Car Rental Paris

Attractions of the city:

The varied climate conjures up its own seasonal delights. In summer, when the mercury rises, the locals flock to the new Paris Plage, where a riverside expressway is transformed into an oasis of swimming pools, sand, and deckchairs. Springtime generally between April and June is pleasant and best time around the year to visit. In addition, with fewer crowds and snow fall during the winter months is another good time to come.

A temperate climate exerts an important influence on the life of the city, making it possible for pavement cafés, open-air markets, and other colourful attributes of the urban scene to be enjoyed throughout the year.
Among districts of the city that have maintained an individual character are the Latin Quarter, or Left Bank, near the Seine, noted for educational and cultural pursuits; the expensive residential and commercial districts of the Right Bank near the Champs-Élysées, such as Passy and Auteuil; and the poorer working-class neighbourhoods in the north-east of the city, including Belleville and La Chapelle.

The highest natural feature within the city proper is the Butte de Montmartre, at 129 m (423 ft) above sea level only.

The central sections of Paris, like those of many European cities, were built up long before any particular need was felt for open or recreational space. This circumstance, together with the height restrictions on buildings (which often made land too expensive for low-revenue public use), has resulted in an unusually low ratio of "green space" per inhabitant.

The largest areas of open space today are those that were protected from development by their status as royal preserves. Outstanding among these is the Bois de Boulogne, a tract of heavily used woods, trails, lakes, and sports grounds, located on the western edge of Paris. This park is mirrored just beyond the eastern city limits by the Bois de Vincennes, which contains a zoo, a floral garden, and museums.

Within the city, important parks include the Luxembourg Gardens and the Parc Monceau, both originally royal preserves, and the parks of the Buttes Chaumont and Montsouris, which were laid out in the mid-19th century on the sites of old quarries. The botanical garden, the Tuileries, and Champ de Mars are attractive green areas that are more formally laid out than the other parks.

Paris's monumental architecture, dating from all periods of its long history, reflects the city's political and cultural status. Among the most important older buildings are the Louvre, once a royal palace; the Invalides, built as a soldiers' home by Louis XIV and now containing Napoleon's tomb; the cathedral of Notre Dame on the Île de la Cité, which was begun in 1163; the nearby Sainte-Chapelle, a magnificent 13th-century Gothic structure originally built to house the Holy Crown of Thorns; and the Place de la Concorde, laid out in the time of Louis XV.

Paris was redesigned, during the mid-19th century, under the direction of Baron Georges Haussmann, and several grandiose projects were undertaken to emphasize the city's significance.