After living in Paris for 4 months and doing a bit of traveling around France and Europe, I have come to the conclusion that Paris is the best city in the world. NOW, before anyone can jump on me and tell me all of the reasons why I'm wrong, let me emphasize that this is of course an opinion. I've been fortunate enough to travel to many places throughout my life and I have never fallen in love with a city quite like I have with Paris. It's true, there are many amazing cities, but I'm convinced you will never be able to find another place that perfectly captures ALL of the particular things on this list.
So, here we go:
1. The weather - now maybe I just got lucky with this one, but this place has the most mild weather of about anywhere I've been. If you're one of those people who (claim to) like all 4 seasons, this might not be for you. But I happen to love that "perfect weather day" where you could be comfortable in jeans and a jacket or shorts and a tank top. The majority of my time was spent in weather like that. Although Paris lives up to it's rainy reputation, the rain is calm and light. I can only recall one torrential downpour with all of the others being a light sprinkle. Summertime was bearable and warm and wintertime has been fall-like cool. My host family told me there is about one week of really cold weather - but who knows what "really cold" means because Parisians wear coats when it's 65 degrees out. *EDITOR'S NOTE: I wrote this paragraph before this week when we finally got our wave of the cold weather. Now, a high of 40 feels EXTREMELY cold to someone dealing with the mild weather, but regardless, I think this is a pretty tame winter season compared to the unbearable reality that is central Illinois. Currently re-warming my frozen toes...still love you, Paris.
2. The fashion (and the beautiful people) - soooo I have to admit, I am far from a fashionista. Growing up with three brothers basically classified me as a tomboy for the first 10 years of my life, and that part of my personality still makes its appearances today. But Paris has ripped me away from my every day nike shorts and t shirts and I've learned to wear real clothes. A scarf is my new favorite accessory and I never leave the house without one. But more important than that, it's the people watching that makes this so incredible. At one point in the semester, I debated creating a "Humans of New York"-esque blog just taking pictures of random strangers around the city (of course I dropped the idea when I realized how utterly creepy that is). But there is this perfect execution of classical and effortless style that so many Parisians can pull off. Not to mention, Parisians are just effortlessly beautiful without all of the fashion. Of course, not everyone is a clear representation, but it's the most stylistic community I have ever witnessed, and I love it.
3. The best food in the world - okay so maybe it's not the healthiest, but I absolutely love French cuisine. Although extremely expensive, every restaurant from the tiniest cafés to the most extravagant places have dishes that are divine. They don't only serve awesome French cuisine, but different types of food are prepared fabulously from middle-eastern to asian. Also, the French standards are pretty incredible too. Get yourself a baguette from the boulangerie, some cheese from the fromagerie and a bottle of wine from the nearest Nicolas and you're set to have one great meal. It doesn't hurt that there's a boulangerie on every corner with delicious pastries sitting in the window, and that it's usually cheaper to get a 3-course formula than 1 single main course. Between Angelina's hot chocolate, Laduree macaroons and street crepes, you could eat an entire day's worth of food in sweets. I'm going to miss the amazing food, but I'm sure my body and the extra pounds I've packed on will be happy to leave.
4. Public transportation - the first time I experienced real public transportation was when I moved to UNC and started taking the school buses from south campus to north campus. Public transportation in Paris is a way of life. When I first moved here, I didn't have a card to use the metros and just a trip to the Eiffel Tower would have taken all day. Now, I can go from the Eiffel Tower, to the Notre Dame, to the Louvre, to the Arc de Triomph in just a matter of minutes. I've really enjoyed walking everywhere and the simplicity that comes with public transportation. This isn't a strong point for everyone, but I really love this aspect of the city that makes every arrondissement accessible.
5. The city is just absolutely beautiful - the structure and the facade of the 6 story buildings with the iron gates has been maintained for hundreds of years and the history makes the city stunning. There was no better place in the world for me to fall in love with photography because every moment is so picturesque. Daytime, nighttime, sunshine, rainy, warm, cold every minute is beautiful. I'm very convinced it's the most beautiful city in the world and I could walk around for hours in awe at the city around me. The beautiful bridges across the seine create the perfect image at sunset and the perfect twinkling image at night time. One of my favorite classes that I took here was Intro to French Cinema and one of the concepts that we talked about was the use of color vs. black and white. We discussed how color is a subjective medium because the director can use color to imply something about the scene, whereas black and white is more objective. Black and white is the closest we can get to representing reality without trying to influence the thinking of the audience. Many people say that Paris photographs are most beautiful in black and white, and after taking this class, I don't think there's any better indication of just how truly beautiful this city is.
6. There are an INFINITE amount of things to do - I'm sure this comes with every large city, but there's something special about Paris. Wherever your interests lie, there is always something to fulfill your needs. Museums, monuments, concerts, ballets, bars, cafés, clubs, shows, festivals, shops, parks, forests, castles, whatever you could possibly imagine. But the best part is there's always something new to discover. Paris has so many hidden gems that often go unnoticed. Maybe you'll find a little pastry shop that holds baking classes every Wednesday night. My favorite discovery was an abandoned railway with tons of amazing street art. Whatever it is, Paris is a huge city of mystery and finding a new surprise is one of the best feelings.
7. The best shopping in the world - so this goes in line with the beautiful fashion, but it really deserves it's own point. I have avoided this to the best of my ability to afford the insane amount of traveling I have done, but shop after shop is so unbelievably tempting. Hundreds of little boutiques have some of the nicest clothes I have ever seen - and some come with an expensive price tag, but you can find some steals if you look hard enough.
8. The language - although I do a good amount of complaining about the difficulty of French, I also think it is the most beautiful language in the world. Whenever I travel, I hear so many different languages being spoken, but whenever I catch a little bit of French, it is always so nice to hear. It helps that it's the language I understand, but the fluidity and melodic flow make it sooo pleasing to the ear. Ahhhh le francais va me manquer.
9. It is so easy to travel - so also this one aligns with the public transportation comment, but again it deserves it's own point. On December 6th, I'm going to hop on a 2 hour train ride and spend the day in Belgium before hoping on another 2 hour train to head back to Paris, just like that. The train stations are easy to get to and easy to figure out. It makes trips to different countries quick and painless. Even my flights were fairly simple, without the hectic lines and intense airline security. We had 20 minutes before our flight to Barcelona and the desk attendant was in no rush to print out our tickets and rush us to security. I guess that leads me to my next point...
10. The laid back feeling combined with an energetic atmosphere - maybe this is more of a European thing than a Parisian thing, but I feel so much more relaxed here than I've ever been (and that's unbelievable being in a huge city). It seems as everyone here is just living life as it comes. Lunch breaks usually last 2 hours and the French don't live by deadlines or set schedules. I've had to stop myself from my ridiculous fast walk because I'm often obstructed by people strolling along down the sidewalk. Although I've had to adjust, I've learned to appreciate these people's sense of the world. When you see people running for exercise, which is rare, it's always a light jog. I never feel pressured to look like an athlete or run as fast as I can. Everyone does things for pleasure and enjoys themselves to the fullest, whatever that means to them. Maybe I'm the only person who feels this way living in Paris, but I really do feel that spirit every day. At the same time, there is an undeniable energy bustling around the city. At any hour of the day or night there are people around, bright lights and an energetic spirit that contrasts but also compliments the laid back vibe mentioned before. In the way that there is always something to do, there is always excitement whether you are hanging out at a bar or running all over the city. It's a strange combination that I haven't exactly found anywhere else.
11. Not overcrowded and not empty - again, this is a huge opinion, but I've never found a city that really nails this one on the head (except maybe St. Louis? Maybe...). I have always hated New York because of the terrible congestion of people. It is overcrowded and my claustrophobic personality just can't handle it. Although the metros have their moments during rush hour and the Eiffel Tower is always flooded with people, the non-touristy sections of Paris have the perfect balance in population. Paris is fairly spread out, so although there are millions of people, it isn't odd to find yourself alone on a side street. I have always avoided big cities because of this problem but for some reason it has never been an issue for me in Paris.
12. The romantic persona - cut me a break on this one. When we first came to Paris, our program director told us "Paris is not the city of love. Parisians don't have time for that, that's for the tourists" but I happen to think he's completely incorrect. Take a walk along the cobblestone path by the seine with the street lamps guided your way on a warm fall evening with your significant other. Or go to the Eiffel Tower and lay down on a blanket as you watch the tower sparkle on the hour. Either way, you can't deny the romantic pull of this beautiful city. It's impossible to walk around the city or take public transportation without seeing a few couples lost in each other's presence. I may be a little biased since I got the chance to experience this for a week, but it really is incredible and unlike any other city in the world.
13. The diversity within one city - Paris is separated into 20 arrondissements, or neighborhoods. Although they all have a "Parisian" style, each is so unique in it's own way. My favorite neighborhood is the one I spend the most time in, The Latin Quarter. It was given this name because it is the location of most of the universities, and courses in latin were required at the time of their creation. This area is bustling with young adults, tons of cafes and bars and contains impressive academic buildings placed right in the heart of the city. To contrast, Le Marais is home to the gay and jewish neighborhood, which is home to many delicious middle-eastern restaurants, plenty of unique boutiques, and curvy side streets with beautiful shops. There is also Montmartre, which sits on top of the highest elevation in Paris and is beautiful decorated with wonderful street art and little pockets of shrubbery. Every single neighborhood has a different spirit and vibe to bring. It's a shame if you spend you're entire stay trapped in a single area of Paris because you will miss so much of what there is to see.
So, here we go:
1. The weather - now maybe I just got lucky with this one, but this place has the most mild weather of about anywhere I've been. If you're one of those people who (claim to) like all 4 seasons, this might not be for you. But I happen to love that "perfect weather day" where you could be comfortable in jeans and a jacket or shorts and a tank top. The majority of my time was spent in weather like that. Although Paris lives up to it's rainy reputation, the rain is calm and light. I can only recall one torrential downpour with all of the others being a light sprinkle. Summertime was bearable and warm and wintertime has been fall-like cool. My host family told me there is about one week of really cold weather - but who knows what "really cold" means because Parisians wear coats when it's 65 degrees out. *EDITOR'S NOTE: I wrote this paragraph before this week when we finally got our wave of the cold weather. Now, a high of 40 feels EXTREMELY cold to someone dealing with the mild weather, but regardless, I think this is a pretty tame winter season compared to the unbearable reality that is central Illinois. Currently re-warming my frozen toes...still love you, Paris.
2. The fashion (and the beautiful people) - soooo I have to admit, I am far from a fashionista. Growing up with three brothers basically classified me as a tomboy for the first 10 years of my life, and that part of my personality still makes its appearances today. But Paris has ripped me away from my every day nike shorts and t shirts and I've learned to wear real clothes. A scarf is my new favorite accessory and I never leave the house without one. But more important than that, it's the people watching that makes this so incredible. At one point in the semester, I debated creating a "Humans of New York"-esque blog just taking pictures of random strangers around the city (of course I dropped the idea when I realized how utterly creepy that is). But there is this perfect execution of classical and effortless style that so many Parisians can pull off. Not to mention, Parisians are just effortlessly beautiful without all of the fashion. Of course, not everyone is a clear representation, but it's the most stylistic community I have ever witnessed, and I love it.
3. The best food in the world - okay so maybe it's not the healthiest, but I absolutely love French cuisine. Although extremely expensive, every restaurant from the tiniest cafés to the most extravagant places have dishes that are divine. They don't only serve awesome French cuisine, but different types of food are prepared fabulously from middle-eastern to asian. Also, the French standards are pretty incredible too. Get yourself a baguette from the boulangerie, some cheese from the fromagerie and a bottle of wine from the nearest Nicolas and you're set to have one great meal. It doesn't hurt that there's a boulangerie on every corner with delicious pastries sitting in the window, and that it's usually cheaper to get a 3-course formula than 1 single main course. Between Angelina's hot chocolate, Laduree macaroons and street crepes, you could eat an entire day's worth of food in sweets. I'm going to miss the amazing food, but I'm sure my body and the extra pounds I've packed on will be happy to leave.
4. Public transportation - the first time I experienced real public transportation was when I moved to UNC and started taking the school buses from south campus to north campus. Public transportation in Paris is a way of life. When I first moved here, I didn't have a card to use the metros and just a trip to the Eiffel Tower would have taken all day. Now, I can go from the Eiffel Tower, to the Notre Dame, to the Louvre, to the Arc de Triomph in just a matter of minutes. I've really enjoyed walking everywhere and the simplicity that comes with public transportation. This isn't a strong point for everyone, but I really love this aspect of the city that makes every arrondissement accessible.
5. The city is just absolutely beautiful - the structure and the facade of the 6 story buildings with the iron gates has been maintained for hundreds of years and the history makes the city stunning. There was no better place in the world for me to fall in love with photography because every moment is so picturesque. Daytime, nighttime, sunshine, rainy, warm, cold every minute is beautiful. I'm very convinced it's the most beautiful city in the world and I could walk around for hours in awe at the city around me. The beautiful bridges across the seine create the perfect image at sunset and the perfect twinkling image at night time. One of my favorite classes that I took here was Intro to French Cinema and one of the concepts that we talked about was the use of color vs. black and white. We discussed how color is a subjective medium because the director can use color to imply something about the scene, whereas black and white is more objective. Black and white is the closest we can get to representing reality without trying to influence the thinking of the audience. Many people say that Paris photographs are most beautiful in black and white, and after taking this class, I don't think there's any better indication of just how truly beautiful this city is.
6. There are an INFINITE amount of things to do - I'm sure this comes with every large city, but there's something special about Paris. Wherever your interests lie, there is always something to fulfill your needs. Museums, monuments, concerts, ballets, bars, cafés, clubs, shows, festivals, shops, parks, forests, castles, whatever you could possibly imagine. But the best part is there's always something new to discover. Paris has so many hidden gems that often go unnoticed. Maybe you'll find a little pastry shop that holds baking classes every Wednesday night. My favorite discovery was an abandoned railway with tons of amazing street art. Whatever it is, Paris is a huge city of mystery and finding a new surprise is one of the best feelings.
7. The best shopping in the world - so this goes in line with the beautiful fashion, but it really deserves it's own point. I have avoided this to the best of my ability to afford the insane amount of traveling I have done, but shop after shop is so unbelievably tempting. Hundreds of little boutiques have some of the nicest clothes I have ever seen - and some come with an expensive price tag, but you can find some steals if you look hard enough.
8. The language - although I do a good amount of complaining about the difficulty of French, I also think it is the most beautiful language in the world. Whenever I travel, I hear so many different languages being spoken, but whenever I catch a little bit of French, it is always so nice to hear. It helps that it's the language I understand, but the fluidity and melodic flow make it sooo pleasing to the ear. Ahhhh le francais va me manquer.
9. It is so easy to travel - so also this one aligns with the public transportation comment, but again it deserves it's own point. On December 6th, I'm going to hop on a 2 hour train ride and spend the day in Belgium before hoping on another 2 hour train to head back to Paris, just like that. The train stations are easy to get to and easy to figure out. It makes trips to different countries quick and painless. Even my flights were fairly simple, without the hectic lines and intense airline security. We had 20 minutes before our flight to Barcelona and the desk attendant was in no rush to print out our tickets and rush us to security. I guess that leads me to my next point...
10. The laid back feeling combined with an energetic atmosphere - maybe this is more of a European thing than a Parisian thing, but I feel so much more relaxed here than I've ever been (and that's unbelievable being in a huge city). It seems as everyone here is just living life as it comes. Lunch breaks usually last 2 hours and the French don't live by deadlines or set schedules. I've had to stop myself from my ridiculous fast walk because I'm often obstructed by people strolling along down the sidewalk. Although I've had to adjust, I've learned to appreciate these people's sense of the world. When you see people running for exercise, which is rare, it's always a light jog. I never feel pressured to look like an athlete or run as fast as I can. Everyone does things for pleasure and enjoys themselves to the fullest, whatever that means to them. Maybe I'm the only person who feels this way living in Paris, but I really do feel that spirit every day. At the same time, there is an undeniable energy bustling around the city. At any hour of the day or night there are people around, bright lights and an energetic spirit that contrasts but also compliments the laid back vibe mentioned before. In the way that there is always something to do, there is always excitement whether you are hanging out at a bar or running all over the city. It's a strange combination that I haven't exactly found anywhere else.
11. Not overcrowded and not empty - again, this is a huge opinion, but I've never found a city that really nails this one on the head (except maybe St. Louis? Maybe...). I have always hated New York because of the terrible congestion of people. It is overcrowded and my claustrophobic personality just can't handle it. Although the metros have their moments during rush hour and the Eiffel Tower is always flooded with people, the non-touristy sections of Paris have the perfect balance in population. Paris is fairly spread out, so although there are millions of people, it isn't odd to find yourself alone on a side street. I have always avoided big cities because of this problem but for some reason it has never been an issue for me in Paris.
12. The romantic persona - cut me a break on this one. When we first came to Paris, our program director told us "Paris is not the city of love. Parisians don't have time for that, that's for the tourists" but I happen to think he's completely incorrect. Take a walk along the cobblestone path by the seine with the street lamps guided your way on a warm fall evening with your significant other. Or go to the Eiffel Tower and lay down on a blanket as you watch the tower sparkle on the hour. Either way, you can't deny the romantic pull of this beautiful city. It's impossible to walk around the city or take public transportation without seeing a few couples lost in each other's presence. I may be a little biased since I got the chance to experience this for a week, but it really is incredible and unlike any other city in the world.
13. The diversity within one city - Paris is separated into 20 arrondissements, or neighborhoods. Although they all have a "Parisian" style, each is so unique in it's own way. My favorite neighborhood is the one I spend the most time in, The Latin Quarter. It was given this name because it is the location of most of the universities, and courses in latin were required at the time of their creation. This area is bustling with young adults, tons of cafes and bars and contains impressive academic buildings placed right in the heart of the city. To contrast, Le Marais is home to the gay and jewish neighborhood, which is home to many delicious middle-eastern restaurants, plenty of unique boutiques, and curvy side streets with beautiful shops. There is also Montmartre, which sits on top of the highest elevation in Paris and is beautiful decorated with wonderful street art and little pockets of shrubbery. Every single neighborhood has a different spirit and vibe to bring. It's a shame if you spend you're entire stay trapped in a single area of Paris because you will miss so much of what there is to see.