Paris may be the best city in the world – I’ve wanted to write that phrase for a long time. Paris is my personal favorite city in the world and it’s a town I will never get tired of visiting. And based on the numbers, I’m not alone. But what is it about Paris that makes it so damn appealing? Well that’s not an easy question to answer, but I think there are a few reasons.
Allure – I find it hard to believe that most people don’t have a romantic notion of Paris. Strolling along the streets of the Marais, stopping at a café for some wine and cheese and of course seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time. Agree or not, there is an undeniable allure that Paris exudes attracting people from around the world.
Great city – Irrespective of the Eiffel Tower or the Champs Elysees, Paris is just a great city in its own right. If nightlife is your thing, Paris is a fun place to spend a long weekend and if you’re a fashionista, there may be no better city in the world. It’s this great big city vibe that may attract many European visitors, promising fun times in a romantic locale.
Je ne sais quoi – Maybe I’m a little biased when it comes to Paris, but I find it hard to believe that most people who visit once don’t want to return again and again. Before you start clogging up the comments section, let me also say that I know there are people who don’t like Paris and who never, ever want to return. That’s fine, but I maintain they’re in the minority and not the majority. For the rest of us there’s just something that latches onto our hearts and minds, making it impossible to stay away.
But French tourism cannot be explained away by Paris alone. Of the top 20 most visited sights in France, half are not in Paris, they’re strewn throughout the country. A closer look at the list takes me to my second observation: