About Paris
Paris has long inspired opinionated
outbursts, from delusional to denouncing, but on one matter
travellers remain in agreement: it's among the most stimulating
cities in the world. Paris assaults all the senses, demanding
to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and smelt. From luminescent
landmarks to fresh poodle droppings on the pavement, the
city is everything it should be - the very essence of
all things French. If you come here expecting all you've
heard to be true, you won't leave disappointed.
Area: 105 sq km (41 sq
mi)
Population: 2.2 million in the city; 9.4 million in
the Île de France area
Elevation: 27m (90ft)
Country: France
Time Zone: GMT/UTC plus 1 hour
Telephone area code: 1
Orientation
Both the capital of the nation and of the historic
Île de France region, Paris is located in northern
central France, 265km (165mi) south-west of Brussels,
295km (185mi) south-west of Luxembourg and 510km (315mi)
west of Stuttgart. The city centre - known as Intra-Muros,
or within the walls - is bisected by the River Seine.
The area north of the river, the Rive Droite (Right
Bank), includes the tree-lined Avenue des Champs-Élysées,
running west to the Arc de Triomphe. East of the avenue
is the massive Musée du Louvre, the Centre Georges
Pompidou and a lively district of museums, shops, markets
and restaurants. Immediately south of the Pompidou Centre
on the Île de la Cité is the world-famous
hunchback hangout, Notre Dame. The area south of the
river, the Rive Gauche (Left Bank), is home to the city's
most prominent landmark, the Eiffel Tower. To the east,
in the Saint Germain de Prés and Montparnasse
districts, Paris' famous academic, artistic and intellectual
milieus waft in and out of focus through a haze of Gitanes
smoke.
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