Alphaville: Une étrange aventure de Lemmy Caution Filming Locations

The once-gritty 12th arrondissement is now a cluster of tranquil residential neighborhoods. The peaceful Coulée verte René-Dumont offers an oasis with gardens along a former elevated railway. Families flock to Bercy, an old warehouse district with a park and a concert arena, plus retail chains and restaurants. The Cinémathèque Française, designed by Frank Gehry, shows classic movies and has a museum and archive.

The elegant 9th arr. is known for its theaters, including the 1875 Palais Garnier opera house, nicknamed the "wedding cake" for its domed roof and intricate architecture. Shoppers head to the Galeries Lafayette and Printemps department stores, and the old-world covered passages along the Grand Boulevards. In hip South Pigalle, gourmet restaurants give way to intimate museums that include the Musée Gustave Moreau.

Paris, France's capital, is a major European city and a global center for art, fashion, gastronomy and culture. Its 19th-century cityscape is crisscrossed by wide boulevards and the River Seine. Beyond such landmarks as the Eiffel Tower and the 12th-century, Gothic Notre-Dame cathedral, the city is known for its cafe culture and designer boutiques along the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.