Attractions in Paris are so plentiful it’s hard to know where to start. Here’s our insider’s guide to Paris – the city of lights, from shopping to culture to sights

Paris: more a universe than a city. With its world-class historical sights, enthralling museums and refined shopping, you could easily spend a lifetime exploring the French capital – and many people do.

When it comes to what to do in Paris, however: pick your districts. From the bohemian to the rough-edged to the ultra-chic, neighbourhoods define the city.

Everyone knows the left bank: the Rive Gauche, or southern side of the River Seine. It’s Latin Quarter was the haunt of Sartre and arty types through the ages; this is where you’ll find the Musée D’Orsay and its spectacular Monet collection. Just next door, ritzy Saint Germain houses the city’s most glamorous boutiques and the restaurants keeping Paris’s haute cuisine reputation alive. Further on, neighbourhoods like Montparnasse and Place d’Italie have a thriving cafe culture and modernist architectural glories.

Cross to the right bank and find the Marais, one of the oldest and most atmospheric parts of the city. A favourite of artists and designers, its winding medieval streets are dotted with quirky shops and lively little bars. This side you’ll find classic attractions in Paris like the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysées, and the Moulin Rouge cabaret. Montmartre, with its postcard-pretty Sacré Coeur church, is well worth exploring.