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freebie issued every two weeks, consists of hundreds of ads placed by companies and individuals. To place one yourself, contact Fusac (Map; 01 56 53 54 54; www.fusac.fr; 26 rue Bénard, 14e; 10am-7pm Mon-Fri; Alésia or Pernety),still going strong after two decades. It is distributed free at Paris’ English-language bookshops, Anglophone embassies and the American Church (Map; 01 40 62 05 00; www.acparis.org; 65 quai d’Orsay, 7e; reception 9am-noon & 1-10pm Mon-Sat, 2-7.30pm Sun; Pont de l’Alma or Invalides), which functions as a kind of community centre for English speakers and is an excellent source of information on au pair work, short-term accommodation etc. The free Paris Times (www.theparistimes.com), published monthly, is also worth a look. See the website for a full list of distribution points.

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ORGANISED TOURS

If you can’t be bothered making your own way around Paris or don’t have the time, consider a tour by air, bus, boat, bicycle or on foot. There’s no reason to feel sheepish or embarrassed about taking a guided tour. They are an excellent way to learn the contours of a new city, and even experienced guidebook writers have been known to join them from time to time. Most useful are the buses and other conveyances that allow you to disembark when and where you want and board the next one that suits you. They usually offer little or no commentary aside from calling out the stop names but offer the most freedom to do what you want.

True couch potatoes will head for Paris Story (Map; 01 42 66 62 06; www.paris-story.com; 11bis rue Scribe, 9e; adult/student & 6-17yr/family €10/6/26, under 6 yr free; 10am-6pm; Auber or Opéra), which includes a 50-minute audiovisual romp through Paris’ 2000-year history on the hour, with headset commentary in 14 languages; an interactive model of Paris called Paris Miniature; and Paris Experience, a gallery of five themed video clips.

Air

Hot-air balloon Ballon Eutelsat (Map; 01 44 26 20 00; www.aeroparis.com, in French; Parc André Citroën, 2 rue de la Montagne de la Fage, 15e; Mon-Fri adult/3-11 yr/12-17yr €10/5/9, Sat & Sun €12/6/10, under 3yr free; 9am-5.30pm to 9.30pm (seasonal); Balard), in the Parc André Citroën in southwestern Paris, lifts you 150m off the ground and offers fabulous views of Paris and the Seine. But don’t expect to get very far; the helium-filled balloon remains firmly tethered to the ground. Be sure to call in advance as the balloon does not ascend in windy conditions.

A company called iXAir (Map; 01 30 08 80 80; www.ixair.com, in French; 4 av de la Porte de Sèvres, 15e; Porte de Sèvres) at the Héliport de Paris next to the Aquaboulevard in the 15e offers circuits by helicopter over the city lasting between 25 and 45 minutes for €128 to €195. You should book 10 to 15 days ahead.

Bicycle

Fat Tire Bike Tours (Map; 01 56 58 10 54; www.fattirebiketoursparis.com; 24 rue Edgar Faure, 15e; office 9am-6pm; La Motte-Picquet Grenelle) offers daytime bike tours of the city (adult/student €24/22; four hours), starting at 11am daily from mid-February to early January, with an additional departure at 3pm from April to October. Night bicycle tours (adult/student €28/26) depart at 7pm on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from mid-February to mid-March and in November and at the same time daily from mid-March to October. A day and night combination tour costs €48 for adults and €44 for students.

Participants can meet at the Fat Tire Bike Tours office, where you can store bags, log on to the internet and get tourist information, but tours actually depart from opposite the Eiffel Tower’s South Pillar at the start of the Champ de Mars; just look for the yellow signs. Costs include the bicycle and, if necessary, rain gear.

The same company runs City Segway Tours (www.citysegwaytours.com) which, though not on bicycles, involve two-wheeled, electric-powered conveyances. Segway tours (€70), which follow an abbreviated route of the bike tours and last four hours, depart at 9.30am from mid-February to early January, with an extra tour at