Paris. What a fabulous place. City of lights. City of love. City of baguettes, wine, and cheese. So many hyperboles decorate this magnificent city, a crossroads of central Europe and a magnet for culture and history buffs. With its wide-swept boulevards, quaint cafes, palatial museums, and characteristic neighborhoods, Paris is a city of contrasts. There is no lack of things to see and do, and culinary delights abound for every palate. Some may say that Paris is cliché, a tourist trap for traveling Americans or Europeans, and that savvy travelers should discover other hidden gems off the well-trodden path. I have had the opportunity to explore cities and countries all over the world, and while I have discovered some amazing places, I will always hold Paris dear to my heart. As sappy as it may sound, I fall in love with Paris each time I visit, when the city and sights welcome me back into their embrace.
Friends and family always ask me what it is about Paris that enthralls me so. I guess I would have to say that Paris’ mix of familiarity and mystery is what does it for me most. I know the grand boulevards and neighborhoods so well that it is like visiting an old friend. I can go away for years and still come back to the Louvre, to the Marais, to the Seine, and to the Eiffel Tower. Slight changes may occur throughout the city, however, these edifices are constants, as reliable as anything could be. Coupled with this, however, is the constantly changing charge of the city—it is as if a wind of change comes through the city and sweeps new energy and life through its streets. New festivals, new storefronts, new cafes, and new people keep the city vibrant and fresh amongst the fixed framework of the city’s buildings. This wind infects me and draws me along its course, and with it I discover new sections of Paris that I never knew existed—entire subcultures and neighborhoods that border the places that I thought I knew so well. It is the dichotomy of new and old that keeps Paris alive and keeps me coming back for more.
Paris has become a city of shopping and culture. High-end shops abound throughout the city, budding up to middle-range and low-end shops as well. There are neighborhoods that are more fashionable than others, but no specific lines are drawn to separate the rich from the poor, especially in a city where property is exceedingly pricey. You could be walking through a seemingly run-down area of town and happen upon a branch of Chanel or Louis Vuitton, or the upscale Paul boulangerie chain. Similarly, small stores and bodegas appear even in the more ritzy area of town, giving the city the feeling of a well-mixed batter, no room for lumps. Throughout the city you will find antique markets, farmers’ markets, and a slough of flea markets, including one of the largest in Europe at Saint-ouen. Here you will find unimaginable creativity and priceless treasures from throughout Europe and from around the world. For a slice of history, you can even take a gander at one of Paris’ hundreds of museums. From the romance and grandeur of the Louvre, to Picasso’s masterpieces, the sculptures of Rodin, or even a look at Paris’ historic past, there are so many diverse museums to uncover. There are even museums about Paris’ sexy and sometimes darkly erotic subculture at Pigalle and the not-so-sexy subterranean tour of an actual working sewer—yes, that is exactly what it looks like floating by in the underground stream below you! Or if the theatre or opera is more your style, there are hundreds of large and small performance venues throughout the city. Intimate lounge settings host an array of musicians, and grandiose concert halls resound with touring and local performances. The list of activities goes on and on, and new offerings are constantly being added.
No trip to Paris would ever be complete without a sortie into the culinary splendors that abound throughout the city. French cooking is truly exquisite, and every region of France has its own unique ways of concocting delectable delights. In Paris, the capital and cultural mecca of France, you can find restaurants that specialize in all of France’s great cuisines. Mussels and frites from Normandy, crepes from Brittany, and fabulous sausages from Alsace are just some of the foods to try. And no meal would be complete without a glass or two (or twenty) of France’s plethora of wine. Most every region of France produces wine, and new mélanges of different grapes are constantly being mixed. Finish it off with a plate of pungent French cheese or an exquisite chocolate mousse or crème brulee or any number of other desserts, and you will think you are in heaven. Plus, you can hang out at the restaurant until it closes, for the French would never dream of shooing someone from their table, interrupting the shear delight of the experience.
I have often heard it said that the only thing wrong with Paris and France is the French. The French are seen as rude and unwelcoming. Historically, they are viewed as dirty, smelly, cold, and haughty. I once even heard the results of a poll that claimed that amongst all the countries that hated the French, the French, themselves, disliked their own kind the most. Now this may be hard to believe, but after living with the French, I can attest, yes, they have some difficult and oftentimes annoying qualities. But who doesn’t. Every culture is bound to have its own shortcomings that may rub others the wrong way—it’s part of what keeps us unique. When I lived in France, I often found it difficult to make friends, as people in a bar were less likely to engage in conversation than they were in bars and other social situations in the USA. The French are, indeed, less ‘out there’ when it comes to self-expression and are much more reserved; one French psychologist even claimed that the French were, as a society, inherently self-conscious. This collective self-consciousness may explain why foreigners often deem the French as cold. I have typically learned that once the French lower their guard, they are very interesting and curious people, eager to learn about others and to share cultural insight and exchange.
For its shopping; culture; mystery; and people, Paris is a marvelous place, well worth discovering. I recommend it whole-heartedly. For those who have not visited Paris and for those who frequent it often, there are plenty of sites to discover—smells and tastes to entice and enchant you. I believe you cannot entirely know Paris, for new discoveries will arise amid the everyday fortifications of the city. Paris truly is a city of splendor and delight. But then again, that is just my opinion. Feel free to discover it on your own. When you do, I hope that you will share your adventures with me and with others so that we may all continue to learn things about my favorite city.
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