Best Car Rental Paris

History Paris

Paris is thought to date back to around 4200 BC. The city fell to decline with the fall of the Roman Empire, near 5th Century and was largely found abandoned around 400 AD. It did not find re-growth until the end of the Roman rule. The city was controlled by King Clovis the Frank in 508 and was ruled by the Germanic Franks until the Viking invasions had come to Paris in the 9th Century. The city became a capital once again in 987 AD under Hugh Capet; a Paris count who was crowned king of France. Next, came a dark period in Paris history as The Black Death claimed nearly 800 Parisians a day during the Middle Ages and during the Hundred Years War, the city lost its foothold. It was not until Charles VII of France reclaimed the city in 1436 that Paris was once again the National capital.

In 1648, the Parisians rebelled against the Royals, causing the royal family to flee the city, further causing Kind Louis XIV to move permanently the royal residence to Versailles in 1682. The 1800s in Paris were marked by the Russian occupation that ended Napoleon's reign, as well as the Restoration period and were marred by the cholera epidemics 1832 and 1849. In addition, during the 1800s, the Industrial Revolution brought railways to Paris, and the Baron Haussmann created the basic layout of the city. The 1889 universal exposition saw Paris' unveiling of the Eiffel Tower, while the 1900 exposition welcomed the very first Metro line.

The early 1900s were marked by World War I, but after the victory at the Battle of the Marne, the city became the sight of peace negotiations, victory parades, and drew artists from around the world, such as Dali, Hemingway, Picasso, and Stravinsky. German occupation took Paris on June 14, 1940 and stayed until August 1944. Post-war Paris only blossomed more as suburbs expanded, subways were implemented, and new roads were built.

When to go Paris

With temperate climates and year-round activities, there really is no bad time of the year to visit Paris. Paris is full of new life in the spring and is also packed of tourists. The weather is cool (5-11C) with sudden rain showers that will require preparation. April welcomes Easter and Passover as well as the yearly Foire du Trone, which is a fair with rides, games, exhibitions, and food that runs to June. May is warmer and has fewer showers and features the annual Museum Night and the French Open. In July, the Seine gains a beach during Paris Plages (Paris beach) July 21-August 21. An Open-Air Cinema Festival at Parc de la Villette also celebrates the great weather. In August, the warmer temperatures have recently given way to heat waves, which give much welcome to the cool and damp autumn weather in Paris. The Musical Waters of the Chateau de Versailles, which runs to October 31st, is an ongoing light, music, and water show known throughout Europe. The Autumn Festival runs from mid-September to the end of December and features art, cinema, music, and theatre as well. The city has a great Christmas Spirit in December and there are many Christmas markets to enjoy locally that it is well worth visiting. The city is less busy during this time, so attraction queues are much better. The winter is full of romance, as well, when the city celebrates Valentine's Day in February and the continuation of the low season lends to great sightseeing opportunities.

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Weather Paris

The North Atlantic Current gives Paris the standard climate of Western Europe. The city has a mild climate with a moderate amount of rainfall. Rainfall throughout the year in Paris is steady, though not persistent. The city is known to have sudden downpours, so an umbrella is never a bad addition to your items. The summers in Paris are pleasantly sunny and warm with averages of 15 to 25C. Though temperatures have been seen to reach 40C, this is only in extreme cases. The mild spring and autumn weather is quite unstable and travellers should be warned that you should be prepared for both hot and colder weather when visiting at this time, as the changing of seasons can be surprising.

The winters in Paris are darker and cold. The average winter temperatures are about 7C and stay above freezing, though night-time frosts sometimes occur. It is rare that it would snow in Paris and when it does, it does not usually settle. The exception to this would be, as with the summer heat waves, a cold wave that can produce heavy amounts of snowfall.

Arrival Paris

There are three International Airports that service the famous city of Paris. Charles de Gaulle International Airport is located 25 kilometres to the north-east of Paris. Paris Orly Airport is located in the south-west part of the outskirts, just 13 kilometres from the city centre. The final airport, Le Bourget Airport is mainly used for air shows and business jets and is located only 11 kilometres north-east of the city. Low cost travellers sometimes use Beauvais-Tille Airport for Paris travel, as well. This airport is 85 kilometres from Paris, but is served by a few low-cost airlines, making it a popular Budget -travel choice. Holiday goers can also get to Paris by rail. There are six stations around the city, so it is a good idea to know beforehand where you are arriving, as they are not interconnected. The Gare du Nord serves trains from Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Cologne, and the UK. Gare d'Austerlitz welcomes trains from central and south-west France as well as Spain and Portugal. Gare de l'Est is served by trains from Switzerland (Basel and Zurich), Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Kaiserslautern, Saarbrucken, and Luxembourg. Gare de Lyon serves southern and eastern France, Geneva, Bern, and Lausanne, as well as Italy. Overnight Italian trains and those from Auvergne arrive into Gare de Bercy. Normandy is serviced through Gare St Lazare; Trains from the south-west and western part of France come through Gare Montparnasse.

Best locations Paris

While in Paris, many sights are there to be seen. The Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral is impressive and the Chateau de Versailles is full of historical importance as the home of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe are two of the most popular landmark-type locales in the world, which means they are great for picture taking. For those of a more macabre taste, try touring the Catacombs that run beneath the city or the Pere-Lachaise Cemetery, which is incredibly beautiful and ornate and is home to the remains of Oscar Wilde, Frederic Chopin, and Jim Morrison. Paris is well-known for being home to some of the best museums in the world. The Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Picasso Museum, Cluny, Musee Delacroix are just a few of the stunning museums that can be found in Paris. One of the best investments a visitor to Paris can make is to purchase a Paris Museum Pass. The pass includes pre-paid admissions to over 70 museums and monuments in the city. It allows cardholders to skip regular queues, and can be purchased in multiple-day lengths. The Paris Pass is a similar card, which allows admission to the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe and about 60 other attractions. This pass also offers free public transport entry. The list of places to see in Paris is extensive and these two options will allow travellers to see more of the city while eliminating long lines and extra fees.

Nightlife Paris

Paris night-life is varied and holds something for every type of person. Whether you are looking for a laid-back type of spot, where you can spend a little on a low-key night out or a loud dance club, Paris has it for you. Arrondissement 1st is full of jazz clubs while the 3rd and 4th (on The Marais) have a good selection of up-scale trendy bars, casual spots, and even some gay bars. The Rue Mouffetard of the 5th (near the Pantheon) offers caf?s, pubs, and a very hip jazz caf? that is tucked away at the bottom of the hill. Saint Germain des Pres in the 6th is the birthplace of the Paris caf? scene and there are literally hundreds of cafes to sit and sip at while soaking in ambiance.

There are also a number of caf?s and bars in the 10th along Canal St Martin and the 18th area of Montmartre. The 11th is known for an active nigh-tlife scene. Near Bastille, many of the clubs and bars tend to have an American theme, though there are a number of grungy hipster places that stretch from rue Oberkampf into the 20th and rue de Menilmontant and just around the corner in 17th on rue des Dames and des Batignolles. The Quartier Latin (Odeon) is full of hip, chic establishments and is home to small art theatres showing offbeat films as well as classics. Finally, no trip to Paris would be complete without a stop at the Hemingway Bar at the Ritz hotel.

City of destination Paris

Paris is full of events all year round. March is a popular time for fashion-lovers to visit. Paris' Spring Fashion Week is visited by the rich and famous from the world over. The French Tennis Open comes to Paris in May and runs for two weeks and as one of the grand slams it draws in thousands of visitors. Many holidays in Paris are also centred on eating. The city is one of the culinary centres of Europe. The hundreds of bistros with side-walk terraces are nostalgic, but also offer surprisingly delectable meals at reasonable prices. Of course, recent years have brought trendy restaurants that cater to the choosiest of clients. For the best way to enjoy fine dining while staying on a Budget , consider making lunch your main meal, where a lAvish prix-fixe (set menu) meal can be afforded at a fraction of the dinner cost, with all the quality. Paris is also known for shopping. As a great fashion capital, the city has a number of fantastic boutiques along Canal St-Martin in the 8th district. For good deals, consider trying a flea market. There are three in the city and the most famed is called the March aux Puces de St-Ouen. The best time to peruse the second-hand and antique goods and clothing is on the weekends.