AT A GLANCE Paris is the most romantic city in the world and a perfect destination for a weekend break.

With the iconic Eiffel Tower as its instantly recognisable landmark and the beautiful churches of Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur, Paris is also a city of great beauty. Whether youre entertaining children, visiting alone or holidaying with a loved one youll find enough in Paris to keep you entertained. FACT FILE Currency: Euro (EUR) Language: French Time: GMT + 1 Calling Code: +33 WHEN TO GO Paris in the spring time is not just a clich. The city really is at its best during the spring months of April to June. Flowers bloom in the parks and the weather is sunny but not unbearably hot. There really is no bad time to visit Paris, but during August visitors may find that some of the shops are closed as locals leave the city. Weather Spring: The spring months in Paris are from April to June and the weather during this time is warm but not unbearably so. May sees sunny days that can reach into the twenties. However, the evenings during this season are usually quite chilly.

Summer: Summer in Paris is warm with the occasional heat wave. Temperatures are regularly in their mid-twenties and during the evening temperatures wont fall from the mid-teens. Rain can occur at any time, especially during August when thunderstorms are common. Autumn: In October, the weather cools down quite with average highs of 15C. The temperature drops in November down to around 10C. This can be a great time to visit if you want to avoid the crowds.

 Winter: January is the coldest month of the year with temperatures dropping down to lows of 1C. Holidaymakers may experience grey drizzly days so should pack an umbrella. Snow is not common in the city, but when it does fall Paris looks truly beautiful.
Images: Spring in Paris by ParisSharing / Winter in Paris by Anthony_Lui

THINGS TO DO From the monumental Eiffel Tower to looking at the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, there is plenty to see and do in Paris. Holidaymakers could even move away from the typical Parisian experiences and try something unique, such as a tour of the citys famous sewers. Children will no doubt want to escape the city and visit Disneyland; however there are plenty of other day trips that you could try. Attractions Eiffel Tower: Paris most famous landmark. Buy tickets in advance to avoid the queues. Notre Dame: One of the first Gothic cathedrals ever built. It dates back to 1163. Louvre: See the Mona Lisa in the worlds most famous gallery. The museum used to house Frances Royal Family.

Louvre by simo0082 on Flickr

Arc de Triomphe: Visit the Tomb of the Unknown Solider at this famous monument Sacre Coeur: The beautiful cathedral located on top of Montmartre hill Musee dOrsay: An impressionist art museum located on the banks of the River Seine

Moulin by elPadawan on Flickr

Moulin Rouge: Catch a show at the famous Moulin Rouge cabaret Paris Sewer Museum: Stroll real sewer tunnels underneath Paris on this unusual tour. Nightlife The different areas in Paris all have their own unique nightlife. The Latin Quarter is popular with students attending the nearby Sorbonne University and has a laidback and relaxed feel. Students populate the cafes, bistros and bars, and jazz musicians can often be found playing venues. For sophisticated nightlife, head to St. Germain where you can combine your evening out with good food. Montmartre and Pigalle are the place to head to if youre looking for cabaret, whilst the Marais district is known for its wine bars and guests can try sample several of the best wines produced in France. Bastille is perhaps the best area for those seeking nightclubs. Dont miss La Balajo where Edith Piaf once performed.

 Harrys New York Bar: Famous for inventing several cocktails including the Sidecar Andy Wahloo: Sit on upturned paint cans on this trendy Moroccan themed club Buddha Bar: Perhaps the most famous nightclub in Paris Club Silencio: An underground nightclub owned by David Lynch Crazy Horse: Experience this famous cabaret in Montmartre World Place: This cool club is owned by Johnny Depp, John Malkovich and Sean Penn Le Baron Rouge: A typical Parisian wine bar with a good selection of French wines Day Trips from Paris If you want to leave the city for the day there are plenty of attractions for you to explore. The excellent train network makes it easy to arrange a day trip from the city and discover some of Frances rolling countryside. If youd rather not go it alone, the Tourist Information Centre on Rue Des Pyramides can put you in touch with reputable excursion operators. Versailles: The stunning Palace de Versailles is only a short distance out of the city. Walk around the gardens and explore the former home of Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette. Travel Time: 35 minutes

Disneyland Paris: If youre taking the children along, or even if youre not, Disneyland Paris is a great venue for a day trip. Spot Mickey and Minnie and enjoy all the rollercoaster rides. Travel Time: 45 minutes

Monets Garden at Giverny: Discover the home and gardens belonging to the famous impressionist and view the lily ponds immortalised in his paintings. Travel Time: 1 hour

Meaux: Home of mustard and brie. This is the perfect destination for gourmands looking to escape the city and sample some traditional French fare. Attractions include the Bishops Palace. Travel Time: 45 minutes

Images: Versailles by simo0082 // Mickey by Ross Hawkes // Giverny by Destination Europe // Meaux by Silverman68

SHOPPING From fine food to fine fashions, Paris is a Mecca for shoppers and the city has plenty of areas for them to indulge their habit. Souvenirs to bring back from your city break include a floppy beret, good bottle of French wine and a miniature Eiffel Tower. However, there are plenty more purchases to tempt shoppers. Shopping Areas: Louvre-Tuileries: Featuring the crme de la crme of Paris designers, from Versace to Hermes Champs lyses: The citys main shopping street features all the High Street favourites The Marais: Eclectic fashion, designer jewellery and antiques abound in this unique district Boulevard Hausmann: Contains all the famous department stores, including Printemps Shopping Centres: Carrousel du Louvre: A centrally located underground shopping mall Les Quatre Temps: A busy hypermarket and shopping centre with many shops La Vallee Village: Outlet shopping mall with discounts on many French designers

Caroussel dLouvre by Bongo Vongo

Val dEurope: 5 minutes away from Disneyland Paris, this is perhaps the best shopping centre Markets:

 Rue Cler: One of the best market streets in Paris. Try the lemon flavoured olive oil March Ave du Prsident Wilson: Great selection of food including fish fresh from Normandy Rue de Grenelle: Fresh flowers, packaged French cheeses, plus sausages and wine from Italy Les Puces de Saint-Ouen: The largest flea market in the world, covering seven hectares March dAligre: Features produce as well as flea market stalls. Also home to a great wine bar

Les Puces by ParisSharing

FOOD & DRINK No guide to France would be complete without mentioning the cuisine, which is arguably the best in the world. Although most famous for its cheese and wine there are a number of foods that you should try whilst in Paris, Ladure macarons, buttery croissants and filet mignon being just a few of them. Braver travellers might want try escargot (snails) and Cuisses De Grenouille (frogs legs) but well leave that up to you

Macaron by Chocobos

Popular Paris Hotspots: Place St-Michel: Lined with restaurants serving a wide range of food at bargain prices Boulevard Saint-Germain: Features a number of restaurants that were the preferred locale of writers Rue du Montparnasse: This street has at least a dozen creperies for those seeking a quick lunch le Sant-Louis: Luxury dining establishments intermingle with informal cafes CULTURE & ETIQUETTE The locals expect you to say bonjour and bonsoir with the honorific title of Monsieur and Madame when entering a shop and then au revoir when leaving. Do not yawn or scratch in public and never slap your open palm over a closed fist as this is considered a vulgar gesture. When eating out dont ask for a martini or

scotch before dinner as these are seen as palate numbing, and the French take their food very seriously. When eating salads never cut the salad with a knife and fork, but instead fold the lettuce onto the back of your fork. Useful Phrases Parlez-vous Anglais? Do you speak English? Bonjour Good morning/Good day Combien cote..? How much does.. cost?

Dos and Donts DO catch an opera in one of the impressive opera houses DONT throw away your Metro ticket, you may be liable to pay a fine DO remember to buy tickets in advance to avoid the long queues for attractions DONT expect ice in your drinks. The Parisians dont use ice. DO learn some French phrases, the locals will appreciate the effort

Tipping All restaurants in Paris are required to add a service charge onto their bills by law. Therefore, in most cases youll find that a 15% tip has already been added. If you received particularly good service then added to this tip will certainly be appreciated by the waiting staff. In other situations, taxi drivers should be tipped 5-10% of your fare. 1 per bag to your hotel porter is expected and if you are going to the opera then you should tip the usherette who shows you to your seats. In this situation, 1-2 is usual; this is the amount that you should leave the guide showing you around at the museum.

Tipping by Wfabry

TRANSPORT Paris has an excellent public transport system and the Metro is the perfect way to get around the city. Although it can appear confusing at first, once you start to understand how it works it begins to make sense. Other ways of getting around the city include buses and the RER. Like London, Paris has a cycle hire network and these can be fun way of getting around and exploring the city. Getting Around Buses: Bus stops can be hard to find, but otherwise the bus is a great way to get around Taxis: Taxis in Paris can be any colour. Just look out for Taxi Parisien on the light

 Metro: Traversing the whole city, the Metro is a fast and efficient way of travelling Cycle: Explore the city at your own pace with the Velib cycle hire scheme Airports: Paris has three airports. The largest being Charles de Gaulle which is located 25km outside the city centre. Paris Orly is slightly smaller and located 17km from the city centre, whilst most budget airlines fly into Paris Beauvais some 65km from the centre.

Velib by Pedrosimoes7

Fare Information A single ticket on the Metro costs 1.70, but it might work out cheaper to buy a daily pass which costs 6.40. This gets you unlimited travel on the buses and metro for a day. Taxis: A 15 minute journey in a taxi will cost about 12 HEALTH & SAFETY British Embassy in France Foreign and Commonwealth Office Emergency number: 112 PARIS BLOGGERS TOP TIPS If we've inspired you to visit Paris, why not get a local's view on the city before you go? Here are five brilliant bloggers based in Paris who can supply you with stories, tips, tricks and all the best insider information: Pretemoi Paris: An American girl in Paris shares her favourite places and musings on French fashion The Paris Blog: Daily updates on life in the French capital HJ Underway: The personal adventures of an American family living the ex-pat life in Paris David Lebovitz: Acclaimed pastry chef shares insights on his favourite places to eat around town Cool Stuff in Paris: An entertaining guide to some of the city's lesser-known attractions If you're looking to take a weekend city break, take a look at our selection of hotels in Paris.