In Paris France, the earliest sign of civilization dates back to 4,200 BC. This was when the Parisii of Gaul, which was a Celtic tribe of boaters and traders, dwelled there. The Romans brought their culture to the Left Bank, bringing palaces, baths, temples and theaters. Once the empire collapsed, rule of the city passed from Germans to the Franks to Burgundians and to the English. Finally, French kings assumed the throne again in 1436. Paris survived a number of upheavals, power struggles, revolutions, wars and disease outbreaks over the centuries. Today visitors staying in Paris hotels can see bits of history all around them, if they know where to look.

There are many different reasons why people choose to visit Paris France. According to the Globalization and World Cities study group, Paris is among four "full service world class cities," which also includes London, New York City and Tokyo, ranked for their cultural, political and economic significance. Some people come to the location Paris for its architecture, monuments and historical significance. Others wish to soak in the culture of art, dance, music and fashion. Yet another class of people might wish to sample some of the best food the world has to offer. No matter why you come to Paris, you will find a wide variety of experiences awaiting you.

Famous writer Ernest Hemingway once wrote, "If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a movable feast." Hemingway lived in Paris France during the 1920s and wrote the novel A Moveable Feast based on his experiences there. Hemingway's Paris ran down the Boulevard Montparnasse from the Closerie des Lilas at the Observatoire to the Restaurant de Petit Trianon and down to Paris Saint Germain. He hung out at Balzar's for drinks on rue des Ecoles, he frequented Harry's New York Bar near the Opera, he loved the obscure Le Trou dans la Mur bar and he drank fine vintage wine at the Cafe de Medicis. His favorite Paris hotel was the Ritz Vendome and he rented a room at the Rue Notre Dame des Champs. He watched steeplechases at Auteuil, where he'd have a bloody mary with his friends in the Little Bar of the Ritz and eat ham-herb omelets or Belon oysters at the Course Restaurant. Other favorite restaurants included Lipp's in Saint Germain and Closerie des Lilas near Point Royale, where he'd eat with James Joyce. Some people arrive in Paris because they've read of such places. Others wish to begin a fresh adventure of their own.

"An artist has no home in France except Paris," said famous philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Indeed, Paris France is brimming with a treasure trove of famous artworks and artists, theatrical performers and ballet dancers, actors and filmmakers. To Paris, expression of culture is a quintessential value. Upon visiting, it's easy to see why so many famous Americans lived in the "City of Lights." Some of these American expatriates include: writers (Ernest Hemingway, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Washington Irving, Oscar Wilde, Sinclair Lewis, Henry James, Norman Mailer, Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, Mark Twain, Tom Wolfe and Edith Wharton); politicians (Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin); and artists (Cole Porter, Jean Seberg and William Christie). Interestingly enough, the French love American artists too. Filmmakers David Lynch and Woody Allen, writers Charles Bukowski and Bret Easton Ellis, and musicians Johnny Halladay and George Brassens were loved more in France than in their home country of America.

Architecture buffs have a number of places to see when they visit Paris France. You'll see palaces like the Palace of Versailles, which was built in the French Renaissance tradition circa 1678; Chateau de Villette, another 17th-century palace, crafted in French Baroque style for Louis XIV's ambassador, Jean Dyel; or the Palais de Chaillot, a stripped classical structure designed for the 1937 World Exposition. Other French Baroque palaces include the Château de Maisons, Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, the Jardins des Tuileries, Palais du Luxembourg and Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre. In addition to palaces, there are churches in Paris that date back to the 12th and 13th Centuries, such as the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral (1163), La Sainte-Chapelle (1238), Basilique Saint-Denis (1136) and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres (1140). Mont Martre, St. Louis des Invalides, the Church of Saint-Sulpice and the Paris Pantheon are other beautiful, historic churches. 

In addition to showcasing beautiful palaces and churches, Paris France is world-renowned for its impressive monuments. The Arc de Triomphe, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées, was built in 1806 to honor soldiers who fought for France during the Napoleonic wars. The Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in the world from 1889 to 1930 and is considered one of the most romantic spots on the planet. For architecture buffs who also are intrigued by history, the Invalides museum is the burial place for French soldiers like Napoleon, Turenne and Vauban, while the Panthéon church holds the bodies of Voltaire, Victor Hugo and Marie Curie. There are two Statues of Liberty located on the Île des Cygnes on the Seine and in the Luxembourg Garden, which was the prototype for New York's famous monument. The Paris Opera house and the University of Paris in the Lation Quarter are other beautiful places to Paris visitors.

Anyone who professes to be a lover of art simply must visit Paris France to see the Louvre, the second-largest art collection in the world (next to Moscow's Hermitage). The Louvre was originally a fortress for Philip II in the 12th-century and it later housed kings like Charles V and Francis I. In 1791, during the French Revolution, the structure became a museum, which today holds more than 380,000 pieces of art. Visitors will see over 50,000 pieces of Egyptian art dating back to 4,000 BC, Near Eastern antiquities, Greek and Roman sculptures, Islamic art, ancient architecture, decorative arts from the Middle Ages and famous paintings by Michelangelo, Raphael, Da Vinci, Monet, Rembrandt, Vermeer and Cezanne. People staying in Louvre Paris hotels may also wish to visit tremendous libraries like the National Library of France and the St. Genevieve Library, as well as smaller art museums like Musée d'Orsay (which showcases French furniture, photography, paintings and sculptures) and the underground Musee de l'Orangerie, which houses original Monets. 

Sometimes architectural wonders happen to hold hours of grand entertainment too. There are over 130 theatre venues in Paris France, but the most famous of all is the Palais Garnier, also known as the Opéra de Paris. With opulent chandeliers, creamy marble columns, Greek statuary, bronze busts, majestic stairwells, rich red velvet tapestries, gold ornamentation and Baroque style, one can't help but marvel at the building's splendor. Inside, guests can revel at performances like "The Barber of Seville" opera, the "Giselle" ballet and symphonic orchestras playing everything from Beethoven to Rossini. For more information, theatre lovers can visit www.operadeparis.fr or ask their travel agent about hotels in Paris and accompanying art/culture package deals. 

Paris fashion is known for stylishness in much the same way as New York, Milan and London. Paris's reputation for fashion began at the turn of the 19th century, when Charles Frederick Worth opened up a fashion house containing clothes with his signature label. He began advising clients what to wear and designing new ensembles for them. Prior to that, rich nobility would hire no-name seamstresses to tailor custom garbs. Talented illustrators composed sketches of new clothing designs for magazines, which started to draw the international spotlight to Paris couture. Notable designers to come out of Paris France include Coco Chanel, Christian Lacroix, Jeanne Paquin, Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Michael Kors, Guy Laroche, Givenchy, Giorgio Armani, Gaspard Yurkievich, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton and John Galliano. 

Paris France is known for its wine, brie cheese, beets, asparagus, mushrooms and chocolates. Cakes and pastries like Niflette, Paris-Brest, Puits d'amour and tart bourdaloue are popular at the cafes. Breakfasts usually consist of croissants, coffee and fruit. Lunch is the big meal of the day around noon and dinners are eaten late at night, usually around 8 p.m. If food is your passion, then you can come to Paris and request a food tour 

Paris France, the "City of Lights," is blessed with breathtaking architecture, the natural beauty of the Seine River, many centuries of history, a vibrant art scene and thriving industry. It's a far cry from the Eiffel Tower Paris Las Vegas, that's for sure! To really understand how much Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway or Thomas Jefferson loved France, you really must come and see for yourself. Whether you stay for a romantic weekend at hotels in Paris or you spend several weeks soaking it all in, you'll find all that Europe has to offer all in one world-class city.