Ahhh, Paris. Just the name of the City of Light conjures up images of romantic strolls along the Left Bank, warm crêpes and hot espressos consumed in pavement cafés, shopping bags bulging with designer purchases and art, culture and stunning architecture that meets your eyes at every turn. And movie auteur, Woody Allen, is the latest director to pay homage to the city, with his new flick, Midnight in Paris (released here on September 15), in which Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and the First Lady of France no less, Carla Sarkozy, wander the winding streets articulating complex thoughts and feelings in the way that only the stars of Woody movies truly can!
As far as major attractions go, the main stop-offs on the tourist trail are world famous to the point of cliché – the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe and the Sacré-Coeur to name but four. But that doesn’t mean you should eschew the usual suspects, as everyone should see the Mona Lisa at least once in their lives (prepare yourselves: It’s tiny!)
Once you’re done with the big ones, head off to check out the likes of Notre Dame, the Pompidou Centre, Comédie Française and the gardens at the Palais du Luxembourg. And while it may sound a tad ghoulish for a fun vacay, a visit to the famous Père Lachaise cemetery in the 20th arrondissement is a must, where you can wander among the final resting places of such luminaries as Maria Callas, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf and perhaps its most famous resident, The Doors’ frontman, Jim Morrison.
From Amelie to Prada
Taking a boat ride down the Seine (just like Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke in the romantic classic, Before Sunset) is a relaxing way to view the city, and couples should then head to Montmartre where you’ll find the locations used in Amelie, including the charming cobbled Rue Saint Vincent.
If fashion is your thing, follow in The Devil Wears Prada’s stylish footsteps and head across the Pont des Arts for stunning photo ops, or throw your phone into the fountain à la Andy, at the Place de la Concorde – at the centre of which is the obelisk, a 3,000-year-old gift from Egypt.
Destination Paris
Filmed there Amelie, Midnight in Paris, Ronin, Taken, Inception, Julie & Julia, One Day
Celeb fans Robert Pattinson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Katy Perry, Kate Moss and Beyonce
Fly there Emirates fly directly to Paris. Visit www.emirates.com for more info.
Destination
Paris
Stay here
Four Seasons George V Paris
Probably one of the most famous hotels in the city (and the world), the five-star George V on Avenue George V boasts a two Michelin-starred restaurant in Le Cinq and a Versailles-inspired spa. With luxuriously appointed rooms, afternoon tea and cocktail hour on offer, it’s no wonder it’s attracts stars from past to present including Marlene Dietrich, President Eisenhower and Kate Moss.
J’adore Paris!
“Paris continues to be very special to me. I lived there for five months in 1994 and
I have made many trips back.”
Gwyneth Paltrow
“If I could do a movie in Paris every year, I’d be the happiest camper. It’s such a beautiful city, especially in the summer.”
Zoe Saldana
