Ah, the ‘city of love.’ Paris, one of the most romantic cities in the world, has been a hotspot of tourism for centuries. A beautiful city of wide boulevards and street-side cafes, Paris congers images of painters along the Seine and lovebirds necking near the Eiffel Tower. (It is the ‘city of love’ after all.)
One of the cultural capitals of the world, Paris is chock full of museums. So many in fact, one can be easily museumed out. Fine food galore, Paris’ famous cuisine is to die for. It is easy to see why tourists, and locals for that matter, have fallen in love with this picturesque setting. Paris has it all, fine cuisine for the foodies, museums for the nerdy, and numerous attractions for the touristy.
Paris’ most iconic landmark.
History
The area that has since become Paris has been occupied by various peoples since 4,500 BCE. First came the hunter-gatherers and then the Parisii, a Celtic tribe, who inhabited the area around the Seine starting in about 250 BCE. They built a trading settlement on the island, now known as Île de la Cité and the home of Notre Dame. Then came the Romans. They came, they saw, and they conquered in 52 BCE, and they built, founding a settlement along the Seine, called Lutetia. Paris officially began.
The city grew and became fully Romanized, complete with baths, temples, and a forum. However, the Germanic invasions of the 5th century put a hamper on the growth of the city. The population fled and the city was largely abandoned by 400 CE, leaving only a garrison.
The Franks, a Germanic tribe, made Paris its capital city in the 6th century. However, the Carolingian dynasty moved the capital to Aachen, in present day Germany, in the 8th century. During the 9th century, Paris also had to contend with Viking invasions that came up the Seine. In 845, Paris was invaded by 200 Norse ships, sacked and held for ransom. Dynastic turmoil soon followed the kingdom, various parties fighting for the right to rule. It was not until 987 CE, did Paris get any peace, when Hugh Capet was elected king, marking the birth of modern France.
Paris became very prosperous during the Middle Ages. Scholars, teachers and monks flocked to the city, known for its institutions of higher education. Paris survived the Black Death, in which 40,000 inhabits lost their lives. Plague was always feared in the city, returning every three years during the 16th and 17th centuries.
Paris never officially became the capital of France again until 1528, when King Francis I returned the crown residences there. Paris survived the French Wars of Religion, when the Protestants were fighting the Catholics for their right of existence. The whole debacle came to a head in 1572 when Henri of Navarre (a protestant) became Henri IV. He had to lay siege to the Catholic stronghold of Paris in order to take control of the city. He was unsuccessful, but remedied the situation by converting to Catholicism, “Paris is well worth a Mass” he claimed.
Paris’s famous cathedral, Notre-Dame. Pre-fire ={
The Age of Enlightenment reached Paris. The city was famous for its intellectuals, such as Voltaire and Diderot. However, the Age of Enlightenment did not last long. Paris soon became broiled in the turmoil of the French Revolution. On July 14, 1789, pissed off because of soaring food prices and other issues, a mob stormed the Bastille, and so began the bloody French Revolution. King Louis and Marie Antoinette were guillotined, along with thousands of others, in the Place de la Concorde, in what became known as the Reign of Terror.
The French Republic did not last long, Napoleon saw to that. Even he, did not last long. Paris was occupied by Russian and Allied armies following his defeat in 1814. The ensuing Restoration Period led to a new string of kings and revolutions. There was a lot of back and forth. What really changed the Paris was the Haussmann Plan. Commissioned by Napoleon III between 1853 and 1870, an all-encompassing urban renewal changed the face of Paris forever. The Medieval capital was modernized, the boulevards and clean white buildings replaced the ramshackle cholera infested backwater that was most of Paris. For the first time, Paris became orderly and planned.
Paris survived the Franco-Prussian War and both World Wars. Paris was spared a German invasion during World War I but was not so lucky the second time around. However, the city luckily escaped severe damage. The German commander Dietrich von Cholitz stood up to Hitler and refused to harm the city and there was no strategic advantage for the Allies to bomb it.
The post-war era Paris saw suburbs expanding away from the city center. Periodic unrest still haunts the city and massive urban renewal project has begun again. More and more tourists flock to the city each day, continuing a trend centuries in the making.
Must-See Attractions
Some of the places I’ve been in Paris and other places I haven’t been to but look awesome.
Tips
The French have the horrible reputation of being snobbish. It is mostly untrue. Parisians often go out of their way to help a lost tourist. Plus, Americans have been accustomed to over-the-top customer service, which is not the French custom. Respect the local culture. Try not get angry at the staff.
The French do not tip. The service fee is included in your bill at restaurants.
While English is often known by those who work in the tourism industry, knowing a bit of French will go a long way.
Ride the metro. The metro is the best way to get around Paris but be prepared for the crowds during rush hour.
To save money, stay on the outskirts of the city center, just make sure there is a metro stop nearby.
The Louvre has late hours once a week, allowing you to have more time to spend elsewhere during the day.
Beware of people on the street toting fake charities. They like to hang around tourist sites like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. Do not give them any information or money.
