“巴黎没有以后，只有这个瞬间。”

　　蒙马特诗人弗朗西斯·卡尔科如是说。

　　巴黎没有游客，脚踏在巴黎土地上的都是巴黎人。

　　在地球上尚未存在“法兰西”这个国家、也未曾有今天我们称为“法兰西人”的两千多年前，便有了古代巴黎。不过，那时的巴黎还只是塞纳河中间西岱岛(ile de la Cité)上的一个小渔村，岛上的主人是古代高卢部族的“巴黎西人”。公元前52年，巴黎地区被罗马人征服。公元358年，罗马人在这里建造了宫殿，这一年被视为巴黎建城的元年。罗马人起初将该城命名为Lutetia(“鲁特西亚”，意为“沼泽地”)。在公元400年左右改名巴黎。但是罗马时期高卢行省的中心在南方的里昂，巴黎只是一个小规模的定居点，而且集中在左岸。

　　现在这座欧洲大陆上最大的城市，已经是世界上最繁华的都市之一。名胜古迹比比皆是，巴黎歌剧院，埃菲尔铁塔、凯旋门、爱丽舍宫、凡尔赛宫、卢浮宫、协和广场、巴黎圣母院、乔治·蓬皮杜全国文化艺术中心等，都是令人流连忘返的地方。里尔克曾说过，“巴黎是一座无与伦比的城市”。文学家梅尔希在其随笔《巴黎风情》描述18世纪的巴黎风光时也说：“生于巴黎就等于作了两回法国人。”

　　从世界各地汇集到巴黎的人都拥有各种梦想和野心。在这里，他们的梦想成真，在这里，他们的梦想幻灭。特别晴朗或者特别不晴朗的夜晚，你眺望铁塔脚下如梦如幻的虹霓，那宛如万色星辰闪烁不已的夜景就是巴黎人的梦想在一呼一吸。巴黎是一座梦幻织就的城市，也许是上帝特别允许巴黎人崇拜他的梦，而非他自身。

　　梦想是巴黎人呼吸的空气。

　　拉伯雷在《巨人传》里说，有一个地方的人只靠吞吸风而生存，我说，这个地方在巴黎，因为巴黎人只靠咀嚼梦想而生存。

　　塞纳河是法国东北部的一条大河，它穿过巴黎，注入英吉利海峡。塞纳河是巴黎生命中的血管，它与巴黎紧紧相连，犹如心脏与动脉连接得那样和谐，浑然一体。它就像巴黎的一条缠腰玉带，将巴黎轻轻拥在怀里。法国人说，没有巴黎就没有法国;而巴黎人说，没有塞纳河就没有巴黎。巴黎人深爱塞纳河，它蜿蜒曲折，如诗似画，充满浪漫色彩，河堤两岸绿树成荫，人们或在绿阴下散步，或在岸边休憩，在夜晚的凉爽中，物我俱忘。

　　第三十夜，晦月。

　　“There’s no future in Paris, but only this moment.”

　　As said by Francis Carco, a poet from Montmartre.

　　There’s no tourist in Paris. Everyone on the land of Paris is Parisian.

　　As early as two thousand years ago, the ancient Paris was already inhabited prior to the existence of France and what we today refer to as French people. But the Paris at that time was merely a small fishing village on Île de la Cité, an island in the middle of River Seine governed by Parisii of Gaul. The Romans conquered the Paris basin in 52 BC, who later built palaces in the city in 358 AD, which was regarded as the first year of founding of Paris. The city was originally named Lutetia (meaning “swamp”), and later renamed into Paris around 400 AD. During the time of Roman Empire, the capital of Gaul was Lyon, and Paris was merely a small settlement primarily located on the Left Bank.

　　Today, this city has become the largest city in Continental Europe and one of the most prosperous metropolises worldwide. The city takes pride in its numerous cultural relics – Paris Opera, Eiffel Tower, Triumphal Arch, Élysée Palace, Palace of Versailles, the Louvre Museum, Place de la Concorde, Notre Dame de Paris, Centre Georges Pompidou, all of which are famous tourist attractions. Rainer Maria Rilke once said, “Paris is an incomparable city.” “To be born in Paris equals living in France for two lives”, as said by Mercier in Le tableau de Paris when describing the landscape of Paris in the 18th century.

　　People from all over the world with different dreams and ambitions gather here in Paris, where their dreams either comes true or evaporates. As you overlook the dreamlike neon lights under the Eiffel Tower on a moonlit or exceptionally dark night, the twinkling lights resembles the breath of Parisians’ dreams. Paris is a city weaved in dreams. Perhaps the God allows Parisians to adore his dream rather than himself.

　　Dream is the air breathed by Parisians.

　　Lagree said in the Life of Gargantua and Pantagruel, “There’s a place where people lives on breathing in wind, and in my opinion, this place is Paris, because Parisians live on chewing dreams.”

　　River Seine is a major river in northeastern France, crossing Paris and emptying into English Channel. Like a blood vessel closely attached to the heart, River Seine is inseparably connected with Paris. Like a jade ribbon in Paris, it embraces the city gently in its arms. The importance of River Seine for Paris from Parisians’ view is comparable to that of Paris for France from French people’s view. Parisians love River Seine for its winding shape, picturesque landscape and romance. Walking under trees along the river or resting on river banks bathed in soothing and cool night wind can be an intoxicating experience.

　　The thirtieth night, dark moon. J’adore Paris.