Paris, the cosmopolitan capital of France, has the reputation of being the most beautiful and romantic of all cities, brimming with historic associations and remaining vastly influential in the realms of culture, art, fashion, food and design. Dubbed the City of Light (la ville lumière) and the City of Love (la ville de l'amour), Paris is home to some of the world's finest and most luxurious fashion designers and cosmetics, such as Chanel, Christian Dior, Yves Saint-Laurent, Guerlain, Lancôme, L'Oréal, and Clarins.
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The city of Paris is divided into 20 districts called arrondissements, numbered from 1 to 20 in a clockwise spiral from the centre of the city (which is known as Kilomètre zéro and is located at the front of Notre Dame). Arrondissements are named according to their number. You might, for example, stay in the "5th", which would be written as 5e in French. The 12th and 16th arrondissements include large parks: the Bois de Vincennes and the Bois de Boulogne respectively. The very best map you can get for Paris is called "Paris Pratique par Arrondissement" which you can buy for about €5 at any news stand. It makes navigating the city easy.
Paris sits on the River Seine, in north-central France. Around 2.2 million people live in the city of Paris, but this only represents the urban core within the Boulevard Périphérique. There are some 10 million people in the wider Métropole du Grand Paris (814 km2) and almost 13 million people living in the metropolitan area, making this one of Europe's largest. Due to high expectations, a tight schedule, and language barriers, not to mention the large crowds and long lines at certain attractions during high season, the city also disappoints some visitors. Foreign visitors who have an idealized view of Paris might be shocked by the typical challenges of visiting any large city.
Paris has an excellent public transport system that spans every inch of the city. It is well-known for its Métro (short for Chemin de fer métropolitain, "Metropolitan Railway"), RER (short for Réseau Express Régional, "Regional Express Network,"), and Transilien rail networks. The Métro, RER and Transilien are complemented by a large network of trams and buses. Île-de-France Mobilités is the authority that controls and coordinates the different transport companies operating in the Île-de-France region, including Paris. The website and app can be used to plan journeys, track services, and purchase tickets. RATP operates the Métro, trams, buses, and about half of the RER A and B.
Highlights are listed below. Detailed information can be found on each individual district page (click on the name of the sight). 1 Eiffel Tower. No other monument better symbolizes Paris. 2 Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile. The Arc de Triomphe exudes grandeur and offers a central view of the city. 3 Champs-Élysées. Widely regarded to be one of the most recognizable avenues in the world (updated Jun 2018) 4 Notre Dame Cathedral. Impressive Gothic cathedral that was the inspiration for Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame. 5 Sacré Coeur. A church perched on top of the highest point in Paris.
1 French Open (Roland Garros). One of the four tennis Grand Slam tournaments. It is scheduled for two weeks from the last Sunday in May. The event, on clay courts, features the world’s top-ranked tennis players. Football: 2 Paris Saint-Germain play soccer in Ligue 1, the top tier, and often win it. But don't head for the central district of Saint-Germain-des-Prés! PSG play at Parc des Princes Stadium in the 16th arrondissement south of Bois de Boulogne. The club name derives from Saint-Germain-en-Laye 20 km west. Paris FC have long been the poor relations, but in 2025 were promoted to Ligue 1.
Individual listings can be found in Paris's district articles Paris is one of Europe's culinary centres, where the haute cuisine has flourished since at least the French revolution. It may however come as a surprise that Paris isn't considered the culinary capital of French cuisine; many people prefer the French cooking found in small rural restaurants, outside of the city, closer to the farms and with their focus on freshness and regional specialities.
The bars scene in Paris really does have something for everyone. From bars which serve drinks in baby bottles, to ultra luxe clubs that require some name dropping, or card (black Amex) showing, and clubs where you can dance like no one's watching, (although they will be). To start your night out right, grab a drink or two in a ubiquitous dive bar, before burning up the dance floor and spreading some cash, at one of the trendy clubs. Canal St Martin. Many cozy cafés and other drinking establishments abound around the Canal St Martin in the 10th. The Marais.
Paris is a relatively safe city. This does not stop it from being plagued by petty crime, especially pickpocketing, and muggings. Scams, of which there are many, are also prevalent, though the police are slowly cracking down on them. While not common, purse snatchings do happen. Violent crime is rare. However, watch yourself at ATMs and other places where your cash may be visible. Keep your money and your wallet in your front pockets, and avoid ATMs that are open to the outside, especially at night. As a densely populated city with equally dense neighbourhoods, one would be remiss to generalise the safety of entire 'arrondissements' based on a few specific areas.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Paris typically sees ~25°C daytime highs and 15 rainy days.
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