Paris is world renowned for its stunning beauty and landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. Yet, there are also many other sights to see in Paris that reflect the culture and beauty of this great city in ways far more discrete than towering monuments.
Different quarters throughout Paris are like hidden jewels, reflecting the moods, cultures and flavors of the city. From the traditionally working-class neighborhood of Belleville to the trendy Marais, or the famous cafes of Montparnasse, the parks of the Latin Quarter, and the galleries of St-Germain-des-Pres, Paris is a mosaic of cultures and a microcosm of our world:
| The traditionally working-class neighborhood of Belleville is densely packed with fairly priced (and very authentic) Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai restaurants. Make your way up to the Buttes-Chaumont park or over to the Canal Saint-Martin for a picnic or a half-day cruise along the canal. | |
| The Butte Aux Cailles is a neighborhood rarely visited by tourists; however, authentic Parisian charm and excellent neighborhood restaurants make this a spot to explore. Most of the action is centered on the rue de la Butte, and there are virtually no tourists in sight. Don't miss the lovely art deco swimming pool. | |
| Once know as “the marsh”, the Marais has blossomed into one of the most progressive and vibrant of all Parisian quarters. With a cultural melange that is hard to beat, the Marais is home to the Jewish quarter that is tucked along the rue des Rosiers, a thriving gay scene and a miniature Chinatown. Branché or trendy shops dot the rue de Francs Bourgeois, and some of the best falafels in the city are found here as well. The Marais is also home to incredible museums such as the Musée Picasso, the Musée Carnavalet and the Centre Pompidou. | |
| In the beginning of the 20th century, Montparnasse was a magnet for intellectuals, writers, and artists, and it exemplified the notion of “café society,” with some of the most famous cafés in Paris such as Le Dôme, Le Sélect, and La Coupole. The bohemian nature of the neighborhood may have given way to the bourgeoisie, but a multitude of restaurants offering most notably crêperies and other specialities from Brittany and a star-studded cemetery make Montparnasse worthy of a weekend visit. | |
| Ateliers and artists continue to occupy the highest point in Paris, and tourists are treated to a view of the Eiffel Tower and the spread of the entire city. Restaurants tend to be geared to tourists, but if you make your way to the rue des Abbesses you'll be sure to find more of a neighborhood feel and excellent cafés, patisseries and great places to eat. Sacré-Coeur is the crowning gem after you've arrived at the top of the hill, so be sure to give the basilica a visit. | |
| Home to the Sorbonne, the 5th arrondissement is one of the most quaint neighborhoods in Paris. With its winding streets, 17th century architecture and parks like the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Jardin des Plantes, the 5th is a perfect walking tour quarter. Visit the Musée de Cluny and the Panthéon and find one of the neighborhood's Irish or English pubs afterward. A must-do is a tour of the Seine aboard the Bateaux Mouches. Various boarding points are found along the river. | |
| Chic shops and fabulous cafés are situated side by side here in St- Germain-des-Près. Visit Descartes' grave at the oldest church in Paris, St-Germain-des-Près, after you've had the obligatory coffee at the Café Flore or Les Deux Magots. There is a large choice of museums, including the Musée d'Orsay, the Musée Eugène Delacroix and the Musée de la Monnaie. Art galleries abound in the 6th as well, and in the summer you'll find evenings where all of the galleries open their doors in celebration of the St-Germain-des-Près festival. | |
| From the the HEC campus, it is a 20-to-30 minute drive to one of the largest business districts in Europe. Known as La Défense, more than 1,000 major blue chip multinational companies have chosen to set up their head offices here. The district is located to the west of Paris, beyond the rich bourgeois neighborhood in Neuilly, in what was Paris' light-industrial belt. What makes it unique is the fact that the whole concrete slab on which this mini city is built is a car-free zone; roads, parking and subway links are all underground. The main axis of La Défense lines up with the Pyramid in the Louvre, the Obelisk at Concorde, and the Arc de Triomphe at Etoile. Today 140,000 people work and 30,000 people live in La Défense. |
Essential Landmarks:
Beyond Paris: There are many other sights to see outside of Paris. Be sure to visit:
- Versailles
- Fontainebleau
- Giverny
- Jardin de Bagatelle / Parc Foral
- Bois de Vincennes / Château de Vincennes
- Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen
Transportation: Consult the following websites for metro, train and bus information: