Paris se réinvente Paris se réinvente Contents
INFORMATION - Innovative Paris 1 -Sommaire Anchor projects 2-3 - Paris in figures 4 S’INFORMER- France at the forefront 5 - ParisAn opportunity se réinvente for Paris 6-17 - 2009,Paris: desA business rendez -destinationvous à ne pas manquer… 8-29 - WhatDes chiffres… the surveys capitaux say 10-113 - LaA welcoming France en citytête 12-134 - UnePutting chance safety pour first Paris 145 - UneUniquely destination Parisian affaires pleasures 157 - Au fil des enquêtes… 9 TRANSPORT- Capitale de l’accueil 11 - TopLa sécurité,-flight airports une priorité 1613 - ParisUne richesse on rails méconnue 1714 - The metro: Picking up speed 18 SE- Buses DÉPLACER and trams 19 - DesBy bicycle aéroports de haut vol 1520 - Gares…River transport à Paris ! 1621 - TakingLe métro a taxitoujours plus loin 1722 - BusCar sharinget trams, ça roule ! 1823 - À deux roues 19 HOTELS- Au fil de l’eau 20 - ADes flourishing taxis plus sector disponibles 2421 - AnDes ever voitures…-changing à partager hotel scene 25-2226 - Hotels with a difference 27 SE- Alternative LOGER accommodation 28 - À chacun son hôtel 23 CULTURE- Sous les étoiles 24 - ADes “museum hôtels pas city” comme on the lesmove! autres 2926 - MuseumsDes hébergements get a makeover alternatifs 3027 - Culture for all 31 SE- Events CULTIVER all year round 32 - UneBold “villearchitectural musée” projectsqui bouge ! 2833 - De nouveaux lieux à découvrir 29 LEISURE- Des musées pour tous 30 - ADemandez food-lover’s le programmeparadise ! 3431 - TheUne fashioncapitale capital audacieuse 3532 - Paris onstage 36 SE- Lights, DIVERTIR camera, action! 37 - ÀSports table… in Paris 38-3339 - SoAll nightfashion long ! 3440 - Paris sur scène 35 OUTDOORS- Moteur… action ! 36 - GardezPedestrian le bon-friendly rythme Paris 4137 - AlternativeJusqu’au bout ways de to la explore nuit 42-3943 - Gardens and green spaces 44 S’AÉRER- When in Paris… 45 - DesA sustainable piétons chouchoutés destination 4046 - En balades… 41 - TheParis Paris en son Convention jardin and Visitors Bureau 4347 - Avec les Parisiens 44 Photo credits : © Paris Tourist Office – Photographes : Marc Bertrand, - StéphaneParis, Cardinale,destination Fabian Charaffi,durable Bertrand Desprez, Amélie 45 Dupont, Guillaume de fenoyl, Lois Lammerhuber, Jacques Lebar, David Lefranc, Henri Garat, Stéphane Querbes, Stéphanie Rivoal, Sophie - Robichon,.L’Office Préfecture du tourisme de Police de et P arisdes et Pariscongrès Expo. deArchitectes Paris : etOpéra ses Bastille missions Carlos Ott, Louvre : Ieoh Ming Peï, Cité de 46 la Mode et du Design Jacob et MacFarlane, Organisation Nature capitale Gad Weil – La Fonderie Agence VU
Destination Paris gives journalists a rundown on everything that’s new and upcoming in the French capital – inside information, the latest trends and innovations and major projects in the works or underway.
This year’s overview proves yet again that Paris is a vibrant capital city: steeped in history yet perfectly in step with the times, combining traditional charm and avant-garde appeal, multi -faceted and unique. This magical blend gives Paris its well-deserved reputation as a capital of romance that people the world over dream of visiting.
Paris will be buzzing with activity in 2012. The reopening of key venues, exciting new events and much-awaited openings will bring renewed energy and vitality to the cultural scene.
Ambitious plans to change the face of the city from here to 2020 are starting to take shape, but Paris will always be Paris: “a moveable feast”.
Thierry Le Roy Paul Roll Chairman Managing director
INFORMATION
Innovative Paris 1 Paris is an ever-changing urban landscape: new museums, reopenings of major venues after a successful makeover, innovative infrastructure and bold architectural projects are continuously transforming the city. Here are some of the most striking examples.
EXCITING NEW VENUES SUCCESSFUL RENOVATIONS Several major projects launched by the City of Paris, the French Several of the French capital’s key cultural venues have government and private-sector operators have been completed reopened after successful makeover. over the past two years.
The Musée de l’Institut du monde arabe (IMA) has been Hyped - The concrete industrial buildings of the former Magasins entirely redesigned. Formerly devoted to Islamic art, the museum, Généraux between Gare d’Austerlitz and the Bibliothèque François- which reopened in February 2012, now takes visitors along a Mitterrand on the Left Bank have been converted into the all-new Cité sensitive themed trail to present a more wide-ranging perspective de la mode et du design, which opened in April 2012. The Musée Galliera’s off-site exhibition, and edgy new boutiques and event of the civilisations and cultures of the 22 Arab countries that co- spaces, will make this summer 2012’s most talked-about venue. Paris founded the institute. Paris 5th 13th Following a two-year renovation, the Musée d’Orsay has been Creative – The Palais de Tokyo also re-opened in April after totally transformed. Visitors will get a fresh view of its exceptional renovations, with extended exhibition spaces. The dynamic Jean de collections, now housed in extended exhibition spaces where the Loisy runs this buzzy, offbeat contemporary art centre – the biggest in displays have been rearranged historically in galleries with new-
Europe. Paris 16th look walls and lighting. Paris 7th
Sustainable – French charity Emmaüs inaugurated a block of 47 Jean-Michel Wilmotte supervised the renovation of the Maison de council flats designed by Emmanuel Saadi in December 2011. The la Mutualité, an art deco treasure in the heart of the Latin façade is made up entirely of solar panels – the first of its kind in the Quarter. This historical building reopened in March 2012 and is city. Paris 10th set to become the French capital’s top events venue. The Michelin
Specialist - The new Bibliothèque universitaire des langues et three-star chef of Le Meurice has created the dishes on the civilisations opened in December 2011. The library’s collections are restaurant’s menu, all made with locally sourced produce. Paris devoted to non -Western languages and civilisations. Paris 13th 5th
Digital – Since it reopened in March 2011, the Théâtre de la Gaîté Following an ambitious renovation project, the Musée du lyrique has established itself as a veritable crossroads of digital Luxembourg reopened in spring 2012 with a new exhibition: culture and the arts. Paris 3rd Cima da Conegliano, Master of the Venetian Renaissance. The interior layout has been extensively revamped and a new Designer - The Pinacothèque de Paris, designed by Jean Nouvel, structure in the garden houses a branch of the famous Angelina opened a new exhibition space in January 2011 to host an exciting tearoom. Paris 6th programme of temporary exhibitions. Paris 8th
INFORMATION
Anchor projects 2 2012 2014 The refurbishment of the Alexandre III rotunda, Queen’s Located since 1985 within the Hôtel Salé in the rotunda and south-east loggia at the Grand Palais is to Marais, the Musée Picasso undertook a huge continue until mid-2012. Paris 8th renovation project in September 2011. It is expected to reopen in 2014, with more than 500 works by Picasso The Islamic art department at the Musée du Louvre is hard displayed over the four floors of the Baroque-style at work getting ready for the opening, scheduled for end- building – quite simply the biggest Picasso museum in 2012. Some 3,000 works of art spanning 1,300 years of the world. Paris 3rd history will be displayed here. Cour Visconti, Paris 1st Renovation work will be underway until 2014 in the 2013 private mansion housing the Musée Rodin. Visitors Starting in spring 2013, the former cinema hall Le Rodin on can however view part of the collections within the Avenue des Gobelins will house the Fondation Jérôme Masterpieces on the move temporary exhibition. Paris Seydoux - Pathé devoted to film history. The building has a 7th listed façade. Inside, its curved glass roof dome designed by The Musée de Montmartre located in the Hôtel de Renzo Piano will house Pathé’s outstanding film archives and exhibition spaces. Paris 13th Rosimond, the oldest building on Montmartre Hill, retraces the history of this picturesque Paris district. The Musée Galliera boasts an exceptionally rich collection of The museum undertook a major renovation more than 100,000 items of clothing and accessories. The programme in 2011 and will unveil its new spaces end- renovation of the elegant Renaissance-style building where 2014, although it remains open during the work. Paris they are housed will be complete in 2013. Meanwhile, the 18th museum’s exhibitions are being organised off-site. Paris 16th Housed within the former terminal and hangars of Le The Monnaie de Paris Quai Conti is going through a Bourget airport, the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace transformation. After being revamped by Philippe Prost, this has an impressive collection of flying machines. Its institution will unveil its new incarnation end-2013: new-look famous eight-column gallery is being renovated, and exhibition spaces, shops displaying French luxury goods, a will remain closed until 2014. Seine-Saint-Denis Zen garden and Guy Savoy’s gastronomic restaurant. Paris The Musée Jean-Jacques Henner, devoted to the 6th work of the eponymous artist (1829-1905) who was considered to be one of the most important painters of Franck O. Gehry’s cloud-shaped building housing the future the early 20th century, will undergo renovation work Louis Vuitton Foundation for contemporary art will be from 2013 to 2014. Paris 17th located in the heart of the Jardin d’acclimatation, overlooking a lake. The much-awaited, strikingly designed building is to open end-2013. Paris 16th
S’INFORMER
2015 The renovation of the Musée de l’Homme within the Palais du Trocadero is ongoing; it will open in 2015 to display the anthropological and cultural diversity of the human species . Paris 16th
A Maison de l’Histoire de France providing an overview of French history – a project launched by former French president Nicolas Sarkozy – is to open in 2015 within two private mansions next to the Archives nationales, the Hôtel de Soubise and Hôtel de Rohan. Paris 3rd
PLUS New church bells for the Notre-Dame Cathedral. The bells have rung every quarter of an hour since 1856. The bells were removed in February 2012 and will be replaced by eight new bells and the new great bell by 2013, in time for the cathedral’s 850th anniversary celebrations . Paris 4th INFORMATION The Philharmonie de Paris is among the 22 projects officially marked out as part of the “Grand Paris” project in February 2012. This top-notch concert hall with a capacity of 2,400 seats will be located in Parc de la Villette. The huge building designed by Jean Nouvel is expected to open in 2015. Paris 19th 3 The Banque de France will set up a Cité de l’Économie et de la Monnaie within the Hôtel Gaillard. It will be the first time that this historical building will be PARIS: SUSTAINABLE AMBITIONS open to the public. Paris 17th With the renovation of the Forum des Halles and the Plans for the Ile Seguin are shaping up: it is to become creation of its canopy (2010-2014), the redevelopment of an island for the arts, with a Cité de la Musique designed Place de Clichy and Place de la République, the success by Jean Nouvel, a contemporary art centre, art galleries, of the Vélib’ and its popularity with visitors, the launch of open-air restaurants and a garden to open by 2015. Boulogne Billancourt the Autolib’ end- 2011, the light rail, the creation of eco- neighbourhoods and new green spaces, Paris is aiming to The Rungis wholesale food market will house a Cité de become an exemplary “eco-capital”. la Gastronomie by 2015. Workshops, exhibitions and theme restaurants will make up this section of the market. PROJECT TO RECLAIM THE The La Défense skyline is being reshaped with the RIVERBANKS TO START IN SUMMER construction of two 323-metre-high twin skyscrapers, the tours Hermitage, which are expected to symbolise the 2012 business district when they are complete, in 2016. La The City of Paris wants to reclaim the riverbanks, cut down Défense on car traffic and create more space for pedestrians. This summer, when Paris Plages is over, the Right Bank The Parc des Expositions at Porte de Versailles will have expressway will be turned into an “urban boulevard” where a skyscraper of its own: the pyramid-shaped Tour traffic will be slowed to make it easier for pedestrians to Triangle will loom over the site from 2017. Paris 15th walk along the Seine. In 2013, the stretch of the Left Bank between the Eiffel Tower and the Musée d’Orsay will be made a pedestrian zone. Details on paris.fr
Details in the “Architecture and Design” and “Contemporary Art” press files (available to download in the press section of the website parisinfo.com) and the Paris News e-newsletter.
INFORMATION Paris in figures
Paris is not only France’s financial and political hub. Steeped in history, it is also a city of art 4 and culture, visited by nearly 28.9 million tourists in 2011.
THE WORLD’S TOP TOURIST SURFACE AREA DESTINATION 105.4 km2, i.e. 0.9% of the Ile-de-France region. With its image as the most romantic city in the world, Paris is in the enviable position of POPULATION being both the world’s most visited city and 2.2 million on 1 January 2012, i.e. 19% of the total Ile-de-France population the gateway to France, the world’s most (11.7 million) and 3.6 % of the population of France. popular tourist destination with 76.8 millions EMPLOYMENT (2010) visitors in 2010. 1.23 million salaried jobs, i.e. 30% of all salaried employment in Ile-de- France (4.09 million jobs). 164,265 people have jobs in tourism, i.e. Situated at the heart of Europe, Paris is a 13.3 % of all salaried jobs in Paris. transport hub with three airports (Paris- Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Le Bourget handled 91.8 million passengers in 2011) and TRANSPORT several high speed trains connecting the AIRPORTS (Paris handled the 6th-largest number of passengers in French capital to London, Brussels, 3 Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Zurich. 2010.) 6 MAINLINE TRAIN STATIONS A KEY ECONOMIC SECTOR 19,612 TAXIS Tourism is the driving force of the Paris 1,607 VELIB’ BIKE STATIONS economy: as of 2010, the city has nearly 16 METRO LINES AND 384 STATIONS 16,370 tourist establishments and 10,400 321 BUS ROUTES INCLUDING 42 NOCTILIEN (NIGHT BUS) restaurants . Tourism accounts for 13.3% of ROUTES the 1.2 million salaried jobs in the city, and Paris provides 44% of salaried tourism jobs in Ile-de-France *. CULTURE The hotel business alone generated nearly 208 theatres and show venues €4.4 bn wort h of turnover in 2010 (including 71 nightclubs and around 30 cabarets/dinner-show venues €2.5 bn for 4* and 5* hotels and €1.2 bn for 3* 1,800 HISTORICAL MONUMENTS hotels)**. 143 MUSEUMS including 28 national museums and 14 City of Paris Finally, trade fairs and shows generated museums €4.1 bn worth of business in 2010. VISITORS TO MUSEUMS AND MONUMENTS Source: Pôle Emploi Service More than 71.6 million visitors in 2010 **Source: PCVB/INSEE/KPMG
SERVICES 13,300 BARS AND RESTAURANTS 61,250 NEIGHBOURHOOD SHOPS AND SERVICES
463 PARKS AND GARDENS
INFORMATION France at the forefront France, the top international tourist destination, is adapting its offer to maintain its 5 leadership in the face of increasingly stiff competition from other markets.
A WORLD TOURISM LEADER According to the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), international tourist arrivals were up by 4.4% in 2011. Europe, the world’s top tourism market, registered a 6% A NEW LAW AND FOUR increase and crossed the half-billion international arrivals mark. France has long MAJOR REFORMS held the enviable position of top international tourist destination. The number of international arrivals rose to 81.4 million in 2011, according to the A law passed in 2009 to modernise and DGCIS (Directorate general for competitiveness, industry and services) and the develop tourism services introduced Banque de France. Overnights increased sharply to 581 million: 56 million more four key reforms to tackle the than in 2010 (+10. 7 %). All forms of paid accommodation registered an increase (+ challenges the sector is currently 9.3 % compared to 2010) but the average daily spend of international visitors fell facing: by 2 % to €57.50. - A reform of the hotel classification A contraction that was nevertheless offset by the increase in the number of tourist system with the introduction of the five- arrivals, which led to overall foreign tourist spending rising from €30.8 bn in 2010 to star category and, since 2011, the €33.4 bn in 2011 (+8. 4 %). Tourism accounts for more than 6% of France’s GDP “Palace” label. and employs some 2 million people. - New holiday voucher regulations to ensure that vouchers are made more BRAND IMAGE: CULTURE AND GLAMOUR widely available in small companies. The Country Brand Index (CBI) survey for 2011 places France among the countries - The merger of tourism research body with the best brand image. The survey has been carried out for the past six years ODIT France and national tourism and quizzes 3,500 business and leisure tourists on how they perceive countries, organisation Maison de la France into with criteria ranging from culture and food to history. France placed 9th; its top tourism development agency Atout draws are its art and culture, together with leading luxury brands such as Chanel France in order to implement better co- and Louis Vuitton, which are ambassadors of French style. ordinated and more efficient tourism Canada topped the list again in 2011; Switzerland moved up from fourth to second policies. place, followed by New Zealand (3rd), Japan (4th) and Australia (5th). The United - Simplified administrative regulations States (6th), Sweden (7th), Finland (8th) and Italy (10th) were the other countries in for travel agencies so as to open up the Top Ten . employee access to the sector while ensuring consumer protection. FOR CHINESE TOURISTS, FRANCE IS THE COUNTRY OF
ROMANCE An Atout France-Roland Berger survey of Chinese middle class respondents reveals that although 88% of them have never been to France, they intend to visit the country over the next two years, while 71% of those who have already visited recommend the destination to people they know. No fewer than 100 million Chinese tourists are expected to visit France by 2020. They consider it the country of romance and the most attractive destination in Europe. Paris remains the top destination in France.
INFORMATION An opportunity for Paris Tourist arrivals generate significant foreign exchange earnings for Paris. Tourism is a vital 6 part of the local economy, and one of the sectors that creates the most jobs.
A RECORD NUMBER OF ARRIVALS IN 2011 Despite a difficult economic and geopolitical situation (the sovereign debt crisis, the Arab spring, the Fukushima earthquake etc.), Paris TOP 10 NATIONALITIES registered a record number of tourist arrivals in 2011. STAYING IN PARIS HOTELS Hotel arrivals peaked at 36.9 million overnights for the first time ever. The occupancy rate (all hotel categories) was 79.5% - 2.3% higher IN 2011 than in 2010. United States 1 208 062 -1.4 % The increased influx of tourists in 2011 can mainly be attributed to a United Kingdom 986 811 -10.7 % 13.2% increase over 2010 in arrivals from new visitor countries. The Italy 694 592 -3.7 % biggest increase – 19.5% – was in visitors from Asia and Oceania Spain 589 413 -1.9 % (China and Japan excluded), followed by the Americas (U.S. Germany 569 266 +0.5 % excluded) at +16.8%. French tourists accounted for 46% of hotel arrivals in 2011 and Japan 543 858 +9.5 % continue to drive growth (+2.4% in 2011; +11.4% over the past two Belgium 288 529 -0.5 % years). This growth trend, which started in the 1990s with transport The Netherlands 235 034 -17.2 % options making the capital more easily accessible, is proof of the Switzerland 238 650 -2.3 % continued attractiveness of Paris. China 127 782 +31.5 % Finally, with 16.3 million overnights, business tourism makes up a significant part of tourist arrivals, accounting for 44.6% of the total number of overnights in 2011: slightly higher than in 2010 (+0.9%). TOURISM JOBS IN PARIS (Source: Garp-Unedic)
A JOB- CREATING SECTOR The capital’s 16,488 tourist establishments (public sector Restaurants 56.6% establishments excluded) provided salaried employment to 164,265 Accommodation 21.3% people in 2010, i.e. 13.3% of all jobs, compared to only 10.1% in 1998 Transport 10.7% (source: Pôle Emploi Service). Tourism is therefore one of the main Leisure 11.4% sectors creating new jobs – and, most importantly, these are non- fungible jobs .
SUBSTANTIAL REVENUE Details in the press section of In 2010, the hotel business (all categories combined) generated pre-tax parisinfo.com: turnover of €4.4 bn. Hotels at the higher end of the scale accounted for the lion’s share: €1.21 bn for 3* hotels and €2.51 bn for 4*, 4* luxury and http://en.parisinfo.com/paris-in- 5* hotels. Tourist tax revenue amounted to €38.3 mn in 2010. figures-en/
GETTING SET FOR 2020
Tourism has become less subject to seasonal variations over the past few years . While January and February remain the most sluggish months of the year, promotional operations by the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau such as Shopping by Paris in January and Romantic Paris in February are attracting new visitors.
Market diversification – the arrival of increasing numbers of Chinese, Indian, Russian, Mexican, Korean, Brazilian, Turkish and Middle Eastern tourists – is another major trend. Emerging markets accounted for 3 million arrivals in 2011 against 2.6 million in 2010 (+13.2%). Meanwhile, arrivals from the traditional INFORMATION top six markets for Paris tourism continue to decrease year after year: 4.5 million in 2011 compared to 4.6 million en 2010 (a 1.7% drop). 7 The number of international hotel arrivals is expected to reach 12 million by 2020 (compared to around 8 million today), including 2 million visitors from Asia, according to Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates.
Details in the press section of parisinfo.com: http://en.parisinfo.com/paris -in- figures-en/
S’INFORMER
INFORMATION Paris: A business destination Its image and infrastructure have made Paris a hub for business tourism and a 8 destination of choice for event organisers.
A PROFITABLE SECTOR KEY FIGURES FOR 2011 The business tourism sector comprises trade fairs and shows, association congresses, incentive travel and individual travel for business purposes. It is - 12 million business visitors per estimated that 12 million of the 28.2 million visitors to Paris each year are year business travellers . - 384 trade shows
A GLOBAL DECISION-MAKING CENTRE - More than 995 congresses Ile-de-France is the number one region in Europe in various spheres: the and 792,000 attendees in 2011 number of Fortune 500 companies it is home to, education (17 universities, 350 high schools and 600,000 students) and R&D. The Paris stock 2nd in the ICCA classification exchange is the second biggest in Europe after London. The region’s close- Thousands of corporate events knit industrial network explains the high percentage of business travellers, while its eight “competitiveness clusters” confer international legitimacy on its 44.6% of all overnight stays sectors of excellence . within Paris proper 16,300,000 business overnights in SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES 2011 (0.9% more than in 2010) Besides its location at the heart of Europe and hence its accessibility (a key 55,500 direct jobs factor in event organisation) and positive image as a city with an outstanding for the Paris Ile-de-France region cultural heritage and fine food, Paris’s leadership has a great deal to do with its dynamic tourism professionals, who have invested substantially in 18 congress and exhibition refurbishing and restructuring their offer. There are 18 congress centres in centres Paris and Ile -de-France, 10 of them grouped under the VIPARIS banner. 31 conference hotels These business hubs have diversified their facilities and services to accommodate all types of international events. Paris leads in events for the with more than 300 rooms medical sector, which accounts for the bulk of its congress business, and Average number of congress boasts some of the world’s finest teaching hospitals and medical campuses. participants per congress in 2011: 795 Paris also has the world’s most diversified and attractive hotel offer including all the major international chains, which offer integrated business solutions Average spend per congress combining accommodation, meeting rooms and other business facilities with participant: €321/day (€366 for a range of le isure and cultural activities. There are also a variety of other, international participants). more unusual venues in which to host a corporate event – museums, parks and gardens, department stores etc. The average daily spend of a congress participant is 50% higher than that of a leisure tourist.
A MOBILISED SECTOR IN THE PIPELINE The entire travel sector is contributing to making Paris a more hospitable and attractive destination. Initiatives include the SNCF’s New welcome centres are being set discount vouchers for business events, the “Air France-KLM Global up, such as the Cœur d’Orly Meetings” service and the RATP Paris “congress card”, a business district and the Aéroville combination of a travel card and customised services. The Paris and Planète France projects at Paris Airports Authority provides an event hospitality service at CDG and CDG airport. Orly airports: mobile check-in desks, signs in the event’s colours, a The future International Trade VIP welcome desk, reserved parking spaces for event buses etc. A Center–Roissy-CDG, which is similar service is forthcoming at Paris train stations. The VIPARIS expected to open in 2015, will welcome package comprises information booths in train stations provide the town of Roissy-en-France and airports, specific signage for delegate arrivals, shuttle services with a single venue integrating and a concierge service at the trade show or congress. congress and business facilities. Extending over a total area of ASSISTANCE ON THE PCVB PORTAL 85,000m², it will include a congress The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau is a platform for its 560 centre with a capacity for 5,000 business tourism members and event organisers. It provides the latter people over two levels, 75 meeting rooms, a permanent showroom and with a wide range of useful tools including the website convention.parisinfo.com, which is entirely devoted to business two exhibition halls, plus the ITC Club tourism. The website includes a multi-criteria search engine to find and a 21,000m² office building. There service providers fast, keeps users up to date with all the latest Paris will be 7 hotels offering a total of news (inaugurations, renovations etc.) and features a calendar of the key 1,734 rooms (including a five-star INFORMATION business events (congresses, trade shows etc.) as well as a range of hotel with a spa), an aparthotel, a brochures and destination promotional materials (a film, the “Meeting in 4,000m² food court and an Paris” guide with more than 500 venues listed etc.) and a contact form to underground parking garage with 3,340 spaces. get in touch with the Bureau’s events team. Also on the accommodation front, the 9 City of Paris intends to build 7,000 THE PARIS EVENTS CHARTER additional rooms – principally 2 and Leading Paris hotels have signed a charter for the hosting of major 3* category – in the immediate professional events in Paris under the aegis of the City of Paris, the vicinity of Paris proper by 2020. Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau. The charter offers non-profit organisations Details of the Paris offer for attractive conditions for congresses bringing more than 1,000 attendees to Paris. Paris travel professionals and local authorities worked hand in congress, meeting and seminar hand to put the charter, proposed by the Paris Convention and Visitors organisers here: Bureau in 2006, in place. Signed in 2009, the charter has the support of http://convention.parisinfo.com/en the Mayor of Paris. It functions at various levels: from the bid stage (letters of support, meetings between decision-makers and the / appropriate City of Paris departments) to giving delegates a personalised welcome (welcome messages on City hoardings, The “Paris IDF, the business receptions in the salons of the City Hall, etc.). The City of Paris also travel capital” and “Paris, the uses its various communication tools to make residents aware of the event. congress destination” guides are This unprecedented federation of a whole industry, particularly 15 hotel available to download in the groups (more than 470 hotels offering 60,000 rooms in Paris and the press section of parisinfo.com. Paris region) , makes it possible for Paris to give associations comprehensive and detailed propositions that compile the offer of the various destina tion professionals, several years in advance of an event. Plus the dedicated website: Paris has brought together all the assets for attracting major association http://convention.parisinfo.com/en events against a backdrop of keen international competition.
S’INFORMER INFORMATION What the surveys say Paris remains the epitome of romance, culture, glamour and fashion for people all over the world. The French capital is also increasingly perceived as a welcoming city. 10
A LEGENDARY CAPITAL CITY PARIS GETS TOP PLACE Paris is one of the world’s few really legendary capitals. Far from A classification of the top ten tourist cities resting on its laurels, the French capital has taken a pro-active drawn up in January 2012 by strategy approach to enhancing its appeal by undertaking a quality-focused consultants Roland Berger puts Paris in and sustainable development strategy based on constant top place for overnights (overall and per innovation . This great city is a blend of past and future. Its inhabitant); hotel capacity (rooms), RevPar pleasingly symmetrical layout, the result of the work of visionary (revenue per available room), international rulers and architects, dates to the 19th century, while 21st-century arrivals, especially from faraway countries, Paris is a laboratory of the future. Paris is a dream destination for accessibility by air and number of French and international visitors alike. congresses recognised by international organisations. Paris placed first for all these criteria, ahead of Amsterdam, A VIBRANT AND EVER-CHANGING CITY Stockholm, Vienna, Berlin, Rome, London, Paris is a city where a steel and glass pyramid juxtaposes the former Madrid, Prague and Istanbul. library of King Charles V, and home to great architectural projects, from the Grande Arche de la Défense to the Bibliothèque François- Mitterrand. “Starchitecture” projects abound in current-day Paris, A CAPITAL OF CULTURE designed by the likes of Jean Nouvel, Franck O. Gehry, Renzo Piano The Globe Shopper City Index – Europe, and Christian de Portzamparc, and the designer touch has become created by The Economist Intelligence Unit, indispensable for any hotel renovation. Paris has also launched puts Paris in top place for its culture and trend-setting initiatives such as Paris Plages, the Nuit Blanche and climate (84.5), ahead of Rome and Berlin the Nuits des Musées, which have since been copied by other cities (84 and 82.1 points respectively). Paris is around the world. second, right after London, for the quality of its shops (number, variety and proximity: AN IMAGE ENHANCED BY FILMS 80.5 points for London, 74.7 for Paris). The French capital scored 65.5 as a shopping The silver screen has also contributed to the Paris legend – classic destination, alongside Barcelona and and modern films such as Love in the Afternoon, An American in Madrid (which both score 67.1 points) and Paris, Amelie, Moulin Rouge, Everyone Says I Love You and London (67.3 points). Midnight in Paris have done more for Paris’s image than any advertising campaign. But the city is also a source of inspiration for the advertising world – Guerlain’s spot for its latest fragrance, “Petite
Robe Noire ”, is a wonderful tribute to eternally elegant Paris.
SATISIFIED VISITORS HIGH APPEAL FOR The PCVB regularly uses a Fastbooking survey to measure the satisfaction levels of visitors who have booked a hotel room on the INVESTORS website parisinfo.com. The results have been nearly identical each year Paris is among the top four, with New since the survey was put in place. In 2011, visitors gave their Paris stay York, London and Singapore, in a an average satisfaction rating of 8.7/10. The rating for the quality of their ranking of the most competitive cities in welcome improved (8.2/10 in 2011 compared to 7.9/10 in 2006). 97% of the world according to a study by The the visitors who filled out the questionnaire wish to return to Paris. Economist for Citigroup, published on 12 March 2012. The classification, which ranks 120 cities on their capacity to A PLEASANT 24-HOUR STAY attract investment, companies, job With an overall ranking of 79%, Paris is in second place alongside skills and tourism, confirms the Amsterdam, after London, for the quality of the welcome offered to its attractiveness of the Paris metropolitan visitors. The Paris and Ile-de-France Regional Tourism Committee area. According to the International announced this excellent score in November 2010 following a survey Investments in the Key Cities of the carried out by “mystery visitors” on a 24-hour stay in Europe’s top tourist World watch, which measures greenfield cities. Paris was top for the quality of the welcome offered in its museums investments worldwide, Paris is very (98%). The city scored more than 80% for the quality of its food and 76% attractive to investors. And an exclusive for its taxi service, belying the bad reputation of its taxi drivers and survey by Paris-Ile de France, waiters. Paris ranked fifth for its hotels because of insufficient information Economic Capital in partnership with provided by hotel owners, not because of the quality of its hotels. KPMG in June 2011 placed Paris 5th on the list of the most appealing cities to THE MOST ATTRACTIVE CITY invest in: it is by far the top destination for
INFORMATION Paris is the most attractive city in the world according to the results of a investments in Europe. Paris also ranks June 2009 survey by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media and Simon very high in terms of international Anholt. The French capital topped the list of 50 major cities, placing research centres – it is in 3rd place ahead of Sydney and London. And, according to a 2008 study by worldwide and 1st in Europe. 10 British consulting firm Saffron Consultants, Paris is Europe’s top city 11 brand on the basis of a dozen criteria such as press coverage, retail quality, cost of living, good food and cultural activities, ahead of GOOGLE IN PARIS London, Barcelona, Berlin and Amsterdam. When deciding the location for a 2010 TV
spot to publicise its search engine, A MIXED VIEW OF PARISIANS Google’s top pick was Paris. The spot A Touriscopie qualitative survey in 2008 revealed that most visitors used screen shots of Google functions were pleasantly surprised by how open and friendly they had found (search, translation, Maps) to tell the Parisians to be. When asked to rate Paris on a scale from 1 to 9, they romantic tale of how an American finds gave it between 9 and 10. However, they sometimes got the impression love…in Paris. Google has since decided that there are two sides to Paris. In averagely touristy parts of the city, to set up its European headquarters in the visitor blends into the city landscape and gets on well with the local Paris. people. In other, very touristy parts of Paris, where the constant stream http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJVsBcx of visitors inevitably disrupts local life, local residents tend to be bad- 2Nhc tempered with tourists.
INFORMATION Capitale de l’accueil A welcoming city 12 Enhancing the visitor experience – on arrival at the airports and stations, in hotels, aparthotels, restaurants, shops and department stores – is one of the main concerns of Paris tourism professionals.
WELCOME CENTRES THROUGHOUT THE CITY KEY FIGURES FOR 2011 Besides its Rue des Pyramides headquarters, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau has welcome centres at the Gare de Lyon, the 604,600 visitors to the welcome centres in 2011: Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est train stations as well as a welcome +7% compared to 2010 kiosk at the Anvers metro station at the foot of the Montmartre Hill and 185,000 visitors to the “Ambassador” kiosks at the Paris Expo trade fair grounds when an event is on. Visitors can from 23 May to 14 October 2011 also find guidance at the Montmartre tourist information centre. 8 August 2011: 1,805 visitors to the PCVB
headquarters at 25, Rue des Pyramides. WELCOME “AMBASSADORS” NOW A FIXTURE The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau has extended its “Welcome MORE ONLINE VISITORS Ambassador” operation in peak tourist season. Welcome kiosks are set up from May to October every year in a number of strategic tourist The number of people who consulted the sites. PCVB website parisinfo.com in 2011 jumped to In 2012, for the 12th consecutive year, multilingual young ambassadors 9.6 million (49.7 million page views) from 6.5 million in 2010 (43.7 million page views). will staff 5 welcome kiosks in the main sightseeing spots. The Notre-Dame and Champs-Élysées-Clemenceau kiosks will open first, on 24 May, and
wind up the season on 12 October. The Bastille and Hôtel de Ville kiosks will be open from 2 July to 31 August.
EFFICIENT TOURIST OFFICE STAFF In 2012, the Paris and Ile-de-France Regional Tourism Committee once again carried out its “mystery visitor” survey on the quality of the welcome offered in European cities. Tourist offices in six cities – Amsterdam, Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris (Rue des Pyramides) and Rome were evaluated. The results will be available this September. In 2010, the visitors evaluated nine welcome centres – in Amsterdam, Montreal, Rome, Berlin, London, Madrid, New York, Paris (Rue des Pyramides) and Washington. Paris placed first overall among non-English-speaking cities for the number of English speakers staffing its welcome centres, and second for the personalised quality of the welcome offered to visitors.
THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE: PARIS THIS SUMMER (2012) The bilingual (French and English) guide Paris this summer (2012) has a great summer line-up of events. Visitors can pick up the booklet free of charge at the PCVB offices, the “Ambassador” kiosks, the municipality in each arrondissement, on trains run by the Elipsos company, at the Beauvais airport, in some hotels at Disneyland Paris and at the Seine- Saint-Denis (93) and La Défense (92) tourist offices, as well as at the premises of the hundreds of Paris tourism professionals who are PCVB members and have played an increasingly important part in publicising the event over the years.
PLANNING A STAY ONLINE ON PARISINFO.COM Planning a Paris stay on parisinfo.com is quick and easy: visitors simply click on “Book” to add the services required to their shopping basket.
Three delivery methods are available: tickets sent to the visitor’s address anywhere in the world, a free-of-cost pick-up at the PCVB headquarters or delivery by courier to the visitor’s Paris hotel.
PARIS FOR DISABLED VISITORS The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau encourages and helps tourism professionals to improve the accessibility of tourist sights and facilities for people with disabilities. INFORMATION The website parisinfo.com lists more than 1,650 hotels, restaurants and cultural venues accessible to disabled visitors, 13 either bearing the Tourisme & Handicap label or evaluated by the PCVB. There are detailed information sheets for visitors with disabilities, listing useful services such as specially adapted transport, personal assistance and medical equipment rental in Paris and Ile-de-France. The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau participated in the Urbaccess trade show in January 2012 and will take part in the 3rd edition of the Accessibility Forum to be held at the Bourse de Commerce in Paris in September.
TOP BUYS ON PARISINFO.COM
Museums & Monuments: Louvre, Versailles, Arc de Triomphe, Musée d’Orsay, Musée Grévin, Espace Dalí, Tour
Montparnasse, Panthéon and Sainte-Chapelle, plus all the museums included in the Paris Museum Pass.
Transport: Paris Visite pass (unlimited journeys on buses, the metro, the light rail and RER trains), RER tickets to
Versailles and Marne-la-Vallée, and Air France coaches.
Cruises: Bateaux Parisiens, Bateaux bus, Bateaux-Mouches.
Cabarets: Lido and Crazy Horse. All Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau locations here: Open-top bus tours: Open Tour, Cars Rouges, Fox City. http://en.parisinfo.com/where-to- find-us/ Amusement parks: Aquaboulevard, Disneyland Paris, Parc
Astérix.
And more than 200 hotels.
INFORMATION La sécurité, une priorité Putting safety first 14 Although Paris is a safe city, the presence of millions of visitors inevitably attracts criminal elements, as in all the major capitals of the world. The Paris police force works closely with the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau.
A SUPPORTIVE POLICE FORCE Police units specialising in crime prevention train the staff of the “Welcome Ambassadors” kiosks, who are on hand to give tourists information in case of theft, loss of personal effects or accidents and guide them to the help desks in the main police station of each of the 20 arrondissements, open round the clock, seven days a week. www.prefecture-police-paris.interieur.gouv.fr or tel. 08 91 01 22 22.
The police also publish crime prevention advice leaflets in several languages (English, German Spanish, Italian and Japanese) in partnership with the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau; these are available at all PCVB offices. Two new leaflets warning against street hawkers and card skimmers were published in 2011, and the pamphlet Paris in complete safety is to be reprinted in 2012.
In 2011 an agreement was signed by the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City of Paris, the Préfecture de Police and the “Victim Assistance Paris” association to publicise and spread awareness of measures in place to help visitors who are victims of crime in the French capital.
The PCVB is also working closely with the office of the Paris chef of police, embassies and tour operators to enhance safety for Asian visitors, who are particularly vulnerable to petty crime.
MULTILINGUAL POLICE OFFICERS 165 Paris police officers speaking 31 languages including English, Chinese, Russian and Greek patrol areas popular with tourists. They wear badges indicating the languages they speak, and are on hand to help with anything from a request for directions to reports of theft or assault.
A WELL-EQUIPPED POLICE FORCE All police stations and mobile units in Paris are equipped with the SAVE (Reception System for Foreign Victims) software. Available in 16 languages, the software allows any police officer to register the complaint of an international visitor and provide a receipt in the visitor’s language to simplify subsequent procedures at the visitor’s embassy in France or after returning home. If a visitor has been physically assaulted, the police officer provides a certificate authorising the victim to be examined by the medical emergency unit of the Hôtel-Dieu Hospital on the Place du Parvis Notre Dame. For more information: [email protected]
INFORMATION Uniquely Parisian pleasures 15 There are a host of small pleasures that can only be enjoyed in Paris. Here is a miscellany of typically Parisian pastimes.
Perch on a stool at the zinc bar of an old-fashioned bistro to drink a cup of black coffee Arrange to meet friends on the steps of the Opéra Garnier or under the statue of Danton on Place de l’Odéon Rummage through the stalls of the bouquinistes on Quai de Montebello Have a picnic on the Square du Vert-Galant Treat yourself to an ice cream cone at Berthillon Sip a mint tea at Café Maure at the Grande Mosquée de Paris Find yourself a good viewpoint and wait for the Eiffel Tower to light up at night Take refuge in a tropical greenhouse at the Jardin des Plantes on a cold winter’s day Tuck into onion soup in a 24-hour brasserie in Les Halles Watch the sunrise from the steps of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica Drink a toast at the Montmartre harvest festival Watch a classic French play at the Comédie-Française Spend an entire Sunday or Monday at the Saint-Ouen flea market Indulge in an incomparable macaroon at Ladurée or Pierre Hermé Sip an aperitif in style at the bar of a palace hotel Play boules on the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin: loser buys the drinks! Rent a deckchair for an open-air film screening at Parc de la Villette Place a flower on Baudelaire’s tomb at the Montparnasse cemetery Go window shopping on Boulevard Haussmann at Christmastime Read your newspaper on a green chair at the Jardin du Luxembourg Snap a Harcourt-style portrait of yourself at the MK2 Bibliothèque photo booth Inspect the statue of the zouave soldier on Pont de l’Alma to gauge the level of the Seine Go to Notre Dame Cathedral square and stand on the bronze star marking the exact location of point zero of all French roads Take a night-time stroll along the Pont des Arts See a movie at the Rex, the last of the great 1930s cinema halls Bump unexpectedly into a celebrity and act like you didn’t notice them Get high on exotic fragrances at the Dejean market in the heart of the Goutte d’Or Dan ce on the banks of the Seine on a summer’s night Sit at a table on a terrasse on the Champs-Élysées and watch the crowds go by Hop on a hired Vélib’ and cycle across town Have a falafel sandwich on the go in Rue des Rosiers on a Sunday Make a wish at the statue of the Amida Buddha at the Musée Cernuschi Watch a harness race at night at the Vincennes racecourse Have a night-time swim in the listed Pontoise swimming pool Scald your fingers on chestnuts bought piping hot from street vendors on the Grands Boulevards in winter Enjoy one of the loveliest panoramic views of Paris from the heights of the Parc de Belleville Have a drink on the terrace of Café Marly overlooking the Louvre Pyramid
TRANSPORT
Top -flight airports
Paris is at the crossroads of the world, with three airports offering connections to 518 destinations in 136 countries. 16
RECORD AIR TRAFFIC IN 2011 Paris offered air travellers connections to 518 destinations in 136 countries in 2011. IMPROVED PASSENGER The two major Paris airports, Paris– ORIENTATION Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly, broke all records, handling 88.1 million passengers ADP is paying particular attention to in 2011, up from 83.4 million in 2010. An passenger welcome and orientation. additional 3.7 million travellers (+25.6%) Interactive electronic terminals that can used Paris Beauvais-Tillé airport, read a ticket to provide the passenger essentially a hub for low-cost airlines. with information on the departure gate, the easiest way to get there and the 91.8
walking time have been installed. ADP ADP: FULL SPEED AHEAD has also equipped some airport staff million passengers ADP has made substantial investments with tablet PCs to give passengers real- used the ADP over the past few years to enhance the time information on their flights. Agents attractiveness of Paris airports and wearing orange waistcoats are also on airports and Beauvais- accompany the growth of the Air-France- hand to assist passengers at Tillé in 2011 KLM hub, the largest in Europe today. particularly busy times. At Charles -de-Gaulle airport, following the renovation of CDG 1 and the inauguration of T2 G, ADP plans to completely MORE INFORMATION restructure Terminal 2B and open a new The Paris Ile-de-France Regional airport hotel in 2013. Tourism Committee has set up new welcome desks at Paris airports in million
partnership with Aéroports de Paris. 61 A 4TH SATELLITE FOR CDG Tourist information booths are already passengers at Roissy–Charles-de-Gaulle is revamping its in place at CDG1 (Terminals F1, T1, Paris –Charles -de- hub. Several projects are underway, 2C, 2E and 2F), and welcome desks Gaulle including a connecting building between have also been set up at Orly Sud Terminals A and C of the airport. The (Gate L) and Orly Ouest (Gate A). major event of the year in 2012 will be the inauguration of Satellite 4, a new boarding 27.1 terminal with bold architecture and decor millions at Orly in 2011 combining wood and plate glass. It will be entirely devoted to Air France and partner company flights (60% of CDG’s traffic). Connections to The terminal will also have a shopping mall, a free-entry museum and relaxation cities areas. 518
TRANSPORT
Paris on rails
Six mainline train stations connect the French capital to the rest of France and Europe. Each of these 17 bustling, centrally located stations is a “city within a city”. Ce sont de véritables « villes dans la ville ».
THE RENOVATION TGV: FASTER TRAVEL PROGRAMME WITHIN FRANCE Nearly 100 million passengers use the Paris Faster travel times within France are train stations each year. In 2003, French also on the cards with various high- railway company SNCF started a renovation speed train projects – the LGV programme to refurbish all the stations – Brittany-Loire Valley, the LGV South part of Paris history and each a mini-city Europe-Atlantic, the LGV Provence within the city. Following the renovation of Alpes Côte d’Azur and the new Paris Lyon for the launch of the TGV Montpellier-Perpignan line. The new Méditerranée, Paris Est for the launch of the routes will cut travel time considerably, TGV Est and Paris Nord for the new to 2h05 from Bordeaux to Paris, 3h Eurostar terminal , extensive renovation work from Toulouse to Paris, 3h50 from is nearing completion at the Gare Saint- Nice to Paris, and 4h30 from Paris to Lazare. Similar projects are on the cards for Barcelona. the Gare d’Austerlitz and the Gare Montparnasse in anticipation of increased traffic. Apart from restoring the stations to their original beauty, the objective is to enhance passenger comfort and information, improve accessibility for people with disabilities and increase the number of shops and services. Following the high-speed train (TGV) from CDG airport, Orly is to have its own TGV by 2020.
PARIS, THE HEART OF EUROPE With the Artesia and Elipsos night trains, passengers can fall asleep in Italy or Spain and wake up in Paris. Other outbound destinations from Paris are the U.K. with Eurostar, Belgium, Holland and Germany with Thalys and Switzerland with Lyria. Eurostar carried 9.2 million passengers in 2011 (2% more than in 2009) and Thalys 6.65 million (3.1% than in 2010).
Check train times on: http://www.voyages-sncf.com/
TRANSPORT
The metro: Picking up speed 18 The metro is a major asset for Paris tourism. The RATP’s projects are intended to offer more and better trains and services to keep up with the rise in passenger traffic on the metro – a clean, safe means of transport.
ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST EXTENSIVE WHAT DOES IT COST? NETWORKS The RATP carried more than 3 billion passengers in 2011 (more than - Single ticket: €1.70 10 million passengers per day: 6 million on the metro alone). The figure - Carnet of 10 tickets: €12.70 is 1.7% higher than in 2010. The metro now runs until 2am on Fridays, - Paris Visite unlimited pass (for visitors Saturdays and the eve of holidays and until 1am the other days of the only): from €9.75 for a one-day pass to week to satisfy increased demand. Paris has one of the most extensive €31.15 for a five-day pass (zones 1-3) undergrou nd networks in the world with 16 lines covering 200 km and Holders of a Paris Visite pass get reduced- 328 stations, some of which are tourist sites in their own right – the price tickets to many attractions and discounts in shops. Louvre-Rivoli station and its replicas of works of art, the graffiti-covered staircase at the Abbesses station with its art nouveau entrance It can be bought at metro and mainline train designed by Hector Guimard and the Palais-Royal station designed in stations, bus terminals, airports, 150 hotels 2000 by Jean -Michel Othoniel, with arches of Murano glass beads. and the offices of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, or online at parisinfo.com.
EXTENDED ROUTES 16 metro lines In 2008, the RATP launched the “Ambition 2012” programme, which earmarks one billion euros a year to renovate existing trains and buy 328 stations within Paris new ones, so as to run trains closer together on overcrowded lines 5 RER regional train lines (including such as the 5, 9 and 13. Line 1, which stops at major Paris sights such 2 RATP-run lines) as the Louvre and the Champs-Élysées, became automatic in November 2011. 3 light rail lines Line 8 was extended to Créteil/Pointe du Lac in 2011, while Line 4 will 351 bus routes run as far as Mairie de Montrouge by end-2012, then continue on to Bagneux by end- 2019. Line 12 will run as far as Front Populaire end- 4,300 buses 2012, and to Mairie d’Aubervilliers in 2017. The extension of Line 14 to Porte de Clichy and Saint-Denis is also expected to be complete in 2017. 1,506.2 million passengers used public transport in 2011
The French Parliament approved the “Grand Paris” project, which envisages a 130-km double-loop automatic metro line around Paris, end -May 2010. Details: http://en.parisinfo.com/paris-map/
http://www.ratp.fr
Buses and trams
An improved bus service and a growing tram network are part of the city’s policy of providing sustainable transport solutions.
MORE BUSES The City of Paris’s transport policy includes the introduction of bus lanes (250 km to date) to make it easier and faster for the 3.6 million passengers who take RATP buses each day to get around the city. Le The Ile-de- France Transport Union (STIF) has invested €55 million to improve bus services in the region. More buses have been added to 22 bus routes within Paris, including 12 evening and Sunday bus services.
A CLEAN, MODERN FLEET NIGHT BUSES TRANSPORT The RATP has a fleet of 4,300 buses. All the vehicles it has The Noctilien night bus service was purchased meet the Euro 5 regulations, which specify reductions in introduced to meet increasing demand nitrogen oxide emissions. for public transport after the metro Paris bus drivers are being encouraged to drive slowly and steadily: shuts down at night. besides enhanced passenger comfort, the goal is to reduce fuel consumption by 5% to save 4 million litres of petrol each year. The Noctilien service comprises 47 19 Hybrid buses are being tested since January 2012 (one bus in two) lines (recognisable by the letter N along Line 21 (Gare Saint-Lazare/Porte de Gentilly) and Line 91 (Gare followed by a number), which operate Montparnasse/Bastille) for six months. The engines switch themselves in Paris and Ile de France from off when the buses stop at traffic lights, cutting fuel consumption and 12.30pm to 5.30am. emissions by up to 30%n.
The routes serve five major connecting In 2009, the Roissybus fleet was replaced by new vehicles with a stations within Paris proper: Châtelet, capacity of 148 passengers and screens providing real-time traffic Montparnasse, Gare de l’Est, Gare information in 4 languages. These buses carry 4,000 passengers each Saint-Lazare and Gare de Lyon. day to and from Opéra and Charles de Gaulle airport.
THE SUCCESSFUL RE-INTRODUCTION Users purchase one ticket for zones 1 and 2 and an extra ticket for each OF LIGHT RAIL additional zone. Holders of Navigo, Paris inaugurated its first light rail line in the city proper since 1938 on Paris Visite and other cards and 16 December 2006. The T3 line skirts the southern part of the city passes do not require tickets on the along the B oulevards des Maréchaux to connect the Garigliano bridge Noctilien. to the Porte d’Ivry. It carries 110,000 passengers per day. The T2 line, which goes from La Défense to Issy-Val de Seine, was extended in November 2009 to Porte de Versailles, also a metro station and therefore a transfer point to and from metro lines 8 and 12 and the T3 line. The extension of the T3 line to Porte d’Ivry and Porte de la Chapelle in northern Paris started in 2010. The new line will stop at 25 stations and skirt 11 towns in the inner suburbs of Paris. It is expected to be in service by end-2012. A westward extension will continue the T3’s orbit of the city and take it as far as Porte d’Asnières, or possibly Porte Maillot.
BUSES ESPECIALLY FOR TOURISTS The RATP and Cityrama have joined hands to create an open-top bus tour for tourists called the Open Tour. Buses run along four set routes and commentary is available in eight languages. Visitors buy one or two-day passes, which cost €31 and €34 respectively, to ride the yellow and green buses. Les Cars Rouges offer a coach circuit lasting 2h15 taking in the main sights of Paris, with commentary in four languages. A ticket valid for two consecutive days costs €26.
TRANSPORT
By bicycle With a network of bicycle paths and a popular bike-sharing scheme, Paris is a cycle-friendly 20 DÉPLACER SE capital in step with an increasingly green ethos.
VÉLIB’: A BIG SUCCESS Paris now has 650 km of bicycle lanes, and vast Parisian squares such as Bastille, Clichy, Denfert-Rochereau, Nation and République are VÉLIB’ HOW-TO being adapted to make them safe for cycle traffic. New cycle paths will also be built to allow bicyclists to reach train stations, the city’s outskirts and even neighbouring suburbs. 7-day Velib’ pass: €8 Since 2010, Paris has also been extending its network of streets open to 1-day Velib’ pass: €1.70 counter flow cycling in 30 kph zones: more than 1,000 one-way streets in Annual subscription: €29 (30-minute the city are being opened up to let bicyclists cycle upstream against car journeys) traffic. Vélib’ Passion: €39 (45-minute journeys) The RATP website displays a map of bicycle lanes and makes it possible for cyclists to work out how long it will take them to cycle the itinerary of Young people’s discount: €10 their choice : www.ratp.fr. discount on the Vélib’ Passion subscription for 14-26-year-olds; €20 discount for scholarship holders. The first 30 minutes of any new VÉLIB’ FOR ONE AND ALL journey are free of charge. The Velib’ bike rental scheme has been a big hit since it was launched in The second half-hour costs €1, the third 2007 by the City of Paris and the JC Decaux Group. With more than 20 half-hour costs €2 and subsequent half- million trips so far, the Velib’ has become part and parcel of Parisians’ hour slots cost €4 each. lives and is increasingly popular with visitors, who can find rental information at the terminals in English, German, Spanish and Italian. In 2009, the Vélib’ crossed the ring road to 30 inner suburban towns (Vincennes, Neuilly, Saint-Ouen, Ivry, Vanves, Suresnes, Montreuil etc.). In all, there are 300 suburban stations stocking 3,500 self-service bikes.
V LIB’ FOR VISITORS É With the Vélib’ Visit scheme, visitors can now purchase a 1-to-7-day pass on the Velib’ website up to two weeks before their date of arrival in Paris. This will simplify things for international visitors using foreign credit cards without an embedded microchip, which do not work in the Velib’ rental machines. By purchasing their pass online on their computer or smartphone, visitors can also avoid having to queue for a bike. Details: http://en.velib.paris.fr
TRANSPORT
River transport
River transport is experiencing a revival in Paris, with the Seine serving once again to carry 21 commuters and visitors after many years of being used exclusively for freight transport and cruises. This alternative form of public transport is being gradually expanded. Meanwhile, river cruises remain popular with Parisians and visitors alike.
BATOBUS: ALL ABOARD! The French transport ministry launched a river bus service called the PARIS CRUISES Batobus in 1989. The concession was awarded to Bateaux Parisians Seine river cruises are run by four on an annual renewable basis. companies: the Compagnie des Six boats provide daily transport, stopping at eight stations: Champs Bateaux Mouches®, Bateaux Elysées, Louvre, Hôtel de Ville, Jardin des Plantes, Notre Dame, Parisiens, Vedettes du Pont Neuf and Saint-Germain des Prés, Musée d’Orsay and the Eiffel Tower. Two Vedettes de Paris. additional boats complete the fleet during peak traffic hours. A boat puts in at each stop every 15-30 minutes. The service operates from 10.30am to 4.30pm in winter and from 10am to 7pm (and sometimes Canauxrama and Paris Canal also to 9.30pm) in summer. Batobus is also a partner each year for cultural operate canal cruises along the Canal events such as the European Heritage Days and Nuit Blanche, with Saint Martin, Canal Saint-Denis and special flat-rate tickets and extended timings. Canal de l’Ourcq. Ticket prices go from €15 per adult for a 1-day pass to €21 for a consecutive 5-day pass. The annual pass for Ile-de-France residents costs €60. There are reduced-rate passes for Navigo pass holders. www.batobus.com
VOGUÉO SHUTTLE BOATS MAY RETURN IN 2013 The Ile-de-France Transport Union (STIF) started testing the Voguéo shuttle ferry service in 2008, running boats between Gare d’Austerlitz and the Maison Alfort veterinary school in the eastern suburbs of Paris (94). The service was temporarily suspended in June 2010 and is expected to start operating again in summer 2013, with three routes offering connections to other forms of public transport. Line 1 is expected to run from Vitry-sur-Seine to Maisons-Alfort to Invalides, Line 2 from Gare d’Austerlitz to the Eiffel Tower and Line 3 from the Musée d’Orsay to Suresnes . Discussions are ongoing: watch this space! Details on parisinfo.com http://en.parisinfo.com/paris- sightseeing/
TRANSPORT
Taking a taxi Paris taxis are now more numerous and easier to spot. 22 20,000 TAXIS IN PARIS IN 2012 EASIER-TO-UNDERSTAND The Préfecture de Police issued 159 additional licenses in 2011 to meet FARES increased demand , especially at peak hours and at night. Paris had a fleet of 19,492 taxis as of end-2011, and their number is expected to go up to The meter of a Paris taxi works on an 20,000 in 2012, in line with an agreement the French Interior Ministry signed hourly or per km basis, with three fare with the taxi drivers’ unions in May 2008. categories - A, B and C. Fares vary depending on the day of the A 5-km taxi and bus lane was successfully tested on the A1 motorway in the week, the time of day or night and itinerary direction Paris -Charles de Gaulle airport, between Le Bourget and Stade de of the journey (from €0.96 to €1.47/km). All France, from 7am to 10am on weekdays in 2010. The Préfecture de Police is taxis charge the same fare, whatever the now working with the SNCF to improve passenger queue management in train vehicle category. stations. As of 9 January 2012, the standard pick-up charge is €2.40 and the minimum journey EASIER-TO -SPOT TAXIS charge is €6.40, with additional charges for a fourth passenger and for luggage. Free if the top sign is green, in service if the top sign is red: figuring out whether a Paris taxi is free will soon be child’s play. All Paris taxis will be A single phone number - 01 45 30 30 30 – equipped with the new lighting system by 2013. Taxis will also have to use a can be dialled for all Paris taxi firms. new colour scheme, with at least the roof and the door pillars painted black. Taxi meters issue an itemised bill for the journey; alternatively, the driver fills out a form The colour scheme is being implemented progressively, in line with an agreement the Préfecture de Paris signed with the taxi drivers’ unions on 23 to be given to the customer. June 2010. The Préfecture de Police and the French finance and interior ministries are evaluating the possibility of setting flat-rate fares for A CLEANER, MORE ACCESSIBLE FLEET journeys between CDG airport and Paris to A subsidy of €3,000 per car from the City of Paris has encouraged around encourage visitors to use taxis to reach the 450 Paris taxi drivers to buy hybrid cars, which are fuel-efficient and cause French capital. less pollution. The Préfecture de Police also issued a dispensation in 2012 allowing a private operator to test a small fleet of 100 electric taxis until 31 CABS FOR WOMEN December 2013 . Around one hundred licenses were also issued end-2011 to increase the number of taxis specially adapted to transport people with mobility The concept of special taxis for women is disabilities (only 55 such vehicles are currently circulating). being launched in Paris after proving very successful in London. Owned and run by women, these cabs will appeal not only to
WCAB®: THE SUSTAINABLE TAXI SHARE women but also to parents wishing to ensure This service uses the 7,000 taxis in the TAXIS G7 fleet to travel to and from their teenage daughters travel home in Paris and the Orly and CDG airports. Clients can book from home, the airport complete safety. http://womencab.com/ or a hotel. The flat-rate price is paid when booking the trip, with savings of 40%*. The service is an extension of this taxi company’s responsible and sustainable policy (the company also runs GreenCab, the largest fleet of MOTORBIKE TAXIS hybrid taxis in Paris). There are around 500 motorcycle taxis owned *3 stops maximum and luggage restrictions: 1 suitcase + 1 piece of hand by a dozen companies in the Ile-de-France baggage only . region. Clients must book the ride in advance. Booking: 24 hrs, 7 days a week – tel. 01 41 27 66 77 or online on Time saving is the main advantage of this www.wecab.com increasingly popular option, as bikes can get through traffic jams much faster than cars. A journey within Paris costs €35 and a Paris- Orly airport ride costs €60. As of 1 April 2011, motorcycle taxi drivers must be fully licensed.
TRANSPORT Des voitures à partager
Car sharing
The use of alternative solutions such as Autolib’, car sharing and car pooling is on the rise. 23
AUTOLIB’ : A CAR WHEN YOU NEED ONE AUTOLIB’ HOW TO After the success of Velib’, Paris has launched Autolib’. This new Any driver aged 18 or older and in DÉPLACER SE scheme, a four -wheeled version of Velib’ using 100% electric cars and possession of a French, European or
run by the Bollore Group, was inaugurated by the Mayor of Paris end- international driver’s licence and a credit 2011. Clients can pick up a vehicle — known as a Bluecar — at one card can use Autolib. The subscriptions station and drop it off at any other station in the network. The service is are tailored to customers’ needs. available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. • Autolib’ 1-day pass: When you only need The cars are equipped with an on-board computer and GPS to give the a car for the day (€10 registration fee plus €7 user information on the battery range and journey. A help button per half-hour). • Autolib’ 1-week pass: automatically puts the user in touch with a trilingual (French, English and When you need a car for the week (€15 Spanish) operator, 24/7. registration fee plus €7 per half-hour). With 47 partner municipalities, Autolib’ is set to become part and parcel of • Autolib’ 1-month subscription: When life in Paris. 1,740 Bluecars are currently available at 550 stations in 47 you need a car for several weeks in a row Ile-de-France communes. www.autolib-paris.fr. (€30 registration fee plus €6 per half-hour). • Autolib’ 1-year Premium subscription: AUTO-PARTAGE IN ITS FIFTH YEAR When you need a car at your disposal at Unlike Autolib’, with the autopartage system a car must be returned to the various times of year (€144 registration fee point of departure . Five companies operate under the “Autopartage Paris” plus €5 per half-hour). • With a separate label created in February 2007 by the City of Paris: Caisse Commune, recharge subscription, customers can Mobizen, Okigo, ConnectbyHertz and Carbox. The label is awarded for recharge their own electric car or motorcycle 18 months and re-evaluated regularly on the basis of specific criteria, at Autolib’ stations (€180 per year for cars, which are to be made tougher in the near future so as to make the €15 per year for bikes). • Autolib’ also offers system increasingly efficient and ecologically correct. Each operator car-share and corporate subscriptions. publicises its particular advantages. Caisse Commune, which pioneered the concept, boasts a fleet of roomy Renault Kangoo cars that come in PARKING IN PARIS handy when moving; Okigo publicises attractive rates; Mobizen does not Paris has 154,100 above-ground parking require a subscription ; Connect By Hertz has a low subscription fee, and spots. Residents pay a special parking fee of Carbox provides corporate short-term rentals. €0.65 per day or €3.25 per week. Parking is free on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and during the month of August. CAR POOLING GAINS POPULARITY Parking fees for non-residents vary: €3.60, The City of Paris is also encouraging car pooling, where several people €2.40 and €1.20 per hour depending on the share a car for all or part of a journey, to cut down on car traffic in the city. neighbourhood. The Voiture and Co association has set up a green transport spot called Parking fees can be paid using the Monéo “Bougez Futé!” in the 13th arrondissement in partnership with the City of electronic purse or the Paris-Carte, on sale Parisl to provide information and advice, as well as a night-time car at any tobacconist’s. As of September 2011, pooling service for evenings out. http://www.voitureandco.com. 500 ticket machines (one out of two) in the Another eight car pooling websites can be found here: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 8th http://www.paris.fr /pratique/voitures-deux-roues- arrondissements also accept credit cards. motorises/covoiturage/covoiturage-la-bonne- idee/rub_8491_stand_48622_port_19856 FOR NIGHT OWLS Details on: Autolib, Covoiturage 6 SAEMES parking garages in central Paris now offer a 50% discount on late night parking (Pyramides, Saint-Eustache, Hôtel de Ville, Notre-Dame, Patriarches and École de Médecine).
HOTELS
A flourishing sector 24 Paris has a large and varied choice of hotels: luxury hotels, friendly neighbourhood hotels, chain hotels and new boutique hotels. There was a record number of hotel stays in 2011, in all categories.
FRENCH CLIENTS LEAD RECOVERY KEY FIGURES FOR 2011 The number of arrivals and overnight stays of French tourists went up by 1.1% Number of hotels: and 2.4% respectively in 2011. For the second consecutive year, Paris hotels 1,549 registered more than 7 million French arrivals, and the number of overnight Number of rooms: stays has increased by 11.4% over the past two years. 81,139 The number of French visitors to the capital has steadily increased since the Hotel arrivals: 1990s as a result of easier access to Paris and the city’s attractiveness as a 15,654,181 (+3.1%/2010). destination. Overnight stays:
36,886,539 (+3.1%/2010).
MORE VISITORS FROM NEW MARKETS Occupancy rate: Visitors from new markets once again shored up Paris tourism in 2011, with a 79.5% (+2.3%/2010). 13.8% increase in hotel stays compared to 2010 (33% compared to Average length of stay: 2009). 2.75 nights for international visitors Paris hotels have registered 704,000 additional visitors from these markets and 1.89 nights for French visitors. over the past two years. Average room rate: €154.90 (+7.4%/2010). VISITORS FROM TRADITIONAL MARKETS ARE BACK RevPAR: The number of visitors from European countries increased by 1.4% in 2011 €126.60 (+10.3%/2010). following a drop in previous years. There was a particularly marked increase in the number of visitors from Switzerland (+11.4%) and the Netherlands (+7.8%). However, there was no upswing in the number of Spanish and Italian visitors. After five consecutive years of decreasing arrivals, American tourist arrivals were up again in 2011 with a 3.9% increase in hotel stays (1.25 million arrivals). The U.S. still accounts for the largest number of visitors to Paris.
BUSINESS TRAVELLER NUMBERS UP SLIGHTLY Stays by business travellers accounted for 44.6% of overnights registered in 2011, for a total of 16.3 million overnights, i.e. a 0.9% increase over 2010. There had been a significant increase in 2010 – 11.1% - over 2009, when the Details in the press section of effects of the economic crisis were being felt particularly keenly. parisinfo.com : http://en.parisinfo.com/paris-in- figures-en/
HOTELS
An ever-changing hotel scene 25 What with openings, closures, renovations and extensions, the Paris hotel scene is constantly changing . A number of projects, many of them upscale, are underway.
A NEW HOTEL RATING SYSTEM PARIS HOTEL OVERVIEW The introductionI of a new hotel rating system on 1 January 2010 following a law passed to this effect on 27 December 2009 is changing the Paris hotel scene. The En 2011, Paris had 1,549 approved hotels with a main change is the elimination of the no-star category and the creation of a five-star capacity of 81,139 rooms. category as per international standards. In June 2011, the “Palace” rating was introduced to single out truly exceptional establishments. The criteria for other accommodation categories – aparthotels, campsites, furnished rentals etc. – were Hotels by category also updated in 2010. Hotels have until 23 July 2012 to bring their properties up to Star standard. Number of hotels Total number of rooms rating 33 FIVE -STAR HOTELS 33 hotels in Paris and the Ile-de-France region are entitled to use the five-star 0* 29 1,289 rating. This selective list includes the Fouquet’s Barrière, the Burgundy, the Hyatt 1* 106 2,871 Regency Paris Madeleine, the Montalembert, the Raphaël, the Renaissance 2* 459 16,647 Paris, the Parc Trocadéro, the Scribe, the Shangri-La, the Square, the Mandarin 3* 607 28,947 Oriental and the Disneyland Hotel. 4* 225 22,773
FIVE PALACE HOTELS 4L* 1 50 Five prestigious Paris establishments have been awarded the “Palace” label: the 5* 25 2 944 Bristol, the Meurice, the Park Hyatt Vendôme, the Plaza-Athénée and the Four Seasons George V. Autres* 97 5,648
NEW AND RENOVATED LUXURY HOTELS Total 1,549 81,139 The Royal Monceau was the first luxury hotel to be renovated. Transformed by * 0* hotels are either not approved by the Préfecture de Philippe Starck into a hub for art and culture, it re-opened as a Raffles hotel in Paris or awaiting classification. 2010 (153 rooms). Source: PCVB/Préfecture de Paris. The Shangri -La on Avenue d’Iéna opened in December 2010 in a private mansion that once belonged to Roland Bonaparte (108 rooms). The Mandarin Oriental was inaugurated in style on 28 June 2011 in an art deco building on Rue Saint-Honoré (150 rooms). The W Paris -Opéra created quite a buzz when it opened on 29 February 2012. Offering avant-garde amenities, it is housed within an elegant Haussmannian building (9 1 rooms).
OPENING SOON Hôtel Buddha Bar is to open end-2012 and will have Asian fusion decor, like the restaurant of the same name (55 rooms). The Peninsula will open in 2013 in a former international conference centre on Avenue Kléber. La Samaritaine will be partially transformed into a palace hotel by 2015 and run by the luxury Cheval Blanc group.
EXCEPTIONAL RENOVATION PROJECTS The Prince de Galles is being totally refurbished and will re-open in February 2013. The Ritz is undertaking a 27-month renovation in summer 2012, and Le Crillon will be closing for a two-year renovation on 1 November 2012.
IN THE NEWS The Ibis Style Paris Pigalle Montmartre, which opened in April 2012, is the first Paris hotel of the Accor Group’s new brand. The colourful designer decor of its 49 rooms draws inspiration from the Moulin Rouge. Résidence Nell, opened in April 2012 after a complete renovation by Jean-Michel Wilmotte, is the first Paris establishment of the Charm and More Group. It has 17 upscale apartments with contemporary décor, and gives particular importance to the
needs of children . HOTELS LEThe LUXELegend, SEa new DEMARQUE 23-room Elegancia Group hotel, opened on Rue de Rennes in 22 HOTELS 5* PARISIENS April 2012. e Hôt22 hôtelsel O designed parisiens by Oraarborent-ïto will une be 5a haven étoile : le Fouquet’s Barrière, of peace; its 29 “nests” will have lecontemporary Square, l’Hyatt décor Regency and a Zen Paris atmosphere. Madeleine,To open in June le Ritz, 2012 le onMarriott Rue Hérold. ChampsThe Marcel-Elysées, Hôtel facing le Renaissance the Gare de l’Est will have 35 rooms with design by Claudia del Paris Vendôme, le Renaissance ParisBubba. Arc To deopen Triomphe, in June 2012 le . FourSeasonsL’Art Hotel (3*DC) George in the V, le15th Champs 26 Elyséesarrondissement Plaza, l’hôtelwill open de in Sers, summer 2012 with 35 charmingly decorated rooms. l’Intercontinental Paris Avenue Marceau,The 123 Sébastopol le Scribe, le(4*DC Lancaster, - Astotel) le Crillon,designed l’Hôt by architectel de Vendôme, Philippe Maidenberg le Burgundywill have cinema Paris,-themed le Renaissance decor in its le 65 rooms as well as its own cinema hall and a Parc Trocadéro, l’Hôtel du Louvre, lehammam Sofitel andParis spa. Faubourg, To open endPullman-2012. et SofitelThe Movenpick Paris la Défense.Hotel, the first French establishment for this chain, will open on the formerSans oublier site of lethe Disneyland Courtyard byHôtel Marriott en in NeuillySeine-et in- Marne.2013.
DISTINCTION PALACE Other openings scheduled for 2013: two CitizenQuatre prestigieuxM hotels and hôtels a Hilton parisiens Garden ont Inn in Parisobtenu proper, le label a «Hampton Palace » by en Hilton mai at Paris- CDG2011 airport,: le Bristol, a Courtyard le Meurice, by Marriott le Park at Portehyatt Vendômede Saint -Cloud et le andPlaza the-Athénée. 34-room Le Ra disson Blu at La Défense (4*DC), with restaurantsDES PROJETS and meeting EXCLUSIF rooms. S
Le Shangri-La (108 chambres) a accueilliHôtel Mélia ses Lapremiers Défense hôtes, (4*) avenueis scheduled to d’Iéna,open end en- 2014décembre with 369 2010, rooms dans and suites l’anciendecorated hôtel by Jeanparticulier-Philippe de Roland Nuel. Bonaparte.
Details: “Accommodation” press file press file in the press section of parisinfo.com
Latest developments in the Paris tourism sector: Paris News
Also see the 2009 law on the development of touristic modernization on pro.parisinfo.com
HOTELS
Hotels with a difference 27
Two kinds of accommodation that are the opposite of chain hotels have been developing fast in recent years. While boutique hotels appeal to a trendy, urban clientele, aparthotels draw families and business travellers. The travel trade benefits either way.
ULTRA-TRENDY BOUTIQUE AND DESIGNER 2011 OPENINGS HOTELS
Boutique and designer hotels built on converted industrial space The Maison Champs Elysées (8th) has decor by or tucked away on side streets have become all the rage in Paris Maison Martin Margiela: 17 of its 57 rooms and in recent years . suites have bespoke design, like a couture outfit. The HI Matic (11th), a sister establishment of the The first boutique hotels — the Five in the 5th, Murano in the 3rd HI in Nice created by designer Matali Crasset, is an and the Général in the 11th, designed by architect Jean Philippe eco-friendly, fully automated cross between an Nuel, were such a hit with visitors that others soon followed. urban hotel and a countryside B&B. The number of boutique hotels has swelled from around 15 three Le Crayon (1st) is an artsy boutique hotel with years ago to more than 100 today. As these privately run hotels poetic, pastoral decor. usually have only a few dozen rooms, they offer highly The decor at the Elysées Secret (8th) draws personalised service, and the designer touch of a well-known inspiration from the intimate atmosphere of an architect or fashion designer has become almost a necessity. 18th-century lady’s boudoir (26 rooms). Christian Lacroix has left his mark on the interior decoration of the Le Pradey (1st) reflects Parisian chic, with two Petit Moulin in the 3rd, the Bellechasse in the 7th and the Notre suites decorated by Chantal Thomass. Dame in the 1st, while Ricardo Bofill designed the Costes K in L’Edmond (17th) is housed within the former the 16th and Jacques Garcia has done up the Hôtel de l’Athénée townhouse of Edmond Rostand; it has cosy rooms in the 9th. and suites, magnificent terraces and a gastronomic Theme hotels are the newest trend – the Hôtel du Triangle d‘or restaurant, Le 1868. (9th) is dedicated to musicians, while the Pavillon des Lettres Le Champs Élysées Mac Mahon (17th) re-opened (8th) pays tribute to writers and literature. Hôtel Platine (15th) in March 2012 following a complete renovation. pays homage to Marilyn Monroe, Hôtel Apostrophe (6th) has a The decor of its 40 rooms and suites, some of poetry theme and Hôtel Ariane Montparnasse (14th) uses an which have a wonderful view of the Arc de hourglass theme. Triomphe, blends Empire-style furnishings with contemporary touches.
Jules & Jim, a gay-friendly boutique hotel (23 rooms) in the Marais, opened end-2011. Its name pays tribute to François Truffaut and Jeanne Moreau, and it has its own little private cinema.
Details: “Accommodation” press file on http://en. parisinfo.com/
HOTELS
Alternative accommodation 28
The City of Paris encourages convivial accommodation options for young people and families so as to bring visitors into contact with Parisians and other travellers.
STAYING WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS
Paris is keen on participatory tourism and the city has been working actively since 2005 to promote bed and breakfast accommodation, which offers FAMILY-FRIENDLY visitors a way to live alongside Parisians. The City of Paris, the Paris APARTHOTELS Convention and Visitors Bureau and travel trade professionals have set up With 66 aparthotels with a capacity of the “Hôtes Qualité Paris” quality label while, in 2008, the FPPCH 14,000 beds, Paris is well equipped for (Fédération des professionnels parisiens de la chambre d’hôte) created the hosting families. These apartments, ranging “Authentic B&B” quality charter for eco-friendly B&Bs that meet various from 20 m2 studios to 60m2 two-bedroom environment-friendliness criteria. apartments, are equipped with kitchenettes www.hotesqualiteparis.fr and www.authenticbandbparis.com and offer basic hotel services such as a reception desk and a weekly housekeeping AFFORDABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR THE YOUNG service, plus paying options such as Four million young people come to Paris each year. There are plenty of breakfast in the dining hall, daily cleaning or options for people on a tight budget, from youth hostels to halls of residence grocery delivery. Residences of all run by associations and hostel groups such as Ethic Étapes, MIJE, CISP categories are available, from Frasers and the Résidence internationale de Paris. Hospitality top-of-the-range apartments to Eastern Paris has around 40% of the city’s youth hostels with 12 mid-range apartments from Citadines (with establishments and a capacity of 2,000 beds. Paris has 33 youth hostels in 15 aparthotels in Paris) and Adagio, a all, i.e. 5,000 beds, as well as student accommodation let out in summer by partnership between Accor and Pierre & the CROUS organisation (400 beds), the Cité internationale universitaire (300 Vacances, not to mention budget options beds) and the Maison des mines (400 beds). such as Appart City Cap Affaires The youth centres run by CHEAP (Centrale d’hébergement économique à Residhotel, Citea and Adagio Access. Paris) provide another budget option. There is an increasing demand for Holiday home specialists such as Odalys rooms with fewer people, rather than dormitories, and private bathrooms. and Lagrange have also entered the Youth hostels however place the emphasis on a friendly atmosphere where market. Forthcoming aparthotels in the people can get to know each other, with free concerts and events into the Paris suburbs include Résidence Cosy’s in bargain. Asnières and Home Business in Saclay, Villennes sur Seine (78), Noisy le Grand NEW ESTABLISHMENTS and Blanc Mesnil (93), Chevilly la Rue (94) After the 2008 opening of the youth hostel Saint-Christopher’s Inn along the and Roissy (95). Bassin de la Villette (275 beds), UK group Beds and Bars is expected to open Furnished apartment rentals (20,000 a second establishment with 500 beds in the Gare du Nord district in 2013. properties available) are an increasingly Another youth hostel with a capacity of 300 beds is expected to open end- popular option for different budgets. Market 2013 in the Halle Pajol in the 18th arrondissement. The solar panels on its roof leaders include Lodgis, Apas, Paris will make it the first city-centre solar energy plant in France. Lodging, Paris Attitude, France Lodge and An international hostel is also to be built by 2014 as part of the project to Interhome Paris Appartements Service. redevelop the Îlot Maryse Bastié at Porte d’Ivry. In 2012, the Clévacances brand opened its first furnished apartments and B&Bs in Paris, and Gîtes de France too is making inroads Details: “Accommodation” press file and “Disabled people access” in the into the capital. drop-down menu of the “Hotels and accommodation” section of http://en.parisinfo.com/
SE CULTIVER
CULTURE
A “museum city” on the move! More than half of all visitors to Paris come to the city to admire its history, culture and 29 museums. Its cultural offer gets richer year after year.
A 2008 survey of the six top European markets by the Paris Tourism ATTENDANCE ON THE RISE Research Centre and MKG Hospitality revealed that visiting museums and The 64 Paris museums and monuments monuments is the main reason why the majority of tourists (65%) come to evaluated by the Paris Convention and Paris. Cultural outings account for 8.3% of the daily expenditure of visitors to Visitors Bureau registered 72.6 million Paris visitors in 2011. Thirteen sites can boast visitor attendance figures of over one million. In 2011, a particularly interesting programme of temporary exhibitions The Louvre alone draws more than 8,9 attracted an even larger number of visitors to Parisian cultural venues. More million people each year. than 10.6 million tickets were sold for the 100 events publicised by the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau. The highlight of 2011 was the hugely Parisian museums and monuments have successful Monet exhibition at the Grand Palais, which drew 515,000 visitors. established an attractive pricing policy with targeted free admissions. Except the museums which offer discretionary free
admission, the average ticket price for paying museums is between €4 and €13,4.
TOP TEN OF TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS IN 2011
1 - Matisse, Cézanne, Picasso… The Stein adventure, Grand Palais - Nef et Galerie Sud- 2 - Basilique du Sacré-Cœur 2 - Sacré-Cœur Basilica est, 515 071 visitors 10 500 000(estimation 2008) 10,500,000 (2008 estimate) 7- Cité des Sciences 2 – In the shadow of the dinosaurs, Muséum et de l’Industrie d'Histoire naturelle, 483 000 visitors 2 867 000 3 - Manet, the Man who Invented Modernity, Musée d'Orsay, 470 268 visitors 10 - Galeries 4 - Photoquai (3rd edition), Musée du quai nationales du Branly, 438 225 visitors Grand Palais 5 – Pompidou Centre 1,542,017 5- Beauty, Morals and Voluptuousness in the 3,130, 000 England of Oscar Wilde, Musée d’Orsay,
4 – Eiffel Tower 426 414 visitors 3 - Louvre 6 - Dans le sillage des requins, Muséum 6,700,000 8,346, 361 d'Histoire naturelle, 320 000 visitors 9 - Museum d’histoire 7 – Paris-Delhi-Bombay… Centre Pompidou, naturelle 6 - Musée d’Orsay 306 249 visitors 8 - Chapelle 1,951,456 2,985,510 8 - Monumenta : Anish Kapoor, Grand Palais, Notre-Dame- 1 - Notre-Dame de Paris 13,650,000 (estimate) 277 687 visitors de-la-Médaille- miraculeuse 9- In the kingdom of Alexander the Great – 10 – Galeries 2,000,000 Ancient Macedonia , Musée du Louvre, nationales du 269 866 visitors Grand Palais 10 - Rembrandt and the face of Jesus / 1 542 017 Claude le Lorrain, Musée du Louvre, 225 044 visitors
CULTURE
Chefs d’œuvre bien exposés Museums get a makeover Far from resting on its laurels, Paris unveils a number of ambitious projects each year, giving 30 culture aficionados many reasons to re-visit the city. .
THE HEARTLAND OF HERITAGE With more than 1,800 listed monuments, Paris is truly the heartland of heritage. This extraordinary cultural capital also boasts 143 state-owned and private museums, more than 200 theatres and three opera houses. The 5th, 6th, 7th and 16th arrondissements house the largest number of museums, whereas most of the city’s theatres are located in the 11th, on the Grands Boulevards in the 9th and 10th arrondissements , and in the 18th.
REFURBISHED VENUES The Musée d’Orsay makeover The museum re-opened in October 2011 after being renovated and extended. The Impressionists’ gallery and the Aumont Pavilion have gone through a complete makeover. This bold renovation has transformed the displays, giving the museum’s treasure trove of decorative art an elegant showcase. The works of Van Gogh, PLUS Gauguin and the post-Impressionists are now hung in chronological order for The inauguration of the Louvre’s additional impact. Following a tour of the museum, visitors can relax at the Café new Islamic art department in Campana with its art nouveau decor by a Brazilian designer duo. September 2013, the re-opening of the Musée Picasso in summer 2013, The new- look Palais de Tokyo the re-opening of the Musée de The Palais de Tokyo, housed in a historical building dating to the 1937 Exposition l’Homme in 2014 and the Universelle in front of the Eiffel Tower, re-opened in April 2012 after a major inauguration of the Louis Vuitton renovation. This contemporary art centre has nearly tripled in size in the process, 2 foundation for contemporary art in going from 7,000 to 22,000 m , and will host around forty exhibitions each year on 2013. the themes of the fine arts, design, music, fashion and new technology.
New exhibit set-up at the l’Institut du monde arabe For its 25th anniversary, the l’Institut du monde arabe commissioned Roberto Ostinelli to redesign its museography. Connecting different cultures and religions, Details in the “Architecture and with the Arabic language as the common theme, the new displays of art works from the 22 countries that co-founded the museum with France blend past and Design” and “Contemporary Art” present, archaeology, the history of religion, anthropology and philosophy. press files (available to download in the press section of the website parisinfo.com)
CULTURE
Culture for all To make culture easily accessible to all visitors, many Paris venues offer free admission all 31 year round, free admission on the first Sunday of every month or late night openings at reduced prices.
MUSEUMS OFFERING FREE ENTRY Since 2001, City of Paris museums offer free admission to all visitors, every day. There is a varied selection of museums, from the Musée d’Art Moderne and the Maison de Victor Hugo to the Musée Carnavalet and the Musée du Compagnonnage. www.paris.fr
Many other museums offer free admission on the first Sunday of each month. These include national museums such as the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Musée Picasso, the Pompidou Centre and the Musée du Quai Branly.
Likewise, entry is free of cost on the first Sunday of each month from 1 November UNLIMITED ART to 31 March at national monuments such as the Arc de Triomphe, the Conciergerie, the Panthéon, the Saint Chapelle and the Notre Dame towers. The Paris Museum Pass is the best rmn.fr - monuments-nationaux.fr - parisinfo.com way to satisfy your cultural cravings at affordable prices. The pass allows Admission to many museums and monuments is free for under-18s, people with queue-jumping and unlimited access disabilities, the unemployed and people drawing welfare benefits. As of 4 April to the permanent collections at more 2009, 18 to 25-year-old EU citizens and teachers are offered free admission into than 60 of the best-known top Ile-de- the thirty-odd museums run by the French Ministry of Culture and around a France museums and monuments, the hundred national museums (a full list is available on www.monuments- only exception being the Eiffel Tower. nationaux.fr). Free admission is also offered at museums run by other French The cost is €39 for a two-day pass, €54 government ministries such as Defence, Education and Higher Education and for a four-day pass and €69 for a six- Research . day pass (prices valid until December 2013. Pass to be used on consecutive LATE-NIGHT OPENINGS days). An after-hours stroll through the museums of Paris is a good way to see the The pass can be purchased at the collections in a different light with less of a crowd. Late-night opening days vary Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau from one museum to the next – usually Thursday, as in the case of the Musée welcome centres and on the website d’Orsay and the Quai Branly. The museums stay open until 9pm or 9.30pm, or parisinfo.com. even 11pm for some exhibitions at the Pompidou Centre. The Louvre stays open until 10 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays, and the Palais de Tokyo is open until 9pm every day except Monday. Some museums offer evening visitors reduced- price tickets .
DISCOUNTS FOR YOUNG THEATRE GOERS Many Paris theatres provide reduced-price tickets for young people, with prices as low as €10 for those under 26 on the day of the performance on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, subject to availability.
CULTURE
Events all year round SE CULTIVER SE 32 Hundreds of events take place in Paris all year round. Here is a selection of the top events in 2012.
EXHIBITIONS
10 May - 21 June: Monumenta – Daniel Buren, at the OTHER EVENTS Grand Palais 23 June - 26 August: “L'été du Canal” on 19 June - 30 September: Les séductions du palais, cuisiner the canal de l’Ourq every weekend. River et manger en Chine at the Musée du Quai-Branly shuttles, theme cruises, concerts, dances, street art etc. www.tourisme93.com/ete-du- 20 June - 9 September: Paix et guerre, portraits canal napoléoniens à l’époque de la Russie at the Pinacothèque de Paris 15 September: Technoparade
7 Septemb er 2012 - 31 March 2013: Spanish masterpieces 15 & 16 September: European Heritage from the Pérez Simón collection at the Pinacothèque de Days Paris October 2012: Sister Act (musical) at the 14 September 2012 - 14 January 2013: Canaletto – Guardi Théâtre Mogador at the Musée Jacquemart-André [Tapez une citation prise dans 18 September 2012 - 13 January 2013: L’impressionnisme 6 October: Nuit Blanche
et la mode at the Musée d’Orsay 18 - 21 October: FIAC art fair 24 Septemb er 2012 - 28 January 2013: Bohèmes at the Galeries nationales du Grand Palais End-November 2012 – January 2013: 7th edition of Paris illumine Paris 2 October 2012 - 21 January 2013: Chaïm Soutine, l’ordre et le chaos at the Musée de l’Orangerie
3 October 2012 - 17 March 2013: Hiroshige – l’art du voyage at the Pinacothèque de Paris
3 October 2012 - 17 March 2013: Van Gogh et le japonisme at the Pinacothèque de Paris
6 October 2012 - 28 January 2013: Edward Hopper retrospective at the Galeries nationales du Grand Palais Details of all the top shows and exhibitions on parisinfo.com 11 October 2012 -14 January 2013: Raphaël, les dernières années at the Louvre
8 November 2012 - 3 February 2013: De Monet à Picasso, les coulisses de l’art at the Petit Palais
21 November 2012 to 25 March 2013: Salvador Dalí exhibition at the Pompidou Centre
QUARTIERS EN MUTATION
Les Halles. Symbole de la rénovation urbaine de Paris, le projet de reconstruction du Forum des Halles (Paris 1er) prévoit le réaménagement du jardin, la démolition des pavillons Willerval, le début de la construction de la canopée, et la couverture du Forum actuel d’un toit de verre conçu par l’architecte David Mangin. Rendez-vous en 2014.
CULTURE Beaugrenelle. La sortie de terre du futur centre Beaugrenelle (Paris 15e) est prévue pour 2013. Cet espace regroupera sur 45000 m2 une centaine d’enseignes commerciales ainsi qu’un multiplex de dix salles (Pathé).
Après l’immeuble
Saint-Denis. CULTIVER SE
Balthazar d’Orange signé Richard Meier Bold architectural projects en 2008 et le vaste complexe commercial Millénaire conçu par Antoine From reclaiming the riverbanks to “Paris, Métropole”, Paris has undertaken wide-ranging 33 Grumbach en 2011, le producteur Luc urban planning and renovation projects to keep it firmly among the ranks of global capitals. Besson inaugurera à Saint-Denis sa Cité du Cinéma en septembre 2012. De nombreuses entreprises s’installent dans FASHION ON THE DOCKS ce nouveau quartier aux portes de Paris The Cité de la mode et du design, located on the Left Bank between DISTRICTS UNDER (Orange, SFR, SNCF…) Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand and Gare d’Austerlitz, opened in early 2012. RENOVATION Architects Jakob and MacFarlane have made it a striking bright green. The Ile Seguin. Le projet d’aménagement new venue is the home of the l’Institut français de la mode, and will also host de l’île Seguin, à Boulogne-Billancourt, a designer boutiques to showcase Parisian chic. The Docks are set to become Les Halles. The project to rebuild été confié à Jean Nouvel. La future Cité the trendiest nightspot in Paris: Wanderlust, the new club from the owners of Les Halles in the 1st arrondissement, de la musique y verra le jour en 2015. Silencio, will open here in May, and the team behind the Baron and Hôtel which symbolises the renovation of the Autres projets attendus : la réalisation Amour will take charge of the entertainment on the vast terrace of the Cité all urban landscape in Paris, includes d’un jardin sous verrière, la création summer long. This fashion and design hub will also feature a restaurant, redesigning the garden, the demolition of d’un pôle d’art contemporain et d’une called Moon Roof and an organic tearoom. the old Willerval pavilions and the cité des arts du cirque dessinée par
construction of the glass canopy designed Philippe Starck. FRANCK O. GEHRY FOR LOUIS VUITTON by architect David Mangin to cover the At the Jardin d’acclimatation, talked-about architect Frank Gehry has drawn Forum. The new site is expected to open in inspiration from the clouds to created a chaotically shaped glass building to 2014. QUARTIERS EN MUTATION house the Louis Vuitton foundation for contemporary art, which is expected to open end-2013. Beaugrenelle. The opening of the
future Beaugrenelle commercial centre Les Halles. Symbole de la rénovation RENZO PIANO AT BATIGNOLLES urbaine de Paris, le projet de (Paris 15th) is scheduled for 2013. It will The Parc des Expositions de Paris at Porte de Versailles will feature its Tour reconstruction du Forum des Halles house around a hundred shops and a 10- Triangle in 2017. The 180-m pyramid-shaped skyscraper will have a (Paris 1er) prévoit le réaménagement du screen Pathé multiplex within an area of panoramic lift, a viewpoint, restaurant, café and park. It has been conceived 2 jardin, la démolition des pavillons 45,000 m . by Swiss architects Herzog and De Meuron, winners of the 2001 Pritzker Willerval, le début de la construction de la prize, who designed the “Bird’s Nest” stadium for the Beijing Olympics. canopée, et la couverture du Forum Saint-Denis. After the opening of the The pyramid -shaped future Law Courts building in the Batignolles district, actuel d’un toit de verre conçu par Balthazar d’Orange building designed by designed by Renzo Piano, will soar to an impressive 160 m (twice as high as l’architecte David Mangin. Rendez-vous Richard Meier in 2008 and the huge the Pompidou Centre). It is expected to open in 2017. Meanwhile, work on en 2014. Millénaire commercial centre designed by the “French Pentagon” building in Balard the 15th arrondissement, which will house the Ministry of Defence, began in early 2012. The Tour F next door Antoine Grumbach in 2011, film producer Luc Besson will open his Cité du Cinéma Beaugrenelle. La sortie de terre du has been disman tled and is now being rebuilt. e in Saint-Denis in September 2012. Several futur centre Beaugrenelle (Paris 15 ) est prévue pour 2013. Cet espace French companies – Orange, SFR, SNCF regroupera sur 45000 m2 une centaine NORMAN FOSTER AT LA DÉFENSE etc. – will be setting up offices in this d’enseignes commerciales ainsi qu’un La Défense will boast several new skyscrapers in the near future. The district in the immediate vicinity of Paris. multiplex de dix salles (Pathé). following are expected to open by 2015: the Tour Carpe Diem (162 m; end- 2012), the Tour Phare to the right of the Grande Arche (349 m), the Tour Ile Seguin. Architect Jean Nouvel has Generali (265 m) and the Tour Air 2. Saint-Denis. Après l’immeuble been commissioned to redevelop the Ile The Hermitage Plaza twin towers designed by Norman Foster are Seguin in Boulogne-Billancourt. A new Balthazar d’Orange signé Richard Meier scheduled to open in 2016. These mixed-use 320 m towers will house a en 2008 et le vaste complexe Cité de la Musique is to open here in concert hall, an auditorium, a contemporary art gallery, shops, a 210-room 2015. Other projects for the site include a commercial Millénaire conçu par Antoine hotel, a conference centre and restaurants. Grumbach en 2011, le producteur Luc conservatory, a contemporary art Besson inaugurera à Saint-Denis sa Cité centre and a circus arts museum du Cinéma en septembre 2012. De designed by Philippe Starck. nombreuses entreprises s’installent dans ce nouveau quartier aux portes de Paris (Orange, SFR, SNCF…)
Ile Seguin. Le projet d’aménagement de l’île Seguin, à Boulogne-Billancourt, a
33
LES CHEFS ET LEURS NOUVELLES TABLES LEISURE Inspirés, les Chefs parisiens n’ont de cesse de se réinventer. 2011 a vu l’ouverture de l’Opéra Restaurant dans l’enceinte même du Palais Garnier. Conçu par Odile Decq, on y déguste la cuisine de Christophe Aribert. Au Bois de Boulogne, c’est l’installation de La Grande Verrière, dont la cuisine est signée Christian Le Squer qui retient l’attention. Dans un esprit convivial, la Rotonde de Ledoux, place de Stalingrad, a accueilli un complexe resto- brasserie-expo tandis que Cyril Lignac lançait le Chardenoux des Près, e. dans le 6 Début 2012, Antoine Westermann perchait à Montmartre son nouveau restaurant le Coq Rico. On ne peut passer sous silence le restaurant de l’hôtel W, l’Arola, ni le célèbre Pica Pica, un concept signé A food-lovers’ paradise Sergi Arola. A découvrir aussi, le Terroir Parisien, nouveau bistrot du chef triplement UNESCO has added French cuisine to its world heritage list, which only goes to prove 34 étoilé Yannick Alléno, dans la Maison de la Mutualité rénovée. A venir : Anne-Sophie Pic, sacrée meilleure femme chef du monde en 2011, that eating well is a lifestyle choice – in Paris most of all! au 20 rue du Louvre (1er), Philippe Starck et le chef Yannick Papin aux Puces de Saint-Ouen et la cantine chic Ma Puce de Guy Savoy, qui emménagera en fin d’année à l’Hôtel de la Monnaie (6e). AWARD -WINNING FLAVOURS NEW RESTAURANTS According to British magazine Restaurant, 6 of Recent openings have renewed the capital’s culinary offer. 2011 En 2013, dans le cadre de l’aménagement des voies sur berges, l’Influx, the world’s 50 best restaurants are in Paris. openings include the Opéra Restaurant within the Palais restaurant d’inspiration japonaise par Addy Bakhtiar, s’installera sous la The 2012 edition of the Michelin Guide features Garnier, designed by Odile Decq with food by chef Christophe culée du pont Alexandre III.
10 three- star restaurants in Paris: Le Meurice Aribert. In the Bois de Boulogne, La Grande Verrière opened (1st), L’Ambroisie (4th), Arpège (7th), Alain with chef Christian Le Squer at the helm. La Rotonde de BALADES GOURMANDES Ducasse at the Plaza Athénée (8th), Le Bristol Ledoux on Place de Stalingrad is a brasserie and exhibition Plusieurs agences dont Promenade des Sens, Anne de Paris, French (8th), Ledoyen (8th), Pierre Gagnaire (8th), venue in one, while popular chef Cyril Lignac launched his new for a Day ou Succulent Paris proposent des visites guidées Astrance (16th), Le Pré Catelan (16th) and Guy restaurant Le Chardenoux des Près in the 6th. gastronomiques et des balades “gourmets du marché”. Sur la route des curieux, on retrouve les ateliers des Chefs tels que Cuisine Attitude par Savoy (17th). Michelin two stars have been Antoine Westermann opened a new restaurant, the Coq Rico, e e) awarded to Sur Mesure, the restaurant at the on Montmartre Hill in early 2012. Two other much-talked-about l’incontournable Cyril Lignac (3 ) et le Purgatoire d’Alain Cirelli (11 , des classiques comme l’Atelier des Chefs (8e) ou les Coulisses d’Olivier Mandarin Orient with Thierry Marx as head chef new restaurants are the Arola at the Hotel W near the Opéra e and L’Abeille, the French gastronomic restaurant and Sergi Arola’s Pica Pica. Michelin three-star chef Yannick Berté (2 ). Parmi les nombreux pâtissiers et chocolatiers parisiens, ne pas e at the Shangri-La headed by Philippe Labbé. No Alléno has opened his new bistro, Le Terroir Parisien, in the manquer le Duc de Praslin (16 ), le Passion-carambar d’Arnaud Delmontel (9e), les Puits d’amour de chez Stohrer (4e), le palet ganache de fewer than 11 restaurants are one-stars, including renovated Maison de la Mutualité. e e Shang Palace, the Shangri-La’s Chinese Coming soon: A new restaurant from Anne-Sophie Pic, voted chez Maiffret (4 °), ni les macarons de la Maison Boissier (16 ).
gastronomic restaurant. the world’s best female chef in 2011, at 20 rue du Louvre (1st), a restaurant with design by Philippe Starck for chef Yannick Papin Alongside these Michelin-starred restaurants, at the Saint-Ouen flea market and a chic “canteen”, Ma Puce, by eight Paris restaurants were given Fooding® Guy Savoy, to open at the end of the year at the Hôtel de la 2012 awards. Le Chatomat (20th) was voted “best Monnaie (6th). restaurant”, Grégory Marchand’s Frenchie (2nd) In 2013, as part of the renovation of the riverbanks, Influx, Addy was voted “best wine bar” and Le Pantruche (9th) Bakhtiar’s Japanese-inspired restaurant, will open under Pont won the award for “best bistro”. Alexandre III.
FOOD TRAILS Several agencies including Promenade des Sens, Anne de Paris, French for a Day and Succulent Paris offer food-themed guided tours of the city and visits to local food markets. Food lovers can also take cookery classes in Paris. In 2011, Cyril 12,953 cafés Lignac’s Cuisine Attitude courses in the 3rd and Le Purgatoire, Alain Cirelli’s cookery school in the 11th, joined the ranks of and restaurants established cookery workshops such as the ones run by L’Atelier des Chefs (8th) and Les Coulisses d’Olivier Berté (2nd). 10 three -star restaurants in the Paris has a dizzying range of chocolate and pastry shops. Divine desserts to try include Arnaud Delmontel’s Passion-carambar 2011 Michelin Guide. (9th), Puits d’amour at Stohrer (4th), Palet ganache at Maiffret (4th) and the French macaroons at the Maison Boissier (16th). 70 Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris.
LEISURE
The fashion capital
Paris has a well-deserved reputation as the world’s capital of fashion, luxury goods, design and 35 shopping.
Paris : reine pour le shopping A CITY FOR SHOPPERS While the summer and winter sales are the highlights of the shopping calendar, Paris boasts new shop openings and fashion-related events all year round for fashion fans in FIGURES search of the latest and most offbeat trends. Sunday can now also devoted to full-time 61,232 ground floor shops with a window shopping with shops staying open in seven tourist areas: Montmartre, the Champs giving on to the street in Paris in 2011 Elysées, Rue des Francs-Bourgeois in the Marais, Rue d’Arcole in the 4th, the Saint- (source: APUR). Paris has 193 shops per Germain and Louvre-Rivoli districts, the Viaduc des Arts along Avenue Daumesnil in the 10,000 inhabitants. 12th and La Défense (92). 82 markets, including 12 covered markets. Paris’s retail density is higher than other SPECIAL OFFERS AND SHOPPING TRAILS French cities such as Lyon and Marseille, It has never been easier to plan a shopping trip to Paris. On its website and also higher than London’s (source: shoppingbyparis.com, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau lists the best places to APUR). find avant- garde design and edgy fashion brands, gourmet stops and cultural visits to suit specific visitor profiles (Trendy, Select, Ethic-Ethnic, Bobo Chic, Creative and 17,500 shops, flagship and concept Savvy). All these addresses can also be found in the Paris Shopping Book 2012, stores, including nearly available at PCVB welcome centres. It is published each year during the Shopping by 5,500 shops selling ready-to-wear, and Paris event, which provides visitors with an opportunity to combine shopping and 4 department stores (source: CCIP).
sightseeing, thereby boosting tourist arrivals in the traditionally slack months of December, January and February. Since the event’s launch in 2007, Paris tourism professionals put together special offers especially for shoppers each year: discounted 60% of visitors say they come to Paris room rates, special prices in restaurants and reductions on coach tours and cultural to shop. visits). www.shoppingbyparis.com 12% tax refund for visitors from STATE-REGULATED SALES outside the EU on purchases totalling over €175. The French commercial code sets out the dates for the sales. In 2012, the summer sales will start at 8am on Wednesday 27 June and end on Wednesday 31 July evening . In Paris, guided tours are not restricted to museums and monuments. Another way to explore the French capital TAX REFUNDS and get a feel for the latest fashion trends Tax-free shopping gives visitors 12% off on their purchases, and is a major attraction for is to tour the shops with a personal shoppers coming to Paris. Visitors must reside outside the European Union for at least shopper. Here is a selection: six months of the year, be more than 15 years old and make purchases for at least €175 French for a day www.frenchforaday.com in the same shop to qualify for the tax refund. Paris Princesse www.parisprincesse.com
Paris Upperside www.parisupperside.com Personal Shopper by Ronteix Nadia www.personalshopperbyronteixnadia.com Promenade des Sens® [email protected] Details: “Paris Shopping” press file on the website http://en.parisinfo.com/
LEISURE
Paris onstage
Paris has a cultural scene as rich and vibrant as that of London or New York. 36 The shows, concerts, operas and ballets programmed every evening in the city’s many venues provide an additional attraction for visitors to the French capital.
A NIGHT OUT AT A SHOW The eclectic programme of symphony concerts, operas, contemporary dance and light comedies, not to mention the classical theatre pieces staged at the Comédie 150 française, are an additional attraction for international visitors and a major draw for concert halls and show French visitors, who often make one-day or overnight trips to attend a specific event. venues A 2008 survey by MKG Hospitality and the Paris Tourism Research Centre reveals that, while only 7% of visitors come to Paris to see a show (as compared to 65% who 208 come to visit museums and monuments), shows account for 32% of visitor outings in theatres and café- the capital (as compared to 77% for museums and exhibitions). Visitors spend theatres €72.40 on average per stay in Paris, i.e. 7.6% of their total budget, on outings and visits. 3 opera REFURBISHED VENUES houses Le Palace, a legendary 1970s and 1980s Paris nightspot, has been transformed into a comfortable 900-seat theatre Palace. In Pigalle, the City of Paris has refurbished the 250-seat Théâtre des Trois Baudets, where French chanson legends such as Jacques Brel and Georges Brassens made their debut. The venue now hosts concerts by young French artistes, with the objective of discovering and promoting More than 1.5 mn new talent. The Théâtre de la Gaîté Lyrique with its magnificent façade has been turned into a shrine to digital culture where art meets information technology. spectators have watched Mamma Mia! at the NEW REVUES AT LEGENDARY CABARETS Mogador theatre Parisian cabarets are not just the stuff of legend: they continue to host new shows and refurbish their decor. The Folies Bergère will be launching a music-hall revue in summer 2013. Also in 2013, a brasserie and a luxury suite are due to open on the roof terrace of the Moulin Rouge, while, in 2014, it will be the Lido’s turn to stage an all-new revue.
A NEW SYMPHONY CONCERT HALL Details in the “What’s on” section of the IN THE PARC DE LA VILLETTE website parisinfo.com A major cultural venue is expected to open in the near future: the Philharmonie de Paris designed by architect Jean Nouvel will be the main symphony concert hall in Paris once it opens in 2015. Located in the Parc de la Villette, the 2,400-seat hall will house a number of ensembles including the Orchestre de Paris.
LEISURE
Lights, camera, action! Paris has always given films and filmmaking special treatment – a cultural choice that has 37 contributed favourably to the city’s image. Several visitors come to Paris after watching a film shot in the French capital.
THE CINEMA CAPITAL A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF REVENUE Paris is the world capital of the silver screen, with 376 screens According to the Paris Film Commission, the French capital and 72,914 seats according to Centre National de la remains a prime filming location, with nearly 950 shoots on Cinématographie (CNC) figures. The city has 150 independent 5,500 outdoor sets in 2011 (130 feature films including 24 foreign cinemas, including 89 in the arthouse category. No fewer than films, 130 TV dramas and series and 180 ad films). 450 to 500 films are programmed each week. International films Filmmaking brings in significant revenue, and shoots also are screened in the original version or the French dubbed create jobs for local actors, extras and film technicians. Films version. Audiences are equally large: 27 million people go to also have quite an impact on tourism. According to an Ifop the movies eac h year in Paris. survey, films influence the choice of destination for 62% of The city also houses institutions such as the Forum des international visitors. Paris has introduced “Cinema trails” offering Images, the Cinémathèque française, the Pompidou Centre, the visitors the opportunity to explore Paris neighbourhoods that Musée d’Orsay, the Musée du Louvre and the Institut du Monde have featured in popular films shot in the French capital, such Arabe, all of which regularly organise screenings of film as the Midnight in Paris trail to follow in the footsteps of the time- classics. The Forum des Images and the Bibliothèque du travelling hero of Woody Allen’s film. www.cinema.paris.fr cinema François Truffaut are also firm favourites with film fans. Several film-related projects are in the works. French producer FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR FILM SHOOTS Luc Besson’s Cité Européenne du Cinéma is scheduled to open Paris City Hall set up its “Mission Cinéma” in 2007 via the in September 2012 on the site of a former EDF factory in Saint- website www.parisfilm.fr to help film directors prepare their Denis, and the Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé Cinema Foundation will shoots. The website outlines terms and conditions and move into the former Gaumont Gobelins cinema in the 13th authorisation requirements to shoot in the city, and provides arrondissement , redesigned by architect Renzo Piano, in spring virtual tours of more than 180 possible sets. The French 2013. government started offering tax rebates at the end of 2008 to Four new arthouse screens will be opened at the Bibliothèque counter the image of France as an expensive filmmaking François-Mitterrand in 2013, and a digital multiplex with 16 location and encourage international productions to shoot in screens, restaurants and shops is to open at the Cité des Sciences France. In 2010, the City of Paris also increased subsidies for at a yet-unspecified date. Meanwhile, Barbès residents are waiting short film shoots. impatiently for the opening of the Louxor cinema hall.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! The Paris Cinéma Festival hosts an international feature film and documentary film competition every year in July. Details: “Paris Cinema and Photography” www.pariscinema.org press files on the website parisinfo.com The Parc de la Villette turns into an open-air cinema from mid- July to mid-August each year, with films shown on a giant screen. www.villette.com/ In August, the “Cinema au clair de la lune” event offers open-air screenings of cinematic masterpieces in various districts of the capital. www.forumdesimages.fr
LEISURE
Sports in Paris 38 Paris has sports facilities of a high standard for an extensive range of sports. Used by residents and visitors alike, these venues also host French and international sports competitions .
A RANGE OF SPORTS FACILITIES Whatever your favourite sport — football, rugby, gymnastics, judo, volleyball, basketball, handball or horse riding, Paris has the facilities for it, with new 600 sporting events take place in venues being added on a regular basis. Major projects include the reopening the French capital each year. of the Jean Bouin stadium, redesigned by architect Rudy Ricciotti, in the 16th arrondissement in 2013. The stadium, where the Stade Français rugby team will be based, will have doubled its seating capacity to 20,000 when it opens. 360 sports facilities A project to extend the Roland Garros complex and add a new show court with a retractable roof is also underway. The Palais Omnisport de Paris Bercy municipal is also being extended and modernised, and will have a capacity of 21,000 33 seats when it re-opens in 2014-2015. swimming pools open in summer TEMPORARY SKATING RINKS 2010 The renovation of the Pailleron sports complex in the 19th arrondissement has included the addition of a vast 800m2 skating rink, the only one in Paris open 60 throughout the year. Various temporary ice skating rinks open to one and all playing fields are set up in winter in Paris locations such as the square in front of the Gare Montparnasse and the Avenue de France near the Bibliothèque François 3 Mitterrand. Skating couples in search of a more romantic location head for the rink installed each winter in front of the Hôtel de Ville from mid-December to racecourses early March. 6 A LEGENDARY MARATHON large stadiums The Paris Marathon is run in April every year. 35,000 runners from all over the world set off on the 42-km itinerary through the streets of Paris, the Bois de Boulogne and the Bois de Vincennes. 160 tennis courts INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Paris has shown itself to be a warm, welcoming and cosmopolitan city at past 15,000 sporting events such as the football World Cup in 1998, the world championships in athletics in 2003 and the rugby World Cup in 2007. Paris Number of spectators the new hosted the world fencing championships in November 2010 and will be Roland-Garros stadium could staging the 2016 UEFA European football championship. accommodate in May 2012.
IN THE PIPELINE A vast sports complex named Europa City is to be built between 2018 and 2022 Details: “Paris sport” file on parisinfo.com as part of the Grand Paris project. Set in landscaped grounds, it will have its parisinfo.com own railway station and feature a snowpark, a water sports centre, a covered amusement park, a permanently-installed circus, show venues, an exhibition gallery, a dozen hotels and a commercial centre. www.paris.fr. SWIMMING IN PARIS Keen swimmers will find plenty of opportunities to take a dip in Paris, where existing municipal pools are frequently renovated and new ones installed.
Floating on the Seine, the 25-metre Josephine Baker pool at the foot of the Bibliothèque François Mitterrand boasts a solarium and a view of the river and the city. Swimmers flock there as soon as summer sets in. The Parmentier pool in the 10th arrondissement has reopened after
extensive renovation work.
LEISURE
The Keller swimming pool in the heart of the Beaugrenelle district in the 15th has also been given a thorough overhaul. This superb 50-metre pool reopened in 2008. The Albert Nakache sports centre near the Boulevard de Belleville in the 20th, designed by the brains behind the Les Halles glass canopy Patrick Berger and Jacques Anziutti, opened on 11 April 2009. The centre hosts two gyms, a fitness centre and the capital’s first stainles s steel swimming pool, 25 metres long. 39 Another floating pool is scheduled for construction in the 15th arrondissement, and a bathing area will be marked out in the Daumesnil lake in the Bois de Vincennes in 2013 . www.paris. fr and www.nageurs.com
LISTED POOLS A swim is a good way to admire some old 33-metre pools with very unusual architecture, such as the pools at the Butte aux Cailles (13th), Château Landon (10th), Pontoise (5th) and Pailleron (19th). The Molitor swimming pool at the Porte d’Auteuil (16th), closed for renovation since 1989, will reopen in all its art deco splendour in 2013, with summer and winter pools, a fitness centre, and a 98- room 4 -star hotel, the M Gallery.
PARIS PLAGES
Paris Plages will once again turn the French capital into a beachside resort from 20 July to 19 August. For a preview of the programme and practical information about this summer event, see: paris.fr, Paris Plages .
LEISURE
Jusqu’au bout de la nuit All night long 40 From the magic of its illuminated monuments to the hypnotising beats at it nightclubs, Paris by night is a place of enchantment.
THE SPARKLE OF THE CITY OF LIGHTS It is not for nothing that Paris is called the City of Lights. The capital’s monuments are beautifully illuminated at night. The Eiffel Tower turns on the sparkle on the hour and so do the Paris bridges, which can be admired from the embankment or on an evening cruise along the Seine. Visitors can enjoy a SHOPPING AFTER panoramic view of Paris by night from the top of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe or the Tour Montparnasse. SUNDOWN Fireworks are set off from Trocadero every year to celebrate Bastille Day on The stores on Boulevard Haussmann 14 July. And, during the “Paris illumine Paris” event during the year-end are open until 8pm. Galeries Lafayette, holiday season, a hundred-odd Paris streets vie for attention with their Bon Marché and Printemps stay open imaginative urban illuminations using energy-efficient lighting. until 9 or 10pm on Thursdays (BHV on www.parisillumineparis.fr Wednesdays). Drugstore Publicis on the Champs-Elysées is open until 2am
PARTYING IN PARIS everyday.
Paris clubs, bars and cabarets come into their own at night. All over the city, night owls get in the party mood over a drink with friends. There is certainly no VIBRANT NIGHTLIFE lack of choice in Paris, which has an eclectic selection of 11,500 bars and Several measures have been introduced to keep the party spirit alive restaurants. Most bars stay open until 2am, and some as late as 4am. Several venues offer live music. in Paris following the Paris nightlife Paris also has 75 clubs and discos that draw clubbers from all over Europe, forum the City of Paris organised in where über -trendy French DJs such as David Guetta and Bob Sinclar learned 2010: more night buses, the hiring of “nightlife ambassadors” to help and their trade. There are also around 30 cabarets and dinner show venues. New and established venues constantly put a fresh spin on Parisian nights. direct revellers and “Where’s the Popular nightspot s include the Mix in Montparnasse, the Showcase under party?” trails for night owls to follow. Pont Alexandre III and the Social Club on Rue Montmartre. The buzziest clubs www.paris.fr of the moment are 4 éléments in the 11th, the Crystal Lounge and the Chacha (Châtelet), the Dandy (Panthéon) and the Molotov (Opéra). The biggest event of A PASSPORT TO PARISIAN 2011 was the opening of David Lynch’s club Silencio. NIGHTS In 2009, the City of Paris came up with DANCING TILL DAWN Parisnightlife in partnership with the A 2010 law decrees that nightclubs can stay open until 7am. While clubs have trade union of cabaret and nightclub to stop serving alcohol at 5.30am, clubbers are free to order as much coffee owners – 100,000 copies of a nightlife as they can drink. map and guide and a dedicated website. The guide lists all the nightlife areas and venues by category (clubs, bars etc.). www.parisnightlife.fr. Details: “Night” file on http://en.parisinfo.com/
S OUTDOOR
Des piétons chouchoutés Pedestrian-friendly Paris 41 Pedestrians are finding their feet in Paris. Road space is being shared more equitably to make it easier to walk around the city, cut down on car traffic, improve the city’s image and encourage visitors to explore off-the-beaten-track neighbourhoods.
PEDESTRIAN -ONLY AREAS Rue Saint Rustique on the Montmartre hill was the first to be turned into a pedestrian-only street in 1972. Since then, such streets have mushroomed in every district. People are rediscovering the pleasures of life in a neighbourhood , and local restaurants and food shops are thriving in pedestrian-only areas such as Rue Mouffetard in the 5th, Cour Saint- Emilion in the 12th, Rue Daguerre in the 14th and Rue de Lévis in the 17th. In the Montorgueil/Saint-Denis district, Rue Montorgueil has kept expanding since it was made a pedestrian-only thoroughfare in 1991. Together with Les Halles, it is the biggest pedestrian-only zone in Europe. www.lequartiermontorgueil. com
PARIS BREATHES ON SUNDAYS Some routes accessible to motorists on weekdays are entirely given over to non-motorised transport on Sundays and holidays as part of the “Paris Respire” (Paris Breathes) campaign. Traffic is closed along the banks of the Seine, in Montmartre, along the Canal Saint Martin, the Sentier district, the Marais, R ue Mouffetard, Rue du Poteau and Rue Daguerre. In summer, car traffic is also banned from Rue de la Roquette, the area around Luxembourg and Rue du Ranelagh. http://www.paris.fr/loisirs/Portal.lut?page_id=9642&document_type_id= 4&document_id=91813&portlet_id=24046
PEDESTRIAN -FRIENDLY CHANGES The City of Paris is undertaking large-scale renovations to make Paris a more pleasant place for pedestrians. Measures included updating signage, enhancing safety (wider pavements, more traffic lights, greater road safety measures in the vicinity of schools), building raised pedestrian crossings in areas intensively used by pedestrians and pedestrian and cycle crossings in the vast Parisian squares and at the gateways leading out to the ring Details: “Visits with a difference” file: road. The municipality is consulting with residents and shopkeepers in http://en.parisinfo.com/ areas where it envisages the creation of new pedestrian-only streets, either permanently or only on Sundays.
OUTDOORS
Alternative ways to explore 42 Walking, cycling or even roller skating are good ways to explore hidden corners of Paris and stumble on little known attractions.
HIKING IN PARIS Not many people know that Paris has no less than 180 km of hiking trails, including four “grande randonnée” (GR) long-distance trails. There are also regional walking paths (GRP) well away from the major traffic routes. For keen hikers or those inclined to take a lazy stroll, walking is one of the best ways to explore the little lanes and side streets of Paris and soak up the atmosphere in its various districts. The first GRP goes from Porte de la Muette in the 16th to Porte de Reuilly in the 12th, linking up to the GR 14 through the GROUP HIKES Bois de Vincennes to the east and the GR 1 through the Bois de Boulogne to the west. The second path goes from Porte de la Villette in the 19th to Parc The French hiking federation organises a long annual hike through the Montsouris in the 14th, while the third goes from Porte Maillot in the 16th to the Porte Dorée in the 12th. streets of Paris. www.gr- infos.com/grp-paris.htm The first walk on 15 June 2008 drew 15,000 people for a walk from Bastille THEMED CITY WALKS to the Buttes-Chaumont. The Comité départemental de la randonnée pédestre de Paris, or The fourth hike took place on 3 June “département” committee for walks and hikes, organises “Panamées”. These 2012. The 2011 walk took 22,000 entertaining and instructive themed city hikes take place on the third Thursday people along a 12-km trail in of every month from 7pm to 10pm and cover a distance of 7 km. The starting northeastern Paris. and finishing points are always located near a metro station. www.rando-paris.org. Themes include the major squares of Paris, the Canal Saint-Denis, the
Universal Exhibitions, concert halls and a “Paris lights” Christmas special. www.rando -paris.org
FITNESS WALKS Get in Shape offers brisk walks through Paris for power walking and Nordic walking enthusiasts. Itineraries cover 3 to 20 km, depending on how fit the walkers are. www.getinshape.fr
PARIS ON SKATES Roller-skating is another great way to explore Paris. Since 1994, the Paris Roller association has organised a 30-km tour of Paris on skates from 10pm to 1am every Friday evening. Skaters meet up at the foot of the Tour Montparnasse . “Rollers et coquillages” organises a more laid-back 20-km tour starting from Place de la Bastille every Sunday afternoon. The itinerary is sealed off and cars are banned when skaters are doing the tour. Policemen on roller skates escort the participants. www.pari-roller.com and www.rollers-coquillages.org
CYCLING TOURS The Paris Rando Vélo association has been organising free cycle tours of Paris for the past ten years. Bikers meet in front of the Hôtel de Ville every Friday evening at 9.30pm or on the third Sunday of the month at 10.30am to set off on a city tour. www.parisrandovelo.com
Other companies providing organised cycle tours are: www.bikeabouttours.com www.parisvelosympa.com www.parisbiketour.net www.parischarmssecrets.com www.veloparis.com
And of course French and international OUTDOORS visitors can use Vélib’ bikes to get around the city. 43 IN A VINTAGE CAR Driving around Paris in the legendary 2CV Citroën convertible with a chauffeur -guide is a fun way to explore the city.
4 Roues Sous 1 Parapluie: www.4rs1p.com Paris Authentic: www.parisauthentic.com
TRICYCLING AROUND Tricycles are another unusual – and green – way to discover the Paris sights. Luckily for the driver, these tricycle taxis are electric-assisted. More adventurous visitors can also try a Segway – a self-balancing electric scooter.
Cyclobulle: www.cyclobulle.com Cyclopolitain: www.cyclopolitain.com Mediacyclo : www.mediacyclo.com Urban-Cab : www.urban-cab.com www.citysegwaytours.com
S’AERER
OUTDOORS
Gardens and green spaces Paris is a green city with parks, squares, tree-lined walks and gardens gracing every district. 44
82 CERTIFIED GREEN SPACES Aware of the importance of gardens and green spaces in the lives of residents and visitors, the City of Paris works constantly to enhance their sustainability. 82 Paris FIGURES parks and gardens have been certified “ecological green spaces”. Details: jardins More than 485,000 trees labellisés 3,000 hectares of greenery
450 green spaces PICKNICKING AND CYCLING IN PARKS 2 forests Picnicking is allowed in all Paris parks and gardens for groups of up to 30 people. 18 parks, 140 gardens, 280 squares Cyclists can pedal along in open gardens, but have to get off and steer their bike 85 plant walls through closed gardens. 50 allotments
SURFING IN PARKS Paris is Europe’s 2nd greenest city The City of Paris and the Ile-de-France regional authority have set up the Paris Wi-Fi service to offer visitors a free broadband connection in 58 Paris squares and gardens. according to the 2009 European Green City Index. There is a Wi -Fi hotspot sign at the entrance to the parks offering the service. Details and a full list of park and square hotspots here: jardins en ligne
THE PUBLIC SERVICE
A DELIGHTFUL ENCLAVE CHARTER Few visitors know about the existence, in the heart of the Marais, of the Clos des The City of Paris is progressively Blancs Manteaux, a haven of peace made up of a garden, where each of the 250 L adapting all its infrastructure and plant species is precisely identified, and a workshop to teach environmentally friendly public services to make them more behaviour. 21 Rue des Blancs-Manteaux, Paris 4th – Metro: Rambuteau – user friendly. www.equipement.paris.fr
FOCUS ON THE VINCENNES ZOO The Bois des Vincennes zoo is to re-open in spring 2014 after extensive renovation. It has been reorganised into six different climate areas.
FÊTE D ES JARDINS Every year, Paris celebrates its gardens on a September weekend. Exhibitions, workshops, talks and 200 guided walking tours give Parisians and visitors an opportunity to explore the French capital’s surprisingly rich natural treasures, biodiversity, fauna and flora. www.rendezvousauxjardins.culture.fr/
OUTDOORS
When in Paris… Paris residents are the best placed speak about their city, and Parisians are increasingly eager to 45 help visitors explore the French capital.
MEETING PARISIANS What could be more pleasant and rewarding when visiting a city than discovering places off the usual tourist trails? A number of organisations and community associations in Paris offer tours of Paris accompanied by Parisians, and many of these are free of cost: http://en.parisinfo.com/sustainable- tourism/meeting -parisians/. There is an extensive choice including walking and cycling tours, by day or by night, of neighbourhoods, artists’ workshops, converted industrial areas, shops, trades and more. The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau promotes closer relations between Parisians and visitors. In the same spirit, bed and breakfasts have mushroomed in the capital over the past few years.
UNUSUAL PARIS A number of associations and/or PCVB members offer guided tours to show visitors “their” Paris: Meeting the French organises leisure activities and books accommodation for visitors in the homes of Paris residents. Paris par rues méconnues organises offbeat walks through lesser-known Paris. Ca se visite ! organises walks, rallies and guided tours to discover the unusual and multi-faceted aspects of the city. Parisien d'un jour and Pour Vous Paris organise neighbourhood walks with local residents. Paris Macadam - Les Arcavals brings together professional artists, social workers and neighbourhood residents. Les Promenades Urbaines is an urban tour programme involving partners such as the Pompidou Centre, the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine and the Pavillon de l’Arsenal. Details: Bleu comme une orange devises interesting touristic, http://en.parisinfo.com/sustai cultural and instructive activities for all ages. nable-tourism/meeting- Ma langue au chat specialises in treasure hunts through parisians/ neighbourhoods. Voulez-vous dîner.com organises dinners at Parisian homes to initiate international visitors into the French art of living.
S’AERER
OUTDOORS
Paris, destination durable… A sustainable destination 46 Paris is an increasingly sustainable destination. Many City of Paris private-sector partners 46 engaged in environmentally sound practice have also obtained certification.
PARIS: A GREEN CITY The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau makes a point of publicising the French capital’s eco-friendly approach to leisure and business tourists. Its website parisinfo.com has a dedicated section on sustainable tourism for visitors wishing to travel GREEN FAVOURITES responsibly and meet Parisians during their stay. There is a Hôtel HI matic designed by Matali Crasset is an listing of hotels, B&Bs, restaurants and shops as well as ideas innovative urban eco-lodge. hi-matic.net contributed by Parisians for unusual and offbeat visits.
The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau encourages corporate A stone’s throw from the Canal Saint-Martin, the Soya event organisers to take a sustainable approach, and lists serves fusion cuisine inspired by French and exotic responsible Parisian travel trade professionals and their ethical flavours and spices, using all-natural, organic ingredients. initiatives on its website. www.soya75.fr Details: http://en.parisinfo.com/sustainable-tourism/
MORE ECO-FRIENDLY HOTELS The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau set up a commission 45 in September 2010 to steer concerted action on sustainable FOCUS ON CERTIFICATION tourism. It also organises conferences on the subject, and Eco-friendly certification singles out tourist establishments encourages and assists its network of nearly 2,200 members to that are committed to sustainable development. Paris take a proactive approach to sustainable development and establishments display three such types of certification: compete for the Sustainable Tourism trophies. In 2012, the La Clef verte, an international environmental certificate. PCVB set up an innovative programme inviting hotels to carry Green Globe, specifically related to tourism. out a “sustainable development self-diagnosis” on the website The European eco-label européen, a European environment quality label. parisinfo.com so as to encourage really committed establishments to obtain eco-friendly certification.
Details in the Sustainable tourism section of the website www.parisinfo.com
THE PARIS CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU The Paris Convention
and Visitors Bureau
Miss ions
The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau was set up in 1971 as a joint initiative by the City of Paris and the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry. A non-profit association, its missions are to welcome and inform visitors, promote the capital as a tourist destination in France and abroad and assist Paris tourism trade professionals.
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WELCOMING AND INFORMING SUPPORTING PARIS TRAVEL VISITORSJusqu’au bout de laTRADE nuit PROFESSIONALS 28.2 million visitors stayed in Paris in 2009. The Paris The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau provides Convention and Visitors Bureau has six welcome centres in the a platform for meetings and partnerships among its busiest parts of the city to welcome and inform visitors. Around members, i.e. nearly 2,200 Paris travel trade 30 staff members are on hand to answer questions about Paris professionals. and the region in twelve languages. This permanent network is It promotes their offer via its website parisinfo.com strengthened in busy months with seasonal “Welcome and by involving them in themed operations it Ambassador” kiosks. organises with its public and private sector The website parisinfo.com extends and completes the partners. It monitors developments in the tourism personalised welcome. The gateway to Paris for international sector and conveys this strategic information to all visitors, this online tourist office is fully available in four the city’s tourism players through its website languages – French, English, German and Spanish – and pro.parisinfo.com. partially translated into ten other languages. The website contains all the information any visitor could require for a well- organised and memorable stay in Paris. The welcome centres of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, both on site and online, offer not only information and advice but also a full range of accommodation, transport, culture and leisure listings.
PROMOTING PARIS
INTERNATIONALLY Together with Paris travel trade professionals, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau promotes the Paris leisure and business tourism offer to buyers and decision makers who can influence the choice of Paris as a destination. It devises specific campaigns for these audiences, such as the websites presstraveltrade.parisinfo.com and convention.parisinfo.com, as well as the Paris News newsletter. The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau draws up and implements action plans aimed at mature markets as well as emerging markets with strong potential. To this end, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau organises targeted operations such as events and workshops and takes part in tourism trade shows in France and abroad. Journalists and travel trade operators are regularly invited to information tours at its premises in Paris. The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau also handles requests for assistance from corporate event organisers. Finally, together with the City of Paris and the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau prepares the French capital’s bids to host association congresses.