LETS GET TO KNOW FEW AMAZING THINGS ABOUT THE FASHION CAPITAL PARIS

 

 

France is well known and highly renowned for its fashion. A fashion -trend or style is mostly launched & introduced from this country. Any brand identified by France stands tall amidst rest of the brands around the world. A visit to such a country is a dream of many a fashionistas.

As Audrey Hepburn famously remarked, “Paris is always a good idea.” But spring – the time when cafes start dismantling their tented patios and the cobbled banks of the siene transform into a canvas of picnickers, joggers, and bookworms – is the time when the city snaps awake.

It’s no wonder why; after a cold and dreary winter, Parisians are drawn to the sun like flowers. Summers can be pleasant too, save for long lines and les vacances, when locals shut up shop en masse in favour of more temperate climes.

Two airports lie just beyond the peripherique International passengers touch down at Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to the northeast, while Orly(ORY) to the south typically plays host to a more regional stream of traffic.

Speaking of trains, France boasts one of the best rail networks in the world, with the renowned TGV as its centre piece. Six major stations (seven if you count the Bercy annex at Gare de Lyon), facilitate travel in and out of Paris to and from neighbouring cities and countries, including the U.K. (Yes, train goes underwater) 

Locals use the phrase “metro, boulot, dodo”,- subway, work , sleep –to describe their daily routine, and for good reason. The metro is an integral part of Parisian life. Though trains are often rickety and unkept, the system’s convenience is unrivalled. Nearly 150 miles of track snake through subterranean Paris, linking hundreds of stations across town.

Lace up your shoes, because long walks seem a lot shorter when there are street markets, an eternal waft of doughy air, and the gentle bonjours of the booksellers to enjoy along the way. In many areas- Rue des Rosiers, Mouffetard, Buci, Montorgueil, and Ile Saint Louis, to name a few – sidewalk and street become indistinguishable with cafes and shops spilling out onto the black top.

The Ve’lib’ network is one of the largest in the world. Unfortunately for Americans, there’s a snag: the automated Kiosks often reject U.S. credit cards.

The Parisian taxis business is as beleaguered as Napoleon was ta Waterloo. A perpetual bureaucratic licensing battle caps the number of cabs at 16,000. In a city with more than two million residents (with eight million more in the metro area) and a continual influx of tourists, the math just doesn’t add up.

As coveted drivers have no problem refusing service for want of a better fare, it’s best to save taxi- queue stress for the times when it’s absolutely necessary. Otherwise, you can always follow the lead of students and young professionals who know how to beat the system by reveling until the metro reopens in the morning.

To put it gently, the French love French, and in Paris, life revolves around the language. Simple interactions carry a heavier weight in Paris than they do in other parts of the world. Salutations are nearly sacrosanct. Never walk into a shop without saying bonjour and always offer an au revoir when leaving. It’s more than a matter of linguistics. From imperial conquests to a modern immigration debate, language has long been the Republic’s preoccupation of choice. Respect the tradition and learn a few key phrases before you go, d’ accord?