Paris

            Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine.

            Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centres, and it influences politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts.

            In 2010 Paris was ranked among the three most important and influential cities in the world, among the first three "European cities of the future" – and among the top ten most liveable cities in the world.

            Paris also ranks among the 10 greenest European cities in 2010.

            Paris is the world's most expensive city in which to live. With about 42 million tourists per year, Paris is the most visited city in the world. The city and its region contain 3,800 historical monuments.

            In the  20th century the city became a gathering place of artists from around the world, from exiled Russian composer Stravinsky and Spanish painters Picasso and Dalí to American writer Hemingway.[

            Paris has several prominent hills, of which the highest is Montmartre at 130 m.

            Paris has the typical Western European oceanic climate which is affected by the North Atlantic Current. Paris' climate can be described as mild and moderately wet.

            Place de la Bastille is a district of great historical significance, because the square has often been a site of political demonstrations. Place de la Concorde is the site of the infamous guillotine.

            Champs-Élysées is a 17th century garden-promenade-turned-avenue connecting Place de la Concorde and Arc de Triomphe. It is one of the many tourist attractions and a major shopping street of Paris.

            Montmartre has always had a history with artists and has many studios and cafés of many great artists in that area. Quartier Latin is a major educational centre in Paris.

            The city's most prized museum, the Louvre, welcomes over 8 million visitors a year, being by far the world's most-visited art museum. The city's cathedrals are another main attraction. Disneyland in Paris is a major tourist attraction for visitors to not only Paris but also the rest of Europe, with 14.5 million visitors in 2007.

            The Louvre is one of the world's largest and most famous museums, housing many works of art, including the Mona Lisa (La Joconde) and the Venus de Milo statue.