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Paris, the fabled city of light - inextricably linked to Toulouse-Lautrec, Victor Hugo, and Edith Piaf - revels in its perception as the cradle of sophistication. Mere mention of it evokes romantic strolls along the Seine, crusty baguettes shared in quaint cafes, plaintive accordion strains, intimate brasseries, and soulful crooning by sultry chanteuses. But this dreamy image only hints at the city's riches. Landmarks run rampant in this haven of culture and of cool: among them, la Tour Eiffel, le Sacré Coeur, Notre Dame, and la Sorbonne. Refinement also makes a home in Paris, infusing each café and square with Continental charm. The specter of high-brow edge, however, is ground down by Montmartre and la Rive Gauche, which temper luxury with bohemian ambience. In short, Paris virtually sings with a welcome, easy grace, a world capital enticed into urbanity itself.
The city sits in a hollow depression, ringed by hills and traversed east to west by the River Seine, which divides Paris into the northern Rive Droite (Right Bank) and southern Rive Gauche (Left Bank). |