Nineteenth-century author Charles Dickens described Paris as ‘the most extraordinary place in the world’.
And these fascinating images show that the French capital still is rather splendid.
The stunning pictures all feature in a new book in Amber Books’ Visual Explorer Guide series called Paris, by Alastair Horne.
They show the exquisite Pont Alexandre III bridge across the Seine, the beautiful tree-lined Champs-Élysées avenue, the quirky 13th-century restaurant Vins et Terroirs, the stunning Jardin des Tuileries and, of course, the majestic Eiffel Tower.
Alastair said: ‘From its foundation more than two millennia ago as a small town on the Île de la Cité, to its existence today as one of the world’s most vibrant cities, Paris has retained a charm of its own, fascinating not only Dickens but also a wealth of writers, painters, soldiers and politicians.’
Scroll down to see MailOnline Travel’s pick of the 200 mesmerising images that appear in the book, with captions courtesy of the author…
Inaugurated in 1900 for the Exposition Universelle, Pont Alexandre III connects Les Invalides on the left bank with the Champs-Élysées on the right. It is named after Tsar Alexandre III, an ally of the French. His son Nicholas II laid its foundation stone in 1896
The Arc de Triomphe offers magnificent vistas over the entire city. In the centre of this picture we can see the Champs-Élysées, at the top right, the 210m (700ft) high Tour Montparnasse
The headlights and taillights from 10 lanes of traffic help light up the Champs-Élysées, one of Paris’s most famous roads, each evening. Since 2016, the avenue has been closed to vehicles on the first Sunday of every month in a bid to cut pollution
The paths along the banks of the river Seine bustle with activity, particularly during the long summer evenings. Since 2002, several sites along the river have been transformed each summer into temporary beaches through the addition of tons of sand, family activities, and even a swimming pool
Built to mark the tenth Exposition Universelle in 1889, the Eiffel Tower, pictured from below, was originally only intended to last for 20 years. Its wrought-iron structure weighs around 9,000 tonnes
Most of the 35 floors of La Grande Arche de la Défense, pictured, are filled with offices. The steps at the front of the building are a popular place for workers to enjoy their lunch break
Each of the cars on the Montmartre funicular railway carries up to 60 passengers at a time. Unusually for a funicular railway, the two cars operate independently. In most such railways, the cars act as counterweights to each other. Two million passengers use this railway each year
The oldest part of Paris, Île de la Cité is home to several medieval buildings. The spire of Notre-Dame Cathedral, which recently collapsed in a devastating fire, can be seen at the top of this picture, while to the left is the Conciergerie, where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned before her execution
Taking its name from the tile factories that formerly stood on the site, the Jardin des Tuileries once formed the gardens of the magnificent Palais des Tuileries, commissioned by Catherine de Medici in 1564. Set alight by the Paris Communards in 1871, the palace was completely gutted. More than a decade later, it was finally demolished, and its gardens extended
One of the oldest squares in Paris, Place des Vosges was commissioned in 1605 by King Henry IV. Today, the mansions that surround it house restaurants, galleries and museums, including one dedicated to Victor Hugo, author of Les Misérables, who lived here from 1832 to 1848
Like the Conciergerie, the Château de Vincennes, pictured, has served at different times as both royal residence and prison. The Marquis de Sade was held here before being transferred to the Bastille in 1784
The American clothing chain Abercrombie & Fitch opened a 3,000-square-metre (31,000 sq ft) store on the historic Champs-Élysées in 2011. Frescoes inside the store show hunting scenes and athletic activities
Founded by cousins Théophile Bader and Alphonse Kahn in 1893, Galeries Lafayette began life as a haberdashery within a larger store, but soon expanded to encompass five entire buildings. Its trademark dome, pictured here, is adorned by neo-Byzantine style stained glass windows designed by Jacques Grüber
Founded by brothers Frédéric and Camille Chartier in 1896, the Bouillon Chartier claims to have served 50 million meals over its 120-year history. Its dining room, pictured, has been listed as a historic site since 1989
The traditional French restaurant, Vins et Terroirs, stands on the historic Paris street rue Saint-André-des-Arts. This dates back to the end of the 13th century at least, since it is mentioned in the 554-verse poem of 1280–1300, Le Dit des rues de Paris, by Guillot of Paris
The historic, cobbled, Passage du Chantier, home to furniture-makers since the 15th century, offers a remarkable contrast to the busy Rue de Faubourg Saint-Antoine nearby
The streets of Paris have been a popular setting for crime fiction ever since Edgar Allan Poe’s short story The Murders in the Rue Morgue, back in 1841. Georges Simenon’s Parisian detective Maigret appeared in more than 70 novels and 28 short stories between 1931 and 1972
Opened in 1804, Père Lachaise has become the largest cemetery in Paris. It is visited by more than 3.5 million people each year, making it the most visited cemetery in the world. Its famous residents include writers Honoré de Balzac, Molière, Georges Perec, Marcel Proust and Oscar Wilde; singers Edith Piaf and Jim Morrison; and the painters Géricault, Ingres, Pissarro and Seurat. The cemetery also features several striking memorials to those residents of Paris murdered in the concentration camps of World War II
Snails (‘escargot’ in French) are a popular French delicacy, usually cooked with garlic and parsley butter and served in their shells
Europe’s busiest railway station, Gare du Nord has more than 40 platforms. It closes at 1am every morning before reopening three and a half hours later
All images taken from the book Paris by Alastair Horne (ISBN 978-1-78274-872-4), part of the Visual Explorer Guide series, published by Amber Books Ltd and available from bookshops and online booksellers (RRP £9.99)