Where’s the Tourist Office? Where can you find WiFi connections? What’s an arrondissement? How do you settle the bill? What’s a handy map? What kind of baguette is available? All questions you might encounter when heading to Paris. And there are plenty more. Here you’ll find the answers.
Click on a topic in the list below:
| Settling accounts | Street Art |
|---|---|
| Arrondissements | Wall for Peace |
| baguette tradition zie: bread | I Love You Wall |
| Banlieue | Tourist Office |
| Cemeteries | Paris Sizes |
| Cinemas | Peripherique |
| Flower Markets | City of Paris |
| Books about Paris | Districts |
| Antique Bookshops | Journeys |
| Paris Budget | City of Paris |
| Mayor see: City of Paris | Street Guide |
| Défenseur du temps | Tourist Office |
| Events Calendar | Outputs |
| Vacation in Paris | Viewpoints |
| Movies Playing in Paris | Freedom Statues |
| Grand Axe | Tourist Office |
| Grand Projects | World Expos |
| Haussmann | WiFi |
| Dogs in Paris | French Glossary |
| European Heritage Days | Vineyards |
| Kiosks |
Settling the Bill
In Paris, when you’re ready to pay for a cup of coffee, a drink, or a meal, get the attention of the waiter and say, “L’addition, s’il vous plaît” (the bill, please) or “Je voudrais payer” (I would like to pay). Usually, English works too. You can pay in cash or with a credit card, but typically not with a Dutch bank card. Tipping isn’t required (it’s officially included in the price), but if you’re satisfied, you can leave a tip of around 5%.
Arrondissements Paris is administratively divided into 20 arrondissements. Each arrondissement is further divided into four quartiers (districts). The numbering of the arrondissements spirals out from the center clockwise. Each arrondissement has its own town hall (mairie), mayor (maire), and conseil d’arrondissement, similar to a city council in Belgium or the Netherlands. The conseil d’arrondissement is directly elected and, in turn, elects the mayor.
Arrondissements in Paris
All 20 arrondissements are within the city ring, the Boulevard Périphérique. Beyond that are the suburbs, the banlieues, which aren’t part of Paris but are part of the Parisian metropolitan area. The Bois de Boulogne and the Bois de Vincennes are outside the Périphérique but administratively belong to the 16th and 12th arrondissements, respectively. This doesn’t apply to La Défense.
Paris was first divided into arrondissements in 1795, initially with only twelve, nine on the right bank and three on the left bank. In 1860, eight arrondissements were added by annexing surrounding villages. At the same time, all arrondissements were renumbered according to the spiral model. The names of some villages still appear as part of an arrondissement: Belleville, Charonne, Vaugirard, Bercy, Montmartre. You can recognize the names of many districts in the names of metro stations.
Arrondissements and quartiers:
| arrondissement | name | quartiers |
| 1 | Louvre | Saint-Germain-‘l-Auxerrois, Les Halles. Palais-Royal, Place Vendôme |
| 2 | Bourse | Gaillon, Vivienne, Mal, Bonne-Nouvelle |
| 3 | Temple | Arts-et-Métiers, Enfants-Rouges, Archives, Sainte-Avoye |
| 4 | Hôtel de Ville | Saint-Merri, Saint-Gervais, Arsenal, Notre-Dame |
| 5 | Panthéon | Saint-Victor, Jardin-des-Plantes, Val-de-Grâce, Sorbonne |
| 6 | Luxembourg | Monnaie, Odéon, Notre-Dame-des-Champs, Saint-Germain-des-Prés |
| 7 | Palais-Bourbon | Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin, Invalides, Ecole-Militaire, Gros-Caillou |
| 8 | Elysée | Champs-Elysées, Faubourg-du-Roule, Madeleine, Europe |
| 9 | Opera | Saint-Georges, Chaussée-d’Antin, Faubourg-Montmartre, Rochechouart |
| 10 | Enclos Saint-Laurent | Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Porte-Saint-Denis, Porte-Saint-Martin, Hôpital-Saint-Louis |
| 11 | Popincourt | Folie-Méricourt, Saint-Ambroise, La Roquette, Sainte-Marguerite |
| 12 | Reuilly | Bel-Air, Picpus, Bercy, Quinze-Vingts |
| 13 | Gobelins | Salpêtrière, La Gare, Maison-Blanche, Croulebarbe |
| 14 | Observatoire | Montparnasse, Parc Montsouris, Petit-Montrouge, Plaisance |
| 15 | Vaugirard | Saint-Lambert, Necker, Grenelle, Javel |
| 16 | Passy | Auteuil, La Muette, Porte-Dauphine, Chaillot |
| 17 | Batignolles-Monceau | Ternes, Plaine Monceau, Batignolles, Epinettes |
| 18 | Butte-Montmartre | Grandes-Carrières, Clignancourt, Goutte-d’Or, La Chapelle |
| 19 | Buttes-Chaumont | La Villette, Pont-de-Flandres, Amérique, Combat |
| 20 | Ménilmonant | Belleville, Saint-Fargeau, Père-Lachaise, Charonne |
Banlieue
Districts around Paris, outside the Boulevard Périphérique. Sometimes with large concentrations of high-rise apartments and residents with low income and education (such as La Courneuve), sometimes with villas and affluent, highly educated residents (such as Neuilly-sur-Seine).
Cemeteries
Until the 18th century, Parisians were buried at the church. Because the city grew rapidly, these churchyards became overcrowded, and due to poor hygienic conditions, they were gradually relocated to abandoned quarries (catacombs) in what is now the 14th arrondissement. In 1801, Napoleon I ordered the establishment of large cemeteries in the north, south, and east, outside the then walls. These are the current Cimetières Montmartre, Montparnasse, and Père Lachaise.
Photo Rien van Zuijlen (www.rienvanzuijlen.com)
The cemeteries are designed as parks. Due to the diversity of the graves and the beautiful trees, bushes, and flowers on the cemeteries, they have become places where you can enjoy pleasant walks. Many celebrities have found their final resting place here. For example, on Montmartre, you’ll find composer Hector Berlioz, painter Edgar Degas, and singer Dalida. Celebrities at Montparnasse include sculptor Zadkine and writer couple Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. At Père Lachaise, you’ll find the graves of singer Jim Morrison and singer Edith Piaf. But often, the graves of unknown individuals are the most surprising. Also, consider visiting smaller cemeteries, such as Saint-Vincent, Picpus, or Bercy. They are smaller and thus more intimate.
Within the city limits, there are a total of 14 cemeteries. Information about address, opening hours, and famous graves can be found in a French list.
Watch Andy Arnts’ series of films “Unchanging Paris” about some Parisian cemeteries: Père Lachaise part 1.
Montmartre Cemetery
Passy Cemetery
Tickets for the Catacombs of Paris can be obtained via this link.
Cinemas
Want to go to the movies in Paris? There are over 300 cinemas, offering all kinds of theaters, from megaplexes with 15 screens to intimate art houses. Many cinemas have stunning interiors and are worth visiting just for that. There are hypermodern theaters like those in the MK2 cinemas, but also, for example, an art deco building, a Japanese pagoda, a cinema on a boat, and a classic cinema from 1907.
Find a film or cinema: www.allocine.fr or www.premiere.fr.
Find an English-language film: paris.angloinfo.com.
VO means original version: spoken in the original language, with French subtitles. VF means French version: the film is dubbed in French and not subtitled.
Ten exceptional cinemas:
Le Grand Rex
Opened in 1932. This large cinema is a monument. Built in art deco style, it looks like a wedding cake from the outside. Inside, it’s entirely art deco as well. Only films in VF (original version, the original language) are shown. You can take a tour (Etoiles du Rex) that lasts 50 minutes and includes a visit to the production room and explanations about the building.
1 boulevard Poissonnière (2e), metro Bonne Nouvelle
www.legrandrex.com
Le Balzac
The building dates back to 1935 and has a decor reminiscent of a cruise ship. Arthouse films are shown here.
1 rue Balzac (8e), metro George V
www.cinemabalzac.com
La Pagode
This cinema is housed in a Japanese pagoda, built by a French architect at the end of the 19th century. The owner of Le Bon Marché had it built for his wife. It’s now a unique building with two movie theaters. Room 1 is decorated in Japanese style with richly decorated walls and ceilings. Inside, there’s a café, and you can also have a drink in the oriental garden.
57 bis rue de Babylone (7e), metro Saint-François-Xavier
www.etoile-cinemas.com
MK2
The MK2 chain has several cinemas in Paris, but the three largest are all located by the water. They are hypermodern and all have restaurants and/or cafes and shops. The theaters on the Bassin de la Villette are opposite each other, and you can transfer from one to the other with a ferry.
MK2 Bibliothèque, 128-162 Avenue de France (13e arr.), metro Bibliothèque François Mitterrand, bus 27, 62, 64, 89
MK2 Quai de Seine, 7 quai de Seine (19e arr.), metro Stalingrad of Jaurès, bus 26, 48, 54
MK2 Quai de Loire, 7 quai de Loire (19e arr.), metro Stalingrad of Jaurès, bus 26, 48, 54
www.mk2.com
Studio 28
Located in a side street of rue Lepic on Montmartre, this small cinema in 1950s style has been around since 1928. In the beginning, “controversial” films by, among others, Buñuel, Cocteau, and Abel Gance were shown, later also American films, including those of the Marx Brothers and Charlie Chaplin. The theater has lamps designed by Jean Cocteau. There’s a café and a garden.
10 rue Tholozé (18e), metro Blanche of Abbesses
www.cinemastudio28.com
La Péniche Cinéma
This cinema is located on a boat in the Canal de l’Ourcq near Parc de la Villette. Short films are screened and discussed here. There’s a terrace on the deck. Admission is free.
59, boulevard MacDonald (19e), metro Porte de la Villette, bus 75
Le Champo
Arthouse cinema near the Sorbonne with two theaters, where the first nouvelle vague films were shown in the 1960s, and now arthouse films. The program La Nuit starts in the evening and lasts until breakfast (included in the price), with three films by one director.
51 rue des Ecoles (5e), metro Saint-Michel of Odéon
www.lechampo.com
Cinéma du Panthéon
Paris’s oldest cinema (1907). In 2007, the cinema was renovated, and a tea room/restaurant was added, the beautiful interior of which was designed by Catherine Deneuve. There’s one theater, and new, unknown films are shown.
13 rue Victor Cousin (5e), metro Cluny-la-Sorbonne
www.whynotproductions.fr/pantheon
La Géode
A 36-meter-wide dome of mirrored glass in Parc de la Villette. Nature and science films in Omnimax format. The films are in French, but you can hear the English version through headphones.
26 avenue Corentin Cariou (19e), metro Porte de la Villette, bus 75
www.lageode.fr
Forum des Images
Here, you can watch film series and theme films in one of the five theaters. But also, alone or in pairs, you can choose and watch a film from the database of more than 7,000 films on one of the 16 digital screens, sitting on a comfortable sofa. There’s also a film library and a café-restaurant.
2 rue du Cinéma (in het Formu des Halles, 1e), metro Les Halles
www.forumdesimages.fr
Flower Markets
In Paris, there are three flower markets (marchés aux fleurs). The most famous one is on the Ile de la Cité, at Place Louis-Lépine and Quai de Corse along the Seine (4th arrondissement, metro Cité). This market is open every day from 8 am to 7:30 pm. On Sundays, there is a bird market (8 am to 7 pm).
Also, at Place de la Madeleine (8th arrondissement, metro Madeleine), there is a flower market open from Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 7:30 pm.
The third one is at Place des Ternes (17th arrondissement, metro Ternes). You can visit this market from Tuesday to Sunday from 8 am to 7:30 pm.
Books about Paris
Els enjoyed reading books about Paris. You can find them below. Here are travel guides about Paris.
Antony Beevor & Artemis Cooper, Paris after the liberation 1944-1949.
Penguin, 2004
Paris after the liberation 1944-1949, Ambo, 2010
Politics, art, and daily life in Paris in the years after the liberation.
John H. Boom, Couleur locale. Boom, 2000
Short contemplative stories about atmospheric walks through Paris. Recommended for both novice and advanced Paris visitors. The fourth edition, from 2010, has been completely revised and supplemented by John Boom’s daughter, Berber Boom.
Danielle Chadych and Dominique Leborgne, Atlas de Paris, Evolution of an urban landscape. Parigramme, 2007
The development of the cityscape from the creation of Paris to the present day. Beautiful photos and interesting maps.
Gregor Dallas, Metrostop Paris. Walker, 2008
Twelve historical stories about Paris based on a metro station.
Trish Deseine, Delicious Paris. Good Cook, 2014
A journey through culinary Paris: restaurants, patisseries, specialty food stores, and a few truly Parisian menus to make yourself. Everything including websites. Nicely and enthusiastically written. However, it seems aimed at people living in Paris, and mainly discusses the more expensive places.
Lorànt Deutsch, Metronome. Thomas Rap, 2011
Well-told, fascinating history of Paris in 21 centuries based on as many metro stations. It’s a pity there are no maps included. However, you can find them in the French edition: Métronome illustré.
David Downie, Paris, Paris. Journey into the city of light. Transatlantic Press, 2005
Thirty articles about places, people, and peculiarities in Paris.
Jacques Garance and Maud Ratton, Secret Paris. Jonglez, 2007
Unknown and bizarre things in Paris, arranged by arrondissement.
Adam Gopnik, Paris to the Moon. Quercus, 2008
An account of a stay in Paris for a few years.
Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast. Penguin, 1964
Day and night feast, Anthos An account of Hemingway’s stay in Paris in the years 1921-1926, where he lived as a poor writer in the 5th arrondissement.
Alistair Horne, Seven Ages of Paris. Pan, 2003
Fascinatingly told history of Paris in seven periods, from 1180-1969.
Andrew Hussey, Paris, The Secret History. Penguin, 2007
Paris, the hidden history. Arbeiderspers, 2007 The dark side of Paris, vividly and entertainingly told from the perspective of vagrants, criminals, anarchists, and immigrants.
Jill Jonnes, Eiffel’s Tower. Penguin, 2010
Story of the origin and construction of the Eiffel Tower and the World Exhibition of 1889. All viewed from an American perspective: Buffalo Bill, Thomas Edison, and the New York Herald.
David P. Jordan, Transforming Paris. The life and labors of Baron Hausmann. University of Chicago Press, 1996
Biography of Hausmann with a historical description of the city’s changes in the 19th century. Anyone who wants to know everything about the Hausmann period should read this book.
Ross King, The Judgement of Paris. Pimlico, 2007
Minute description of the origin and course of impressionism in the 19th century.
Mary McAuliffe, Paris Discovered. Explorations in the city of light. Elysian Editions, Princeton Book Company, 2006
Historical stories based on 17 subjects.
Mary McAuliffe, Dawn of the Belle Epoque. Rowman & Littlefield, 2011
Paris in the 19th century, from 1871 to 1900. History told through Monet, Zola, Sarah Bernhardt, Gustave Eiffel, Claude Debussy, Georges Clemenceau, and others. A beautiful picture of the Belle Epoque.
Jeremy Mercer, Books, Baguettes, and Bedbugs. The Left Bank World of Shakespeare & Co. Phoenix, 2006
Entertaining account of a Canadian journalist’s stay for several months at the famous bookstore Shakespeare & Co.
Leonard Pitt, Walks in Lost Paris. Parigramme, 2002
City walks based on changed cityscapes.
Gérard Roland, Metro Stations, from Abbesses to Wagram. RATP, 2006
Explanation of all the names of the Paris metro stations.
Thirza Vallois, Around and about Paris, Volume One: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th arrondissements. Iliad Books, 1999
Extensive historical information in walks through seven Parisian neighborhoods. Maps of the walks can be downloaded from her website. There are two more volumes about other arrondissements.
Pascal Varejka, Paris, A history in images. Parigramme, 2007
Two thousand years of Parisian history with accompanying images of paintings, drawings, maps, and photos.
Edmund White, The Flaneur. Atlas, 2002
Reflections on Paris from Bouquinistes
Bouquinistes are sellers of second-hand books, magazines, posters, and postcards. They are allowed to sell their items from a green-colored stall along the Seine. They have been around since the mid-16th century, when shops were also found on the bridges over the Seine. They initially used wheelbarrows to transport their books, but later made bins that they attached to the bridge railings with leather straps. In 1891, shops on the bridges were prohibited. The bouquinistes were then allowed to set up their boxes along the Seine embankments. Nowadays, there are about 250 bouquinistes. Anyone who applies has to wait an average of eight years before being granted a permit.
Rien van Zuijlen (www.rienvanzuijlen.com)
The bouquinistes receive four boxes of a fixed size and color and pay about 100 euros rent per year. They must be open at least four days a week, which can be a challenge when the weather is bad. The prices of the books are usually slightly lower than in the store. You can sometimes also buy nice postcards from earlier years. Or maybe you’ll find that book you’ve been looking for for so long…
You can find the bouquinistes on the right bank between the pont Marie and the quai du Louvre and on the left bank between the quai de la Tournelle and the quai Voltaire. Opening hours are roughly between 11:30 am and sunset. www.bouquinistedeparis.com
Budget Paris
You don’t need to spend a lot of money to enjoy yourself in Paris. Many attractions can be viewed for free, and if you’re careful, eating doesn’t have to be a drain on your wallet either. Look for tips in the following three brochures (pdf):
Budget Paris 1: food and drink Budget
Paris 2: art and culture Budget
Paris 3: miscellaneous
Défenseur du temps
Near the Centre Pompidou, in rue Bernard de Clairvaux (4th arrondissement, metro Rambuteau), hangs on a wall an installation called le Defenseur du Temps (the defender of time). It depicts a man with a sword fighting with a dragon, a bird, and a crab, representing the earth, the sky, and the sea.
Every hour between 9 am and 10 pm, the man ‘fights’ one of his opponents, at 12, 6, and 10 pm with all three at once. The whole thing takes place with sounds of the sea, the wind, and the rumbling of the earth’s interior. The automaton was designed and made by artist Jacques Monestier and was put into operation in 1979.
The mechanism was broken for a long time, but artist Cyprien Gaillard has revived it. You can watch the automaton in this video how it works or visit it in real life.
Events Calendar Paris
Vacations in Paris
| Date | Holiday | French Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year’s Day | Jour de l’An |
| 1 April 2024 | Easter Monday | Lundi de Pâques |
| 1 May | Labor Day | Fête du Travail |
| 8 May | Victory Day 1945 | |
| 9 May 2024 | Ascension Day | Ascension |
| 20 May 2024 | Whit Monday | Lundi de Pentecôte |
| 14 July | Bastille Day | Fête Nationale, Quatorze Juillet |
| 15 August | Assumption Day | Assomption |
| 1 November | All Saints’ Day | Toussaint |
| 11 November | Armistice Day | Armistice 1918 |
| 25 December | Christmas Day | Noël |
Films set in Paris
There are quite a few films set in Paris. In 2008, Le voyage du ballon rouge directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien was released. In 2007, Paris by Cédric Klapisch came out, and a year earlier Paris, je t’aime directed by various directors, in 2011 Midnight in Paris by Woody Allen, and Intouchables by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano. A Weekend in Paris by Roger Michell was released in 2014.
But also older films like Hôtel du Nord (Marcel Carné, 1938), Quai des Orfèvres (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1947), Le ballon rouge (Albert Lamorisse, 1956), Elevator to the Gallows (Louis Malle, 1958), Breathless (Jean-Luc Godard, 1960), and Jules and Jim (François Truffaut, 1962) had Paris as their backdrop.
Very popular films in recent years included Chacun cherche son chat filmed in the 11th arrondissement (Cédric Klapisch, 1996), Amélie set in Montmartre (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001), The Da Vinci Code, partly shot at the Louvre (Ron Howard, 2006), the animated film Ratatouille (Pixar Animation Studios, 2007), and Intouchables (2011). You can find all the films set in Paris on this list.
Grande Axe
The Grande Axe or Historical Axis is an imaginary historical line that runs through Paris: from the Louvre through the Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe to the Grande Arche de la Défense. However, both the Louvre and the Grande Arche are not exactly on that line; both buildings deviate from it by 6.3 degrees. From the Arc de Triomphe and the Grande Arche, you can get a good view of the Grande Axe.
Grands Projets
Grands Projets or Grand Works are the monumental modern buildings that have been realized during the reign of various presidents of France since 1969.
Georges Pompidou (president from 1969-1974) initiated them. He loved modern art and devised a plan for a large center for modern art on the site of the former Halls, the Place Beaubourg: the current Centre Pompidou. It opened in 1977, after Pompidou had passed away.
His successor Valérie Giscard-d’Estaing (1974-1981) converted the old Gare d’Orléans into a museum for masterpieces from the art period 1848-1914. It is now the Musée d’Orsay, opened in 1986.
François Mitterrand (1981-1995) outdid himself with eight Projets. In 1986, the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie and the Parc de la Villette opened on the site of the former slaughterhouses. The Institut du Monde Arabe was inaugurated in 1987. The Louvre was enlarged and renovated, with a glass pyramid appearing in the courtyard (1988). The Ministry of Finance, evicted from the Louvre, got a huge building on the Seine in Bercy (1989). The Opéra Bastille was opened in July 1989, on the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution. Also in 1989, the president inaugurated the Grande Arche de la Défense. In 1995, the Cité de la Musique in La Villette was completed. Mitterrand’s last Grand Projet, the Bibliothèque nationale de France, he did not see completed. It opened as the Bibliothèque nationale François Mitterrand after his death in 1996.
Jacques Chirac (1995-2007) pushed forward the plans for a museum of ancient civilizations and primitive art, which opened in 2006 as the musée du Quai Branly.
President Nicolas Sarkozy (2007-2012) is said to have wanted to make a name for himself by developing a sculpture garden of 13 hectares on the Ile Seguin, an island in the Seine southwest of Paris in the suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt. The island once housed the Renault factories. There is no project known yet from President François Hollande (2012 -).
Works of Hausmann
Hausmann was prefect of the Seine department (to which Paris then belonged) from 1853 to 1870. He transformed the heart of Paris from a maze of alleys and streets into a center with wide tree-lined boulevards and elegant apartment buildings. He had to demolish entire streets and houses for this and devise an entirely new infrastructure.
The aim of this gigantic operation was to make the five stations of Paris more accessible, provide the army with good communication routes in case of unrest, and better regulate traffic. An additional benefit was that a part of the city plagued by poor hygiene was wiped away and replaced with more spacious neighborhoods with houses offering more comfort and better sanitary facilities. Emperor Napoleon III was a great supporter of the plans.
Hausmann also created many new parks during that time: for example, the Bois de Boulogne, the Bois de Vincennes, the Parc Montsouris, the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, and the Parc Monceau were laid out or renovated. Furthermore, the Opéra Garnier was built, including the new, impressive avenue leading to it. The Ile de la Cité also had to yield: many narrow streets had to go, and a part of the island’s character was lost. But thanks to Hausmann, a beautiful square was created in front of Notre Dame.
Hausmann drew up rules that facades of houses had to comply with. That is why, for example, the grands boulevards look quite uniform in terms of facades. He also had various street furniture designed, such as benches and advertising columns (colonnes Morris) that are still visible in Paris. The water supply was also addressed, as was the sewerage system.
Due to the many construction works, a lot of money had to be borrowed. By the 1870s, the city of Paris could hardly repay those loans, and Hausmann lost his goodwill. By that time, 117,000 houses had been demolished, and 215,000 new ones built.
More about Hausmann can be found here.
Bringing Dogs to Paris
Dog owners are not made it easy to bring their dogs along. Here’s some information on what is and isn’t allowed.
On the street
Dogs must be leashed, and their waste must be picked up and disposed of. Fine: up to 450 euros.
Transport
Small dogs (up to 6 kg) can be taken on the metro for free if transported in a bag or basket. In RER trains, larger dogs are also allowed, provided they are leashed and muzzled.
Museums and monuments
Only guide dogs for the blind are allowed inside.
Parks and gardens
Most parks are off-limits to dogs. This is indicated on a sign at the entrance. You can see the rules that apply per park in this list.
Shops and markets
Dogs are prohibited in grocery stores and markets, even when leashed.
European Heritage Days
In the 3rd weekend of September, it’s Monument Day throughout Europe. Also in Paris during the Journées du Patrimoine, you can visit a lot of monuments, hotels, government buildings, workshops, theaters, industrial buildings, and much more for free. Buildings that are usually closed to the public open their doors then. Think, for example, of the Elysée, the National Assembly, the Palais Royal, the Dutch Embassy, and various hôtels particuliers. Dates in 2016: September 17 and 18.
Kiosks
You see the Parisian kiosks standing everywhere on the sidewalks. There are about 340 of them, spread throughout the city. In such a kiosk, you can buy all French and many foreign newspapers and magazines. But you can also go there for postcards, candy, water, a map of Paris, or an envelope. The guides Pariscope and L’Officiel des Spectacles are also available here.
Modern art in the streets
Since 1960, the city of Paris has increasingly commissioned artists to create public artworks. Some of these street art pieces are part of an art route, such as the new tram T3 route in the east of Paris. Others are clustered together, such as in La Défense. There, you can pick up a brochure with all the artworks at the Espace Information (15 place de la Défense) or view them here.
Street Art is also popular in Paris!
A selection of public artworks (by arrondissement):
Jean-Michel Othoniel, The Kiosk of the Night Owls (2000)
Place Colette, 1st arrondissement
Whimsical entrance to the Palais-Royal metro station, created for the metro’s 100th anniversary and inspired by Guimard’s metro entrances from the early 20th century.
Daniel Buren, Les Deux Plateaux (also called ‘Colonnes de Buren’)
Place du Palais-Royal, 1st arrondissement 260
striped columns and a light installation. Made of white Carrara marble and black Pyrenean marble. Restored in 2009.
Henry de Miller, The Listener (1986)
Place René Cassin, in front of Saint-Eustache, 1st arrondissement
The sculpture of an enormous head weighs 70 tons and is made of sandstone. It forms a beautiful contrast with the 16th-century Saint-Eustache church.
Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint-Phalle, Stravinsky Fountain
Place Igor-Stravinsky, 3rd arrondissement
Fountain next to the Centre Pompidou with various bizarre figures in the water, inspired by Stravinsky’s music piece The Rite of Spring. The colorful structures are by Niki de Saint-Phalle, the metal structures by Jean Tinguely. Renovated in 2010.
Arman, The Time for All (1985)
In front of the Gare Saint-Lazare, 13 rue d’Amsterdam, 8th arrondissement
Stacking of bronze clocks welded together.
Oscar Niemeyer, The Open Hand
Parc de Bercy, 12th arrondissement
Iron figure of an open hand with a flower, made as a gesture of friendship between Brazil and France.
Rachid Khimoune, The Children of the World
Parc de Bercy, 12th arrondissement
21 bronze statues of children from around the world.
Chen Zhen, Dance of the Emerging Fountain
Place Augusta Holmes, 13th arrondissement
Fountain of stainless steel and glass in the shape of a dragon, winding above and below ground at the site of the underground Parisian water network. Beautifully illuminated at night.
Wang Du, Exercise Tower (2008)
Place Jules Renard, 17th arrondissement
Homage to Parisian firefighters, made of stainless steel and based on the exercise tower of the fire station, 11 m high.
Yona Friedman, The Museum of Graffiti Jardin Lilolila
295 rue de Belleville, 19th arrondissement
Graffiti between plastic curtains and a pergola. Others can (by appointment) contribute to this artwork. Jardin Lilolila is open to visitors on Sundays from 2:30 pm.
Alexander Calder, Red Spider (1976)
Esplanade de la Défense
Spider made of red-painted steel, 15 m high.
Yakov Agam, fountain (1975)
Esplanade de la Défense
Colors, water, and fountains. Regular light and sound shows are held.
Mur pour la Paix
The Peace Wall is a monument for peace. It has been standing since 2000 on the Champ de Mars at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, opposite the Ecole Militaire (7th arrondissement, Ecole Militaire metro). The word ‘peace’ is written on the wall in 32 languages. Visitors can leave a message of peace in a mailbox. That message then appears on the monument’s screens.
The Peace Wall was designed by Clara Halter and built by the architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. It consists of a steel structure covered with wood, stainless steel, and glass.
Wall of I Love You
The Wall of I Love You is a meeting place for lovers and is located on Square Jehan Rictus in Montmartre (18th arrondissement, Abbesses metro). It is a wall of 10 x 4 meters full of declarations of love written in more than 300 languages on blue tiles.
The writer and composer Frédéric Baron collected the texts, and mural artist Daniel Boulogne and calligrapher Claire Kito created the wall. You can take a virtual tour in advance.
Tourist Office
The Paris Tourist Office is called Office du Tourisme. You can get maps and guidebooks there and possibly book a hotel, a tour, or a cruise. There is also information about events, museums, and transportation. There is a main office and several branches.
There are six branches of the Office du Tourisme:
Main branch
25 rue des Pyramides
1st arrondissement
metro Pyramides, Tuileries or Opéra
opening hours: May 2 – October 31 daily 9 am – 7 pm; November 1 – April 30 Monday to Saturday 10 am – 7 pm, closed on May 1
Anvers opposite
72 boulevard de Rochechouart
9th arrondissement
metro Anvers
opening hours: Monday to Sunday 10 am – 6 pm, except January 1, May 1, and December 25
Gare de l’Est
place du 11-Novembre
10th arrondissement
metro Gare de l’Est
opening hours: Monday to Saturday 8 am – 7 pm
Gare du Nord
18 rue de Dunkerque
10th arrondissement
metro Gare du Nord
opening hours: every day 8 am – 6 pm, except January 1, May 1, and December 25
Gare de Lyon
20 boulevard Diderot
12th arrondissement
metro Gare de Lyon
opening hours: Monday to Saturday 8 am – 6 pm
Paris-Expo
1 place de la Porte-de-Versailles
15th arrondissement
metro or tramway Porte de Versailles
opening hours: 11 am – 7 pm during fairs and exhibitions
In the summer, four more branches are open: on the Champs-Elysées, near Notre Dame, at the Hôtel de Ville, and at the Bastille.
Parisian measure
| Measurement | European Value | American Value |
|---|---|---|
| Width (east-west) | 18 km | 11.18 miles |
| Length (north-south) | 9.5 km | 5.9 miles |
| Area | 10,539 hectares (incl. Seine and forests) | 26,060.64 acres |
| Population | 2,145,906 (2020) | |
| Lowest point | 30.5 m, at the corner of rue Leblanc and rue Saint-Charles, 15th arrondissement | 100 feet |
| Highest point | 128.4 m, 40 rue du Télégraphe, 20th arrondissement | 421.26 feet |
| Longest street | 4.3 km, rue de Vaugirard, in the 15th arrondissement | 2.67 miles |
| Shortest street | 5.7 m, rue des Degrés (2nd arrondissement) | 224.41 inches |
| Narrowest street | 1.8 m, rue du Chat-qui-Pêche (5th arrondissement) | 70.87 inches |
| Widest street | 120 m, avenue Foch (16th arrondissement) | 3937.01 inches |
| Steepest street | 17.4%, rue Gasnier-Guy (20th arrondissement) |
Périphérique
The Boulevard Périphérique is a ring road around the municipality of Paris. It was built between 1957 and 1973 on the site of the former Enceinte de Thiers, a defensive wall around the city from the 19th century. A green area was planned where the périphérique now runs, but it was scrapped because cars were given priority.
The ring road is 35 km long, has an average of four lanes in each direction, and is covered in several places, partly due to environmental pollution in the city. Traffic enters and exits the Périphérique via 34 numbered ramps (portes). There are no emergency lanes, and the maximum speed has been 70 km since January 1, 2014, but it is rarely reached. Therefore, there are frequent traffic jams.
Take a good map of Paris and the surrounding area with all the Portes marked. You enter the Périphérique from the highway (the easiest from Belgium and the Netherlands is A1 – A3). You then enter the Périphérique at Porte de Bagnolet. When merging, you have the right of way over the cars on the right lane. That lane is reserved for cars entering or exiting the Périphérique (zip merging). Once on it, move from the right lane to a lane further left. When you reach the Porte where you want to exit, move back to the right lane and then take the exit. If you miss your exit, just keep going. It takes a while, but you’ll get back to the right exit because the Périphérique is a circular road.
City of Paris
The city of Paris is both a municipality and a département (75), a legacy from the past. The municipality is bounded by the Boulevard Périphérique. Beyond that lies the banlieue, or the petite couronne (small ring) of three départements: Hauts-de-Seine (92), Seine-Saint-Denis (93), and Val-de-Marne (94). Surrounding them are the départements of the grande couronne (large ring), Seine-et-Marne (77), Yvelines (78), Essonne (91), and Val-d’Oise (95). All these départements together (including Paris) form the Île-de-France region. The city of Paris had over 2 million inhabitants in 2020. The entire Île-de-France region is home to over 12 million people.
The municipality of Paris consists of 20 arrondissements, each with a conseil d’arrondissement (district council) and a maire (mayor). A selection of members from the arrondissement councils forms the Conseil de Paris, which consists of 163 members. The mayor of Paris serves as the president of the Conseil de Paris. Currently, that is Anne Hidalgo, who was elected for six years in 2014.
Because Paris is both a municipality and a département, the Conseil de Paris sometimes meets as a municipal council, sometimes as a départemental council, depending on the subject on the agenda. The head of the département of Paris is the prefect, appointed by the State. He also serves as the prefect of the Île-de-France region and is responsible for infrastructure and logistics.
French Bread
There are different types of French bread.
- La baguette: a ‘regular’ French bread, the whitest and simplest of its kind. Also the cheapest.
- La tradition: these are breads baked on-site and made with flour without artificial additives.
- Le pain: as long as a baguette but twice as wide and thick.
- La ficelle: an extra narrow baguette with lots of crust and little soft bread.
- Le pain de seigle: bread made from rye flour, generally the darkest bread. French people also call it pain noir.
- Le pain de campagne: the classic French country bread, also called pain paysan. These are large sturdy loaves with a thick crust.
- Pain complet or pain intégral: whole wheat bread made from various types of flour and coarsely ground grains.
- Pain aux céréales: multigrain bread with the addition of whole grains and seeds.
- Brioche: these are sweeter breads, sometimes beautifully braided.
Street Guide
Want to navigate Paris without hassle? Buy a good map or street guide in the Netherlands at the bookstore or online, or in Paris at Gare du Nord, the airport, or at the kiosk, including a clear map of the metro lines.
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Large fold-out maps are not always convenient in the middle of the street. Small street guides of approximately 12 x 18 cm are handy. They contain all the streets per arrondissement, plus a map of La Défense, the Bois de Boulogne, the Bois de Vincennes, and maps of the metro and RER. You can easily fit the booklet into your bag or jacket pocket. If you’re looking for a specific street, check the index at the front. The arrondissement number is listed before the street name, followed by a code, for example, H12. You then look at the page of the arrondissement and find the intersection of the H and 12 grids.
The guides come in a few editions from different publishers. The l’Indispensable guide is the most practical. The Michelin guide is also good, but it has a spiral binding, so the streets do not flow into each other. The slightly larger Petit Parisien has 3 pages per arrondissement: a regular map, bus lines with bus stops, and metro lines and stations.
l’Indispensable: Paris pratique par arrondissement
Michelin: Paris par arrondissements
l’Indispensable: Le Petit Parisien
Entertainment Guide
Films, exhibitions, concerts, restaurants, markets, opera, pop concerts, jazz, museums, monuments, children’s activities, fairs, and much more are listed in the weekly guides Pariscope or l’Officiel des Spectacles. They are published on Wednesdays, cost around €1.80, and can be purchased at any kiosk or newsstand.
Viewpoints
You can experience the beauty of Paris from various viewpoints. The Eiffel Tower, of course, but there are others. For most, you have to pay, while others are free. Wear a jacket in strong winds, and note that there is little visibility in misty or rainy weather.
Grande Arche de la Défense (110 m, paid). Good view of the Eiffel Tower, the Tour Montparnasse, the historic axis from the Arc de Triomphe via the Champs-Elysées to the Tuileries and the Louvre.
Arc de Triomphe (50 m, paid). Views of all of Paris, the 12 avenues radiating from the Place de l’Etoile, and the traffic circulating on the square below.
Eiffel Tower (57 m (1st floor), 116 m (2nd floor), over 300 m (3rd floor), paid). Unique panoramic view of the entire city. On a clear day, you can see up to 50 km.
Notre Dame (69 m, paid). You have to climb the 387 steps of the south tower, but then you have a beautiful view of the details of the upper part of the church and of the Ile de la Cité and the Seine. NB: After the devastating fire in 2019, the tower is being rebuilt and is not open to the public until probably the end of 2024.
Tour Montparnasse (200 m, paid). Panoramic terrace on the 59th floor from where you can see all the major monuments and buildings of Paris on a clear day. In good weather, you can see up to 40 km. On the 56th floor, you can look through glass; a few steps higher, you are outdoors.
Sacré-Coeur (free). At the top of the stairs, in front of the Sacré-Coeur, views of part of the right bank. Via a staircase with 300 steps, you reach the dome of the church (271 m, paid).
Parc de Belleville (108 m, free). At the intersection of rue Piat and rue Envierges, at the top of the stairs.
Printemps (free). On the 9th floor of the Maison-Beauté branch, near the self-service restaurant. Panoramic view.
Lafayette (free). On the 7th floor near the dome. Large terrace with café.
Centre Pompidou (40 m, paid). Take the elevator to the top up to the 6th level.
Institut du Monde Arabe (free). On the 9th floor, views of the Seine, the Ile Saint-Louis, and the Bastille.
Statues of Liberty
Everyone knows the Statue of Liberty in New York. But you can also admire the Statue of Liberty in Paris, even three! The largest one is located on the Allée des Cygnes, the slightly smaller one is in the Musée des Arts et Métiers, and the smallest one was moved in 2011 from the Jardin du Luxembourg to the Musée d’Orsay. Officially, the statue is called La Liberté Eclairant le Monde.
The Allée des Cygnes is a path on a kind of pier in the Seine between the Pont de Bir-Hakeim and the Pont de Grenelle. You can reach it via stairs from the Pont de Bir-Hakeim. At the end of the Allée des Cygnes stands La Statue de la Liberté by sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. It is a copy of the statue in New York and is approximately 11.5 meters high. America donated it to France in 1889, 100 years after the French Revolution. The statue was originally intended for placement on the Place des États-Unis (16th arr.), but there is now a group of sculptures (also by Bartholdi) depicting two heroes of American independence, Washington and Lafayette. The statue on the Allée des Cygnes initially faced towards the center of Paris but was later turned to face west (the American side).
Part of the Musée des Arts et Métiers is the abbey church of Saint-Martin-des-Champs. There stands the slightly smaller Statue of Liberty, 11.2 meters tall. The museum explains how Bartholdi made the statue in New York based on this 1/16 scale model.
The smallest Statue of Liberty stood in the Jardin du Luxembourg on the side of the Rue de Guynemer and is approximately 4.5 meters high. Bartholdi donated this copy to the city of Paris on the occasion of the 1900 World’s Fair. The statue was moved to the Musée d’Orsay in December 2011 due to vandalism damage. It is being restored at the expense of the American Friends of the Musée d’Orsay.
World’s Fairs
Many buildings you can now see in Paris were built for one of the world’s fairs. The most famous structure is the Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World’s Fair. But also the Grand Palais, the Petit Palais, the Pont Alexandre III, the Notre-Dame du Travail, the Palais de Chaillot, and the Palais de Tokyo are remnants of world’s fairs. There were six major exhibitions between 1855 and 1937. They were very popular. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, countries could showcase what was possible in terms of technology, agriculture, art, industry, and science at a World’s Fair.
1855
In 1851, the first World’s Fair was held at Crystal Palace in London. Louis-Napoléon, then President of France and a year later Emperor Napoleon III, became enthusiastic about the idea in London. Therefore, he also organized a World’s Fair in Paris in 1855. A ‘Palais de l’Industrie’ was erected at the location where the Grand and Petit Palais now stand as a counterpart to Crystal Palace. New products included the lawnmower, the saxophone, and the revolver. For the first time, the Foucault Pendulum was presented, and the classification of Bordeaux wines was established during the exhibition. Remaining remnants of this World’s Fair include the Théatre du Rond Point des Champs-Elysées (8th arrondissement), the Notre Dame du Travail (15th arrondissement), and the Zouave of the Pont de l’Alma (7th arrondissement). The exhibition lasted from May to October and attracted five million visitors.
1867
The second World’s Fair in Paris was held in 1867 at the Champ de Mars. A side exhibition of agricultural developments was held in Boulogne. Visitors could travel between both exhibitions by steamboat. Around the Palais de l’Industrie, a large number of foreign restaurants appeared. New products included the locomotive and the crane. Now, the Villa Beauséjour (16th arrondissement) and the Annexe Agricole on the Ile Saint-Germain are remnants of this exhibition.
1878
In 1878, the third World’s Fair took place in Paris on both sides of the Seine and at the Champ de Mars. For this occasion, two buildings were erected that no longer exist: the Palais du Trocadéro (demolished in 1937 for the World’s Fair that year) and the Palais du Champ de Mars. Novelties included aluminum, a safety elevator, electricity, the typewriter, and the Wallace fountains, the city’s first public fountains. The first ‘bateaux-mouches’ sailed on the Seine. Remains of this exhibition include the Cité Fleurie (13th arrondissement), the ox statues at the Palais du Trocadéro, now seen in Parc Georges Brassens, and several Wallace fountains. The exhibition attracted more than 10 million visitors.
1889
The Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 World’s Fair, 100 years after the start of the French Revolution (a reason for several royal houses to stay away). From May to November, 28 million visitors toured the exhibition grounds at the Invalides, the Palais du Trocadéro, and the Champ de Mars. The ‘Galerie des Machines’ was an iron structure 110 m high and 450 m long, showcasing all the technical gadgets, including a telephone and a gramophone. Also, there was a village with 400 ‘native negroes’ from one of the French colonies on display at the exhibition. Heineken received the Grand Prix for its beer. Now only the Eiffel Tower remains (which was actually supposed to be dismantled after a few years), along with the Cité des Fusains at the foot of Montmartre and the Villa des Arts (18th arrondissement).
1900
During the 1900 exhibition, the metro was put into operation. 50 million visitors came to the Champs-Elysées, the Palais du Trocadéro, the Champ de Mars, and the Invalides. New discoveries included the talking film, the diesel engine, the largest telescope of 60 m long and 1.5 m in diameter, and X-rays. A large number of buildings were built in the Art Nouveau style specifically for the exhibition, which are still visible today: the Gare de Lyon, the Gare d’Orsay (now the Musée d’Orsay), the Pont Alexandre III, the Grand Palais, and the Petit Palais. Also, in Paris, you can still find the artist’s studio La Ruche (15th arrondissement) and the passerelle Debilly, a footbridge over the Seine.
1937
The last World’s Fair in Paris was in 1937 and had the theme of art and technology. It was held on a smaller site than the previous ones: only the Champ de Mars and the gardens of Trocadéro. There were also fewer visitors: 31 million. New was the Palais de Chaillot, built on the site of the Palais du Trocadéro, which was demolished. Also, on former military grounds, the new Palais de Tokyo was erected, housing the Musée d’Art moderne de la ville de Paris. These two buildings are still standing. Innovations at the exhibition included television and the hovercraft. The political, economic, and social developments of the time had an impact on the exhibition. There were several strikes, and the government had to start paying overtime. The Russian pavilion stood opposite that of Nazi Germany. Painter Raoul Dufy created a huge mural in the Palais de Tokyo, la Fée Electricité, which is still on display at the Musée d’Art moderne de la ville de Paris. He made it commissioned by the then Parisian electricity company.
Wifi in Paris
In Paris today, you can access free wireless internet at hundreds of locations through Paris Wi-Fi. You can connect unlimitedly in parks, libraries, town halls, and museums. In parks, the service is available from 7 AM to 11 PM, and in buildings during their open hours.
Parks and gardens with Wi-Fi are marked with a sign at the entrance. To connect, go to an area that displays the Wi-Fi sign, which you’ll usually find on a bench. Additionally, you’ll also find Wi-Fi hotspots in many cafes.
French Vocabulary List
| English | French |
|---|---|
| Yes | Oui |
| No | Non |
| Hello (on arrival) | Bonjour |
| Good evening | Bonsoir |
| Goodbye, Have a good day | Au revoir/Bonne journée |
| See you soon | À bientôt, à tout à l’heure |
| See you tomorrow | À demain |
| Good night | Bonne nuit |
| Have a good trip | Bon voyage |
| Mrs. | Madame |
| Mr. | Monsieur |
| Sorry | Pardon |
| Excuse me | Excusez-moi |
| Please (when asking) | S’il vous plaît |
| Here you go (when giving) | Voilà/Voici |
| Thank you | Merci |
| You’re welcome | De rien |
| Agreed! | D’accord! |
| No problem | Pas de problème |
| I don’t speak French | Je ne parle pas français |
| Do you speak English? | Parlez-vous anglais? |
Vineyards
In Paris, there are about 12 smaller and larger vineyards where grapes are harvested each year to make wine. This is due to the fact that vineyards previously existed in the villages that are now part of Paris, such as Belleville, Vaugirard, and Montmartre. The four largest vineyards are managed by a vinologist. It is his task to produce a palatable wine.
Montmartre
The oldest vineyard is that of Montmartre. It houses 1,762 vines from 1932, including the grape varieties Gamay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gewürztraminer. Wine has been cultivated here since Roman times, and viticulture was one of the most common professions in the 16th century. Now, the wine is made in the cellar of the town hall of the 18th arrondissement. Every year in October, the harvest is celebrated with a Fête des Vendanges. Corner of rue Saint-Vincent and rue des Saules (18th arr.), metro Lamarck-Caulaincourt.
Parc Georges-Brassens
Since 1983, there has been a vineyard in Parc Georges Brassens. It features 720 vines of Pinot Noir, Perlette, and Pinot Meunier. A vineyard also existed here until the 18th century. The rue des Périchaux and rue des Morillons, to the south and north of the park, still bear witness to the grape varieties that were cultivated here. Afterwards, the vines disappeared and in 1894, the Vaugirard slaughterhouse was built on this site. The barrels in which the wine is made are housed in the cellar of the town hall of the 15th arrondissement. Parc Georges-Brassens (15th arr.), 2 place Jacques Marette, metro Convention.
Parc de Belleville
Long before the Middle Ages, there was a vineyard in the village of Belleville, at the site where the park is now located. Monks cultivated wine on a vineyard of 15 hectares, continuing until the French Revolution. From the beginning of the 19th century, the vineyard was transformed into garden land and later, houses were built. Now, there are 140 vines of grapes such as Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Parc de Belleville, 47 rue des Couronnes (20th arr.), metro Couronnes.
Parc de Bercy
This location did not previously have a vineyard, but was an important wine depot. From the 17th century, wine storage facilities lined the quays of Bercy, and there was active trade in wine and other beverages. The wine was brought in barrels on a boat. Portions of the wine depot are still visible in the park. Due to its wine past, 350 vines of Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes were planted in 1996. The harvested grapes go to a cellar at the end of the park to be made into wine. Parc de Bercy (12th arr.), Jardin Yitzhak Rabin, metro Cour-Saint-Emilion.