Discovering the City of Light and making it your own has always been the most compelling reason to visit Paris. If you're a first-timer, everything, of course, will be new to you. If you've been away for a while, expect changes: Taxi drivers may no longer correct your fractured French but address you in English -- tantamount to a revolution. More Parisians have a rudimentary knowledge of the language, and France, at least at first glance, seems less xenophobic than in past years. Paris, aware of its role within a united Europe, is an international city. Parisians are attracted to foreign music, videos, and films, especially those from America, and see great signs of hope in the new policies emerging from President Obama's leadership of the United States.

Though Paris is in flux culturally and socially, it lures travelers for the same reasons it always has. You'll still find classic sights like the Tour Eiffel, Notre-Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, Sacrȳ-Coeur, and all those atmospheric cafes, as well as daringly futuristic projects like the Grande Arche de La Dȳfense, the Citȳ des Sciences et de l'Industrie, the Citȳ de la Musique, and the BibliothȲque Franȱois-Mitterrand. And don't forget the parks, gardens, and squares; the Champs-Elysȳes and other grand boulevards; and the river Seine and its quays. Paris's beauty is still overwhelming, especially at night, when it truly is the City of Light.