Why is Paris located where it is in France?

Answer 1

It is suspected that the place was first chosen because of the possibilities of crossing the Seine river there, and for the shelter the islands provided. The Romans used the spot in the same way and Paris became a cross between roads and the river, itself a important way of communication.

Answer 2

ther are signs of sttelments dating back from 4 000 years on the spot where Paris stands today. 2 000 years ago the Gaulish tribe of the Parisii settled there because the islands made it easy to cross the river, and offered some protection. There were agricultural and fishing resources. The Romans adopted the place as a crossroad for communications and settled as well.

Answer 3

Paris was picked by the Frankish King Clovis as its base in the years 506-508. It wasn't really a capital, as there was no centralized power at that time, but rather a well-located base for Frankish kings.

Under Charles the Great (around 800), the centers of power moved east. The French king Philippe-Auguste, reigning on a much smaller area, made Paris the capital again (circa 1200), and a real center of his administration. The size, the economic activity, the location of Paris, more central than Lyon, and relatively protected against foreign invasions, were key elements in the choice.

Answer 4

Before Roman times, the Seine river gave the native some protection against the dangers, as they could shelter themselves on the islands. At the time of the Roman conquest (52 BC), Paris was just a village located on a route to cross the river. The Romans made that route one of their highways to the north, and Paris grew from that.