Paris holidays

A desirable residential area, the 17th ‘arrondissement’ is north of Place de l’Etoile (the star-shaped roundabout at the Arc de Triomphe) with easy access to the suburbs of La Défense and Neuilly-sur-Seine. Parc Monceau is an oasis of English landscaping on its southern edge. The working-class neighbourhood of Les Batignolles lies to the east.

Stretching east along the Right Bank, this is a district of entertainment, government institutions and green spaces. Nightspots cluster around Place de la Bastille, notably the Opéra National de Paris. Parc de Bercy contains a stadium and a leisure centre. Beyond the Périphérique, Bois de Vincennes is Paris’s largest park, with boating lakes and the city zoo. The area is well served by commuter transport links and the Gare de Lyon.

Formerly home to the Parisian stockyards, top attraction of this north-eastern residential and commercial district is Parc de la Villette, a huge urban theme park and science museum with lots for children. Belleville’s whimsical Parc des Buttes-Chaumont and the Bassin de la Villette canal (boat trips) provide other distractions.

Between Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe, this famous tree-lined thoroughfare strikes through the heart of western Paris. Luxury shops, monumental 19th century buildings, upscale apartments, restaurants and multinational corporations line the streets around La Madeleine. Landmarks include the Grand and Petit Palais, Palais de la Découverte (science museum), and the presidential palace. Gare St-Lazare stands on its eastern edges.

Attracting children of all ages, Disneyland Paris is located in Marne-la-Vallée, 25 km east of the city. It comprises Disneyland Park, a Magic Kingdom in five themed sections, and Walt Disney Studios. Six onsite hotels and the Disney Village entertainment complex are just outside the park gates. RER Line A links central Paris in 40 minutes with Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy station at the park entrance. Eurostar runs direct services from London.

Paris’ tallest and most famous landmark, the Eiffel Tower stands amid government and residential buildings on the Left Bank. It overlooks the Champs de Mars lawns and monuments including Les Invalides and the Ecole Militaire. Main museums are the Musée d’Orsay, the Musée Rodin and the ethnographic Musée du Quai Branly. The 7th is a popular starting point for riverboat trips.

This is an area of transit, with two mainline stations and a dozen Métro links. Gare du Nord is the terminus for Eurostar and trains to Charles de Gaulle Airport. The main sights are glass and fan museums and the 17th-century archways of St-Denis and St-Martin. Ethnic shops, markets and restaurants on Boulevard du Strasbourg and Passage Brady (‘Little India’) and lively cafés along Canal St-Martin make atmospheric diversions.

Historically the academic and liberal centre of Paris, the Latin Quarter is known for its cobblestone pedestrian streets and La Sorbonne University. Neighbourhoods include the cinemas and bookshops of Place St-Michel, the chic shops and cafés of St-Germain-des-Près, the market street of rue Mouffetard, and the gardens of Luxembourg and Jardin des Plantes.

Entertainment rules in this district, ranging from the ornate Opéra Garnier to the cabarets and dance halls of Pigalle. The Grands Boulevards curve along its southern boundaries, flanked by famous department stores, international banks and the Drouot auction houses. Paris-Story and the Musée Grévin are popular visitor attractions. Montmartre and the Louvre museum lie within easy reach.

By the Tuileries gardens on the Seine’s Right Bank, the Louvre museum dominates Paris’s cultural heart. Exclusive boutiques line Rue St-Honoré and Rue de Rivoli, and a shiny modern shopping mall occupies the old market of Les Halles. The 2nd is the finance and theatre district, containing the Bourse (stock exchange) and the Comédie Française national theatre. Châtelet–Les Halles station is the city’s biggest and busiest transport interchange.

South of the Latin Quarter, this residential and commercial district contains the evocative cafés and brasseries of the Lost Generation near Place Vavin and Montparnasse Cemetery. Attractions include the Catacombs, Parc Montsouris, the Cité Universitaire and a clutch of little art museums. The discount fashion stores of Rue d’Alésia and Vanves flea market attract bargain-hunters. There are good bus and train links to Orly Airport.

This district encompasses the Montparnasse - Bienvenüe train station and the Tour Montparnasse commercial centre. The Parc des Expositions convention halls, the grassy lawns of the Parc André Citroën, and the vineyard at Parc Georges Brassens are all easily accessible, The Latin Quarter, Montparnasse Cemetery and St-Germain-des-Prés are also close by.

Orly Airport is situated south of Paris city centre. The Orlyval shuttle train is the best way to get into Paris, connecting both terminals with the airport station, Antony. From here, RER Line B trains transport passengers to central Paris. Alternatively, the Air France shuttle runs to Gare de Montparnasse and Invalides. The Orlybus shuttle connects to Denfert-Rochereau Métro every 15 minutes.

The largest Parisian cemetery, Père Lachaise has a celebrity cast of long-term residents, ranging from Molière and Oscar Wilde to Edith Piaf and Jim Morrison. Monuments commemorate the last stand of the Paris Commune in 1871, and the concentration camp victims and Resistance fighters of World War II. Nearby Ménilmontant is an up-and-coming neighbourhood of artistic and creative inhabitants.

This newly revitalised district of Paris encompasses colourful Chinatown, the hilltop village of Butte-aux-Cailles and the big-screen cinemas at Place d'Italie. Major redevelopments along the Seine include the new Bibliothèque Nationale and express Métro and regional train links. It's close to Bercy Village and the Latin Quarter.

A beguiling mix of art and architecture, the revitalised Beaubourg and Marais districts are home to Paris’ Jewish community and a thriving gay scene. Attractions include the Pompidou Centre, Place des Vosges (Paris’ oldest square), the Picasso museum, Notre-Dame cathedral and bijou Ile-St-Louis. Stalls selling birds, flowers and books line the banks of the Seine. Village St-Paul is good for antique-hunting. The area is best explored on foot.

Northeast of Place de la Bastille, this working-class neighbourhood is gradually becoming fashionable with younger Parisians. Trendy boutiques, cafés and bars are replacing the older shops and bistros, although some old-fashioned workshops survive. Left-wing sentiments are aired here annually on 14th July when France commemorates the Revolution. A few paving stones mark the site of the former Bastille prison.

Paris’ main international airport lies northeast of the city centre. A free shuttle bus links its three terminals. RER Line B3 (Roissyrail) trains run from Terminal 2 to Gare du Nord and other central Paris RER stations, taking about 25 minutes. Roissybus shuttles link all three terminals with Place de l’Opéra. Buses depart every 15 minutes; journey time is about an hour. Air France shuttles stop at the Arc de Triomphe.

One of Paris’s best-loved areas, the bohemian hilltop village of Montmartre offers winding streets, portrait artists on Place du Tertre, the wedding-cake basilica of Sacré-Coeur and extensive city views. Cafés and late-night cabarets add to the romance. The multicultural Goutte d’Or neighbourhood around Barbès-Rochechouart Métro has street markets and ethnic shops. St-Ouen flea market is a popular weekend attraction.

The streets southwest of the Arc de Triomphe comprise exclusive residential properties, embassies, dynamic modern architecture and smart restaurants. Riverside landmarks are the grandiose Palais de Chaillot in its fountain gardens, the Palais de Tokyo and the Maison de Radio-France (free concerts). Beyond the Périphérique, the Bois de Boulogne is a park with lakes and plentiful leisure amenities but is best avoided after dark.