Paris

Few things can be said to adequately describe France's capital city; however, Paris in a nutshell is a mix of historical buildings, cosmopolitan amenities, cultural niceties and fine restaurants - all set amid a distinct international ambience.

A walking tour of the city yields many fine sights and beginning at Avenue des Champs-Élysées is as good a place as any. From here, visitors can take in such grand sights as the Louvre Museum, an ancient fort converted into a museum back in 1793 and home to the ultra-famous Mona Lisa. From here, pass the magnificent Arc du Triomphe before ending at the Grande Arche de la Defense in the city's business district.

The cultural and artistic Georges Pompidou Centre is close to the Louvre and is notable for its collection of galleries and museums, while nearby is the Ile de la Cité, the city's oldest area. This is comprised of two islands featuring some splendid medieval architecture, including the famous Notre Dame, which dates back to the 12^th century and the magnificent Sainte Chapelle.

Continue strolling around the city and you'll take in sights such as the distinctive Jewish quarter, the romantic River Seine, The Orsay Museum (Musée d'Orsay) and the Esplanade des Invalides. Meanwhile, the Hotel National des Invalides is a must for history and culture lovers as it contains Paris’ greatest concentration of museums including The Liberation Museum (Musée de l'Ordre de la Libération) and The War Museum (Musée de l'Armée).

Take a short drive from the city and you'll find a number of interesting sights such as the ancient Catacombes, where you can get lost in the endless networks of underground tunnels. The Bois de Boulogne on the city's outskirts is a pleasant greenbelt area offering woodland areas and belle époque mansions.

Getting to Paris is easy, with Charles de Gaulle Airport providing air connections with a vast number of international destinations as well as with major French cities. The TGV rail service provides nationwide connections, while the Eurostar connects with London and the Euroline bus service services a variety of European cities.