Welcome to the forum! My love affair with France began 3 years ago with a chance enrollment in a French intensive course at my old college. From there it blossomed with a year of study, 3 months abroad in Rennes and Paris, and another 10 months spent in the small city of Morlaix as an English language assistant. If I had to pick a favorite city in the world, well, that would be tough. I live in New York, grew up around Seattle, spent quite some time in London and Amsterdam, and have known a few other places intimately as well. Yet nothing has compared to the beauty of Paris, particularly in the Springtime. The limestone architecture makes the city glow during the day with a light that is unparalleled in my experience. The restaurants are magnifique, the museums are beyond description, and the gardens are as abundant as they are splendid.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not one for the over-romanticism of la belle Ville. It has its share of issues and problems. Automobiles abound, the river isn't as clean as it looks, pedestrians are often assaulted by the scent of urine, and crime does exist. Yet by comparison, it is no worse than any other major city I've visited (save Seattle, perhaps, though the Emerald City is considerably smaller in size.) New York reeks of garbage, the rivers are ridiculously polluted and can make you seriously ill if you take a dip, and the subway system needs some serious work (though I do love this city more and more everyday that I live in its loving embrace.)
Currently, my plan is to be there next Spring with the love of my life for 2 or 3 months. My French skills need some improving and I would love to be close to all of that amazing art and architecture. She's never lived there, I myself only had 5 amazing weeks in the City of Lights. I'll be posting more on my experiences in Paris, Rennes, and Brittany soon. Thanks for checking us out here and please, share a little about your experiences and vacation plans to le beau pays... Au revoir et à la prochaine!
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