About the Area for SilverDoor Serviced Apartments in Paris - La Defense

Charles de Gaulle Airport is situated 14 miles north-east of Paris where the three terminals are connected via free shuttle buses. The quickest and cheapest way to get from the airport to Paris city centre is via the TGV. This takes 45 minutes and is signposted from the airport terminal. It is just a short walk to the station. Even if you have never used the French rail system before this is certainly the way to go as a Taxi would be very expensive.

The easiest way to get around Paris is on the Metro. There are Metro stations close to every public attraction and they serve the surrounding suburbs too. The best way to use the Metro is to buy a "carnet" - this is a set of 10 tickets which have virtually no expiry date and each ticket is valid for as many changes as you like on the Metro so long as you don’t exit and go above ground. For example you need two tickets for the outgoing and return journeys.

The main business sector of Paris is surrounding "La Grande Arch de La Defence" otherwise known as La Defence. This is the large grey arch visible over the road from the Arc de Triomphe. There is also an extensive shopping area here.

The most reasonable area in which to eat in central Paris is called the Latin Quarter and is close to Notre Dame. This is not as "touristy" as other areas and therefore has more reasonably priced menus. The most economic way to eat in restaurants is to buy a "menu a XX Euros", these will normally be a starter or dessert and main course off a set menu for a discounted price.

La Defense is a major business district of Paris bordering Neuilly-sur-Seine west of the city of Paris. It is centred in an oval motorway loop straddling the Hauts-de-Seine Departement municipalities of Nanterre, Courbevoie and Puteaux. The district is at the western end of Paris' 10km long Historical Axis, which starts at the Louvre in Paris city centre and crosses the Champs-Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe.

The Grand Arch (visible from the Arc de Triomphe) was commissioned by President Francois Mitterand and was finished in 1989. The area around this 100m high arch and esplanade (le Parvis) holds many of the Paris urban area's tallest high-rises in a 78 acre modern development. There are 72 glass-and-steel slick buildings including 14 high-rises over 150m tall, accommodating 150,000 daily workers in 3.5 million square metres of office space, making La Defense Europe's largest Business District.

The Grand Arch itself is open to visitors, and though the sides of the building contain private offices it is possible to take a lift to the top of the Arche de la Defense, from where you have a good view on the city centre 4km away. There is also an extensive shopping centre just below the Arch, with plenty of parking space surrounding it.