Paris, the city of Love
Thursday, January 19, 2012 Publié par Eric Tenin
Sweet graffito today... I found it at rue Monge and thought it was cute. They I thought of the common saying "Paris, ville de l'amour" (Paris, the city of love) and I started wondering why? I even searched on the web! And did not find anything relevant really. Why on earth would Paris be anymore the city of love than any of these cities?! I wonder...
January 19, 2012 12:38:00 AM GMT+01:00
Nope, I think it is called "The City of Light." The French language is called "The Language of Love".
Here's a question for you, Philadelphia is called "The City of Brotherly Love." I've been to Philly on a few occasions, and could never figure out how that city got that reference. :-s
Your photo falls into the Naïve Art realm -- I think it's because of the chalk. :-)
Speaking of LOVE, Valentine's Day is right around the corner.
January 19, 2012 12:44:00 AM GMT+01:00
Lois is right...The City of Light...that's why I think the best time to see Paris is in November...it gets dark early, the tourists are gone and its generally not too cold. And because its post the time change, the lights come on about 4.30pm and then you can see why Paris is the "City of Light"
Marc
January 19, 2012 1:33:00 AM GMT+01:00
I took the same photo this summer:) That has happened a few times and it always makes me smile.
January 19, 2012 3:37:00 AM GMT+01:00
Why Paris more than any other city? Well, I fell in love and married in NYC, and I could make a good argument for Venice—but I will always think of Paris as "la ville d'amour." La prochaine fois que je sois a Paris, discutons—d'accord?
January 19, 2012 4:25:00 AM GMT+01:00
Lois, Philadelphia is Greek for brotherly love. Or at least a rough translation. Just as philanthropy is love of mankind (anthro), or phyllo asks why love J Lo? My Greek is a little rough...
Gardylooooo.....
January 19, 2012 7:25:00 AM GMT+01:00
Paris mon amour !
If you're not in love when you arrive you surely are when you leave this city of love and light.
January 19, 2012 3:07:00 PM GMT+01:00
I wish I knew as well. Is it because we have all fallen in love with Paris and now consider it the City we love? :) (Even if I haven't been there in person yet? LOL)
January 19, 2012 4:22:00 PM GMT+01:00
Je l'adore! Can I post this to my FB page...with attribution to YOU of course! Perfect for Valentines Day
January 19, 2012 4:42:00 PM GMT+01:00
Of course Nancy, I'd be honored!
January 19, 2012 6:16:00 PM GMT+01:00
@ Jeff, Hmmm, interesting, Merci -- Greek? Ah, yes, I see it on Wikipedia now. I wonder how on earth did the English speaking Quaker Penn arrive at naming the fair city a Greek name? Why not just call it the City of Brotherly Love? It's moments like this I wish I had a Time Machine.
January 20, 2012 10:55:00 AM GMT+01:00
The Western notion of romantic or courtly love was born in France in the age of the troubadors. French became the language of love. Paris became the capital of France. Thousands believed and fueled the legend of Paris being the romantic capital of the world, and it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Let's keep it that way! Read more about it on
http://www.paris-sharing.com/blog-en/st-valentine-tribute-to-paris/
January 29, 2012 5:53:00 AM GMT+01:00
Lois, the city of Philadelphia, although it may not exude the warmth and promise now, was founded by William Penn and other Quakers (Religious Society of Friends) in the 1600s. They gave it the monicker describing their hopes and values. The city's halo has slipped considerably in the intervening few hundred years. :-).
Eric, love this photo! It reminds me a favorite snippit of song lyric by Canadian Bruce Cockburn: Toi et moi parmi les esprits de la lumiere.
-Kim