If you’re looking to take advantage of a strong dollar and weak Euro and visit The City of Lights this Spring, then here are some fast facts about Paris that will make your trip even more rewarding.
- There is a Statue of Liberty in Paris. A smaller version of the one in America, it faces toward the Statue of Liberty in America, symbolizing the friendship between the two countries. It isn’t on any tour route, but can be found by starting at the Eiffel Tower, walk toward the river and turn left before you cross. Walk down the river for two bridges. You will then see an island running between the two bridges, the statue stands on the far end of the island.
- Paris changes its mind a lot! This is the reason that you might find two street names, one on a blue plaque, one carved in stone marking a street. The Blue one is the correct one. Many street names were changed after the Revolution, when things that related to royalty or religion went out of fashion. Often times, the city couldn’t be bothered to remove the original old stone sign.
- You’ll get more respect if you order your coffee correctly! When asking for an espresso say “un express”, “un allongé” for an americano, and “un crème” for a café au lait, And don’t bother asking for a cappuccino, as this is considered a “western” coffee, and might be frowned upon.
- In 1976, there was a WINE TASTING in Paris that blindly compared Californian wines with French wines. Californian won the competition, and the lone reporter covering the event was blacklisted from covering the French wine community for daring to report it.
- If you’re looking for an unusual dinner, look no farther than Jim Haynes, the man in Paris who invites complete strangers to his house for a dinner party each week. He has been doing this for over thirty years. You must register on his website to be invited. http://www.jim-haynes.com/contact/
- In WW II, Muslims, it seems, rescued Jews from the Nazis in many places, but notably in Paris. The Great Mosque of Paris sheltered Jews during the Holocaust and supplied them with Muslim identity certificates to keep them hidden.
- Paris and Rome are exclusive sister cities, seeing no other city in the world as equal counterparts. The two use the motto: “Only Paris is worthy of Rome; only Rome is worthy of Paris.”
