GOVERNMENT … A republic, with a Parliament which is comprised of a national assembly and a senate selected by all citizens of France.
HOW TO GET THERE … By Pan American Jet Clipper, nonstop to Paris, about 7 hours from New York and Boston, about 151/4 hours from Los Angeles via Jet connection in New York, 13 hours direct from San Francisco via polar route. Through Jet Clipper service to Nice on the Riveria via Lisbon and Barcelona about 13 hours from New York. Connections at Lisbon for Paris (4 hours). By ship, 5 to 9 days.
ACCOMMODATIONS … There are countless hotels and pensions in Paris. You can find anything you want at any price. In the de luxe group are: the Ritz, Plaza Athenee, George V, Meurice, Crillon, Prince de Galles, Royal Monceau, Raphael, Continental, Lotti, Lancaster and Bristol. Slightly less luxurious but very good are the Claridge, Vendome, Westminster, Napoleon-Bonaparte, Queen Elizabeth, and others. Rates at official exchange run from about $18 a day and up single with bath (no meals) at the top hotels. About $10 or $12 in the less swank group, and so on down from there. In the center of Paris, for businessmen, there are the Scribe and the Ambassador. Rates at official exchange run from about $8 a day up. Hotel space is hard to find in Paris from Easter until the end of October. This is the “on season” when the capital is thronged with visitors and prices rise accordingly. From December 20 to March 1 most hotels in Paris and on the Riviera reduce prices as much as 20 per cent.
ARTS … Paris is the city for the art lover, the museum goer. Begin with the Louvre, of course. See the Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory. Visit the Musee d’Art Modeme, the Rodin Museum, the Musee de l’Homme, the Jeu de Paume (impressionist painters), the Palais de Chaillot, Cluny, with sculptures, and exhibits of the Middle Ages, l’Ecole des Beaux Arts, Gobelins for tapestries, Musee de l’Armee for arms and armor. Museums are closed on Tuesdays.
BALLET … The famed Paris Opera Ballet performs at the Opera all year around except in August. Les Ballets de Paris, less classic but very good.
BANKS … In Paris, First National City Bank, 52 Avenue des Champs Elysees (8eme Arrt.), Tel. ELYsees 4542; American Express Co., 11 Rue Scribe (9eme Arrt.), Tel. OPEra 4290; Barclays Bank, Ltd., 33 Rue du 4 Septembre (2eme Arrt.); Tel. OPEra 4240; the Chase Manhattan Bank, 39 Rue Cambon ( 1er Arrt.), Tel. OPEra 4430; Morgan Guaranty Trust of New York, 14 Place Vendome, Tel. OPEra 2420; Royal Bank of Canada, 3 Rue Scribe (9eme Arrt.), Tel. OPEra 0982; Thos. Cook & Son is at 2 Place de la Madeleine and 14 Boulevard des Capucines.
CALENDAR OF HOLIDAYS … New Year’s Day; Easter and Easter Monday; May 1, Labor Day; Ascension Day, 40 days after Easter; Whitsunday (Pentecost) 10 days later and following Monday; July 14, Bastille Day; August 15, Assumption; November 1, All Saints; France–59 November 11, Armistice Day; Christmas Day.