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The Paris Guide A Tourist’s Guide to the City of Light |
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Welcome to my guide to the city of Paris. It is my favorite city in the world because
it is so exciting, beautiful, and cosmopolitan. It has nearly everything
one could ever want from a city in the 21st century, yet it has buildings
that are centuries old, an interesting and diverse culture, and an
inexhaustible history, all making it a wonderful place to be. I have always wanted to focus my energy and
exci Below are some sections that cover the basics of Paris. I hope that this will help give you some insight on the city and help if you are planning on going. This is not meant to be a complete “Guide Book” to the city or substitute for one, but does certainly cover key topics to make your visit as wonderful as possible. Let me know if there is a topic that I am missing or you think I should add. Please email with any questions and I will do my best to reply. The pages are grouped into categories according to their general topic: preparations for the trip, getting around the city, eating, places to see, and miscellaneous information. |
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General Information |
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Packing |
Here you will find a variety
of information of general topics including: essentials of what to pack and
bring depending on the season; the latest information on the exchange rate
and costs of typical items in the city; some tips regarding when to go and
the weather to help you decide the best time for you; when to fly and airport
information; how to pick a hotel that suits you best and your needs (an
extensive list of hotels is not included primarily because rates and
information changes by year and season so it is best to call, write, or
inquire on an individuals hotel’s website); what is considered
appropriate and acceptable behavior in French culture; some tips on how to
make your experience great even if you do not speak French; and some common
sense to help you stay safe while in the city. |
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Sights to See |
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1st
– 10th |
Paris is divided into
20 districts which are called arrondissements
and also correlate to zip codes. These
areas start in the center of the city at Notre Dame and spiral out to the
periphery. Here are descriptions of
each arrondisment and the sights within them. |
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Although it may be
helpful to understand the arrondisments it is generally easier when visiting
the city to focus time in different areas which have concentrated sights and
historically interesting monuments.
Here I have created areas which have numerous sights worth visiting
and included descriptions of each of them.
Soon there will be Métro stops included within each area as well to
may your visit even easier to plan. |
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There are some
particularly beautiful walks through town which allow one to see many sights
and they are detailed to make it easy to follow. I also have started to compile information
of the architecture of the city because it is my particular favorite,
although this is a work in progress.
What guide would be complete without at least some mention of places
and things to do after dark? |
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Transportation |
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Details on how to get
into the city from the airports by train, bus, or taxi as well as basic
information for travelers arriving from around Europe by train. |
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Get to know the basic
layout of Paris to help orient yourself and understand the various options
for getting around the city. Some ways
are better than others depending on where you are going and how much time and
money you are willing to spend. Here
are also some tips on using the buses and taxis. There is a separate section on especially
interesting bus routes because of they pass many monuments and historic
sights and give you a quick tour without spending much money. |
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Eating and Buying Food |
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Eating meals while in
Paris is a treat in and of itself. It
can be a little overwhelming when trying to decide what to do and where to go
for any meal at times here, but this is some advice on ways to the most out of
every meal: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
There are also fabulous markets in the city and I have highlighted
them as well (including non-food markets). |
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The
Paris Guide was last
updated on 4 January 2006. |
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All of my writings are based on personal experience,
opinions, and information accumulated from various texts. No businesses represented herein endorse
this web site in any way. Refrain from
copying any material on this site and please credit all references to any
information contained within. The
Paris Guide ©2005. |
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Questions?
Comments? Send
to [email protected] |