Report and photos by Florian Guillemin.

There is the Brazil postcard-perfect, sun-drenched destinations that are the stuff of dreams for tourists from all over the world. But let's face it: Sao Paulo is not one of them. And yet its inhabitants have no qualms about it, busy as they are fuelling the country's economic engine. While the RioWhile the carioca 'cicada' sings and dances, the paulista 'ant' is hyperactive. Seen from a helicopter - the preferred means of transport by decision-makers to avoid robberies and traffic jams - Sao Paulo looks like an anthill, congested with hundreds of thousands of parked cars. According to some studies, Paulistas spend up to a month a year in the traffic jam !

At the centre of this mess, the business district stretches along the famous Avenida Paulista. But the economic influence of the Brazilian hub - and the largest financial centre in the southern hemisphere - is such that its activity cannot be confined to a single avenue, no matter how imposing. In recent years, economic players have moved westwards, irrigating the avenues. Faria Lima and Berrinithe districts of Vila Olimpia andItaimeven going as far as Morumbion the other bank of the Rio Pinheiros.

Car "Sampa is condemned to transformation in order to deal with its growth crisis. Major works have begun, in particular to improve an undersized public transport network and relieve congestion on the city's main arteries. The first results are already visible, with the new line linking Guarulhos airport to the city centre inaugurated in spring 2018. Two years ago, the local authorities even launched a modernisation plan aimed at transforming Sao Paulo into a "smart city". One of the project's flagship measures is the possibility of setting up a business online in a matter of days, instead of the four months it used to take. Clearly, the entrepreneurial spirit of Paulista still has a bright future ahead of it.

How to get there

It's a small revolution in the history ofAigle Azur Aigle Azur: the airline has taken the ambitious long-haul route by setting course for Sao Paulo since summer 2018. Although Viracopos, the airport chosen by Aigle Azur, is not the closest to Sao Paulo city centre, it is above all the hub of Azul, Aigle Azur's local partner. This makes it possible to reach 100 destinations in South America. Aigle Azur operates five flights a week between Paris Orly and Sao Paulo Viracopos, using A330-200 aircraft. The 19-seat business class offers a level of comfort that rivals that of traditional airlines. Internet: www.aigle-azur.comAutre option, but to the Sao Paulo Guarulhos hub, the two daily direct flights offered by Air France or the one operated by LATAM from Paris CDG.