Paris Features

Paris Features

• Top Attractions
  Originally built as a temporary exhibition for the 1889 World's Fair, today there's no other monument that symbolizes Paris better than Gustave...
• Paris Like a Local
  To appreciate the City of Light as the locals do, you can start by learning some of the daily rituals of Paris life. These simple, fun pleasures...
• Paris With Kids
  Paris is often promoted as an adult destination, but there's no shortage of children's activities to keep the young 'uns busy, not to mention...
• Great Walk: Artists and Writers of the Left Bank
  Some of the greatest artists and writers of the 20th century were attracted to winding streets and bustling boulevards of Paris's Left Bank between...
• Hands-on Paris
  Sometimes, it's not enough to see the sights, shop the boutiques, and sample the regional delicacies: there is the compulsion to really immerse...
• Making the Most of Your Euros
  Paris has never been cheap and we know you're going to be looking for some tips on how not to break the bank. Who better to ask than travelers...
• Free and Almost Free
  It's easy to break the bank in Paris, but those acquainted with the city know where to find the free (or almost free) stuff. Here are some tips...
• Paris Museums, an Overview
  There's no shortage of museums in Paris, so it's a good idea to make a plan. This overview includes all the museums listed elsewhere in the book...
• Romantic Paris
  It isn't hard to stumble across a romantic moment in Paris. Couples kiss on park benches, dine by candlelight in cozy neighborhood bistros, and...
• The Food Scene in St-Germain and Montparnasse (6e, 14e arrondissements)
  Small bistros are moving into the spotlight in St-Germain, and crêpe stands, fish restaurants, and oyster bars attest to the Breton influence...
• The Food Scene in Quartier Latin, Les Gobelins, and the Islands (5e, 13e arrondissements)
  Whether you're seeking a cheap Chinese eatery or a table for two at La Tour d'Argent, the Quartier Latin dishes up something for every taste...
• The Food Scene in Le Marais, Bastille, Nation (3e, 4e, 11e, 12e, 20e arrond.)
  The center of Jewish and gay life in Paris, Le Marais serves up the best falafel in town and some great bistro fare, too. Farther east, the Bastille...
• The Food Scene in Montmartre, Canal St-Martin, Northeast Paris (10e, 18e, 19e arrondissements)
  Perched above central Paris, Montmartre is buzzing with a hip vibe, and cutting-edge cafés are springing up along the banks of the Canal...
• The Food Scene in Champs-Élysées and Western Paris (8e, 16e, 17e arrondissements)
  Style often wins out over substance around the Champs-Élysées, but a handful of luxury restaurants continue to defy fashion....
• The Food Scene in Tour Eiffel and Les Invalides (7e, 15e arrondissements)
  Lively bistros and daring contemporary restaurants bring unexpected exuberance to the otherwise sedate streets around the Eiffel Tower and in...
• The Food Scene in Louvre, Les Halles, and the Opéra (1er, 2e, 9e arrondissements)
  All-night restaurants and hearty bistros continue to thrive around Paris's former wholesale market, creating a boisterous contrast with the elegant...
• Bars à Vins
  Bars à vins (wine bars) are perfect for enjoying a glass (or bottle) of wine with a plate of cheese, charcuterie, or tasty hot meal—indeed...
• A Cheese Primer
  Their cuisine might be getting lighter, but the French aren't ready to relinquish their cheese. Nearly every restaurant, humble or haute, takes...
• Bicycling in Paris
  You've seen those 1930s photographs of Paris—men in berets bicycling the streets, a baguette tucked under one arm; elegant women in billowing...
• Hemingway's Paris
  There is a saying: "Everyone has two countries, his or her own—and France." For the Lost Generation after World War I, these words rang...
• Paris's Covered Arcades
  Before there were the grands magasins, there were the passages couverts, covered arcades that offered the early-19th-century Parisian shopper...
• A Scenic Walk in Montmartre
  One of the prettiest walks in Paris begins at the Lamarck-Caulaincourt (Line 12) métro station. Climb the stairs, cross Rue Caulaincourt...
• Spas for Paris Pampering
  After a long day of shopping, nothing beats a retreat to a Parisian spa. They're easy to find, with one or two in the department stores and an...
• Bastille at Night
  From Place de la Bastille, take Rue de la Roquette and turn right onto Rue de Lappe, Paris's answer to Bourbon Street, once a haunt of artists...
• Shakespeare & Company
  In the shadow of Notre-Dame across the Seine, this English-language bookstore is one of Paris's most eccentric and lovable literary institutions...
• Dueling Cafés
  Les Deux Magots (6 pl. St-Germain-des-Prés) and the neighboring Café de Flore (172 b. St-Germain) have been duking it out on this...
• Artists, Writers, and Exiles
  Paris became a magnet for the international avant-garde in the mid-1800s and remained Europe's creative capital until the 1950s. It all began...