About Paris

Paris is the capital of France and also its largest city. Paris is one of the world's leading business and cultural centres, and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities.

It has many nicknames, but the most common is the 'City of Lights' (La Ville-lumière,) a name it owes both to its fame as a centre of education and ideas and its early adoption of street lighting. People from around the world flock to Paris to view its impressive array of monuments and museums, savor its cuisine, and relax in its sidewalk cafes and nightclubs.

The city is divided into 20 political districts called arrondissements. The numbering of the arrondissements spirals outward like a snail shell, starting from the Île de la Cité to the 20th arrondissement. The Seine provides the simplest division of the city: The north side of the river is known as the Right Bank (Rive Droite) and the south side as the Left Bank (Rive Gauche). The Right Bank contains 14 arrondissements, while the Left Bank contains 6.

More to come