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Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 60 general entries. We are selecting 30 for display.
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 Paris
| The Eiffel Tower is probably one of the most famous landmarks in the world. Do you know how high it is? | It's All in Paris
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between 300 and 350m. The official height of the Eiffel Tower is debatable. Figures range between 312 and 330m. The Eiffel Tower was constructed in 1889 for the World Expo. It has three levels with shops and a restaurant, not to mention the beautiful view over Paris.
| The best known cemetery in Paris is called Pere Lachaise. A rather famous singer is buried here. His name is _____ ? | It's All in Paris
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Jim Morrison. Pere Lachaise already existed in 1804. Many famous people chose to be buried here (the composer Chopin or the great writer Oscar Wilde for example), but the most popular grave is still the resting place of the Doors' lead singer.
| Why was the bridge 'Pont Neuf' so popular when it was inaugurated in 1604? | It's All in Paris
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People could see the Seine flowing underneath. The Pont Neuf was the first modern bridge in Paris. Not only was its design and size very different from the previous bridges in Paris, but it was also the first bridge without shops and markets. Before the Pont Neuf, people in Paris were never able to really see the Seine flowing underneath a bridge because of the various sheds and shops on the bridges. That's why the inhabitants of Paris liked to come to the Pont Neuf: to watch their beloved Seine. The Pont Neuf still remains one of Paris' most famous bridges. The artist Christo for example, completely wrapped it in 1985.
Notre Dame . Initiated by Bishop Maurice de Sully in 1160, it was not completed until the fourteenth century. It was constructed on the site of a basilica dating from the fourth century, which was itself built on the site of a Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter. Its gothic gargoyles, facade, and carved portals make it one of the best examples of the metamorphosis from Roman to gothic style in European architectural history as the original plans for Notre-Dame followed the location's proceeding edifices. Before the renovation in the nineteenth century, Notre-Dame had become so dilapidated that animals were sheltered there by nearby inhabitants, something hard to imagine today. You must climb 386 steps to reach the top of the tower of Notre-Dame but the view is worth it. The last stairs are wooden, and they take you to the massive bronze bell in the tower.
| In front of the Louvre museum, a rather contemporary construction can be seen. What is it exactly? | It's All in Paris
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A pyramid. Since the late 18th century, when the Louvre was first opened to the public, this world-famous museum has ranked high on most visitors' lists of 'things to see in Paris.' Recent renovations, coupled with I. M. Pei's impressive glass pyramid have given the Louvre a more contemporary look. Parisians and visitors from around the world flocked in record numbers to the grand inauguration ceremonies in December 1993 of the 'New Louvre'.
| Close to the Hotel de Ville in the Beaubourg-quarter, an art center was constructed in the 1970s. Its name is _________ ? | It's All in Paris
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Centre Pompidou. After five years of construction, the Centre national d'art et de culture Georges Pompidou was inaugurated by the French president, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, on January 31, 1977. Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers and Gianfranco Franchini, the architects of the Centre Georges Pompidou, designed this building to be an 'expandable spatial diagram'. The building is very colorful because of the utility shafts that are attached to the outside of the building, which are painted in four colors (blue: air {conditioning;} green: water {circuits;} yellow: electrical {conduits;} red: circulation and security)
| In France, the two last numbers on the car's license plates indicate the region where the car has been registered. What is the number for Paris? | It's All in Paris
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75. The whole of France is subdivided in regions. Every region has its number, and in Paris, it's 75.
| If you want to go shopping in Paris and you don't want to spend your whole fortune, you should know this: what does 'soldes' mean? | It's All in Paris
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Sales. Indeed, soldes are sales. Watch for these soldes as they can save you a lot of money. Even Hermes and Lancome and a few other of the most exclusive couturiers open their doors each spring for a few hours for bargain basement sales.
| Who was the director of the famous musical "An American in Paris"? | All About Paris
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Vincente Minnelli. Vincente Minelli, who married the actress Judy Garland, is the father of Liza Minelli.
| The Paris Treaty was a treaty establishing one of the European Communities. Which one? | All About Paris
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European Coal and Steel Community. The Paris Treaty entered into force in 1952. The ECSC was the first of the three European Communities. The European Defence Community was never realised.
marguerite. The word "marguerite" is of French origin. Marguerite is also a female name, French form of Margaret.
| The famous French actress Catherine Deneuve recorded a song called "Paris, Paris" together with whom? | All About Paris
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Malcolm McLaren. The song was recorded in 1994. Malcolm McLaren was the one time manager of the famous punk group "Sex Pistols".
| Who starred as Jeanne in the notorious movie "Last Tango in Paris"? | All About Paris
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Maria Schneider. The movie was directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. The part of Paul was played by Marlon Brando.
| Paris is the seat of an important international organisation - which one? | All About Paris
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OECD. OECD is an acronym for Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. It was founded in 1961 and succeeded the Organization for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC), which had been set up in 1948 to coordinate the Marshall Plan for European economic recovery after World War II.
| A distinguished Polish film director, who won "Palme d'Or" at the Cannes International Film Festival this year (2002), was born in Paris. Do you know who I am talking about? | All About Paris
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Roman Polanski. Roman Polanski won the Critics Prize at the Venice Film Festival to begin with. His "Knife in the Water" was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Foreign Language Film. He made his English-language debut with "Repulsion" (1964), starring Catherine Deneuve, and then made "Cul-de-Sac" (1965), which won the Best Picture prize at the Berlin Film Festival. His "Chinatown" won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and was nominated for eleven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. His latest film, "Pianist", won "Palme d´Or" at the Cannes International Film Festival in 2002.
poisonous powder. Paris green is a very poisonous, bright green powder that was formerly used as a pigment (e.g. in wallpaper); it is sometimes used as an insecticide or to kill plant fungi.
| The Parisii tribe settled Paris in the time before Christ and the city was captured by the Romans in 52 A.D. The site of the original settlement, from which all distances in France are still measured today, is where? | A Walking Tour of Paris
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Île de la Cité. Easily defended from other tribes and vikings, this island in the middle of the Seine is now the home of the cathedral of Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle.
| We walk behind the cathedral of Nôtre Dame and pass over a bridge to another island, pausing to watch unicycle riders, fire eaters, and jugglers along the way. The Île St. Louis is a fashionable spot for browsing for art among its many galleries and having a leisurely lunch. We see long lines in front of the Berthillon ice cream shop, a haunt for connoisseurs of this universal dessert. We cross the Pont Marie to reach one of the current most fashionable districts of Paris, which also contains the oldest square in the city. What is the name of this district? | A Walking Tour of Paris
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Marais. This 400 year old square, named the Place des Vosges, former residence of Cardinal Richelieu and Victor Hugo, has perfect symmetry and is bordered by 36 houses, nine on each side.
| From the Place des Vosges, we walk up the Rue Turenne, and dash into a side street which puts us in front of the museum of a famous artist. What is the namesake of this museum? | A Walking Tour of Paris
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Picasso. This 17th Century mansion, opened as the Musée Picasso in 1986, got its start by bequeathing many of Picasso's works inherited by the French government in lieu of the "death tax".
| We head west to get to the famous Georges Pompidou center, known for its striking architectural statement and its collection of modern art, but just before reaching it, we find yet another museum. It is called the Musée de la Poupee. I suggest we move on, because if you stop at every museum you come to in Paris you would never leave. What would you se if you went into the Musée de la Poupee? | A Walking Tour of Paris
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Dolls. The museum contains at least sixty window displays, and also serves as a "doll hospital" in case you brought a damaged doll with you.
| We leave the Louvre and walk through the Tuileries gardens, we encounter a couple in hot pink miniskirts and knee length silver boots. One was a bald man in his seventies. Oh, well! It is Paris. As we reach the Place de la Concorde and its Egyptian obelisk, we reflect on the historical event which took place here. What was it? | A Walking Tour of Paris
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The guillotine during the French Revolution. Originally known as Place Louis XV, it was renamed Place de la Revolution, where 1119 persons were executed by the guillotine. The 3200 year old Luxor obelisk was added in the 19th century.
| We continue up the Champs Elysees, or "Elysian Fields" to the Arc de Triomphe, built to commemorate Napoleon's victory at the battle of Austerlitz in 1805. What is found at this site? | A Walking Tour of Paris
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The tomb of the unknown soldier. There is no model, de Gaulle is buried in his hometown, and there is no Roman temple.
| We climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe and look northwest down the Avenue de la Grand Armee to a strange looking building in the shape of a square with a huge hole in the middle, making it look somewhat like a picture frame. This futuristic area of Paris was begun in 1958 and accommodates over 30,000 workers. What is it called? | A Walking Tour of Paris
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La Defense. This development includes the "Grand Arche". the building mentioned above, which is taller and wider than the cathedral of Notre Dame.
| We really are hoofing it now as we near the end of the walk. We rush through the Hotel des Invalides, which houses Napoleon's tomb and his stuffed horse, through the left bank and the Boulevard St. Germain de Pres, and have an afternoon coffee in the world's first coffeehouse (so they claim) at La Precope. Which famous philosopher of the Enlightenment who drank 40 cups of coffee per day was a patron here? | A Walking Tour of Paris
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Voltaire. Thanks for accompanying me on this quick tour of Paris. Before going shopping to stuff our luggage with cheeses and wines we can't get at home, we write our last postcards and watch the sun set over the Seine.
| Next to the Louvre Museum is a picturesque park called Jardin des Tuileries. "Jardin" means garden, but what is the English for "tuileries"? | The Tourist's Paris
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roof tiles. Monet painted some of his most famous paintings here. Believe it or not, this park was once a noxious pit where clay was mined to make red roof tiles. However, some of the paths are made of red dirt, there are water lilies on the ponds and the park is known for its tulips.
| Returning to the Louvre, which French head of state eccentrically ordered that the Glass Pyramid lobby be built of exactly 666 panes of glass? | The Tourist's Paris
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Mitterrand. François Mitterrand, who was president from 1981-95, has long been rumoured to have had links to the occult.
| The Champs-Elysées is Paris' most famous street, lined with trendy stores, restaurants and nightclubs. At one end stands Napoleon Bonaparte's famous Arc de Triomphe. What marks the other end? | The Tourist's Paris
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Place de la Concorde. This square held the guillotine that executed Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and the revolutionaries Danton and Robespierre. It is now home to a 23-metre high obelisk from Egypt.
| In the district surrounding the basilica of Sacre Coeur you can find an area where there are many artists wanting to paint your picture. What is this district called? | The Tourist's Paris
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Montmartre. The square is always stuffed to the gills with painters of varying styles and skills. The more aggressive ones corner you and start to draw you. Refuse payment at your own risk.
Stairs. A huge staircase leads up to the distinctive three domes of the white basilica?
Égout. The sewers are called égouts in French. Escarole is chicory and escargot is snails. Eflouge does not mean anything in French.
1858. Starting in 1858, tours were given in sections of the sewer. They became very popular during the time of the author Victor Hugo due to descriptions in his stories.
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