The Louvre is among the finest art museums in the world. Enhance your visit with a little help skipping the queue and navigating the huge interior on these top tours. (Photo: Getyourguide.com) There is much about the Louvre (the Mona Lisa, for example) that draws visitors in their droves. Located inside the elegant Louvre Palace, which was started life as the Louvre Castle in the late 12th century, the museum took over in the 18th century, continuing to expand until architect I.M. Pei added the landmark glass pyramids in the main courtyard in 1987. Despite the crowds, it is possible to buy s ..read more

From café society to swing dancing, Django Reinhardt to Miles Davis, Paris has enjoyed a long love affair with jazz. Here are 12 of the city’s top concert venues for jazz music. The JC Hopkins Songbook, performed at Le Barbizon (Photo: Elessa Eboumbou) Since the early 1920s, the most iconic and avant-garde musicians have been welcomed in Parisian underground clubs and velvet-seated theaters. The musical spectrum in the French capital today is as vibrant and eclectic as ever, with plenty of authentic swing, gypsy and blues artists, but also musicians flirting with the boundaries of compositio ..read more

Beneath the streets of Paris, miles of subterranean passageways are filled with stacks of human bones. Here’s how to see them. (Photo: Getyourguide.com) The Paris Catacombs are both macabre and unrelentingly fascinating. Roughly six million people reside in these macabre ossuaries, after dying during famines, pestilences, riots or from natural causes. The network of tunnels is so extensive, in fact, that people have become lost down there for days. And while a small portion of the catacombs are open to visitors, a tour is a certified way of understanding the stories and significance behind t ..read more

Paris’s reputation as Europe’s most glamorous city is justly deserved. Needless to say that the city’s hotels pull out all the stops to ensure that reputation is upheld. Hotel Eiffel Trocadéro, Paris (Photo: Booking.com) The French capital’s airy boulevards, dreamy bridges and chatty café terraces need no introduction. Neither does its truly outstanding arts, culinary and fashion culture. For centuries it has been visited by tourists who flock to the city itching to witness its stunning monuments – none moreso than the Eiffel Tower. Here’s our pick of the best hotels near this Art-Deco wonde ..read more

In a city that prides itself on gastronomic traditions like raclette and foie gras, vegan foodies can at last rejoice in all the plant-based options now widely available in Paris: places where we’re dying to try everything on the menu… and actually can. From fine dining to fast food, here are 10 of the restaurants that any vegan (and non-vegan!) should try on a trip to Paris. Abattoir végétal (photo: Facebook) Ten years ago, if you tried to order a coffee with soy milk in Paris you’d have been laughed out of town, rainbow lattes were the stuff of science fiction, and a craving for nut milk w ..read more

Paris may be most famous for its patisserie, but the modern city has changed with the times (and the weather), so that it is now also an ice cream lover’s dream. Here are 10 of the best destinations for an unforgettable gelato experience in the city of light. Il Gelato del Marchese, Odéon (photo: Facebook) Every summer in Paris, it’s not uncommon to see long queues of locals and tourists impatiently waiting to get their hands on a cone of refreshing ice cream. Fresh gelato, fait maison, is the ideal indulgence for any flâneur strolling along the boulevards, window-shopping in the M ..read more

Try the world’s premier luxury beverage right from the wineries where it’s made on a tour from Paris to the Champagne region. (Photo: Getyourguide.com) It is safe to say that Champagne from Champagne (the only true version of the beverage) is the drink most associated with luxury and success. From Formula One drivers dousing everybody in sight after a victory, to toasting a major milestone in life, there is something inescapably alluring about the name. The province sits northwest of Paris in northern France, and well within easy access of the French capital on a delightful Champagne day tri ..read more

Explore the stunning scenery, cuisine and local customs of the Loire Valley on a guided tour from Paris. (Photo: Getyourguide.com) The Loire Valle is a long stretch of central-northern France that surrounds the Loire River, along which, vineyards and huge fairytale castles can be found. Highlights of the central part of the Loire Valley were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2000. At around 150-200km away from the French capital, a central Loire Valley day trip is a great way to get a brief introduction to the area. Here are the best four tours to the Loire Valley from Paris. F ..read more

Europe’s most visited city is brimming with accommodation options, including plenty for those preferring a ‘home from home’ over a hotel. (Photo: Patrick Nouhailler via Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0) One of the world’s most iconic tourist destinations, Paris continues to lure visitors with its famed gastronomic scene, distinctive architecture and sheer depth of culture. For people looking to spend anything from a few nights through to a few months in the City of Lights but want to avoid a hotel in favour of a cosier experience, there are a number of short-term apartment rentals to be found here. We ..read more

Often agreed to be the most beautiful city in the world, Paris makes a stunning backdrop for a relaxed bike tour. (Photo: Getyourguide.com) As the home of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Arc de Triomphe, Paris is packed with some of the world’s most famous sights. One of the best ways to see them is on a bike tour, which will help you cover more distance around the city whilst still taking the time to stop off and enjoy the view. Here, we’ve picked out three of the best for experiencing the City of Light. Paris: City Highlights Bike Tour For a great introduction to the city’s main sigh ..read more