Paris is a difficult city for tourists to conquer; the famous sights, museums, shops, restaurants and gardens are seemingly endless. Even if you had enough time to do everything mentioned in a traveler’s guide, you still wouldn’t see everything.
You can’t capture Paris in one visit or summarize its mystique in a few pictures. But, for what its worth, here are fourteen ways to remember this fantastic city.
1. The memorable skyline
- celebrated by vintage postcards everywhere.
Paris by Moyan Brenn
2. Art, food, fashion
- and any other topic tyrannized by connoisseurs.
Image by _yamaneko
3. Beautiful baked goods (like macarons) served with tiny cups of coffee
- appearance trumps everything.
What's your Colour??? by Keven Law
4. The Eiffel Tower
- a sure place to find tourists, overpriced food, and immigrants selling key chains.
La tour sombre by Alpha du centaure
5. And long lines.
People or Ants? by Adrian Boliston
6. The classy metro signs.
Paris Old Metro Signboard by Pedro Ribeiro Simões
7. Parisian dogs everywhere
- restaurants included.
Les feuilles magiques by Frédéric DUPONT
8. Parks, fountains, and fashionably-dressed children.
fuente de vida by bachmont
9. The remarkable silence of early mornings
- Parisians evidently prefer the evening.
Paris s'éveille by Alexandre Duret-Lutz
10. Accident-prone traffic circles
- most notably, the Arc de Triomphe: ‘the only place in Paris where the accidents are not judged. No matter what the circumstances, insurance companies split the costs fifty-fifty. In Paris, a good driver gets only scratches, not dents.’ [Rick Steves' Europe]
paris road trip by filtran
11. The Champs-Élysées
- crowded at all times except in the early morning. (Of course.)
The Avenue by Wayne Shipley
12. The surprising number of elderly people walking about
- the men play chess and pétanque in the park almost every day.
No more CanCan by Skyline-Photo
13. The Parisian pastime of people-watching
- with midday wine and/or coffee.
Montmartre by John Althouse Cohen
14. Kissing couples
- they’re as common as the dogs.
Sun Kiss (explored) by Allen Skyy
