History of Paris in Timeline

Paris is the capital and largest city of France, situated on the Seine River in the Île-de-France region. It's the largest metropolitan area in France and fourth-most populous in the EU, with a metropolitan population of 13.2 million. Known as the "City of Light", it has been a major global hub for finance, diplomacy, commerce, culture, fashion, and gastronomy since the 17th century.

1860: Administrative Limits Fixed

The administrative limits of Paris have remained unchanged since 1860, with the exception of the 20th-century addition of the Bois de Boulogne, the Bois de Vincennes, and the Paris heliport.

1900: Universal Exposition

In 1900, Paris hosted the Universal Exposition, which gave Paris the Pont Alexandre III, the Grand Palais, the Petit Palais and the first Paris Métro line.

1900: Inauguration of the first Paris Métro line

In 1900, Paris inaugurated its first Métro line, marking the beginning of the city's extensive underground transport network.

1900: Summer Olympics Hosting

Paris hosted the Summer Olympics in 1900.

1900: Michelin Guide Standard

Since 1900, the Michelin Guide has been a standard guide to French restaurants, awarding its highest award, three stars, to the best restaurants in France.

1901: Population Growth

By 1901, the population of Paris had grown to approximately 2,715,000.

1911: Olympia Paris Staircase

In 1911, the dance hall Olympia Paris invented the grand staircase as a setting for its shows, competing with the Folies Bergère.

1913: Ballets Russes Performances

In 1913, the first performances of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes took place at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

1921: Historical Peak Population

In 1921, Paris reached its historical peak population of 2.9 million.

1924: Summer Olympics Hosting

Paris hosted the Summer Olympics in 1924.

1929: Annexation of Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes

In 1929, the Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes forest parks were annexed to Paris, bringing its area to about 105 km.

December 1933: First Rugby League Game

In December 1933, Paris hosted the country's first rugby league game, an exhibition match between the Australia national team and a British League Select XIII.

1938: FIFA World Cup Final

Paris hosted the finals of the 1938 FIFA World Cup.

June 1940: German Army Marches into Paris

On 14 June 1940, the German army marched into Paris, which had been declared an 'open city'.

July 1942: Arrest of Jews

On 16–17 July 1942, French police and gendarmes arrested 12,884 Jews, including 4,115 children, and confined them at the Vel d'Hiv before being transported to Auschwitz.

August 1944: Liberation of Paris

On 25 August 1944, the city was liberated by the French 2nd Armoured Division and the 4th Infantry Division of the United States Army.

1946: Le Lido Opening

Le Lido on the Champs-Élysées opened in 1946.

1949: Sixty-two Percent of Buildings Predate 1949

As of 1949, sixty-two percent of buildings in Paris had been constructed.

1951: Crazy Horse Saloon Opening

The Crazy Horse Saloon, featuring strip-tease, dance, and magic, opened in 1951.

1954: Rugby League World Cup

In 1954, The Rugby League World Cup was first held with the Parc des Princes hosting the opening match and the final in which France finished as runners-up to Great Britain.

1954: Population peak

In 1954, the population of Paris reached 2,850,000.

April 1956: Paris twinned reciprocally

Since April 1956, Paris is exclusively and reciprocally twinned with another city.

November 1958: UNESCO headquarters established in Paris

Since November 1958, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has had its headquarters in Paris.

1960: UEFA European Championships Final

Paris hosted the finals of the 1960 UEFA European Championships.

August 1961: FLN attacks and curfew imposed

In August 1961, the pro-independence FLN targeted and killed 11 Paris policemen, leading to a curfew on Muslims of Algeria.

October 1961: Algerian Protest and Confrontations

On 17 October 1961, a peaceful protest by Algerians against the curfew led to violent confrontations with the police, resulting in at least 40 deaths.

1961: Paul Delouvrier Head of Paris Region

In 1961, Paul Delouvrier became head of the Paris region, promising to resolve the disconnect between Paris and its suburbs.

1961: Delouvrier's "ville nouvelle" Initiative

In 1961, Paul Delouvrier's 'ville nouvelle' political initiative led to the creation of social housing districts in Paris.

1962: Migration to Suburbs Begins

In 1962, a significant migration of residents from Paris to the suburbs began.

1962: OAS Bombings

Throughout 1961 and 1962, the anti-independence Organisation armée secrète (OAS) carried out a series of bombings in Paris.

1967: Orchestre de Paris Established

The Orchestre de Paris was established in 1967.

May 1968: Student Protests and General Strike

In May 1968, students protesting occupied the Sorbonne and erected barricades in the Latin Quarter, which led to a two-week general strike involving Parisian blue-collar workers.

1968: Student demonstrations

In 1968, student demonstrations occurred, leading to the breakup of the University of Paris into thirteen autonomous universities in 1970.

1968: Reorganization of the Seine Department

In 1968, the 'District de la région parisienne' was reorganized into several new departments, and Paris became a department in itself.

1969: Construction of Tour Maine-Montparnasse Begins

Construction of the Tour Maine-Montparnasse, the tallest building in Paris, began in 1969.

1970: University of Paris broken up

In 1970, the University of Paris was broken up into thirteen autonomous universities following the student demonstrations in 1968.

1972: Rugby League World Cup Group Game

In 1972, the newly rebuilt Parc des Princes was used for a group game of the Rugby League World Cup.

1973: Completion of Périphérique Expressway

In 1973, the Périphérique expressway encircling the city of Paris was completed.

1973: Tour Montparnasse becomes tallest building

In 1973, the Tour Montparnasse became the tallest building in both Paris and France.

1974: Twenty Percent of Buildings Built Between 1949 and 1974

Between 1949 and 1974, 20 percent of buildings in Paris were constructed.

1974: Opening of Charles de Gaulle Airport

Charles de Gaulle Airport, located on the edge of the northern suburbs of Paris, opened to commercial traffic in 1974.

1974: Paris granted municipal autonomy

In 1974, Paris was granted municipal autonomy by the National Assembly.

1975: Migration to Suburbs Ends

By 1975, a significant migration of residents from Paris to the suburbs ended.

1975: National Assembly changes Paris status

In 1975, the National Assembly changed the status of Paris to that of other French cities.

1975: Tour de France Finish

Since 1975, the final stage of the Tour de France has finished on the Champs-Elysées in Paris.

March 1977: Jacques Chirac elected mayor

In March 1977, Jacques Chirac was elected as the first modern elected mayor of Paris since 1871.

March 1977: Jacques Chirac becomes first elected mayor

On 25 March 1977, Jacques Chirac became the first elected mayor of Paris since 1793.

1977: Centre Georges Pompidou opened

In 1977, the Centre Georges Pompidou was opened, initiated by President Georges Pompidou.

1977: District Renamed Île-de-France

In 1977, the district of the Paris region was renamed 'Île-de-France', though the name 'Paris region' is still commonly used.

1977: Creation of new parks in Paris begins

Since 1977, the city of Paris has created 166 new parks.

1983: Louvre Pyramid Construction

Construction of the Louvre Pyramid with its underground courtyard, initiated by President François Mitterrand, took place from 1983 to 1989.

1984: UEFA European Championships Final

Paris hosted the finals of the 1984 UEFA European Championships.

1985: Opéra Bastille construction

Construction of the Opéra Bastille, initiated by President François Mitterrand, took place from 1985 to 1989.

1986: Musée d'Orsay opened

In 1986, the Musée d'Orsay was opened, initiated by President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.

1986: Médiathèque Musicale Mahler Opening

The Médiathèque Musicale Mahler opened in 1986 and contains collections related to music.

1987: Parc de la Villette created

In 1987, the Parc de la Villette was created as one of the new parks in Paris.

1989: Opéra Bastille completed

Construction of the Opéra Bastille, initiated by President François Mitterrand, took place from 1985 to 1989.

1990: Population Decline

By 1990, the population of Paris had decreased to 2,152,000 as middle-class families moved to the suburbs.

1991: UNESCO World Heritage Site Designation

In 1991, parts of Paris along the Seine River were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

1992: Parc André Citroën created

In 1992, the Parc André Citroën was created as one of the new parks in Paris.

1992: Opening of Paris tramway network

In 1992, the Paris region opened its light rail network, the tramway, which has since expanded to fifteen lines.

1993: Charles de Gaulle Airport becomes busiest in Paris

In 1993, Charles de Gaulle Airport became the busiest Parisian airport.

1994: François Mitterrand Library Completion

The François Mitterrand Library (nicknamed Très Grande Bibliothèque) was completed in 1994.

1996: Arrondissement Mayors and Deputy Mayors

As of 1996, there were 20 arrondissement mayors and 120 deputy mayors in Paris.

1996: Bibliothèque nationale de France new site

The new site of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, initiated by President François Mitterrand, opened in 1996.

1997: Parc de Bercy created

In 1997, the Parc de Bercy was created as one of the new parks in Paris.

1998: FIFA World Cup

In 1998, the Stade de France, with a capacity of 80,000 seats, was built for the FIFA World Cup.

1999: Population Increase Begins

In 1999, the population of Paris was 2,125,246 and began to increase.

2000: Increase in trips made by foot in Grand Paris

From 2000 to 2018, the number of trips made by foot in the Grand Paris metropolis increased by 50%.

March 2001: Bertrand Delanoë becomes socialist mayor

In March 2001, Bertrand Delanoë became the first socialist mayor of Paris.

2003: Heat Wave

During the heat wave of 2003, temperatures in Paris exceeded 30 °C (86 °F) for weeks, reached 40 °C (104 °F) on some days, and rarely cooled down at night.

2006: Catalans Dragons Enter British Rugby League

In 2006, Catalans Dragons became the first French side to enter the British rugby league system following PSG's withdrawal.

2006: Musée du quai Branly

The Musée du quai Branly was commissioned by Jacques Chirac in 2006.

2007: Launch of Grand Paris Project

In 2007, President Nicolas Sarkozy launched the Grand Paris project to more closely integrate Paris with surrounding towns.

2007: Paris Salaried Employees

In 2007, most of Paris' salaried employees were in 370,000 businesses services jobs, primarily in the 8th, 16th, and 17th arrondissements.

2007: Parc Clichy-Batignolles created

In 2007, the Parc Clichy-Batignolles was created as one of the new parks in Paris.

2007: Levallois SCB and Paris Basket Racing merge to form Metropolitans 92

In 2007, the basketball teams Levallois SCB and Paris Basket Racing merged to create the club Metropolitans 92.

2007: Rugby World Cup Final

Paris hosted the finals of the 2007 Rugby World Cup at the Stade de France.

March 2008: Bertrand Delanoë re-elected

In March 2008, Bertrand Delanoë was re-elected as the socialist mayor of Paris.

2008: Paris receives the Sustainable Transport Award

In 2008, Paris received the Sustainable Transport Award, making it one of only two cities to have received the award twice.

2008: Muslim Practice in 2008

In 2008, an IFOP survey reported that 25% of immigrants from predominantly Muslim countries went to the mosque regularly.

2009: Education Levels of Parisians

In 2009, around 40 percent of Parisians held a licence-level diploma or higher, the highest proportion in France, while 13 percent had no diploma.

2010: La Défense Employment

In 2010, La Défense was the workplace of 144,600 employees.

2011: Religious Affiliation in Paris Region

In 2011, a survey in the Paris Region found that 61 percent of residents identified as Roman Catholic, 7 percent as Muslim, 4 percent as Protestant, 2 percent as Jewish, and 25 percent as without religion.

2011: Number of Residences in Paris

In 2011, the City of Paris had 1,356,074 residences, with 85.9% being main residences, 6.8% secondary residences, and 7.3% empty.

2011: Tour First surpasses Tour Montparnasse

In 2011, the Tour First in Courbevoie's La Défense district surpassed the Tour Montparnasse as the tallest building in Paris and France.

2011: Paris Population Reaches 2.25 Million

In 2011, the population of Paris reached 2.25 million.

2012: Paris Most Densely Populated EU City

According to Eurostat in 2012, the Commune of Paris was the most densely populated city in the European Union, with 21,616 people per square kilometre.

2012: Poverty Line

In 2012, 14 percent of households in Paris earned less than €977 per month, which was the official poverty line.

2012: Jobs in the Paris Region

In 2012, 59.5% of jobs in the Paris Region were in market services, 26.9% in non-market services, 8.2% in manufacturing and utilities, 5.2% in construction, and 0.2% in agriculture.

2012: Eurostat Population Data

In 2012, Eurostat placed Paris (6.5 million people) behind London (8 million) and ahead of Berlin (3.5 million) for population.

2012: Electricity generation in Île-de-France

In 2012, approximately 50% of electricity generated in the Île-de-France region came from cogeneration energy plants.

2012: Estimated Muslim Population

In 2012, it was estimated that there were almost 500,000 Muslims in the City of Paris.

2012: British and US Citizens in Paris

In 2012, there were 8,810 British citizens and 10,019 United States citizens living in the City of Paris.

2012: Immigrant Residents of Paris

In the 2012 census, there were 135,853 immigrants from Europe, 112,369 from the Maghreb, 70,852 from sub-Saharan Africa and Egypt, 5,059 from Turkey, 91,297 from Asia outside Turkey, 38,858 from the Americas, and 1,365 from the South Pacific living in the City of Paris.

June 2013: Inauguration of Promenade des Berges de la Seine

In June 2013, Bertrand Delanoë inaugurated the Promenade des Berges de la Seine, an urban promenade and park along the Left Bank of the Seine.

2013: Start of Population Decline

Between 2013 and 2023, the population of Paris fell by 122,919, or about five percent.

2013: Estimated Muslim Population

In 2013, it was estimated that there were almost 500,000 Muslims in the City of Paris.

2013: Promenade des Berges de la Seine opens

In 2013, the Promenade des Berges de la Seine opened, featuring floating gardens.

April 2014: Anne Hidalgo elected mayor

In April 2014, Anne Hidalgo, a socialist, was first elected as the mayor of Paris.

October 2014: Louis Vuitton Foundation Opening

In October 2014, the Contemporary Art museum of the Louis Vuitton Foundation, designed by architect Frank Gehry, opened in the Bois de Boulogne.

2014: Nobel Prize in Literature

In 2014, Patrick Modiano, who based most of his literary work on the depiction of the city during World War II and the 1960s–1970s, won the Nobel Prize in Literature.

2014: Jewish Population in Paris Region

In 2014, the Jewish population of the Paris Region was estimated to be 282,000.

2014: Citroën Plant Closing

In 2014, the industry as a whole suffered a major loss with the closing of a major Aulnay-sous-Bois Citroën assembly plant.

January 2015: Terrorist Attacks in Paris

In January 2015, a series of attacks occurred in the Paris region, most notably the shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo, resulting in 17 deaths.

January 2015: Philharmonie de Paris Opening

In January 2015, the Philharmonie de Paris, the modern symphonic concert hall of Paris, opened.

December 2015: Regional Election Won by Union of the Right

In December 2015, the Union of the Right, led by Valérie Pécresse, won the regional election in the Île de France region, defeating the Socialists who had governed for seventeen years. The Union of the Right secured 121 seats, the Union of the Left 66, and the National Front 22.

2015: Metropole Population

In 2015, the Metropole du Grand Paris had a population of 6.945 million people.

2015: Paris Métro carries 5.23 million passengers daily

In 2015, the Paris Métro network carried approximately 5.23 million passengers daily, highlighting its widespread use.

2015: Aerospace Companies Employment

In 2015, the Paris region's 800 aerospace companies employed 100,000 workers.

January 2016: Patrick Ollier Elected President

In January 2016, Patrick Ollier was elected as the first president of the metropolitan council.

January 2016: Métropole du Grand Paris Creation

In January 2016, measures to unite Paris with its suburbs began with the creation of the Métropole du Grand Paris.

January 2016: Creation of Métropole du Grand Paris

In January 2016, the Métropole du Grand Paris was established as an administrative structure for cooperation between the City of Paris and its nearest suburbs.

April 2016: Signing of the Paris Agreement

On 22 April 2016, the Paris Agreement was signed by 196 nations in Paris, aiming to limit climate change below 2 °C.

September 2016: Cost of Living Survey

In September 2016, a worldwide cost of living survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit was conducted, which determined Paris to be the seventh most expensive city in the world and the second most expensive in Europe.

2016: Tourism Sector Employment

In 2016, 393,008 workers in Greater Paris, or 12.4 percent of the total workforce, were engaged in tourism-related sectors.

2016: Airbnb Tourism Tax

In 2016, Airbnb paid the city government 7.3 million euros in Paris tourism tax.

2016: UEFA European Championships Final

Paris hosted the finals of the 2016 UEFA European Championships.

2017: Slight Population Decline

In 2017, Paris experienced a slight population decline.

2017: Cost of Living Ranking

In 2017, Paris was ranked as the seventh most expensive city in the world and the second most expensive in Europe according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's worldwide cost of living survey.

2017: Social Housing in Paris

In 2017, social or public housing represented 19.9 percent of Paris's residences, with distribution varying across arrondissements.

2017: Paris Agglomeration Population

In 2017, the Paris agglomeration had a population of 10,785,092, making it the largest urban area in the European Union.

2018: Charles de Gaulle Airport is third-busiest in Europe

As of 2018, Charles de Gaulle Airport was the third-busiest airport in Europe.

2018: Increase in trips made by foot in Grand Paris

From 2000 to 2018, the number of trips made by foot in the Grand Paris metropolis increased by 50%.

2018: Avenue Montaigne Most Expensive Residential Street

In 2018, Avenue Montaigne was the most expensive residential street in Paris, with an average price of 22,372 euros per square metre.

2018: Slight Population Decline

In 2018, Paris experienced a slight population decline.

2018: Most Expensive City

In 2018, Paris was ranked as the most expensive city in the world, along with Singapore and Hong Kong.

2018: Airline Destination Ranking

In 2018, Paris was the second-busiest airline destination in the world, with 19.10 million visitors, measured by the Euromonitor Global Cities Destination Index.

2018: Michelin Star Restaurants

In 2018, of the 27 Michelin three-star restaurants in France, ten are located in Paris.

2018: Increase in Homeless Persons

Since 2018, there was an increase of 588 homeless persons in Paris.

February 2019: Paris Homeless Count

In February 2019, a Paris NGO counted 3,641 homeless persons in Paris, with the majority living on the streets or in train/metro stations.

April 2019: Fire at Notre Dame Cathedral

On 15 April 2019, a fire broke out at the Notre Dame Cathedral, engulfing the spire and most of the roof.

July 2019: Highest Recorded Temperature

The highest recorded temperature in Paris was 42.6 °C (108.7 °F) on 25 July 2019.

2019: Hotel Capacity in Greater Paris

In 2019, Greater Paris had 2,056 hotels, including 94 five-star hotels, with a total of 121,646 rooms.

2019: Record Visitors in Greater Paris

In 2019, Greater Paris received a record 38 million visitors, measured by hotel arrivals, including 12.2 million French visitors.

2019: Paris airports record 112 million passengers

In 2019, Paris's three commercial international airports recorded traffic of 112 million passengers, making them the 5th busiest airport system in the world.

2019: Pre-pandemic Tourism

In 2019, before the pandemic, tourism was still 13 percent higher in Paris compared to 2022.

2019: Paris Region's Population and GDP

In 2019, the Paris region's population accounted for 18.8 percent of metropolitan France, while the Paris region's GDP accounted for 32 percent of metropolitan France's GDP.

June 2020: Anne Hidalgo re-elected mayor

In June 2020, Anne Hidalgo was re-elected as the mayor of Paris.

2020: Paris Ranking in Densely Populated Cities

As of 2020, Paris is the 34th most densely populated city in the world.

2020: Metropolitan Council Competencies

By 2020, the Metropolitan Council's basic competencies include urban planning, housing, and protection of the environment.

2020: Immigrant Population in Paris Region

In 2020, approximately 41% of the Paris Region's population were either immigrants or had at least one immigrant parent.

2020: Cité des sciences et de l'industrie Visitors

In 2020, the Cité des sciences et de l'industrie had 984,000 visitors.

2020: Creation of Paris Centre

With the 2020 Paris municipal election, Paris Centre, a unified administrative division covering the first four arrondissements, was created with a single mayor.

May 2021: Reopening of Bourse de Commerce

After delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the converted Bourse de Commerce reopened as a contemporary art museum in May 2021.

2021: Slight Population Decline

In 2021, Paris experienced a slight population decline.

2021: Museum Visitors

In 2021, The Louvre received 2.8 million visitors, holding its position as the world's most-visited museum. The second-most visited museum was the Centre Georges Pompidou, with 1.5 million visitors. The National Museum of Natural History followed with 1.4 million visitors.

2021: Immigrant Population in Paris Region

In 2021, approximately 41% of the Paris Region's population were either immigrants or had at least one immigrant parent.

2021: Fortune Global 500 Companies HQ

In 2021, the top French companies listed in the Fortune Global 500 all have their headquarters in the Paris Region. The Paris Region's GDP ranked first among the metropolitan regions of the EU.

2021: Tourism Recovery Increase

In 2021, tourism started to recover after the pandemic in Paris.

2021: Unemployment Rate

In the 4th trimester of 2021, the unemployment rate in Paris was six percent, compared with 7.4 percent in the whole of France, which was the lowest rate in thirteen years.

January 2022: Paris Population Statistics

In January 2022, the population of the City of Paris was 2,165,423 according to the INSEE.

2022: Cost of Living Ranking

In 2022, Paris held the ninth position in the ranking of cities with the highest cost of living worldwide.

2022: Transportation statistics for Paris

In 2022, statistics show that 53.3% of trips in Paris were made on foot, 30% on public transport, 11.2% on bicycles and 4.3% on cars.

2022: Cultural Attractions

In 2022, the top cultural attractions in Paris were the Louvre Museum, the Eiffel Tower, the Musée d'Orsay and the Centre Pompidou.

2022: Tourism Recovery

In 2022, tourism continued to recover in the Paris region, increasing to 44 million visitors, an increase of 95 percent over 2021, but still 13 percent lower than in 2019.

2022: UEFA Champions League Final

Paris held the 2022 UEFA Champions League final.

January 2023: Paris Population Decline

In January 2023, the population of the City of Paris was 2,102,650, according to the INSEE.

2023: Charles de Gaulle Airport ranks 4th globally for international traffic

In 2023, Charles de Gaulle Airport was the 4th busiest airport in the world by international traffic and is the hub for the nation's flag carrier, Air France.

2023: Paris receives the Sustainable Transport Award again

In 2023, Paris received the Sustainable Transport Award for the second time, highlighting its sustainable transportation system.

2023: Rugby World Cup Final

Paris hosted the finals of the 2023 Rugby World Cup at the Stade de France.

December 2024: Reopening of Notre Dame

The Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire on 15 April 2019 and was reopened on 7 December 2024.

2024: "Alpha+" city classification

As of 2024, Paris was classified as an "Alpha+" city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, indicating its international connectedness.