10 Fun Facts About Paris You Can Share During Your Paris Tours

Paris, the city of love, romance, and high culture. Where freshly baked bread and coffee are your morning welcoming call. Let’s not forget that chic was invented here, and you’ve got to get up to speed quickly if you want to blend in. Paris is a city of top attractions and activities, including the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre and boat tours along the River Seine. Add in the pull of the city’s fashion, food, culture and history. It’s little wonder then, that Paris remains one of the world’s most popular destinations.

As you pack your bags and get ready to join the Parisian jet-set, take some memorable, fun facts with you to impress your fellow travellers. Bring them up during a conversation over a croissant or while you sip on your wine at dinner. You could be the talk of the town! Paris is a city that never disappoints. So arm yourself with these 10 fun facts about Paris and you’re ready to impress.

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1. The Eiffel Tower 

There it stands, commanding the Parisian horizon, the iconic metal structure, the symbol of the city. There’s no doubt that part of your Paris tours combines a visit here. Perhaps even a trip to the top for a city skyline view. It’s a romantic place too.

It may be one of the most iconic sights to see in Paris, but that doesn’t mean it’s loved by all! Far from it, in fact, when it was built, the structure proved to be very unpopular with the locals. Oh, la, la! There are 1,665 steps and it’s actually illegal to distribute images of the tower at night. Three facts for the price of one here! There it stands, dominating the skyline

2. Tasting the glorious French food 

Food, glorious food, and make no mistake Paris is one of the best places to try out some seriously top cuisine. You’ve got about 40,000 restaurants to pick from, plenty of choices, you’d say. Picking one might prove tough. So here’s some advice, make sure to head off the main streets. The best food experiences are found when you dig a little deeper. A Paris food tour is a great way of discovering them, run by locals they will pick out eateries that you can always return to.

You’re sure to find a gem or two among the 40,000 places, such as Montmartre, an artistic district, with chocolate shops and macaron shops. Not forgetting the smell of that fresh bread from the bakeries. Search for food, and indulge.

3. Notre Dame Cathedral

The devastating fire of 2019 may have set an entire nation back, however it still stands as an important attraction and should be seen. Before that terrible event, it was Paris’s most-visited landmark, and it will rise again! If you’re wondering, they measure all distances in Paris from the cathedral, and the two towers aren’t twins! Look carefully and you’ll see that the north tower is in fact taller than the south tower.

4. Picture this 

You’ll either use your phone or be carrying a camera with you, for good reason. The city has so many photographic images to capture. Did you know It was also the first city in the world to photograph people? What would those people make of modern-day Paris and visitors who head from one attraction to another? Their phones pointed at the sight they are visiting.

5. Art for art’s sake

Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa…she of rigid stare is the most viewed artwork in the world. The Louvre, where it’s housed, is the most-visited museum in the world, so makes sense that they are together. The question is, I wonder if she’ll ever smile. The building itself is a marvel, it’s around 800,000 square feet in size, which means you could spend a whole day exploring here. The museum opened to the public in 1793, making Paris one of the most dazzling European cities at the time.

6. Come dine with me

Times have changed, but a Parisian man was once inviting strangers to dinner every week for 30 years! Now that’s called being generous and welcoming. Although this may not be the case these days, look out for unique experiences where you can visit the homes of local residents and sample their cooking. Often helping them prepare the dishes. It’s these kinds of tours that make coming here so special.

7. Getting around

There are many ways to get around the city. Paris Hop on Hop off bus tours, walking, cycling, cruises down the Seine. The Metro is a popular way to get about and you’ll find that there are many abandoned stations dotted around the city. Keep an eye out when you’re zooming between stations, and see if you can spot an abandoned station or two.

Photo by Joe deSousa on Unsplash

8. Beware of the bridge

A Paris cruise down the river Seine is a great way to unwind and capture the very best of the city. As you take in the city highlights watch your head as you pass under the bridges. The oldest is Pont Neuf, so take special care of her!

9. Ooo, that smell of fresh bread

I mentioned it at the start, the wafting smell of a fresh baguette. One of life’s little pleasures. Each year, the city hosts a competition to find the best bread. And not only that, there is a law about the exact recipe for them. It’s a tough business, this baking lark. All in the dough, you know.

10. Celebrate good times

Head for the city and a celebration, even though Paris is a city that is worth celebrating year round. If you are looking for a celebration that really brings out the best of Paris, well mark this day, that’ll be Bastille Day. It’s celebrated on the 14th July each year. A day when the city really comes alive.

So, here are your 10 fun facts about Paris. You’ll find there are many more, but it’s best to discover those for yourself. Paris’s top attractions will let you discover their secrets if you take the time to appreciate them. And then when you do find a new fact, why not share them with us? We can all build up a trove of secrets, perfect for a Parisian moment when the coffee and cake arrive at your table. Bon appetite.