Foreword

Paris is not one city but many cities layered upon each other like archaeological strata. It is the ancient Celtic settlement of Lutetia, the medieval labyrinth of narrow streets, the grand boulevards of Baron Haussmann, and the diverse, global metropolis of today. This book invites you to discover all these cities at once.

Too often, guides to Paris focus solely on its most famous monuments or romanticize its past while ignoring the complex realities of urban life. This book takes a different approach. Here, you'll meet the Paris of immigrants who have continuously shaped the city's character, the Paris of working-class neighborhoods that pulse with their own rhythms, and the Paris that exists below ground in tunnels, sewers, and ancient quarries.

Every street corner in Paris tells multiple stories. The challenge is learning to listen to all of them—not just the loudest or most familiar voices, but also those that have been marginalized or forgotten. This book aims to be your guide to that deeper listening.

Whether you're planning your first visit, you've lived here for decades, or you're simply curious about one of the world's great cities, these pages offer new ways to understand Paris as both a magnificent historical artifact and a living, breathing home to people from every continent.

Paris belongs to everyone who has ever called it home, everyone who has ever dreamed of it, and everyone willing to see beyond the postcard images to discover the real city underneath.

Pronunciation note: Throughout this book, French terms are followed by phonetic pronunciations in parentheses. A complete pronunciation guide appears in Appendix A.

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