10. The Anti-Nazi Jazz Clubs
In addition to being genocidal maniacs, the Nazis were also major party poopers. Not only did they hate Jews, they also hated jazz. Why? Well, it was created by African-Americans, two things the Germans didn’t care for. That was bad news for Parisians. In the 1930s and ‘40s, the city was in love with jazz. There were clubs everywhere, and Paris was home to famous musicians a la Django Reinhardt. Unfortunately, the Nazis didn’t care for scat singing or saxophones and started shutting down the clubs. But Parisians weren’t going to give up their music without a fight.
9. The Hidden Portrait
Every town has its secrets, but Paris’s are artsy and beautiful like the city itself. Take for instance the story of Madame de Florian’s mysterious apartment. Right before World War II, de Florian fled to southern France, locking her apartment and leaving behind everything she owned. De Florian never returned, and for over seventy years, the room collected dust as Mrs. de Florian grew older and older. Finally, the aging socialite died at ninety-one, and a team of experts was sent to explore her abandoned apar tment.
8. An American Library in Paris
Even though Parisians primarily speak French (it is France after all), the city is associated with American authors. After World War I, writers like Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and e. e. cummings made Paris their home. However, before the Lost Generation showed up, the French capital was already home to thousands of American novels.
7. The Pont des Arts Love Locks
In a city famous for its amorous atmosphere, the Pont des Arts might be the most romantic spot in all of Paris. (Sara Jessica Parker thinks so anyway.) This pedestrian bridge spans the Seine River and is the perfect spot for lovers to lock lips…and padlocks for that matter. For the past several years, couples have visited the Pont des Arts to hang locks on the bridge’s chain link railing. Lovers scratch their initials on the padlock before tossing the key into the river below, symbolizing a relationship that will last forever.
6. The 213-Year-Old Ban on Women’s Pants
Chanel, Laurent, Dior, Fashion Week…Paris is the fashion capital of the world. However, just last year, any woman walking down the street could be arrested for a literal fashion crime. Until January 31, 2013, it was illegal for women to wear pants in Paris.
5. Do You Speak Touriste?
Many foreigners think Parisians are a bit impolite. In a 2012 poll, France was voted the rudest country in the world. However, the Paris tourist board and the Paris Chamber of Commerce are getting a little tired of this stereotype, especially since it’s bad for business. To combat the world’s negative perceptions, in 2013, they printed a pamphlet called “Do You Speak Touriste?” Subtitled “The Guide for Getting to Know Foreign Tourists Better,” the booklet encourages courtesy and consideration and is passed out to waiters, hotel workers and taxi cab drivers.
4. The Wolves of Paris
In 1450, the City of Light was plunged into icy darkness. A terrible winter ravaged France, wreaking havoc with the food chain. As plants withered, the wildlife dwindled, and that posted a serious problem for France’s predators.
3. The Underground Cataphile Societies
Beneath Paris is a real-life labyrinth (minus David Bowie). It stretches for hundreds of miles and is made up of canals, sewers, bank vaults, catacombs and limestone quarries. Many of these quarries were dug during the Roman Empire. Later on, farmers grew mushrooms in these dark tunnels, and during World War II, both the French and the Nazis set up bases below the city.
2. The Man Who Was Stuck In a Paris Airport
In The Terminal, Tom Hanks plays a man trapped in New York’s JFK International Airport. Thanks to a complicated bureaucracy, Hanks can’t enter America or return to his homeland. The plot sounds preposterous, but shockingly, it’s based on a true story.
1. Paris Syndrome
Tourists visiting Paris have pretty high expectation. They’ve seen movies like Amelie, Sabrina and Ratatouille, and they’ve heard about Paris in the spring. However, when they actually get there, many of them are in for a culture shock, especially if they’re Japanese. In the Land of the Rising Sun, the media depicts Paris is the most stereotypical ways possible. TV shows and films portray a magical city where beautiful people sip wine, visit cafes and visit the Louvre on a regular basis. Of course, real life is a lot harsher, and when Japanese tourists show up expecting paradise, they’re often disappointed…with weird results.
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