Paris, France

The capital and most important city of France.  The Paris metropolitan area dominates the economic, cultural, and political life of the nation.

With an estimated population approaching 10 million, the Paris metropolitan area contains nearly 20 percent of France's inhabitants. The population of Paris proper was 2,148,991 in 1990.

Streets of Paris: Av. des Champs Elysees,   Av. de l'Opera, Avenue d'Iéna, Avenue Albert de Mun

Museum: louvre.fr - contract lawyers in Paris

The centralizing philosophy of successive governments has historically favored the city as the site for all decision making, thus exercising a powerful attraction on virtually all of the nation's activities. Only since the 1960s have attempts been made to reduce the inordinate influence of Paris in French affairs and to strengthen the role of various regions and secondary cities.

City guide (including airport guide)  Pariscope pariserve.tm.fr

History : 17th century: Molière

City images Paris : March 2003

Paris is the leading industrial center of France, with about one-quarter of the nation's manufacturing concentrated in the metropolitan area. Principal manufactures are machinery, automobiles and other vehicles, chemicals, and electrical equipment.

galerieslafayette.com

The cultural and artistic preeminence of Paris has attracted a large publishing industry and a wide range of luxury manufactures, such as high-fashion clothing (Dior)and jewelry, for which the city is particularly noted.

Most key service activities of the nation, especially banking and finance, are concentrated in Paris. The city has made major efforts in recent years to attract the headquarters of multinational corporations and is now one of Europe's most important centers of international business and commerce.

Real estate : french-immobilier.com - locaflat.com - france-realty.com - rival-immo.com

American graduate school : agsird.edu

Major cities near Paris: