Information about Paris

Parijs lies in the north of France, in the region Île-de-France. The original centre was build on two islands in the Seine river, the Île Saint-Louis and the larger Île de la Cité which forms the oldest part of the city. In general Paris is relatively flat with its lowest point 35 meter above sea level. On both sides of the river Paris has a few hills: Montmartre (130 meters), Belleville (128,5 meters), Ménilmontant (108 meters), Buttes-Chaumont (103 meters), Passy (71 meters) and the Chaillot (67 meters). East of the Seine are the hills of Montparnasse (66 meters), Butte-aux-Cailles (63 meters) and Montagne Sainte-Geneviève (61 meters).

Paris is well known for its multicultural society. Since the Middle Ages students and migrants went to Paris, from the Dutch and Swedish students who went to live in quartier Latin in the 14th century to the Africans and east Asiats who now settle in the Goutte d'Or.

There are a lot of sources on the internet about the history of Paris:
Wikipedia: The history of Paris on Wikipedia
discoverfrance.net: Chronological history of Paris
Lonelyplanet: The history of Paris on Lonelyplanet

a list with the major places of interest in Paris:
• The Eiffel Tower: there is an elevator going up (make a reservation before you go, there are always long lines!)
• Yhe Louvre: one of the nicest museums in the world
• Notre Dame: historic cathedral
• Basilique du Sacré-Coeur: a white basilica on the hill Montmartre
• Arc de Triomphe: triumphal arch in the heart of Paris. You have a nice view from the roof.
• The Champs-Élysée;s: the well-known avenue of Parijs, almost 2 kilometers long
• the catacombs of Paris: hundreds of kilometers of tunnels where the dead were buried; you can visit a small part of them

But there are dozens, maybe hundreds of other things to see and do in Paris. Make a list in advance of what you really want to see when you go there.