Known as the city of love, Paris is a city that captured my heart forever. The city is cleverly laid out in a beautiful and functioning sprawl, richly packed with history, and overall just a joy to experience. The French capital which I have come to know quite well is responsible for fueling my interest in urban planning, and I will adore it for as long as I live.
I see Paris as an exemplary case of successful urban planning. The twenty arrondissements or districts of the city are teeming with life in the streets, public plazas, and parks due to their proper integration into the urban scene. The narrow cobbled streets lined with cafe/restaurant seating, grocery stores, and other specialty shops are nothing short of inviting and hospitable. Well-maintained gardens and parks are not difficult to stumble upon and on a nice day, the benches and lawns are filled with Parisians enjoying life. Even the banks of the Seine River were converted into a wide walkable path for pedestrians to enjoy. Additionally, the incorporation of grandiose tree-lined boulevards like the Champs-Élysées offers a dramatic show of the city's strong historical image.
Though a booming metropolis with an ever-circulating population, the city acts as a time capsule keeping many of its most beautiful attributes locked in the current urban fabric. Scattered throughout the city are well-known tourist sites such as the Louvre, Notre Dame, Tour Eiffel, and Arc de Triumph but even the lesser-known areas such as everyday churches and governmental buildings are rich in history. Each structure and district has a special character and story in Paris’ history. Little has changed since the city was reimagined by legendary architect Georges Hausmann in the 1850s. Haussman was known for creating the aforementioned boulevards and better organizing the sprawled grid which is still in effect today. This thoughtful planning has only been made better as the years went on.
When one visits Paris today, they are greeted with amazing public transportation and an apparent emphasis on walkability. Bikes and scooters are everywhere and the thought of needing a car rarely crosses the mind. The sprawling metro system, paired with the proximity of anything you may need makes traveling here a breeze.
My experience in the city is of course centered around travel but also family significance. Like millions of other tourists, I ended up in the city to experience the major sites but having witnessed them I now realize that I have seen nothing at all. My father lived here for 4 years while he was in University, and it was my grandparents' first extended stop after escaping communist Poland. This family history and the knowledge that I have so much yet to experience is why I can't help but go back with every opportunity that I get. Making returning trips and staying in hostels, or friends' apartments, I have gained a more intimate understanding of the city than most travelers. During my most recent visit, I decided to spend a day just walk around the city for the whole city with no set plan. 14 hours and 50,000 steps later I wanted to keep going. The city filled me with energy and a passion for exploring and understanding the city’s character.
In my many visits, starting at a very young and impressionable age, I have only grown fonder of this metropolis. As cheesy as it sounds, I am in love with the city of love. Paris is rightfully recognized as one of the most iconic cities in the world as it has something to offer to everyone. Having stood for centuries and developing into the epitome of what an urban environment should look like, I can undoubtedly say it is my favorite city. Thanks to the experiences I have had in this wonderful place, I have discovered my passion for planning and could only hope to emulate its influence in my future work. I will continue returning for as long as I live, to the beautiful ville de Paris.
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