Paris
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Paris is the capital and largest city of France. It is also the capital of the Île-de-France région that, encompassing Paris and its suburbs, represents France's most dynamic centre of economical activity.
Paris is a leading global cultural, business and political center and is renowned for its defining neo-classical architecture as well as its role as a major international influence in fashion, gastronomy and the arts. It is widely regarded as one of the world's major global cities.
Dubbed "the City of Light" (la Ville Lumière) since the 19th century, Paris has a reputation as a "romantic" city.
Situated on the banks of the river Seine in north-central France, Paris hosts a rich array of museums, galleries, and nightlife and is the most visited city in the world, with more than 30 million visitors per year.
The most recognisable symbol of Paris is the 324 metre (1,063 ft) Eiffel Tower (La Tour Eiffel) on the banks of the Seine. |
The 14th Arrondissement
Our symposium location, Le Méridien Montparnasse, is located in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, in the centre of lively Montparnasse at the left bank (rive gauche) of the river Seine. The area also gives its name to:
- Gare Montparnasse (rebuilt as a modern TGV station and is located just accros from Le Méridien) - for quick access to sites including the Eiffel Tower, Porte de Versailles Exposition Center and to Montmartre;
- The large Montparnasse - Bienvenüe metro station;
- Cimitière du Montparnasse (the Montparnasse Cemetery ) where Charles Baudelaire, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and Samuel Beckett are buried;
- Tour Montparnasse - the second tallest structure in Paris (only the Eiffel Tower - La Tour Eiffel - is higher).
The name Montparnasse stems from the nickname 'Mount Parnassus' (In Greek mythology , home to the nine Greek goddesses - the Muses - of the arts and sciences) given to the hilly neighbourhood in the 17th century by students who came there to recite poetry. The hill was levelled to construct the Boulevard Montparnasse in the 18th century. During the Revolution, lots of dance floors and cabarets opened their doors.
The neighbourhood became famous at the beginning of the 20th century when it was the heart of intellectual and artistic life in Paris. It attracted people from all over the world to come to experience the bohemian lifestyle; it also found itself the home of political exiles such as Lenin and Trotsky. The real action in the neighbourhood was to be found in endless talks in cafés like as le Rotonde, le Sélect, le Dôme, la Cloiserie des Lilas, or la Coupole. Here the great minds gathered: Picasso, Modigliani, Soutine, Zadkine, Paul Fort, Apolinaire, Max Jacob, Hemingway, Fargue, Breton, Cocteau, Fitzgerald, Henry Miller, Miro, Fujita... All have left their eternal mark in the memory of this area.
