Paris the city of pride
7 cities for 7 deadly sins. Paris: the pride
The Pride is an excessive opinion of themselves that is manifested by an exaltation of the own qualities, but especially with a contemptuous attitude towards others.
There is to be astonished reading the descriptions about Paris on the Internet! In Paris everything is “superb”: the gardens are superb, the monuments are superb, the restaurants are superb, the ornaments are always superb, the apartments are superb, the museums are superb, the shows of the Moulin Rouge are superb, the views from Montmartre are superb, the elegance of Notre Dame is superb, up to the point of indicating superb the address of a hotel due to its nearness to the Arc de Triomphe.
Then, one would ask: are Parisians who sin of pride or is the whole world that attaches to Paris this deadly sin? A pity that can be easily exportable, even if it always puts Paris in the spotlight.
They say in Bari: “If Paris had the sea, it would be a little Bari”.
Let’s try to clear up
The pride of French people comes from far away. They were Charlemagne, the Hundred Years War, the expansion of the twelfth century that led them to the dimensions of the Holy Roman Empire, the Revolution, Napoleon and the Empire, the colonial empire, De Gaulle and what he called “une certaine idée de la France”, which had to lead the nation in a first order position in economy and culture up to nuclear power.
It’s a matter of fact that French and Parisians in particular have always been very proud in their history and wanting to proceed with the rule, always in psychological conflict with the British and the Germans, and always feeling decidedly superior to the Italians, because of wines and champagne, for cheese, national pride and because Italy is located in the south of Europe.
The reasons of this Pride
At the end of 1500, if Henry IV converted to Christianity with the famous phrase “Paris is well worth a mass”, while ascending to the throne of France, we might be willing to accept the delusions of grandeur and pride of its population, just to visit Paris. It is no coincidence that France, Paris and the Eiffel Tower are respectively the nation, the city and the monument most visited by tourists since over 50 years. And how can we deny the greatness of the Champs Elysees, the long avenue that from the Tuileries gardens leads to the Place Charles de Gaulle and the Arc de Triomphe, famous all over the world, with its boutiques, exclusive restaurants and dealers of the most prestigious brands of car? How can we deny the breathtaking beauty of the cathedral of Notre-Dame, the coquetry of Montmartre with the grandeur of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the undisputed pride of the Louvre, the still modern charm of the Defense, the architectural madness of the Pompidou Centre, the history that oozes from the walls of the Sorbonne University, the charm and elegance of neighborhoods such as Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the several city parks (Montsouris park, The Villette, Buttes-Chaumont park, Senate park), the oddities of the Musée d’Orsay built in the former railway station, the magnificence of the Operà, and of course the Seine River, which divides the city into the droite and gauche banks: and so, on the one part the aristocracy and on the other people?
Other reasons for pride
The 14 metro lines, the covered bus shelters at bus stops and the upholstered seats, the brasseries where to eat at 15 euro, the timetables of the shops, the restaurants open late into the night, the hotels of all categories, the countless hostels and B&B, the lanes for bikes and the spread of the bike sharing, the ability to place alongside the super modern with the classic medieval, the supermarkets in the areas of the Old Town, the Latin Quarter, the multiculturalism and the many multi-ethnic restaurants, the patisseries, the Moulin Rouge and the Pink Paradise…
Damn them! And every reasons to feel superior!
Photo of Musée du Louvre by ainet
About the Author
Francy Hi! My name is Francesca I love travelling, getting in touch with new lifestyles, new ways of thinking and most of all always discovering news places around the world! I like reading travel books and magazines, art and food. These are my passions that I try to share with you.
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