France Travel » Paris France

A Visitors Guide to Paris France

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:13:48 +0000

One of the most well known cities in the entire world is Paris. Paris is in France, and draws in thousands of tourists every year. And in addition to these tourists approximately 2.2 million people live in the city and its suburbs. When talking about the Paris metropolitan area, the population tops out at over 10 million people. With all of these people living in and around the city, Paris is always on the move no matter what time of the year it is.

The city of Paris is known as the international capital of art and fashion. It is safe to say that when a new style hits the rest of the world, the people have Paris had already seen it well in advance. If you love fashion, you need to travel to Paris to see where it all starts. And of course, Paris is also the home to some of the best art in the world. It is also called the Romantic City by some.

If you are planning a trip to Paris there are three landmarks that you must save time for. Of course there are many more attractions than just those three, but these are the big ones. They include the Napoleonic Arc de Triomphe, the cathedral Notre Dame de Paris, and the Eiffel Tower. All three of these landmarks attract thousands of international tourists every year.

If you like art, the Louvre is one museum that you will not want to miss out on. The Louvre is one of the largest museums in the world, and is the home to many great works of art. The most popular piece of art in the Louvre is the Mona Lisa. Every year thousands of tourists show up at the Louvre to get a look at this well known masterpiece.

The city of Paris has an Oceanic climate. This means that temperatures do not get too high or too low no matter what time of the year it is. The month of July sees the highest temperatures, and even then they top out at around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The lowest temperatures are during January and December where they can fall into the low 40s.

Paris has two good sized airports that handle the majority of flights in and out of the city. The Orly Airport gets a bit of traffic, but not nearly as much as the Roissy-en-France which is one of the busiest in all of Europe. Direct flights go in and out of the Roissy-en-France on a regular basis to some of the largest international cities.

Paris has always been a very popular tourist destination. People like to visit the area for the art, fashion, or just to vacation. If you want to plan a trip to a destination that has a lot to offer, Paris is one option that you should consider. It has a lot to offer to a wide range of people.

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By: Jim Johnson

Living the High Life: Paris, France Events

admin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:50:17 +0000

No matter where you go in Paris, France, you will find something to do every weekend as well as every day. Paris, France events are rife throughout the city, especially on the weekends. Whether you are interested in culture, shopping, history, politics or sports, you can find just about anything that you want when looking around Paris for Paris, France events. Some of the Paris, France events that you will not want to miss are the Art Festival at Montparnasse, Freedom Celebration at the Place de la Bastille, Shopping Sales at the Champs-Elysees and the Taste of Paris that takes place each year in Le Marais.

Art Festival at Montparnasse

Montparnasse has traditionally been the art center of Paris and holds several art festivals each year, most of which celebrate the art of local artisans. If you want to visit Paris in May, you will be able to see the Spring Art Festival at Monteparnasse. While you can see art in this district of Paris throughout the year, this is the best time to really see works of the newest artists. You never know, you may end up discovering a fresh new talent when you visit the Art Festival at Montparnasse.

Freedom Celebration at the Place de la Bastille

If you want to learn about history as well as celebrate French history, you should go to the Freedom Celebration at the Place de la Bastille. This takes place throughout the year as this area is open to the public and consists of many historic sits. If you visit in March, you can enjoy some celebrations and parades that celebrate French independence.

Champs-Elysees

When you want to do some true Parisian shopping, you should visit Champs-Elysees. This is an area of Paris that is known for the shopping and the designer houses of Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton, all of which are located in this fashionable district. Shopping at Champs-Elysees as well the Avenue Montaigne is something that you will especially enjoy if you visit in the Fall, when many of the fashion houses are hosting a sale. There are sidewalk sales each autumn on these fashionable streets that boast of the top names in Paris fashion. Travel to Paris in the autumn to take advantage of the best fashion events.

Le Marais Taste of Paris

If you want to get a chance to taste French food, as well as the other cuisines that make Paris unique, you can do so by visiting Le Marais for the Taste of Paris every June. This summer event features some of the best foods cooked by chefs of the best Parisian restaurants. It would be foolish to come to Paris and not try the food and this is the best way that you can get a chance to sample most of it. By visiting Le Maraise Taste of Paris, you can get a chance to try not only French food, but all of the foods from other nationalities that make up the landscape of Paris. This is one of the Paris, France events that you will not want to miss when you visit this French city.

By: Joe Deacon

France’s Dijon: More Than Just Mustard & Just A Day Trip From Paris

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:18:04 +0000

ou’ve gotten your cheap airfare to Paris, France or gotten that fantastic Paris, France travel or vacation or hotel deal, you can take a deep sigh of relief. Now’s the time to have fun, focus and explore. You’ll soon see why France is the world’s top tourist destination. Dijon, a short trip from Paris, is one such gem in France’s tourism crown.

Most people are familiar with the funny Grey Poupon mustard commercials. When it comes to Dijon mustard, Grey Poupon is probably the most recognizable brand out there. However, there’s a lot about where this mustard comes from that people just don’t know . Beyond the influences of catchy condiment advertising is a region of refined culture and history.

Situated between France’s border with Switzerland and Paris , is the charming town of Dijon. It was here that combinations of white wine and grape juice produced the uniquely flavored mustard now know around the world as Dijon mustard. Of course, you can’t leave without getting an original jar of Dijon mustard to take home with you. But what else can be seen in Dijon?

Architecture of Dijon

Just like many neighboring regions of France, Dijon claims some inspiring architecture as expressed through its churches. Often referred to as the “town of a hundred spires,” this quaint locale is home to an amazing collection of churches and other religious buildings. Among these beautiful buildings is the La Chapelle de Elus, or Chapel of the Elected Representatives. Construction on the Chapelle began in 1738. A walking tour of the inside present a visual feast of compelling designs. The intricately sculptured walls provide an air of refinement as you make your way through the lightly colored halls.

Shopping in Dijon

Dijon offers exciting shopping choices, a wonderful place to find gifts to give to your friends and family after returning from your France vacation. In Dijon , visitors can find one of the famous Galeries Lafayette department stores. Located at 41, rue Liberté, this massive retailer offers a variety of items. A second option for shoppers is La Toison d’Or. There are also cafes , fashionable boutiques and tempting chocolate shops. Dijon, like so many other charming French towns and villages, only adds to the incentive to find cheap flights to Paris so you can spend more of your holiday money on great food and shopping treats!

Tour Philippe le Bon

The Tour Philippe le Bon, or “Good Philip’s Tower” stands at 46 meters and encircles the Dukes of Burgundy. The most ancient sections of this tower date back to the fourteenth century. A trip to the top of the tower provides visitors with a breathtaking photo opportunity. All around, the town of Dijon lay before you. Buildings range from the charmingly ordinary to the sharply pointed spires and finely rounded domes of churches. Taken together it creates a lovely skyline. The ancient palace was demolished then later rebuilt in the 17th century, and currently is Dijon’s town hall. Many of the palace’s significant rooms, such as the vast reception halls and grand kitchens, were transformed into fine art museums.

A Bit of Wine with your Dijon?

Dijon, the capital of Burgundy is close to the famous vineyards of Burgundy. Wine lovers must visit the Cote de Nuits and the Chateau du Clos de Vougeot. The wine cellars here date back to the 12th century, and when it is warm outside, these wine cellars provide a lovely, cool tour after roaming outside, taking in the beautifully vibrant vineyards. It goes without saying, no tour to Dijon would be complete without the obligatory wine tasting as you explore the cellars.

The Route des Grand Curs, or “Road of the Great Wines” is aptly named. It runs through this area. Most famous of the wine produced are high quality red wines. Of course, getting your Paris hotel and your cheap flight to France is just the start, Dijon and all of France await you!

By: Michael Giles

dijon france chapelle

Transportation Around Paris in France

admin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:02:29 +0000

Most cities in Europe have tours to see the main monuments, landmarks and points of interest and Paris is no exception, with different excursions and tour operators that are a great way of getting to see the main sights.

With most tours only lasting an average of one hour this can be a pleasant trip for all members of the family, no matter what their age, and with documentaries supplied in different languages, you can even find out some very interesting facts along the way.

Within Paris there are two bus firms that provide these tours and also a hop on and hop off service, so for the one payment you can utilise the buses as many times as you like during the day.

Les Car Rouges was the original tour bus firm in Paris, which are the red buses that provide one specific route with pick up and drop off points around the city, and although varying according to the time of year, arrive at these stops on an average of every 15 to 30 minutes.

The second tour operator has four different routes around Paris, which will get you to see a lot more of the different tourist attractions. Called l’Open Tour Buses they are very easy to spot in their yellow and green colour, yet are slightly more expensive for a pass. But because they have more varied destinations from one side of the city to another, you can hop on and off different buses to go on different routes, which will get you covering far more of the incredible monuments and landmarks that Paris has to offer.

You can purchase tickets in advance, via selected outlets or in some cases from the bus drivers themselves and both of these tour operators have an open deck at the top of the bus, which is a great place to view the sights on a pleasant day and audio guides in different languages for additional information on the famous sights.

The Batobus service is another great way of getting around Paris and runs along the River Seine, although you would have to be mobile in aspects of negotiating stairs and steep inclines at the banks of the River Seine. It has specific drop off and pick up points and by purchasing a ticket you can go right round the route or do as with the buses on a hop on and hop off aspect using the ticket throughout the day. Some places the Batobus takes you are the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, The Louvre and other famous places situated along the Seine.

However, if you are an energetic and an environmentally friendly type of person, then you may wish to consider using a bicycle to get around Paris, and if you do not have your own cycle with you, then the city has a great system in place called the Velib plus cycle lanes amounting to around 350 kilometres.

You can hire a bike with the Vélib’ Self-Service Bike Scheme, with pick up and drop off points all over the city of Paris only around 300 metres apart. There is an initial set up charge and only a small fee when you use your cycle, but the first 30 minutes of every ride are completely free and you can choose the duration of your ticket from one day, five day, even a yearly pass.

Unfortunately, you do have to be over fourteen years of age to take advantage of this service, but it is definitely a great way of keeping fit and a pleasant alternative from the metro, so you actually get to see the sights on route and you can obtain these passes online or at any of the Velib Service Points.

Even when you have children with you, travelling around Paris can be fun, and although the rush hour times are always going to be hectic, taking the more touristy type options can be a lot more fun for everyone and you get to see a lot more of Paris from above ground!

By: Marty Davis