History of the founding of the city of paris. Origin of Paris, its names. Romans in Lutetia (future Paris). Gauls, Romans and modern French; Arenas of Lutetia When the city of paris was founded

Nestled on the picturesque banks of the Seine, Paris is the largest city and capital of France. This is an insanely beautiful and interesting city with a huge number of cultural and architectural attractions that perfectly illustrate its turbulent centuries-old history.

Foundation and formation of Paris

During archaeological excavations, it was revealed that the first settlements on the site of today's Paris existed as early as 9800-7500. BC. The history of the modern city begins around the middle of the 3rd century BC, when the Celtic tribe of the Parisians settled on the small island of Sité, from which the name of the city subsequently came. By the beginning of the 2nd century, the settlement of Lutetia, founded by the Parisians, turned into a well-fortified city-fortress. During this period, the first bridges across the Seine were also built. Since Lutetia was located at the crossroads of important trade routes, it is not surprising that it was trade that became the basis of its economy. In the 1st century BC. the city already had its own minted coinage.

In 52 B.C. after grueling battles, Lutetia was at the mercy of the Romans. These events are reflected in Julius Caesar's Notes on the Gallic War, which are, in fact, the first written mention of the ancient city. The Roman era made a significant contribution to the development of the city, laying a solid foundation for its further economic development and prosperity. In fact, the destroyed Lutetia was quickly restored and thoroughly expanded, upsetting and populating the left bank of the Seine as well. During their reign, the Romans built a forum, many villas, temples, baths, a huge amphitheater and a sixteen-kilometer aqueduct, and also built new bridges and paved good roads. By the beginning of the 4th century, Lutetia was already called the "city of Parisi", and by the end of the Roman Empire, the name "Paris" was firmly established outside the city. In the 4th century, Christianity began to spread actively in the city.

The gradual collapse of the Roman Empire along with numerous invasions by various Germanic tribes led the city to decline and a significant reduction in population. At the end of the 5th century, Paris was dominated by the Salic Franks, and already in 508 it became the capital of the Merovingian kingdom, which actually served as a new round in the development of the city. In the middle of the 8th century, when the Merovingians were replaced by the Carolingian dynasty, Aachen became the capital of the kingdom. Paris was able to regain the palm only at the end of the 10th century, and by the end of the 11th century the city was already one of the largest European centers in the field of education and art. The peak of the heyday of the city fell on the 12th-13th centuries. The same period was also marked by active urban development, including on the right bank of the Seine.

Middle Ages

The following centuries turned out to be extremely difficult for Paris - the Hundred Years War (1337-1453) with the British, terrible outbreaks of the plague that claimed thousands of lives, religious wars between Catholics and Huguenots (1562-1598), the cruelest stage of which was the infamous Bartholomew night (1572), and numerous uprisings in the 17th century. But despite everything, the city continues to grow and develop. Since the end of the 15th century, there has been a colossal cultural upsurge, which entered world history as the "French Renaissance". New luxurious palaces, temples are being built, parks are being laid out…. The peak of construction falls on the 17-18th century.

By the middle of the 18th century, Paris became the financial capital of continental Europe, the main center of the Enlightenment and a trendsetter. Parisian bankers during this period actively invest in science and art. Significant adjustments to the life of the city are made by the French Revolution (1789-1799), the center of which, in fact, was Paris. The revolution, which began in 1789 with the storming of the legendary Bastille, was in fact one of the most important milestones in the history of France and led to the overthrow of the absolute monarchy and the proclamation of the First French Republic in 1792, which in 1799 was headed by Napoleon Bonaparte, who proclaimed himself emperor in 1804 .

During the reign of Napoleon, much was done to ensure order and beautification of the city. One of the largest and most important projects of Napoleon was the construction of the Urk and Saint-Martin canals, which solved the long-standing problem of providing the city with fresh water. The architectural appearance of Paris has also changed significantly.

new time

Ahead, new shocks awaited the city - the overthrow of Napoleon and the subsequent restoration of the power of the monarchs from the Bourbon dynasty, the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 ... The latter led to the proclamation of the Second French Republic, headed by Napoleon III. He was also the initiator of the global redevelopment and modernization of the city. Urban planning work was carried out under the leadership of Georges Haussmann and largely determined the modern look of Paris and significantly improved its infrastructure. Despite the four-month siege of the city during the Franco-Prussian war (1871), capitulation, new revolutionary unrest and the subsequent crisis, by the end of the 19th century, Paris experienced an unprecedented rise and rapid economic development. During World War I, German troops never managed to reach Paris, and during the four-year German occupation during World War II (1940-1944), the city miraculously escaped massive destruction. In May 1968, Paris again becomes the epicenter of the riots, which ultimately led to a change of government, the resignation of President Charles de Gaulle and, as a result, to a radical redistribution of society and a change in the mentality of the French.

Today stylish and elegant Paris is the main political, economic and cultural center of France and one of the most influential global cities in the world.

We bring to your attention the material of the "International French Radio - RFI", Russian broadcasting, about the origin of Paris, its names and the origin of the French (Record from the archive and transcript into the text of the site).

Let's also talk about the Roman period in the history of Paris and the arenas of Lutetia.

In the archival illustration: the only architectural monument left from the Romans in modern Paris is the arena of Lutetia.

About Gauls, Romans and French

"French Radio International - RFI" broadcast (you can also listen in audio file Below is the original of this radio broadcast from Paris in Russian, which tells about the origin of the capital of France - an entry from the archive and transcription into the text of the site, broadcast in July 2007):

• audio file #1

« Towhom the French consider their distant ancestors - Gauls or Romans. Both points of view are almost equally present both in historical science and in guides to Paris and the stories of guides. Moreover, each defends his rightness fiercely and piously believes in it.

Among the many interpretations of the origin of the name of the capital of France, two can be noted - one is Gallic and the other is Roman.

According to one of them, the most common, the name of the city of Paris comes from the name of the Gallic tribe Parisii (parisii), who lived in the area where Paris is now located.

The Roman version of the origin of the name of the city is considered by many, not without reason, to be too far-fetched. But, nevertheless, it exists. The genealogy of the name of the city is attributed to the name of the hero of the myth of the Trojan War, to the name of Paris, the son of the Trojan king Priam, because of whom the Trojan war happened when he stole the beautiful Helen from the Spartan king Menelaus. According to Virgil, the surviving Trojans, led by Aeneas, sailed to the Apennine Peninsula, where they founded Rome.

But how exactly the relatives of Paris, the culprit of the Trojan battles, ended up in France and founded the city named after him, which later became Paris, is hard to say. Unfortunately, in Gaul at one time there was no Virgil of his own, who, like the Aeneids, would have written colorfully, and most importantly convincingly, something like the Pariade, i.e. stories about the adventures of Paris, and for one would justify the divine origin of the inhabitants of Paris from the ancient Greeks.

Such a fluctuation in the origin of names is very common in the history of France. So, for example, there are also two versions about the origin of the name Montmartre. One ancient Roman - on the hill stood the temple of Mercury, and the other Christian - on the hill was executed St. Dionysius - Saint Denis, who was ranked among the martyrs, and the hill of Mercury turned into the hill of the martyrs Mont de Martier (Montmartre).

The very name of the people of the tribe, who lived on the territory of Paris and all of France as a whole, also has a dual origin. The Romans called these peoples Gauls. Translated from Latin "ha llus" (gallus) means "rooster". It is believed that the rooster was one of the totems of these peoples. so the Romans called them all Gauls. From the point of view of Julius Caesar, the Gauls lived in the territory of modern France, Belgium and part of modern Germany. O At the same time, there is also a Celtic version of the origin of the name from the word Walchs or Walds, where the letter "c" eventually transforms into the letter "g" and get "gauls".

Also polar - on the one hand, the Gallic beginning, and on the other, the Roman - historical science developed in the 19th century. It was at this time that both concepts of the origin of the French people appeared. In the era of romanticism, the famous historian Jules Michelet was the first. He substantiated the Gallic approach to history. He traced the origins of Gallic culture to the Celts. It was very fashionable in those days.

(French Emperor) Napoleon III, author of the biography of Julius Caesar, represents the opposite branch of historians - that which prefers to trace the history of origin from the Romans. This was also understandable. The popular democratism of the Gauls was to be opposed by the imperial principles of central power.

And so it happened in the history of France and Paris, in particular, that on the one hand there is an opinion that the ancestors of the French are still the Gauls, and on the other hand it cannot be denied that the Romans were also their ancestors.

It is very indicative of the fact that it was Napoleon III who contributed in every possible way to the conduct of archaeological excavations. During which the forum, baths and the Roman arena were opened, and several very large archaeological finds were made from which it followed that ancient Paris was a very large center of Roman culture.

Having founded the city on the island now called Cité (Île de la Cité), the Romans named it Lutetia, which is consonant with the two Latin words for mud and ox. It is not a shame to admit it, but the origin of the name of Paris, the future capital of France, from the word "dirt" looks more preferable.

The sieve is located in a lowland, and when the river flooded, the island was flooded, probably all or almost all. And so there was plenty of dirt on it. Therefore, the vital structures of the Romans - the forum, baths and arenas - were located much higher, above the level of the river.

Probably, after all, the most ancient buildings of the Roman settlement are not located on the island of Cité, which is considered the historical center of the city. Moreover, the latest archaeological excavations of these settlements could exist on the high and dry coast of Nui or Asnières, the northern suburbs, as well as where villas of wealthy Roman citizens were discovered in the area of ​​​​the suburbs of Clichy or Preve-de-Larois.

But the most significant archaeological discovery was made in the Paris suburb of Nanterre. This area is almost 15 hectares, on which, perhaps, an ancient Roman city stood. It is this discovery that seriously calls into question the existence of the capital of Roman Gaul, Lutetia, on the island of Cite. And to determine the center of the city is very important, given that the number of cities at that time was small. This can be judged approximately by the size of the rice arenas, which are called arenas of Lutetia. This is the only monument of Roman culture carefully restored in Paris..

Presumably the ancient amphitheater - the arena of Lutetia was built in the 1st century AD, just at the time of the conquest of Gaul by Caesar. During the heyday of this province, which opened its borders to Roman goods and Roman culture, the arenas of Lutetia were, and still are, an elliptical structure 52.5 meters long and 41.5 meters wide.

Stone arenas, as it was already customary then, were built on the site of wooden arenas, using the features of the terrain. In particular, depressions in the soil. Stone benches were built on the slopes of such a natural pit. An arena was set up below. Therefore, arenas of this type were called cavities, depressions.

Parisian, i.e. Lutets arenas accommodated 17 thousand spectators. By their capacity it was possible to judge the population of the city at that time. According to the logic and traditions of the existence of the ancient Roman city, as well as the medieval city, all the inhabitants of the city came or tried to come to the holiday, which were theatrical performances. Consequently, the architect had to take this into account during construction, to foresee as many places as there are citizens in the city.

Recall that we do not consider servants, slaves, as well as meteks, or other non-Roman citizens, to be people, and we do not take them to the theater, but leave them at home or, at best, let them sit on the steps of the arena, and then not for long. If we take into account that there were up to 17 thousand seats in the arenas, then we can assume that up to 17-20 thousand free Roman citizens lived in Lutetia. Such is the possible number of inhabitants of Lutetia in the 1st century AD. If you add servants and slaves to this number, you get approximately 30,000.

Since Roman culture was relatively quickly supplanted by barbarian culture, and the city changed its name from Lutetia to Paris, Roman architectural monuments were not very often interested. The oldest text that mentions ancient Roman monuments on the territory of Paris is the text of the English monk Alexander Nekhem, which, describing everything he saw in Paris, also mentions the Roman amphitheater. In one of the acts of the city hall, the arenas of Lutetia are mentioned in 1284.

Adienne Valois, describing Paris, explains that the arenas of Lutetia were in front of the church of St. Victor. Once it was a landmark that seemed to the inhabitants of the city to be eternal.

The ancient Roman theater - arena Lutetia was rediscovered in 1869, when the Paris omnibus company decided to build a large garage in the city center. Trying to expand the site under the hill, the workers stumbled upon the ancient walls. These were the stones of the ancient arenas of Lutetia. Work has been suspended.

The question of what to do next with these stones was long and hotly discussed. It even required the intervention of such an authoritative person as Victor Hugo, who wrote a letter to the city hall asking him to protect the arenas of Lutetia from destruction. However, omnibus garages existed on this site until 1916, in fact, until the disappearance of the omnibuses themselves and the omnibus company itself in the French capital.

Now the arenas of Lutetia fit very organically into the modern landscape of Paris and, in fact, are a very nice little square almost in the very center of the city,” the station reported.

“International French Radio - Radio France Internationale (RFI)”, Russian broadcast, July 2007; Audio recording and transcription of Portalostranah.., illustration updated in 2019.

History of Paris

July 8, 52 B.C. - the officially accepted date of the founding of Paris. A settlement existed on this site two or three centuries earlier, but for the first time it was mentioned by the Roman commander Gaius Julius Caesar in his Notes on the Gallic War. The main city of the Gallic tribe of the Parisians - Lutetia was located on the island of the Seine River and was connected to the banks by two wooden bridges. During the war of Caesar with the rebellious Gallic tribes, Lutetia was captured and destroyed. Soon the city was rebuilt, and the name later changed to Parisia (i.e., the city of the Parisians). In the 5th century A.D. e. Paris was captured by the Franks. King Clovis made it his residence in 508, and with the accession to the French throne of the Capetian dynasty, Paris became the capital of the Frankish Empire.
Medieval Paris did not differ in special brilliance. At the end of the Middle Ages, the city had about 200 thousand inhabitants. Starting from the reign of Francis I, who built the first pavilions of the Louvre, and until the French Revolution, the city developed rather slowly.

The rapid development of Paris begins in the era of Napoleon I. The most famous sights of the city are associated with his name, in particular, the Arc de Triomphe and Les Invalides. During the reign of Napoleon III, Paris changed significantly. Large boulevards were laid, which now form the basis of urban planning, 3 large parks and 20 squares were laid out.

Today Paris is the most elegant capital of Europe, the heart of the administrative, cultural and political life of France, where one fifth of its population lives.

For several centuries in a row, Paris bore the unofficial title of "capital of the world." In the twentieth century, this title began to challenge him in New York. The Parisians do not want to give in, they want the Paris of the future, Paris in the third millennium to retain the certainty of its "capital" status.

History reference:

The capital of France on the Seine River, the main city of the historical region of Ile-de-France. 2.2 million inhabitants (1990). Together with the suburbs (Versailles, Saint-Denis, Ivry, Argenteuil, Boulogne-Billancourt, Drancy, etc.) it forms the Greater Paris urban agglomeration with a population of 9.1 million people. A major transport hub, 11 railway lines connect the capital with all regions and major ports of France. International airports: Charles de Gaulle, Bourges, Orly, Metropolitan (16 main lines). Outport of Paris - Le Havre. Industrial center: various mechanical engineering (auto and aircraft construction, electrical engineering), chemical, food, printing and other industries; production of fashionable garments and haberdashery products.
One of the most beautiful cities in the world and the world's largest centers of tourism. UNESCO and more than 200 international organizations are located here.

The cultural and scientific center of the country: the University of Paris (Sorbonne), founded in 1215, the College de France (1530), the Higher Practical School, the National Polytechnic Institute, the Higher Normal School, the Institute of France as part of 5 academies, the National Library (1480), Paris Observatory, National Center for Arts and Culture. J. Pompidou with the National Museum of Modern Art; Orsay - Museum of Art and Culture of the 19th century (opened in 1986), the Louvre Museum, the Museum of Impressionism, the Guimet Museum, the pedestrian bridge of the Arts, the National Museum of Natural History; Palace-Chello, where the Museum of Man, the Maritime Museum, the Museum of French Monuments and the Cinema Museum are located; theaters "Grand Opera", "Opera Garnier", "Comedy Francaise", "Odeon", the National Theater of Shello, "Teatre de la Cité", cabaret theater "Moulin Rouge". Games of the II and VIII Olympiads (1900, 1924).

Oh Paris, my Paris
colorful nights...
Under roof eaves
You are not mine and no one's.
Like a clochard on a bridge
You live like a moth
And, playing in melancholy,
Don't be sad for anyone.

Along the Boulevard Clichy
I'm going to Place Pigalle
Where is the fatigue from the soul
Doesn't take the sadness away!
Where to the left is Montmartre.
Sacre Coeur - behind.
I am a Parisian clochard
With Petersburg soul!

I would never wander
On your pavements.
I wish I didn't drink
Your purple smoke...
But poisoned a long time ago
I look like a garcon
Pours wine
Under the aching chanson.

On the sweaty glass
The cry of the night rain.
Far from myself
I'm looking at you!
Ah, Paris, the city of dreams
And sleepless nights
Glycerin tears -
You are not mine, and no one's!

I take the bus
In the predawn hour
Along the route: Montmartre -
Station Montparnasse.
Along the Boulevard Courcelles,
Avenue de Wagram,
Via Shanz Elise
Through empty spaces!

Light gray walls
In green leaves...
On the bridge over the Seine
We'll ride into the dawn!
Where are the purple scales
Oboe plays...
And Paris is the same
Only, the other coast ...

Ah, in which of the centuries
By the will of the Creator
We are with you without noticing
Changed hearts?
Cry of the night rain
On the sweaty glass...
I'm looking at you,
Far from myself!

Ah, Paris, my Paris...

Kirill Rivel

http://www.calend.ru/event/2319/

Paris stands on both banks of the navigable Seine River, which has numerous islands connected to the banks by dozens of bridges.

Paris is the greenest capital in Europe with over 400 parks and gardens. To understand their names, you should know that squares mean small squares, medium-sized parks in Paris are called gardens, and only the largest ones are awarded the name of the park. At the same time, do not forget about the two forests (Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes), located on both sides of Paris. With the help of amazing trees, shrubs and flowers brought from all over the world, the best gardeners of France and Europe created real living works of art with lakes, fountains, grottoes and waterfalls.

Some of the most beautiful parks in Paris are the Champs-Elysées, the Champs-Elysées, the Jardin des plantes de Paris, which is part of the National Museum of Natural History, and the English Monceau Park, atypical for Paris. (Parc Monceau) in the Louvre area, etc.

Entertainment

Every year, millions of tourists visit Paris, who are attracted not only by the magnificent architectural monuments and amazing museums of the city, but also by a rich cultural program. Paris has something for everyone, from quiet ferry rides on the Seine (from €13) to dancing the night away at the best nightclubs in the city.

For guests who want to improve their cultural level, more than 70 galleries and museums are open, the most famous of them are the Musee d'Orsay, the Orangerie Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Picasso Museum, the Grevin Wax Museum, the Les Invalides museum complex, the Wine Museum and even the Museum Erotica.

Most Parisian museums are open on weekends and are closed on Monday or Tuesday, as well as some public holidays. Many of them remain open until late in the evening. Tours often need to be booked in advance. Entrance on the first Sunday of each month to most museums is free.

The city offers numerous parks offering an interesting pastime - Futuroscope, Asterix, La Villette scientific and educational park, Bois de Boulogne, Floral Park with exquisite artificial landscapes and thousands of flowers, France in Miniature Park. Tauri zoo and CineAqua water park are perfect for family holidays.

For a romantic acquaintance with Paris, you can choose a boat trip along the Seine to the accompaniment of sensual French music. If you are not afraid of heights, then go for a ride on an airship - a great opportunity to admire Paris from a bird's eye view.

You will join the theatrical art of France at the Grand Opera, the world-famous opera and ballet theater, the Comedy-Française theater, the Montparnasse theater and others. Information about theater performances is often placed in hotel lobbies.

Paris annually hosts such world-famous festivals as the Night of Museums, the Quartier d’été (“Summer Quarter”) theater and music festival, the Music Festival (Fête de la musique), Chinese New Year, etc.

If you are traveling with children, then in Paris you willy-nilly have to visit at least 1 of its grand theme parks. Disneyland is Europe's largest theme park. Here you can visit more than 50 attractions that are interesting for both children and adults (the cost of an entrance ticket is 61 € for adults, 55 € for children from 3 to 12 years old, plus the cost of a ticket for the RER metro is 7.3 € per person). Other popular amusement parks: Robinson's Island (L'île de Robinson) costs 2.5 € for adults and 15 € for children; Sealife aquarium (16 and 13 € respectively); Zoo Thoiry (27.5 € for adults, 21 € for children); Aquaboulevard de Paris water park (22 € on weekdays, 28 € for adults on weekends, 15 € for children from 3 to 11 years old), etc.

Almost all year round, various sports competitions (football, tennis, athletics, etc.) are held in the stadiums of Paris. Paris hosts the final stage of the famous Tour de France, the Roland Garros tennis tournament, the Paris Marathon and much more.

Paris is famous for its vibrant nightlife. Chanson sounds in cafes, restaurants and variety shows, excellent theme parties are held in nightclubs and discos (Golden 80, Duplex, VIP Room), cabarets (Moulin Rouge, Lido, Crazy Horse) are crowded with fans of erotic performances.

Nova magazine provides information on music and club events, and tickets for music concerts are available at FNAC specialty stores.

History of Paris

In the III century BC. e. On the site of Paris, the tribes of the Parisians founded the settlement of Lutetia. Two centuries after its inception, the trading city fell under the onslaught of the legionnaires of Julius Caesar and became a Roman policy called Parisia ("city of the Parisians"). At the end of the 5th century A.D. e. Parisia was captured by the Frankish king Clovis I and declared it his residence and capital of the Frankish state.

Over its centuries-old history, Paris has experienced invasions of foreigners more than once, lost its capital status, and only in the 16th century, under King Francis I, Paris forever became the capital of France.

shopping

Paris is the recognized capital of style with amazing opportunities for both luxury and affordable shopping. Haute couture connoisseurs are attracted by boutiques on Place Vendôme, Rue du Faubourg and Avenue Montaigne, where they will immerse themselves in the world of brands Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior and others.

More affordable goods await you at Galeries and Printemps department stores, Les Quatre Temps, Forum Des Halles and Bercy Village shopping centers, where many world-famous brands are concentrated.

Bargain lovers should definitely visit La Vallee Village Outlet Shopping, where almost a hundred stores carry collections from worldwide brands, offered at fabulous discounts of up to 75%. You can get here by metro on the RER A line to the Val d "Europe station.

The tax free system will allow you to return up to 12% of the purchase price, but only for goods purchased in the amount of 175 € in one day. To return the money, you need to have a foreign passport with you and issue the necessary documents in the store.

Be sure to take a fascinating walk through the flea markets of Paris, the most famous of which are Marche aux puces de St-Ouen and Marche aux puces de Montreuil. Even if you are indifferent to antiquity and antiques, it is still entertaining to walk through the colorful shopping malls and feel their unique atmosphere. Here you can find a lot of modern goods at affordable prices.

Paris is a paradise for perfume gourmets, with hundreds of small shops and huge Sephora and Marionnaud chain stores. Small boutiques Shiseido and Edition de Parfums Frederic Malle will offer true connoisseurs of exclusive fragrances selected masterpieces of French perfumery. On Rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré, at the Lancombe Institute, you can buy the famous perfumes of this company.

Souvenirs are sold in numerous shops near all the sights and museums of the city. If you're looking for something special, check out Rivoli Street, where you'll find great porcelain and earthenware. The famous French delicacies, cognac and chocolate will be an excellent gift.

Most shops are open from 9:00 to 19:00 from Monday to Saturday. Opening hours of large supermarkets may be 2-3 hours longer. Sunday is a public holiday in the city. During sales, most shops are open on Sundays.

It should be remembered that many stores are closed from mid-July to the end of August due to vacations of employees.

Of all the variety of food supermarkets in Paris, you should pay attention to ED and Leader Price stores, which are distinguished by the most affordable prices. Outside the city you will find many cheap hypermarkets: Carrefour, Auchan, Euromarcher, Super U and Intermarche.

Cafes and restaurants in Paris

A meal in an average Parisian restaurant will lighten your wallet by 30-40€. If you do not plan to spend this amount on food, then you should provide for a more budgetary meal. As in any tourist city, lunch in the center and near the sights will cost you much more.

The most economical food option is to buy takeaway lunch at a kiosk or supermarket. Very inexpensive Asian establishments, there are many near the Luxembourg Gardens, near the Grand-Opera or on rue de Richelieu - here you can enjoy an unlimited buffet of food.

Self-service cafes are very popular in Paris, they are in any large department store.

But it would be strange, being in Paris, to eat only in Asian or Americanized establishments. Affordable and good food is offered by the French cafes of the Chez Clement chain, where you can taste oysters, snails, the famous onion soup, and other typical dishes of the local cuisine.

Fine examples of French gastronomy can be found in establishments near the Gare de l'Est and Gare du Nord and in the vicinity of Place de la Republique.

In any cafe or restaurant, you can choose the "Menu of the Day" - a complex inexpensive lunch.

The average bill (excluding drinks) will be about 30 € per person. If the bill does not say "service compris", you must leave a tip of 5-10% of the amount on the check.

For just a light snack, it is better to go to the cafe with the inscription Brasserie, which serve coffee, tea, salads and other light snacks. The word menu often refers to set meals, the cost of which is only 10–15 €. It is usually written on the boards at the entrance to the cafe.

In order not to make a mistake in choosing a restaurant, you can look into the special gastronomic guide Paris Gourmand, which provides detailed information about each institution in the capital.

Many Parisian restaurants operate on a set schedule, i.e. open for lunch from 12:00 to 15:00, and then only closer to dinner (by 19:00).

Restaurants and cafes with outdoor terraces, bars, tea houses, pubs and other establishments in Paris invite gourmets from all over the world to plunge into a real gastronomic feast.

Transport

The Paris metro is the most accessible and fastest public transport. From any place in Paris to the nearest station no more than half a kilometer. For children under 4 years old, travel is free, up to 10 years old - a 50% discount. You can get a metro card for free at ticket kiosks. The ticket price for 1 trip is 1.7 €, for 10 trips - 12.7 €. You can purchase a weekly pass (Navigo) that requires a photo. The fare depends on the zone (from 18.7 to 34.4). Zones 1 and 2 are within the ring road, 3–5 are more remote suburbs.

Suburban communication is provided by RER electric trains, they also run around the city, but not in all areas and make several times fewer stops. RER trains (within the city) are subject to the same tickets as the metro. If you are going out of town (airports, Disneyland, La Defense station, etc.), you need to buy a new ticket.

Tickets are sold in special machines at the stations, at the box office, as well as in some tobacco shops.

Buses are convenient for traveling short distances in Paris, but a trip outside the city is twice as expensive as the metro.

The best option for paying for travel is a ticket for all types of public transport - Carte Orange. The cost of it depends on the chosen routes and the distance of travel.

There is a one-day pass - Mobilis Pass.

If your goal is to visit museums, then you should purchase the Musees Monuments pass, its price for 1 day is 18 €, for 3 days - 36 €, for five - 54 €. With this ticket, you can skip the line and enter most museums for free. Travel cards are sold at kiosks, in special machines, at the box office at the stations.

There are 3 types of tariffs in Parisian taxis: A (0.96 € per 1 km) - from 10:00 to 17:00, except weekends and holidays; B (1.21 € per 1 km) - from 17:00 to 10:00, as well as on weekends and holidays; From (1.47 € per 1 km) - Sunday from midnight to 7:00. The minimum landing cost is 3.4 €. If you order a taxi from the hotel, then the meter turns on at the time of the order, so by the time you get into the car, there will already be about 10–20 € on the meter.

The best way to get around the center of Paris is on foot or by metro, as constant traffic jams can make traveling by taxi or rental car quite exhausting.

Connection

There are over 400 free internet hotspots in Paris, you can find them by the Paris Wi-Fi sign. You can call by phone using a machine, cards for which are sold at tobacco kiosks or at the post office, some machines - point-phone - accept only coins. When calling from Paris to Russia, you need to dial 00-7 (Russian code) - city code and subscriber number, from a mobile phone to a mobile phone - +7 - operator code - subscriber number.

Hotels

In the hotels of Paris you can find accommodation conditions for any income - from budget boarding houses and hostels to luxury apartments. Hostels are traditionally considered the cheapest, a place in which will cost about 20–45 €. One room is usually occupied by 4-6 people. But if you are traveling with a group of 2-4 people, then it is more profitable to rent a furnished apartment, which will cost 55-110 € per night. It is also the best choice for families because it is possible to cook for yourself. The cost of a double room in a 1-2-star hotel will be from 50 to 180 €. By the way, even hotels with so many stars in Paris have clean comfortable rooms and good service. The cost of rooms in more "star" hotels starts from 200 € and can reach 850 €.

The closer the hotel is to the city center, the more expensive it is. You will find the most budget hotels in the V, VI and IX districts. When choosing a place to stay in the suburbs of Paris, you should find out in advance whether it is convenient to get to the center and whether transport costs will exceed the difference in the cost of living.

As you can see, contrary to popular belief, you can stay in Paris for a very reasonable price.

Security

Admiring the magnificent architectural monuments of Paris, strolling along the promenade or just looking at the shop windows, do not forget that Paris is not the most peaceful city in the world. The influx of migrants from Africa and Asia has led to the fact that, unfortunately, the crime situation in the city has become far from ideal. Dozens of pickpockets operate in crowded places, in unfavorable areas, which primarily include the 19th and 20th districts, you can become a victim of robbery, and not only at night. The most calm districts are considered from the 1st to the 8th and 16th.

Where possible, ATMs protected by a door should be chosen.

If you get sick, you need to contact your insurance company in Russia. An employee of the company will call you back after a while and tell you which hospital and which doctor you should go to. If you seek medical help yourself, then it is likely that you will have to pay the bill for treatment yourself.

The property

The acquisition of residential real estate in Paris is a profitable and promising investment, as the inexhaustible tourist flow allows you to receive a stable income from renting out real estate. The main factor affecting the cost of Parisian real estate is its remoteness from the center and the main attractions of the city, so apartment prices range from 4,000 to 150,000 € per 1 m². Modern apartments in new buildings in the suburbs of Paris, built with modern trends and technologies in mind, will cost 400,000–600,000 €, i.e. 6,000–8,000 € per 1 m2. If you still decide to buy an apartment in one of the historic buildings in the center of Paris, you should pay attention to the state of communications, as sometimes the cost of their restoration reaches 50% of the original cost of the apartment.

As for commercial real estate, on average, 1 m2 of an office space, a shop or a hotel will cost 6,000–20,000 €, and a production one will be 50–70% cheaper.

In the 2nd district, due to the large number of pigeons that cause some damage to architectural monuments, there is a ban on feeding these birds. Violation of this rule will result in a fine.

You can get a considerable fine (68 €) in Paris since December 2012 for throwing a cigarette butt on the ground or in the water, as it is considered to be toxic garbage. About 10,000 urns with special "extinguishers" have been installed in the city for cigarette butts.

Smoking in Paris is prohibited in all public places, restaurants, hotels, transport, etc. You can smoke only on the terraces of cafes, bars and restaurants, as well as in specially designated areas with a corresponding sign.

Being drunk in public places is prohibited. The permissible blood alcohol limit for a driver is 0.5 g per 1 liter of blood (this is approximately 2 glasses of wine or 3 glasses of champagne). Young people between the ages of 16 and 18 can drink drinks with an alcohol level below 15%.

To navigate the Paris metro, you should not use maps in Russian, as you can easily get confused in the names of the stops. In addition, the main attractions are also signed on French maps.

How to get there

There are several flights a day from Moscow to Paris, travel time is 3.5 hours.

Fast train number 013, departing from the Belorussky railway station in Moscow, will take you to Paris in two days, but the trip on it will cost more than the flight.

If traveling by bus is not tedious for you, then for only 75€ it will take you to Paris. Some low-cost airlines offer the same prices, so it is wise to compare prices before purchasing a ticket.