But "who" is Paris?
🏰 Paris is the capital of France, known for its art, fashion, gastronomy and culture. The city is famous for its iconic monuments such as the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Discover the best places to visit, things to do in the French capital and things to see and do in this article.
What is Paris known for?
First things first, what is Paris known for?
Paris is known as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, famous for its iconic attractions such as the Louvre, Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower. It is a city renowned for its romance, culture and fine food. Paris is a popular and attractive tourist destination, with many cultural events and activities. And Paris has a rich history as an influential metropolis for centuries.
🎥 The city is known for having been the location for thousands of French and foreign films, contributing to its worldwide fame.
🗽 The city boasts over 2,000 monuments, including the iconic Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Coeur and Notre-Dame.
🖼️ The Louvre, one of the world's greatest museums, is located in Paris. It houses artistic treasures such as Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.
What are the must-see places in Paris?
🇫🇷 Here are the must-see places not to be missed in Paris on a short break:
🏰 The Louvre: One of the most famous museums in the world, home to iconic works of art.
🗼 The Eiffel Tower: The emblematic symbol of Paris, offering a magnificent panoramic view of the city.
🌆 Montmartre: A picturesque district with the Sacré-Coeur basilica and its charming alleyways.
🎨 Musée d'Orsay: A must-see museum for lovers of modern and impressionist art.
🛍️ The Champs-Élysées: Paris's iconic avenue, renowned for its luxury boutiques and lively atmosphere.
⛪ Notre-Dame Cathedral: A magnificent Gothic cathedral located on the Ile de la Cité, in the heart of Paris.
🔥 Since the fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris in April 2019, it has been closed to the public and preparations are underway for its reopening.
🏰 The Centre Pompidou: A modern cultural and artistic centre, housing the National Museum of Modern Art and a public library.
🚢 The Seine: Enjoy a cruise on the Seine to admire Parisian monuments while relaxing.
🌳 Stroll through the Jardin du Luxembourg, a haven of peace in the heart of the city to relax.
💀 Discover the Paris Catacombs, a fascinating place combining history and mystery.
You can discover those places and many more by playing an urban adventure in Paris : more info 👇
Where to wander in Paris?
Start in the Latin Quarter: visit one of Paris's oldest districts, where history, culture and educational institutions mingle. Then follow the impressive route that links royal palaces, majestic gardens, exceptional museums and emblematic monuments, from the Louvre to the Arc de Triomphe.
Still in shape? Then head to Les Invalides. Then opt for the walk that will take you as far as the Palais Bourbon: discover exceptional museums, flamboyant buildings and sumptuous gardens along this route.
Or take another stroll between the magnificent Palais-Royal and the prestigious Place Vendôme, home to luxury boutiques and private mansions.
Here are different places to go in Paris:
🏡 Quartier des Peupliers: colourful, flower-filled houses in the 13th arrondissement.
💏 Butte Bergeyre: charming little streets and romantic views over Paris.
☔ Passages couverts: Palais Royal, Galerie Vivienne and other places to stroll on a rainy day.
🍽️ Quarter around rue Montorgueuil: gourmet and historic addresses.
💎 Rue Saint Honoré: a luxurious stroll with luxury boutiques and Place Vendôme.
✈️ Parc Monceau: a change of scenery with cultural references.
🏞️ Village de Charonne: peaceful neighbourhood with a beautiful church and picturesque alleyways.
🏰 Le Marais: historic stroll with the Hôtel de Sens, Place des Vosges and Bastille.
🌊 Along the Seine: a stroll along the water's edge with a view of the monuments of Paris.
🏛️ Rue Réaumur: architectural discovery with beautiful buildings along the street.
Which district to visit in Paris?
Paris is full of districts to visit, each with its own charm and secrets. From the village of Montmartre to the elegant Saint-Germain-des-Prés, via the historic Latin Quarter and the chic boutiques of the Champs-Élysées, there's something for everyone.
🎨 The Montmartre district: romance and charm
The charm of a small village with cobbled, flower-filled alleys.
The Sacré Coeur offers a magnificent view of the city.
Place du Tertre with its street painters and the famous Moulin Rouge.
📚 The Latin Quarter: history and entertainment
Casual atmosphere with cafés, restaurants and theatres.
Lively student atmosphere
Petite rue de la Huchette, Sorbonne and Cluny museum to visit.
Ile de la Cité and Ile Saint-Louis were the centre of Paris.
🎭 The Marais district: artistic and trendy
Historic district with narrow streets and medieval buildings.
Seventeenth-century architecture with many private mansions.
Place des Vosges and rue des Rosiers to explore the history of Paris.
The Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville is ideal for shopping.
👗 The Saint-Germain-des-Prés district: chic and fashionable
Artists' quarter with a bohemian atmosphere.
Luxury boutiques and chic cafés.
Visit the Musée d'Orsay and the Luxembourg Gardens.
École des Beaux-Arts on rue Bonaparte.
🌟 The Champs-Élysées district: luxury and cabaret
Famous tourist sites such as the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.
Avenue des Champs-Élysées for shopping, it is packed with luxury boutiques.
Famous restaurants and cabarets such as the Lido.
🏰 The Halles - Châtelet district
A modern district with many shops and a lively nightlife.
Historically rich with the medieval market and the cemetery of the innocents.
Forum des Halles, Paroisse Saint Eustache and Centre Pompidou to discover.
Neighbourhood offering amenities and easy access to the metro.
👑 Opéra district: renowned department stores and boulevards.
Haussmannian architecture and famous buildings.
Opéra Garnier, Musée Grévin and Galeries Lafayette to visit.
Shopping paradise with a wide variety of items.
Or else:
🌳 Les Tuileries: a peaceful park surrounding the Louvre, ideal for relaxing.
🔍 The secret passages of the 11th and 12th arrondissements
🏞️ Along the Canal Saint-Martin: popular and picturesque districts.
🎭 Pigalle: a lively district
🏡 Batignolles and Abbesses-Caulaincourt: a village atmosphere.
🍷 Bercy: an authentic district
Where to go out and have fun with friends in Paris
During the day
🧩 Urban Escape Game: treasure hunts and life-size Escape Games in the centre of Paris, played on your smartphone. Different game scenarios are available and will take you to different parts of the city to help you (re)discover it in a different way. Guided by your smartphone, you and your team will wander the streets of the city in search of clues and answers to riddles. It's a great way to visit the city and have fun at the same time!
In the evening
From a stroll along the banks of the Seine to a cabaret show at the Moulin Rouge, Paris offers a wide choice of evening entertainment. Whether you're in the mood for a family outing (the Eiffel Tower illuminations) or an evening for two in the city of love, there's plenty to do in Paris. Adventurers will surely enjoy exploring the labyrinth of the Paris Catacombs after dark. 💀
For a more refined evening, you can also take in a show at the famous Garnier Opera House. 🎭
Partygoers will love dancing the night away in Paris's various clubs or having a drink in the trendy districts: from the trendy Haut-Marais to Bastille, via the festive and open Centre, popular and bobo Strasbourg-Saint-Denis, the intellectual and chic Quartier Latin, or finally, Oberkampf, one of the pioneering districts of nightlife.
Places to visit:
🏊♀️ The Pontoise swimming pool, with its Art Deco charm, offers evening swimming.
🎶 The trendy rue Oberkampf is renowned for its lively nightlife.
🛍️ Rue Montorgueil is lively in the evening with its many bars, restaurants and boutiques.
🎛️ Paris offers a variety of venues dedicated to electro, such as Kilomètre25, L'Alpage, Ferme du Bonheur, Docks de Paris, 6B and Kilowatt.
🎧 Le Rex Club, le ZigZag Club, Chez Moune and la Station - Gare des Mines are some of the iconic nightclubs in Paris.
🎹 Le Piano Vache: a cosy bar in the Latin Quarter, popular with students and offering affordable pints.
🍹 La Candelaria: an intimate cocktail bar in Haut-Marais, renowned for its Margarita.
🌈 Le Who's: a super-famous gay bar in the Marais
🎶 Les Disquaires café-concert: a warm and friendly place where you can enjoy delicious cocktails and live music. Located near Bastille and Ledru Rollin stations.
💃🏻 La Bellevilloise: a versatile cultural venue in Paris offering a varied programme, catering options and spaces for private events.
What's the speciality of Paris?
🍽️ Paris is famous for its exceptional gastronomy and offers a variety of delicious culinary specialities. There is not ONE particular speciality, but several.
🥐 The famous, the celebrated, the "cRrrOuAssaaant" - Croissant. For the few uneducated people reading this, the croissant is a famous pastry with a good buttery taste, accompanied by the famous, also famous, pain au chocolat.
🥖 Oui, oui, baguette: the French speciality par excellence, with its crisp crust and soft crumb.
🧀 Cheeses from the Île-de-France region: including Bries from Meaux, Montereau, Melun and Provins, as well as Coulommiers.
🍰 L'opéra: a layered cake with coffee cream, ganache and biscuit, topped with chocolate icing.
🍬 The macaron: a sweet consisting of two almond shells filled with a sweet pastry of various flavours. You'll have to go to Ladurée, an institution since 1862, to try these little delights. But you can also try Pierre Hermé, Gérard Mulot or Sadaharu Aoki, for Franco-Japanese macaroons.
The different names of Paris
We know Paris as Lutèce or Paname, but did you know that some of these nicknames include Pantruche, Babylone, Bériz, Saturne and Parouart?
💰 The nickname "Paname" came about following the scandal of the Panama affair in 1892. The MPs involved in this scandal were called "panamistes" and the term was later generalised to refer to crooks and profiteers. Suburban market gardeners began using the nickname "Paname" to refer to Paris because of the scandal.
