Paris: Biography of a City

Overview

Join Active Minds for the story of the City of Lights. We will trace the city's history from its Celtic origins through modern times. In the process, we'll visit with some of the city's most colorful characters and notable places, including the Eiffel Tower, which was despised by Parisians in its day. Grab a baguette and a bottle of wine; it's the next best thing to being there!

Key Lecture Points

  • Beginning as a settlement of Celts on an island in the middle of the Seine River over 2000 years ago, Paris is a city with a long and rich history.  As the seat of power of the French state, it has often been a seat of power, but has also often been attacked from outside and occupied.
  • Paris is one the world's leading political and business centers. Paris is a hub for European education, science, fashion, and media. In addition, with its rich heritage, it is an artistic and cultural center. Last, but not least, Paris has a hard-earned reputation for good living, style, and glamour.
  • Paris is one of the most often visited cities in Europe by Americans. It is the world’s number one tourist destination with an average of 44 million people visiting every year. Americans have long been fascinated by France, its history, culture, food, and fashion.
  • Paris has been a center of tension in the past two decades with accusations of failure to assimilate its growing Muslim populations, which had caused a national political backlash that is a cautionary tale for many countries experiencing high levels of immigration and how to manage their integration.
  • The Games of the XXXIII Olympiad will be held in Paris, July 26 to August 11, 2024, the third time that Paris will have hosted the Olympic Games.  One of the more notable venues for the Paris Olympics will be the Place de La Concorde where ticket holders will be able to watch skateboarders and break-dancers compete.

Discussion Questions

  • Have you been to Paris? What struck you most when you were there?
  • The burning of Notre Dame brought the world together, but the Catholic Church in France was a divisive force for centuries. Has the religious nature of Paris with all its cathedrals changed in the intervening time?
  • The French have a saying: Quand Paris éternue, la France s’en rhume (When Paris sneezes, France catches cold). Do you think that is true? If so, why?
  • Paris has always been a vibrant, evolving city. In an increasingly multi-cultural world, what will be the impact on the “character” and lifestyle we all associate with Paris?

More to Explore

Books for Further Reading

  • DeJean, Joan. The Essence of Style: How the French Invented High Fashion, Fine Food, Chic Cafes, Style, Sophistication, and Glamour. Free Press. 2006. 320 pages. Describes how Louis XIV made Paris the center of style, glamour and luxury.
  • Taber, George M. Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine. Scribner. 2005. 326 pages. true story of the mythic Paris tasting of 1976 when French judges chose unknown California wines over France’s best vintages.
  • Gerrard, Mike. Bloom’s Literary Guide to Paris. Checkmark Books. 2007. 150 pages. Survey of the many controversial buildings that went on to grace Paris (Eiffel Tower, I. M. Pei’s Pyramids at the Louvre, Centre Pompidou, etc.)