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No matter which way you head,
any trip through Paris will be a voyage of discovery. But choosing the Paris of your dreams is a bit like choosing a
perfume or cologne. Do you prefer young and dashing, or elegant and worldly? Something sporty, or divinely glamorous?
No matter -- beneath touristy Paris, historic Paris, fashion-conscious Paris, pretentious-bourgeois Paris, practical working-class
Paris, or the legendary bohemian Paris, you will find your own Paris, and it will be vivid, exciting, unforgettable.
Veterans know that Paris is a city of regal perspectives and ramshackle streets, of formal espaces verts, or green
open spaces, and quiet squares; and this combination of the pompous and the private is one of the secrets of its perennial
lure.
Another draw is its
scale: Paris is relatively small as capitals go, with distances between many of its major sights and museums easily
walkable. In a span of just a few miles, the landmarks come thick and fast, and the river makes basic orientation easy,
dividing the city into the Rive Droite (Right Bank) and Rive Gauche (Left Bank). In fact, the best way to get to know
Paris is on foot, although public transportation -- particularly the métro (subway system) -- is excellent.
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