Paris is the capital and the largest city in France, located on the River Seine in northern France. The city has barely been changed since 1860 and used to be the largest city in the western world for about 1,000 years prior to the 19th century (and the largest city in the world in the 16th century). Paris is one of the world’s largest leading business and cultural centres and has a massive influence over politics, entertainment and fashion. The arts contribute to its status and one of the world’s major global cities, it is considered to be one of the greenest cities in Europe.
The Château de Vincennes has a 52m high keep, was built between the 14th and 17th century and is considered to be one of the most beautiful castles in Europe. Paris is also the home to the Eiffel Tower (known by the French as the La dame de fer – translated to the iron lady.) which has become a global icon of France and one of the most recognisable structures in the world. Standing at 324 metres the tower is the tallest building in Paris and is something definitely not to be missed when visiting as from the top of the Eiffel Tower you can see the whole of Paris. There are also a wide range of opera houses, the largest being the Opéra de Paris Garnier (classic ballets and operas) and more modern Opéra Bastille (mixed repertoire of classic and modern).
With average temperatures hovering between 15 and 25°C in the summer and a fair amount of sunshine it is the best time of year to visit, however there are a few days where the temperature can rise above 32°C. In winter sunshine is scarce and days are cold but generally above freezing with the temperatures staying around 7°C, however night frosts are common and the temperature can dip below -5°C for a few days a year.
