On your next trip to Paris be sure and consider the City of Light's long history. It adds meaning to your trip ...
A Quick Glance at Paris
Paris is all
about the Seine; the earliest people to visit were not
coming for the shopping or the food, but because the river that still meanders
through the city provided prehistoric humans with a means of existence. Recent
excavations have unearthed canoes over 6,000 years old, far outdating the
Celtic tribe called the Parisii that were known to have occupied the
area in the 3rd Century BC.
Rome made Paris
and the rest of Gaul part of the Roman domain in the 1st
Century BC, and no doubt the militaristic Roman appreciated the ideal situation
of the Ile de la Cité, right in the middle of the wide river, protected
and great for trade. You can visit a bit of Roman Paris at the Crypte
Archéologique under the square of
Notre-Dame.
Paris grew
throughout the Middle Ages, and became a major center of political power.
During this period the Church provided the critical impetus for growth and
development. Think about that as you view the gothic spires of Notre-Dame, a
massive cathedral that took from 1163 to 1334 to complete.
During the Renaissance the city of Paris
flourished. Pompous French kings fell in love with the art bursting forth,
first from Italy,
and then from all over Europe. Paris
was transformed by architects who brought a new aesthetic to the growing city.
One of their creations, the Place Royale was built in 1609, with grand
symmetrical houses around an open square. Visit it today at Place des Vosges,
in the heart of the Marais.
Vacation in Europe
Here's a place to go if you are planning to pop over the pond ...
Paris Travel
This is a quick vid travel guide, hope that it is helpful ...