Transportation. Of course, many people opt to don a backpack and do most of their sightseeing by foot. However, Paris is large and crowded, and there will be times when only an engine will do. Paris’ public transportation is called the Metro; purchase tickets per ride or buy a pass to save some cash, and use the Metro to get from any one point A to any other point B in a short amount of time. There are also hop-on/hop-off buses that travel all around the city, and which are super easy to use; simply jump on one when you see it and jump off it when you see a place you’d like to stop. If you prefer something a little more old-fashioned, you may take a train (which is also a great way to travel to other parts of Europe from Paris). Of course, as in any big city, taxis are abundant. If you want the stereotypical Paris experience, you may rent a moped to scoot around in style.

Using your money in Paris. France is on the Euro system, and you will need to convert your US dollars to Euros. You can exchange your currency at your hotel front desk, or at any currency exchange office. However, it is actually generally cheapest to do your exchanges at an ATM. Just tell your US bank that you will be making foreign transactions before you leave home. Exchange money as you go, rather than get one huge lump sum, because it will cost you money to exchange your excess Euros back to US dollars when your vacation is over. Or, you may opt to use your credit cards.

What to see. There is a lot to see in Paris, but here are the musts: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Champs D’Elysees, Sacre Coeur, the Moulin Rouge, Arc de Triomphe, Versailles, Latin Quarter, Notre Dame Cathedral, Musee d’Orsay, Hotel des Invalides, the Catacombs, Pantheon, and Place de la Bastille.

When to visit. Any lover of Paris will tell you that the city of lights is charming throughout the entire year. The season you choose to travel is more a matter of personal preference. Just keep in mind that Paris’ high season (summer) is June through October, and its low season (winter) is January to March.

There you have it: the things you need to know when planning your Paris trip. Bon Voyage!

About the Author: Willis Carranco loves traveling the world and will be spending a month in Paris this summer. He and his wife are currently looking for Paris vacation rentals and plan on living the life!

Mont Blanc Guided Walk

This in itself is a rather large excursion, but one that will help you connect to the natural environment of the area and have an experience like no other.  With a guide, you can spend one week traversing the Alps and enjoying spectacular views of lakes, valleys, snow-capped peaks and glaciers.  Along the way, you will be able to enjoy fine eateries, shopping and all the extras without being bagged down (mules carry your luggage for you).  This guided tour is one of the most popular in the French Alps and it is easy to understand why once you have experienced all the beauty it has to offer.

L’Impossible

Originally a barn that dates back to the mid-1700s, L’Impossible is a modern French restaurant near Mont Blanc that specializes in serving all the delicacies that you come to expect with French cuisine.  Enjoy a variety of dishes – including garlic-butter snails, foie gras with quail and pineapple carpaccio – in a beautiful ambiance that features wood, warm candle lighting, gold accentuation and wicker furniture.  You will leave here feeling full, satisfied and even closer to the French experience in the Alps.

Natural History Museum

Located in downtown Grenoble, the Natural History Museum plays host to the showcasing of all the natural flora and fauna in the area. Included in the museum’s tour are exhibits that highlight the native insect population and an aquarium that shows the natural freshwater fish that dwell in many of the lakes and reservoirs in the mountains and valleys.  There is also the piece de resistance: a botanical garden that spans a large area, giving you first-hand access to all the area’s beautiful foliage.

Fort de la Bastille

After leaving the museum, you can cross the highway to visit Fort de la Bastille, an ancient fortification that once safeguarded the city but now showcases breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and countryside.  In order to get to this fort, you will need to ride the ascent lifts (Telepherique Grenoble Bastille) that rise approximately 750 feet (260 m) over the rushing Isere River to the top of the fort.  There are also hiking trails that descend the mountain; they can be accessed from the fort thanks to a series of maps and indicators.

Chambre Neuf

By far the best party bar in the area, Chambre Neuf is located near Mont Blanc (in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc) and gives tourists the ability to kick back and have fun in a lively environment.  You will find some of the best cover bands in the area here, as well as plenty of fun in the form of pre-ski drinking sessions and blondes dancing on tables.  The conversation in the bar normally turns into ski-related talk, but that doesn’t mean non-skiers won’t have fun here.

Photo courtesy of Cherishing the Mundane

The French Alps is a wonderful place to visit so make sure you make your stay extra special by staying in a well equipped holiday rental France.  The Owner’s Direct website has a wide selection of holiday rentals and everything from Morzine accommodation to guesthouses in the mountains can be found.

Sightseeing

Paris is also known for its cafes and restaurants, arts and architecture, theatres and cinemas, and its overall romantic ambiance. Its sights are more than enough to make a library of travel books. One of the most famous sights dominating the city is the Eiffel Tower. Seeing the entire city from the top of the tower during night time is more than magical.

Other attractions include Arc de Triomphe, Grande Arche, Bastille Prison, Palais-Royal, and Elysee Palace. You shouldn’t miss Paris’ museums such as Louvre and Modern Art Museum. The churches are also a must-see – among them is the Cathedrale de Notre-Dame de Paris and the Church of St-Eustache. There are also gardens and quarters which are all equally fascinating.

Shopping

Paris is one of the fashion and shopping capitals of the world where you can find top designer stores. High end shopping centers can be found in avenue Montaigne, Place des Victoires and Rue du Faubourg-St-Honore. Smaller boutiques can be found in St-Germain-des-Pres. For jewellery stores, Vendome and Les Halles have all you need. If you want to buy gifts and souvenirs, Marais has a lot of items in store for you.

If you want great bargains, check out food and flea markets. You can find one at almost any neighborhood. At the north of Paris, you can find the largest flea market in Europe which is the Marche aux Puces se St-Ouen. On the bank of Seine, you will find books, perfumes, chocolates and other goodies that will satisfy your remaining budget for the holidays.

Outdoor Activities

Paris is an active city even during night time. From 10pm to 1 am, people skate around the city. They usually meet below the Montparnasse Tower. The skaters are divided in different areas depending on their proficiency. It is a traditional activity that you shouldn’t pass up.

For water sports, Aquaboulevard Water Sports is the place to be. You can also see the entire city in a different perspective – from a hot air balloon. The take off point is at Fontainebleau. This is an experience that you don’t want to forget when visiting Paris.

Eating Out

When visiting Paris, you will never run out of a place to eat. You can choose from fine dining establishments to corner brasseries. There are also creperies and bistros where you can pick up any type of cheese, bread and pastry. Great restaurants are located in Rue Mouffetard where you can find any cuisine of your choice, all day long.

Traditional French dishes are served in the Left Bank and Right Bank, at the small streets near Louvre, in the Latin Quarter, and Bastille area. For a fine dining experience, nothing beats the Ritz. If you are on a tight budget, Montparnasse and Butte aux Cailles are a favorite.

Theatre

Cinemas, concerts, and theatres are important parts of Paris’ nightlife. Although prices are costly, there are also student rates available. Among the most well-known places in this field are the Odeon Theatre de l’Europe, Champs-Elysees, Cinematheque Francaise, and Opera Bastille. For nights of music and dancing, Le Divane du Monde, Le Caveau de la Huchette and Re de les Lombards are your best bet.

Events

Paris has a lot of cultural festivities to boast of. It is a host of different yearly events such as Festival du Film de Paris and Foire de Paris from March to April. Le Marathon de Paris also happens in April. This city is also home to one of the best New Year’s Eve celebration which is the Reveillon.

Anne is a writer with a love of travel, she often writes about the worlds destinations.

A Paris stay was previously a symbol of high-class and splendour; until vacation rentals grew to become a well known travel option in The old continent. Vacation rental is a phrase in the travel business which means renting out a furnished apartment on a temporary basis as an alternative to hotel accommodation. It’s also labeled holiday homes or short stay apartments. An accommodation in a Paris vacation rental has tremendously altered the everyone’s perception about a holiday vacation in the stated place.

Vacation rentals are fully furnished residence set up with facilities and amenities. Usually every unit has one or two rooms with bathroom, a living room and a kitchen area furnished with appliances. Vacation rentals can be an apartment, a town house or a single separate home or cottage.

Slightly more popular kind of accommodation in Paris is the holiday apartment. These apartments are typically located in ideal places or near the key streets so that valued clients will have less difficult easy route to tourist spots and important modes of transportation. You can find also paris holiday apartments which are situated in less inhabited locations to serve the needs of visitors who favor a more peaceful environment.

Paris holiday apartments are ready for rent on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. The traveller or the customer reserves to rent the residence for a fixed period of time. They could make reservations online, by means of a travel agency or by the time that they are  already in Paris. But the last alternative doesn’t constantly guarantee that one would obtain the opted rental as such form of accommodation has grown to become the preference of numerous.
 
To rent in a Paris vacation rental is much more interesting for many factors. Top factors comprise of: savings on cost, more space or room, no taxes or service fees and no tips. It is also appealing for the people who are interested to enjoy a true Parisian way of living as they acquire to live in a realistic local community and get to deal on a regular basis with the residents. Other advantages consist of convenient areas and greater level of privacy.

Vacation rentals can be obtained from budget studio apartments to grand and costly holiday villas with all the comforts that you’ll find in a hotel. There could be some concerns about staying in vacation rentals but the benefits outnumber the probable downsides. Vacation rentals or holiday apartments are often the better and less costly choice in terms of accommodation in Paris.

Taking A Boat Along The River Seine.

What could be more romantic than floating along the River Seine while enjoying a tasty meal?. Watch the city pass before your eyes as you move along the river. Many people who are planning to pop the question to their loved one will do it this way and with such a romantic setting, they usually get the answer they were looking for.

Taking A Night Time Trip To The Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel tower is the most famous landmark in Paris. It is a romantic place to visit during the day but for best effect this is a place you want to visit at night. When you visit this monument at night you will have to deal with fewer tourists. It really does create a stunning effect when it is all lit up at night.

A Stroll Around Parc Monceau.

Parc Monceau is a peaceful oasis in Paris. This is a wonderful location for an afternoon stroll with the one you love. It is the perfect location for those who want to get away from the busy streets for a while and can be found in the south of Paris. This is a place where many couples will be walking hand in hand. You have to feel a little bit romantic while walking around Parc Monceau; it would be impossible not to.

Today it has become a trend for more people to drive in their car over to their foreign holiday destination. Lots of individuals head straight to the south coast for thedover to calais boat. This often saves worrying about driving through the tunnel and worrying about disneyland paris tickets. At the end of the day there isn’t a better way of getting in some city breaks europe?

  – Beynac is a feudal village that can be found along the banks of the Dordogne River. The movie Chocolat was filmed in part is this picturesque area so you may already have an idea of what it is like. There is a magnificent castle overlooking the area and it really is like something from a fairytale. You really are missing a truly spectacular area of France if you have never been here.

– Mont St Michel is on a tiny island that can be walked to when the tide is out. This island has some tiny cobbled streets which are amazing and the abbey is probably one of the most famous in the whole of France. If you really want to get the most from this fantastic location then you should come when there are not so many tourists.

– Right in the heart of the French Riviera lies Nice and this town has everything that you would expect from a coastal town. There are many outdoor cafes here where you can spend time relaxing or you can take some really lovely long walks. Nice was probably one of the first tourist destinations that there ever was and you will find that many tourists still come here every year.

– Alsace is a town which has been ruled by both France and Germany many times over the years and because of this you will find a unique blend of both cultures. The buildings in this town offer a look at what is possible when you mix European cultures together – it really is a special place.

It is a lot of fun getting an English ferry (ferry angleterre) when visiting England. Quite often though, people enjoy using the Channel Tunnel (tunnel sous la manche). Anybody interested in staying in England (sejour angleterre), these ways are the best means of getting there.

– The whole world envy’s France their sophisticated culture. They have this knack of doing things that the rest of us around the world just want to emulate. Most of us would struggle to be as chic as the French and for them it is almost effortless. The shopaholic will absolutely adore going to France to do a bit of shopping.

  – There are numerous geographical features in and around France as well as a huge variety of scenery. You can enjoy the extremes by skiing in the snow in the Alps or sunbathing in the south of France. There are unique features and attractions in almost every part of France.

– It is really easy to get from one part of France to another because of the great infrastructure. France has a fantastic rail network with many high speed trains which can take you across the country in a really short space of time. The French roads are also easy to drive on.

– French food is admired around the world and you have to go there to sample the real thing. There is so much variety and plenty of choice and each part of the country has different dishes for you to sample. French cheese is also something that you should try as well.

– French wine is also another great reason to visit; you will find so many great options that you won’t know which to choose. And don’t forget to take some bottles home with you because it is very cheap to buy wine in France.

Tickets for England, Eurotunnel tickets and London tickets (billet eurotunnel) are essential for your journey to England (voyage angleterre). As well as this, you want to be thinking about your English hotel stay (hotel angleterre).

Next, we share some fascinating  attractions and things to do.  You’ll also  find some interesting tendencies  for this interesting locations as well as great lodging options.

Reputed for such famous sites as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris has much more to offer than these popular tourist places. Fashionable boutiques, elegant restaurants and charming districts make up Paris making it one of the most popular holiday destinations on earth. Check below to read about Paris’ places of interest.

Maybe the first place that most Paris tourists consider to visit is the Louvre museum. It is a location where you can see the most amazing and valuable masterpieces of the world, like the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and Madonna of the Rocks. It’s almost 35,000 pieces including Egyptian antiquities, Greek and Roman art, Islamic pieces, besides paintings and drawings. It is impossible for anyone to appreciate everything in just one visit. Please, plan more than one visit or choose your primary areas of interest.

Fans of modern architecture should visit La Defense, one of the largest and business centres in the world. Located one and a half miles west of the city, La Defense boasts many spectacular modern buildings such as the Great Arch which perfectly lines up with the historical Arch of Triumph from Champs-Elysees. This area is easily reachable by subway.

If you are looking for beautiful art studios, eccentric cafes and a lot of amazing architectural landmarks such as Basilique du Sacre-Coeur, Montmartre is the place to visit. Have you heard about Moulin Rouge and Café des Deux Moulins? You will see those famous places there. People who love art need to visit Espace Dali museum.

Champs- Elysees is a seventeenth century garden -promenade that connects the Concorde and Arch of Triumph. This scenic avenue is perfect for a romantic walk and is also known for its numerous elegant boutiques, movie theaters and cafes. This city’s major shopping spot has been called "the most beautiful avenue in the world".

Sixty-one percent of the vacation planners showed curiosity about comparison shopping among Paris vacation rentals, bed breakfasts, motels, and hotels.  61 percent were also interested in getting offers from vacation houses, condos, guesthouses, inns, and hotels near Paris including Ile De France, Bagnolet, St Ouen, Montrouge, Pantin, Vanves, Vincennes, Clichy, Levallois Perret, Charenton Le Pont, Issy Les Moulineaux, Neuilly Sur Seine, Boulogne Billancourt, Boulogne, Asnieres, and Bobigny.

A market research shows that those careful and conscious vacationers who began their visit planning two or more months prior to their arrival to their Paris places to stay represented the 36 percent. Traditional travelers sent their lodging request one to two months in advance and they represented the 31 percent. Typical tourists that like to wait until the last moment, represented the 33 percent.

In accordance with a study, probably the most preferred vacation topic in Paris is, obviously, romance. Those loving couples looking for a place to stay in Paris for two represented the 31 percent of the lodging requests. Groups of more than four adults represented the 14 percent, families with kids the 21 percent and lastly, those travelling alone, the 19 percent.

In these troubled economic times, most travelers are looking for comparison shopping among different lodging solutions before determine where to stay.

For instance, below there’s two great lodging options to explore:

Paris France Holiday Apartment: Quiet treed courtyard apt in 13th district in a lived-in setting surrounded by bakeries, pastry shops, restaurants, fruit & vegetable stands, a twice-weekly open air market, and within a five minute walk of the Seine and the Simone de Beauvoir foot bridge to Parc Bercy, the Bibliotheque Nationale, a cine complex on Ave de France, the 14 Metro and RER C, the Paris vacation rental provides the best of two worlds: life with Parisians with easy access to the familiar touristic sites; in addition to the Metro and the RER, two city buses stop within a few feet of the street entrance to the Paris vacation apartment. For more information, photos and a practical inquiry form to contact the owner directly, please visit rentalo.com, property ID#303804.

Paris France Holiday Studio: Featured on the Fine Living Television Show Special Around the World In 80 Homes.This romantic Paris apartment is located in what has recently become a very trendy neighbourhood called So-Pi ( South of Pigalle ) out of the tourist area, yet within a five-minute walk of Montmartre and Sacre Coeur. The apartment looks out on a little garden, and is free from any street noise. As you stroll the surrounding area, you will find both hip and traditional restaurants, shops, and craftsmen nearby. And just two blocks away is a full-size swimming pool. For more info, pictures and a useful form to deal with the owner directly, please log into property ID#2205 at rentalo.com.

Summer is almost here. With summer comes your children running round the house, watching TV and struggling with each other. Maybe, it’s a nice idea to bring them on a summer holiday to France. You are likely thinking that you are unable to afford the airfare to France. But fret about the cost of the airfare later, first consider the experience your youngsters will have when they get to travel to France.

You do not need to wait for a season to visit France, it’s a beautiful country each season. However, during summer you can enjoy the French countryside, take the air along the French coast, eat varied French food and enjoy varied other attractions the country has to offer. Winter time vacation in France is also something worth doing. Paris stays beautiful irrespective of the season. The Eiffel Tower, the Seine stream and the Notre Dame remain the best spots to visit in France.

You’re always bound to find affordable airflight tickets to France without regard for the season. Here is a tip, look for the exit dates on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for the best tips. The best months to visit France if you wish to get the best airfare deals are the months of January, February and March.

Try visiting also France vacation to get more information about dirt cheap airline tickets to visit France. You also need to know how to pay your cheap airline tickets to France using prepaid kreditkarten ohne schufa to keep off any troubles, so you will be able to savor your France vacation.

Similar to most places, the airfare prices have a tendency to be stiff during Mondays and especially in the weekends. Clearly, there are far more people traveling to France during these days. Folk from the encircling cities and states would fly to France during weekends and would leave on Mondays. The best way to save cash is to test out flights to big cities in France, compare them before making a choice.

Cheap flights to France mean low season. There are numerous travelers who visit France during spring and autumn season. Plan your trips during winter or summer. Besides, there are lots of things that you can do in France with no regard for the season. The countryside breeze is the best in France during the summer season. By planning an off-season vacation you are will still get to enjoy your holiday as well as enjoy cheap airfare tickets.

Another way to save money from your airfare is to get your ticket from a tiny airline or reduced cost airline. There are plenty of bigger airline firms also who offer discounted tickets in order to compete with cheaper prices. If you are presently staying in Europe, then you can exploit many flights that fly to France. You would have the luxury of choosing from one cheap airfare to another.

The drawback to flying to France on a low-cost carrier is that you’d land in smaller, though less congested, airports. The smaller airports are located outside the big cities. In the end you will have to spend a bit more money to go to a city like Paris if you fly into smaller airports. However, the pricetag is reasonably minimal and you’re saving from your low cost airfare is bigger.