sceneadvisor.com - Breaking news, entertainment, business, international travel, hotel recommendations and more

Behind Paris

Paris is a city with something for everyone. Art lovers flock to the Louvre and Musée d'Orsay, fashionistas haunt Le Marais, and history buffs wander Place de la Concorde and Champs-Élysées. The Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, and Sacré-Cœur are musts, but there is so much more.

Whereas many European capitals unfold themselves slowly, dolling out secret finds like a striptease, Paris has an instant charm. That said, the longer you spend there, the more you will find. While the aforementioned tourist traps and attractions get most of the ink and photo paper, it's the hidden gems that make the city memorable.

Aping Amelie at Montmartre, looking for Wilde at Père Lachaise, and trailing Hemingway and Fitzgerald through countless cafes are obligatory, but once you've checked those off the list try something novel. Lounge by the Seine; settle into the Pont des Arts for a leisurely afternoon on the river. Go for dinner atop Centre Georges Pompidou for a breathtaking view. Kick back in Jardin du Luxembourg with a friend and a snack before hitting the bars and restaurants in nearby Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Come nighttime, indulge in the Ed Banger-sponsored electro-pop renaissance.

Paris is a perennial travel epicenter, so getting in is easy. First-rate Eurorail trains link the capital with London and other centres, as do Euroline buses. Furthermore, budget airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair service hubs throughout Europe (yet, you may fly into an out-of-town airport, like Orly). Though Charles de Gaulle International Airport is slightly - and famously - bedraggled, it still services major centres throughout the world.

This seems like a no-brainer, but: Parisians speak French. While stereotypic French snobbishness is more hype than substance, do try to make an effort at pre-emptive mollification.

Paris is infamously expensive, but is still noticeably more affordable than London (thank you, Euro). As a way to experience it without breaking the bank, settle into a café. Unlike their North American counterparts (i.e. coffee chains), Parisian cafes are all-day social centres. You won't be hustled out for slowly sipping coffee, thumbing through a novel (please, not A Moveable Feast), or scribbling in a notebook all day long. À bientôt.

Restaurants in Paris

Nightclubs in Paris

Hotels in Paris

Shopping in Paris

Spas in Paris

Paris: Under the Radar
Paris: Under the Radar
Unlike many heavily trodden European cities, Paris has an instant accessibility. London re…
Nov 19, 2008 | 3:29:01 pm
Le Phare
Le Phare
Standing on Parisian rooftops looking out at the city, North Americans typically remark, "…
Oct 18, 2008 | 10:38:22 pm
Paris Fashion Week
Paris Fashion Week
Tumbleweeds have colonized runways in New York, London, and Milan. Threads lay bare on the…
Oct 01, 2008 | 09:34:25 am
Dubai Restricts Smoking in Clubs and Restaura..
Dubai Restricts Smoking in Clubs and Restaurants
Despite it aesthetic coolness, smoking kills. Seriously. What, you didn't know? Like many…
Nov 19, 2008 | 10:32:39 am
Karl Lagerfeld To Design A Fashion Island
Karl Lagerfeld To Design A Fashion Island
That's right Lagerfeld is designing an entire island. Dubai has 300 man-made islands to de…
Aug 24, 2008 | 00:09:24 am
Artsy and Affordable in Seattle
Artsy and Affordable in Seattle
At the Alexis Hotel, you won't be sleepless - you'll be cultured.…
Aug 28, 2008 | 3:11:26 pm
Arrive in Amsterdam Before the Backpackers Do
Arrive in Amsterdam Before the Backpackers Do
Don't hold off any longer - a weekend in Amsterdam is now cheaper than ever!…
Mar 10, 2008 | 10:38:19 am
The Best of Both Worlds In Marrakesh
The Best of Both Worlds In Marrakesh
Now you can have your cake and eat it too. Since you're in Marrakech, it would only be fit…
Aug 25, 2008 | 8:04:25 pm

Sydney Festival 2009
Sydney Festival 2009
You don't need much of an excuse to head to Australia's highest populated city. It's got a…
Today at 9:02:18 pm
Hollywood To Remake The Host
Hollywood To Remake The Host
The Host was great. Now it's being made. Soon it won't be so great. God damnit Hollywood!…
Today at 9:02:02 pm
Parisian Architect Paul Andreu Still Provoking Controversy..
Parisian Architect Paul Andreu Still Provoking Controversy
When you think of "modern" or "cutting edge", chances are you don't picture a senior Paul …
Today at 3:17:51 pm
Dubai's Development Boom Takes A Hit
Dubai's Development Boom Takes A Hit
Dubai has become a builder's dream. For the past several years, the United Arab Emirates' …
Nov 19, 2008 | 7:54:48 pm
The Skyscraper Renaissance: New York, Chicago, Dubai..
The Skyscraper Renaissance: New York, Chicago, Dubai
The skyscraper age ushered in an era of urban wind tunnels. In the beginning, city-dweller…
Nov 19, 2008 | 7:54:35 pm
Simon Pegg Finally Talks About Paul
Simon Pegg Finally Talks About Paul
Pegg has been working on this script with Nick Frost for five years. There's got to be som…
Nov 19, 2008 | 7:54:20 pm
Simon Pegg and Benicio Del Toro Star In The Movie News Round..
Simon Pegg and Benicio Del Toro Star In The Movie News Round Up
It's Friday, there's a long weekend coming. You're sitting in your office unable to focus …
Nov 19, 2008 | 7:54:08 pm
Superstar Architects Revolutionize the Aesthetics of Culture..
Superstar Architects Revolutionize the Aesthetics of Culture
The skyscraper renaissance continues en masse, with gigantic buildings making birds lazier…
Nov 19, 2008 | 5:28:50 pm
Copenhagen's LM Harbor Gateway
Copenhagen's LM Harbor Gateway
American firm, Steven Holl Architects, has a selfless need to connect people and buildings…
Nov 19, 2008 | 5:24:17 pm
Twilight Prepares for the Masses: Movie Review..
Twilight Prepares for the Masses: Movie Review
Twilight, the first in a series of novels by Stephenie Meyer, is about a distinctive probl…
Nov 19, 2008 | 4:56:11 pm