Rue de Rivoli
This lovely arcade was begun by Napoleon in 1811. Under its arches are two English language book stores; Angelina's, a tea salon famous for its thick hot chocolate; and the luxurious Hotel Meurice. Tolstoy at one time lived in one of the apartments above the Arcade.

Le Louvre des Antiquaires
250 antique shops gathered under an arcade, facing the Louvre. You can find anything from archeological objects to Art Deco, Near- and Middle-East antiquities, to Russian art, English-style furniture and objets d'art of different epochs from Renaissance through Napoleon. 2, Place du Palais-Royal, Metro: Palais Royal, Louvre, Open Tuesday to Sundays 11:00 to 19:00. Closed Mondays and Sundays in July and August.

Rue St-Honore
This Street has been a major thoroughfare since the 12th century and is now lined with luxurious shops and trendy boutiques. At #163 stood the old St-Honore Gate where Joan of Arc was wounded in the thigh by an English archer in 1429. Her statue is nearby on Rue de Rivoli to commemorate this event.

Place de Vendome
This classically elegant square built in 1685 has a 44 meter high column with a crowning sculpture of Napoleon as Caeser, although this has changed several times. It is home to the world's most opulent jewelers and the legendary Ritz Hotel, a favorite haunt of the famous, such as Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Cole Porter, Proust, and Chanel.

Jardin de Tuilleries
The Tuileries Gardens were designed by Andre Le Notre in 1664 and is one of the largest parks in Paris. It is bordered by the Louvre, Rue de Rivoli and, at the western end, the Orangerie and the Jeu de Paume. The Orangerie houses Monet's magnificent 'Nympheas' series of paintings of water-lilies which were painted at Giverny and donated to the nation by the artist as a 'spiritual testimony'. It also houses other great Impressionist and 'Ecole de Paris' artists. It is undergoing a major re-haul at the moment. The Jeu de Paume holds special exhibitions.

Palais Royal & Gardens
The Palais Royal was constructed for Cardinal Richelieu in 1628. On the southwest corner is the Comedie Francaise and on the northwest corner is the 4-star 'Grand Vefour', an haute cuisine restaurant since the 1760s. The Palais Royal was home to Colette and Jean Cocteau.

Pont des Arts
The first iron bridge in Paris. Built in 1803 for pedestrian use and with benches along its length this bridge stretches from the Institut de France to the Louvre and has one of the loveliest views in Paris.

Pont Neuf
Paris's most famous and beautiful bridge, was completed in 1607. A statue of Henri IV stands near its center. The Bridge joins the Right Bank of the Seine to Ile de la Cite and continues to the left bank. Along the Quays are the Bouquinistes selling antique books and prints.

Eglise St.Germain l' Auxerrois
The present church is on the site of an 8th century sanctuary and combines five centuries of architectural design. In 1572 the bells rang out the start of the St Bartholomew's Day Massacre, when Protestant Huguenots were invited to celebrate the marriage of Henri de Navarre, later Henri IV, to his cousin, Marguerite de Valois. It was a trap laid by the Cardinal Duke de Guise and Catherine de Medici, thousands were slaughtered.

Eglise de St. Eustache
Begun in 1532 and completed in 1647 it is one of the largest, most famous and beautiful churches in Paris. It has a particularly noteworthy organ and was the setting for the first performances of works by Berlioz and Liszt.

Louvre
Once a royal Renaissance palace, the Louvre Museum houses some of the world's most famous works of art, highlights of which are the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory, 360 degree visit. Closed on Tuesdays.

Museum of Decorative Arts
In the Louvre complex, the Musee des Arts Decoratifs presents an exceptional collection of Italian primitives, tapestries from the Middle Ages and eighteenth century (220,000 items, objects, drawings, furniture, plate, jewels, ceramics, glassware, upholstery, old and contemporary posters, toys...). Six chronological departments are organized into period rooms marking out the stages in everyday life from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century.

Museum of Publicity
Housed in the same building as the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, the Musee de la Publicite houses 80,000 old and contemporary posters. The history of the poster from the end of the eighteenth century to the present day.

The Ile de la Cite was the site of the original pre-Roman settlement. Here you will find the famous Conciergerie.

The Conciergerie
The Conciergerie is the last remaining authentic part of a 14th-century royal complex. It was then turned into a prison. The Conciergerie held Marie Antoinette, Madame du Barry, Danton, Robespierre and other prisoners during the French Revolution from where they were taken to be guillotined.