If you are an experienced traveller, you know that some cities stand out from the rest and that you need to come back and visit them again and again to really get the full picture of their significance, life-style and history. New-York, Amsterdam, Florence, to name just a few.
But Paris is in a category of its own, a category of Historical Heavyweights so to speak. And that club is very exclusive.
“Our club” counts members like Rome, London, Istanbul … And the reason why we are in this special category stands on one fact : we all had multiple Golden Ages.
Almost all countries have their time in the sun and it is rare to visit a city that does not have a “Golden Age” in its History. Take Amsterdam as an example, the Dutch Golden Age happened in a short period of time, the middle of the XVIIth Century … But it was filled with technological advancement, architecture and advancement in art … It is truly fascinating to learn about and to experience in person. But otherwise, this is pretty much it. If you visit Amsterdam, you’ll hear about the XVIIth Century and not much else (more or less of course).
But London, Istanbul, Rome … Had many Golden Ages. If you visit Rome, you will hear about the Roman Empire for sure, but also the Renaissance, the Unification of Italy and so on. You will learn about different times periods, different architectural styles or completely different political systems … This is what makes Rome stand out from other great cities and puts it in “our Heavyweight class” of cities to visit.
But if there is a champion … It must be Paris !
Paris is probably the city that saw the most Golden Ages of any city on Earth. Let’s count them …
From a relatively remote Roman colony, what is today called “France” was the seat of Frankish power and one of the centers of what is called “The Carolingian Renaissance” (that’s 1) a period of gorgeous architecture (that inspired works of fiction like the Lord of the Rings) and laid the foundation for modern Europe and gave us to name a few amazing contributions : the modern calendar and our writing system !
Then, after the year 1000, the power of France grew until it became the most powerful and resplendent country in Europe during the Middle-Ages (that’s 2). A period that gave us gothic architecture that you can see most splendidly with Notre-Dame de Paris. A period that also inspired works of fiction like “the Accursed Kings” (the book that inspired Game of Thrones !).
After the Hundred Years War, France jumped straight into the Renaissance right after the Italians started it and became a shining symbol of renewal for the arts, sculpture and architecture (that’s 3). We can still see much of it today inside the Louvre or magnificent palaces and castles along the Loire !
Then we get into the XVIIth century (“The Century of Louis XIV” as it’s called in France) during which time France is the leading power of Europe (again) and amazes and dazzles the world with Versailles and progress in all aspects of lifestyle and culture (that’s 4).
But as if it wasn’t enough, France then shocks and changes the world forever with its Revolution and subsequent Napoleonic age, a period in which Paris is garnished with monuments that look almost as if they are straight out of ancient Rome (that’s 5) !
If you thought that’s the end … think again ! Because in the XIXth century Paris is transformed into the “City of Lights” through the efforts of Napoléon III and baron Haussmann, giving way to the “Belle Epoque” that became so iconic, that it actually represents the city in the imagination of the world to this day (that’s 6) with cafes, lanterns and the Eiffel tower.
But not to be outdone, the XXth Century also gave France a chance to shine under the presidency of De Gaulle and the 1970’s with the High Speed Train, European Space program and renewed interest in music (Joe Dassin, Charles Aznavour, etc …) and a very typical parisian lifestyle (and cliché) with the cigarette at the térasse talking philosophy (that’s 7).
How many did Rome have again ? 3 ? London ? Around maybe 4 or 5 ?
What we want to say is this : if there are some cities you need to come and see over an over again it is most certainly Paris. A city that has lived through 7 Golden Ages and has traces of it left to this day for each of them ! If some cities shone once or twice on the world stage before being “left behind” so to speak, Paris is the opposite, it is a very rare occurrence that Paris didn't shine at some point in its history. More often Golden Ages than the opposite one might say … Therefore the motto of our city makes perfect sense : Paris is a ship that “Ebbs and flows, but never sinks !” (Fluctuat nec Mergitur).
And you’re in luck, because Ode to Paris provides complete and thrilling tours that cover all of the Golden Ages that our city of lights went through and paired with the recommended museums to visit with each one of our tours, you will get the full experience of what Paris has to offer ! Come and join us on one of our Odes to Paris. From Roman times to Modernity !