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The city of Paris and the surrounding Ile de France are known as a center for art, romance, music and fashion. Host to some of the most important and influential events in history, this region of France has forever captivated the imaginations and hearts of those who visit. A center of fashion and haute cuisine, and a bastion of culture for those interested in history or fine art, Paris is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. As home to some of the most impressive and sophisticated museums in the world, and a range of designer fashion labels second only to Milan, Paris makes for an urban experience unlike any other!
- Rich history
- Historical landmarks
- Exquisite museums
- Traditional cuisine and trendy restaurants
- Excellent shopping
- Exciting nightlife
On what is today modern day Paris, it is believed that in approximately 250 BC an ancient Celtic tribe called the Parisii established a small fishing village. Paris and its surrounding area have since thrived as the economic center of France thanks in part to its location on the Seine River. Different people and tribes have continuously inhabited the Paris basin for millennia, but Paris and the Ile de France as they exist today only came into existence after the beginning of the Middle Ages, with the ruling Bourbons establishing a firm Catholic stronghold in France. With the advent of the Fronde rebellion, a series of civil wars between 1648 and 1653, Paris once again became an intellectual and cultural center, spawning luminaries such as Voltaire and the idealists of the French Revolution. Though the ideals set out by the republican revolutionaries quickly degenerated again into monarchy, Paris and the surrounding area continued to flourish; and despite plague and famine remained center stage through much of the early modern era.
The 20th century saw wars and the movement of the capital once again, but also hosted the famous “Lost Generation” of expatriate writers, including Stein, and Hemingway. World War II affected the area heavily; the German Occupation and subsequent liberation of Paris destroyed much property and saw the theft of its priceless art. Following the aftermath of the war, Paris began to be rebuilt and has since grown into a truly global city.
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