Paris travel guide

Paris rarely disappoints. Home to beautiful architecture, arresting art and the world’s finest restaurants, only the hard–hearted will leave the City of Light without falling in love.

There is a sense that the people of Paris really know how to live. Lunch is never rushed, the local hairdresser is eternally busy and there is always time for one more glass of red.

It’s impossible not to be captivated when walking down one of Baron Haussmann’s long, wide boulevards or the banks of the Seine at sunset. Stand in the shadow of Montmartre’s Sacré-Cœur and see the city open out in front of you, before repairing for an aperitif.

Everything revolves around food in Paris. You can eat in 3-star, Michelin luxury at Guy Savoy just off of the Arc de Triomphe or sit down over a steaming bowl of bouillabaisse on Rue de Seine and comfortably claim to have eaten the finest food of your life. Whether it’s a local bistro or renowned hotel restaurant, eating is serious business and something to be savoured no matter the time of day.

Head to the Musee Rodin to peer at The Thinker, set among gorgeous gardens which look magnificent whether it’s on a crisp winter afternoon or a hazy summer evening. Take in Monet’s masterpieces at the Musee d’Orsay and battle the crowds at the magnificent Louvre to catch a glimpse of the Mona Lisa.

Literature buffs will find a city steeped in writing. Sink a beer at Les Deux Magots, the café loved and frequented by Hemingway, Sartre, Joyce and Brecht and shop for the finest English language books at Shakespeare and Company. The original closed during the WWII, but this 1960s recreation remains one of Paris’s finest institutions for those who value words highly.

Shop your way around Le Marais and along the classy Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, before partying until dawn at some of Europe’s hippest night spots. And be sure to set a date to return, because when it comes to Paris, once is never enough.

An exciting major event will take place in the city when Paris will be host to the Olympic Games in 2024.