Paris has been romanticized for centuries as the city of love. To this day, Paris and the Parisian countryside remains the world’ number one tourist destination; in 2013 there were 32.3 million tourists staying in the region according to the regional tourism committee in the Ile-de-France. When it comes to honeymoons, nearly three out of every four honeymoons settle on either Hawaii, Morocco, or France — of course Paris is a destination in a majority of these post-wedding excursions. Aside from the boundless love that permeates the Parisian air, here are three strong reasons why Paris remains at the top of the tourism destination list.
Magnifique Sightseeing
Although France itself is roughly the size of Texas, the country boasts 4,000 tourist attractions and events that attract a combined 300 million visits every year. In addition to these sites there are 45,000 registered or listed historical monuments across the nation and over 8,000 museums. Naturally, the most famous French museum has got to be Paris’ Louvre as it houses what is arguably the world’s most famous painting: Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. In 2014 the Louvre continued to achieve the distinction of the world’s most visited museum with 9.3 million visitors for that year. There are dozens of Parisian museums dedicated to art, culture, and history; some could argue that the city itself is a living architecture museum boasting some of the most impressive achievements in human ingenuity including Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triomphe. For those looking to explore the darker areas of the city, the Parisian Catacombs descend to a depth of over 20 meters — thankfully guided tours are there to ensure no one gets lost!
Divine Wine
France is known around the world for expansive vineyards and patiently fermented wines. Paris is known for its up-scale shopping boutiques and stores. One such store is the Galeries Lafayette in Paris which houses the Bordeauxtheque; it is here that an estimated 1,200 wines are available from the world’s leading wine producer: the Bordeaux region of France. The variety and scope of French wines will make even the most seasoned wine-drinker question everything they once thought they knew about wine. In fact, wine aficionados together compose a significant portion of French tourism as 24 million tourists regularly visit Bordeaux and other wine regions within the country.
Parisian Cuisine
It is an undisputed culinary fact that French cuisine is some of the most refined and difficult-to-master examples of food on the planet. There are dozens of culinary schools in Paris dedicated to passing on the skills, techniques, and secrets that go into creating award-winning Parisian cuisine. Although often imitated across the world, there is no replacement for good Parisian cuisine as any tourist who has visited five-star restaurants in Paris will tell you. Some of the most famous examples of Parisian cuisine include restaurants like Le Meurice by Alain Ducasse, La Cordonnerie, and Tour d?Argent to name a few.
