Wednesday, September 9, 2020
FACTS ABOUT PARIS
Looking for the best facts about Paris!? Well, look no further, because I’ve put together a really amazing list of unique, fun, and interesting Paris facts that’ll surely surprise you! This was a really fun article to put together, and I guarantee you’ll learn a lot!
Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and there are some really captivating facts and bits of knowledge to discover! Any city that is as old as Paris is bound to have a long list of interesting, fun and sometimes even scary stories behind it, and I’ve compiled a few of my favorites!
FUN FACTS ABOUT PARIS
1) Paris is known as “The City of Lights”. This is not only due to its historical enlightenment period, but also the fact that it was one of the first cities in the world to install street lights.
2) Camouflage clothing in the military was first used by the French. The word “camouflage” roughly translates to “make up for the stage”.
3) The famous bell of Notre Dame Cathedral actually has a name! It is fondly referred to as Emmanuel, and he weighs 13 tons. No sign of Quasimodo though…
4) There’s an unwritten law that states that every city in France must have a road named after Victor Hugo, author of Les Misérables. Paris’ Avenue Victor-Hugo can be found in the 16th arrondissement, and is also where the novelist lived.
5) The oldest house in Paris is located at 51, rue de Montmorency, 3. Arrondissement. It was built in 1407!
6) The famous “Bloody Mary” cocktail originated in Paris at the Ritz Hotel, by who other than famed novelist Ernest Hemingway himself! Legend says that the popular drink was the result of Hemingway’s request for a drink that didn’t smell like alcohol, so he was given vodka mixed with tomato juice.
7) The first photo ever taken of a person was taken on a street in Paris by Louis Daguerre. By today’s standards it isn’t great quality, but it paved the way for people like me to do what I do!
8) If you’re a cheese fiend, head to Paris to sample just a few of France’s 1000 distinct types of cheese.
9) Move over Amsterdam – Paris is the new destination for cycling. With over 500km of bike lanes across the city, they are taking their eco-friendly initiative seriously.
10) The globally renowned cabaret, The Moulin Rouge, has been operating since 1899 in the heart of Paris’ Red Light District. You can still enjoy a night here, with dinner and a burlesque or even magic show on offer. In fact, the theatre has 80 performers on rotation year-round.
11) It’s someone’s job to count and document the trees of Paris. The last count? 470,000. Parisians are proud people, and have a unified approach to maintaining the beauty of their green city.
12) In Paris, becoming a taxi driver is an expensive business venture. Drivers have to pay up to 200,000 Euros to attain a taxi license. I guess you have to really love what you do!
13) The Pont Neuf is the oldest bridge in Paris, standing since 1604. But perhaps the most popular bridge is the Pont des Arts, famous for its thousands of “love locks”, locks visitors secure to the bridge and decorated with love notes.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT PARIS
14) Under the Roman Empire around 300BC , the city of Paris was named “Lutetia”.
15) The craziness of driving in Paris rivals other major cities like Rome, and you have to have nerves of steel to do so. The fact that the city only has ONE stop sign probably won’t encourage you. Scrap that – make that NONE. That one lone stop sign was removed in 2012. Happy driving!
16) Paris is divided into 20 distinct “arrondissements”, which start at the centre and work their way out. For context, the Louvre is located in the 1st arrondissement.
17) New York’s iconic Statue of Liberty was a gift from the French. But that doesn’t mean that France didn’t make a few for themselves. There are currently ten Statues of Liberty in France, with five in Paris alone.
18) Paris is ten times older than many countries, and the oldest café in the city, Le Procope, has been in operation since 1686.
19) Paris is renowned for its iconic fashion and beauty scene, with brands such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Lacroix, Lancôme, Givenchy and Christian Louboutin all originating here. And that’s just to name a few.
20) The Paris Metro system doesn’t announce their steps like most major cities. So don’t fall asleep on your commute – who knows where you could wake up!
21) To walk from the North side of Paris to the South, it will take you around 135 minutes. Luckily, it’s such a great walking city, you’ll hardly notice.
22) It should come as no surprise that Paris has the largest number of Michelin Star restaurants in the world. If you’re in the market for world class food in Paris, check out L’Arpège, Hotel le Bristol or Pierre Gagnaire.
23) Montmartre is the Parisian neighborhood historically renowned for attracting artists, musicians, writers and creatives. Tourist-wise, it’s one of Paris’ most popular hangouts, and is full of artsy, cool people, cafes, shops and cobblestone streets. If you’re feeling motivated, climbing the 300 steps to Sacré-Coeur will provide you with some of the best city skyline photo ops in Paris. Well worth it!
24) One of Paris’ most visited public landmarks in the incredible Arc de Triomphe, which lies at the very end of the Champs-Élysées at the Place Charles de Gaulle. Here, you can take in iconic neoclassical architecture, climb to the top for sweeping views of the Champs-Élysées and beyond, or pay your respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
25) There is a phenomenon called “The Paris Syndrome”. Most common amongst Japanese tourists, The Paris Syndrome comes as a result of the media’s depiction of Paris as a world-class fashion destination with endless natural beauty. Upon arrival in Paris, these visitors feel super disappointed by the false image they’ve been fed. However, I can honestly say I do not suffer from The Paris Syndrome – I absolutely love it!
FACTS ABOUT PARIS FOR KIDS
26) Paris is the capital city of France, a country located in Western Europe. From Paris, you can fly to London in an hour or to New York City in just over five hours.
27) The population of Paris is 2.2 million as of the beginning of 2019, all living in the city limits that span around 105 square kilometres.
28) France shares borders with quite a few countries! Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Spain and Italy are all neighbors.
29) The French Army still use carrier pigeons – the only one in Europe still to do so! In case of an emergency, much like the owls in Harry Potter, these pigeons are trained to carry important information.
30) Paris is a great destination for kids! With over 450 parks and gardens dotting the city, that’s a lot of space to run wild!
31) There are more dogs in Paris than children. Parisians love their furry friends, and it’s not uncommon to see their owners treating them to a doggy spa session.
32) The Tour de France is the world’s most famous cycling event, and finishes on the historical stretch of the Champs-Élysée in Paris.
33) The most popular way that locals get around Paris is by their extensive Metro train system. Around 5 million people per day use it, and after Moscow, it’s the busiest underground network in Europe.
34) Have you seen Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame? It’s set in Paris’ most famous cathedral and is based on the legend of Quasimodo, who is said to ring the bells of the church. At least that’s what novelist Victor Hugo said in his 1831 story.
35) Disneyland Paris isn’t exactly located in Paris. It can be found in the rural town of Marne-la-Vallée, which is approximately 32km from the city. Around 15 million visitors a year head to Disneyland Paris for tons of fun at the happiest place on Earth!
36) Learning French is fun and fulfilling. It’s actually the second most studied language in the world after English.
EIFFEL TOWER FACTS
37) The Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel in French) stands proudly on the Champs de Mars in the heart of Paris. It is just over 1000 feet tall and has three accessible floors, and is named after Gustav Eiffel, the head engineer tasked with making the dream of the tower a reality.
38) Construction on the Eiffel Tower started in 1887, and was completed in 1889, just in time for the World’s Fair, during which it played a central role. Even at 130 years old, it is still one of Paris’ youngest landmarks by comparison.
39) The landmark was actually only meant to be the entrance to the Paris World’s Fair in 1889. The agreement was that it was to stand for 20 years after, and then be taken down, but over a century on and as one of the world’s most famous sights, it’s safe to say it isn’t going anywhere!
40) For a time, the Eiffel Tower was the tallest man made structure in the world, but the Chrysler Building in New York City surpassed it in 1930. We Americans are so competitive!
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