Paris

Located in the Heart of Red River Valley, Paris was founded in 1839 and became the Lamar County seat in 1844. Paris became incorporated in 1845 and has grown to play a major role in Texas economy within Northeast Texas. Paris received recognition in 1998 for being named "Best Small Town in Texas" by Kevin Heubusch in his book "The New Rating Guide to Life in America's Small Cities."

Paris (pronounced in English) is the capital of France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the River Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region (also known as the "Paris Region"; French: Région parisienne). The city of Paris within its administrative limits (largely unchanged since 1860) has an estimated population of 2,167,994 (January 2006) .The Paris unité urbaine (or urban area) extends well beyond the administrative city limits and has an estimated population of 9.93 million (in 2005). The Paris aire urbaine (or metropolitan area) has a population of nearly 12 million, and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe.

Paris is home to a varied population. A high proportion of students, young workers and elderly people, many tourists and a large number of foreign residents: a genuine cultural wealth.

The population density varies between the various arrondissements (districts). The most sparsely populated arrondissements are the 12th (8,370 inhabitants per km², due to the Bois de Vincennes wood) and the 1st (9,228 inhabitants per km²). Conversely, the most densely populated arrondissement is the 11th (more than 40,000 inhabitants per km²). Paris is the French department with the lowest average number of inhabitants per household. The average size of Parisian households is less than two people (1.75): most families have only one child (50% of households). The capital is home to many single people.

The number of inhabitants also varies between the various arrondissements. The three most populated arrondissements are, in order, the 15th, 18th   and 20th. The least populated arrond icemen’s are the small districts in the city centre: the 1st, 2nd and 4th arrondissements.

More than two million people live in Paris. The last full census (1999) showed that the capital had 2,125,246 inhabitants for a surface area of 10,540 hectares, i.e. more than 20,000 inhabitants per square kilometre. It is the densest area in France.According to recent studies, the number of Parisians increased by 19,000 inhabitants between 1999 and 2004 after a steady drop since 1950. This upward trend is continuing.

Place des Vosges

In 1608, Henri IV decided the construction of a vast place, in the residential Marais district. A splendid carrousel, given of the 5 to April 7, 1612 in honour of the marriages of Louis XIII with Anne of Austria and Elisabeth de France sister of the King with the future Philippe IV of Spain inaugurated the very new place that Henri IV named Place Royale. It will be baptized Place des Vosges in 1800, in honour of the region which was the first to pay a contribution. The square ensemble made up 36 symmetrical houses with ground-floor arcades, steep slate roofs, large dormer windows and creeper-covered walls.

Hotel de Ville isn't a hotel, but Paris's grandiose City Hall. The medieval structure it replaced had witnessed countless municipally ordered executions. Henri IV's assassin, Ravaillac, was quartered alive on the square in 1610, his body tied to four horses that bolted in opposite directions.