Le Marais is an area of Paris on the Right Bank of the River Seine and it is renowned for its numerous little streets and tiny courtyards. Le Marais is French for ‘swamp’ but, fortunately, the only risk from entering Le Marais is from getting swamped by designer bags. There are many popular and chic designer shops in the Le Marais area such as Shine in Rue de Poitou which is owned by Vinci D'Elia who is avant garde when seeking out new design talent from Paris, London and New York. Each season’s collections are hung from simple rails suspended from the ceiling in a shop that is cool, sophisticated and very chic. Yukiko’97 is on Rue Vieille du Temple and has been in Paris for more than a decade. Yukiko chose Le Marais to establish her boutique because it is one of the principal areas of Paris that people come to when searching for designer goods that are extra special. Yukiko’s shop is tiny, unique and incredibly alluring and to not shop with zeal is almost a sin. On the other hand, Parisian trendies simply love Free 'P' Star, which is a tiny, almost claustrophobic designer boutique that has a wide ...

La Bastille was a prison once called Bastille Saint-Antoine as it was on Rue Saint-Antoine. On 14th July, 1789, La Bastille was stormed by the peasants, marking the start of the French Revolution and that momentous event is celebrated as a public holiday in France. The word ‘Bastille’ derives from the French word ‘bastide’ which means stronghold or castle. The Bastille was built in the last quarter of the 14th century during the reign of King Charles VI and during the Hundred Years War with England. La Bastille had five storeys and the exterior walls were four and a half metres thick. There used to be three entrances to the fortification but from 1580, the drawbridge over the moat was the only way in and out. It was Cardinal Richelieu in the first half of the seventeenth century who turned the Royal fortification into a prison for the upper classes, for people who had committed treason or some offence against King Louis XIII or the state. Once established as a prison, it became a convenient place in which to incarcerate religious prisoners, writers who perpetrated seditious acts, and young men who had been caught with the wrong man’s wife. Very ...

Saint Germain des Pres is an area of Paris that is particularly charming and has inspired creative people for generations. The Spanish painter, Pablo Picasso, lived in Rue des Saints Augustins and it is where he completed his famous work, Guernica, in 1937. If you choose to book a holiday apartment in St Germain you will be spoiled for dining options: During daylight hours the cafés, bistros, brasseries and gourmet restaurants buzz with chatter and excitement and at night the clubs schmooze to the sounds of jazz and contemporary music. Places to eat in St Germain that are considered the best by Parisians include: LES DEUX MAGOTS Les Deux Magots which is a café restaurant that was originally an early 19th century drapery. Many notable names in literature and art visited Les Deux Magots such as Oscar Wilde, Hemingway, Jean Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and Picasso and it is a wonderful place to have a light meal or just a glass of wine. RESTAURANT JACQUES CAGNA Jacques Cagna is a Parisian chef that specialises in creating wonderful sauces. His restaurant is by the River Seine and is in a most beautiful 17th century mansion house. The ambiance within the restaurant is one of ...

The capital of France is ideally located to take in much of what makes France such a wonderful country to visit. From the beaches of Normandy to the Chateaux of the Loire Valley and France's horse-racing hub in Chantilly, there are many easy day trips you could do from Paris. BEACHES OF NORMANDY Taking the train to Caen from Gare St. Lazare, is a superb way of getting a snapshot of the Normandy beaches and understanding their role in the D-Day landings. Remnants of the artificial harbour that was towed over in sections from England still exists at Arromanches, where there is also the Musee du Debarquement which recounts and honours the men who fought in June 1944. THE LOIRE VALLEY CHATEAUX Surrounding Paris, there are many remarkable chateaux many, of which, were ransacked during the French Revolution. Today, they are well looked after and ensure a day away from Paris to remember. If you take one of the Loire Valley tours it’s an early departure from the railway station in Paris Montparnasse to the city of Tours. From Tours it is possible to visit up to three stunning-looking chateaux. These are: 1. Chateau D’Azay-le-Rideau was constructed in the early years of ...

The sacré Coeur is the church that sits at the top of Montmartre and here is short video of it's history and the views it offers. Choose "Sacré Coeur" from the menu inside the video screen! Off to Paris? Why not stay in Montmartre holiday rental?

Everyone who has taken the Monmartre walking tour rates it with 5 stars: if you want to get to know the history of this fabulous area in Paris, book it immediately and take along your walking shoes! Tour highlights include: Sacre Coeur Basilica - this white basilica dominates the Parisian skyline. Moulin Rouge - famed cabaret immortalized by the works by Toulouse-Lautrec among others. Vincent Van Gogh's House - the artist lived here with his brother Theo from 1886 - 1888. Place du Tertre - charming artists square where works are painted and sold on the spot. Dali Museum - home to over 300 of his original works. The Montmartre Vineyards - an authentic Parisian vineyard and source of the famed Le Clos Montmartre. Montmartre Cemetery - final resting place of Dalida, Edgar Degas, Adolf Sax, Emile Zola and Jacques Offenbach, among others. Le Lapin Agile - famous haunt of the resident artists of Montmartre in the early 1900's. Famous Windmills of Montmartre - three original windmills remain today. Bateaux Lavoir - the resident listing reads like a "who's who" of famous artists who have passed through Paris. You can book the tour online from 12 Euros per person. Photo Credit: jayniebell | Looking for accommodation in Paris? Choose a holiday apartment ...

Choose from the menu inside the screen and watch useful, well-presented information about Paris on video! Choose from 300 + apartments in Paris on Holiday Velvet.

All you ever wanted to know about the Champs Elysées! The Champs-Elysées, is for the French "La plus belle avenue du monde". It starts from the Place de la Concorde and runs up to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. In French they call it “Les Champs” and it’s the most fashionable and luxurious area in Paris. This is where some of the most significant events of the year are held: New Year’s Eve gathering, 14th July military parade and the arrival of the Tour de France cycling race. The Champs-Elysées is at the center of Parisian life and the walk from the "Champs-Elysées Clemenceau" to the "Etoile Charles de Gaulle" metro stations is a perfect introduction to the city. Here you can find people from all over the world in shops, theaters and in restaurants. The Champs-Elysées are 2 Km long and 80 meters wide. At the top of Champs-Elysées is The Arc de Triomphe, which was completed in 1836. This arc is a memorial of the soldiers killed in World War I and there is one permanently burning flame in the memory of those killed in the war. The season of Christmas starting from December and up to January with ...