It is impossible not to fall in love with Paris. The city’s people are stylish and flirtatious, its architecture seductive, its restaurants and nightlife devoted to the pursuit of pleasure and its streets are scattered with dreams.

There is no ‘best time’ to visit Paris; in every season the city is always alive. Summer days are spent lazing on the banks of the Seine, sipping coffee at a sidewalk café, or idling in one of the city’s many gardens or forests. In autumn afternoons the brisk walk from the Eiffel Tower through the Parc du Champ de Mars and up to the glittering Champs Elysées is accompanied with a carpet of leaves crunching underfoot. Winter nights induce a warm glow ice-skating in the outdoor rink at the Hotel de Ville, and in spring the passions of performers fill the air outside the Pompidou Centre and the nose is tickled with the subtle scents of flowering gardens.

There is an otherworldliness to this city, where beauty and elegance are favoured over purpose and practicality. Centuries of urban development have the appearance of having being mastered by a single hand with a strong sense of balance, contrast and aesthetics. The views from the Eiffel Tower or Sacré Coeur reveal hundreds of iconic attractions for the snapshot visitor, but the best way to see this city is by tucking your map back in your pocket and allowing yourself to get lost on its streets and avenues, discovering the city for yourself.

Paris Orly Airport (ORY)

Location: The airport is nine miles (14km) south of Paris.

Time: GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).Contacts: Tel: +01 48 62 22 80.

Transfer between terminals: The two terminals are linked by a free shuttle bus.

Transfer to the city:RER trains leave regularly from both terminals and connect to the metro and SNCF train stations. A number of bus services also operate from both terminals.

Car rental: All the major car rental companies are represented at the airport.Taxis: There are taxis outside the arrival terminals and the taxi fare to the city centre is generally €35.

Facilities: There are a number of shops, bars and restaurants throughout the airport and both terminals have ATMs, banks and currency exchange services. Other facilities include information desks, an art gallery, left luggage, and a medical centre offering vaccinations. Internet access points and wireless Internet access is available, and a business centre offers a venue and equipment for business needs. Disabled passengers are well catered for; passengers with special needs are advised to inform their airline in advance.

Attractions

Being a most popular tourist destination, Paris sees over 30 million foreigners a year. There are numerous iconic landmarks to explore as well as many world famous institutions and popular parks. Some sights are visible from many parts of the city, such as the Tour Montparnasse, the Eiffel Tower and the Basilique du Sacre-Cœur.

Take a trip to the Louvre and marvel at Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or the Venus de Milo, do a spot of shopping on the Champs-Elysées and have a look at the Arc de Triomphe in the Place de l’Étoile circus. Paris is simply brimming with museums and the Invalides Museum is a great place for culture seekers and is the burial place of many great French soldiers, including Napoleon Bonaparte. There are a few other clerical masterpieces to behold besides Notre-Dame, such as the Gothic 13th-century Sainte-Chapelle palace chapel.

Stroll through the Jardin des Plantes, Paris’ first public garden, created by Louis XIII’s doctor for the cultivation of medicinal plants, or for an action-packed day of fun, head over to Disneyland. The Pompidou Centre is a must-see, housing the Musée National d’Art Modern, while the square to the west of the building attracts a varied assortment of street performers. With its history, culture and countless attractions, Paris has something for just about everyone.

Eiffel Tower

Gustave Eiffel, the architect of the Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) could never have guessed that it would become Paris’s signature sight and attract more than six million visitors a year. It was built as a temporary structure to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution and was opened by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England. It was considered an eyesore by many and there were petitions to have it pulled down. It was saved only because it had become an important antenna for telegraphy. It towers 984ft (300m) above the Champ de Mars and until 1930 was the world’s tallest building. The highest of its three levels offers a wonderful panoramic view over Paris.

Notre-Dame

Notre-Dame looms large over the Place de Parvis, on the Isle de la Cité, and is the most enduring symbol of Paris. Built between 1163 and 1345 the Cathedral is considered one of the of the world’s Gothic masterpieces. The massive interior can seat 6,000 and it is dominated by three spectacular and enormous rose windows and a vast 7,800-pipe organ. The 387-step climb to the top of the towers is worth the effort for the panoramic view of the city and the close-up views of the famous gargoyles. The tower also holds the great bell that was rung by Quasimodo, the fictional hunchback. Opposite the North door is a museum that displays the Cathedral’s history, while under the square in front of the Cathedral is the crypt that houses Notre-Dame’s archaeological museum.

Musée National Picasso

The Picasso Museum is situated in a 17th-century mansion in the heart of Paris. The collection was started in 1973, after the French government accepted Picasso’s own collection in lieu of death duties, and was added to after his widow’s death in 1990. All the phases of work from the Paris-based artist are represented including his paintings, drawings, ceramics, sculptures and even poetry. Memorable works include the self-portrait Paolo as Harlequin and Nude in an Armchair. Most of Picasso’s great paintings however are owned by and housed in foreign museums or are in the hands of private collectors.Address: Hôtel Salé, 5 Rue de Thorigny

Musée Rodin

The Rodin Museum is situated near the Musée d’Orsay and is housed in what was once the Hôtel Biron, the beautiful hotel where Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) once lived and worked. Inside are many of Rodin’s great marble sculptures including The Kiss and The Hand of God while outside, in the garden, are famous bronzes including The Thinker. The museum also includes many works by Camille Claudel, Rodin’s pupil and mistress, and paintings by Van Gogh, Renoir, Manet and Rodin himself.Address: 77 Rue de Varenne

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