Table of Contents

1 THE BEST OF PARIS 1 The Most Unforgettable Paris Experiences 3

The Most Unforgettable Food & Drink Experiences 5

The Best Museums 7

The Best Family Experiences 9

The Best Free & Dirt Cheap Paris 11

The Best Historic Experiences 13

The Best Local Experiences 15

The Best Neighborhoods for Getting Lost 17

2 PARIS IN DEPTH 19

Paris Today 20

THE NEW PARISIANS 25

The Making of Paris 27

A DIVIDED CITY 30

DATELINE 44

When to Go 48

PARIS CALENDAR OF EVENTS 49

Responsible Tourism 54

3 SUGGESTED PARIS ITINERARIES 56

City Layout 57

Neighborhoods in Brief 58

Suggested Itineraries 67

Iconic Paris 67

Hemingway & 1920s Paris 71

Parisian Architecture Through the Ages 73

4 EXPLORING PARIS 76

Paris’s Top 14 Sights & Attractions 77

The Right Bank 78

The Left Bank 121

TIME OUT AT THE TOWER 140

KIKI DE MONTPARNASSE 142

Beyond Central Paris 143

Especially for Kids 145

Outdoor Pursuits 147

Sights & Attractions by Theme 150

Walking Tour 1: Montmartre 153

Walking Tour 2: The Latin Quarter 159

Walking Tour 3: The Marais 165

5 STROLLING AROUND PARIS 152

6 WHERE TO EAT 175

Best Restaurant Bets 177

PRICE CATEGORIES 177

The Right Bank 178

The Left Bank 209

IN PURSUIT OF THE PERFECT PARISIAN PASTRY 226

Family-Friendly Restaurants 228

The Top Cafes 228

Restaurants by Cuisine 231

Practical Matters: The Restaurant Scene 234

7 SHOPPING 237

Les Halles, Louvre & Palais Royal (1er & 2e) 238

Le Marais, Ile St Louis & Ile de la Cité (3e & 4e) 239

Champs-Élysées & Western Paris (8e, 16e & 17e) 239

Opéra & Grands Boulevards (9e) 240

Pigalle & Montmartre (18e) 240

République, Bastille & Eastern Paris (11e & 12e) 241

Belleville, Canal St-Martin & Northeast Paris (10e, 19e & 20e) 241

Latin Quarter (5e & 13e) 241

St-Germain-des-Près & Luxembourg (6e) 241

Eiffel Tower & Nearby (7e) 242

Montparnasse & Southern Paris (14e & 15e) 242

Malls & Markets 242

Shopping A to Z 245

Practical Matters: The Shopping Scene 266

8 ENTERTAINMENT & NIGHTLIFE 269

The Performing Arts 270

The Bar Scene 275

The Club & Music Scene 280

The Gay & Lesbian Scene 286

Alternative Entertainment 288

Spectator Sports 288

Best Paris Hotel Bets 292

PRICE CATEGORIES 292

WHAT YOU’LL REALLY PAY 293

The Right Bank 293

FRANCE’S PALACE HOTELS 296

The Left Bank 319

Near the Airports 336

Practical Matters: The Hotel Scene 337

9 WHERE TO STAY 291

10 SIDE TRIPS FROM PARIS 340

Versailles 341

Chartres 351

Giverny 356

Auvers-Sur-Oise 359

Disneyland Paris 362

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS 366

Fontainebleau 368

Vaux-Le-Vicomte 372

11 PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO PARIS 377

Getting There 378

Special-Interest Trips & Tours 381

Getting Around 384

FAST FACTS 389

12 USEFUL TERMS & PHRASES 399

French-Language Terms 399 Basic Menu Terms 408

Index 412