- Paris is the capital and largest city of France, with a population of more than 2 million and a metropolitan area of more than 13 million.
- Set on the Seine in the Île-de-France region, it’s the European Union’s largest metro area and fourth-most populous city.
- Nicknamed the “City of Light” for its Enlightenment legacy, Paris has been a global center of finance, diplomacy, commerce, culture, fashion, and gastronomy since the 17th century.
- The city’s 20 arrondissements each have distinct identities, and Haussmann’s 19th-century renovations created the boulevards and parks that shaped modern Paris.
- A major transport hub — with an iconic Art Nouveau Métro and Charles de Gaulle Airport, the European Union’s busiest in 2024 — Paris boasts award-winning sustainable transit, world-class museums, such as the Musée d’Orsay, and UNESCO-listed riverbanks along the Seine.
