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From the Ile de la Cité, once a straggling village of Celtic fischermen and boatmen - the Parisii - to the 20 th century metropolis, the French capital is an architectural treasure trove.
The amphitheatre of Lutèce dates back to ancient times. Notre-Dame de Paris and the church of Saint-Etienne-du-Mont were built during the gothic period. When in 1785 the cemetery of the Innocents was closed by order of the Council of State, the Catacombes became the biggest cemetery in France.
In the heart of the city, the Marais district is steeped in history. As its name indicates - Marais means marshland in French - this area on the right bank of the Seine had to be drained before the mansions (hôtels particuliers) so characteristic of the area could be erected.
The contemporary contributions to the city's architectural development are as ambitious as were their counterparts in the days of Lutèce : the Opéra Bastille, the Palais Omnisports de Bercy, the brand new Charles-de-Gaulle bridge over the river Seine, the "Grande Bibliothèque de France", the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the restructured Grand Louvre, with the glass Pyramid by the chinese architect Ieoh Ming Pei.
Whether one prefers the graceful splendours of the past or the daring spirit of modernity, "the most beautiful city in the world" has a wealth of cultural itineraries to offer.
"Enchanting Paris" gives the reader in-depth insight into the Paris of all ages.
