Très chic traditions meet innovative culture in the French capital.
The Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower hold a permanent place in the collective imagination, but the City of Lights shines brightest off the beaten path, tucked away in lamplit plazas and terraced gardens. Moody jazz bars, concept homeware boutiques and cluttered antique bookshops line the city's leafy, cobbled streets. The modernist glass pyramid at the Louvre and the egg-shaped La Seine Musicale create an intriguing contrast to the Gothic towers of Notre-Dame. And when it comes to dining, whether in a Michelin-starred restaurant or modern bistro from an emerging chef, you'll find memorable meals at every turn.
Explore Paris
- The First Arrondissement
- The Marais
- The Golden Triangle
- The Left Bank
- Les Grands Boulevards
The First Arrondissement
Overview
Centered on the manicured green space at the Jardin des Tuileries, the Place Vendôme, the Louvre and the Palais-Royal, the First Arrondissement is the Paris of postcards and promenades. It’s where fashion shows are staged, where world-renowned jewelers glitter and where the most exclusive spots are hidden in plain sight.
Known For
Museums, Restaurants, Parks
The Marais
Overview
A tangle of streets winding north from the Seine toward the Place de la République, the Marais is home to coffee shops, private art galleries, fashion brands big and small and time-warp specialty shops alongside cultural destinations such as the Musée Picasso and the Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in the city.
Known For
Museums, Coffee Shops, Shopping, Dining
The Golden Triangle
Overview
Whether you come to browse the length of the world’s most famous shopping boulevard or visit the Arc de Triomphe, you’ll be spoiled for choice. Trace Christian Dior’s influence at La Galerie Dior, browse the permanent collection at the Petit Palais and see a performance at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.
Known For
Luxury Shopping, Sightseeing, Hotels
The Left Bank
Overview
The Left Bank, located south of the Seine, moves at a slower pace. The streets are wider, the prices higher and the atmosphere in the brasseries and cafés a touch more sedate — particularly in fancy Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Delve into the mysteries of the Middle Ages at the Musée de Cluny and get up close with the Impressionists’ greatest works at the Musée d'Orsay, but don’t leave without relaxing in Luxembourg Gardens and the Jardin des Plantes, two of the city’s most spectacular green spaces.
Known For
Museums, Great Strolls, Classic Views, Gardens
Les Grands Boulevards
Overview
A series of boulevards that slice through central Paris, the Grands Boulevards is an area thrumming with life: a mix of business and leisure. The area takes you from the elegant domes of the Palais Garnier (Opéra), past the Grands Magasins (department stores), through the heart of the tech scene at Silicon Sentier, all the way to Strasbourg-Saint-Denis, a quarter renowned as much for its bars as its authentic Kurdish kebabs.
Known For
Museums, Great Strolls, Classic Views, Gardens
Stay in The Center of it All
Immerse yourself in your destination at these centrally located hotels.
While Away a Weekend in Paris, the City of Lights
Seek Out the Best Views
Start up north on the hill of Montmartre for your first day taking in the city’s grandest views, avenues,and iconic cultural institutions. By the end of the day, make your way down toward the river just in time to see the sun dip beneath the horizon.
Follow the River
You’ve gone north to south, now explore the sections of the city that bookend the Seine river, east to west. Hop between riverbanks to dine alfresco, tour the Musée d’Orsay — one of the world’s most beloved temples of Impressionist art — and finish out the night on a floating barge that doubles as one of the most popular bars on the Left Bank.
Visit the Musée Carnavalet (and More)
What might a local eat and see on the Right Bank on a Sunday? Find out on your last day by beginning with breakfast near the oldest planned square in Paris and diving into the history of the city in the freshly renovated Musée Carnavalet. Venture along another Parisian waterway, sip coffee with Canal Saint-Martin devotees and end the day with a cold craft beer overlooking the Bassin de la Villette.