|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Whether your discovering Paris for the first time or an addict coming back for more Paris has a lot to offer. A global city on par with London, New York and Tokyo you're sure to be amazed by practically everything you see from the world-famous masterpieces hanging on the walls at the Louvre to the serene tree lined paths of the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Bois de Boulogne. The sumptuous food, the unparalleled cultural scene, the utter magnificence of Paris all remain intact just as they have throughout the centuries. Despite upheaval, war, economic up and downs and all the rest nothing seems to be able to stop this city from being a sensational place to visit. All the same, not everything in Paris is as it once was. Tourists coming back to the city are sure to notice some surprising changes. Taxi drivers may no longer correct your fractured French but address you in English -- tantamount to a revolution. More Parisians have a rudimentary knowledge of the language, and France, at least at first glance, seems less xenophobic than in past years. In addition, Paris, aware of its role within a united Europe, has become even more of an international city. Parisians are attracted to foreign music, videos, and films from around the western world. Even more recently Paris's role as a world city has extended into the developing-world as more and more immigrants from those countries re-locate onto French soil. In today's Paris you are just as likely to hear people chatting in Chinese, Algerian or Russian as you are to hear them in French. And even when French is the language being used you might catch a few phrases you understand. Globalization has become so deep a part of Parisian life that expressions like le weekend and le software are commonly used. Despite all this, while Paris may be in flux culturally and socially, it lures travellers for the same reasons it always has. You'll still find classic sights like the Tour Eiffel, Notre-Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, Sacré-Coeur, and all those atmospheric cafes, as well as trendy new projects like the Grande Arche de La Défense, the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, the Cité de la Musique, and the Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand. And don't forget the parks, gardens, and squares; the Champs-Elysées and other grand boulevards; the river Seine and its quays. Paris's beauty is still overwhelming, especially at night, when it truly is the City of Light. |