France Attractions

One of the best places in the world to take family holidays is in Paris. There are so many things to do there, this article will list some of the best places to visit including top days out, attractions and even restaurants, which will hopefully help to prepare you for the trip of a lifetime.

Museums and Galleries

There are so many in this city that it's hard to know which ones to visit so to help, I've selected a few of my favourites which I think you should go and see. Here they are:

For the Family There are lots of places that the whole family can enjoy. The 2 best places to go are:

Shopping For designer labels like Cartier, Dior and Chanel, you need to visit Rue du Cherche-Midi and Rue de Grenelle. If you're like me and can't quite stretch to that, then move onto the Champs-Elysees where you can find slightly more affordable stores like Zara, GAP and H&M. The one place you have to go is Paris' flea markets – they're great for picking up bargains and unusual treasures. Eating Out There are far too many great restaurants in Paris to even begin to write a good list. Instead there are 1 or 2 which you absolutely HAVE to visit:

So there you have it. If your planning on visiting Paris for your family holidays, the above list should keep you fairly busy. Have a great trip!

In Paris, you can find hotels for almost all budgets. If you have an average budget, you can accommodate in a 3-star branded hotel, but wait up to a 10MP camera with the chapter "Cleaning" slightly deficient.

Most hotels in Paris offer accommodation in small rooms, so if you want comfort, orient yourself to a four-star hotel or an apartment you can rent at a decent price for a week or a weekend, of course depending on location.

Tips for tourists:

A cheap hotel is not necessarily a hotel where you can not accommodate. Although an expensive city, Paris has such hotels where you can accommodate without having to pay large amount of money. Here you can find our recommendations for some budget hotels that you can find in Paris:

1. Hotel Lenox Montparnasse - Lenox is close to the famous Montparnasse cemetery, although a cheap hotel, rooms are clean and modern. If possible, ask for a bigger room because most of them are small.

2. Hotel Keppler - Although it is located in an expensive area of Paris, Keppler is also a cheap hotel. The rooms are spacious, some have a balcony. Tip: Book a room in advance at this hotel, because of good prices, the demand is high.

3. Hotel de Lille - It is located in the center of Paris, one minute away from the Louvre Museum. Rooms are clean but have only basic necessities, not serves breakfast, and the five floors have no elevator and air conditioning. Also, they do not accept credit cards.

4. Hotel Plessis - A charming hotel, situated in an area of Paris less frequented by tourists. 5th floor rooms have balconies, all rooms are clean, have TV and telephone. There is no air conditioning.

5. Le Grand Hôtel Lévêque - It is one of the favorite hotels for those with limited budget. Almost all rooms have fans, phone, TV, hairdryer.

Ask someone who has used Paris boat before and they will tell you that the experience is something out of this world. Only one word would be enough for you to describe what you feel when you tour Paris by boat, and that is divine. Remember that Paris is the most romantic city in the world and therefore you must not miss out on a trip there. There are many sights that are worth   seeing in Paris but among them all, you will never forget your boat ride down the rivers that are dotted all over the metropolis.

Whether your wallet is slim or fat, you will get bateau sur Paris tours that will be well fitted for your budget of course if you are a Parisian, all your need are to fire up your boat in the river and sail a way. If you are a tourist no worry at all because your tour agent in Paris can organize a good boat ride a round the city. At the same time you could also rent your own boat if you can afford it and have all the privacy that you want. This option is especially popular with love birds that cannot leave Paris unscathed.

Boat rental prices in Paris differ from one rental agent to another. Needless to say, there are cheap and expensive rentals all cut out to cater for the boating needs of people from all walks of life. The cost popular and the biggest river in Paris is the Seine river that runs s right in the middle and then it has canals that go through Paris enabling barges and boats to   travel on them. Day and night you are going to be treated to a really breathtaking view of Paris.

There is no greater feeling than what you will feel once you take a Paris boat tour down the Seine River or along the canals that are spread out through out Paris. Right then you are going to be feel the magic of the old Paris flowing back to you. Like so many traders and the ancestors of long ago must have sailed along it. You will simply be transformed for time, feeling like you have existed for a very long time, like the river Seine has seen it all.

If you take a Paris boat tour in the day time you will of course see all the features that make Paris worth seeing, features that have stood the test of time. But the real feature is the Seine River, a river that knows so many secrets, so many happenings and which has gurgled down for as long as anyone can remember. Miss Paris boat tours at your own peril.

The tour package

Your Paris boat tour package is not strictly about sailing down the Seine, but it as well includes lunch and drinks on the barge as you sail a round with the guide explaining the historical and the mythical features of Paris. You can hardly believe that Paris does have a traditional and historic side unless you see it. Most people know only the novae cultural side. Marriage reception Paris For more visit http://www.bateaux-privatises-paris.com/

The day is a celebration of independence and liberty. Cities all over France will be celebrating the spirit of freedom and democracy but the major events will be held in the Capital, Paris, making it a great time to plan your visit and take part in the celebrations. Bastile Day marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille in 1789, a prison which held political rebels who were considered by King Louis 16th to be unlawfully outspoken and troublesome.

At the time, France was ruled by a wealthy King and Queen who did nothing to improve the life of the poor, many of whom were starving on the streets. The middle class was growing and becoming more and more resentful of the life of luxury their leader was living, thanks to the heavy taxes imposed by the King, while France suffered massive foreign debt, and an unstable financial future. Through their writings and public assemblies, these people called for rejection of the powerful monarchy and for the establishment of a free and democratic society, with leaders elected by the people. Anyone seen to be challenging the authority of the King was arrested and imprisoned in the Bastille. A large cache of weapons was also stored at the prison, making it the perfect symbol of the Kings power and tyranny.

On the 14th July, 1789, a public demonstration protesting the incarceration of these prisoners and rejecting the rule of the king gathered momentum outside the prison walls. At least 1,000 citizens managed to overpower the guards and take hold of the building, burning it to the ground. 98 attackers were killed, as well as one of the guards defending the prison. It was the start of the French Revolution. As the middle class took to the streets, building barricades and fighting the royal army who were struggling to gain control, the King fled with his wife for Versailles, relinquishing his control of the nation.

Soon after this event, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was drafted, outlining man's equal liberties, the rights to elect their own representatives, reject oppression and communicate freely, without fear of prosecution. The country was later declared a republic for the first time in 1792.

A year after the storming of the Bastille, a festival was held to mark the anniversary of its destruction, and the French have continued to celebrate the moment since then. In 1880, Bastille Day was declared an official national holiday under the motto of 'liberty, equality and fraternity', the values which are represented on the French flag- le Tricolour. Although France was not free continuously from that moment on, it was the values that these men were fighting for that remains symbolic for the people of France, even to this day. Truly a cause for celebration!

Bastille Day, or Fete National as it is known to the French is celebrated over two days. Traditionally, the fire stations in Paris open their doors to the public between 9pm on the 13th July and 4am on the 14th, for music and dancing, spilling out onto the streets for the public to enjoy. A list is published of those stations which will be open in the weeks leading up to the event in local papers and a small donations is usually collected on entry. All the money raised goes to the Paris Fire Brigade Association.

The Town Hall of Paris usually hosts an evening of dancing in the Bastille Square, the original site of the prison. Each year a theme is chosen, reflecting one of the many nationalities of which France has citizens today. In 2007, the theme was African Music and the square was alive with bongo drums and percussion instruments late into the night.

On the 14th at about 10: 30am a grand parade is held on the Champs Elyses from Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. People line the streets to watch the parade led by the president of France, followed by police cadets, infantry and motorised troops of the military. Military jets will accompany the parade from the air, streaming red, blue and white to represent the colours of the flag.

The parade lasts about 2 hours and is a great spectacle to enjoy, but if large crowds and marching bands is not your thing, a great alternative is a visit to the Lourve Museum, which is open free to the public on this day. It's an excellent chance to enjoy some of the worlds greatest art in the worlds most famous art museum. Later in the afternoon, the Hippodrome de Longchamp is preparing for the only night of the year where horse racing is allowed after dark. The gates open at about 4pm and the races start by 5pm. The main race is held at 8pm followed by dancing long into the night. For children, pony rides, a barbecue and fair with rides is in full swing throughout the evening. A great option for families.

The most popular event of the day however is usually the fireworks display which takes place that evening. The main show is launched from from the Eiffle Tower but smaller displays are usually held around other parts of Paris, followed by more parties and clubs until the early hours of the morning. Bastille day is the one day in the year where just about everyone in Paris is free from work and school, to celebrate the democratic foundation of their country, in a most spectacular way. Everyone should enjoy at least one Bastille day in Paris

The founders of Elytour Paris, Incoming Luxury Agency are explaining their philosophy for travel:

A : On my very first trip to Paris I fell in love with the irresistible charm of this magical city. Of course I had already seen numerous images of the city in books, but in reality the "city of lights" proved to be much more majestic, warm and mysterious than I ever could have imagined.

From that moment on, I was driven by a passion to discover the magical and undiscovered treasures that are so abundant in the capital of France, which lead me to create a catalogue of fabulous places and rare gems. Now I can share this collection with all those who, like me, believe that a voyage is first and foremost an encounter between our senses and emotions.

A : Our passion for France and its richness guided us in the discovery of this magnificent land. We walked through the City of Lights, met with designers, artisans and restaurateurs to discover and personally evaluate thousands of Parisian establishments for you. Thus was born our selection of urban excursions, unique or classic, of charm and gourmandise. We are pleased to present you with this catalogue of Parisian experiences that we discovered and selected just for you.

Discover our Collection of Private tours at: http://www.elytour-paris.com/uk/collection.php

Our Collection of Guided Tours : Paris La Belle

To begin this discovery tour, you will meet your tour guide at the hotel. After a river cruise, your guide will take you up the Eiffel Tower for a lunch in a restaurant with a panoramic view. This tour will be at your pace and planned to accommodate your schedule. It can be lengthed according to your wishes.

"Paris la Belle," as Jacques Prévert nicknamed this luminous city, has always fascinated Parisians and foreigners alike.

Elytour invites you on a voyage of cultural and sensoral pleasure through the extraordinary history of France, as written by its kings and its citizens.

Discover the most beautiful monuments and museums of Paris: the Champs-Elysées, the Arc of Triumph, the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, Place de la Concorde, Rue de Rivoli, the Ile de la Cité, Saint-Germain, Saint-Michel, the Sorbonne university, Panthéon, Trocadéro, the Invalides with the tomb of Napoleon ... next take one of the famous bateau-mouche along the Seine river and admire the magnificent bridges of Paris: Pont Neuf, the Pont Alexandre III, the bridge of l’Alma, the bridge of the arts ...

"Paris la Belle" is a half-day panoramic visit, ideal for your first visit to the French capital. The tour can be complemented by a lunch or a museum visit, such as the Louvre, the Orsay Museum, or the Versailles Chateau. If you prefer walking tours, we can suggest a visit of one of the historic neighborhoods of Paris such as Montmartre, the Latin Quarter, Saint-Germain, the Marais ...