"PARIS" a Paris Travel Page by bugulma

'Who could imagine that a village, founded in III BC, will be turned to the one of the most beautiful cities of the world and to the capital of the country'. I read this in the guidebook and I think that it’s good intro for Paris.
What about my impressions? I think that Paris is very similar to Moscow, there is the same quite fast life, if you understand what I mean. In the same time Paris has much more historical and architectural places, which are carefully kept, while in Moscow many buildings were destroyed after revolution of 1918. I like the way French people keep their history and style of life. The one uncomfortable thing for me in Paris was I don't speak French and it was a problem sometimes for me. In any way, I've been to Paris during 10 days in winter 2004/2005 and 4 days in summer 2006 and what I've seen, architecture, history places, quarters of the city, it has struck me much and it were days I will never forget in my life. In the end I want to thank my friend Lionel and his wife Marina, who let me stay in their flat in Paris, who helped me very much every day (language, stories about the city and the country) and who organized the best birthday in my life.
As usually on my pages, here are some historical dates about Paris. So, as I've said before, Paris was founded in III BC by Gaul. In 52 BC July Cesar took control of the territory. In 508 AD Franks' King, Klovis I, joined the territory of Gaul to his kingdom and made Paris the capital. Paris was a rich city in the Meddle Ages. In XII AD Notre-Dame de Paris was begun to build (200 hundred later it was finished). In 1200 the fortress was built on the right side of Seine and it was Louvre. In 1263 Sorbonna University was opened. In 1420 Normans took control of Paris after victory in Centenary War. But then the Civil war began (we all know Jeanne D'Arc) and in 1453 French territory was free again. In XV-XVII centuries a lot of buildings were built, especially in Louis XIV, King-the-Sun's epoch. Then, another great date in the history, July 14 of 1789, French Revolution. It was an appearance of Napoleon and his interior minister Taleiran, both played the great roles in the world history. But then Napoleon wished to be the Emperor of the World and invaded in Russia, but 2 years later Russian Army had a parade in Paris. Another well-known figure in the history, Napoleon III, made many parks and wide boulevards in the city (it seems he was afraid the revolution and people can't make barricades in the wide streets). In XX AD Paris became the center of modern trends in painting, sculpture and others. I can’t forget to mention that many Russians, who didn't want to stay in Russia after revolution of 1918, lived in Paris then. There were not huge damage in Paris during WWII in comparison with Russian and German cities and now we can see the city in all of its beauty.