How did Paris become a Romantic city?

It is in the collective unconsciousness, mostly of American girls, but also Eastern European girls that Paris exists as a city of romance.  I think for both groups of women there is a different reason.

The American reason for viewing Paris as the city of love is because of our grandparents generation.  Paris was the closest connection to Europe besides England.  England is more a colder climate and culture, however, France is a Gothic Roman catholic culture.  The French are a mix between northern European productive and Mediterranean relax and enjoy our lives.

France was the easiest foreign county for Americans to travel to in Europe, that was not English speaking.  Many of our parents’ dream was to go to France and Italy.  Germany was rebuilding and Eastern Europe was under communism and Spain was too poor and England was not foreign enough to be romantic, therefore, that only left France.  And Paris is the center of France.

Our parents and grandparents would visit Paris and see the Gothic structures and charming cafes in contrast to American classical structures and sky scrapers, and the our imagination an images of Romantic Paris began to be formed.

Eastern European girls on the other hand dreamed of escaping to Paris as Poland had a very good relationship with France.  Both were catholic countries that stood in opposition to Germany.  So to go to Paris for work or vacation was the ideal, it was close and friendly.

Paris is a beautiful city, and to see its trees and art is where the connection starts.  Then seeing people relaxing in cafes and outward expressions of love.

In fact, when in America, if you were to see two people kissing in public, in a Boston park, for example,  you might feel awkward.  Other people might comment, ‘they must be from Europe’.  American is puritan. French culture is tolerant of public displays of affection. So if you want to kiss your sweetheart in Paris you can without drawing attention.

Films of Romantic Paris

The film industry help perpetuate the idea that Paris is about amour. Many films feature Paris as the run away place for lovers.  Even films like Casablanca just mentioned Paris or some storyline connected the “La Ville-Lumière” (“The City of Light” ) arose and this conjures up images of love.

The downside of Parisian love life myth

What is the counter argument that Paris is a place for sweethearts? I am not totally sold on the idea that Paris is for lovers. Why?

• The wealth of Paris was built on imperialism, so behind the glitter there are centuries of colonization it was built on.
• Many other cities in Europe have beautiful Gothic architecture, Lviv and Krakow have more churches and maybe more cafes and certainly more green parks and river areas than Paris for example.
• Paris and Parisiens are not tourist friendly, as the French be difficult if you are not fluent in the French language
• Horrible traffic in Paris
• Paris is extremely expensive – for me this is is the biggest impediment. Until the Euro falls, I will have to pay a pretty penny (Euro penny) to kiss my darling on the Eiffel tower or to walk along the Seine hand in hand.

However, I love Paris.  I just wanted to make the point Paris is romantic because people think it so, not because it in fact it.

Brand name of love

Going to Paris is like owning a pair of Nike.  It has brand name recognition, but it may or may not be the best.  But people like brand names and labels so they will pay for it.

Therefore, is Paris the city of love?  I think Paris is a city of love not the one and only city of romance. I think it is not the most romantic city in the world. rather, it think of it as one of many cities.

It might rest in the collective unconsciousness as romantic, but understand why, instead of accepting what others say. If you want a romantic escape consider less expensive places than France, even Montreal, Sherbrooke or Quebec  for français, or a city like Krakow or Lviv for European in general.  In fact many Russian films about Paris were filmed in Lviv because of the similarity of look with Gothic structure and cobble stone streets.

I fact, once when I was in Lviv and took pictures and told my friends I was in Paris and they all were ‘wow and this is beautiful, how romantic’, until I told them this was Lviv, Ukraine.  Then they said ‘oh’.  But they did not know the difference, it was only the brand name label that mattered.

So is Paris romantic or a myth? Well I am taking my sweetheart there next week for valentines day  and I am very much looking forward to it.