Paris, FranceCaunan, Marc Hendrick S.Chavez, Regina Vee C.Lat, Carl Efraime A.

FACTS ABOUT PARIS, FRANCEThe name "Paris" is derived from its early inhabitants, the Celtic Parisii tribe.Paris is often referred to as "The City of Light" ("La Ville Lumire"),both because of its leading role during the Age of Enlightenment, and more literally because Paris was one of the first European cities to adopt gas street lighting. In the 1860s, the boulevards and streets of Paris were illuminated by 56,000 gas lamps. Since the late 19th century, Paris is also known as Panam(e) All the trees in Paris are referenced and measured. And there are 470,000 of them.If you were to spend each day of your life in Paris visiting a different open terrace (of a bar, cafe, or restaurant), then it would take you 29.8 years to see them all. Yes, there are 9,057 of them.There are 31 street condom vending machines in Paris, provided by the Town HallIn the whole of Paris, there is only one stop sign, "situated at the exit of a building company in the rich 16th arrondissement". The traffic system in Paris is mainly based on giving way to those coming from the right.

FACTS ABOUT PARIS, FRANCEThe bell in the Notre Dame Cathedral weighs. over 13 tonnes. And it's called Emmanuel. There are 6,100 streets in Paris.The shortest street in the city - at just 5.75 metres, is the Rue des Degrs.If you like baguettes then you're in the right city because there are 1,784 bakeries in Paris. And there's plenty of bars too, although not as many as bakeries. In fact there's 1,124 bars in the city at your disposal.

ATTRACTIONS IN PARISDisneyland Paris - This may sound incredible to you. Disneyland Paris is the top Paris attraction. Since its opening in 1992, Disneyland Paris welcomed 200 million visitors. The yearly number of visitors is now 15 million.Louvre Museum - The Louvre Museum is the world most visited museum with 9.2 million visitors per year. It is one of the biggest with 210 000 square meters and 300 000 pieces of arts (35 000 are exposed to the public). The Louvre Museum displays the famous Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci and many other first class paintings from Italy, France, Flanders and the Netherlands.The Eiffel Tower - The Eiffel Tower may be the most well known monument in the world. Every year, 7 million visitors get to the first or second floor of this unique 320 meters high steel tower dating back from 1889. The Eiffel Tower was built in Paris from 1887 to 1889 by Gustave Eiffel, a French engineer specializing in revolutionary steel constructions. The Eiffel Tower originally had no use. Gustave Eiffel wanted to demonstrate the capabilities of steel engineering at Paris 1889 world exhibition.

ATTRACTIONS IN PARISCentre Pompidou - Lesser known than the Louvre Museum and Orsay Museum, Le Centre Pompidou is well worth your time: central Paris location, a daring monument, modern art collections, stunning Paris views and a lively district.Versailles Palace - If you come to Paris for at least two days, don't miss Versailles Palace, a top UNESCO world heritage sight. Versailles Palace, 16 kilometers West of Paris, was commissioned by Louis XIV in the 17th century. The largest in Europe, Versailles Palace housed 20 000 nobles during one century. In 1789, Versailles Palace was abandonned at the outset of the revolution. Versailles Palace was turned into a museum of French history in 1833. Repair work began in 1925, thanks to many generous donators including David Rockefeller.Notre Dame - Notre Dame de Paris stands at the heart of Paris on Ile de la Cite, a testimony of eight centuries of Christian faith. Notre Dame de Paris is undoubtedly one of the masterpieces of Gothic art in Western Europe. Notre Dame cathedral was built between 1163 and 1270. France was then the most powerful and faithful Kindgom of Europe. Notre Dame's two towers, many sculptures, stainglass windows and nave are artistic experiences of mystical dimension.

ATTRACTIONS IN PARISDisneyland ParisLouvre Museum

The Eiffel TowerCentre Pompidou

Versailles PalaceNotre Dame

RECREATIONS IN PARISRollerblade by night - It started one evening in 1993, and there were only 12 of them. The Friday night rollermaniacs are now a few thousand and have made their nightly apparition on the Paris boulevards an event worth experiencing. In 1998, the French police even had to create the world's first rollerblading force, to monitor those wild rides.Go punting - Parisians don't have lots of large parks, but they do have two magnificent woods in the west, plush Bois de Boulogne; in the east, petit-bourgeois Bois de Vincennes with its four lakes, among them Lac Daumesnil. You'll see what looks like a Buddhist temple the remnants of a "temporary" temple built for the 1931 Colonial Exhibition which is still in use today. Bois de Vincennes is also a haven for joggers, cyclists and bird lovers.Pony rides - Little Parisians have all ridden a pony or a donkey at least once in their lives. You can find them in all the capital's main gardens Luxembourg Gardens, Parc Monceau, Buttes Chaumont and, of course, the Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes.

RECREATIONS IN PARISCanal cruising - Cruises on Canal Saint-Martin will take you back to the time of the seminal 1938 Marcel Carn's film Htel du Nord, which still stands proudly right by the canal. A cruise from the Bastille marina towards the Marne river will take you to those bucolic open air dance halls, the famous "guinguettes" painted by Auguste Renoir and filmed by his son Jean Renoir. Ptanque at Nation - East of Bastille, place de la Nation stands as a proud star-shaped square designed by Baron Haussmann with big boulevards and avenues flowing from it. For a few months during the revolution, it was called "square of the hung throne", as it harboured the guillotine. Today, in more peaceful times, you can witness laidback ptanque and boule parties at any time of day. Anyone can join in or cheer on the players, who are mainly locals, among them many retired North-Africans. Climbing in Buttes Chaumont - Built in 1867, under Napoleon III, who wanted the Parisian working classes to get some fresh air, the Buttes Chaumont, in the north-east of Paris, is one of the city's big green spaces. It features purpose-built rocks, lakes, islands, a suspended bridge and a hill from which the view over is breathtaking. Every day from 9am to 10am, there are free qigong lessons, and for children, there's a special climbing wall near the Pirates cafe.

EVENTS/FESTIVALS IN PARIS Rock en Seine - This three-day rock festival takes place every year at the vast grassy expanse known as the Domaine National de St. Cloud just outside the city limits, attracting thousands of people, whether ardent fans or summer dabblers. Fete de la Musique (Paris Street Music Festival) - is a lively street music festival held every June 21st in Paris, and is one of the year's most popular events in the city of light. Hundreds of musicians gather in the streets, bars, and cafes of Paris, regaling crowds with free performances of everything from jazz and rock to hip-hop and electronic music. Paris Plages (Paris Beach) - Inaugurated in 2002, Paris Beach (or "Paris Plages" in French) is a free summer event that transforms several spots in Paris into full-fledged beaches, each with a distinct theme. From sunning in the sand to swimming in pools suspended over the Seine, kayaking, or enjoying a free evening concert, Paris Plages offers activities that both kids and adults will enjoy.

EVENTS/FESTIVALS IN PARIS Bastille Day Celebrations - Every July 14th, Paris celebrates Bastille Day (referred to as La Fte de la Bastille or La Fte Nationale in French), which marks the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789 and the first major event of the French Revolution of 1789.The destruction of the Bastille prison in central Paris was chosen as a symbol of France's first stirrings of democracy, though it would take several reinstated monarchies and bloody revolutions to establish an enduring Republic. Paris Quartier d'Et (Paris Summer Arts Festival) - The month-long Paris Summer Arts Festival overtakes the streets of the city with (mostly free) dance, music, theater, and circus performances from artists living and working around the globe.Open-Air Cinema at the Parc de la Villette - Every summer, Parisians traipse to the ultramodern Parc de la Villette in northern Paris with blankets and folding chairs to take advantage of celluloid in the breeze. The open-air cinema, or "cinma en plein air", is generally free and hosts at least one show each evening for around a month in July and August, with a program chock full of both classics and recent hits. Many of the films are shown in English, too.

SPORTS IN PARIS CyclingFootballTennisIce skatingHikingVolleyballRugbyHorse racingBowling