4. Quebec City, Canada
The capital of French-speaking Quebec is often overshadowed by the effortless style of its neighbor to the south, but Quebec City is actually one of North America’s oldest and most elegant settlements. This is obvious to anyone who’s wandered the city’s beautiful Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that, with its cobblestone streets,17th century houses and gothic churches, feels disconcertingly like France’s Rouen. And with the biggest Francophone population of any city outside of the patrie, it’s not surprising to find the city’s squares and boulevards colored by the awnings of many quaint bistros and cafés. Beyond the Old Town stretch several neighborhoods with vibrant restaurant, shopping and nightlife scenes.
French? Check. European-style architecture? That too.
3. Seville, Spain
so almost everything about Seville is different from Paris: the art, the architecture, the food, the streets, the trees, the music, the shops. But it has all of these, and showcases them with the same passion and sensuality that has made Paris the world capital of romance. Orange trees line every central street, scenting the dry Andalusian air with their acidic fruit. Flamenco music drifts from dimlit bars where locals and tourists sit side-by-side drinking good red wine at outrageously low prices. And best of all is the tapas, cooked in myriad bars and cafés, all crammed with customers ordering calamari and aioli or the local speciality of deep-fried eggplant drizzled in honey. It has all the same pleasures as Paris, just done with an invigorating difference.
A look at the stunning city of Seville.
2. Buenos Aires, Argentina
“The Paris of South America” is the epithet Argentina’s tourist industry has succeeded in attaching to their country’s vibrant capital. And however skeptical you might be of such a flagrant attempt to attract wealthy gringos, once you step out onto the grand Parisian boulevards criss-crossing its center, you’ll be forced to confess to a striking similarity. But from the tango dancers of La Boca to the underground nightlife of San Telmo, through the mouthwatering steakhouses found across the different barrios, Buenos Aires undoubtedly has its own very distinct ambience. If you’re hungering for a truly Parisian vibe, however, head to the chic residential district of Palermo, its streets lined with French fashion labels alongside a superb fine dining scene.
When the sun sets in Buenos Aires, the real fun begins.
1. Montreal, Canada
Montreal may have lost its position as Canada’s preeminent city over the past few decades, but this has only accentuated its Parisian charm. It’s a wonderful city for the flaneur, who can watch the bilingual post-industrial life unfold while weaving through a warren of old town streets in the Vieux Port or strolling alongside the Lachine Canal. While doing so, this idler can pause to take in French-flavored sights like the neo-gothic Basilique Notre-Dame, or to grab a meal from a corner café or candlelit bistro. The city begins romantic and historically preserved by the harborfront and becomes younger, more colorful and trendy the further north you go, making for a superb and eye-opening walk. Montreal is also one of North America’s top gourmet destinations, filled with fabulous food markets, great patisseries, innovative delis and top-class restaurants. Its signature dishes differ quite dramatically from Parisian cuisine, though: feast on smoked meat, bagels and poutine.
Inside Montreal’s Notre Dame Cathedral, which is a replica of the Parisian one.
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