Paris is a city like no other. It’s a city filled with culture, history, and beauty. It has been written about, filmed and photographed countless times. And while it may seem like we all know Paris even before we see it, nothing compares to actually being there. Going to the top of the Eiffel Tower, visiting the Louvre, seeing Notre-Dame, walking along the Seine at dusk, or sipping coffee at an elegant sidewalk café — those are all quintessential Parisian experiences. But the real essence of Paris is most felt when you take to the streets. That’s where local artists post up in cafés with a notebook, chic women on bikes pedal their children to school, both young and old line up each morning for a fresh baguette from the neighborhood boulangerie. It’s the people that make this city so unique. Folks from all over the world, locals and visitors alike, who bring their own cultures and customs into the mix. And the wonder of it is that, when you’re in Paris, those real life “people” experiences take on an aura of magical make-believe, making it seem like you’ve just stepped into a Hollywood movie set.

Paris’ nickname as the “City of Light” has nothing to do with nature’s light or even the picturesque skyline of today’s Paris at night. Paris was one of the first European cities to use gas street lamps back in the 1860’s, making it literally a City of Light. But the nickname also refers to the artists and intellectuals who flocked there in the 18th century, dubbing Paris a hub of “enlightened minds” during the Age of Enlightenment.

Alex Soloviev, a talented European-based photographer and filmmaker, created the video we are featuring in this month’s Travel Video share. He has a knack of  bringing the vibrant street life and real people into his travel destination films, making you feel as if you’ve been there, which is exactly what we had hoped to see in a film featuring Paris. We hope you enjoy this video, aptly named Paris Moves.

The Avant Team