WHY EXACTLY IS PARIS THE CITY OF LOVE?
WHY EXACTLY IS PARIS THE CITY OF LOVE?
by Vincent Renz Tabuzo (12C - STEM) | Published February 2022
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Can there be a better place than Paris, the city of love, to spend Valentine's Day with your lover?
Cartoon by Edward Clarke Jabar (12A - ABM)
Wait! That didn’t answer the question.
In the first half of the 19th century, France saw the rise of Romanticism, an artistic, literary, and musical movement that focused on imagination and emotions, and yes, this included love. This period is often associated with many well-known influential artists such as Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, François-René de Chateaubriand, Gérard de Nerval, Alphonse de Lamartine, Charles Nodier, Alfred de Musset, and Alfred de Vigny. Many of their works are still relevant even today.
Is Paris really the City of Love? What makes it so?
King Louis XIV ruled France from 1643 to 1715. During his reign, France saw remarkable changes in its furniture, architecture, but mostly fashion, as Paris became the Fashion Capital of the World during this time. This established the city’s elegance and grandeur early on, and the King further boosted France’s economy by spearheading the improvement of the textile, clothing, and jewelry industries.
So it’s because of their literature?
There’s one more thing. The French Revolution is also one of the events that paved the path to becoming what Paris is today.
Famine, drought, and suffering helped create the City of Love?
Unfortunately, before the French Revolution, most of the country’s citizens subsisted on bread, while the aristocracy and royalty ate lavishly. This, combined with the food shortages in the 1700s, are one of the reasons for the unrest among the civilians.
The poverty-stricken economy and more were the reasons why the king at the time, King Louis XVI, together with his wife Marie Antoinette, was executed by guillotine. After the revolution, without the royalty or most of the aristocrats to cater to, the butchers, bakers, chefs, and more in the food industry were no longer able to find work in wealthy households. In response, they opened their own businesses and dozens of establishments over the country opened and flourished into the current French tradition of fine dining.
That’s very informative and all, but it still doesn’t answer the question.
Paris is a physically beautiful city, referring not only to the Eiffel Tower. From the ornaments decorating the city to the architecture of the buildings, it provides for an unforgettable experience. At each turn lies an Instagram-worthy spot, and the long river snaking itself through the city is especially perfect for a romantic walk.
Along the streets, thousands of different cafes and restaurants serving French cuisine greet the tourists as they make their way throughout the city. At night, these streets light up as if filled with fireflies.
Paris can't be the City of Love for nothing. Its architecture, art, cuisine, and influence of its literature all contribute to creating the perfect conditions for a romantic atmosphere. Considering all these factors, it is not surprising that many keep going to Paris in search of love.
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