Courtyard Paris Arcueil

The Bois de Vincennes is the capital's second largest 'green lung', after the Bois de Boulogne. It is located in the east of Paris, on the edge of the 12th arrondissement. Many organizations based in the Bois de Vincennes enable visitors to find out more about the wood and get a closer look at its wildlife; the École du Breuil and its arboretum, the Jardin d'agronomie tropicale, the Ferme de Paris, the Maison Paris Nature, ornithological reserves, etc. The Chateau de Vincennes, a magnificent example of medieval architecture, remains the wood's most notable monument, open every day. There are plenty of chances to relax, have fun or play sport. The Parc Floral is a family paradise with its play areas, including 18-hole mini golf, slides and ping-pong tables. The Parc Floral also offers many free events, especially in the summer; Paris Jazz Festival, the 'Pestacles' festival, Festival Classique au Vert ... On one of the lakes, visitors can go for a boat ride, and fans of horse racing can bet at the racecourse.

Situated on the Ile de la Cité, a short walk from Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Sainte-Chapelle chapel is a jewel of Gothic art. It was built in the 13th century, upon the order of King Saint-Louis, to house Christ’s Crown of Thorns, now held at Notre-Dame. The upper chapel of the monument is covered in 600 m² of stained-glass windows, of which two thirds are authentic. It’s one of the most complete and remarkable sets of stained glass of this era.

A former hunting ground for the Kings of France, the Bois de Boulogne has become the largest spot for relaxation in the west of Paris. It offers numerous walkways, 28 km of bridleways and 15 km of touristic cycle routes. There are numerous facilities, which have been designed to suit everyone, such as playgrounds for children, the Musée en Herbe, picnic areas, bicycle hire and boat hire on the Lac Inférieur, the Auteuil and Longchamp racecourses, restaurants and the Théâtre de Verdure.

Place Vendôme was built on the orders of Louis XIV, as a grandiose setting that would embody absolute power in the very heart of Paris. Napoleon replaced the statue of the king, dismantled in 1792, with a bronze column made from 1,200 enemy canons. During the Second Empire, however, the octagonal square – a marvel of classical urban design – gradually became a showcase for luxury goods rather than political power. The world’s great jewellery brands have turned Place Vendôme and the adjoining Rue de la Paix into one continuous stream of window displays filled with sparkling diamonds, rubies and emeralds.

The Panthéon is a building in the Latin Quarter in Paris. It was originally built as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve but, after many changes, now functions as a secular mausoleum containing the remains of distinguished French citizens. It is an early example of neoclassicism, with a façade modeled on the Pantheon in Rome, surmounted by a dome that owes some of its character to Bramante's "Tempietto". Located in the 5th arrondissement on the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève, the Panthéon looks out over all of Paris. Designer Jacques-Germain Soufflot had the intention of combining the lightness and brightness of the gothic cathedral with classical principles, but its role as a mausoleum required the great Gothic windows to be blocked