what is it about paris?...

As I wandered the streets of Paris last weekend... I kept asking myself why we all love Paris like we do. I think I speak for most people when I say that Paris holds a certain charm, an allure beyond most other cities. We romanticise Paris... even Woody Allen has had a turn at that... and we can't get enough of her Gallic charms. I have lost count of my visits to Paris... spoilt I know, but lucky with my geography... and yet I am never bored, I am forever excited and I cannot wait to touch down on those any-thing-but-clean pavements... This question fascinates me... the why-we-are-so-infatuated-with-Paris phenomenon... Paris is a major city, like all major cities and it has it's fair share of infrastructure problems. The weather can be grey and rainy... like London... for much of the time and the locals have a less than exemplary reputation (not that I agree with that...) Hours of opening are not the most user friendly and strikes are a hazard for the unsuspecting traveller.... Yet I don't think any of this deters us... not me... Paris on the grey and in the rain is just as beautiful... A closed shop, although disappointing, is a sneak peak of pleasure and the city shenanigans... well we just deal with them...

What is the answer? Why are we enamoured with this city like no other? I decided it was not for one reason alone but for many and that was the difference... Most major cities can be summed up with a couple of descriptive adjectives but not Paris... Paris is a poem of adjectives and a list of superlatives...

* Physical beauty... She is without doubt an architectural masterpiece and her visuals are blinding, mesmerising even... 
* Uniformity... Nothing jars the eyes... and when the architecture changes... it's internal or hidden away for example the business district, La Defence... Architectural style blends in Paris...
* Grandeur... Paris is grand in the truest sense...She makes other cities seem naive in comparison even though she is smaller than many others. The boulevards, the parks, the buildings and the monuments are seriously grown up. There is nothing dinky or cute about central Paris...
* Aristocratic... Paris is elegant, sophisticated and poised... Sometimes Paris makes me feel like a clumsy child... all arms and legs... her refinement highlights unsophistication... Perhaps this is why some are intimidated by Paris and her locals. It's not intentional.. it's geographical, historical and genetic... 
* Style... Paris has such a distinctive style... Her decor internally and externally is identifiable. An image of Paris needs no label... we always know it's her... Nothing says Paris more like her ability to merge the old with the new and the eclectic with the classic. Think museums, restaurants, hotels, apartments, stores and even gardens... there is always an element of what I call "French surprise"... something unpredictable that spells P-A-R-I-S...
*Culture... Paris is an artist's dream, a photographers fantasy, a writer's inspiration but she is also very much a cultural haven for the people. Paris offers as much or as little enlightenment as your heart desires...


And once I moved away from the big Parisian picture for a closer look I thought about...


* The Locals... They are who we find fascinating and why we are attracted to Paris. The Parisians are urban creatures who make no secret of their way of life. As travellers it is unusual to witness daily life first hand... but in Paris it's possible. They are on the street buying bread, having their first coffee, walking their dogs, shopping for food, eating their lunch, gossiping with friends, exercising in the park. The Paris apartment is generally small and most people live in close confines, so life is much more about the external.
* The Cafes... They are Paris and in any arrondissement there are many. Most cities have cafes, that's true, but these cafes are different. Parisian cafes are as much about taking time to observe life as they are about coffee and croissants. They have a vibe and a buzz despite what is oftentimes poor quality coffee and average food... but we still want to be a part of that scene, to soak it up... to sit facing the street, alongside each other, rather than face to face as we normally do... We all want to people watch and that's what Paris lets us do... legitimately not furtively... People watching is a French sport and a national pastime...

* The Food... We love the food and the food is good... most of the time. For the sweet tooth... the chocolates, candies and patisseries are sublime... fruit paté, marzipan, glacé chestnuts... I could go on and on... Hands up how many of us salivate over macarons and have queued at Ladurée or Pierre Hermé for that special box?  And what of the sauces... when it comes to savoury? The hours that go into making the right jus is the difference between French cuisine and others... The more I think about it, the more I believe we take that trip to Paris for the tastes... 

* The Wine... nothing tastes quite like French champagne in Paris... We have all become very blasé about drinking bubbles but they tickle even more when consumed in their homeland...

*The Flowers... Last weekend I found myself photographing flowers and flower shops... These small floral boutiques are on every corner and the blooms were exquisite, so much prettier than those that I see in other cities... Paris is lavish when it comes to flowers... and her arrangements are uplifting...

*The Speciality Stores... Paris is about the small boutique, the unique product. There are many well known chain stores and designer boutiques but they are not what I associate Paris with... Paris is a city where the old fashioned shopping experience still exists... Go to Astier de Villatte next time you visit... you will see what I mean...

*The Dogs... yes, I think we go to Paris to see the pups. The Parisians and their canine companions are renowned... and deservedly. They are adorable...even if they aren't as street disciplined as they should be! 

And I can't not mention the fashion... the women and the girls...

*Paris is fashion... yes, she is couture and prêt à porter but what interests me more is the street style. That is where the girls get it right and where I try and observe. This past weekend the temperatures had dropped and the majority of girls had dressed for the cold. It was as if they had sent a city wide text alert with what to wear on a Saturday morning... jeans, tight puffer jacket with fur and short biker style boots... and a chunky scarf wound effortlessly around the neck... They looked chic and I immediately wanted to toss my tailored coat, dump my tired lace-ups and head home for my puffer and boots. It's not what they wear it's how they wear it... and that's the edge... Paris women interpret fashion and give it their own nod... Puffers don't have to be plain and bulky or worn as we shush down the slopes... Biker boots don't have to be Harley Davidson like and scream fashion victim... simple works too... it's about the form and the combination... And as for the elderly women... I think they are my very favourites. Older women in Paris are not afraid of fashion and that is the difference... They stay in the decade, they are not frumpy... their hair, their eyeglasses, their accessories are the latest but their basics are classic... Fearless... and confident that's them. 


Our love affair with Paris is not simple... It is complex, deep and long lasting. She intrigues and beguiles us in so many ways... I am sure that you have other reasons for loving this city as I do... What have I missed?... Can you enlighten me about this most magical of cities? xv


P.S I forgot something... The language... How could I... such a beautiful and lyrical sound....

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