Honeymooners
Nothing says "romance" more than Paris.

Families
Museums, parks, markets, and history all combine to make a great family vacation.

Transfers
Transfers between the airport and hotel are not included in your vacation package, but are available for purchase in either a motorcoach, minibus, or private car.

Subway
Paris’s Metro, or subway, is the quickest way to get around the city and no matter where you are, there will be a Metro station within easy walking distance, as there are 13 lines and more than 300 stations throughout the city. Tickets can be purchased individually, in a 10-ticket packet, or as a multiple-day use pass. Metro tickets can also be used on city buses, the RER within Paris, and also the funicular to the top of Montmartre. To find the right train, determine your destination and then, on the map, visually follow the Metro line to the end of the route and note that station’s name. This end station name marks the train’s direction and is the sign you’ll follow in the Metro stations and the name that will be on the train. Some of the stations and the entrances are literally, works of art. The Paris Metro is very safe, but always be on the watch for pickpockets.

Taxi
Taxis are great for when you need to get to a specific address and don’t know exactly where it is. Taxis charge almost double at night as what they charge during the day, plus there is always a supplement for each piece of luggage. Taxis can be found at taxi stands throughout the city. Tip about 12-15%.

Walking
Paris is a wonderful city for walking — wandering through little alleyways and squares and stopping for a snack or just to window shop. The city is relatively flat, except near Montmartre, and there are sidewalk cafés on just about every street for you to stop and rest if you need.

Car
Renting a car is not recommended in Paris, unless you are going out of the city. The streets are narrow, parking is all but impossible to find, and the Metro is much more efficient and faster.

For food and wine connoisseurs, nothing surpasses Paris. Tiny bistros, world-famous restaurants, and even streetside crêperie stands all offer a tantalizing treat for the taste buds. Here are some well-regarded restaurants. It is always recommended to make reservations.

• Café Marly
  Offering the best view of the Louvre pyramid from its terrace, Café Marly is the place to see and be seen. Enjoy a tasty sandwich and watch the world go by. 1st arrondissement.
• Dans le Noir?
  Blind servers will escort you from the lit bar to the pitch-black dining room where your senses of taste and smell will be heightened to enjoy the innovative modern cuisine. 4th arrondissement.
• La Maison du Chocolat
  For lovers of life's tastiest treats, La Maison du Chocolat offers wonderful truffles, cocoa, and ganaches. 9th arrondissement.
• Le Jules Verne
  Feast your eyes upon amazing city views from 410 feet above ground at the Eiffel Tower. Accessed by its own private elevator, Chef of the Century Alain Ducasse creates an unmatched dining experience. 7th arrondissement.
• Pinxo
  A (relatively) low-cost alternative to superchef Alain Dutournier's Carré des Feuillants, Pinxo encourages patrons to share their starters and platters. Enjoy beef, goose, foie gras, seafood, and other creations. 1st arrondissement.
• Senderens
  Chef Alain Senderens, one of those credited for inventing Nouvelle cuisine, was awarded three Michelin stars for 28 straight years but gave them up to allow more creativity and reduce the average guest check. 8th arrondissement.
• Stohrer
  Opened by the pastry chef of King Louis XV and serving Easter eggs to the Queen of England as recently as 2004, Stohrer serves specialties including the baba au rhum or puits d'amour. 2nd arrondissement.
• Wagon Bleu
  Dine in luxury aboard a former railway carriage from the Orient Express. Enjoy only the freshest and best ingredients that prepare a traditional, seasonal menu. 17th arrondissement.

If you are in the mood for something other than French food, try out Anahuacalli (5th) for great Mexican food or Chez Vincent (19th) for abundant and tasty Italian food.

Nightlife in Paris can be anything from a quiet wine bar to a pulsating nightclub, the opera, or a show-stopping performance at the Paradis Latin. For a listing of what is going on, check out the English-language weekly, "Pariscope."

Tickets to many shows and performances can be purchased at many places. The best place to buy tickets is either at the theater box office, or at a discount agency like Kiosque Theatre, which sells tickets for about half price on the day of the performance.

Best buys can be found on perfumes, makeup, and beauty treatments sold under drugstore brands such as Bourjois, Lierac, Galenic, and Vichy. Duty-free shops in the city offer better values than the duty-free shops at the airport.

One of the best flea markets, and where the term "flea market" originated, is at Marché Aux Puces de Clignancourt. More than 2,500 stalls sell everything from buttons to furniture. Other great markets are Marché Buci and Marché Biologique, both in the 6th arrondissement, and the Rue Montorgueil market, behind Saint-Eustache church in the 1st arrondissement.

For stylish, less expensive clothes head to Monoprix and Prisunic. The major department stores are Galeries Lafayette, the largest in Europe; Bon Marché; and Printemps with several branches throughout the city. Just wandering through the aisles is fun enough.

Souvenirs can be found along the Rue de Rivoli, under the arcades or at the print and painting stalls along the Seine.

The V.A.T. refund process only works if you spend about $200 in one store, so if shopping for a lot of things, try to do most of your purchasing in one store.

There is always something happening in and around Paris — from local events to the latest exhibit at a museum. Here are some ways to keep you entertained while on your vacation:

The Grande Parade de Paris
January 1. A new parade route is followed each year.

Marathon International de Paris
April. An annual marathon.

The French Open at Roland Garros
May – June. Two weeks of tennis on clay courts.

Tour de France
July. The world’s main cycling competition.

Bastille Day
July 14. Celebrations will be happening all over the country on Bastille Day, a national holiday commemorating the start of the French Revolution.

Antique Fair
Late September. The prestigious biennial antique fair takes place at the Carrousel du Louvre with more than 100 antique dealers and jewelers.

La Villette Jazz Festival
September. A weeklong festival of well-known artists and emerging talent.

Fête des Vendanges
Autumn. Wine lovers will enjoy this annual celebration of the wine harvest with a parade through Montmartre.

Common Courtesy
When communicating with the locals, use the magic words "bonjour" (hello), "s'il vous plaît" (please), and "merci" (thank you) to impress the Parisians in their own language. Also, don't be surprised to see men and women greeting each other with four kisses on the cheek, it's typical of the city and a mark of friendship. However, for people you've just met, a firm handshake is the way to go.

Bring the Family
Paris is a family-friendly city with all of its neighborhoods and timeless monuments. Kids will love seeing the city from the 905-foot-tall Eiffel Tower, looking for a well-known bell-ringer and the spooky gargoyles of Notre-Dame, and more. Take the Musée d'Orsay's "family" tour, which includes storytelling and movie sessions guaranteed to enthuse people of all ages.

Romance
Paris has a well-known reputation as being one of the most romantic cities in the world and is apparent at the "I Love You" wall at Abbesses. Here, artist Frédéric Baron has gathered samples of 1,000 "I love you's" written in more than 300 languages and placed them on a wall so everyone can reflect on the universal nature of love.

French Countryside
Don't forget the beauty of the French countryside. The WorldVacations France Country Stays program allows you to design your own itinerary and discover the beauty of France as you wish with the Bed & Breakfast Guesthouses and a Hotelpass program. See everything from the beaches of Normandy, the Loire Valley, and the Mediterranean.

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