Who could ask for more than to have the gastronomic capital of Paris as a campus! You will be able to explore the open air markets, enjoy a leisurely afternoon in a sidewalk café, take a midnight boat ride on the Seine, and discover your own culinary finds from specialty shops to restaurants. La vie est belle !
Left & Right Banks
Historically, the Left Bank of the river Seine (which divides Paris) was known as a centre for arts and culture while the Right Bank was associated with business, finance and the city's more upscale districts. The Bastille, Opera House and art gallery Centre Georges Pompidou are on the Right Bank while most of the city's universities, jazz venues and "philosophical cafés" are on the Left Bank, as are the designer boutiques and chic restaurants of St-Germain-des-Prés.
Districts
Champs-Elysées
The Avenue extends from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. There are many airline companies, luxury shops and upscale restaurants on the avenue, as well as movie theatres, fast-food restaurants and chain stores. There are shops and businesses in the many side streets, particularly the ready-to-wear and couture boutiques of Avenue Montaigne. Metro : Champs Elysées, Charles de Gaule Etoile, George V, Franklin Roosevelt and Concorde.
Louvre & Tuileries
This is the area bordered by Place de la Concorde, the Jardin des Tuileries and the Musée du Louvre once constituted the royal residence of Louis XIV. The city’s prestigious hotels, shops and jewellers are here, notably at Place des Victoires and Place Vendôme and along rue du Faubourg-St- Honoré. Occupied mostly by luxury hotels and art and antique dealers, the arcades of rue de Rivoli lead east to the Palais-Royal and Théâtre de la Comédie Française. Metro : Madeleine, Concorde and Louvre Palais Royal.
Beaubourg & Les Halles
The Centre Georges Pompidou and large Forum des Halles shopping area are here, along with many cafes, brasseries and restaurants, which make this a popular social spot, especially at night. This area is also home to the French stock exchange (Bourse du Commerce), St-Jacques Tower, St-Eustache Church and the Vidéothèque de Paris. Metro:Hôtel de ville or Chatelet.
L'Ile de la Cité & l'Ile Saint-Louis
These two islands of the river Seine are linked by the Pont St-Louis. The larger of the two – Ile de la Cité – houses Notre-Dame, the Sainte-Chapelle, Conciergerie and Palais de Justice. The flower and bird markets are near metro station Cité and there are interesting restaurants bordering Place Dauphine. Quaint shops and restaurants line the narrow streets of Ile Saint-Louis. Metro:Saint-Michel, Pont Marie or Cité.
Le Marais
This district groups some unusual galleries, shops, cafés and restaurants. It is a fashion designer’s borough too. Points of interest include the city hall (Hôtel de Ville), Musée Picasso, Maison de Victor Hugo, Place des Vosges and a number of registered landmarks including aristocratic residences and churches. Metro: Hôtel de Ville and Saint-Paul
Latin Quarter
So named for the language spoken by university students until the French Revolution, the Latin Quarter is among the city’s most colorful districts. The renowned Sorbonne and Collège de France are here, as well as some prestigious secondary schools. There are many ethnic restaurants and bars in rue de la Hachette and its winding side streets. Boulevard St-Germain has a variety of shops, most notable the book dealer Gibert Joseph. Metro: Luxembourg
St-Germain-des-Prés
This district is bordered roughly by the Seine, Boulevard St-Germain and Boulevard St-Michel. It combines a village atmosphere with the urban chic of the hotels, shops, bars and restaurants that have settled here in recent decades. Tied to a longstanding intellectual tradition, the area still has excellent bookshops, prestigious schools and the famed Café de Flore and Brasserie Lipp. There are several art galleries and jazz clubs. Landmarks include the Musée d'Orsay, Musée de la Monnaie, l'Institut de France and the Palais Abbatial.Metro:Musée d’Orsay, Saint Germain des Prés, Saint Sulpice, Saint placide, Mabillon ou Sèvres-Babylone
Bastille
Memorial to the insurrection of 1830, today the Colonne de Juillet is also synonymous with a young, dynamic district filled with cafés, bars and restaurants staying open and busy till late. There are a number of popular nightclubs and venues behind Place de la Bastille, notably the Havanita Café and Le Balajo in rue de Lappe. The modern Opéra Bastille, Proménade Plantée and shops of the Viaduc des Arts are here. Metro:Bastille
Montparnasse
Controversial at the time of its construction, the 200 meter Tour Montparnasse towers over this district of shops, restaurants, movie theatres and hotels. Once renowned in the international art world, the area lost its importance after WWII but the bohemian legacy of Picasso, Modigliani, Max Jacob and Henry Miller is still evident in the cafe-theatres and restaurants such as La Coupole. Places of interest include the Montparnasse cemetery, Musée de la Poste and Gare Montparnasse. Metro:Montparnasse-Bienvenüe
Opéra & Grands Boulevards
The area from Place de la Madeleine all the way to rue Notre-Dame-des-Victoires is a centre for business and tourist activity. Most of the city's department stores are on Boulevard Haussmann, with many banks and travel agencies on Avenue de l'Opéra. The area is busy by day and night with continual heavy traffic serving the movie theatres and restaurants on Boulevard des Capucines and Boulevard des Italiens. Points of interest include the Musée Grevin, France-Richelieu National Library and a number of shop galleries. Metro:Grands boulevards, Auber, Havre-Caumartin or Gare Saint-Lazare
République
Hotels, stores and chain and fast-food restaurants surround the Place de la République with Moricet's Monument de la République in the square. The Canal St-Martin with its bars and cafes is to the northeast, while to the southeast, not far from the Cirque d'Hiver, and is rue Oberkampf with its clubs, bars and restaurants. Metro:République or Oberkampf
Trocadéro
The neoclassical Palais de Chaillot houses the Musée de la Marine, Musée de l'Homme and Théâtre National de Chaillot. Place de Varsovie and the terraced gardens frame the palace's pools and fountains which make for good views from Pont d'Iéna. On the other side of the complex lies Place du Trocadéro. Metro:Trocadéro or Bir-Hakeim
Tour Eiffel & Invalides
Eiffel Tower is a symbol of Paris, and for many synonymous with France. This district serves as headquarters for a number of embassies and government agencies. The Ecole Militaire and Champ-de-Mars face the Pont d'Iéna. To the east, across from the Pont Alexandre III, is the Hôtel des Invalides with its gilt dome and green lawns. The area also groups the Assemblée Nationale, Palais Bourbon and Hôtel Matignon, which together form the seat of French government. Metro:Invalides or Bir-Hakeim
Chinatown
One of Paris's two major Asian districts is south of rue de Tolbiac, between avenue d'Ivry and avenue de Choisy. The many restaurants of the area offer a variety of pan-Pacific cuisines, especially Vietnamese. There are several shops selling exotic foods and imported gifts, the largest being the Tang Frères supermarket. Metro:Olympiades or Porte d’Ivry
Montmartre
Montmartre is best known for its connection to the arts when, in the late 19th century, it became a center for poets, painters and writers. The area is still known for street entertainment, traditional style bistros and nightlife. The much visited Sacré-Coeur and Place du Tertre are here, as is the Espace Salvador Dali, Musée de Montmartre and Place des Abbesses. Other points of interest include Montmartre's vineyards and cemetery. The city's tallest summit provides a view of the capital. Metro: Blanche, Abbesses or Place Clichy
Parc de la Villette
This post-modern complex houses the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, Cité de la Musique, Zénith concert hall and the Grande Halle de la Villette, where trade fairs and the annual Villette Jazz Festival take place. A variety of events - including free outdoor film screenings - are held outdoors on the lawns in summer. Metro:Porte de la Villette or Porte de Pantin
