Luxury hotels, boutique hotels, charming hotels in Paris, Ile de France - France.

Paris is the capital and largest city of France. Located on the river Seine in the country's north, it is a major cultural and political centre of Europe and the world's most visited city. Nicknamed the City of Light (la Ville Lumière) since lighting its main boulevards with gas street lamps in 1828, the city of Paris also has a reputation as a "romantic" city and the "heart of Europe". It is instantly recognised by the 324-metre brown metal Eiffel Tower located on the banks of the Seine. Paris contains many vestiges from its past including numerous art galleries, museums and theatres. More recently, it has grown into a significant centre of international trade with ever-growing modern business districts, including La Défense, which forms a kind of secondary city centre. In addition to the head offices of nearly half of all France's companies and the offices of many major international firms, Paris hosts the headquarters of many international trade and social organisations, including the OECD and UNESCO. The city of Paris proper has 2.1 million inhabitants, but its centre of influence extends to cover a "Greater Paris" metropolitan area that has a population of about 11.1 million, over one sixth of the French population. Paris is the third largest metropolitan area in Europe (after Moscow and London), and approximately the 22nd most populous metropolitan area in the world. Because of its financial, business, political, and tourism activities, Paris today is one of the world's major transport destinations. Along with New York, London and Tokyo, it is often listed as one of the four major global cities.

Eiffel Tower : The landmark by excellence of Paris and one of the most important artworks of the world, this is a must for the tourists. Built in 1889, it was hated at the beginning by the Parisians but then it became a national symbol. Besides the beautiful views of the city (visitors might chose to climb the 115 meters stairs up to the second floor, or take one of the 3 elevators to the top), the Eiffel Tower has two distinguished restaurants: Altitude 95 and Le Jules Verne. Musee d'Orsay This outstanding building houses one of the most important collections of paintings in Europe . Cite' des Sciences et de l'Industrie. One of the most recognized science museums of the world. This modern museum offers one of the best experiences for children and adults. Address: 1 rue de la Legion d'Honneur Rodin Museum This fantastic museum offers a wide collection of Bronze and Marbel works by Auguste Rodin. It also includes works by Camille Claudel, Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, among others. Musée Rodin: 77 Rue de Varenne - 75007 Paris Centre Pompidou Created by Georges Pompidou, this cultural institution located in the hearth of Paris is focused on modern and contemporary creation. The building, which symbolizes the spirit of the 20 th century, was designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. The museum houses one of the most extensive art collections of the world, general documentation of the 20 th century art, cinema, and performance halls, an institute for musical research, educational activity areas, bookshops, a restaurant and a café. Arc de Triumphe www.monum.fr At the top, one of the greatest views of Paris . This unique monument, located in the popular Champs Elysees , was built by Napoleon Bonaparte to celebrate the victory in the Battle of Austerlitz in 1806, and to pay tribute to the Imperial Army. Completed in 1836, was inaugurated by Louis-Phillipe. This is one of the most historic spots in France . Also, the visit followed the death of Victor Hugo in 1885 was held here before he was burned in the Pantheneon the next day. Address: Place du Général de Gaulle 75008, Paris Louvre Museum An architecture metamorphosis, the Louvre was built in the 12 th century. Initially a dark fortress, the structure was transformed first in the main residence of Francois I and Louis XIV afterwards. It has been one of the greatest museums of the world since 1793. Musée du Louvre: 34-36 Quai du Louvre - 75058 Paris cedex 01

Airports : There are two main airports: Charles de Gaulle Airport and Orly Airport. Charles de Gaulle Airport: This airport is the biggest in France and is located 23 km north east of Paris; it has an integrated train system serving it. Takes around 45 minutes using the REP rapid TGV train to reach Paris . Other options connecting to Paris and different cities are the REB Metroline, taxis and the Roissy Buses. Orly Airport: One of the bussiest airports in the continent and 15 km South of Paris, it handles more than a thousand commercial and private flights per year. It provides plenty of options of transportation, specially to regional and national railways, facilitating the access to the whole country. Orly Airport and the RER/metrostation "Antay" are connected by the Orlyval. The trip to Paris takes around 8 minutes. Metro : Paris has one of the most efficient metro systems of the world. It is a cheap choice of transportation for whom wants to discover Paris in a few days. Two good guides for the occasional traveler are the Paris Classique or Pan de Paris, which lists all the arondissements in detail, as well as the buss lines and metro stops. The ideal choice to discover Paris is the Paris Visite. This is a metro pass which allows the visitor to travel freely for a determined amount of days and in the a zone of choice. This pass can be bought in all metro, RER and SNCF the Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports and in some hotels when available. Taxis Bleus : Make online reservations for taxis in Paris for individuals and businesses.