5 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About Paris

First, a little background. I am finishing up my year in Europe with a jaunt through some of its major cities. One of my new favorite ways to see a city is to take a walking tour, and in doing so, I find that I learn tons more about the place than I would have ever known just by wandering around on my own. So, to apprise yourself of all the things you never knew about Paris...

1. The Latin Quarter, which is over by Notre Dame and generally has tons of restaurants and nightlife, is thusly called because people used to speak Latin in the neighborhood instead of French. This occurred because the Sorbonne University is situated in the area, and back in its glory days all the students and professors spoke Latin, so as you walked around you would mostly hear Latin being spoken instead of French.

2. The Eiffel Tower was only meant to be a part of the Parisian landscape for 20 years. However, shortly after it was built in 1889, Gustave Eiffel had radio antennae installed on the tower (with an eye towards its preservation) and it soon became indispensable for communications - and it still is.

3. If you've ever been to the Parisian catacombs to see the bones, you've only been inside a small section of the catacomb network. The known Parisian catacombs range over 400km and this underground maze plays host to many restaurants and clubs - although it's also illegal to go to them.

4. Paris was originally settled around 250 B.C. by a Celtic tribe known as the Parisii. However, the Romans took over the city in 52 B.C. and renamed it Lutetia. That is why you'll find lots of cafés and shops in Paris called Le Lutetia or a similar name. When the Romans left around 400 A.D., the city was re-dubbed Paris.

5. The Notre Dame of Paris is just one of hundreds of Gothic churches that used to pepper Paris. The French had had it up-to-here with Gothic architecture and were in the process of tearing down many Gothic cathedrals when Victor Hugo stepped in. He thought it was a crying shame that the Parisians would willingly deprive themselves of such a cultural gem, so he wrote the Hunchback of Notre Dame to inspire Parisians to fall in love again with the cathedral. It worked, and if you've ever visited Notre Dame, you have Monsieur Hugo to thank for it.

I learned all of these things thanks to our tour guide Sam, through Sandeman's tours. If you are thinking about a trip to Paris, you should consider taking one of these tours yourself. All the guides are fantastic. Check out Sandeman's website here.