Paris is the city of a thousand clichés and any of them meets and exceeds the expectations of tourists. Parisians, meanwhile, are fortunate enough to enjoy 365 days a year.
Despite its large size and population, everything worth to be visited is located within the ring of Parisian Boulevard Périphérique . The center of Paris is quite compact, and can be visited on foot or using the efficient and extensive network of Métro when the legs falter. The River Seine divides the city into two, and practical system of arrondissements (districts) framed perfectly distributed in neighborhoods.
The history of Paris can be discovered through its distinctive districts. Montmartre and its provincial atmosphere, was the epicenter of the Paris Commune in 1871; Marais evokes medieval Paris, with its winding streets contrasting with the wide boulevards of Haussmann, Napoleon III designed to contain the crowds. These large avenues of the nineteenth century still dominate the city and are interspersed with modern creations.
The grands travaux (large projects) President Mitterrand added the city the Grande Arche de la Défense, ultramodern Opera de la Bastille, the impressive Institut du Monde Arabe and the glass pyramid in the central courtyard of the Louvre.
The variety of neighborhoods that characterizes the environment of Paris, also extends to its population. The French live for example in the elegant 16th arrondissement, while African immigrants and Europe East live in more modest neighborhoods like Belleville and the Goutte d’Or thriving. Jewish neighborhoods include shabby Sentier district and the trendy Marais, which is also the center of gay Paris.
The area is now emerging Bercy, where new homes, bars and restaurants attract east a young audience with purchasing power.
