Tyring to get a feel for the actual size of Paris
 

I knwo this is probably a stupid question, but I have reviewed many itineraries for visitors heading to Paris and try to envision how to accomplish so much in a day! I am a NY transplant and find it amazing that one can pack in so many meaningful activities in a day. I am wondering if someone could be so kind as to make a comparison from a size perspective on the NY/Paris angle as it would help me greatly in figuring out what I want to accomplish!

Quick clarification, the size of Manhattan in relation to the size of Paris.....

Thanks

Here is a link to the map of Paris: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp...&geodiff=1

You will note in the upper right hand corner the measurement for a mile. It looks like Paris is 9 miles across and the 4 miles in the center is where most of the tourist things are located. The Metro will get you around the city quickly.

Hope this is of some help.

Paris covers an area of around 36 square miles, and you can walk across the city in about three hours. With the aid of the subway, you can see a great deal in one day if you are in a rush. The city is best visited on foot, and the distances on foot are quite manageable, but public transportation helps if time is at a premium.

If you compare the city proper (within the oval beltway) to Manhattan, you'll find that Manhattan is substantially larger. Still, even Manhattan is within walking range, if you have time. Paris is even more so.

The suburbs of Paris are quite extensive, but all of the tourist attractions (except for Versailles) are within the beltway and thus very close to each other.

Hard to compare exactly, but Paris of the 20 arrondisments is apparently about 87-100 killometers sq, depending on which of Wikipedia's maps I look at. Manhattan is also about 87 ks. (NYC in total is about 469 ks.) Of course, Paris is sort of "round", while Manhattan has the basic shape of one of those pink erasers you had in school.

Population of Paris: wikipedia says over 2 million, and an old atlas of mine agrees. Manhattan: about 1.6 million. (Can't tell you the daytime population of Manhattan, with the commuters all at work.) Total population of NYC's five boroughs, well over 8 million; "urban area", 18 Million, and "Metro area", 22 million. France's figures for those below, pasted out of Wikipedia.

In answer to your question, though, most of the Paris everyone rushes all over is of arrondisements 1-8, with occasional forays beyond. These amount to about 1/3 of the area of the 20 arrondisements.


<< Paris has an estimated population of 2,153,600 within its administrative limits.[2] The Paris Unité urbaine (or "urban unit") is an area of unbroken urban growth that extends well beyond its city limits, with a population of 9.93 million.[3] A commuter belt around the same completes the Paris urban area (similar to a metropolitan area) that, with its population of 12 million,[4] is one of the most populated areas of its kind in Europe.[5]>>

There is something wrong with my numbers:
NYC total area in ks is over 1200, or about 13x the size of Manhattan.

Wikipedia gives the population density of Paris at about 25,000 per ks. and Manhattan at 26,000 or so. Hard to believe, as Paris seems less crowded - but factor in the many less residential areas of Manhattan and I guess it averages.

Thanks for the info. The similarities confirm my plans similar to my non working days in NYC. I plan for a final destination, enjoy the excursions along the way and then Metro back when I'm finished and tired! Does this make sense for Paris as well?

I agree - Paris is best seen on foot - but don't overdo it as you'll be on your feet a lot when sightseeing attractions. Save the walkings for the non-attraction days - savour the atmosphere, the cafes such on those days. When going to museums and attractions - take the metro to your destination, and save your feet power.

Within the Paris proper, it's quite close to everything.

Hi

You can compare two areas on maps on this site: http://mapfrappe.com/ :d And here is my Paris trip report with pictures and links from last year http://gardkarlsen.com/Paris_France.htm .

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

One good thing to remember/know about Paris..the Metro is much more "dense" if that is the right word than the subway. What I mean is that at least in the main part of Paris you are never very far from a Metro stop and certainly within walking distance of one.

You'll find it much more convenient to get to than the subway in NYC IMO.

To me Paris feels a lot bigger than NYC. maybe because manhattan has set boundaries (the water!) and because its mainly grid-streets make it easier to navigate. also view from empire state- you can see all of new york city and where it ends, right down to coney island in brooklyn.
in comparison, view from eiffel tower- paris is a sprawling expanse to every horizon. although don't know at what height they both stand, or if this would make much difference.
however many have already stated that paris has quite large suburbs.
maybe if someone can compare the two as holiday destination cities, as opposed to opinions of those who live in each.

HI 12,

>I plan for a final destination, enjoy the excursions along the way and then Metro back when I'm finished and tired! Does this make sense for Paris as well? <

Yes.

((I))

Paris is half the size of Brooklyn. (Thus,it's much much smaller than NYC.)

I think Manhattan seems smaller. If one is going to compare the entire NY metro area, you'd have to compare it to the Ile de France or something to make sense, not the boundaries of Paris.

It isn't exactly round, but roundish, and it's about 4.5 to 5 miles in each direction (north/south and E-S), I think. So that's around 20-25 sq miles which matches the 87 k2 of tomas' post. All of Manhattan is probably about the same size, but not the part tourists use. They don't in Paris, either, of course, so I really think the size of almost all major cities that tourists visit don't end up being that different in practicality as most tourists confine themselves to only a few miles from one central area.

are you serious? paris half the size of brooklyn?
i did say nyc feels smaller, but this might be just from having lived there.
i say again, can anyone give a tourist-style comparison for both cities, as opposed to people who know the cities pretty well. i think it might be more useful to OP.

Cristina and travel_buzzing:

Just a reminder that Manhattan is not NYC. That's a very Manhattan-centric brain. And the whole of NYC (all 5 boroughs) is not considered the "entire metro NY area". Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island and The Bronx ARE NYC. (You can't get a popluation of 8.5 millon if just considering Mnahattan, which has only 1.5 million).

When one speaks of the entire metro area, they're not talking about the other boroughs of NYC besides the borough of Manhattan, they're talking about an area that includes surrounding suburbs as well - Long Island, Westchester, even close counties in NJ.

So, yes, Paris is 1/2 the size of Brooklyn and with a much smaller population, too! (Brooklyn has 3 million inhabitants.)

Saw this information on the web:

Ville de France - (Disclaimer: Not sure what area this takes in) , is 41 square miles. Manhattan is 23.7 square miles. So, if you're only going to travel within Manhattan (a shame), then I hope this will help you.

1239~ We did it in reverse... Metro'd OUT to the furthest point of the day, then walked and wandered our way across the city back to the hotel. We only picked one major thing each day. Just decided which over breakfast.

Paris is cloase to 49 square miles. It is actually slightly smaller than San Francisco in geographical size.

Paris is close to 49 square miles. It is actually slightly smaller than San Francisco in geographical size.