
Hôtel Saint-Honoré, 85 Rue Saint-Honoré (Métro: Louvre), +33 1 42 36 20 38, This is as cheap as it gets for a hotel in this most central of locations, very close to the Louvre. The place was renovated in the last few years, so the comfort level is pretty good considering it hasn't received a star rating yet. (48.8611083,2.3433014)
Hôtel Montpensier, 12 Rue de Richelieu, +33 1 42 96 28 50 (fax: +33 01 42 86 02 70), Another semi-cheapie right in the middle of everything. (2.3363679,48.8643457)

Mid-Range

Hôtel Victoria Châtelet, 17 Avenue Victoria (Métro: Chatêlet), +33 1 40 26 90 17 (fax: (+33) 1 40 26 35 61), A cozy, competitivly priced 24 room hotel with a friendly Art Deco atmosphere. It is located next to the Chatelet Theatre in the very centre of Paris across Notre Dame. It is close to Bus, Taxi, Metro and RER stations: Chatelet les Halles, as well as three nearby monitored parking garages. Basic rooms start at 89€ and double at 90€. (48.8580327,2.3460262)
Hôtel Louvre Bon Enfants (Hôtel le Loiret), 5, rue des Bons-Enfants (Métro: Palais-Royal), +33 1 42 61 47 31, Most reviewers give the hotel formerly known as Loiret very high marks for cleanliness and comfort, but the real draw is the location: only steps from the Palais Royal/Louvre stop on Métro Line 1. Apparently the construction site across the street is quite active during the day, so perhaps it's not a good place for the jet-lagged. Single rooms start at 90€, with doubles around 110€. (48.8627944,2.3381080)
Hôtel Britannique, 20 Avenue Victoria (Métro: Chatêlet), +33 1 42 33 74 59 (fax: +33 1 42 33 82 65), Anglophiles in Paris could do worse than to stay at this most Anglophile of French hotels. The location is good, at the very east end of the 1st, within an easy walk of Notre Dame, Les Halles, and above the central hub métro station. Basic rooms start at 130€, 157 for a double. (48.8583295,2.3461341)

Mon Hotel (A member of Sterling Hotels), 1 Rue d'Argentine, +33 1 450 27676, Sleek and modern rooms with rotating artwork provided by a local art agency. The Mon Hotel is within minutes of the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysées. €110-215.

Hôtel Brighton, 218 rue de Rivoli, The Executive and Deluxe room offer a breathtaking view on the Louvre, the Jardin des Tuileries and the Eiffel Tower. This classic Parisian style hotel is located next to Paris shopping and cultural hot spots. double from €229.

Hôtel Mansart, 5 rue des Capucines, This charming 3 stars hotel is located next to the Place Vendome and 2 minutes walk from the Opera Garnier and famous parisian Department stores. Antique furniture and paintings create an atmosphere of typical Parisian house.

Hôtel de la Place du Louvre, 21 rue des Prêtres Saint Germain l'Auxerrois, As its name suggests it, this hotel is located really close to the Louvre Museum. Rooms on the street offer an impressive view on the Louvre and its central location is ideal to visit Paris.

Splurge

Castille Paris, 33-37 rue Cambon, +33 144 584 458, Located in the fashion district of Paris, the Castille Paris offers chic rooms that all look out onto the Rue Cambon. Some rooms are designed in a "Coco Chanel" style with beige and black tones. €350-820.

Hôtel Vendôme, 1, Place Vendôme (Métro: Pyramides), +33 1 55 04 55 00. Occupying a building which was once the site of the Embassy of the Republic of Texas the Hotel Vendôme is one of the most exclusive addresses anywhere, much like the neighboring Ritz. The 29 rooms each have been decorated in the style of a different period, such as Classic, Baroque, or Deco. Singles start at only 350€, and suites can be as much as 4000€. Hey, compared to the Ritz it's a bargain! (48.8670031,2.3287060)
Hôtel Costes, 239 Rue Saint-Honoré (Métro: Concorde), +33 1 42 44 50 00 (fax: +33 1 42 55 50 01), When the Costes brothers who made their fortune in the Paris café trade opened this designer hotel a couple of years ago it became an instant hit with the rich and famous, especially of Hollywood. Whether it's worth the price for the exquisite interior decoration and the chance to rub elbows with a few movie stars is up to you to decide. A basic room starts at 500€ in the off season. Be warned: they don't pay travel agents commissions, so either book it yourself, or pony up the extra 50€ the agent would normally get. (48.8664365,2.3286655)
Hôtel Ritz, 15 Place Vendôme (Métro: Pyramides), +33 1 43 16 30 70 (resa@ritzparis.com, fax: +33 1 43 16 36 68), If there is any one hotel in the world which is not merely "putting on" the Ritz it would be this one, whose very name has entered the English language as a generic word for luxury (or the appearance thereof). The Ritz may not in fact be the fanciest hotel in Paris anymore, but it's always in the running. Rooms start at 650€ per night, and run right up to 8500€ (350x the price of our budget entry in the neighborhood), but heck, maybe it's your honeymoon. (48.8683694,2.3282338)

Hotel Keppler, 10, rue Kepler, 33 - 1 47 20 65 05 (hotel@keppler.fr, fax: 33 - 1 47 23 02 29), The hotel is well decorated and maintains a chic parisien atmosphere. The rooms are comfortable, with all the amenities anyone could ever expect. Good breakfast. The exercise area enough to maintain your routine with a steam after. Everyone here does their job with professionalism and good grace. 300 - 1000€.

2nd arrondissement

The 2nd Arrondissement of Paris is one of the financial centers of Europe, being home to the Bourse (Stock exchange) and thus the CAC 40 index you hear about in world financial news. Other major activities in the neighborhood are journalism and fashion.
The 2nd is also home to the galleries -- covered passages lined with shops -- which are quite possibly the prototypes of today's shopping malls.
While the aforementioned are all daylight activities the eastern end of the arrondissement has an entirely different reputation, having been home to Paris' red-light district since sometime in the early renaissance.

Get in

By Métro

Being right in the middle of the city, the 2nd Arrondissement is well served by the Métro system. 5 lines provide direct access to the district via 10 different stations.

Lines 8 and 9 both run east-west right across the northern edge of the arrondissement with 4 stations, distanced every 200 to 400 meters. Take your pick, all of the stations are small, and unless you're making a connection just as good as another.

Line 3 runs east-west right through the center of the arrondissement, with 5 stations down rue du Quatre Septembre and rue Réaumur.

Line 4 runs north-south along the eastern edge.

Line 7 running north-south, has one stop (Opéra) near the western edge of the arrondissement.

Get Around

As the 2nd is the smallest arrondissement, it is easy to travel many places within it on foot. It's possible to comfortably walk the entire perimeter of the district in around an hour. Much of the south-eastern corner is closed to traffic.

Places to see

Museums

la Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Richelieu, 58 rue Richelieu (Métro: Bourse or Palais-Royal), +33 1 53 79 59 59, Reading rooms: mon-fri 9am-6pm, sat 9am-5pm, exhibitions: tue-sat 10am-7pm. Especially try to visit the cabinet des Médailles. library: free, exhibitions €5-€10.

Architecture

The 2nd arrondissement covers some of the nicest old parts of Paris.

Place des Victoires. Beautiful round 'square' with an equestrian statue of King Louis the XIVth and matching XVIIth century buildings.
Notre Dame des Victoires. XVIIth century church,

History

There have been dozens of attempts by various regimes at all levels including the city, the state and the church to chase the ladies of "love for a price" away from the eastern end of the second arrondissement, but for some reason they always come back. Interestingly, the word "bordello" originates here from the boards that the women used to subdivide the rooms they rented in houses along the rue Saint Denis and others.
The press has had nearly as long a run in the neighbourhood just to the west, and several of France's major newspapers still maintain offices here.

La Tour Jean-sans-Peur, 20 rue Étienne-Marcel (Métro: Étienne-Marcel). April-October wed-sun 1:30pm-6pm. One of the last remnants of medieval Paris outside of the 4th, this tower was once part of a castle called l'hôtel de Bourgogne €5, students: €3, guided tour: €8.

Things to do

Théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique (National Opéra Comic Theatre), 5, rue Favart, +33 (0)1 42 44 45 40, The théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique (National Opéra Comic Theatre) is an opera company and opera house.

Shopping attractions

Rue Montorgueil pedestrian area. Rue Montorgueil is like a scene from a movie. Closed to traffic, the street is a food-lovers delight, with cafes, bars and all types of fresh produce for sale in the open air.

The Galleries

Prototypical of indoor shopping malls the Galleries got their start in 1786 when the Duke of Orleans realized that there was money to be made by renting out his cloistered garden to small shops. With their glass roofs and tiled floors they were a welcome respite to the newly emerging middle class shopper of the early 19th century, in the days before electric light and sidewalks.
A walking tour of the galleries can easily be accomplished in an hour or so, and is worthwhile even though they are long past their glory days. Start with La Gallerie Vivienne which is the best preserved of the galleries and whose décor has been maintained in authentic colors from the era. It's really the mosaic floor which is the star of the show. The shops are distinctly upscale, and all about conspicuous consumption: a wine seller, a tea shop, and a dealer in antique books are among the highlights.
The Passage Choiseul is a considerably more down-to-earth gallery, the passage mainly serves traders on their way to the Bourse, with the same class of shops that one might find in a pedestrian tunnel in New York or Chicago: a shoeshine stand, a newsstand, and little almost-but-not-quite fast-food restaurants.
You can find more galleries throughout the arrondissement, including the Passage des Panoramas, the Passages des Princes, and the Passage du Grand-Cerf.

Places to eat

Budget

Exki, 9, Boulevard des Italiens (Métro: Opéra or Quatre-Septembre), +33 1 42 61 06 52 (info@exki.fr). High quality fast food with an emphasis on freshness and a slight bent for the exotic. A choice of soups and salads for around €4, plates for around €6.
Bourgainville, 5, rue de la Banque (Métro: Bourse), +33 1 42 60 05 19. Mon-Sat 7am-9pm, but food is only served at lunch from 11:30 to 3:30. This comfy little bar offers down-home cooking from the Auvergne region, and after-work drinks for the financial set. sandwiches: €3, plates €12-15.
Rani Mahal, 9 Rue Saint-Augustin, +33 1 42 97 53 24. This Indian restaurant is raved about by vegetarians, but serves meat as well.

Mid-Range

Café Etienne Marcel, 34, rue Etienne Marcel (Métro: Etienne Marcel), +33 1 45 08 01 03. A Costes brothers' creation but with lower prices than many of their other restaurants, the Etienne Marcel combines a creative menu with hip interior design and hip musical ambience. Vegetarians: The crispy risotto balls (risotto croustillant) are amazing, and pretty much impossible to make at home. 15-20 Euro
Le Loup Blanc, 42 rue Tiquetonne (Métro: Etienne-Marcel), +33 1 40 13 08 35. 7pm-midnight nightly. The White Wolf is interesting not only for the fact that it's directly across the street from another restaurant called the Three Little Pigs, but also for the quality of the dishes in a style that the chef likes to call "world food". There is a vegetarian offering. dinner for around €25.
Café Moderne, 40, rue Notre-Dame-des-Victoires (Métro: Bourse), +33 1 53 40 84 10. lunch: 12:15-2:30, dinner: 7:30-10:30. Menues ~ €30.
Le Tambour, 41, Rue Montmartre, dinner until 3:30am !. The really distinguishing feature of the Tambour is its very late hours.

Places to drink

The Frog & Rosbif, 116 rue St. Denis, +33 1 42 36 34 73, As you probably know the English use the word "frog" as an ethnic slur for the French. You may not know that the word "Rosbif" is the French ethnic slur for the English. Well, it seems that there are mostly no hard feelings over a pint, or so the presence of this chain of 6 English pubs in the French capital would tend to suggest.
Footsie, 10-12, Rue Daunou, +33 1 42 60 07 20. The drink prices fluctuate with supply and demand, just like at the nearby Bourse. Astute readers will note that the Footsie is an exchange index on the London stock exchange, which works because this is a more-or-less English style pub right down to the curry.
Harry's New York Bar, 5, Rue Daunou, +33 1 42 61 71 14, Mon-Sun 10:30am-4am. Legend has it that Harry's New York Bar was the birthplace of the Bloody Mary invented by Fernand "Pete" Petiot, an American bartender, and was another Hemmingway hangout.
Café Noir, 65, Rue Montmartre (Métro: Sentier or Bourse), +33 1 45 08 42 35. A particularly fine example of a Paris café.
La Cantine, 151 rue Montmartre (Passage des Panoramas, Métro: Grandes Boulevards), lundi au vendredi de 09h à 18h. A technology focused café and co-working space.

Places to stay

Budget

Bed and Breakfast Hostel, 42 rue Poissonnière (Métro: Bonne-Nouvelle), +33 1 40 26 83 08, checkin: Any time; checkout: 10am. It's basically a big apartment done up as a set of dorm rooms with girls on one side of the hall and boys on the other, but it's comfortable and the price is unbeatable. There is one tiny room for a couple. French, English, Spanish, Hebrew, and Arabic spoken. Dorm beds for €18 or private rooms available for groups of 4 or more, the showers cost €2.
Hôtel des Boulevards, 10, rue de la Ville-Neuve, +33 1 42 36 02 29, doubles with sink: €40, with a shower: €55.
Hôtel Sainte-Marie, 6, rue de la Ville-Neuve (Métro: Bonne-Nouvelle), +33 1 42 33 21 61, doubles with a sink: €40-54, with a shower and toilet: €60-70.

Mid-Range

Hôtel Bonne Nouvelle, 17 rue Beauregard (Métro: Bonne-Nouvelle), +33 1 45 08 42 42, Old World charm. doubles €60-70.
Tiquetonne Hôtel, 6 rue Tiquetonne (Métro: Etinne-Marcel or Réaumur-Sébastopol), +33 1 42 36 94 58 (fax: +33 1 42 36 02 94). Closed during August, and between Christmas and New Year's Doubles with a sink €40.
Hôtel Vivienne, 40, rue Vivienne (Métro: Bourse), +33 1 42 33 13 26.
Tryp Hôtel Paris François, 3, boulevard Montmartre (Métro: Grandes-Boulevards), +33 1 42 33 51 53.
Hôtel Paris France, 21, rue du louvre (Métro: bourse), +33 9 77 21 75 04‎.

Splurge

Park Hyatt Paris - Vendome, 5 Rue de la Paix (Métro: Opéra), +33 1 58 71 12 34 (vendome@hyattintl.com), 5 star palace style hotel with a residential feel and personalised service. Within walking distance of Place Vendôme.
Hôtel Victoires Opera, 56 rue de Montorgueil (Métro: Sentier), +33 1 42 36 41 08.
Hôtel Etats-Unis Opéra, 16, rue d'Antin, Paris, +33 1 80 02 30 04.

3rd arrondissement

A quieter part of the ancient Marais neighborhood which is centered in the 4th, the 3rd is possibly one of the best places to live in Paris. There are several good open air markets, a gigantic covered flea market, and lots of great speciality food stores, especially along rue de Bretagne.

The museums of the 3rd are among the best anywhere, including the Musée Picasso which contains both the master's works and his collections, and the almost undefinable Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers which has on display the first prototypes of almost every important invention, including the first monoplane, numerous artifacts from the creation of the Statue of Liberty, and of course, Foucault's Pendulum.

Get in

By Métro

Station Arts et Metiers (3, 11) is probably the most convenient for the Musée des Arts et Metiers (obviously), but also within easy walking distance of all the attractions of the 3rd
Station Republique (3, 5, 8, 9, 11) is on the northern edge of the 3rd arrondissement, but superbly well-connected and therefore highly convenient

Places to see

Musée Picasso, 5 rue de Thorigny (Métro: Chemin Vert), +33 1 42 71 25 21, 9:30AM to 6:00PM Wednesday to Monday and 9:30AM to 8:00PM on Thursdays, except during winter when closing time is always 5:30PM. Most of the works by Picasso and others which were in the master's possession at the time of his death are now on display here.
Musée national des Arts et Métiers, 60 rue Réaumur (Métro : Arts et Métiers, Réaumur-Sébastopol, Bus 20, 38, 39, 47), open Tu-Su 10AM - 6PM, Th until 9.30PM, closed Mo and public holidays.
Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme, 71, rue du Temple, +33 1 53 01 86 60.
Musée de la Serrure, 1, rue de la Perle (Métro: Chemin-Vert), +33 1 42 77 79 62.
Musée Cognacq-Jay, 8 rue Elzévir (Métro: Saint-Paul), +33 1 40 27 07 21.
Musée Carnavalet, 23 rue de Sévigné (Métro: Saint-Paul (ligne 1), Chemin vert (ligne 8), Bus 29, 69, 76, 96), +33 1 44 59 58 58 (fax: +33 1 44 59 58 11), open Tu-Su 10AM - 6PM, closed Mo and some public holidays, last tickets 5.30PM, tel 01 44 59 58 58, fax 01 44 59 58 10, free entry to the permanent collection - contained within two historic houses (hotels), the museum explores the history of Paris through objects in over 140 separate rooms.

Shopping attractions

There's a lot of stuff to buy in the 3rd, mainly in the side streets of the upper Marais down near the 4th. Of particular interest are the large number of men's clothing stores on rue de Turenne.

Au Réparateur de Bicyclettes, 44 Blvd de Sébastopol (Métro: Rambuteau), +33 1 48 04 51 19. Monday to Saturday 10AM to 8PM. If you would rather have a funkier bike than the ones you can rent from the RATP you would do a lot worse than checking out this little bicycle repair shop which also offers a wide range of new and used bikes. Their specialty in new bikes is Dutch and English bicycles, but some of the really nice ones are by the American company Scott. The used bikes start at around €75.
Marché du Temple.

Places to eat

Le Petit Marché, 9 rue de Béarn (Métro: Chemin Vert), +33 1 42 72 06 67. Open noon to 2:00AM every day. This is one of those charming little Parisian bistros which is off on its own a little. The wait staff couldn't possibly be friendlier so this is a good place to bring people to show them how nice Parisian dining can be. The food is in a higher class than the price range, and the folks who work here have an easy collegial or even familial way with each other, and with frequent guests.
Chez Jenny, 39, boulevard du Temple, +33 1 44 54 39 00. A super popular spot with young parisiens and parisiennes. The food must be good for it to be so consistently packed.
Chez Janou, 2, Rue Roger Verlhomme, +33 1 42 72 28 41. Chez Janou has such a pretty location that it's worth an evening visit just for that. But the food and atmosphere are also amazing. Vegetarians be warned, the tortellini is not the token veggie dish; there isn't one. 18 Euro/person.
Page 35, (4, rue du Parc Royal), +33 1 44 54 35 35. The name apparently refers to some section of some newspaper or another apparently with social listings. The carte features fantastic crêpe opportunities making this a must for lunch or lingering over a carafe or two of the house wine. €8
Le Potager du Marais, 22 rue Rambuteau (Métro: Les Halles), +33 1 42 74 24 66. The Potager is a 100% vegetarian restaurant specialized in re-creating the French country dining experience without any of the meat. Menus for around 15 Euro.
Camille, 24, rue des Francs-Bourgeois, +33 1 42 72 20 50. Fantastic fresh French food, Euro 40 per person, it is worth the wait.
Le Pamphlet, 38 rue Debelleyme, +33 1 42 72 39 24. Elaborate cuisine at very reasonable prices in a romantic fine dining setting. €50 per Person.

Places to drink

Les Enfants Rouge, 9, rue de Beauce, +33 1 48 87 80 61. This one is makes for another tough call between the Eat and Drink sections. It's a completely traditional french bistro with a popular bar in the evenings.
Andy Wahloo, 69 rue des Gravilliers, +33 1 42 71 20 38. Andy Wahloo apparently means "I don't have anything" in Arabic. The Moroccan artist who owns this place certainly means it as a play on words having done the decor as a Moorish take on Andy Warhol.
Café des Musées, 49, Rue de Turenne, +33 1 42 72 96 17. A bog standard and absolutely unpretentious bistro, the des Musées is a great place to cool your heels over a glass or two of red or white after stomping around the Marais all day.
Les Arts et Métiers, 51 rue Turbigo, +33 1 48 87 83 25. An updated but otherwise standard Brasserie, the draw here is the crowd: young trendy locals love the place.
Café Solo, 6 rue Dupuis. Located on a newly car-free street the Solo has a huge music collection which they are in the process of selling off at €6 per CD.
The Quiet Man, 5, rue des Haudriettes, +33 1 48 04 02 77, This Irish pub has sessions and Irish music almost (but not quite) nightly. The atmosphere is tops for the genre.
Léonard, 57 Rue De Turbigo (+33 1 48 04 07 55). If you like trendy décor this is your joint.Free Wi-Fi
L'Attirail, 9, rue du Maire, +33 1 42 72 44 42. Cool bar/club with concerts ranging from Jazz Manouche to contemporary swing.
La Villa Kéops, 58, boulevard Sébastopol, +33 1 40 27 99 92. The motif is Egyptian, while the clientele appears to be almost entirely gay men. Free WI-FI
La Perle, rue Vieille du Temple / rue de la Perle. A small corner café-bar well known among the trendy people of Le Marais. Dozens of young and old people gather here every evening, especially on weekends. There are also few other cool bars to enjoy on the rue Vieille du Temple.

Places to stay

Vacation Rentals

Séjour à Paris, 45 Rue de Turenne (Métro: Chemin Vert, Saint Paul), +33 1 42 72 70 81 (info@sejouraparis.com), A variety of budget to luxury short-term vacation rentals from Alpha Marais Century 21, offering a self-catering apartment alternative to visitors. Over 20 different options in the Marais. Rentals starting at €95 per night.

Budget

Hôtel du Marais (My Hotel), 2bis, rue Commines (Métro: Saint-Sébastien-Froissart), +33 1 48 87 78 27. This little place has two names which can be a little confusing. It gets mixed reviews but some people love it and the location is hard to beat. 60€ Singles, 70-88€ doubles.

Mid-range

Austin's Arts et Metiers Hôtel, 6, rue Montgolfier (Métro: Arts-et-Métiers), +33 1 42 77 17 61. The rooms are small (as usual) and kept very clean. You are best off asking for something facing the front since the central courtyard is not very attractive. Particularly the 6th floor rooms are said to be quite nice. Singles for 92€, doubles 120€.

4th arrondissement

The 4th is a good chunk of what used to be medieval Paris, and you'll find a lot left from that time on both islands and in the narrow streets of the lower Marais. Meanwhile there's lots that's contemporary to look at especially at the Centre Georges Pompidou where you'll find a lot of the very best contemporary art.
At night the 4th has several of the most active bar scenes most travelers will have ever seen, including the lower Marais district which is sometimes known as gay Paris although there are no shortage of bars catering to straight singles or a mixed crowd, or, in the early evening, families.

Get in

The 4th is a very centrally located arrondissement, right between the Châtelet and Bastille areas, two of Paris' main transportation (metro, RER and bus) hubs.

By car

Being such a touristy district it is very hard to find parking spaces. It's much easier to use the Metro.

By metro

Several subway stations on lines 1, 4, 7 and 11 dot this area and are convenient for exploring its attractions.
Station Hôtel de Ville on Ligne 1 (La Defense/Chateau de Vincennes) and Ligne 11 (Chatelet/Mairie des Lilas) - Access from near the junction of Rue de Renard and Rue de Rivoli. Station Cité on Ligne 4 (Porte d'Orleans (General Leclerc)/Porte de Clignancourt) - Access off the Boulevard du Palais (infront of Palais de Justice on the Ile de Cité). Station St. Paul on Ligne 1 (La Defense/Chateau de Vincennes) - Access off the Rue de Rivoli. Station Rambuteau on Ligne 11 (Chatelet/Mairie des Lilas) - Access from near the junction of Rue de Renard and Rue Rambuteau. Station Pt. Marie on Ligne 7 (Villejuif - Louis Aragon / Mairie d'Ivry/La Courneuve - 8 mai 1945) - Access from Quai de l'Hotel de Ville Station Sully Morland on Ligne 7 (Villejuif - Louis Aragon / Mairie d'Ivry/La Courneuve - 8 mai 1945) - Access near the junction of Boulevard de Henri IV and Quai des Celestins.