It is possible to arrive to the capital of high fashion by airplane – it will be doubtlessly faster; but you will deprive yourself of the pleasure to travel leisurely along almost empty country roads, through its fascinating villages and towns, stopping over just where you want. The only one thing to be taken into consideration is that highways are the toll ones.

So, you are in Paris. Don’t try to accomplish the tourist maximum-program during that time you have for visiting this city – it would be in vain. It can take you a week to get acquainted with the displays of Louvre or Versailles and still this time will be not enough, but you can spend the same time for imbibing the air of this diversified city, for having a good look at its tracery balconies, roof gardens and fanciful relief designs of the buildings. Architecture of Paris is eclectic and nearby a cosy mansion built in baroque style a glass-metal monster can easily grow; French people themselves sometimes sniff in disapproval when tourists at their side admire the glass pyramid in front of the Louvre, but there still is some special charm in all this.

Metro stops are not announced normally, even do not wait, and it is not so easy to puzzle out these wilds of winding and regular stairs and tunnels almost without guide signs. 10 metro tickets cost 11,50 euros; 1 ticket – 1,50 euros; a ticket for all the zones for one day – 5,55.

You can get a guidebook and a map for free if you go to The Champs-Élysées Clemenceau metro station and cross the street. There is a shop with tourist information there – in the very beginning of the Champs-Élysées.

It is always possible to find many interesting places in Paris even if you do not order standard excursions; it would be useful to decide in advance what you are interested in, how to get there and what to pay attention for. You can visit the Eiffel Tower. Tastes differ but to my mind the most beautiful sight from its scenic viewpoint appears to be at night; besides, every hour it is highlighted with flashing lights for 10 minutes that together with the night lights of the Champs-Élysées creates indeed an enchanting sight and it seems this light-flaring figure is woven from laces... So, you can firstly enjoy the bottom view, and then mount up and continue to enjoy the top view. It costs - 3,10 euros to walk to the second “floor” for people who are younger than 25 years old + 3 euros to take the lift from the second floor to the third one, or it costs 11.50 to take the lift up to the top of the tower, it is for free for children under 3 years of age.

It is possible to look at the roofs of Paris for free from the roof of Lafayette Gallery or Le Printemps store; if you are ready to pay besides other high level viewing points you can even fly by a special balloon in Andre-Citroen Park.

You can travel from Paris to Versailles. The park in Versailles is a model for many parks in the whole Europe; take into consideration that famous fountains for the sake of which tourists visit the park, are working only at weekends and only at definite time: from 11.00 till 12.00 and from 15.30 till 17.00; at that booking offices are closed at 13.30 so, it is quite possible that you can save some money (beginning with 5.5 euro). Entrance is for free at the rest of time, and you can simply sit on the grass and those who are very tired can even lie down and have a nap.

Students and individuals that do not want to waste the money in vain, after making some moderate efforts will be able to easily find relatively inexpensive and comfortable places for living and having meals. For instance, it will cost you 35 euros for a suite of three rooms per 24 hours in Formula 1 Hotel, and you can fill your plate with everything that it will be able to hold only for 5.5 euros at the last floor in Lafayette Gallery, and then gaze at the Eiffel Tower while sitting at the table near the window.

Rue Cler (between the Nursing Home and the Eiffel Tower) can become a great discovery for those who are keen on French cuisine in small cosy restaurants, besides there are a few good wine and cheese stores there.

A few words of advice.
- Don’t get yourself boiling over or being scared because of the lack of English equivalents for French names of local interesting stuff. French people’s categorical dislike toward Englishmen and English language is rather a myth and if you kindly ask for explanations you will hardly be turned down.
- Also don’t fume if someone’s dog “marked” a fore wheel of your car on the red traffic light – its host will consider you to be a boor, and his pet – a hero in the fight with thickskins. Try to treat this fact with Christian humility: French are crazy about their pets.
- Learn some French words. At least bonjour and merci.
- Don’t throw away the metro ticket till the trip is over.
- Ask if it is allowed to take photos before taking out the camera to shoot the interior of some sight.
- And once again: make “a plan for traveling”, with the prices and places of interest.
- Watch a film about Paris.