Paris seems to have always been a city of dreams. On the official website, she is called "City of Light". In the eyes of westerners, light has always been the embodiment of God. Maybe Parisians think they are closer to God. No wonder Xu Zhimo once lamented that "people who have been to Paris will never be less in heaven." Some people call her "Babylon", which is what the American writer Fitzgerald called Paris in her novel Return to Babylon-a dream city with only luxury and enjoyment. Perhaps no one can tell exactly what kind of city Paris is, but everyone is sure that their stay in Paris will be the most unforgettable day of their lives. Most tourists yearn for an ancient and romantic Paris, that is, to start their trip along the perfect central axis of Louvre-Champs Elysé es-Place de la Concorde-Arc de Triomphe. Indeed, Paris is a city with a great sense of history, and the places of interest here are enough to make people linger. Coexisting with these classic monuments is another Paris, a Paris full of avant-garde and bohemian atmosphere.
As long as you get on the subway in Paris, you can clearly feel this. Paris subway has a long history. Some stations deliberately keep their original features unchanged, looking like an antique museum, while others are full of futuristic feeling, such as the science fiction world, such as la défence subway station. From this station to the ground, what stands in front of you is the unique and exaggerated "New Arc de Triomphe" in the world. In fact, this is a building that can accommodate 5,000 people, and its uniqueness lies in this door that can put the whole Notre Dame de Paris in. Interestingly, the new Arc de Triomphe is located on the central axis of the Louvre-Champs Elysé es-Place de la Concorde-Arc de Triomphe, far away from the Arc de Triomphe, with ulterior motives and great ambition to break the perfect harmony.
This "deviant" building is by no means unique to Paris. If the Louvre represents the ancient civilization of France, then the Pompidou Center is the symbol of modern Paris. Here is the palace of avant-garde art, exhibiting various styles of western art works since the 20th century. The design of the center itself is also an avant-garde architectural art with strong visual impact. All the columns, stairs, pipes and other things that were deliberately hidden before were placed outdoors. The whole building looked like a chemical plant, surrounded by colorful pipes and steel bars. At the beginning, this "monster" was of course criticized, but now it is at peace with other classical buildings in Paris.
Paris is perhaps the most popular city for foreigners. It has almost become the Mecca of literature and art. How many world-famous artists and writers have lived here? Let's ask how many people have never been to Paris, so it's easier to calculate. /kloc-After the middle of the 0/9th century, Paris became a city of exiles. There is a relaxed political atmosphere here, and there is an anti-cultural trend of thought set off by students, literati and artists, which is the so-called Bohemian culture, so people choose to wander in Paris. In the 1920s and 1930s, many American writers gathered in Paris, including Hemingway and Fitzgerald. This group of young people's yearning for a better life was shocked by World War I, and they couldn't stand it and fled. They need an artistic atmosphere, because they will continue to make a living through creation, and at the same time they can't leave their senses and material enjoyment. They needed coffee, women, wine and dances, so they fled to Paris. Their only choice is Paris, and it seems that only Paris can accommodate this group of young people who are sometimes awake and intoxicated. They were just passers-by in Paris, but they left a deep impression on the city where they stayed. They used pens to make the moment in Paris eternal, and also left a part of their lives in Paris forever. Strolling along the Seine River and sitting in a roadside cafe, a stranger may feel some faint melancholy and wandering complex in Paris. In the last century, the "lost generation" left too much wandering and sentimental breath here, which still lingers today. Walking in Paris, you never know what will stay in your memory longer, whether it is the Arc de Triomphe or a cup of coffee in an open-air cafe one afternoon.
"Paris is not just a place, it has become a state of mind." No matter who you are, you can find the spiritual antidote you need in this nostalgic and avant-garde, quiet and noisy, international and localized city. In this sense, Paris is the best place for foreigners to stay. You can go to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa, or you can go to Pompidou Center to see Picasso. You can go to the Paris Opera House or the Moulin Rouge on the Champs Elysé es. You can come to Paris to escape from life, or you can come here to simply enjoy life.
In fact, Paris is everywhere in the world. Maybe you haven't been to Paris, but you will probably stay in a cafe called "Left Bank" in the city where you live. Without going abroad, you can enjoy the fashionable products from Paris (or so-called from Paris) and feel the "spring" of Paris. But when are you going to visit the real Paris?
French customs
Communicative habits
Pay attention to the gorgeous clothes and the update of styles. Women regard makeup and beauty as necessities of life. Strong sense of time, strong work planning, and the principle of "ladies first". It is customary to shake hands, and people with certain social status kiss hands. Girls often curtsy. Between men and women, between women and between men, there is also the habit of kissing on the cheek. I don't want others to ask about private affairs in social life. I hate giving perfume to women, and I hate giving gifts the first time we meet.
Belief taboo
Most people believe in Catholicism. Avoid "13" and "Friday". Avoid yellow and dark green. Avoid peacocks and cranes. Regard chrysanthemums, azaleas and walnuts as ominous things. Love art and entertainment.
Dietary characteristics
The French can eat and pay attention to eating. French food is very popular all over the world. French people like to eat snails and frog legs, and the most expensive dish is foie gras. Like to drink. French cuisine is characterized by freshness and tenderness. The French also like Chinese food very much.
Dress
French fashion enjoys a high reputation in the world, rich and excellent materials, bold design and exquisite production technology make French fashion always lead the world fashion trend. There are 2000 fashion shops in Paris, and their boss's slogan is: "Fashion doesn't sell the second one". In the street, it is almost impossible to see two women wearing the same clothes. At present, the most famous haute couture are Gillette, Balenciaga, Givensie, Chanel, Dior, Cardin and Saint Laurent. In recent years, it is particularly striking that there are many styles of skirts for Paris girls. This new style is hard to see in other countries. French people spend the smallest proportion of their income on clothes in Europe. Generally speaking, the French attach great importance to their own taste in clothes, and they also accept cheaper and less refined imitations.
beastie
Nowadays, French families are more kind to small animals and spend huge sums of money to buy and feed them. More than half of the families keep all kinds of small animals, totaling more than 30 million. 1/3 The family keeps dogs, and the number of dogs reaches nearly 40,000. Various dog hospitals and dog clothing stores are also common. Animals not only bring fun to the French, but also cause certain disasters. There are more than 500,000 dog injuries in France every year.
well-behaved
France is a civilized and polite country. Being polite to women is a tradition that the French are proud of. The most common greeting in France is to shake hands. But when shaking hands, first, don't hold hands for too long, and second, there is no need to shake others' hands hard. Generally speaking, women reach out to men first, and old people reach out to young people first. The superior reaches out to the subordinate first.
kiss
France was the first country to recognize kissing as an expression of love. French kissing has strict boundaries: when meeting relatives, friends and colleagues who meet after a long separation, they all stick to their faces or cheeks, while the elders kiss their foreheads to the younger generation. Only lovers kiss or kiss each other.
marriage customs
Getting engaged before marriage is a simple ceremony. Usually, the woman's parents invite the man's parents, brothers and sisters, or invite other relatives or even one or two friends to attend. The wedding has been gradually simplified, but it is still the most solemn family festival, with solemn and sacred colors. The wedding was presided over by the mayor or one of his deputies. Traditionally, weddings are held on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm. Guests after the wedding banquet. In some parts of rural France, property engagement contracts should be signed and notarized before marriage. The engagement shall specify all the property of the unmarried couple, the dowry of the fiancee and the inheritance of the fiance. Wedding anniversary has become a holiday custom. Women can remarry after being widowed for 300 days or separated from their husbands for 300 days, while men have no time limit.
Pentecost (the seventh Sunday after Easter)
Every year 1 65438+1October1Holy Spirit Day is equivalent to Tomb-Sweeping Day in China. The French are used to paying homage to the cemetery on this day and remembering the martyrs who died for their country. Saint Catherine's Day is a festival for "old women" in Paris. Every year, on165438+1October 25th, unmarried girls over the age of 25 present a bunch of flowers in front of the statue of Katrina, then go to a big fashion shop to dance and revel, and finally choose the most beautiful girl as the queen of the festival.
eating habits
The French regard cooking as an art, and French cuisine is really popular all over the world. In France, three meals a day are usually arranged like this. Breakfast: bread, coffee, hot chocolate; Lunch: In France, lunch is the most important meal, usually around one o'clock in the afternoon, followed by dinner after nine o'clock. Social dinners in France usually last more than two hours, starting with appetizers, followed by fish or spaghetti, and then the main course. The main course is also served with a lot of lettuce, salad, cheese, fruit and sometimes dessert, and coffee is also essential after dinner.