Ah, to meet in Paris--where food is finer, the flowers brighter, and strolling is the preferred method of transportation.

A first trip to Paris is filled with moments of magic and unfettered joy: the tantalizing aroma of fresh croissants wafting out of a corner bakery, the breathtaking views from atop the Eiffel Tower, the pastel colors of a Monet canvas or the sunset over the Seine, the strains of accordion music echoing through a Métro tunnel at midnight…everyone has their own private romance with this city. Each time you return, you’ll find that inimitable thrill of first love comes back with you.

Paris is like no other city because the Parisians are like no other people. Their delight in sensory pleasure, taste for sophistication and love of artistry are what give the French capital its particular allure. And Paris rarely disappoints—it seems like the city has been the world’s number one tourist destination since time immemorial. But there’s much more to Paris than great monuments and infinite museums: It is also the political and economic heart of France.

One of the most important financial and corporate headquarters in continental Europe, Paris is also home to Euronext, Europe’s largest stock market after London’s. For a country that’s smaller than Texas, France generated an impressive GDP of US$1.7 trillion in 2005—the sixth largest in the world and third largest in the European Union. On the flip side, however, growth has slowed considerably in recent years, and unemployment remains high (above 8.5 percent), leaving France with an uncertain and much contested future when sized up against the globe’s emerging giants.

Hotels

The majority of businesses are located in western Paris or further out in La Défense, Europe’s largest concentration of office space. Consequently, it’s best to narrow down the city’s bewildering choice of accommodations—Paris boasts nearly 1,500 hotels—by restricting yourself to the 1st, 2nd or 8th arrondissements (districts), which will keep your morning commute to a minimum. Old-World opulence is the draw of the palatial Ritz (€680 and up), quite possibly Paris’s most famous hotel. Join Hemingway’s ghost at the bar for a martini. At the other end of the design spectrum is the stylishly contemporary Hôtel Arc de Triomphe (€600 and up). The business amenities, friendly service and spacious Art Deco rooms garner rave reviews from many executives. If you’re looking for a more intimate stay, the delightful Hôtel d’Orsay (suites €320 and up) has all the wooden-rafter appeal of old Paris, but without skimping on modern luxuries.

Restaurants

From three-star dining experiences to local wine bars and decadent pastry shops, there’s no debating the fact that the French know how to stimulate the palate, and Paris is the apex of fine dining à la française. In the mood to be dazzled? Treat yourself to teasers of taste (hot pepper and lemongrass sorbet) and other haute cuisine creations (grilled lamb in citrus juice) at the sublime Astrance. Or sample shrimp in caviar sauce, blue lobster with spaghetti carbonara, and black truffle butter on toast in the extravagant marble dining room of Les Ambassadeurs, overlooking Place de la Concorde. For heartier French fare, step into Alain Ducasse’s belle époque brasserie, Aux Lyonnais, which specializes in the timeless classics: coq au vin, sausages and—for the daring—frog’s legs.

Inside the Paris Guide

Explore and share travel advice on:

• Getting there, getting around
  
• What to see and do in Paris
• Recommended hotels in Paris
• Restaurants in Paris
  

Required reading

• Doing business in Paris by Dean Foster

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CHRISTOPHER PITTS is a freelance writer living in Paris.