Paris got a facelift with the completion of the Grands Projets for the Bicentennial of the French Revolution, but it is still wonderfully familiar to lovers of romance and beauty who come to linger in sidewalk cafes, stroll along the Champs-Elysees, the "Grand Boulevards," the Left and Right banks, and through more than 30 major gardens, including the Tuileries and Luxembourg gardens.  So many places to discover while walking. Try the Marais Quarter and the old site of the Halles where the well known Pompidou Center is now in attendance. 

Enter the fabled Louvre museum for an overview of priceless masterpieces, only an overview since an in-depth visit will have you here for weeks. Above all seat at one of the typical cafes dotting the beautiful avenues, watch the world go by as trained Parisians do. Paris has a name for good food but very steep prices. While this is true of too many restaurants, it is also not difficult to dine out well and inexpensively , with a few classic old bistros and some small new places which have taken up the "prix-fixe menu" that offers plenty of choice. Major shopping neighborhoods in Paris include the Palais des Congres de Paris, the Montparnasse and St.-Germain areas, and the Forum des Halles. 

Department stores can be found on the Grand Boulevards and Rue de Rivoli. Antiques dealers concentrate around the Musee d'Orsay. The Printemps and Galleries Lafayette department stores offer free fashion shows.

Most local restaurants are unpretentious and serve traditional French cooking in astonishingly large proportions. All of them have moderately priced house wines as well as a reasonable wine list, and are popular with Parisians who live and work nearby, making reservations quite important.