Paris Holidays

Paris in springtime lives up to its reputation: Flowers bloom, cafe culture returns, hotel rates soar. But with a bit of planning, you can find good hotel deals. Summer is peak season, and social calendars fill with festivals and open-air events (many free) -- so be sure to plan well in advance.

Paris gets a makeover in fall: new movies, new fashions and that gorgeous crisp in the air. Fall is low season, and cheap hotel rates in Paris abound.

Winter gets a bad rap; with so many museums, cathedrals and cozy cafes in Paris, November and December might be just your style. Christmas markets start in late November and early December, and the City of Light takes illumination to a whole new level.

Arriving By Air

Of the three international airports located around the French capital, the most likely to welcome your flight to Paris is Charles de Gaulle International. CdG can be difficult to navigate and the separate terminals take a while to travel between, so leave plenty of time to get your bearings.

When you arrive there are a number of ways to reach your hotel in Paris; the RER train is one of the most popular, and takes you to Gare du Nord in just over half an hour, passing by other central destinations. The Roissybus also runs from the airport into central Paris, while Air France has its own collection of shuttles. If you are landing in Orly airport, the Orlybus runs to Métro Denfert-Rochereau.

Taxis

Look for a lit-up 'LIBRE' sign in the window and just put out your hand if you want to hail one of Paris' 15,000 cabs. Taxis are not pricey in themselves but with the city traffic, taking one during the day can quickly become a costly, and frustrating, business.

By Métro

The 16 lines and 300-odd stations of the Paris Metro are the easiest way for tourists to navigate the city. Running from 5 a.m. until the early hours, the service is quick and convenient and a range of ticket options are available: singles, a carnet of tickets, and multi-day tourist passes. The RER service, separate to the metro, runs to the suburbs and also has a number of stops in the city centre.

By Car

Driving in Paris can be hectic but if you feel you are up to the challenge or simply wish to explore the countryside outside the city, check out our Paris car hire options.

How to buy bread in Paris? Look for the longest lines. At Poilane, that's around 4 p.m. when it's fresh out of the oven. And chocolate? Richart, near the Musee d'Orsay. (Go for the liqueur-filled).

Bring your petits enfants on official kids days: They can meet the animals, put on clown makeup, practice tight-rope walking and lunch with the artistes.

Get in early or after 1:30 p.m. to avoid the crowds. Juveniles Lavinia and Legrand Filles et Fils in the Opera district are among the finest.

Dine at this gem located across from the Pompidou. Order the beef stroganoff and cream of lentil soup. For dessert: everything.

Most churches have free musical performances, from classical concerts to organ recitals. Regular concerts are held in St-Julien-de-Pauvre, St-Germain-des-Pres, Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle.

Le Chapeau Melon

The four-course dinner prepared by the chef and the fun atmosphere of this restaurant keep locals returning.

Bistrot Paul Bert

With a wide range of wines, an extensive menu filled with steak dishes, and a classic style, this restaurant is a local favourite.

Old Books Market

Located in Square Georges Brassens, this flea market features hundreds of vendors specializing in rare, used, and hard-to-find books.

Rue Cler

This small street teams with locals who come for the low prices found at various restaurants and specialty shops.

Black Dog

Tucked inside a heavy-metal nightclub, this steakhouse is the type of restaurant that only locals know about.

If your mind is made up to splash out when in Paris, few hotels can compare to the luxury of Hotel De Crillon. From its perfect location on the Place de la Concorde, this 18th century palace sounds out as a building of beauty even in a city as well stocked with architectural treasures as Paris. Meanwhile, gleaming marble floors, shimmering chandeliers and luxurious suites ensure the hotel is as beautiful on the inside as it is from outside. The terrace on top of the building has incredible views of Paris, particularly by night.

Paris is one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities and at the Citadines Paris Place D'Italie Hotel you can get a flavour of the mix of cultures that make the city what it is. Within easy reach of the hotel on foot lie Chinatown, the Latin Quarter and the traditionally French Butte-aux-Cailles. This thriving area of Paris is also close to the new national library (Bibliothque Mitterrand) and the Natural History Museum, as well as a host of bistros.

From the balconies of the Hotel Napoleon the Arc de Triomphe looks almost close enough to touch, a view even the great leader himself would have been pleased with. With such a winning location the shops of the Champs-Elysées and many of Paris' most famous sights are close by to the 101 rooms of this four-star hotel.

The Best Western Jardin de Cluny Hotel offers a green lodging option. This forward-looking hotel has obtained its European Eco-label certification and lies between Notre-Dame and the Sorbonne.

A cafe originally for taxi drivers is not the place you would expect to find haute cuisine, but this is Paris, where even the seemingly mundane can surprise you. Such is the case at Au Rendez-vous des Chauffeurs (11 rue des Portes Blanches). The decor, food and general no-nonsense approach of this brasserie has changed little since a major taxi rank sat across from the entrance and provided the majority of clients. The set menu and old-fashioned Parisian favourites like rabbit and steak tartare are reasonably priced and cater mainly for the legions of regulars who have been eating here for years.

The cuisine is about the only traditional thing at off-the-wall apartment-restaurant Derrière (69 rue des Gravilliers). If you do not feel like eating in the dining room, take your plate to the boudoir, or maybe a more informal setting in the lounge, where you can have a game of ping pong to help the food go down. Make sure you fit in a drink beforehand at the nearby Andy Whaloo bar, which is owned by the same people.

For history buffs the place to eat in Paris is Le Procope (13 rue de l'Ancienne-Comédie, 6e). This cafe has been welcoming the great and the good of Parisian society since the late 17th century and every effort has been made to keep the place true to its past. Surrounded by walls covered in paintings and artefacts, a night here sometimes feels more like eating in a museum than in a restaurant. The menu is full of tradition, the chefs serving up French stalwarts like onion soup and coq au vin.

Health and Hygiene

There are no obligatory vaccinations for a trip to Paris, though it is highly recommended that you update your boosters in the typical schedule. For children it is advisable that the BCG, MMR and hepatitis B injections be administered before travelling. For rabies steer clear of a vaccination but seek treatment promptly after any bite you deem suspect.

The water is drinkable and a large number of brands offer bottled water, including Volvic, Evian, Contrex and Perrier. The health infrastructure is excellent, with everything you would require should a problem arise and a choice between different practitioners.

Important Numbers

General doctor: Dr Bache, 5 rue Leon Cogniet in Paris, 17th arrondissement. Tel 01 47 63 42 07

Emergencies

Medical emergency: dial 15
Fire Brigade: dial 18
Police: dial 17
European emergency number: 112

Safety and Security

Most trips to Paris end trouble-free, but remember that this is a huge city, and some dangers from crime are inevitable. Try not to show off a lot of valuables and stick to well-lit, active areas after dark. Be wary of confidence tricksters at some of the major tourist hotspots.