Paris

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In Paris, everybody wants to be an actor; nobody is content to be a spectator. -- Jean Cocteau

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The "Eternal City," Paris is as central to the psyche of France as any capital city in the world. Built on the banks of the Seine, Paris is divided into twenty sections called Arrondissements. The city has hundreds of restaurants, museums, archives, theaters and quaint Bohemian-style neighborhoods haunted by artists and tinkers. Though the trend-setting capital of Toreador society, some Malkavians live here, inspiring mortals in their own bizarre fashion. The elders of Paris have both created and destroyed more artists than most other European vampires will ever meet.

Francois Villon is the Toreador Prince of Paris. He rules the "City of Lights" and his special pet interest, the fashion community, from the seat of Toreador power in the 1st Arrondissement at the Louvre. His words are absolute law with regard to art and culture, not only in Paris but throughout much of France and the "civilized" world as well. He is especially fond of beautiful women, and many famous models have given of their vitae to Paris' prince.

Yet there are those who tire of the last three centuries of Toreador rule. Brujah idealists clamor for the influence that they feel they have earned. Nosferatu see Paris as a city where their appreciation of beauty should be acknowledged. The city is also home to a number of anarchs who want to bring down the current hard-line regime by violent means. Worse, a number of Sabbat dwell in the nineteenth and twentieth Arrondissements amide the lower-class neighborhoods and old slaughterhouses. If rumor is to be believed, they have recently made a few recruits among the social elite in Paris, and it seems that the city, so superficially perfect and serene, may well crumble, eaten away with rot from within.

-- Excerpt from the Journal DXLIV of Aristotle de Laurent

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Climate

Paris has a typical Western European oceanic climate which is affected by the North Atlantic Current. The overall climate throughout the year is mild and moderately wet. Summer days are usually moderately warm and pleasant with average temperatures hovering between 15 and 25 °C (59 and 77 °F), and a fair amount of sunshine. Each year, however, there are a few days where the temperature rises above 30 °C (86 °F). Some years have even witnessed some long periods of harsh summer weather, such as the heat wave of 2003 where temperatures exceeded 30 °C (86 °F) for weeks, surged up to 39 °C (102 °F) on some days and seldom cooled down at night. More recently, the average temperature for July 2011 was 17.6 °C (63.7 °F), with an average minimum temperature of 12.9 °C (55.2 °F) and an average maximum temperature of 23.7 °C (74.7 °F).

Spring and autumn have, on average, mild days and fresh nights, but are changing and unstable. Surprisingly warm or cool weather occurs frequently in both seasons. In winter, sunshine is scarce; days are cold but generally above freezing with temperatures around 7 °C (45 °F). Light night frosts are however quite common, but the temperature will dip below −5 °C (23 °F) for only a few days a year. Snowfall is uncommon, but the city sometimes sees light snow or flurries with or without accumulation.

Rain falls throughout the year. Average annual precipitation is 652 mm (25.7 in) with light rainfall fairly distributed throughout the year. The highest recorded temperature is 40.4 °C (104.7 °F) on July 28, 1948, and the lowest is a −23.9 °C (−11.0 °F) on December 10, 1879.

Economy

The Paris Region is France's premier centre of economic activity, and with a 2011 GDP of €607 billion (US$845 billion), it is not only the wealthiest area of France, but has one of the highest GDPs in the world, after Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles, Seoul and London, making it an engine of the global economy. Were it a country, it would rank as the seventeenth-largest economy in the world, larger than the Turkish and Dutch economies and almost as large as Indonesia's. While its population accounted for 18.8 percent of the total population of metropolitan France in 2011, its GDP accounted for 31.0 per cent of metropolitan France's GDP. Wealth is heavily concentrated in the western suburbs of Paris, notably Neuilly-sur-Seine, one of the wealthiest areas of France. This mirrors a sharp political divide, with political conservatism being much more common towards the western edge, whilst the political spectrum lies more to the left in the east.

The Parisian economy has been gradually shifting towards high-value-added service industries (finance, IT services, etc.) and high-tech manufacturing (electronics, optics, aerospace, etc.). However, in the 2009 European Green City Index, Paris was still listed as the second most "green" large city in Europe, after Berlin. The Paris region's most intense economic activity through the central Hauts-de-Seine département and suburban La Défense business district places Paris' economic centre to the west of the city, in a triangle between the Opéra Garnier, La Défense and the Val de Seine. While the Paris economy is largely dominated by services, it remains an important manufacturing powerhouse of Europe, especially in industrial sectors such as automobiles, aeronautics, and electronics. The Paris Region hosts the headquarters of 30 of the Fortune Global 500 companies.

The 1999 census indicated that, of the 5,089,170 persons employed in the Paris urban area, 16.5 per cent worked in business services; 13.0 per cent in commerce (retail and wholesale trade); 12.3 per cent in manufacturing; 10.0 per cent in public administrations and defence; 8.7 per cent in health services; 8.2 per cent in Transport and communications; 6.6 per cent in education, and the remaining 24.7 per cent in many other economic sectors. In the manufacturing sector, the largest employers were the electronic and electrical industry (17.9 per cent of the total manufacturing workforce in 1999) and the publishing and printing industry (14.0 per cent of the total manufacturing workforce), with the remaining 68.1 per cent of the manufacturing workforce distributed among many other industries. Tourism and tourist related services employ 6.2 per cent of Paris' workforce, and 3.6 per cent of all workers within the Paris Region. Unemployment in the Paris "immigrant ghettos" ranges from 20 to 40 per cent, according to varying sources.

Paris receives around 28 million tourists per year, of which 17 million are foreign visitors, which makes the city and its region the world's leading tourism destination, housing four UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Its museums and monuments are among its highest-esteemed attractions; tourism has motivated both the city and national governments to create new ones. The city's most prized museum, the Louvre, welcomes over eight million visitors a year, being by far the world's most-visited art museum. The city's cathedrals are another main attraction: Notre Dame de Paris and the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur receive 12 million and eight million visitors, respectively. The Eiffel Tower, by far Paris' most famous monument, receives on average over six million visitors per year and has received more than 200 million since its construction. Disneyland Paris is a major tourist attraction for visitors to not only Paris but also the rest of Europe, with 14.5 million visitors in 2007. Much of Paris' hotel, restaurant and night entertainment trades have become heavily dependent on tourism.

Geography

Paris is located in northern central France. By road it is 450 kilometres (280 mi) south-east of London, 287 kilometres (178 mi) south of Calais, 305 kilometres (190 mi) south-west of Brussels, 774 kilometres (481 mi) north of Marseilles, 385 kilometres (239 mi) north-east of Nantes, and 135 kilometres (84 mi) south-east of Rouen. Paris is located in the north-bending arc of the river Seine, spread widely on both banks of the river, and includes two inhabited islands, the Île Saint-Louis and the larger Île de la Cité, which forms the oldest part of the city. The river’s mouth on the English Channel (La Manche) is about 233 mi (375 km) downstream of the city. Overall, the city is relatively flat, and the lowest point is 35 m (115 ft) above sea level. Paris has several prominent hills, of which the highest is Montmartre at 130 m (427 ft). Montmartre gained its name from the martyrdom of Saint Denis, first bishop of Paris atop the "Mons Martyrum" (Martyr's mound) in 250 A.D.

Excluding the outlying parks of Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes, Paris occupies an oval measuring about 87 km2 (34 sq mi) in area, enclosed by the 35 km (22 mi) ring road, the Boulevard Périphérique. The city's last major annexation of outlying territories in 1860 not only gave it its modern form but also created the twenty clockwise-spiralling arrondissements (municipal boroughs). From the 1860 area of 78 km2 (30 sq mi), the city limits were expanded marginally to 86.9 km2 (33.6 sq mi) in the 1920s. In 1929, the Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes forest parks were officially annexed to the city, bringing its area to about 105 km2 (41 sq mi). The metropolitan area of the city is 2,300 km2 (890 sq mi).

Population

• -- City (2,868,711) - 2030 census
• -- Urban (12,968,643) - 2030 census
• -- Metro Area (16,044,321) - 2030 census

Arrondissements

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrondissements_of_Paris

1st Arrondissement

Introduction: The 1st arrondissement forms much of the historic centre of Paris. Situated principally on the right bank of the River Seine, it also includes the west end of the Île de la Cité. The arrondissement is one of the oldest in Paris, the Île de la Cité having been the heart of the city of Lutetia, conquered by the Romans in 52 BC, while some parts on the right bank (including Les Halles) date back to the early Middle Ages.

It is the least populated of the city's arrondissements and one of the smallest by area, a significant part of which is occupied by the Louvre Museum and the Tuileries Gardens. Much of the remainder of the arrondissement is dedicated to business and administration.

• -- Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile: is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle (originally named Place de l'Étoile), at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. It should not be confused with a smaller arch, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, which stands west of the Louvre. The Arc de Triomphe honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

• -- Avenue des Champs-Élysées: is a street in Paris with cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Champs-Élysées is arguably one of the world's most famous streets, and is one of the most expensive strips of real estate in the world. Several French monuments are also on the street, including the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde. The name is French for Elysian Fields, the place of the blessed dead in Greek mythology. According to a much used description, the Champs-Élysées is "la plus belle avenue du monde" ("the most beautiful avenue in the world"). -- {Elysium}
  

• -- Châtelet-Les-Halles: A central underground station of Paris's express commuter rail system, the RER, that lies beneath the Forum des Halles shopping precinct.

• -- Comédie-Française: or Théâtre-Français is one of the few state theaters in France. It is the only state theater to have its own troupe of actors. The company's primary venue is the Salle Richelieu. The or Théâtre-Français is one of the few state theaters in France. It is the only state theater to have its own troupe of actors. The company's primary venue is the Salle Richelieu. The theater is part of the Palais-Royal complex and located at 2 rue de Richelieu on the Place André-Malraux in the 1st arrondissement.

• -- Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume: is a museum of contemporary art in the north corner (west side) of the Tuileries Gardens next to the Place de la Concorde in Paris.

• -- Île de la Cité: is one of two remaining natural islands in the Seine within the city of Paris (the other being the Île Saint-Louis). It is the center of Paris and the location where the medieval city was re-founded.

• -- La Conciergerie: is a former royal palace and prison in Paris, located on the west of the Île de la Cité (literally island of the city). It is part of the larger complex known as the Palais de Justice, which is still used for judicial purposes. Hundreds of prisoners during the French Revolution were taken from La Conciergerie to be executed on the guillotine at a number of locations around Paris.

• -- Forum des Halles: An underground modern shopping precinct whose open air center area is below street level, like a sunken garden, and contains sculptures, fountains, and mosaics.

• -- Musée du Louvre: (The Louvre) -- is one of the world's largest museums and a historic monument. -- {Elysium}
  

• -- Palais de Justice de Paris: is located upon the Île de la Cité in central Paris. Thee palace is built on the site of the former royal palace of Saint Louis, of which the Sainte Chapelle remains. Thus the justice of the state has been dispensed at this site since medieval times. From the sixteenth century to the French Revolution this was the seat of the Parlement de Paris. The Palais also contains the ancient structure of the Conciergerie, a former prison, now a museum, where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned before being executed on the guillotine.

• -- Palais-Royal de Paris: was originally called the Palais-Cardinal, the palace was the personal residence of Cardinal Richelieu. The architect Jacques Lemercier began his design in 1629; construction commenced in 1633 and was completed in 1639. Upon Richelieu's death in 1642 the palace became the property of the King and acquired the new name Palais-Royal.

• -- Place Charles de Gaulle: historically known as the Place de l'Étoile. It is a large road junction in Paris, the meeting point of twelve straight avenues (hence its historic name, which translates as "Square of the Star") including the Champs-Élysées. It was renamed in 1970 following the death of General and President Charles de Gaulle. It is still often referred to by its original name, and the nearby metro station retains the designation Charles de Gaulle - Étoile.

• -- Place du Châtelet: is a public square in Paris, on the right bank of the river Seine, on the borderline between the 1st and 4th arrondissements. It lies at the north end of the Pont au Change, a bridge that connects the Île de la Cité, near the Palais de Justice and the Conciergerie, to the right bank. The name "Châtelet" refers to the stronghold, the Grand Châtelet, that guarded the northern end of the Pont au Change, containing the offices of the prévôt de Paris and a number of prisons, until it was demolished in 1802-10.

• -- Place Dauphine: is a public square located near the western end of the Île de la Cité in the first arrondissement of Paris. It was initiated by Henry IV in 1607, the second of his projects for public squares in Paris, the first being the Place Royale (now the Place des Vosges). He named it for his son, the Dauphin of France and future Louis XIII, who had been born in 1601. From the "square", actually triangular in shape, one can access the middle of the Pont Neuf, a bridge which connects the left and right banks of the Seine by passing over the Île de la Cité. A street called, since 1948, Rue Henri-Robert, forty meters long, connects the Place Dauphine and the bridge. Where they meet, there are two other named places, the Place du Pont Neuf and the Square du Vert Galent.

• -- Place des Pyramides: is a public square in the 1st arrondissement; it is located in the middle of the Rue de Rivoli, at its intersection with the Rue des Pyramides and Avenue du General Lemonnier, at the western end of the Tuileries Garden. The square was named for the street, Rue des Pyramides, and the street was named for the Battle of the Pyramids, a Napoleonic victory achieved in Egypt in 1798.

• -- Place des Victoires: is a circular place, located a short distance northeast from the Palais Royal and straddling the border between the 1st and the 2nd arrondissements. The Place des Victoires is at the confluence of six streets: Rue de la Feuillade, Rue Vide Gousset, Rue d'Aboukir, Rue Étienne Marcel, Rue Croix des Petits Champs, and Rue Catinat.

• -- Théâtre du Châtelet: is a theatre and opera house, located in the place du Châtelet in the 1st arrondissement of Paris.

• -- Théâtre du Palais-Royal: is a 950-seat Parisian theatre at 38 rue de Montpensier, located at the northwest corner of the Palais-Royal in the Galerie de Montpensier at its intersection with the Galerie de Beaujolais.

• -- Tuileries Garden: is a public garden located between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. Created by Catherine de Medicis as the garden of the Tuileries Palace in 1564, it was eventually opened to the public in 1667, and became a public park after the French Revolution. In the 19th and 20th century, it was the place where Parisians celebrated, met, promenaded, and relaxed. -- {Elysium}
  

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2nd Arrondissement

Introduction: The 2nd arrondissement (2e arrondissement) is one of the 20 arrondissements of Paris, the capital city of France. Located on the right bank of the River Seine, the 2nd arrondissement, together with the adjacent 8th and 9th arrondissements, hosts an important business district, centred on the Paris Opéra, which houses the city's most dense concentration of business activities. The arondissement contains the former Paris Bourse (stock exchange) and a large number of banking headquarters, as well as a textile district, known as the Sentier, and the Opéra-Comique concert hall.

The 2nd arrondissement is also the home of most of Paris's surviving 19th-century glazed commercial arcades. At the beginning of the 19th century most of the streets of Paris were dark and muddy and lacked sidewalks. A few entrepreneurs copied the success of the Passage des Panoramas and its well-lit, dry and paved pedestrian passageways. By the middle of the 19th century there were about two dozen of these commercial malls, but most of them disappeared as the Paris authorities paved the main streets, added sidewalks and gas street lighting. The commercial survivors are – in addition to the Passage des Panoramas – the Galerie Vivienne, the Passage Choiseul, the Galerie Colbert, the Passage des Princes, the Passage du Grand Cerf, the Passage du Caire, the Passage Lemoine, the Passage Jouffroy, the Passage Basfour, the Passage du Bourg-L'abbé, and the Passage du Ponceau.

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3rd Arrondissement

The 3rd arrondissement of Paris, situated on the right bank of the River Seine, is the smallest in area after the 2nd arrondissement. The arrondissement contains the northern, quieter part of the medieval district of Le Marais (while the 4th arrondissement contains Le Marais' more lively southern part, notably including the gay district of Paris). The oldest surviving private house of Paris, built in 1407, is to be found in the 3rd arrondissement, along the rue de Montmorency.

The ancient Jewish quarter, the Pletzel (little place in Yiddish) which dates from the 13th century begins in the eastern part of the 3rd arrondissement and extends into the 4th. It is home to the Musée d'art et d'histoire du judaïsme and the Agoudas Hakehilos synagogue designed by the architect Guimard. Although trendy boutiques are now taking up many of the storefronts, there are still landmark stores selling traditional Jewish foods.

A small but slowly expanding Chinatown inhabited by immigrants from Wenzhou centers on the rue au Maire, near the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers housed in the medieval priory of Saint-Martin-des-Champs.

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4th Arrondissement

Introduction: The 4th arrondissement contains the Renaissance-era Paris City Hall. It also contains the Renaissance square of Place des Vosges, the overtly modern Pompidou Centre and the lively southern part of the medieval district of Le Marais, which today is known for being the gay district of Paris (while the more quiet northern part of Le Marais is contained inside the 3rd arrondissement). The eastern parts of the Île de la Cité (including Notre-Dame de Paris) as well as the Île Saint-Louis are also included within the 4th arrondissement.

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5th Arrondissement

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6th Arrondissement

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7th Arrondissement

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8th Arrondissement

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9th Arrondissement

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10th Arrondissement

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11th Arrondissement

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12th Arrondissement

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13th Arrondissement

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14th Arrondissement

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15th Arrondissement

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16th Arrondissement

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17th Arrondissement

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18th Arrondissement

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19th Arrondissement

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20th Arrondissement

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Attractions

• -- La Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower) -- is an iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris.

Bars and Clubs

• -- Le Boeuf sur le Toit

Galleries

• -- Musée du Louvre (The Louvre) -- is one of the world's largest museums and a historic monument.

Landmarks

• -- Place Vendôme: is a square in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France, located to the north of the Tuileries Gardens and east of the Église de la Madeleine. It is the starting point of the Rue de la Paix. It is famous for its deluxe hotels such as Hôtel Ritz, Hôtel de Rambouillet, The Westin Paris – Vendôme, Hôtel de Toulouse, Hôtel du Petit-Bourbon, Hôtel Meurice, and the Hôtel Regina. Located within the 1st Arrondissement
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Multinational Corporations

• -- Endron International

Transportation

Paris is a major rail, highway, and air transport hub. The Syndicat des transports d'Île-de-France (STIF), formerly Syndicat des transports parisiens (STP) oversees the transit network in the region. The syndicate coordinates public transport and contracts it out to the RATP (operating 654 bus lines, the Métro, three tramway lines, and sections of the RER), the SNCF (operating suburban rails, one tramway line and the other sections of the RER) and the Optile consortium of private operators managing 1,070 minor bus lines.

The city's subway system, the Métro, was opened in 1900 and is the most widely used Transport system within the city proper, carrying about 9 million passengers daily. It comprises 303 stations (385 stops) connected by 220 km (136.7 mi) of rails, and 16 lines, identified by numbers from 1 to 14, with two minor lines, 3bis and 7bis. An additional express network, the RER, with five lines (A, B, C, D, & E), connects to more-distant parts of the urban area, with 257 stops and 587 km (365 mi) of rails. Over €26.5 billion will be invested over the next 15 years to extend the Métro network into the suburbs. In addition, the Paris region is served by a light rail network of six lines, the tramway: Line T1 runs from Asnières-Gennevilliers to Noisy-le-Sec, line T2 runs from Pont de Bezons to Porte de Versailles, line T3a runs from Pont du Garigliano to Porte de Vincennes, line T3b runs from Porte de Vincennes to Porte de la Chapelle, line T5 runs from Saint-Denis to Garges-Sarcelles, all of which are operated by the Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens, and line T4 runs from Bondy RER to Aulnay-sous-Bois, which is operated by the state rail carrier SNCF. Six new light rail lines are currently in various stages of development.

Paris is a central hub of the national rail network. The six major railway stations — Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est, Gare de Lyon, Gare d'Austerlitz, Gare Montparnasse, Gare Saint-Lazare — and a minor one — Gare de Bercy — are connected to three networks: The TGV serving four High-speed rail lines, the normal speed Corail trains, and the suburban rails (Transilien).

Four international airports, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly, Paris-Le Bourget and Beauvais-Tillé, serve the city. The two major airports are Orly Airport, which is south of Paris; and the Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, in Roissy-en-France, which is one of the busiest in the world and is the hub for the unofficial flag carrier Air France.

The city is also the most important hub of France's motorway network, and is surrounded by three orbital freeways: the Périphérique, which follows the approximate path of 19th-century fortifications around Paris, the A86 motorway in the inner suburbs, and finally the Francilienne motorway in the outer suburbs. Paris has an extensive road network with over 2,000 km (1,243 mi) of highways and motorways. By road, Brussels can be reached in three hours, Frankfurt in six hours and Barcelona in 12 hours. By train, London is now just two hours and 15 minutes away.

There are 440 km (270 mi) of cycle paths and routes in Paris. These include piste cyclable (bike lanes separated from other traffic by physical barriers such as a kerb) and bande cyclable (a bicycle lane denoted by a painted path on the road). Some 29 km (18 mi) of specially marked bus lanes are free to be used by cyclists, with a protective barrier protecting against encroachments from vehicles. Cyclists have also been given the right to ride in both directions on certain one-way streets. Paris offers a bike sharing system called Vélib' with more than 20,000 public bicycles distributed at 1,800 parking stations, which can be rented for short and medium distances including one way trips.

The Paris region is the most active water transport area in France, with most of the cargo handled by Ports of Paris in facilities located around Paris. The Loire, Rhine, Rhone, Meuse and Scheldt rivers can be reached by canals connecting with the Seine, which include the Canal Saint-Martin, Canal Saint-Denis, and the Canal de l'Ourcq.

Airports

History: Paris had its first airport in the fields of Issy-les-Moulineaux (just to the southern limits of Paris by its Seine river's Left Bank) from the first aviation trials of 1908. Aviation became a serious mode of transport during the course of the first world war, which in 1915 led to the installation of a larger and more permanent runway installation near the town of Le Bourget to the north of Paris. A yet larger airport to the south of the Capital, Orly International Airport, began welcoming flights from 1945, and yet another airport to the north of the City, Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle, opened its gates from 1974.

Recently: Today the former airfields of Issy-les-Moulineaux have become a Heliport annex of Paris, and Le Bourget an airfield reserved for smaller aircraft. Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle takes the majority of international flights to and from Paris, and Orly is a host to mostly domestic and European airline companies.

• -- Aéroport Paris–Charles de Gaulle: Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (English), also known as Roissy Airport (or just Roissy in French), is one of the world's principal aviation centers, as well as France's largest airport. It is named after Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970), leader of the Free French Forces and founder of the French Fifth Republic. It is located within portions of several communes, 25 km (16 mi) to the northeast of Paris. The airport serves as the principal hub for Air France.

• -- Aéroport de Paris-Orly: Paris Orly Airport (English) is an international airport located partially in Orly and partially in Villeneuve-le-Roi, 7 NM (13 km; 8.1 mi) south[2] of Paris, France. It has flights to cities in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, North America and Southeast Asia. (Albertine Perrot)

• -- Aéroport de Paris-Le Bourget: Paris–Le Bourget Airport (English) is an airport located at Le Bourget, in the districts of Bonneuil-en-France and Dugny, 6 NM (11 km; 6.9 mi) north-northeast of Paris, France. It is now used only for general aviation (business aviation) and air shows, most notably the Paris Air Show. (Morcant)

• -- Paris-Issy-les-Moulineaux Heliport -- (privately owned) -- Located within the 15th arrondissement.

Métro de Paris

• -- Ghost stations of the Paris Métro

Transiliens

Historically: Paris's first embarcadère train station, the predecessor to the gare Saint-Lazare, appeared from 1837 as a home for the novelty Paris-à-Saint-Germain local line. Over the next ten years France's developing rail network would give Paris five (including the Saint-Lazare station) national railway stations and two suburban lines, and from 1848 Paris would become the designated centre of an Étoile (star) spider-web of rail with reaches to, and through, all of France's borders. This pattern is still very visible in France's modern railway map.

Currently: As far as national and European destinations are concerned, rail transport is beginning to outdistance air travel in both travel time and efficiency. The still-developing SNCF's TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) network, since its birth in 1981, brings France's most southerly city Marseille only three hours from the capital. A train similar to the TGV, the Eurostar, has been connecting Paris to central London through since 1994 (travel time is two hours and fifteen minutes), and in the opposite direction, the Thalys line connects Paris to Brussels (travel time is one hour and twenty-two minutes) with up to 26 departures per day, Paris is connected to Amsterdam (travel time is three hours and eighteen minutes) with up to 10 departures per day, and Paris is connect to Cologne (travel time is three hours and fourteen minutes) with up to 6 departures per day.

Vampires of the City

Brujah

• -- Véronique d'Orléans --
• -- Florentin Séverin -- 2 x 2pt boons from Germano to Veronique for the use of the airport.
• -- Germaine -- Brujah Anathema from Paris.

Gangrel

• -- Baron Thomas Feroux -- Reclusive Elder.
• -- Benoir -- Primogen of Beasts.
• -- Lord Ashton -- Anarch Storyteller.
• -- Alex Camille -- Recent Gangrel arrival from New France.

Malkavians

• -- Gautier Rousseau -- French Malkavian Elder and Primogen of Lunatics.
• -- Aristotle de Laurent -- Noddist Scholar and noted author.
• -- Albertine Perrot -- .Young Malkavian aviator. Madame Mina owes 2 x 2pt boons.

Nosferatu

• -- Fra'Gerard -- Primogen of the Parisian Sewer Rats.
• -- Fra'Raymond -- Sewer Rat Elder and Whip to the Noferatu Primogen.
• -- Margaux Latour -- Sewer Rat Elder of Paris.

Toreador

• -- Francois Villon -- Prince of Paris
• -- Violetta Desjardins -- Progeny of Villon and former Toreador Justicar from 1666 to 1855.
• -- Bernard -- Progeny of Francois Villon and Seneschal of Paris.
• -- Jacques -- Progeny of Francois Villon.
• -- Versancia -- Primogen of Clan Toreador.
• -- Geneviève Orseau -- Genevieve controls one of the largest Toreador art schools in existence and has students around the world. Orseau is believed to be one of the few faerie changelings to survive vampiric Embrace.
• -- Chevalier d'Eglantine -- The Sheriff
• -- Audric St.Thierry -- Master of the Game
• -- L'Epuisette -- (deceased)
• -- Noël d'Artois -- The Empty-Handed
• -- Alain de Laigle -- The Falsely Accused
• -- Nasr Ramanathan -- Sire of Qadir Al - Asmai.

Tremere

• -- Ardan Lane -- Regent of Paris.
• -- Matthieu Comtois -- Astor

The Gargoyles of Paris

• -- Pape
• -- Bête
• -- Chèvre
• -- Pierre
• -- Singe

Ventrue

• -- Alexander -- The sire of Gaius Marcellus and Prince of Paris during Dark Ages. (missing and long believed dead)
• -- Joachim von Neumann -- Master of Elysium.

independent Clans

Assamites

• -- Fakir

Followers of Set

• -- Lord Byron -- Setite Poet.

Giovanni

• -- Don Giuseppe Giovanni -- Leader of the Giovanni Family in Paris.
• -- Agostino Giovanni -- Son of Don Giuseppe
• -- Berenice Giovanni -- Daughter of Don Giuseppe

Sabbat

• -- Fromage Gris

Websites

http://vampirerpg.free.fr/Genealogy/