Things to do in Paris

About Paris

Paris serves as the global center for art and gastronomy, anchored by the iconic Eiffel Tower [2] and the expansive Louvre Museum [5]. The city is structured around the Seine River, featuring historical landmarks like the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris [126] and the monumental Arc de Triomphe [22]. Visitors frequently gather in green spaces such as the Champ de Mars [251] or the Jardin du Luxembourg [127] to observe the city's distinct Haussmann-era urban planning. It remains a major hub for international diplomacy, fashion, and intellectual history.

Good to know

1. 1

   Paris is divided into twenty administrative districts known as arrondissements, which spiral outward from the city center in a clockwise snail-like pattern.

2. 2

   The city's catacombs contain the remains of over six million people, relocated from overflowing cemeteries during the late 18th century.

3. 3

   Paris maintains a strict height restriction on most residential buildings, which has preserved the city's uniform visual silhouette since the mid-19th century.

4. 4

   There are over 400 public water fountains throughout the city known as Wallace fountains, which provide free, potable drinking water.

5. 5

   The Paris Métro system was one of the first in the world to be designed with a focus on aesthetic Art Nouveau entrances created by architect Hector Guimard.