Paris, the City of Light, is regularly voted the world’s most coveted and charismatic destination by independent international surveys. Outstanding heritage, art, and events that are constantly updated and its romantic image and renowned shopping scene attract 32 million tourists to the Paris region every year. A permanent arena of festive events and professional meetings, the French capital offers an exceptional experience, on any occasion and for all budgets.

Beyond the glamour, the destination is incredibly dynamic, with 8 economic and scientific centres in numerous sectors of activity. The European leader in terms of its gross domestic product, the Paris region has the largest concentration in the world (after Tokyo) of company headquarters of the 500 biggest multinationals, whilst also ranking as Europe’s second most important financial centre. Paris boasts 17 universities and more than 350 higher education establishments, which each year train more than 600,000 students.

• 20,000 light bulbs sparkle on the Eiffel Tower, every hour, from nightfall to 1am
• 13 000 cafes and restaurants including 8,000 with a terrace
• 70 starred-restaurants, including 10 3* establishments in the Michelin Guide in 2011
• 1,800 historic monuments and 35,000 works exhibited at the Louvre
• 70,000 seats in 208 theatres and cafe-theatres
• 10 cultural sites welcomed more than a million visitors in 2010
• The 20 most-visited museums and monuments are all available for private hire (except places of religious worship)
• 463 parks and gardens, and 484,000 trees including 300,000 in the Bois de Vincennes and Bois de Boulogne
• 17,500 shops, including 5,300 clothing, and 69 days of sales each year
• 2,300 bottles of champagne are uncorked every evening in Parisian cabarets