During the late 18th century, there was a period of political and social upheaval in France and Europe, during which the French governmental structure, previously a monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on Enlightenment principles of nationalism, citizenship, and inalienable rights.

The History of Paris lets us know that the notable events during and following the revolution were the storming of the Bastille 4th district, and the rise and fall of Napoleonic France. Beyond the violent turmoil that was the French Revolution, sparked by the still known Passion des Francais, emerged the enlightened modern day France.

Paris, as we know it, was built long after the Capetian and later the Bourbon Kings of France made their mark on Paris with the Louvre and the Palais Royal, both in the 1st. During the 19th century, Baron von Hausmann set about reconstructing the city and strongly influencing the history of Paris. He did this by adding the long straight avenues and replacing many of the then existing medieval houses, with grander and more uniform buildings. In these historic buildings, today, you can find a number of vacation rentals Paris.

New wonders arrived during La Belle Époque, as the Parisian golden age of the late 19th century is known. Gustave Eiffel's famous tower, the first metro lines, most of the parks, and the streetlights, (which are partly believed to have given the city its epithet "the city of light"), all come from this period. One more source of the epithet comes from Ville Lumière, a reference not only to the revolutionary electrical lighting system implemented in the streets of Paris, but also to the prominence and aura of Enlightenment the city gained in that era.

The 20th century was hard on the History of Paris, but thankfully not as hard as it could have been. Hitler's order to burn the city was thankfully ignored by the German General von Choltitz who was quite possibly convinced by a Swedish diplomat that it would be better to surrender and be remembered as the savior of Paris, than to be remembered as its destroyer. After the war, the city recovered quickly at first, but slowed in the 1970s and 1980s when Paris began to experience some of the problems faced by big cities everywhere: pollution, housing shortages, and occasionally failed experiments in urban renewal.

Throughout this time however, Paris enjoyed considerable growth as a multi-cultural city, with new immigrants from all corners of the world, especially La Francophonie, including most of northern and western Africa (Africa vacation rentals) as well as Vietnam and Laos. These immigrants brought their foods and music, both of which are of prime interest for many travelers. Today there are more nationalities represented in Paris than even in New York (New York vacation rentals)

The twentieth first century has also seen vast improvements in the general livability of Paris, with the Mayor's office concentrating on reducing pollution and improving facilities for soft forms of transportation including a huge network of cycle paths, larger pedestrian districts and newer faster metro lines. Travelers who normally arrive car-less are the beneficiaries of these policies as much as the Parisians themselves are.

The History of Paris is what makes it such a desirable destination today. Spending time in this wonderful city often changes people for the better.