"Paris - without GPS" a Paris Travel Page by pedroswift

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Bercy bridge - Metro, cars,bikes -barge

Paris is the Seine

Back between 250 and 200 BC Gauls of the Parisii tribe founded a fishing village on an island in the river that is the present-day Ile de la City -- the center around which Paris developed.
Today the river, The Seine, remains the focal artery of the city and major means of orientation within the city by locals and visitors alike. You will hear the terms "Left Bank" & "Right Bank" with reference to city locations. Face down river (away from the source) to establish the left & right banks. In central Paris, the river flows basically from east to west so south of the river is "left bank" (Rive Gauche): north of river is Rive Droite.
Make a point of walking the UNESCO Heritage Listed "Banks of the Seine". Don't miss a boat ride on the Seine. Make that 2 boat rides: one at night as well as during daytime .

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Ave de la Grande Armee

Paris is its Grand Vistas.

Which ever way you look from the major high points of Paris you are presented with a delightful vista.
Stand at the Palais de Chaillot. Look out over the Jardins du Trocadero, the Tour Eiffel and the Champ de Mars. Take in the wonderful vista before you. Just one of the many wide and sweeping spaces, parks & boulevards that make Paris the most beautiful city in the world.
Thanks to the vision of Baron Georges-Eugene Haussmann (1809-1891)and Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte (President/Emperor1849-70) the medieval Paris was transformed by large scale public works about 150 years ago. What grand Vision!!
Keep in mind the major axis of the 'vista' La Defence (in the west) through the Arc de Triomphe, down the Champs-Elysees to the Louvre and further east to Bastille. Check it out on your map*. You do have a map? It provides a great starting point in establishing your "cognitive map" of Paris. This is the map in your head that will develop as your discover the city. It'll help you get back to base without a paper map after one too many in the wine bar!
You should also be aware that under this grand vista is Metro Line One. You are very likely to be using the underground railway system in Paris quite a lot and it doesn’t hurt for you to know that Line One from Pont de Neully (in the west nw) to Chateau de Vincennes (in the east) is basically aligned on the La Defense/ Bastille axis. Nearly every station along the central city sections of Line One has connections ( correspondences) with one or more of the other dozen Metro Lines and the regional railway system (R.E.R.). These crossing lines provide an extensive coverage of Paris so that you are within a few hundred metres of a Metro station wherever you are"within the portes".
The best advice I can give to first-time Paris visitors (other than to take an orientation bus tour first up) is to start site (and sight) seeing at the Arc de Triomphe to best see the Grand Axis: La Defense - Champs Elysees-Tuileries- & to the East.

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Maps of each Arrondissement - a 'must-have'

Paris is "Cities within a City" : Arrondissements

Paris (within the ring road) is divided into "neigbourhoods" called arrondissements which are numbered from #1 to #20 spirally clockwise. Each arrondissement has unique character just like a city within the city. The numbers are often used in descriptions of Paris locations so be aware of the system.
Here is a site which lists the major sites per arrondissement. Just click on the list of names.
Each Arrondissement is divided into 4 "quartiers" for administrative purposes , each with its own police station. Most references to quartiers are literary but it is no burden to be aware of the system. check to see their names.
The "ring road" Periphèrique marks the boundary of the city. It is pierced by 30 or so entry/exit points (Portes).
Armed with the above basic info you should have no trouble finding your way around the City!
More Orientation - Street Numbers. .. Specific navigation info.
Streets ( called rue, boulevard or avenue) are numbered based on their orientation with the River Seine. Streets ninety degrees to the river are numbered from the river : evens on the right ; odds on the left. If parallel to the Seine numbers start at the eastern end and progress with the flow of the river. On the islands in the Seine #1 is on the south end of the street.
Don't expect the numbers on the even sides to be close to the numbers across the street. eg No 27 on the left may be enface No 96 on the right.
Don't forget to find and photograph "Point Zero" from which all French highway distances are measured. Seek and ye shall Find!

* There are plenty of free maps of Paris available but I'm sold on a €6.50 publication - "Le petit parisien" which has 3 plans of each arrondissement : a street map, a metro guide, a bus guide plus locations of Monuments & Museums , post offices, hospitals, parking stations, taxi ranks, days of & location of street markets and much much more. In the front there is a gazetteer of Paris streets.In the back there is a map of main roads (Grands Axes)within the Peripherique (& the Portes). Also Metro, RER, Bus, night bus in Paris and The RER Train/Tramway services to places outside the Peripherique (Disneyland for example). All in a book that fits in a handbag (half A4 size). It's a must have for those big on exploring Paris & surrounds.