Paris – Ile de France

With 11,30 million inhabitants and a surface area of 12,000 km², Ile-de-France is the most populated region of France.

Paris , city of art and culture

Sightseeing in Paris is like plunging into ancient history: remains of the old Roman Lutetia, grand medieval abbeys, gothic masterpieces, classical architecture, collections from Napoleonic times, perspectives defined by Haussmann… a remarkable density of artistic and cultural treasures to choose from at each visit! 180 museums and monuments for your enjoyment: discover internationally-renowned collections of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts, go in search of iconic emblems, symbols of the influence of an era, take inspiration from a wealth of contemporary heritage: all this makes Paris a capital of the arts, both past and present.

Department stores

Beneath their fabulous Art Nouveau glass domes, the Parisian department stores have become must-see monuments to rival the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. Considered to be the leading shopping centre of Europe with 120 million visitors each year, the boulevard Haussmann is a city within the city. But let’s not forget the stores on the rue de Rivoli, on the Left Bank or at the Madeleine. All together, they are a sparkling reflection of Paris in concentrated form, where all your shopping desires can be granted. Fashion, beauty, decoration, leisure and the art of entertaining are just the tip of the iceberg in the creative sea that awaits you.

Fashion

All over the world, when people think Paris, they think fashion. More shops than you can imagine will tempt you with their offer of the best in clothes, shoes, accessories and much more. You’ll find a world of ready-to-wear in Paris, with appealing boutiques and affordable brands. For men, women and children too… everyone can find their own style here. Young, sporty, trendy, ethnic or classic, Paris is the ideal place to put the finishing touches to your look or to dream up a whole new one!

Luxury

Where would Paris be without the spell-binding skills of the master craftsmen of “haute couture” and luxury goods? Year after year, their fashion collections grab the limelight and their creations dazzle the avenue Montaigne and the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Sophisticated or baroque, the window displays of their superb boutiques are a celebration of female beauty, a fantasy of fabulous fabrics, delicate scents and sparkling jewels. Here a garment or an accessory becomes a work of art, elegant or extravagant, to glamourize your wardrobe or simply to delight the gaze.

Lifestyle

Paris , capital of “art de vivre”
Take advantage at long last of the myriad pleasures of the French lifestyle. Just try resisting those seductive window displays that stimulate your senses and invite you to discover again and again a quality of life that is so typically French. Decoration, tableware, fabrics, objects, rugs… Experience the refinement of an infinite choice of products and styles, and pick up some scintillating “made in Paris” ideas for decorating your home sweet home. Whether from the department stores or stylists, at international trade fairs or directly from the stockists, interior decoration is an essential part of shopping in Paris.

Restaurants & cafés

Paris , the good taste capital
Paris is renowned worldwide as a capital of gastronomy: a winning combination of talent, expertise and high-quality French produce. To sample the delights of traditional French cuisine, the choice of restaurants and cafés is simply huge, each with its own particular atmosphere and style. Parisian restaurants, ambassadors of good taste, offer up an endless range of flavours: tasty country dishes, Mediterranean specialities, recipes from all over the world, a galaxy of cold meats and cheeses, creative desserts… Restaurants, bars, brasseries, tea rooms, ice cream parlours, open-air cafés or pubs invite gourmets from all over the world to a real culinary feast.

Bistros: authentic Paris

The bistro is a real Parisian institution and differs from the simple café in that these establishments used to be managed during the last century by wine merchants…

Those in the know will tell you, a Parisian bistro is quite something! A good wine list; simple and hearty traditional dishes; pleasant, down-to-earth service; no-frills tiling, wood panelling and curtains; reasonable prices – and a cheerful atmosphere to boot.

Brasseries: traditional charm

The brasserie is a kind of big sister to the bistro. At its origins it was simply a brewery, making beer that could be consumed on the premises…

As time went on, the word came to designate large, typically Parisian bistros with an inimitable charm where you can dine on traditional French dishes, including onion soup, “coq au vin” and “pot au feu”. There is even a typical brasserie atmosphere, as they are often glamorous places with remarkable decor, temples to art deco. The finest ones are to be found in the Montparnasse area, in the Place Clichy and around the main stations.

Useful information

Tourism office in Ile de France:
www.francetourism.com

Maps of Ile de France:
www.ign.fr
www.viamichelin.com

Travel from the UK
By air: Easyjet flies from Belfast, Liverpool Newcastle and London Luton to Paris.
Ryanair flies from Shannon, Dublin and Glasgow to Paris.
By rail: Eurostar go from London to Paris in just 2h35.

By car: You can travel by car to Paris by taking the ferries which go from Dover to Calais and then you can take the Motorway to Paris.
You can also cross the channel with the Eurostar and stop at Calais. Then you will travel on the motorway directly to Paris.

Our team of sale advisers at Sextant Properties will be happy to help you to find a property in Ile-de-France . We have a large network of partners in Paris. All of them are registered French real estate agents and speak both French and English. Whatever kind of property you are looking for: farmhouse, longere, barn, gite, B&B, country house, mill, castle or chateau, we will do our best to find a property in Ile-de-France matching your requirements.