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Five Unusual Facts About Paris
Say Paris and most people will think of the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Metro. But the French capital also has many other, more unusual claims to fame. If you are thinking of an overseas move to Paris, here are five interesting facts about the city from Hamiltons Removals, specialists in commercial and domestic moves to France and all parts of Europe.
The Louvre is the Most Visited Art Museum in the World
The Musee de Louvre had more visitors – 10.2million – than any other art museum in the world in 2018, beating the likes of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Tate Modern in London.
Originally a military fortress, it became a royal palace in the 14th century and it wasn’t until 1793 that part of it was turned into a museum. Probably its most famous single item is the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, pictured above. But its collection includes more than 380,000 artworks – of which more than 35,000 are on display at any one time – drawn from every period of history.
The City Doesn’t Have Any Stop Signs
The only stop sign in the whole of Paris used to be in the 16th Arrondissement, at the exit of the driveway of a building company. The head of the Paris police confirmed this in an official statement in 2012. But, less than two years later, this sign had disappeared, leaving the city with none!
All motorists are expected to give way to oncoming traffic from the right, even in traffic hotspots. If you are planning overseas moves to Paris and will be driving around the city once you get here, there are also plenty of ‘Do Not Enter’ and ‘No Left Turn’ signs, to bring some order to the capital’s roads.
It has Five Statues of Liberty
The original 19th century statue in America was designed by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, and its metal framework was built by Gustave Eiffel, who is more famous for the city’s tower which bears his name.
Paris, however, has no fewer than five smaller versions of the statue – in the Musée D’Orsay, the Jardin du Luxembourg, the Ile aux Cygnes, the Musée des Arts et Métiers and the entrance to the Pont d’Alma tunnel, although this last one is only a replica of the flame. The Ile aux Cygnes statue, which was donated by American citizens living in Paris in 1889, was turned around in 1937 to look west, so that it faced its New York counterpart.
It’s the City of Light
In the 17th century, King Louis XIV wanted to make Paris a safer place for its citizens. So, as well as increasing the numbers of police officers, lanterns were placed on most of the main streets, while residents were asked to light their windows with candles and oil lamps. As well as deterring would-be criminals, it also led to the city being dubbed ‘La Ville-Lumiere’, or the City of Light.
The name is believed to have stuck because the city was a focus for the Age of Enlightenment. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Paris was home to scientists, engineers, philosophers and poets, who all exchanged ideas and theories, and the French capital became renowned throughout the world as a seat of learning.
It’s Not the Only Place Called Paris
There are believed to be more than 30 places called Paris across the world – including in Panama, Ukraine, Sweden, Russia, Denmark and Puerto Rico.
America alone has more than 20 cities, towns and communities which share a name with French capital. Of these, Paris, Texas is probably the most famous, because of the 1984 film of the same name which starred Harry Dean Stanton and Nastassja Kinski.
Overseas Moves to Paris with Hamiltons Removals
Hamiltons Removals can help you if you are thinking of moving house to Paris. We can also arrange removals to all parts of Europe, including Switzerland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Our network of contacts within the international removals industry means that we can source a competitively-priced quote for you, which will be tailored to meet your individual needs. If you would like to learn more, you can get in touch with our European removals department by following this link, or by calling us on 01359 855203.
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