PARIS drizzles’, as Cole Porter put it. And you’ll be back. Trustus. putit.Andyou’llbeback. drizzles’, asColePorter everywhere, atanytime,even ‘inthesummer,whenitsizzles’andwinter, whenit or thespire ofNotre Dameweren’t abouttopopintoviewatanymoment. culture, andtoexplore thecity’savenues andbackstreets asthoughthetipofEiffel Tower approach istosetasidethepreconceptions ofParis ofEnglish-speaking thatare somuchapart won’t speakEnglish.Ifyoulookhardenough,canprobablyfindallofthose. Butanother matters incafés,ofromancealongtheSeine,naughtynightclubrevues, ofrudepeoplewho forfirst-time ofexpectations visitors:ofgrandvistas,intellectuals discussingweighty sorts impressive publicbuildingsandexceptionalmuseumstoparks,gardensesplanades. is thegrandnessandmagic ofstrollingalongthecity’sbroadavenues, whichleadfrom differences betweentheLeft Banks. andRight Butwhatwriters have beenunabletocapture Dame andtheEiffel Towerhave beendescribedcountlesstimes,ashave theSeineand Paris hasallbutexhausted thesuperlatives thatcanreasonably beappliedtoanycity.Notre Paris 108 © LonelyPlanetPublications You’ll soondiscover (assomanyothersbefore youhave) thatParis isenchantingalmost With more famouslandmarksthananyothercityintheworld,French all capitalevokes
HIGHLIGHTS
POPULATION: 2.177 MILLION Enjoy the collections and the spectacular rooftopviewsatthe andthespectacular Enjoythecollections Relive the Gonottothe topbutthebottomof Enjoytheviews ofthetimeless of attheincomparablecollection Marvel Checkoutthestately Bestunned(andinspired) bytheveritable wallofsublimestainedglassin IntroduceyourselftooneofParis’ newmuseums: thearchitecturally stunning(andcontent- Eiffel Tower from thebanksoronanevening cruise the waterfront Impressionist andpost-Impressionist at art ( p145), rich) windmills on a walking tourof windmills onawalking ( p161) world’s most successful art andculture centreworld’s mostsuccessfulart than Paris itself onthelandmarkthat’smoretake Parisian the district’s throbbingbarsandclubsafterthe district’s dark Musée duQuaiBranly
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18) the (p138), by dayand ( p152 ) PARIS 109 After the war, Paris regained its position its regained the war, Paris After France struggled under a string of mostly France struggled a string of under The defeat of Austria-Hungary and Austria-Hungary and of The defeat At first the Revolution the At first was in the hands as a creative centre and nurtured a revital- and nurtured centre as a creative a climax in the ised liberalism that reached 1968. The Sorbonne student-led uprisings of set up in the was occupied, barricades were Latin and some nine million people Quarter to join in a general inspired nationwide were Third Republic ushered in the glittering and in the glittering Third Republic ushered known as the belle époque period creative very for its graceful art- celebrated (beautiful age), and advances in the arts architecture nouveau and sciences. Alsace Germany regained in WWI, which in the and Lorraine for France (lost to Prussia at an unim- century), was achieved previous all French aginable human cost; with 20% of killed. between 20 and 45 years males aged had become a By the 1930s, however, Paris and had for the artistic avant-garde centre among freethinking established its reputation by the Nazi This was all cut short intellectuals. under would remain 1940; Paris occupation of August 1944. German rule until 25 direct about his defeat, first in Russia in 1812 and in Russia first about his defeat, was in Belgium at Waterloo later in 1815. He South Atlantic island, where exiled to a remote in 1821. he died until a coup d’état in 1851 inept rulers He brought Emperor Napoleon III to power. modern a more the construction of oversaw with wide boulevards, parks sculpted Paris, – a modern sewer and – not insignificant his pugnacious uncle, however, Like system. led to for blood, which Napoleon had a taste his costly and unsuccessful war with Prussia heard of in 1870. When the masses in Paris by the enemy, they their emperor’s capture demanding that a republic took to the streets, its bloody beginnings, the Despite be declared. the storming of the Bastille prison – kick- of the storming Revolution. French starting the so- the years a few but within moderates, of even during which Terror, of called Reign was in guillotined, patriots were the original unstablefull swing. The post-Revolutionary 1799 under in was consolidated government Napoleon named general a young Corsican Consul. himself First who declared Bonaparte, crown him ‘Emperor In 1804 he had the Pope Dame and then went at Notre the French’ of Europe. most of forward and conquered eventuallyNapoleon’s ambitions brought •• History PARIS
Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, The Renaissance helped Paris get back on back on get The Renaissance Paris helped The incursions heralded the Hundred heralded the Hundred The incursions In the 9th century France was beset by was besetIn the 9th century France by HISTORY HISTORY uprising of Parisians on 14 July 1789 and on 14 July 1789 and Parisians uprising of of Paris. The excesses of Louis XVI and his XVI Louis The excesses of Paris. of in part led to an queen, Marie-Antoinette, ing the national coffers with his ambitious with his ambitious ing the national coffers legacy building and battling. His greatest 21km southwest is the palace at Versailles, ascended the throne in 1643 at the age of of ascended the throne in 1643 at the age 1715, virtually empty- and ruled until five were were slaughtered. St Bartholomew’s Day massacre in 1572, St Bartholomew’s in 1572, Day massacre 3000 Huguenots who had gath- in which the wedding of to celebrate in Paris ered IV) King Henri (later Navarre of Henri (Protestant) and Catholic groups increased. incident was the so-called such The worst But in less than a century Paris was again was again But in less than a century Paris in turmoil, as clashes between Huguenot its feet at the end of the 15th century, and at the end of its feet buildings the city’s most famous many of at this time. erected and monuments were the English at Orléans. With the exception out finally driven Calais, the English were of in 1453. France of In 1429 the 17-year-old Jeanne d’Arc (Joan d’Arc Jeanne In 1429 the 17-year-old troops to defeat Arc) rallied the French of ing the French defeat at Agincourt in 1415 at Agincourt defeat ing the French the capital in 1420. control of and English Years’ War between Norman England and Years’ eventually bring- the Capetian in Paris, rulers Sorbonne opened its doors in 1253. Sorbonne opened its doors the 12th century, the Louvre was built as a the 12th century, the Louvre around 1200, the beautiful fortress riverside was consecrated in 1248 and the Ste-Chapelle rapidly in importance that construction had Dame in Notre of begun on the cathedral ‘Norsemen’ (later known as Normans) started known as ‘Norsemen’ (later had risen which so pushing towards Paris, Scandinavian Vikings, who raided the west- Vikings, Scandinavian centuries these within three ern coastal areas; led by Vercingétorix. Christianity was intro- Vercingétorix. led by rule 2nd century AD, but Roman duced in the arrival of 5th century with the ended in the the Germanic king 508 Frankish Franks. In kingdom and made Gaul as a I united Clovis his seat. Paris the Gauls and Romans ended in 52 BC, Romans ended in 52 the Gauls and when Julius Caesar’s a Celtic crushed legions revolt the Île de la Cité. Centuriesthe Île de la Cité. conflict between of In the 3rd century BC a tribe of Celtic Gauls BC 3rd century In the of a tribe settled is now on what Parisii known as the lonelyplanet.com