The Bottom Line I like Paris and will visit again. Yes dbhoutx's ratings Paris is a favorite European destination for many Americans. Paris being the main destination in France, is the gateway for most travelers coming by airplane. As a gateway city, Paris ends up with tons of visitors who spend time within that city alone. Not only is it a great tourist destination, it serves the purpose of being one of the main cities in France and Europe for business.
Many French companies have major offices in Paris.
It is this mix of business and leisure that help make Paris a cosmopolitan city. Most of the US carriers who serve Europe as well as Air France offer numerous non-stop flights to the Paris area airports. From Houston, you have a choice of two flights, four if you count the code shared flights between Air France and Continental. LAX on the west coast as well as numerous east coast cities serve as US gateway cities. My Experiences To my surprise, on my last visit I found the folks in Paris far friendlier than I remember them from my visit 16 years ago.