Paris: Is any city more closely associated with love and romance? Enjoy a relaxing tour on the Seine, then go all the way to the top of the Arc de Triomphe for a breathtaking view of the city. If it's romance you desire, Montmartre, away to the north on the tallest hill in the city, is the most unabashedly romantic district of Paris, with quiet stairways, little alleys, and deserted squares.

Paris has some of the best museums in the world. Discover treasures ranging from Picasso to Paleolithic carvings. You don't have to stay inside to enjoy the art: the city itself is a masterpiece, with architecture that inspires and celebrates the human spirit.

Whether you're enjoying a picnic by the Seine in the Square du Vert-Galant, sipping coffee in a sidewalk café, or treating yourself to the world's most elegant dining, you're sure to find something you love in Paris.

Places of interest in Paris:

• Arc de Triomphe
• Le Panthéon
• Rue Oberkampf
• The Louvre
• Notre Dame
• Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
• Musée National du Moyen Age
• Musée de l'Armée
• Marais mansions

Did you know that one of the most popular ways to see Paris is on foot? Paris à Pied offers three-hour walking tours of the Latin Quarter, the Marais, Montmartre, the heart of Paris, or the renovated glass-roofed passages that date back to the early 1800s. Groups are limited to 6 or fewer, and the price is moderate. Bicycle tours are also quite popular and can be arranged with little advance notice.

Hotel Lancaster

In August 1996 after five months of renovation, the Champs-Elysées most charming hotel was re-opened to unveil the magic of its past spendour brought up to date by the inspiration of Grace Leo Andrieu, that of a nineteenth century town house, a haven of peace and quiet where our guests may relax after a busy day in the city.

The renovation followed a long and detailed plan evolved round the central idea of keeping the essential soul of the place which gave it its charm. Research done on eighteenth and nineteenth century documents produced designs for wall hangings and curtains. A choice of 70 designs were selected from Braquenié and Pierre Frey. The antique furniture was completely restored by specialised master craftsmen.

The reception area and the rooms leading off are decorated in a resolutely modern style, integrating some chosen pieces from a more classic era.. The Salon Berri with its fabric covered walls of aniseed damask has kept its superb furniture and restful atmosphere.

The Grand Salon looks out through three large French windows to the central courtyard. A stained glass roof is the centerpiece of the room, comfortable armchairs and sofas have been added and you will find a selection of papers and magazines. In the evening, delicate lighting picks out the paintings by Ziem and the fine flower arrangements.A very serene atmosphere reigns over this area of the hotel and makes it a perfect setting for reading, taking a cocktail or meeting with friends or colleagues.

Each of the 60 rooms and suites has kept its individual touch. Lobbies hung with padded material, silk, satin or cotton curtains in watered silk, damask or printed designs. Perfection in the details, coordinated blotters, letter racks and counterpanes. The paintings by Boris Pastoukhoff, some 92 portraits or still life chosen to harmonize with the dominant colours of each room. The monogrammed house linen is specifically woven for the hotel by Frette.

The modern bathrooms are in grey marble and iroko wood, with clean, straight lines. The personalised taps, heated towel rails and accessories are traditional in design to complete the marriage of new and old as found throughout the hotel. The bathroom amenity products, "Contemporel", were specially created for the hotel by Grace Leo Andrieu. The towelling is, like the linens, specially woven for the hotel by a renowned French manufacturing house.