Changes in the city, Paris

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old paris

View of the Champs Elysées from the top of the arc de Triomphe

Changes in the City of Paris

  1. Flea markets: since around 10 years ago, more garage sales and flea markets
  2. More coffee shops: For the past ten years, more and more coffee shops in Paris, some take the place of cafés
  3. Less bookshops, especially in the Latin Quarter
  4. Less cinemas (movie theaters) especially independent cinemas
  5. Until the mid 70s most Paris’ apartment weren’t equipped with bathrooms
  6. Streets are much cleaner than before the 80s. In the 70s many dog poop. The buildings including the landmarks are not dark as they used to be. (Of course, there are some neighborhoods that are not as clean as others.)
  7. Before the zebra crossings, we had studded crossings (large flat nails 10cm diameter, directly planted between the paving stones of the roads). In the 70s all of them has disappeared replaced by zebra crossings
  8. Environnement: Increasing awareness of  the city on all what’s about environmental subjects 
  9. Booking advance: Until 15 to 20 ans ago, it was easy to visit a museum in Paris without booking in advance
  10. Shops opened on Sundays: since about 10 years ago, the shops have started being allowed to stay opened on Sundays
  11. “Rues aux écoles”: More and more “Rues aux écoles” ( = Streets to the schools), the streets which house a primary school that turned into pedestrian streets. In 2024 there are now 220 of them
  12. City of cycling: since a few years ago, Paris has become the city of cycling. In 2024, the bicycle is used more than the individual car both within the city walls and for trips between Paris and the inner suburbs. (In 2024, nearly 1,000 km of cycle paths.)
  13. “Paris respire” ( = Paris breathes) As part of the “Paris Respire” operation, many neighborhoods are closed to car traffic on Sundays and public holidays (all year or part of the year). “Paris respire” areas: https://parisjetaime.com/eng/article/pedestrianized-areas-of-paris-a002  https://www.paris.fr/pages/paris-respire-2122
  14. Restaurant opening times: now less restaurants stay open throughout the day and night
  15. Underrated Paris areas: Le Marais, it wasn’t as it is now. Up to the 80s, it was a neglected neighbourhood so were the covered passages. 
  16. English language: Maybe 30 years ago and earlier, it was very rare to hear English language spoken in Paris except in the very touristic areas
  17. Car parks: until the 80s, cars could just park almost anywhere in Paris : Place de la Concorde, in the courtyard of the Palais Royal and of Le Louvre. Cars were everywhere and it was not so rare to see cars on the pavements…
  18. When the Eiffel Tower sparkles: It doesn’t sparkle until 1sm anymore (since a few months ago 11pm is the last time of the night that it sparkles

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Galerie Montpensier, Palais Royal, 1st arrondissement of Paris

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