Paris is at the very heart of the World Cup in France. Take a look at the French capital that has captured the hearts of generations of visitors. BY: ANTOINE VIERNE he great Mistinguett sang of Paris as the queen of the world in revues during the Belle Époque, and for sure the city has occupied a special place in the hearts of travellers from all corners of the globe who have once visited the French capital. For many, it feels like a second home, a place with magic in the air and where the imagination is stimulated with every view. The area has been populated since way back in history; the town grew up around an island in the river (the present Ile de la Cité), with a Gallic tribe known as the Parisii occupying the site about two centuries B.C. and giving the town its name. From the Middle Ages onwards it was the capital of France and the home of the monarchy, with the momentous events of the French Revolution in 1789 stamping an indelible mark on French history and reverberating round the world. Paris is full of reminders of its magnificent history, many of them ranking still among the world's greatest tourist attractions: Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Sacré Coeur - to mention only a few that draw millions of visitors each year. In addition there are the artistic and cultural attractions which make the city vibrate around its monuments and its museums; it is as much a contemporary cultural centre as a classical one.
To mark the occasion of the World Cup FIFA - FRANCE 98 in a truly special way, Paris will organise a "Football Festival" on 9 June 1998, the evening before the opening match for the 16th World Cup. The opening ceremony will be a huge celebration, and the heart of Paris and its people will be linked to the rest of the world. It will obviously be a great occasion for football fans, but it is intended as a party for everybody else too, with the focus being on the three fundamental ideas the organisation committee has chosen as its themes: universality, emotion and sharing. For more information on Paris St-Germain, visit the official site of the French Football League
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