Explore Paris
With its chic boutiques, romantic cafés, top-class museums and iconic landmarks, Paris is one of the world's favourite cities – and thanks to the Eurostar and East Midlands Trains, it's just a high-speed train ride away.
From your arrival at the station, the Gare du Nord in the heart of the city, it's so easy to get around Paris. Just pick up a “carnet” of 10 Metro tickets, and you will soon be taking a ride to the top of the Eiffel tower, walking up the Champs-Elysée to the Arc de Triomphe, or taking a promenade past the famous “bouquinistes” (booksellers) on the Left Bank opposite Notre Dame cathedral.
For art lovers, a ticket to Paris is the hottest in the world. The Louvre, which houses the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa, is so big it would take weeks to see everything – but don't forget to make time for the Pompidou Centre for modern art, the Musée de l'Orangerie in the Jardin des Tuileries for Monet's Waterlilies, or the Musée d'Orsay across the river for impressionists and more.
If you love shopping, Paris is second to none – from the high fashion of the Rue Saint-Honoré and Place Vendôme, to the more eclectic markets and boutiques of the Marais, where you can buy lunch at the Marché des Enfants Rouges.
Of course, Paris is the world capital of café culture – and there's no better place for hanging around, drinking coffee and passing the time, whether you're in dead-central L'Odéon or on the banks of the Canal St-Martin north of Marais. Or do as the Parisians do – take the funicular to Montmartre, north of the centre, where you can meander through cobbled streets and visit the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur.
If you're in the city on business, you can take a lift to the top of La Grande Arche de La Défense, in the city's biggest business district, for some of the best views. Or better still, let your hosts take you out for a long lunch with dessert and wine, Parisian-style.
And for a trip the kids will always remember, don't forget Disneyland Resort Paris – you can travel there direct from St Pancras International on the Eurostar.
For more information about cheap train tickets to London visit our Ticket types page, or to find out how to book tickets to Paris, Lille or Brussels visit our Connect to the Continent page.