There are many famous central Parisian sights that visitors head straight for; the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe and the Cathedral of Notre Dame are all familiar must-see places to see. Sticking to only those predictable attractions, means you will spend a lot of your time in queues and surrounded by crowds. A hire car lets you drive west to the beautiful Bois de Boulogne in the 16th arrondissement, a park which is far larger than Central Park or Hyde Park, and home to many sporting events. The opposite side of the city has another massive park, the Bois de Vincennes, full of footpaths, boating lakes and a Buddhist Temple. Sometimes it is nice just to walk around Paris, with no particular landmark or monument in sight, and renting a car will let you find areas in which to stroll that are off the beaten track, such as the peaceful 17th arrondissement, a district of leafy streets filled with classic townhouses and peaceful squares. Park your hire car in the 18th arrondissement, and climb the steep hill to the famous white basilica of Sacre Coeur, or drive to the fascinating Pere Lachaise cemetery, a sprawling hillside filled with densely packed tombs and graves, and look for the burial places of the famous, including Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde and Edith Piaf.