The news came yesterday: with 78 million tourists in 2006, France is still the most visited country in the world. Most tourists are European (the Brits first, then the Germans...) but the Americans are slowly coming back and we greet more and more Chinese (600 000). So thank you very much dear visitors for, if you came last year, you contributed to a gross revenue of €35 billion!
Je vous en prie. Some of those euros were mine. Well spent.
ReplyDeleteLOL Luggi. I do hope the money was worth it!
ReplyDeleteI came. I spent. And well worth it, too.
ReplyDeleteYeah, we'd love to invade.. ahem, I meant ... er.. to visit, but the Euro is a little strong compared to the US dollar right now. :(
ReplyDeleteI love the road sign! It's spot on: when you are hooked by Paris, there is no way back ;-)
ReplyDelete5.5 million people visited Australia in 2006. Not that bad for such a far far away land...
I like the way the sign echoes the shape of l'arc.
ReplyDeleteSadly i was not one of them but i hope to be as soon as poss. I wonder what the stats are from Britain? Hope i can find out. I don't think many French come to us, do you? And why not, Eric? hmmm?
Hey, I was there last year - you're welcome!
ReplyDeleteOh yes Buzzgirl I do remember that very well! We even had lunch outside in the Bastille area.
ReplyDeleteLynn. Actually somebody told me today that the number of French people in London is now the equivalent of a city like Rouen, which is not a small city. So you see, we do come and visit - and even stay!!
Each time I see Arc de Triomphe I remind Eric Maria Remarque and the novel that has same name and I loved so much when young. Then I hope it's still possible to go on the roof of it. People love to go on Tour Eiffel but absolutely best panorama is viewed from the top of the Arc. (sorry if too long)
ReplyDeleteI can't find any stats for people visiting the UK. We're probably not allowed to list the different nationalities in case it's perceived as racism or .. yawn.. something. It would be merely interesting to know.
ReplyDeleteOh, well that's interesting Eric, thanks! And good news. I'd like to be speaking to some of them, to keep my French up!
ReplyDeleteWe posted around the same time and you have 11 posts and i have 0. Stats again. Oh to have yours Eric. Though you are king, it's to be expected, Lord Eric DP of Paris. he he. Slightly... mischievous again... Eric, lol! Oh dear.
ReplyDeleteWe posted around the same time and you have 11 posts and i have 0. Stats again. Oh to have yours Eric. Though you are king, it's to be expected, Lord Eric DP of Paris. he he. Slightly... mischievous again... Eric, lol! Oh dear.
ReplyDeletecomments, not posts. Oops.
ReplyDeleteOnce you've been to Paris, the sign seems to say "there's no going back!"
ReplyDeleteGreat picture, I just love it!
While I'm here I thought I'd let you know that I have moved my site on to Wordpad, unfortunately that means it's time to update those links again.......sorry
South Shields Daily Photo
Hi! This is Serie from Canada
ReplyDeleteI'll be visiting Paris in a few weeks!
Some Great photos youve got there by the way,
anyways i was just wondering if you can take pictures of Paris Metro (like crowded place ..iguess thats waht im looking for )
thanks :D!
Ah! c'est l'arc. Mais c'est l'arrrrrrrque! Merci pour un beau photo. Il parait que c'etait une belle journee a Paris. Est ce toujours froid?
ReplyDeleteClo.
hello all! sorry for my hiatus from commenting..but i assure you, i have been checking PDP every day religiously :-)
ReplyDeleteit's funny, everyone saw the sign as positive but i thought it was ironic when i first saw it...thought it meant "no u-turn" as in "don't return!" subconscious?
i too am contributing to the 35 billion....i live here now!
Having been to Paris a few times - like someone else said - Money well spent!
ReplyDeleteCome over to Australia Eric , its our turn .LOL
I must admit, I have never been to Paris. You're blog makes it so inviting.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visitng my blog and posting a welcome to the community. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.
I tried to post here yesterday because the photo really caught my eye, but there were apparently some technical difficulties around the web-o-sphere.
Cheers!
How clever Eric to post a photo of the no-U-turn sign. I had a different reaction...it reminded me of the traffic around the Arc which is crazy. You can barely drive around it, let alone try to make a U-turn.
ReplyDeleteDid I mention how nice and warm and sunny it is here in Singapore? Oh, I did? (snicker...)
You're welcome, hope we can stay longer next time.
ReplyDeleteOh..Mon Dieu!! 8:25PM in San Francisco[7 Feb 2007]and already over 20 posts for the 8th on PDP!!?? WOW!!! Sorry..like tomate said, euro too strong and we poor Americans couldn't afford to splurge on Paris this year!! :c( Boo Hoo!! But I was there 3 times in 2005 so I can't complain...and I spent plenty..LOL!! Hopefully 2007 will provide better opportunities! Maybe we'll come for the Inauguration of the new President??? One never knows!
ReplyDeleteTres Mechant Michael!! Bragging about your exotic escapade!!! But, can you find a good baguette??? LOL!! ;-)
It was an absolute pleasure :), and we'll be back for another visit (all the way from South Africa!) just as soon as we can scrape some more Euros together.
ReplyDeleteEric, kudos!!
ReplyDeletethe way you have composed two elements here...a door to welcome and a sign refraining you to turn back!! a suggestive 'welcome' and kinda 'please dont go!!
I remember paris in 2001 when i drove down from Interlaken (Swiss) via germany (autobans) to enter paris in the evening and stays opposite guarde nord...( hope I spelled it right) never the less the experience was A M A Z I N G...
I will be contributing to economy next week(as well as in 2003). Just found your blog when I was doing some research for my trip and am loving it.
ReplyDeleteI see blue sky and green leaves Eric! Agree with Lynn about the symmetry of the arcs. Lovely photo, again well, in fact, exceedingly well, framed.
ReplyDeleteI love Paris so much, and France itself. Hopefully I'll be going back later this year! Thanks for all the beautiful photos, Eric; Since I came across your site I've been looking thru the archives of your pictures. All of my friends know how much I love it there...one friend called me "Paris in a package", hehe. Makes me ache for Paris! Take care! ~Alicia
ReplyDeleteThat would include me, my other half, brother and Mum! We came last May, and also the April before that! And, me and my loved one will be back this May, on this occasion we will be in Paris for our honeymoon!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the beautiful photos, Eric, I really enjoy your blog and it makes me excited about our return to Paris everyday!
> Lynn : the French are said to be quite numerous in the Uk (perhaps mostly in London, where I'm always amazed to hear so many french speaking in the streets [and no, when I come to London, I don't spend my time in South Kensington!!!]) but, right, they come (and stay) more to earn money than to spend it ! Blame it on the £ ?
ReplyDelete;o)
Been there, done that!
ReplyDeleteGlad to know my visit was of some help! lol
I was one of these tourists last year!!! Every single Euro spent was totally worth! And I plan to contribute some more: I´m going back this year!!!
Lynn, thought you´d like to know: I also contributed to the stats of London (though I don´t know what they are) being one of its visitors last year. Really enjoyed it! It´s the one and only place I´ve ever seen (are u ready for this?!) a pink limosine. That´s right. Piiiink!!! One gotta love a city where you can find such free spirit!
ReplyDeleteMonica, so glad you enjoyed it here! Pink limousine, hmmm yes, the only one i know is owned by Chantelle (at least she has the use of it) she's the non-celebrity who won Celebrity Big Brother last year. Yes, work that one out. Says something about celebrity-mad UK? Probably. Come again, Monica!
ReplyDeleteMichael...yawn...yes you did say. Anyway, perhaps today i can make you a little jealous, we have three inches of snow so can snowball fight and make snowmen and everywhere looks stunningly beautiful. So there! Pics start at Cheltenham tomorrow.
Your welcome. Paris is a wonderful place to visit! I try to get there at least once a year.
ReplyDeleteI remember showing my boys l'arc, along with the eiffel tower when they were tiny. They loved it. One of them is twenty today (pic at my painting blog). Happy Birthday Arthur!
ReplyDeleteI for one was happy to contribute to the Parisian economy last year, and plan on doing it again this summer. Unfortunately, as we spend more dollars, we get fewer euros. Eric, how about a few photos of some bargains in Paris to help us poor tourists out? :)
ReplyDeleteHi Eric,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the warm welcome to the DP Family!
Have to admit that I am a chronic Parisjunkie. And you are my pusher!
I'm feeling all young and spring-like now, Eric thanks! ;)
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the limousine I saw was the one of this so called non-celebrity. "non-celebrity" becoming celebrity, big brother madness, pink limo... has the world gone crazy? ooops, yes it has for quite a while now! At least, we´ll always have Paris!!!
ReplyDeleteQuite, Monica, yes i think it has gone a bit crazy really. Wouldn't mind a ride in the pink limo though. lol.
ReplyDeleteDo many French visit the U.S.? We have a few exchange students here in Lexington. I think there is so much to see and do in France that when the French are on vacation, they prefer their own beautiful country. Hmmmm..I just don't know.
ReplyDeleteNext week at this time we will be headed to the airport for departure to Paris. Incroyable! We can't wait to see Juliette Greco's concert on that Saturday evening.
That's news. I always thought the U.S. is very popular, but that's because most Indians think that U.S. is the ultimate destination. I've never been to Paris, but if I get to visit Europe, I will visit Paris. And I'll recognize some of it because of your pictures. :-)
ReplyDeleteAltho I am enjoying the sun and surf here in Mazatlan, Mexico, Paris is still my favorite city in the entire world!!
ReplyDeleteYour welcome. haha:)
ReplyDeleteC'est bien, ca fait des touristes pour le moulin rouge.
ReplyDeleteLionel
Your pictures illustrates the draw that France has. Not only the attractions, but the culture.
ReplyDeletehappy and proud to be 1 of the 78 million visitors. Paris was an awesome place for a honeymoon. so we made up 2 of the 78 million. Hope to return very soon! Thanks for enabling my daily intake of Paris.
ReplyDeleteThank you for having us! I was not in Paris in 2006 but November of 2005 and I found the city beautiful and welcoming! Thanks Eric for choosing my favorite monument! There is nothing more breathtaking than walking up the Champs Elysees and seeing this become larger and larger...day or night it was beautiful!!!
ReplyDeletewe came. we spent too. and we left some of our hearts in paris, for sure.
ReplyDeleteit was the realisation of a childhood dream for me, and i have been poring over living-in-provence etc books ever since.
another dream.....