Loitering down the streets of Paris, one can’t but wonder about the beauty and magnificence of its buildings. It was hard to guess if it was a new construction or if the Parisians had done such a spectacular job way back in the 19th century! The architect of the city, Haussmann, was a visionary.
The apartments are homogenous, and one building very imperceptibly blends into the other forming a unique landscape.
The French historian Léon Halévy wrote in 1867, "the work of Monsieur Haussmann is incomparable. Everyone agrees. Paris is a marvel, and M. Haussmann has done in fifteen years what a century could not have done. But that's enough for the moment. There will be a 20th century. Let's leave something for them to do.
I don’t think they did anything better. Thankfully they are maintaining it well!
Winding rues, big boulevards, and elegant avenues — they all have their own charm. But a few unmissable rues are Avenue des Champs-Elysées, known as the most beautiful avenue in the world! If you happen to be there during Christmas time, enjoy the street glittering under the holiday lights, which also hosts an enormous Christmas market.
Known in Paris as le Mur des je t’aime, “I Love You: The Wall” is an expression of love by artists Frédéric Baron and Claire Kito. Tucked into the small Square Jehan Rictus in Montmartre, stands a 416-square-foot wall covered in pretty blue tiles with “I love you” written in 250 different languages.
Last but not least, please don’t miss the Place du Tertre when you are in Montmartre! With its many artists setting up their easels each day for the tourists, the Place du Tertre is a reminder of the time when Montmartre was the mecca of modern art. Many painters including Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, and Maurice Utrillo used to live there!
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