In the film The Devil Wears Prada, a magazine fashion maven played by the inimitable Stanley Tucci laments the fact that all of his trips to Paris involve work. He dreams of a day when he can visit the city just for fun and actually see the sights that he’s heard so much about.

Dream on.

Tucci’s character doesn’t realize his ambition, but chances are a good many business travelers to Paris do, judging from the high repeat rate and booming meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions traffic invading France’s capital on a regular basis.

According to the latest records from the Union of International Associations, there were 825 conventions in the city in 2005, solidifying Paris’ rank as Europe’s No. 1 business destination. The city also takes the top spot in terms of numbers of meeting and convention travelers, with business tourism accounting for almost half of all overnights in Paris hotels.

The numbers don’t seem to be tapering off, either, and in fact have grown by nearly a third since 1996. What’s more, many of the business visitors are Americans, and they don’t seem deterred by the plummeting value of the dollar against the euro. In fact, U.S. business travelers spend on average about $487 a day, almost $100 more than other business visitors to the city.

Why such a steady influx of business travel? Well, for one thing, the city has some 200 venues of various sizes, including a dozen or so large convention centers. Plus, transportation both to and from the airports and within the city and its outskirts is excellent; hotels are plentiful in a range of price points; and unique activities for groups — such as dinner cruises on the Seine and private dinners at historic venues — are readily available.

Another draw is more basic: This is Paris, after all, and the iconic architecture, stylish shops and world-class restaurants certainly play a role in enticing conventioneers to pack up and attend. That these attractions have not escaped the notice of meeting goers is evident in the high number of repeat visitors, according to the Office du Tourisme et des Congrès de Paris.

Nearly all — 99.5 percent to be exact — of business travelers describe themselves as “extremely satisfied” with their stay in Paris and state their intention to return to the French capital, either as business or leisure travelers. Add to that the fact that 83 percent of conventions held in the city are regular events, and you have the makings of a strong and steady market.

The tourist office has parsed out the rhythms of the M.I.C.E. market and discovered a few other patterns. Chances are if you are heading to Paris for a meeting, for example, it will take place in May, June, September or October, when the annual volume of business travel jumps to more than 42 percent of the annual volume of business tourism overnights. Low season, July and August, is leisure travelers’ heyday.

But just because Paris draws huge numbers of conventioneers, it doesn’t mean the groups themselves are large. In fact, more than 75 percent of Parisian congresses have fewer than 1,000 participants, and only a few — 2.8 percent — host more than 5,000 participants.

Your event is most likely to draw between 200 and 500 people, with the medical sector accounting for the largest number at more than half of participants and more than a third of events. The economic sector comes next, followed by industry and technology. As to who attends, nearly half of the M.I.C.E visitors in France are not French, representing 20 nationalities on average.

Paris boasts so many convention and exhibition venues that nine of them recently banded together under the brand VIPARIS. Combined, the group offers exhibition space totalling nearly 2 million square feet. Of the main venues in Paris, some are in the city itself while others are in the outskirts, giv ing meeting planners a wide range of options to suit the size and nature of the events.

Let’s say your meeting is in central Paris. In that case, there are more than 12 4-star hotels in the inner city with 300 or more rooms each. On the down side, the average length of a congress is less than three days, which means that the Stanley Tuccis among us will need to seriously consider extending our stay to take in the sights. The good news is that even for business travelers with only a few days to spare, there are few destinations to rival the City of Lights.

CONVENTION CENTERS

PALAIS DES CONGRES DE PARIS
Although better known for its historic buildings, Paris’ love affair with all things modern is evidenced in some of its more avant-garde architecture. The Palais des Congres de Paris is a case in point, with its Jetsons-style exterior that imparts a sense of style to even the most serious business meetings. Situated within a 15-minute walk from the Champs Elysées, the heart of downtown Paris, the venue features four giant amphitheatres that seat more than 3,500, plus 62,000 square feet of exhibition space, 18 smaller meeting rooms and the latest in TV production and audio facilities. There are several hotels at the complex, and meeting goers can access the center by shuttle directly from Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).
PALAIS DES CONGRES DE PARIS
2 Place de la Porte-Maillot
tel 33 1 4068 2550
http://www.palaisdescongres-paris.com

PARC D’EXPOSITIONS PARIS-NORD VILLEPINTE
This venue hosts nearly 1,000 events a year, with all of its exhibition, meeting and convention spaces situated adjacent to one another for maximum flexibility. The center, the eighth-largest in Europe in terms of size, specializes in large-scale international and corporate events and trade fairs and is also set up to accommodate video and film shoots. A member of the newly created VIPARIS, a brand of nine top M.I.C.E. venues, Paris-Nord is adding a new 118,000-square-foot exhibition hall, scheduled for completion by 2010. The facility is situated less than two miles from Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and within 25 minutes of the Paris city center.
PARC D’EXPOSITIONS PARIS-NORD VILLEPINTE
93 420 Villepinte
tel 33 1 4863 3267
http://www.expoparisnord.com

PALAIS DES CONGRES DE VERSAILLES
The most difficult aspect of meeting at the Palais des Congres de Versailles is dragging your attention away from the Château de Versailles, one of France’s most important attractions and a popular day trip from Paris. Louis XIV, otherwise known as the Sun King and precursor of the French Revolution, lived a lavish lifestyle here, and the splendor of the palace and the manicured gardens still have the power to awe. The conference venue has all the high-tech equipment and staff on hand to accommodate today’s needs for a business meeting, but the historic surroundings still manage to retain their original luster. Designed for groups of up to 1,200 — the amphitheater alone holds nearly that many — and including 10 smaller meeting rooms, the venue also works as an exhibition space.
PALAIS DES CONGRES DE VERSAILLES
10 Rue de la Chancellerie
tel 33 1 3097 8 00
http://www.palaisdescongresversailles.com

MEETING HOTELS

HOTEL CONCORDE LA FAYETTE
It doesn’t get much more convenient than this 950-guestroom property, which immediately adjoins the Palais de Congres. Guestrooms, arranged around the 31-floor tower, overlook the city, and rooms on the top floors offer access to the more upscale Club La Fayette, accessed via private elevators. The property also features high-speed Internet and a business center, as well as 11,500 square feet of conference space broken into 50 modular meeting rooms. As many as 4,000 guests can attend a cocktail party, for example, while the top-floor Panoramic Room accommodates small groups or private events. Guests may also dine at La Lafayette Restaurant or unwind at one of several hotel bars and lounges.$$$$
HOTEL CONCORDE LA FAYETTE
3 Place du Général Koenig
tel 33 1 4068 5068
http://www.concorde-lafayette.com

THE INTERCONTINENTAL PARIS LE GRAND HÔTEL
This 19th-century property, lovingly renovated in 2003, benefits from an A-list location in the heart of Paris across from the Opera Garnier and within easy walking distance of the Place Vendôme. The 4-star hotel features 470 guestrooms and suites overlooking the Opera. Groups can host meetings on site in 21 conference rooms designed for as few as 10 or as many as 1,600 people, or book the Salon Opera, one of the city’s most famous ballrooms, for a formal event. The hotel also houses a Spa by Algotherm for thalassotherapy and other treatments, as well as a VIP club lounge and a gourmet restaurant, Le Cafe de la Paix. $$$$
THE INTERCONTINENTAL PARIS LE GRAND HÔTEL
2 Rue Scribe
tel 33 1 4007 3232
http://www.paris.intercontinental.com

THE TRIANON PALACE & SPA A WESTIN HOTEL
An added benefit to staying at this luxury property is its proximity not only to the convention centers of Versailles but also to the chateau itself, situated less than a mile away. Modernity and history combine here in the two accommodation choices: the Old World palace, with 100 guestrooms and suites, and the contemporary Pavilion, with 99 guestrooms. Up to 300 guests can attend a meeting in the property’s 19 conference rooms, all equipped with the latest hightech equipment. Reserve the gilded splendor of the Salon Clemenceau for a lavish dinner, followed by a stroll in the woodsy three-acre park. For off hours there are golf courses nearby, as well as a 30,140-square-foot spa with a heated indoor pool.$$$$
THE TRIANON PALACE & SPA A WESTIN HOTEL
Boulevard de la Reine, Versailles
tel 800 804 6835
http://www.starwoodhotels.com