Paris

By patrick, edited by tjacks55

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Eiffel Tower

Cafe culture

Paris embodies European culture and is wonderful to explore with its fashion, shopping, restaurants, cafes, and museums. You'll find that the city is extremely easy to navigate, with many attractions actually in walking distance of each other. The metro is also a convenient and inexpensive way to get around the city, while there is a RER train service for farther locations. The city can easily be accessed from London via Eurostar as well.

Cafe Culture is a notable part of French lifestyle, where they will spend hours (or all night) drinking coffee at cafes, just relaxing. The prices are somewhat expensive however, with some tourist traps at up to $10 per drink.

Foods The French are excellent bakers, so look for the classic cheese baguette sandwiches. You can also find great dessert shops. Paris is known for great hot chocolate, and one of the best is at Cafe Angelina. They are also known for the Mont Blanc desserts.

Very good museums are everywhere. Remember to check museum and palace opening days. Many are closed on Tuesdays, and some are closed on Mondays.

Weather-wise, Paris sees mild temperatures throughout the year, with the hottest weather in July at 24C.

The currency is the Euro, which is used throughout most of Europe (except for the UK). Credit cars are widely accepted, but American Express less so.

Top Attractions in Paris include:
Versailles Palace - The biggest palace in Europe.
Champs-Elysees - Fashionable shopping street.
Arc de Triomphe A historic and iconic landmark.
Musee d'Orsay - A fantastic museum featuring Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, and others.
Notre Dame - Iconic and beautiful cathedral.
The Louvre - Home of the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and many more masterpieces.
Eiffel Tower - Iconic landmark.

I also strongly recommend making a daytrip out to Mont Saint Michel. It will take the whole day, but it is worth it.
Mont St. Michel - A fairytale castle on the water and UNESCO world heritage.
For something a bit different, you might also want to consider visiting the Catacombs for a spooky and moving look around the real Paris underground beyond the Métro!


Most airlines go to Paris. There are also ferries from the UK (P&O Ferries, Brittany Ferries, and Sea France are major services). You can also take the Eurostar to London in about 2 hours.

Paris is connected to further areas (such as Mont St. Michel, or Italy) by the TGV high-speed trains. You'll need reservations for these.

Consider getting the Paris Museum Pass if this is your first time. The pass gets you access to 60 museums and will likely save you money and time.




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