Top 10 Activities

#1. Eiffel Tower
This is the most famous landmark in Paris and no trip to France would be complete without La Tour Eiffel. Be warned, the queues to enter the elevators to the observation decks are a little intimidating, but be patient. It's worth it.

#2. The Arc de Triomphe
Commissioned by Napoleon as a symbol of French victory, L'Arc de Triomphe is adorned with beautiful sculpting and features s museum and a rooftop viewing platform. The views from the roof along the Champs-Elysées are stunning.

#3. Visit the Louvre
The Louvre (Musée du Louvre) is the world's largest collection of art and antiques and also the world's largest museum. You can sign on to do the DaVinci Code audio tour and follow in the footsteps of the book and movie. This is a great tour to take to see much of the museum and the famous attractions without missing the important bits.

#4. Notre Dame
Notre Dame is one of the most recognizable historic sites in the world. This massive gargoyle-clad Gothic landmark was built in the 12th century and is a masterpiece. Steeped in history, the gorgeous stone cathedral features almost 400 steps up to the north tower to a viewing platform. The views from the tower are simply amazing. If you wander to the West from the front of the cathedral, you'll discover an underground Crypt. If you get a chance to visit on a Sunday, the sound from the magnificent church organ is so powerful it's breathtaking.

#5. Versailles
Versailles is one of the most extravagant palaces in Europe. It's gloriously restored with gilt, crystal and hand-painted details inside and features ornate manicured gardens, lakes and several guest houses. This is where Louis XIV, XV and XVI lived before the revolution. You can take a guided tour or you can wander around the palace unguided if you prefer.

#6. Bicycle Tour
Perhaps one of the best ways to see many of the sights of Paris is to take a bicycle tour. The Segway tours really let you experience far more than a crowded tour bus ever could. Your tour guide will lead you to all the sights and you get a great overview of many of the things Paris has to offer. You can then go back at your leisure after the tour to see some of the bits that interested you most.

#7. Palais Garnier
The Opera House (Opera National de Paris) is a stunning building. The grand staircase is awesome and the beautifully restored foyer resembles a gallery within a traditional grand chateau, complete with opulent marble friezes and columns, statues and sculptures. The stunning architecture and Gothic-feel of this building is worth the visit, especially if you're a Phantom of the Opera fan, but if you get a chance to enjoy a performance of the opera, the acoustics are so brilliant it's moving.

#8. Rue Cler
Take a leisurely stroll along the Rue Cler. This quaint cobble stoned street is lined with patisseries, gourmet chocolate stores, a fromagerie (cheese store), creperie, wine and meat stores, restaurants and relaxed cafes. The array of fresh food is astonishing and the street itself is steeped with charming local culture. Sample as much of the exquisite local French cuisine as you can find and you'll be glad you did.

#9. Jardin du Luxembourg
The Luxembourg Gardens (Jardin du Luxembourg) were once only available to royalty. After the revolution, the marvelously manicured formal gardens were opened to the public as a place to relax. The central picturesque pond is littered with toy boats and surrounded by elegant gardens filled with people relaxing, having picnics and generally enjoying the serenity. This is a lovely way to spend a day.

#10. Cruise the River Seine
Take a cruise on the River Seine on the Bateaux Mouches and enjoy the sights of Paris from the river. The day tour is lovely, highlighting all the sights, monuments and historic icons, but the night tour shows a purely romantic side of Paris as the city lights up.

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French Cuisine

Foie Gras

Foie gras is a delicacy made with the liver of a duck or goose that has been force fed to deliberately fatten them. Its flavor is very rich and buttery.

French Cheeses

France produces over 1000 different types of cheeses. Some of the more popular cheeses are Camembert, Brie de Meaux, Roquefort, Boursin, Reblochon, Munster, Pont l'Eveque, Epoisses, Chevre and Tomme de Savoie.

Magret de Canard

Magret de canard is the breast meat from a force-fed duck raised to produce foie gras.

Cassoulet

Cassoulet is a type of bean stew that is slow-cooked that consists of pork, pork sausages, duck, goose or lamb and white haricot beans.

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Best Time To Visit

Springtime is the most popular time to visit Paris, from March through to June. The cafe districts open up after the cold of winter and the stunning gardens come out in full bloom.

Paris has a mild-to-temperate climate, with average temperatures of 68-73F (20-23C) in spring and going up to around 77-78F (25-26C) in summer.

When you're searching for the best Paris travel deals, be sure to consider how the weather will affect your plans.

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Travel Shopping

Paris is easily one of the world's foremost shopping hot-spots. Even people who don't like to shop enjoy shopping in Paris. Everything is available here, from the finest haute couture down to street markets, discount department stores and elegant designer boutiques.

If you're unsure about the currency conversion rates, carry a calculator with you to give you an idea of how much an item will really cost you. While there are sections of Paris that are a little expensive, it's possible to find plenty of bargains where you least expect them.

France has a Value Added Tax (VAT) added to the purchase price of everything you buy. If you spend more than €183 in one store, then you may be eligible for a VAT refund as you leave the country, however the refund won't apply to items like food, wine or tobacco.

When buying designer fashion clothing in France, remember the clothing sizes are much different than in the US and some other parts of the world.

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Festival Events

Somewhere in Paris, someone is celebrating something at almost every time of the year. The many cultural festivals in Paris allow visitors to experience a massive array of French music, theatre, dance, drama, puppetry, arts and more.

In early spring, the Festival de l'Imaginaire (Festival of the Imaginary) is a glorious multicultural celebration of dancing, visual arts, drama and many other performances held at the Maison des Cultures du Monde.

Bastille Day on July 14th is France's national day of celebration and features a military parade down the Champs Elysées, fireworks from the Eiffel Tower.

Every year on Summer Solstice (June), Paris hosts the Fete de la Musique. This is a musical delight with performances from amateur and professional musicians and overtakes a multitude of venues around the city. From street entertainment and public squares, to opera houses and theatres, every corner of Paris is filled with music.

Le Salon du Chocolat is a festival celebrating chocolate at the end of October. If you're a chocoholic, then you can't go past this amazing chocolate fest from the finest chocolatiers from around the world.

The famous Tour de France kicks off in early July and is the world's greatest bicycle race. Hundreds of local and international cyclists race over 2.175 miles (3,500km) around the country.

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Basic French Phrases

Take a little time to learn some basic French travel phrases to help you be more easily understood. In French culture, it's considered extremely rude not to try and learn something of the language of the country in which you're visiting. It's a basic courtesy to attempt to speak even a little French, and after you've tried you'll find English is spoken in most parts of Paris.

Hello - bonjour

Goodbye - au revoir

Do you speak English? - Parlez-vous Anglais? (parlay-vooz Onglaiz)

Yes - Oui

No - Non

Please - s'il vous plait

Thank you - merci

Where is..? - Où est?

Can you help me? - Pouvex-vous m'aider? (poovay-voo maydeh)

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Explore Paris

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