PARIS LOCATIONS

Of a rare architectural harmony, this fashionable area is bordered by private mansions dating from the 16th to the 18th century, quaint passages and medieval streets. Once a marsh filled area, many monks and knights moved here after the 13th century, but it was only at the beginning of the 17th century that it became a centre of elegance and festivities. Now it is an area composed of beautiful private mansions, now museums or libraries, and elegant buildings set around paved courtyards.
Chatelet and Les Halles are full of life day and night. The square and nearby Place du Chatelet are bordered by cafes, nightclubs and restaurants. The glass-domed Forum des Halles houses a good selection of shops. The Pompidou Center is famed for its architectural design. To the East lies the busy Place de la Republique which remains lively both day and night, with a good variety of brasseries and restaurants. The narrow rue des Francs-Bourgeois is ideal for window-shopping. There is a wonderful array of home interior shops, designer boutiques and galleries standing alongside elegant Renaissance-style houses.

Eternally popular, the 8th district of Paris has its focal point the Arc de Triomphe. You will find haute couture stores on the avenue Victor Hugo. The Bois de Boulogne is immensely popular with Parisians. The sweep of the Champs Elysees leads down to the Rond Point, intersecting the avenues Montaigne and Matignon, continuing to the Place de la Concorde, with its obelisk from the Temple of Luxor. The rue du Faubourg St Honore and the 17th century Place Vendome are famous for haute couture, jewelry and perfumes respectively.
The glamour of the Champs-elysees, triumphal avenue aiming toward the Arc de Triomphe, particularly its upper end is dominated by airline offices, car showrooms, and bright, light shopping arcades. There's the Lido cabaret, Fouquet's high-class bar and restaurant, and plenty of cinemas and outrageously priced cafes to bring the punters in. At Christmas this is where the fairy lights go, and on December 31 everyone happily jams in, in their cars, to hoot in the New Year.
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The Quartier Latin has always had a certain aura - a haven for the bohemians and intellectuals of Paris. The fountain in Place St Michel is the meeting place, always thronged with people. Heading south, down the steep rue de Mouffetard, you will find a number of eating places and a busy market. To the East, the Jardin des Plantes offers a wealth of interest. The Museum of Natural History is also here. To the West of Saint Michel is St-Germain-des-Pres. The side streets are filled with antique shops, book stalls, interior design shops and some of the best fashions. Spreading westwards to Sevres Babylone and South along the rue de Rennes to Montparnasse are some of the most concentrated shopping areas in Paris. The area around Montparnasse features numerous bars and restaurants frequented by Parisian artists.

Just Eastwards from the Marais is Bastille, site of protest in the 1789, 1830 and 1848 revolutions and now home to the new Opera House. 
Today, it is the breeding ground for new artistic talent in Paris and the area surrounding it, the Faubourg St Antoine, is full of galleries and shops. The 12th arrondissement's contribution to the new Parisian monuments is the glass-sided Palais des Omnisports at Bercy. The Bois de Vincennes is a smaller version of the Bois de Boulogne, and is home to France's largest zoo.