About Paris
Paris is the capital and most populous city of France. With an official estimated population of 2,102,650 residents as of 1 January 2023 in an area of more than 105 km2 (41 sq mi), Paris is the fourth-most populated city in the European Union and the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2022. Since the 17th century, Paris has been one of the world’s major centres of finance, diplomacy, commerce, culture, fashion, and gastronomy. For its leading role in the arts and sciences, as well as its early and extensive system of street lighting, in the 19th century, it became known as the City of Light.
Paris is especially known for its museums and architectural landmarks: the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie are noted for their collections of French Impressionist art, and the Pompidou Center, Musée National d’Art Moderne has the largest collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe. The historical district along the Seine in the city center is classified as a UNESCO Heritage Site.
Popular landmarks in the center of the city include the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris and the Gothic royal chapel of Sainte-Chapelle, both on the Île de la Cité; the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais and Petit Palais, the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Élysées, and the Basilica of Sacré-Coeur on the hill of Montmartre.
Tourism activity in Paris Region is recovering after two years of a health crisis that seems to be progressively dissipating. The first half of 2022 was marked by the end of almost all restrictions on international travel (except for China and Japan), which led to a dynamic recovery in tourism activity. The number of visitors during the summer period confirms the upward trend of the first half-year.
