Paris

For Paris from the Trojan War please click here

Paris is situated on the River Seine and is the capital and largest city of France. The population of the Greater Paris urban area is approximately 10 million, or almost one-sixth of the total population of France.

History

As with many other important cities in Europe, the Romans set up a military outpost (52 B.C.) on the location that would one day become Paris. In the 6th century A.D., King Clovis I established Paris as his capital. This was confirmed when Huge Capet became king of France in 987 A.D. Growth increased under the reign of Philip II (1180-1223) and Paris remained the capital when Louis XIV set up his court in Versailles in 1682. The Germans occupied Paris in World War II. It was liberated near the end of the war, but was largely undamaged.

Famous Paris landmarks include:

• Eiffel Tower
• Arc de Triomphe
• Louvre
• Notre Dame cathedral, which was the setting for Victor Hugo's novel, The Hunchback of Notredame.
• Montmartre

Urban Unrest

The suburbs around Paris (les banlieues) are known for large apartment blocks, housing many of the newest Muslim immigrants to France. These have been rocked by violence as youths have rioted against long term unemployment and perceived intolerance by the police forces.