Paris hotels

At just 10km x 11km, you can cross Central Paris by métro in 40 minutes.

At the very centre is the Ile de la Cité and Notre-Dame – the desirable first arrondissement. The Seine splits the city in two. To the north lies the Rive Droite, or Right Bank, home to hilly Montmartre, the Champs Elysées, the Louvre and Bastille. To the south extends the more literary, park-scattered Rive Gauche/Left Bank, where you'll find upper crust Saint-Germain des Prés, the Eiffel Tower, cutting edge François Mittérand library and Tour Montparnasse. Twenty arrondissements (districts) spiral clockwise from the Louvre to the Péripherique, the busy ring road encircling the city. Outside central Paris, the Ile-de-France region unfolds with the regal Bois de Boulogne and Versailles Palace.

Speedy and easy, the métro is the place to see daily life unfold. There are 14 lines, each with their own colour, number (1-14) and direction (or final destination). Line 14 is driverless. If you have to change lines, avoid Châtelet and Montparnasse, or prepare to walk for what feels like miles underground.

Métro tickets are also valid on the RER commuter trains from central Paris to the wider Ile-de-France suburbs. Take RER C for Versailles. Catch RER B to cross Paris from top to bottom, and to get to Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports. RER A follows métro line 1 east-west across central Paris.

Over recent years, Paris has created extra bus lanes, so buses move quickly. The 72 cuts a good route from the Hôtel de Ville to Saint-Cloud along the Seine. The 63 starts at Gare de Lyon and heads to La Muette, near the Bois de Boulogne. The 95 leaves Montparnasse to cross the Seine and the chic 6th arrondissement, passing the Louvre, climbing towards the Opéra and heading for Montmartre. Stamp your ticket when you climb on board.

If the main white light is on, the taxi is free for hire from the street or taxi rank. If a small bulb is glowing, the taxi is occupied. Parisian taxi drivers tend to be hugely friendly or very grumpy, but most like a good chat. Round up the fare to make them happy, and expect to pay a small fee for each extra item of luggage or a fourth passenger. Rates are higher at night.

Walking is often the most enjoyable way to get around. For short distances, it can be quicker to walk than change métro lines (correspondence). Bear in mind that métro stops are roughly a five minute walk apart. Take extra care at zebra crossings as cars don't always stop.

Vélib is Paris' excellent self-service bike scheme with over 20, 000 bikes that can be hired for just €1 (for 24 hours) and used free of charge for 30 minutes. Return your bike to any stand (if full check the map on the service point for the nearest stand). Tickets are bought by credit card in a service point. €1 is charged for each supplementary 30 minutes used.

Paris Par Arrondissements, for sale at any kiosque (newsagent at métro exits), lists every street and boulevard, and has métro/bus/RER and even bicycle route (Paris à vélo) maps at the back. Buy ten métro tickets at a time (Carnet de dix) to save euros. Each ticket is valid for one journey, including changes (correspondences). A weekly (Monday to Sunday) ticket (carte d'hebdomadaire) is valid on the bus, RER and métro.

Go gothic at Notre-Dame and relive the glory days of the monarchy at the Louvre. Lose yourself in the maze of the 17th-century Marais and stretch out in Haussmann's wide, 19th-century boulevards in the chic 16th arrondissement. See Roman Paris at Les Arènes de Lutèce and fast forward to modernity at La Défense arch.

RATP Paris Transport website