While plenty of people know a few key facts about Paris, many probably don’t know much else about the City of Love.
Indeed, one fun fact is, that people once thought only one stop sign existed in the whole city.
Here are ten more Paris facts for pop culture fans everywhere.
1. The World’s Largest Art Museum is the Louvre
This historic landmark is also the most visited and largest museum on earth. It displays the Mona Lisa, which is behind bullet-proof glass.
The administration strongly recommends visiting the museum without carry-ons because the place is often crowded. A small size locker facility is provided at the museum too.
But if you’re carrying larger bags, the lockers may not be suitable for your purpose. And of course, larger bags are strictly prohibited in the museum. Fortunately, Vertoe provides inexpensive luggage storage in Paris at several locations including the Louvre. You don’t have to worry about a safe place to store your personal belongings.
2. Tom Cruise isn’t an Honorary Citizen
It’s a well-known fact that Tom Cruise is an advocate of Scientology.
Since Parisians classify Scientology as a cult, the Parisian government decided to prohibit him from becoming an honorary citizen.
This just proves you can’t win everything, even if you’re a celebrity.
3. A French Artist Developed Camouflage
In 1914, Lucien-Victor Guirand de Scevola and other people designed to camouflage in France.
“Camouflage” derives from a French word meaning “to make up for the stage”. The first army to create an official camouflage unit was the French Army.
4. The Eiffel Tower is 1,665 Steps High
Before you visit the Eiffel Tower, you might want to know you’ll have to climb 1,665 steps to reach the top.
Alternatively, the visitors get access to the elevator.
Of course, climbing the steps can be smarter if you’d like to get some exercise.
5. Many Visitors Experience the Paris Syndrome
If you can’t stand disappointment, visiting Paris could cause you to experience the “Paris Syndrome”.
Most tourists visit Paris with high expectations. But someone affected by the Paris Syndrome might experience extreme disappointment after seeing the city and witnessing its various imperfections, such as littered streets and overcrowded areas.
6. The First “Bloody Mary”
A bartender at the Ritz Hotel concocted the famous “Bloody Mary” cocktail.
According to legend, Ernest Hemingway, the famous novelist, asked for a drink at the hotel that wouldn’t smell of alcohol. This prompted the bartender to give him tomato juice mixed with vodka.
7. Parisians Absolutely Love Dogs
Although countless people love dogs, Parisians treat the man’s best friends like kings.
Owners often take dogs to a spa session and they spend a fortune on their health and well-being.
Plus, for every three humans in Paris, one dog exists.
Next time you head to Paris, you might want to start counting dogs.
8. The Most Visited Monument: Notre Dame Cathedral
While innumerable people probably assume the Eiffel Tower is Paris’ most visited monument, it’s actually Notre Dame Cathedral.
As French Gothic architecture goes, the Notre Dame Cathedral is famous. The cathedral is a dedication to the Virgin Mary.
9. Paris is the “City of Light”
There’s more than one reason why the city got this popular nickname.
One reason why people call Paris the “City of Light” is because this phrase refers to the high number of academics, artists, and writers who frequent the city.
On the other hand, Paris adopted street lighting before many other European cities, and this can account for people calling it the “City of Light”.
Besides this, the Eiffel Tower shines sparkling lights upon the area too.
10. The French Army Still Uses Carrier Pigeons
Carrier pigeons continue to play an important role in the French military.
The French army still trains and employs these intelligent birds to help out in major catastrophes. They carry out transmissions and reside near Paris at the Mont Valerian.
Clearly, Paris has a lot of interesting facts to surprise almost any visitor.
In fact, you may not have guessed that three Statues of Liberty exist in Paris!
Now every pop culture fan can only imagine what else they don’t know about this amazing city.