Paris wears a thousand faces. For one thing, its architecture includes a bit of everything: Roman ruins and medieval byways in the Latin Quarter, the grandiose halls of the Louvre a former palace ; the Eiffel Tower, that ambitious 19th-century monument to progress; and the Centre Pompidou , hinting at lateth-century unease with its exposed ducts and wiring. Its neighborhoods are just as diverse.
The major gay neighborhood, and the one that never sleeps, is the Marais , a once primarily Jewish district that since the s has been known for its many gay bars, lounges and sex clubs. It's the home of Paris's Gay Pride, held the fourth weekend in June. Les Halles , to the west of the Marais, is an even older gay part of town, but in truth you'll find a smattering of gay nightlife in most sections of of the central city.
He retired in , succeeded by his Deputy Mayor, the Andalusia-born Anne Hidalgo, who became the first woman to hold the office.. Getting here Nearly every international airline has flights into Charles de Gaulle also known as Roissy. The secondary, smaller option is Orly. Both airports are served by bus, taxi and train. For information about bus and coach connections to other French and European cities, see the AboutFrance pages on the subject.
The Man in Seat 61 has a wealth of information concerning rail travel from Paris , across Europe, and everywhere else a train may go -- including how to save time and money , plus tips on where to eat. Getting around Central Paris is compact, which means walking is often the best way to get around. A new company took over in and introduced electric bikes but not without some initial problems. The Paris Metro is a highly practical and inexpensive way to get around, at 1.
Buy a carnet of 10 for a discount. But with service ending around 2am on Friday and Saturday, and an hour earlier on weekdays and Sundays, you'll need a taxi if you don't want to make an early or very late night of it.
