Spring has sprung in Washington, D.C.

Want to visit Paris without leaving your desk? The largest assembled panoramic image in the world was just published online, and Paris is its subject. The Paris 26 Gigapixles project presents an image of the city made up of 2,346 individual photos. These were shot in September 2009, then stitched together to create a composite image of 26 gigapixels (a gigapixel is one billion pixels). The website presentation of this project is truly something to behold, but beware: you can lose an entire afternoon zooming around the online image. The site highlights the "20 most beautiful monuments in Paris" and allows viewers to zoom in so close that they can make see the frightening grimace on an individual gargoyle at Notre Dame. Information bubbles for each of these monuments allow viewers to learn a bit of history, too.

The modern version of the French capital certainly has its charms, but there's something especially magical about the Paris that emerges from old black and white photography. This spring is a boon time for fans of vintage photographs of Paris, with a host of exhibitions, plus a couple of new websites for the desk-chair dreamers out there. Springtime exhibitions of Paris photography Paris Inondé (through March 28). The French capital was half-drowned by a major flood in 1910. Spectacular images from this hundred-year-old event show the Eiffel Tower up to her knees in water, with rowboats paddling down the major avenues. Open from 1 p.m.–7 p.m., Tuesday–Sunday, and until 9 p.m. on Thursday. $6. Galerie des Bibliothèques, 22 rue Malher in the 4th arrondissement, inondation1910.paris.fr Elliott Erwitt, "Personal Best" (through April 4). This Paris-born photographer documented some of the most significant events of the 20th century. A member of Magnum Photos and sharp observer of everyday life, Erwitt has been described as a "tireless wit, a subtle and poetic humorist whose work combines satire and melancholy." Open every day except Monday and Tuesday from 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Admission is normally $9, but you can go for free every Wednesday from 5 p.m.–8 p.m. Maison Européenne de la Photographie, 5/7 rue de Fourcy in the 4th arrondissement. mep-fr.org/us Izis: Paris des Rêves (through May 29). Izraëlis Bidermanas (Izis) was a core member of the humanist movement in photography, along with his more famous friends Robert Doisneau and Henri Cartier-Bresson. This major retrospective pays tribute to the overlooked photographer and his Paris work, which is described as "a paean to dreams and to the slow pace of life at the heart of a city which he endowed with legendary qualities." Open every day except Sunday from 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Admission is free. Hôtel de Ville (Salle St-Jean), 5 rue de Lobau in the 4th arrondissement. See the Izis website Great photography websites for arm (or desk) chair travelers Paris Inondé: Surf more than 1300 images from this Web gallery inondation1910.paris.fr. Paris en Images from the Ministry of Culture: This is a new and free online collection of more than 25,000 photos of Paris. You can search by keyword, year, and location at parisenimages.fr/en

The baguette—created here in Paris in 1830—is taken very seriously by locals. So much so that there's a contest organized by City Hall every year to name the best loaf. This competition—the Grand Prix de la Baguette de la Ville de Paris—was held today, and the big winner is Djibril Bodian from Le Grenier à Pain in Montmartre (38 rue des Abbesses, 18th arrondissement). Bodian is no stranger to Grand Prix competition. He came in 5th place in 2009 and 4th place in 2007 before taking the top prize. Bodian beat out more than 160 other bakers to win in 2010, garnering a cash prize of €4,000 and a contract to keep President Nicolas Sarkozy in baguettes throughout the coming year. Watch this blog for more on Bodian's winning baguette, plus a guide to our favorite prize-winning Paris bakeries. An in-depth report on the competition and its winners will be posted very soon. In the meantime, check out this account of the event from Phyllis Flick, an American food writer who participated as a judge in this year's Grand Prix baguette competition.

Surprisingly, San Francisco, even with its crazy-steep hills, is a bike-friendly town. In fact, one of the best ways to explore is on two wheels, thanks to the extensive network of connecting bike lanes—45 miles total, with another 34 miles in the works. The lanes go along blessedly flat areas, circumventing the steepest inclines in the city, making for fun and easy rides all over town. So many people bike here that motorists are used to looking out for them, making it a safe way to get around. Bike-rental companies do offer pricey tours, but now that Google Maps just added a bike-route mapping feature, finding a route is easier than ever. In the meantime, here are three of the city's best rides that are scenic and easy on your body: Downtown to Ocean Beach Known by locals as the "wiggle," this route heads south down Market street and then west through the Lower Haight, the Divisadero, through Golden Gate Park (with plenty of biking diversions of its own), and on to Ocean Beach, where you can bike along the shore. Plus, you'll avoid the imposing Haight Street hill. The Embarcadero A bike lane runs the length of the Embarcadero along the bay's edge. You can start at the AT&T; Park (which happens to have free valet bike parking for major events) or at the Ferry Building and ride down to Fisherman's Wharf. Feeling fit? Keep going around the water to Crissy Field park, a great waterfront picnic spot (grab a lunch to go at Greens) and all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge, which itself is a great ride. If you'd like to tackle the Golden Gate Bridge by bike, try going at night, when pedestrians aren't allowed. After 9 p.m., bike riders can cross the bridge by pressing the buzzer on the security gates on the east side. Angel Island No cars are allowed on Angel Island, which just opened this month for the summer season. The five-mile loop around the perimeter of this island is a worthy ride, with jaw-dropping 360-degree views of the Bay, including the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin. All 740 acres compose a state park, so there are plenty of picnic spots along the way, as well as a Harbor Front cafe serving fresh oysters. Take your bike on the Blue and Gold Fleet ferry from Pier 41 to get there. A few things to remember If you get tired or have a flat, there are bike racks on the front of San Francisco Muni buses. No bike racks? Chain it to a parking meter. Helmets aren't required by law, but you should wear one anyway. When riding in the bike lanes, keep to the left side of the lane. Watch out for people opening their car doors: This is a major source of accidents in the city. Where to rent Bike and Roll: 4 locations, including Fisherman's Wharf, North Beach, and Embarcadero. 415/229-2000, from $28 per day or $7 per hour. Blazing Saddles: 7 locations. 415/202-8888, from $28 a day. Check out the non-profit San Francisco Bike Coalition for more information about safety tips, bike laws, and a downloadable topographic biking maps. UPDATE May 12: The San Francisco Bike Coalition has just launched a new and improved planning site, sfbikemapper.org.