Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city of France, with an estimated city population of 2.04 million in an area of 105.4 km2 (40.7 sq mi), and a metropolitan population of 13.2 million as of January 2026. Located on the river Seine in the centre of the Île-de-France region, it is the largest metropolitan area and fourth-most populous city in the European Union (EU). Nicknamed the "City of Light", partly because of its role in the Age of Enlightenment, Paris has been one of the world's major centres of finance, diplomacy, commerce, culture, fashion, and gastronomy since the 17th century.
Typical weather
1981–presentCity Rhythm
measuredOpening hours, by kind of place
median across mapped venuesVital absurdities
measured · the Anti-AwardsSame time system
by rhythmWhat to do each season
2winter
cool, grey, scarce sunshine; mean 2.8-13.7 °C across the range, nights around 3 °C in midwinter, light frosts common but seldom below −5 °C, light snow or flurries occasional without accumulation; the spring shoulder (Mar-May) brightens but is not a distinct experiential state
- life moves indoors: cafés, museums, theatres, department stores, covered passages
- terrasse culture contracts; the Seine express lanes remain roads
- the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Centre Pompidou carry the visitor economy
summer
warm, long days, 8h sunshine/day; mean 17-19 °C, July ~22 °C, occasional peaks above 32 °C and rare heat waves (40 °C+); urban heat island pronounced
- the express lanes along the Seine are closed and converted into Paris Plages — a pedestrian river beach with sun-bathers and rollerbladers
- terrasse culture is at full strength; café life spills onto the sidewalk
- heat waves increasingly delete the outdoor affordance — the housing stock is largely uncooled
- festival season (Fête de la Musique 21 Jun, open-air cinema, Paris Jazz Festival)
What it is known for
Important moments in a year
Fete de la Musique
- street use
- public space as stage
- night use of public space
Bastille Day
- fireworks on the Champ-de-Mars
- crowds
- street dance
Nuit Blanche
- all-night museum and art openings
- night use of public space
Paris Marathon
- street closure
- crowds
On the record
source-trackedIn 2022–2023, 53.3% of trips in Paris were made on foot, 30% on public transport, 11.2% on bicycles and 4.3% on cars.
The concept of the 15-minute city was created by Carlos Moreno, a professor from Paris, and began to be implemented by its mayor Anne Hidalgo.
Paris has banned the most polluting automobiles from key districts and is doubling bike lanes.
The number of trips made by foot in the Grand Paris metropolis increased by 50% from 2000 to 2018.
Paris has one of the most sustainable transportation systems in the world and is one of only two cities that have received the Sustainable Transport Award twice.
Nicknamed the "City of Light", partly because of its role in the Age of Enlightenment, Paris has been one of the world's major centres of finance, diplomacy, commerce, culture, fashion, and gastronomy since the 17th century.
Haussmann's renovation of Paris, which created new boulevards, parks, and public works, gave birth to a modern city known as the "capital of the 19th century".
One of the great joys of a visit to Paris is to simply walk around and explore to get the feel of the city.
As a little bonus if you are in Paris in the summer time, the express lanes at river level are converted to an all pedestrian road called "Paris Plage" which fills with rollerbladers and sun-bathers just about every afternoon.
It was not until the mid-2000s that young Parisians began to move into the 11th because apartments were less expensive there than in other Parisian areas. With this influx, restaurants and bars proliferated.
As of 2015, the 11th arrondissement had about 150,000 residents, that is, 41,000 residents/km2, making it the most densely populated [arrondissement].
The method behind this atlas — 196 pp. Not published yet.