Don’t pass this up
If you haven’t yet been to Paris, you are missing one of the most exquisite experiences in the world today
When a major act of terrorism was directed against Paris last year, the famed City of Light experienced a sharp drop in its tourism. I’ve seen figures as large as 30 percent used to measure the drop-off.
Paris has since recovered, to some extent, and is again enjoying respectable visitor numbers - especially from Chinese tourists, who find the city irresistible.
To me, Paris remains on the list of must-sees. In fact, it might even occupy position No. 1 in the ranking of cities that have to be seen. In virtually every area of tourism - history, food, theater, art, shopping, music and dance, architecture - it leads the world, in my estimation.
Clearly, Paris is no more subject to acts of tourism than any large city in the world today. In fact, last year’s incident probably has caused it to be better patrolled against further terrorism than most other cities of comparable size.
And Parisians today are more sensitively aware than ever of the importance of tourism to their overall economy. Recent visitors have reported exceptional acts of kindness toward tourists performed by its residents.
To the extent that tourism to Paris is still off to a slight extent, that reduction also has made visits to its museums and other attractions more pleasant than ever.
At the several Leonardo da Vincis and Monets in its Louvre and other museums, crowds are particularly diminished. The Eiffel Tower is more easily visited, as are Notre Dame Cathedral, the Pantheon, Tomb of Napoleon, Versailles, Sainte Chapelle, Musee d’Orsay and many others.
A case could be made that Paris is the most beautiful city on Earth. If you haven’t yet been here, you are passing up one of the most outstanding areas in all the world. It will change your outlook forever.
Note to the reader: Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip. The information in this column was accurate when it was released, but prices are competitive, sometimes limited and can always change without notice.
Arthur Frommer is the pioneering founder of the Frommer’s Travel Guide book series. He co-hosts the radio program, The Travel Show, with his travel correspondent daughter Pauline Frommer. Find more destinations online and read Arthur Frommer’s blog at frommers.com.