Paris

Why Paris?

Paris has always laid claim to being the cultural capital of the world. It's certainly still one of the most romantic cities in the world, as well as one of the most harmonious architecturally - due to its wholesale re-modelling under Baron Haussman in the late 19thC, who swept away many of the narrow medieval streets and historic slums to create wide boulevards and comfortable sidewalks for strolling. Ignore the street signs and major monuments and look up at the top few floors of the buildings, and you could be anywhere in central Paris - each conforms to a standard 7/8 storey template, built in similar belle epoque style with metal grilled balconies and mansard style roofs. What Haussman left were the monuments - the churches, some of the squares, the palaces. So today we are left with a harmonious city that is a perfect canvas for what the French do best - the buildings to create an effect. The axis created by the Champs Elysees, from the Louvre through the Concorde to the Arch de Triomphe and the new arch at La Defense - this is pure Parisian theatre.

Principal Attractions

So for the visitor, often without actually knowing why, the city feels immensely comfortable while at the same time being impressive. Principal attractions include the great art collections, from the Louvre to the Musee d'Orsay, and the plethora of small shops, designers and boutiques, many clustered on the Left Bank, an advantage Paris has over the more bland offerings of London. It's restaurant scene may not still be as vibrant or as dominant as it was, but the French still do bourgeois brasserie cooking better than anyone else in the world, and value is excellent.

Above all, Paris is a city for romance, for wandering and discovering. Service levels have been poor over recent years, as well as the general energy of the local population, depressed by a run of poor economic activity. However, change is in the air, and the new President Sarkozy, elected in 2007, may help make Paris once again an optimistic, energetic city to visit, and not just a place for romance and nostalgia.