Tuesday 17 December 2013

4 reasons why I am head over heels in love with Paris

The architecture blew me away. The impeccable style of the elegant buildings, the astonishing and perfect symmetries of Notre-Dame de Paris and Sainte Chapelle, as well as the general harmony of most of the city: in Paris it is hard to find buildings that clash one against the other. I loved the sloping roofs and the elegant railings in the buildings of central Paris, but also the stained windows of Gothic churches and the innovative architecture of some of the most famous museums, such as the Musée d'Orsay and the Louvre.

 
Louvre seen from Tuileries Gardens, Paris
The Louvre building seen from the Tuileries gardens

Sainte Chapelle, Paris
Sainte Chapelle

 
I could gaze at shops forever. From boulangeries (bakeries) and patisseries (cake shops), to the carefully-designed shop windows in Galeries LaFayette, every shop in Paris seemed to have the perfect way to show their merchandise with grace and style. From buying a delicious butter croissant to browsing through second hand book shops in the Latin Quarter, Paris has something for everyone in terms of shopping. I'm hardly a shopping girl, but in Paris I couldn't stop admiring the taste of Parisian people in everything from clothes to furniture. 



Shopping in Paris
Shopping in Paris
 
Patisserie, Paris
Boulangerie


The history you breathe in every corner. In Paris I felt that the history was present in every corner. From discovering that the now modern Place de la Concorde with the giant wheel was the site where during the French Revolution every dissenter, including Marie Antoinette, was guillotined, to walking through the streets of Montmartre on the steps of Toulouse-Lautrec, I felt that every small corner of the city had a story behind it, and usually one that I had read about, seen in a movie and highly identified with.  


Paris in the winter
Place de la Concorde, where many people were guillotined during the French Revolution
 
Notre Dame de Paris
Notre Dame the Paris


The atmosphere. Is it those chairs lining the cobbled streets of Paris, serving endless steak frites and poulet roti? Is it the delicious smell of the many bakeries, the chit-chat of the impeccably-dressed Parisians, or the art nouveau style of the metro stations? Is it the perfect arrangement of boulevards and monuments, or the iconic silhouette of the Tour Eiffel? The fact is that Paris exudes a certain atmosphere that is hard to describe.

Place de Vosges, Paris
Place des Vosges, one of the most atmospheric squares in Paris

 
Montmartre
Montmartre


If it wasn't clear, I really loved this European capital, and I can't believe I waited so long to visit. What are the reasons that made YOU fall in love with Paris?

2 comments:

  1. These are decent reasons my dear to fall in love with Paris! I was also blown away from the stunning architecture and I fell in love with croissant!! <3

    ReplyDelete
  2. i agree, the architecture is beautiful! also loved sitting in cafes with a glass of wine, watching locals go about their everyday life

    ReplyDelete

01 09 10