Paris, its NOT the city of lights!

Tip of the day!

Paris was nicknamed the "City of Light" (not City of Lights) originally because it was a vast center of education and ideas during the Age of Enlightenment.

In 1828, Paris began lighting the Champs-Elysées with gas lamps. It was the first city in Europe to do so, and so earned the nickname "La Ville-Lumière" or The City of Light.

or...

It is the "ville lumière" and the real translation is "city of enlightenment" -- the name has nothing to do with luminosity.

So the truth is that the correct term is City of Light, however there seems to be a difference of opinion surrounding why it is called the City of Light.

Here is an excellent travelogue of 1930s Paris with prominent monuments and examples of Parisian culture. Cityscapes of the city and views of prominent boulevards and structures. Excellent footage of Parisians dining at sidewalk cafes, buying French bread, and enjoying leisure time in the park.