The Best of Paris

My Favorite Things About the City of Love

View of Paris near The Basilica of Sacré Coeur de Montmartre. Photo taken and provided by author.

I’ve been to Paris twice — the first time I was in high school, so I don’t recall much of that trip, but I had the opportunity to visit the city again last month.

Though the layouts of the cities are different, Paris feels like European New York City to me. Paris is all angles — cobblestone roads crisscrossing pavement in front of stone buildings and foot bridges, not like the grid blocks of New York City. The Paris skyline spreads out more than up. Still, the sights and sounds of the cities are similar. Crowds bustle as car horns beep and the smell of garbage and smoke waft through the air.

I was fortunate to be in Paris during preparations for the Olympics. The Eiffel Tower boasted the Olympic rings, and down the steps leading from the Eiffel Tower to the Seine, a countdown clock told passerby the number of days, hours, and minutes until the Olympics and Paralympics begin. All around the city were banners with “Paris 2024” written across them and people setting up structures for different events.

Banner in Paris. Photo taken and provided by author.

While Paris isn’t among my favorite European cities, there are things to love about it. Here are four…