DK Travel : Paris

From Notre-Dame to the Eiffel Tower, Paris holds some of the world's most famous sights and these highlights should be top of the list for any first-time visitor. With the exception of the overtly modern Pompidou Centre, they have been landmarks of this elegant and romantic capital for centuries and remain awe-inspiring sights, no matter how often you visit the city.

More on guided tours in Paris

A Taste of Greater Paris

Morning

You won't cover Greater Paris in a day, and Disneyland Resort Paris and Versailles both need at least a day.

If you want variety, go to Montparnasse by métro and, in front of the busy mainline station, is the Tour Montparnasse - take a trip to the top. Return to the station and take a coffee break in one of its cafés, to see Parisians going about their business.

Back at the Tour Montparnasse, walk down boulevard Edgar Quinet. On your right is the entrance to the Cimetière du Montparnasse. An hour should be plenty of time here.

Walk towards the Vavin metro station to the café/ brasserie La Coupole , to have lunch.

Afternoon

Take the metro at Vavin, changing at Réaumur-Sébastopol, to Cimetière du Père Lachaise and explore the city's other great cemetery. Spend one or two hours searching out the famous names buried here and admiring the architecture of some of the monuments. Have a coffee afterwards at a good little neighbourhood café, Le Saint Amour (2 ave Gambetta 01 47 97 20 15 Metro Père-Lachaise). From Père-Lachaise it is again just one change on the metro, at Nation, to the Bois de Vincennes, where you can spend the late afternoon in the park.
Agam Fountain

Jewish architect Yaacov Agam designed this fountain of water and lights.
Aladine

Fabulous displays of old kitchenware, boxes, jars, ashtrays… anything with a colourful old advertisement on it, from the 1960s back to whatever the owner can get her hands on.
Alain Carion

A wealth of meteorites, fossils and minerals. Some specimens are put to good use in imaginative jewellery.
Alain Ducasse

Arguably the best chef in Paris, Ducasse is now serving up his fabulous cooking in his stylish new restaurant in the Plaza Athénée hotel. Impeccable service, and signature dishes such as langoustines with caviar cannot be bettered (see Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée).
Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée

Superchef Alain Ducasse’s flagship restaurant. Langoustines with caviar is just one mouth-watering bite (see Alain Ducasse).
Albert Camus

Algerian born Camus (1913–60) moved to Paris in 1935 and lived here until his death.
Album

Specialist in comic books, which are big business in France, from Tintin to erotica.
Alcazar

A stylish brasserie with a mix of French, Asian and British food.
Aligre Market

Away from the tourist bustle, this Bastille market, dubbed the “Notre-Dame of markets”, retains an authentic Parisian atmosphere. Every morning North African traders hawk inexpensive produce in the open-air market, and there’s an adjacent flea market and a covered market selling top-quality fare.

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Restaurant price categories

For a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and charges included.
- under €30
- €30–40
- €40–50
- €50–60
- over €60