The world may be small in some ways, but when it comes to travelling, choices need to be made, since it is almost impossible for a normal person to visit all the major cities in this world throughout a lifetime. There are many reasons why Canadians should make sure that France is on their list. Here are some of the most important ones.
History
Canada is directly linked to France, since it was one of the two founding countries. Jacques Cartier arrived in what is now known as the province of Quebec for the first time on June 24, 1534. From that moment, it was intended that France would create a colony on that land. They were able to develop it and keep it, until they lost it to the British, who defeated the French in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham on September 13, 1759. The battle that took place just outside Quebec City resulted in the British being able to take control of the city and eventually the entire province. That was the end of the French domination of the territory, but not of their presence on the ground.
Today, the province is still known as having the only French-speaking population in all of North America. The Louisiana State in the US used to partly speak French, but there are only remnants of the language there today, whereas in Quebec it is still the main spoken one. For French Canadians, it is a must to get on one of the daily flights from Montreal to Paris, in order to go and revisit their roots.
Relationship Between Toronto and Paris
It is easy to discard the relationship that the rest of Canada has with France, since the link that the latter has with the province of Quebec is so strong. But in truth, there are many things uniting the rest of the country to the Hexagone. But let’s focus on the two main business centers that are Toronto and Paris.
The two of them enjoy a Twin City relationship since 1999. It has helped strengthen the ties between both cities, as the partnership was created to promote cultural exchange, economic development, and an increase in tourism between them. These days there are daily flights from Toronto to Paris that help the two cities be closer together.
The links are also found in Toronto’s architecture, as University Avenue is often referred to as Toronto’s Champs-Élysées. That is due to its wide, tree-lined boulevard, which reminds us of the famous avenue in Paris. There are also prominent Gothic Revival and Beaux-Arts architectural styles present in both cities.
In terms of art and culture, both Toronto and Paris are known for having important scenes. After all, it is the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto that holds one of the largest collections of Canadian art in the world, while Paris is also famous for its many art museums, including the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay. To close this article, we can also add to this list a shared taste for good food and wine.
Leave a Reply