Travel Guide > Europe > France > Paris
Paris, the capital of France, is one of the most beautiful and romantic cities. Known as the city of love as well as the city of light, it welcomes millions of visitors every year, in reverrence of its cityscape, culture and lifestyle. With museums housing impressive collections of artworks and sculptures, cathedrals and churches intricately designed, palaces lavishly decorated, hundreds of parks providing green spaces and tranquility, list of events that leave one wanting for more than 24 hours per day to fit everything in, and more importantly, the richness of the cuisine found in this metropolitan city and the most sumptuous feast that one can indulge in, Paris is a mistress after one's own heart.
Even Parisians dedicate their lives to be better acquainted with the city. From one arrondissement to the next, each with its own personality (in as much as its inhabitants), each proud of what their neighbourhood has to offer. From historical squares to major boulevards, from ancient temples to modern museums, the city remains dynamic while retaining what is beautiful from the past.
No stay in Paris will be complete without a picture of Mrs. Steel. That is, the Eiffel Tower. The single most iconic structure that identifies Paris to the world, in 2009, the tower turns 120 years old and the occasion is celebrated all year long with special exhibitions, fireworks, and contemporary lightshows on the Iron Lady itself.
For more information, also check the official Paris Tourism website.
Paris is shaped like a snail and divided in 20 districts called arrondissements. The first district is in the middle of the snail. As you unroll the shell (in a clock-wise manner), you will go from the the Louvre to the Marais, taking your time on the side of the River Seine which crosses Paris from east to west. Walk up the Champs-Elysées and enjoy the city seated at the terrasse at one of the famous cafés. Montmartre, the painters and the Moulin Rouge offer another touch to a Parisian visit. Stroll around the narrow streets and appreciate the only vineyard in the capital.
The arrondissements found to the north of River Seine are said to be on the right bank, while those to the south of River Seine are on the left bank. There are two natural islands in the Seine - the larger Île de la Cité where the city was founded, and adjacent to it the smaller Île Saint-Louis. There is also an artificial island Île des Cygnes to the west of the city, where a small replica of the Statue of Liberty stands, facing towards New York City.
The arrondissements of Paris is easily identified in postal codes, which begins with the département number 75. The postal code for the 1st arrondissement is 75001, the 2nd is 75002 and so forth, until the 20th with 75020. Postal code that doesn't begin with 75 is not within Paris anymore but refers to the suburban areas within Île-de-France. (This is of particular note for choosing budget accommodations that claim to be in Paris but has non-75 postal codes.)
Each of the Parisian arrondissements has their own attractions for the millions of visitors that travel in each year. Some of the highlights per arrondissement are:
The Eiffel Tower defines Paris.
The Eiffel Tower is one of the most recognisable landmarks of Europe, if not the world. It is an iron structure, built in 1889 for the Universal Exhibition of that year in Paris. It is named after it's designer, the famous engineer Gustave Eiffel. Standing at 324 metres tall (including the antenna), it was built by 300 workers who joined together 18,038 pieces of puddled iron (a very pure form of structural iron), using two and a half million rivets. It is still the highest building in Paris and one of the most visited (paid) buildings anywhere on planet earth. More than 200 million people have visited the tower since its construction for the Exposition Universelle of 1889 (Location: Champ de Mars).
Notre Dame is the most famous church in all of Paris and is beautiful. Although the hunchback does not actually live here, this Gothic Cathedral is still impressive. Taking over two hundred years to build, Notre Dame was finally finished in 1345. The church was heavily damaged during the French Revolution but then was restored in the early 19th century. Starting in 2000 a major cleaning effort was done to the west façade of Notre Dame removing centuries of filth mainly from massive industrial activity. This meticulous cleaning process was accomplished with the use of lasers and countless tiny brushes. Today Notre Dame is one of the most popular sights in Paris and all of France. The church is located at 6, Place du Parvis de Notre Dame.
The Louvre is one of the biggest and most famous museums in the world. Amongst the collection you find the most famous portrait ever created: The Mona Lisa. But the Louvre is much more that just the Mona Lisa. The museum was opened in 1793, and is one of the oldest museums in the world. Musée du Louvre draws millions of people each year. The museum is located at 34-36 quai du Louvre, on the banks of the river Seine in the Louvre Palace.
The Thinker is another one of the world's most famous statues that is located in Paris, it is a bronze and marble statue that was crafter by Auguste Rodin in 1902. Before making this statue, a couple of smaller versions were made. The first one already in 1880. The statue depicts a man who's is thinking, or meditating state. The statue was originally named the poet, as it should be depicting a meditating Dante in front of the Gates of Hell. The Thinker was the first statue by Rodin, that was place in the public space. It was placed before the Panteon in 1906, but moved in 1922 to the present place: the Hotel Biron, which houses the Museé Rodin since 1919.
Famous for its nightlife (the Moulin Rouge is right here!) and for being a gathering point of writers and artists, the quarter of Montmartre is nowadays very lively. Its uphill streets, its staircases and its unmistakable and welcoming cafés make this quarter a destination you can’t miss. Even if the whole neighbourhood is worth visiting, the most interesting place is the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, built between 1875 and 1919. The Basilica is accessible through the Montmartre funicular.
Take a guided sewer tour for a fascinating insight into the history of the sewage system in Paris. Also visit the Paris Sewer Museum.
Paris' climate is tempered by the North Atlantic Current, ensuring the city rarely experiences extreme temperatures. The average yearly high temperature is about 15 °C and yearly lows averaging around 7 °C. Summers last from June to August when average daytime temperatures are a pleasant 22 to 25 °C and nights are mostly around 15 °C. Winters from December to February are usually above zero during the day, though frost as night is common, especially in January. The record high for Paris was 40.4 °C, recorded in 1948. The record low was -23.9 °C, recorded in 1879. The city averages 641.6 mm of precipitation each year, with no specific season contributing more rain. Snowfall is rare, usually appearing in January or February and seldom sticking for longer than a day. May/June and September are good times for a visit, as the weather is great and you avoid the European holiday season, especially August when the entire population of France seems on the move.
There are two major airports in Paris, Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Orly Airport (ORY). A third option, Beauvais-Tillé Airport (BVA) is used by budget airlines, but is located quite some distance from Paris (85 kilometres).
Charles De Gaulle International Airport (CDG) is approximately 25km from Paris, off to the Northeast near the town of Roissy (which is why you will sometimes hear the airport referred to as Roissy). It's one of the busiest airports in Europe, and has hundreds of flights throughout Europe and the rest of the world. The airport is on both the RER B train line and the high speed TGV train line, making it easy to connect to Brussels and several other places in France, bypassing Paris.
Between CDG and Central Paris, these are the main transit options:
The RER B is the cheapest and fastest way to travel to Paris and while it is safe in general, care is required particularly for very early or very late rides. Try to avoid empty cars and stay in those with other travellers if possible, as the RER passes some unsavoury suburban neighbourhoods.
Orly Airport (ORY) is located southwest of Paris near the town of Orly. It is approximately 19 kilometres to Paris from Orly airport. Although having less flights and destinations compared to Charles De Gaulle, there are still many flights throughout Europe and also to destinations further away, including quite some flights to northern and western Africa as well as to Mauritius and Reunion and other French overseas territories and departments.
The main options to travel between Orly and Paris:
Beauvais-Tillé Airport (BVA) is often billed as a Paris airport and used by budget airlines, most notably Ryanair (Alghero, Alicante, Bari, Bologna, Bratislava, Cagliari, Dublin, Girona, Glasgow, Madrid, Marseille, Milan, Oslo, Pisa, Porto, Rome, Barcelona-Reus, Shannon, Stockholm, Trapani and Venice), but also Blue Air (Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca) and Wizzair (Bucharest, Gdansk, Budapest, Cluj-Napoca, Katowice, Prague, Sofia, Timisoara, Warsaw and Wroclaw). The airport is located roughly 85 kilometres out of Paris near the town of Beauvais.
Buses leave the airport 20 minutes after each flight and charge €13 for the 80 minute journey to the Porte Maillot in Paris. Tickets can be bought at the kiosk just beside the luggage carousel after immigration (cash only!) or outside the airport (exit and turn right, and walk straight on). A cab would cost in the order of €120-160 and the small shuttle buses cost around €18 per person.
For the return trip to Beauvais, buses leave Porte Maillot approximately 3 hours before flight time. Be there about 10-15 minutes ahead in order to allow time for passengers to board the bus and be filled. Ticket must be purchased prior to boarding at the ticket counter, and queue may be long. In order to save time, buy 2 one-way tickets upon arrival in Beauvais, and use the second ticket for this journey. Tickets may also be purchased ahead online but must be booked at least 24 hours prior to departure.
(All prices correct as of October 2009)
The French Railways operated by SNCF has an extensive network with frequent, fast and comfortable connections to almost any of the major towns and cities in France. From the hub Paris, the TGV (high speed trains) run east to Strasbourg, west to Nantes, and south to Bordeaux, Lyon and Marseille at speeds of approximately 300 km/hour. The Corail Intercité and Corail Téoz both connect Paris to other main French cities not serviced by the TGV, but note that reservations are required for Corail Téoz. Corail Lunéa are night trains operating similar routes to the other Corail services. TER (train express regional) is slower, regional rail service that stops at almost all stations along its operating routes.
For youth/young adult travellers, iDTGV is a new service similar to TGV but available at a lower cost, and ticket reservations and purchases are conducted strictly online. Most of their routes are between Paris and the south of France.
Train tickets may be purchased 3 months ahead of travel, from either Voyages-SNCF (in French) or TGV-Europe (English and other European languages) and the tickets will be delivered to the country of order accordingly. However, online purchase and reservation for TER is not possible. Tickets for iDTGV are available more than 3 months ahead of travel.
The Eurostar travels between Gare du Nord in Paris and St. Pancras station in London in just two and a half hours. When booking early, the non-flexible tickets can be quite a bargain compared to a flight. It is also time-saving, travelling directly from city to city and negates the extra time for travelling to/fro airports that are located outside of London and Paris. The Thalys travels fast towards Brussels, Amsterdam and Cologne.
Paris is the focus of all roads that originate and terminate here. The main roads leading to/from Paris are the A1/A16 highways in norther directions towards Amiens, the A4 towards Reims, the A13 towards Rouen, the A11 towards Le Mans, the A10 towards Orleans, and the A5 and A6 in southwestern direction towards Dijon. All of them connect to other routes leading to places further away to the south for example.
Eurolines serves dozens of destinations from Paris, including domestic destinations and cities much further away, even as far as Russia and Morocco. The stop in Paris is at the Galliéni International busstation (Metro: Galliéni) 28 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, Bagnolet. It is possible to also get tickets here, but it is better to book your tickets in advance on internet in order to avail of special online rates.
There are no direction routes to get to Paris by boat/ferry. A common sea travel route normally involves arrival in the north of France (e.g. Le Havre, Caen, Dieppe, Cherbourg) and subsequent connection to Paris either by rail, by bus or by car. From the south of France, a common port of entry is Marseille.
It is advisable to avoid driving in Paris, traffic is usually extremely heavy and limited parking makes trying to find a parking space very difficult. Not only that, often the parking space is also tight, requiring an extraordinary amount of skill in "contact parking". Parking fees are also very high in Paris.
Alternatively there are taxis across Paris but finding one is not always easy. It is common to get them either from taxi stands conveniently positioned (usually near train stations, on main boulevards, near major hotels, popular tourist sites) or by asking your hotel concierge to order one for you. Hailing them in the street is possible although if near taxi stands, they most likely will not stop (nor are they supposed to). If a taxi is empty yet unavailable, it's most likely on its way to collect passengers who have rang for it. (Note: don't try to steal a taxi that someone has called for - it's uncool, and you will also be left embarassed when the driver denies you the service because you can't provide the correct name.)
A taxi is available if the whole top of the taxi light is brightly illuminated, a dim light signals that the taxi is occupied. Taxi prices are relatively inexpensive and are an easy way to get home after a night out and the metro has closed. The three little bulbs below the "Taxi Parisien" sign indicate which rate is being applied: A (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm), B (Mon-Sat 5pm-10am, Sun 7am-midnight, holidays all day), and C (Sun from midnight-7am). For Paris suburbs, rate B applies 7am-7pm and rate C applies 7pm-7am. For the latest rate, check this listing.
A relatively new initiative to allow exploration of the city on two wheels with the service of a chauffeur, the moto-taxi is supposed to be the middle ground for low emission mode of fast transport. For the "privilege" of avoiding the traffic jam and riding condition opens to the elements (e.g. rain, wind, cold temperature etc), be prepared to pay between €50 to €80 per one hour of chauffeured service. The moto-taxi must be booked ahead with companies that provide them.
Paris has a great public transit system that is ideal to shuttle tourists to the sites. Depending on where your hotel is, you may be able to walk to many of the sites, but some of them areas are a bit of a hike. Services start from as early as 5.00am and end as late as between 12.30am to 1.30am, while Noctilien night buses run in between those late night hours.
Using the metro is an easy way to get around. There is usually a metro station within 500m from any location in central Paris. The map of the transit system can be found at the RATP website. There is an interactive map, and a very handy feature that will allow you to enter two addresses, and it will tell you how to get between them.
While newer metro trains have automatic doors, older ones (as well as the RERs) require the users to either push the button or pull the lever by the doors to open them. Similarly, on buses, there are buttons by the doors that need to be pushed in order to get them opened. Passengers may get on the bus from either the front or from the other doors further back.
There are a number of options for tickets to purchase. The key options are the Carnet (individual tickets in pack of 10), the Mobilis (unlimited 1-day pass) and the Carte Orange Hebdo (weekly pass). Tickets may be used on all public transport - metro, RER, bus and tram. Please note, for RER travels outside of central zone, correct Ile-de-France tickets corresponding to the zones of travel must be obtained. Similarly, bus travels outside the périphérique will require 1 standard ticket for zones 1-2 and an additional ticket for every zone thereafter (e.g. zone 3 requires 2 standard tickets).
Standard tickets can be purchased either as a "carnet" (10 tickets for €11.60) or individually (€1.60). In the carnet, the t+ ticket is valid for one journey and allows unlimited transfer between the same mode of transport (e.g. metro to metro), between metro and RER zone 1, and between bus and tram. Other transfers between metro and bus, metro and tram, RER and bus, and RER and tram are not allowed. Individually bought ticket allows metro to metro and metro to RER transfers, but not bus and tram transfers. A single journey time allowance is 2 hours for the metro/RER, and for the bus, 90 minutes is allowed between the first validation and the final validation of the ticket. The carnet is available from the metro/RER stations, the tabac, and selected newsagents.
For unlimited trips in a single day, get the Mobilis. It is a one-day unlimited pass, and for travel within zones 1-2 it costs €5.90. Please note Mobilis is not valid for travel to/fro Charles de Gaulle and Orly Airports on special airport services (i.e. RER B, Roissybus, Orlybus, Orlyval), even if the tickets correspond to the zones where the airports are situated. The Mobilis ticket is used in the normal manner for metro/RER but on the bus, do not insert the ticket into the machine for validation as it will actually render the ticket invalid. It is sufficient to show the ticket to the bus driver when you board the bus. The ticket must also be dated correctly, based on European date notation - day/month/year.
The Carte Orange gives you unlimited weekly trips (they have a monthly version as well) for €17.20 (for zones 1 and 2). It is valid strictly from Monday to Sunday (monthly version from the first to the last day of the month). Carte Orange in ticket form is being phased out and is more commonly loaded onto Passe Navigo. Ordinary Passe Navigo is only available to residents but visitors may purchase Passe Navigo Découverte at €5. A passport size photo is required for the pass.
A tourist Paris Visite card is also available, for unlimited travel of 1, 2, 3 or 5 days in either zones 1-3 or zones 1-6. This transport pass is expensive to buy particularly for a couple of days and when most travellers stay within zone 1 of the city (e.g. zones 1-3 : €9 for 1 day, €14.70 for 2 days). However, it does give discounts and reductions to a variety of services, which may be of interest to the pass holder.
(Rates for RATP valid from 1 July 2009).
A great way to see Paris, is by a leisurely boat ride across the Seine river with Batobus Paris. It runs from February to November, and comes along every 15-30 minutes. It operates on a hop-on, hop-off basis, and stops at 8 locations along the Seine in this direction - Eiffel Tower, Musée d'Orsay, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Notre Dame, Jardin des Plantes, Hôtel de Ville, Louvre and Champs-Élysées, before heading back to Eiffel Tower again. There are several other river sight-seeing cruises that operate in full loops with commentary and without the option to get on and off as desired.
Paris is a very walkable city and many of the main sights are close to one another that it's often more pleasant to navigate by foot than to take the metro (which normally means getting stuck underground) or the bus (getting stuck in the traffic). Away from the main boulevards, the streets may be small but there'll still always be foot path to walk on. At junctions with pedestrian lights, just walk when the light turns green, because there will still be traffic from some direction which equally have the right to drive along if nobody's crossing the road. At the roundabout around the Arc de Triomphe, if you want to go to the arch, there is an underground passage over. Do not even think about trying to run across, even if it seems quiet without much traffic around.
Vélib' is the freebike scheme that has been in operation since 2007, and is now adopted as the model for freebike schemes in other cities including Bicloo in Nantes, Vélomagg' in Montpellier and Vélopop' in Avignon.
Pin-and-chip credit card is required to obtain a temporary subscription to Vélib' and to act as a deposit in the event of unreturned/lost bike. The short term subscription rate is €1 for 1 day or €5 for 7 days. The use of the bike for the first 30 minutes is free. Delays in checking the bike in after the 30 minutes will be charged to the credit card, and the rate is as follow (after the free 30 minutes): 1st additional 30 minutes €1, 2nd additional 30 minutes €2, all subsequent 30 minutes €4 each. E.g. a bike taken out for 1h15m will incur €3 charge; 2h15m will incur €11.
In order to avoid the supplementary charges, the bike should be returned to a station within 30 minutes of the initial hire. After checking that bike in, you may either take it out again or take another one out. This resets the time and another free 30 minutes period begins. If a station is full, enter the required information and you'll be allowed an additional 15 minutes to search for a station to return the bike. There should be another station within 300 metres.
By normal convention, if a saddle has been turned around, the bike is likely to be out of order. The Vélib' is operational 24/7, so it is useful late at night or early morning, when the public transport services are very limited or unavailable.
Paris is known for its fine and luxurious dining, boasting a high number of Michelin-stars adorned restaurants. However it also caters to budget conscious travellers, with reasonably priced bistrots and small restaurants. As a cosmopolitan city, Paris has also adopted a range of cuisine, both from regional French cuisine and international cuisine. Unfortunately, one aspect that needs improving is in catering to vegetarian needs, as dishes are often meat-based.
By law, all restaurants and eateries in France is required to display their menus and the prices at the window or by the door outside their establishments. Most restaurants have special fixed price menus that make dining out more affordable for all. It is also cheaper to eat out at lunch than at dinner. On a typical French day, it starts with breakfast in the morning, followed shortly by lunch at noon. A late afternoon goûter is common to stave the hunger until dinner at around 7pm to 8pm.
For the visitors, it can be terribly easy to have poor dining experience in Paris throughout their stay, particularly if dining out is constantly at locations close to major attractions of the city. Not only the food would be unmemorable, the price tags are usually hard to justify for the quality received. It therefore pays to search for eateries off the main boulevards, where many of them are usually filled with locals.
For more information, see Eating Out in Paris.
On Sunday night, club DJOON (Bercy) is considered one of the best nights in Paris. It's a collection of house music, soulful house, deep house, funk and soul lovers. The concept of the party is to start early from 6pm til midnight. It's perfect if u work the following day.
Paris has accommodation options for every budget, from camp sites outside the city and hostels for the budget travellers, to luxurious 5-star hotels. A list of the main accommodation include ratings is included below.
| Property | Address | Type | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abricotel | 15, rue Lally Tollendal 75019 | Hotel | 78 |
| Absolute Paris | 1 Rue de la Fontaine au Roi 75011 | Hostel | 74 |
| Agil Hotel Le Pontel | 46 Avenue de Bellevue 91210 Draveil | Hotel | 58 |
| Alane Hotel | 72 Boulevard Magenta | Hotel | 70 |
| Albe Hotel | 1 Rue de la Harpe | Hotel | - |
| Aloha Hostel | 1 Rue Borromee 75015 Paris | Hostel | 66 |
| Apartment Cité verte | 147 rue Léon Maurice Nordmann | Apartment | 92 |
| Apartment Gaspard Monge | 110 rue Monge | Apartment | 80 |
| Apartment Saint Martin | 226 Rue Saint Martin | Apartment | 92 |
| Apartment Titon | 13 rue Titon | Apartment | 77 |
| Appihotel | 158 rue Saint Denis | Hotel | 65 |
| Arc De Triomphe Apart | 92 Rue De Tocqueville | Apartment | 75 |
| Armstrong Hotel | 36 Rue de la Croix St. Simon | Hotel | 75 |
| Art Hotel | 98, Rue d'Hauteville | Hotel | 82 |
| Au Grand Hotel Francais | 223 Boulevard Voltaire | Hotel | 77 |
| Au Viator Gare de Lyon | 1 rue Parot | Hotel | 77 |
| Avenir Hotel | 39 Boulevard Rochechouart 75009 | Hotel | 73 |
| Bastille Apartment | 16 RUE DE LA FOLIE REGNAULT 17 PASSAGE COURTOIS | Apartment | 67 |
| Bel Oranger Gare de Lyon | 9 rue d'Austerlitz | Hotel | 71 |
| Bel Oranger Republique | 30 rue Lucien Sampaix | Hotel | - |
| Bervic Hotel | 04 Rue Bervic 75018 | Hotel | 70 |
| Best Western Grand Hotel de l'Univers | 6 Rue Gregoire de Tours | Hotel | - |
| Boissiere | 53 Rue Jean Jaurès Levallois Perret 92 300 | Hotel | 75 |
| Butte Montmartre Apartment | 8 Rue Gustave Rouanet | Apartment | 35 |
| Campanile Paris Berthier | 4 Boulevard Berthier | Hotel | 66 |
| Carlton's | 55 boulevard de Rochechouart | Hotel | - |
| Cecil Hotel | 47 rue Beaunier | Hotel | 70 |
| Cecilia's Guest House | 10, Rue Denfert Rochereau 92600 Asnieres | Guesthouse | 97 |
| Central Saint Germain | 3 rue Champollion | Hotel | - |
| Centre International de Sejour Kellermann | 17 boulevard Kellermann BP 313 | Hostel | 68 |
| Centre International de Séjour Maurice Ravel | 6 Avenue Maurice Ravel | Hostel | 75 |
| Chambres d hotes de L hay Les Roses | 69 avenue du général de gaulle L'Hay les Roses | Guesthouse | 75 |
| Chez Mc Donald A Paris | Rue mouffetard | Guesthouse | - |
| Comfort Davout Nation | 110 rue des Orteaux | Hotel | - |
| Commines du Marais | 3 Rue Commines 75003 | Hotel | 68 |
| Corona Rodier Hotel | 4, rue Rodier | Hotel | - |
| Crowns Etoile Hotel | 30 rue de l'Arc de Triomphe 75017 | Hotel | 81 |
| Crystal Hotel | 24 rue Saint Benoit | Hotel | 95 |
| Daunou Opera | 6 Rue Daunou | Hotel | 78 |
| Demeure des Tilleuls | 12 avenue des Tilleuls 92 Chatenay Malabry | Guesthouse | 90 |
| Eiffel Rive Gauche | 6, Rue du Gros Caillou 75007 | Hotel | 80 |
| Ethic étapes - Résidence Int. de Paris | 44 rue Louis Lumière | Hostel | 74 |
| FIAP Jean Monnet | 30 RUE CABANIS | Hostel | 80 |
| Friend's Hostel | 122 Boulevard de la Chapelle 75018 | Hostel | 53 |
| Garden Hotel | 1 rue de Géneral Blaise | Hotel | 71 |
| Garden Opera | 65, rue du Chateau d'Eau 75010 | Hotel | 74 |
| Grand Hotel de Belfort | 37 rue Servan | Hotel | 68 |
| Grand Hotel de L'Europe | 74,Boulevard de Strassbourg 75010 | Hotel | 60 |
| Grand Hotel Magenta | 129, Boulevard de Magenta 75010 Paris | Hotel | 63 |
| Hipotel Paris Belleville | 21 Rue Vicq d'Azir | Hotel | 52 |
| Hostel Blue Planet | 5 Rue Hector Malot | Hostel | 62 |
| Hotel ABC Champerret | 63 Rue Danton 92300 LEVALLOIS | Hotel | 75 |
| Hotel Aboukir | 134, rue d'Aboukir 75002 | Hotel | 35 |
| Hotel Abrial | 176 rue Cardinet | Hotel | 70 |
| Hotel Alize Grenelle Tour Eiffel | 87, Avenue Emile Zola | Hotel | 53 |
| Hotel Altea Utrillo | 7 rue Aristide Bruant | Hotel | 84 |
| Hotel Altona | 166 rue du Faubourg-Poissonniere 75010 | Hotel | 53 |
| Hotel Ambassadeur | 153 Rue Legendre | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Andre Gill | 4 Rue Andre Gill Paris 18eme | Hotel | 78 |
| Hotel Angleterre Etoile | 21, rue Copernic | Hotel | 77 |
| Hotel Annexe | 4, Rue Taylor 75010 | Hotel | 80 |
| Hotel Aris Nord | 133 Rue du Faubourg St Denis | Hotel | 71 |
| Hotel Bastille Baudelaire | 12 rue de Charonne | Hotel | 65 |
| Hotel Beaugrenelle Saint-Charles | 82, Rue Saint-Charles | Hotel | 75 |
| Hotel Beaunier | 31 Rue Beaunier 75014 | Hotel | 70 |
| Hotel Beauséjour Montmartre | 6 Rue Lecluse 75017 | Hotel | 79 |
| Hotel Belfort | 22 Rue de Belfort 75011 | Hotel | 73 |
| Hotel Bellevue | 67, rue Philippe de Girard | Hotel | 65 |
| Hotel Berne Opera | 37 Rue de Berne 75008 | Hotel | 67 |
| Hotel Bertha | 1, rue Darcet 75017 Paris | Hotel | 57 |
| Hotel Boetie | 81 rue la Boetie | Hotel | 72 |
| Hotel Bonne Nouvelle | 125, Boulevard Magenta | Hotel | 59 |
| Hotel Bonsejour Montmartre | 11, rue burq | Hotel | 71 |
| Hotel Briand | 156 Rue Aristide Brian 92300, Levallois Perret | Hotel | 81 |
| Hotel Brittany Paris | 5-7 rue Saint Lazare | Hotel | 93 |
| Hotel Bruxelles et du Nord | 28 Rue de Dunkerque | Hotel | 68 |
| Hotel Cambrai | 129 Bis,boulevard de Magenta 75010 PARIS | Hotel | 62 |
| Hotel Camelia International | 3 Rue Darcet 75017 | Hotel | 72 |
| Hotel Caravelle | 68, rue des Martyrs Paris 75009 | Hotel | 73 |
| Hotel Charma | 14 bis, Rue des Maraichers | Hotel | 69 |
| Hotel Cheap Beds Paris-Rosny former Htl Balladins | 268, rue Brement Rosny sous bois | Hotel | 62 |
| Hotel Clarisse | 159 Boulevard Lefevbre | Hotel | 81 |
| Hotel Corona Opera | 8 Cite Bergere 75009 | Hotel | - |
| Hotel D'Amiens | 11 Rue des 2 Gares | Hotel | 76 |
| Hotel Darcet | 4 Rue Darcet (near Place de Clichy) 75017 | Hotel | 69 |
| Hotel de Bordeaux-Paris | 100 rue de faubourg saint denis | Hotel | 20 |
| Hôtel de Cabourg | 5 rue du mont-dore 75017 Paris | Hotel | 70 |
| Hotel de l'Europe | 98 Boulevard de Magenta 75010 | Hotel | 83 |
| Hôtel de l'Ocean | 7 rue mayran | Hotel | 73 |
| Hotel de la Bastille | 24, Rue de la Roquette 75011 | Hotel | 68 |
| Hotel De La Comete | 196 boulevard de la villette | Hotel | 72 |
| Hotel de la Félicité | 43, Rue de la Félicité | Hotel | 78 |
| Hotel de la Herse dOr | 20 rue Saint Antoine | Hotel | 72 |
| Hotel de la Place | 21 rue Henri Martin 92240 Malakoff | Hotel | 71 |
| Hotel de la Terrasse | 67, Rue Letort | Hotel | 65 |
| Hotel de la Tour Eiffel | 17 Rue de l'Exposition | Hotel | 77 |
| Hotel de la Vallée | 84-86 rue Saint-Denis | Hotel | 68 |
| Hotel de Lausanne | 13 Rue Geoffroy Marie 75009 | Hotel | 78 |
| Hôtel de Londres et d'Anvers | 131-133 Boulevard de Magenta | Hotel | 75 |
| Hotel De Nevers Saint-Germain | 83 Rue Du Bac | Hotel | 95 |
| Hotel de Paris | 188 Avenue Jean-Jaures | Hotel | 59 |
| Hôtel Delavigne | 1 Rue Casimir Delavigne | Hotel | 80 |
| Hotel des Allies | 20 Rue Berthollet | Hotel | 69 |
| Hotel des Arts | 2 Rue Godefroy-Cavaignac | Hotel | 20 |
| Hotel des Mines | 125, Boulevard Saint Michel 75005 | Hotel | 78 |
| Hotel des Nations Saint Germain | 54 Rue Monge, 75005 | Hotel | 85 |
| Hotel des Olympiades | 22 Square de Clignancourt 75118 | Hotel | 68 |
| Hotel Doisy | 55 Avenue des Ternes | Hotel | 82 |
| Hotel du Canal | 37,Avenue de General Leclerc 93500 PARIS-PANTIN | Hotel | 58 |
| Hotel Du Commerce | 14 rue de la montagne sainte genevieve 75005 | Hotel | 74 |
| Hotel du Moulin | 3 Rue Aristide Bruant | Hotel | 83 |
| Hotel du Parc Saint Charles | 243 Rue Saint Charles | Hotel | 72 |
| Hotel du Petit Louvre | 1 rue de Lourmel 75015 | Hotel | 61 |
| Hotel du Square d'Anvers | 6 Place d'Anvers | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Edouard VI | 61, Boulevard du Montparnasse | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Eiffel Capitol | 9 Rue Viala, 75015 | Hotel | 70 |
| Hotel Elysee Montparnasse | 11bis rue de la Gaite 75014 | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Elysee Park | 5 Rue Ponthieu | Hotel | 65 |
| Hotel Ermitage | 42 bis rue de l'Ermitage 75020 | Hotel | 80 |
| Hotel Etoile Pereire | 146 Boulevard Pereire | Hotel | 75 |
| Hotel Fasthome | Centre Commercial de la Grande Vallée- Rn 370 1 Av Georges Pompidou,Gonesse | Hotel | 66 |
| Hotel Flaubert | 19 rue Rennequin 75017 | Hotel | 72 |
| Hotel France Albion | 11, rue Notre Dame de Lorette 75009 | Hotel | 85 |
| Hotel Gerando | 11, Rue Gerando | Hotel | 76 |
| Hotel Gotty Opera | 11 Rue de Trevise | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Havane | 44, Rue de Trévise | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Hipotel Paris Hippodrome | 1, Allée Edmé l' Heureux 94340 Joinville-le-Pont Pris | Hotel | 64 |
| Hotel Hippodrome Montmartre | 7 Rue Forest 75018 | Hotel | 77 |
| Hotel Ibis Paris Ornano Montmartre | 70 bis Boulevard Ornano | Hotel | 77 |
| Hotel Innova | 32, Boulevard Pasteur | Hotel | 85 |
| Hotel Kleber | 7 rue Belloy 75116 | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Kuntz | 2 rue des Deux Gares | Hotel | 79 |
| Hotel La Bruyere** | 35 Rue La Bruyere 75009 | Hotel | 81 |
| Hotel le Faubourg | 47, rue du Faubourg Poissonnière 75009 | Hotel | 78 |
| Hotel Le Parisien | 110 Rue Legendre | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Le Quercy | 251, Bd Jean Jaurès Boulogne Billancourt,92100 | Hotel | 74 |
| Hotel Le Relais Du Marais | 76 Rue de Turbigo 75003 | Hotel | 73 |
| Hotel Le Rocroy | 13 rue de Rocroy | Hotel | 79 |
| Hotel Le Terrage | 25 Rue du Terrage | Hotel | 66 |
| Hotel Lenox Montparnasse | 15, rue Delambre | Hotel | 80 |
| Hotel les Hauts de Passy | 37 rue de l'Annonciation | Hotel | 65 |
| Hotel Les Jardins D'alésia | 34 rue d'alésia | Hotel | 69 |
| Hotel Little | 3 rue Pierre Chausson | Hotel | 60 |
| Hotel Lorraine | 3, rue d'Alsace 75010 paris | Hotel | 57 |
| Hotel Louvre Richelieu | 51 Rue de Richelieu | Hotel | 76 |
| Hotel Luxia | 8, Rue Sevestre 75018 | Hotel | 68 |
| Hotel Lyon Bastille | 3 rue Parrot | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Malar | 29 rue Malar | Hotel | 79 |
| Hotel Meridional | 14 rue du Docteur Heulin | Hotel | 67 |
| Hotel Metropol | 98 rue maubeuge | Hotel | 72 |
| Hotel Mirific Opera | 119 Avenue de Clichy 75017 | Hotel | 67 |
| Hotel Modern Est | 91 Boulevard de Strasbourg 75010 | Hotel | 40 |
| Hotel Mon Reve Amadeus | 76 Avenue Félix Faure 75015 | Hotel | 71 |
| Hotel Monceau Elysées | 108, rue de Courcelles | Hotel | 77 |
| Hotel Mondia | 19 Rue du Grand Prieure | Hotel | 80 |
| Hotel Montana | 164 rue Lafayette | Hotel | 40 |
| Hotel Montmartre Clignancourt | 4 rue clignancourt 75018 Paris | Hotel | 67 |
| Hotel Montreal | 23 rue Godot de Mauroy 75009 | Hotel | 75 |
| Hotel Moris Grands Boulevards | 13, rue René Boulanger | Hotel | 82 |
| Hotel Moulin Vert | 74, rue Moulin Vert | Hotel | 77 |
| Hotel Nation Montmartre | 4 Rue Boissieu | Hotel | 42 |
| Hotel Neva | 14 rue Brey | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Notre Dame Maitre Albert | 19, Rue Maitre Albert | Hotel | 80 |
| Hotel Notre-Dame | 51, Rue de Malte | Hotel | 66 |
| Hotel Novex | 8 rue Caillaux 75013 | Hotel | 65 |
| Hotel Opéra Comique | 4, rue Amboise | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Opera Lafayette | 80, rue La Fayette 75009 | Hotel | 71 |
| Hotel Opera Vivaldi 3*** | 10, Rue Du Helder | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Parc Even | 14, rue Laforest 92240 MALAKOFF-Paris | Hotel | 68 |
| Hotel Paris Magenta Strasbourg | 48, Boulevard de Magenta 75010 | Hotel | 55 |
| Hotel Paris Nord | 4, rue de Dunkerque - 75010 PARIS | Hotel | 71 |
| Hotel Patio Brancion | 35,rue Edgar Quinet 92240 Malakoff | Hotel | 61 |
| Hotel Pavillon Villiers | 6 Rue Lebouteux | Hotel | 78 |
| Hotel Peletier Opera | 15 rue le Peletier | Hotel | 76 |
| Hotel Place Clichy | 71 rue de Douai 75009 | Hotel | 63 |
| Hotel Prince | 66 Avenue Bosquet | Hotel | 78 |
| Hotel Prince Albert Monceau | 9 Rue Tarbé 75017 | Hotel | - |
| Hôtel Printania | 150, Rue d'Avron | Hotel | 56 |
| Hotel Puy de Dome Paris | 180, rue Ordener | Hotel | 60 |
| Hotel Regence | 33 rue de Saint-Petersbourg Champs Elysees- Paris 8 | Hotel | 75 |
| Hotel Residence Concorde | 5 rue Cambon | Hotel | 80 |
| Hôtel Résidence Voltaire | 132 Boulevard Voltaire | Hotel | 63 |
| Hotel Rhetia | 3, Rue de General Blaise | Hotel | 60 |
| Hotel Richard | 35 Rue Richard Lenoir | Hotel | 60 |
| Hotel Richmond Gare du Nord | 15 rue de Dunkerque 75010 Paris | Hotel | 69 |
| Hotel Royal Montreuil | 59,rue de Paris 93100 PARIS-MONTREUIL | Hotel | - |
| Hotel San Sebastien | 42 Rue San Sebastien 75011 | Hotel | 62 |
| Hotel Soft | 52/bis Rue de Vinaigriers | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Stars Arcueil | 110 avenue Camille Desmoulin ARCUEIL Paris | Hotel | 53 |
| Hôtel Taylor | 6 Rue Taylor | Hotel | 83 |
| Hôtel Terminus Nation | 96 Cours de Vincennes 75012 | Hotel | 77 |
| Hotel Univers | 8, Rue de l'Orillon | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Viator | Avenue de Clichy ,Rue de Moines | Hotel | 52 |
| Hotel Voltaire République | 10, boulevard Voltaire | Hotel | 74 |
| Hotel Williams Opéra | 3 Rue Mayran | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Yllen Eiffel*** | 196 Rue Vaugirard, 75015 | Hotel | 78 |
| Ideal Hotel | 96 Avenue Emile Zola | Hotel | 62 |
| Jardin de Neuilly | 5 rue Paul Déroulede Neuilly sur Seine-Paris | Hotel | - |
| Kyriad Brancion | 62 rue des Morillons 75015 | Hotel | 75 |
| Kyriad Italie Gobelins | 5, rue Véronèse 75013 | Hotel | 82 |
| La Garenne Residence | 80, avenue George Clémenceau 94360 BRY SUR MARNE-Paris | Hotel | 78 |
| La Maison Bacana B&B | 9 Rue Emile Zola Vitry Sur Seine | Guesthouse | 96 |
| La Manufacture | 8 Rue Philippe de Champagne 75013 | Hotel | 100 |
| Le Dauphin | 45 rue Jean Jaures | Hotel | - |
| Le Montclair Montmartre | 62, Rue Ramey | Hostel | 77 |
| Le Regent Montmartre | 37, Boulevard Rochechouart | Hotel | 77 |
| Le Village | 20 Rue d'Orsel 75018 Paris | Hostel | 77 |
| Libertel Canal Saint Martin | 5, Avenue Secrétan | Hotel | - |
| Libertel Gare du Nord - Suède | 106 Boulevard de Magenta | Hotel | - |
| Liberty Hotel Paris | 16,rue de nancy 75010 paris | Hotel | 75 |
| Luna-Park Hotel | 1 Rue Jacquard | Hotel | 75 |
| Lutece Hotel | 5 rue Langeac | Hotel | 84 |
| Mary's Hotel | 15, Rue de Malte | Hotel | 75 |
| Median Paris Congres | 6/8 Bvd de Douaumont | Hotel | 63 |
| Metropole Lafayette | 204 Rue La Fayette | Hotel | 58 |
| Mister Bed City-Bagnolet | 2 avenue du Général de Gaulle BAGNOLET-Paris | Hotel | 66 |
| Modern Hotel | 121, Rue du chemin vert | Hotel | 63 |
| Modern Hotel la Fayette | 60 rue La Fayette | Hotel | 64 |
| Montmartre Apartment | 139 Avenue de Saint Ouen | Apartment | 66 |
| Montmartre Apt | 17 rue Rodier 75009 Paris | Apartment | 90 |
| Montmartre Pigalle Apartment | Abbesses | Apartment | 94 |
| Neuilly Park Hotel | 23 Rue Madeleine Michelis | Hotel | 93 |
| New Hotel Opera | 4 rue de Liege | Hotel | - |
| New Hotel Roblin | 6, rue Cheauvau Lagarde | Hotel | - |
| New Hotel Saint Lazare | 53 rue d Amsterdam | Hotel | - |
| Nouvel Hotel Eiffel | 5, rue des Volontaires 75015 | Hotel | 80 |
| Oops | 50 Avenue des Gobelins | Hostel | 77 |
| Paname Hôtel Bastille | 64, rue Crozatier 75012 Paris | Hotel | 78 |
| Paris Hotel Le Mediterraneen | 93, Rue de Charenton | Hotel | 79 |
| Paris Namdemun Guesthouse | 23, Rue Dalou Vitry sur Seine Paris | Guesthouse | 64 |
| Pavillon Monceau-Palais des Congres | 25 rue de Saussure | Apartment | 75 |
| Pavillon Pereire Arc de Triomphe*** | 51 Boulevard Pereire | Hotel | 70 |
| Pavillon Porte de Versailles | 37, Rue du Hameau | Hotel | 91 |
| Peace & Love Hostel | 245 Rue La Fayette 75010 | Hostel | 70 |
| Pension Residence du Palais | 78 rue d' Assas | Hotel | 87 |
| Perfect Hostel | 39 rue Rodier, 75009 | Hostel | 78 |
| Prelude Hotel Gare du Nord | 73 Rue de Dunkerque | Hotel | 81 |
| Residence de la Tour | 43, avenue Pierre Larousse 92240 Paris-Malakoff | Hotel | 74 |
| Residence Les Lys du Pecq | 3-5-7, rue de l'Ermitage, Le Pecq | Apartment | 40 |
| Rive Gauche | 25 rue des Saints Pères 75006 | Hotel | 70 |
| Sacre Coeur Apartment | 135 Rue du Mont Cenis | Apartment | 48 |
| SAS Hotel de France Quartier Latin | 108 rue Monge 75005 | Hotel | 77 |
| Square Caulaincourt | 2 Square Caulaincourt 75018 | Hostel | 75 |
| St. Christopher's Paris | 159, rue de Crim�e Paris | Hostel | 83 |
| Stade De France Apartment | 67 Rue De Le Chapelle 75018 Paris | Apartment | 55 |
| Studio Fontaine | 40, rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud | Apartment | - |
| Suites By MDB | Allée des Vergers Roissy-en-France | Apartment | 89 |
| The 3 Ducks | 6 Place Etienne Pernet | Hostel | 62 |
| Touraine Opéra | 73, rue Taitbout | Hotel | 90 |
| Villa des Princes | 19, Rue Monsieur le Prince,75006 | Hotel | 94 |
| Vintage Hostel | 73, Rue de Dunkerque | Hostel | 77 |
| Woodstock Hostel | 48 rue Rodier 75009 | Hostel | 64 |
| Young & Happy | 80 rue Mouffetard 75005 | Hostel | 70 |
Paris offers numerous opportunities for doing a study at one of its universities. Some of the main ones include:
France has one of the best internet infrastructure in the world and high speed internet access is available in all parts of the city. Most of the hotels and hostels also have and offer free Wi-Fi internet access.
Additionally, the Mairie of Paris offers free Wi-Fi connection for everyone all over the city, of which connection points may be found at parks and gardens, libraries, museums and town halls for each arrondissements. At areas where access point is available, look for the network called "Orange" and select "Paris wi-Fi 2h" pass.
See also: International Telephone Calls
The international dialing code for France is +33 and the area code for Paris is 01 (mobile phone has the code of 06). French telephone number is made up of 10 digits including the area code, usually written in a set of 5 pairs of digit (i.e. 01 xx xx xx xx). To dial an international number from France to abroad, the IDD is 00, followed by the country code that you wish to dial, the area code and the phone number.
The most common way to obtain cell phone access in France, renting a cell phone, is also the most expensive and inconvenient. There are many cell phone rental companies that offer service for France. You will need to rent a handset for the required amount of time plus pay for the airtime usage. Cell phone rental agencies are commonly found in most international airports.
Another option is to "roam" with your current mobile service provider, the rates will be more of less comparable to the cell phone rental option but the procedure is usually less cumbersome.
The third approach, although the least known, is by far the most cost-effective for obtaining cellular service while in France. Basically, this solution is to use one of the cellular providers in France. One of the greatest benefits with this option is being able to receive unlimited free incoming calls from anywhere in the world.
The post office or La Poste in Paris is also referred to as the PTT. The mailboxes are painted bright yellow and often there is a slot for local city mail and another slot for ‘outside mail’. Normally there is a queue in the post office, but most of the post offices have the self service machine installed which is quite easy to operate. Nowadays many of the ‘Tabac’ shops and even some of the souvenir shops also sell postage stamps. Normally an overseas postcard costs almost as much as sending a letter. Mails sent in France also have a zip code. The first two numbers represent the ‘department’. In Paris’s case that would be 75. The last numbers represent the arrondissement.
There are nearly 200 post offices in Paris. They are generally open from 8am to 7pm Monday through Friday, and 8am to noon on Saturdays. Apart from the basic job of mailing letters, most of the post offices do some banking activities also and some even have photocopy machines and cyber cafes for internet access.
The main post office in Paris on 52 rue du Louvre opens 24/7 and never closes. However, the number of services available during the night is reduced to postal and telephone/fax services only, so banking activities (e.g. buying postal orders) are not available until normal operating hours.
This is version 97. Last edited at 22:23 on Nov 7, 09 by lil_lil (+91). 198 articles link to this page.

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