Category: Paris

Historians Imagine What Paris Sounded Like in the 18th Century

Imagine the sounds coming out of a busy blacksmith shop in an alleyway in Paris sometime back in the 18th century: the hammering of wrought iron, the rhythmic whoosh of air as the blacksmith uses a bellows to stoke a fire.

We have no recordings of the actual sounds of Paris in those early days, so to try and make those 18th-century streets and alleys of Paris come to life takes a bit of careful historical research and a little imagination. Continue reading “Historians Imagine What Paris Sounded Like in the 18th Century” →

‘Stop the Paris rat genocide’: Activists call for contraceptives not a ‘massacre’

This story from France’s The Local brought to mind Pixar’s brilliant animated film Ratatouille. Now I ask you, who would wish to exterminate Remy? If a contraception plan could be effective (or at least more effective than the rythm method) why not first give it a try? Paris, you have my blessing to forward the bill for this expense to Trump Towers. – Editor 

A campaign by Paris city chiefs to clear out rats from the streets and parks has angered animal rights activists, who want the city to come up with a contraceptive plan rather than massacre the rodents.

Read full article: ‘Stop the Paris rat genocide’: Activists call for contraceptives not a ‘massacre’ – The Local

Rat attack: Paris declares war on city’s exploding rodent population

Already faced with continued fears of terror attacks and record-high pollution levels, Paris is in the midst of yet another battle to reassure tourists of its attractiveness ahead of the holidays: the city’s new war on rats.

Since the end of November, the City of Light has suffered a rat invasion so immense it has had to temporarily shut down at least nine central parks and gardens to tackle the problem. According to French daily Le Parisien, the French capital now houses nearly 4 million rodents, or 1.75 rats per Parisian.

Many of the parks and gardens are currently riddled with holes due to the rodent infestation, and rats are frequently seen raiding the city’s open-ribbed rubbish bins.
Already faced with continued fears of terror attacks and record-high pollution levels, Paris is in the midst of yet another battle to reassure tourists of its attractiveness ahead of the holidays: the city’s new war on rats.

Read Full Story at France 24: Rat attack: Paris declares war on city’s exploding rodent population – France 24

Paris bans cars for third day to help curb crippling air pollution 

Paris prohibited cars from going the roads on Tuesday and Wednesday depending on whether their license plates ended in even or odd numbers, and will continue to do so on Thursday.

The City of Light can’t catch a (clean) breath. The capital city experienced the worst air pollution in a decade, according to Reuters, prompting officials to enforce a driving restriction for the third day in a row. Earlier this fall, the city council approved Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo’s controversial ban of cars along a two-mile stretch of the Seine, but change can’t come fast enough, it seems.

Continue reading “Paris bans cars for third day to help curb crippling air pollution “ →