OCA had the pleasure of sitting down with François Wiedenmann, a portal student of NYU Shanghai and getting to talk about his home city, Paris. François is a Business and Finance major who is more than willing to share his thoughts on one of Europe’s grandest cities, and what life in Paris could entail. Like every large-scale city in the world, Paris is extremely vibrant yet it still manages to distinguish itself on many levels. The typical Renaissance-style architecture that contributes to Paris’ uniqueness has been maintained and renovated over the years: from the elaborately carved lampposts to the massive monuments such as the Arc de Triomphe. Located right in the centre of Paris is one of the world’s largest museums: The Louvre. The magnificence of The Louvre cements Paris’ reputation as a city of art, it is home to masterpieces like Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa as well as well as new expositions from all over the world. For an ardent lover of art, there will certainly never be enough time to see all the exhibitions you might want to. Paris is also, unsurprisingly, sometimes referred to as the “Disneyland for the Rich”. Housing headquarters to many renown luxury brands like Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Chanel ,the world’s wealthy jet in frequently to delight in the exquisite shopping galleries and showcases that change as often as the trends and seasons. One of the most famous shopping malls - Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann presents some of the most beautiful showcases and a popular weekly free fashion show for visitors. Predictably, Parisians take their sense of style very seriously. Everybody knows of the “french scarf x classy jacket” combo that has survived through all the different trends over the years. In recent years though, Paris is starting to gain a new fashion identity as one of the “Hipster Paradises” where style is out of the ordinary, quirky, and still maintaining the air of class. Winding down from the mundane that is the weekday rush to work, it is common to find Parisians sitting in cafés on the weekends with their friends or lovers simply talking or writing and enjoying the charm of Paris; just like famous literati like Jean Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Victor Hugo, Arthur Rimbaud and Ernest Hemingway would have done. The average meal in the cafés and restaurants costs upwards of €25 (approx. ¥170) per person and thus there is stiff competition being presented by the crop of fast-food restaurants opening up. A good option, especially for students, for cheaper and healthier food is the artisanal bakeries that serve pastries such as: pains au chocolats, baguettes, croissants and €2 sandwiches. In fact, every visitor to Paris should experience the delicious variety of French desserts, so be sure to pick up a box of macarons from Ladurée on the Champs Elysées! France celebrates two main holidays - Christmas and the Summer vacation. Christmas in Paris can be very enjoyable for many reasons. Attending mass in the Notre Dame Cathedral is a very ethereal experience that is recommended even for the non-Christians because the sound of the hymns and organ accompaniment is very beautiful and unforgettable. The religious paintings and sculptures further compliment the atmosphere present in the Cathedral. In addition, the Christmas snow gives a completely new perspective to the city in the winter, some even see it as the most romantic time of the year! The Parisian summer is extremely enjoyable with temperatures rarely being higher than 30ºC - it is neither too hot nor too cold. The French tend to go towards the South on the Mediterranean sea; to the beaches near Nice, Cannes or Monaco. But, according to François, all these people are truly missing out on the huge music festivals taking place in Paris. And no, these are not the token festivals that happen in the football stadiums of most big European cities. These festivals involve boats fitted with loudspeakers navigating the Seine all afternoon long, playing all types of music as the people congregate on the docks, dancing and enjoying the music. With such a vibrant music scene, it is only befitting that Paris has a dynamic nightlife. Despite the fact that a whole new new style of music has replaced the sounds of Debussy, Lully, Maurice Ravel, Saint-saens and Edith Piaf, Paris still remains a birthplace for today’s musical geniuses - Daft Punk, David Guetta, M83, Air, Justice, Stephane Grapelli, Serge Gainsbourg and Yann Tiersen all hail from here! The Parisian nightlife will definitely offer you all types music from metal to electro to trans to rap to jazz to classical music in the operas. The clubs typically open around 9 PM until 7am however, alcohol gets extremely expensive after a few glasses so it’s not uncommon for Parisians, and most students, to enjoy the nightlife by hosting apartment parties with friends. On Century Avenue would like to thank François Wiedenmann for taking time to provide our readers with an insightful insider’s view on life in Paris. This article was written by Mercy Angela Nantongo. Send an email to [email protected] to get in touch. Photo Credit: Anna Perez