Paris. City of lovers(and Akihabara of the West).
Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world. The architecture, the people, the boulangeries(with the world's best eclairs), the sights, the sounds, and the museums. What people don't realize however is that it is also the premiere videogame shopping bonanza in the Western world.
As my wife landed a dynamite job in Europe I had the good fortune of spending four years in Europe and got to travel extensively.
The first time I saw Paris I had no idea of the bounty that lay within. My wife and I did the Louvre, Tour de Eiffel, Montmartre, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, etc. ad infinitum, ad nauseum. So very much an incredible experience that is recomended to one and all.
The second time around we decided to go more off the beaten path and ended up at La Pantheon. A secularized church where Trosseau and Voltaire are buried, and where, with a pendulum from the ceiling, some scientist proved that the earth revolves around its own axis.
However, next to La Pantheon I stumbled on an incredibly well-stocked videogame store. This was amazing, they had everything. Floor to ceiling of it all. Every imaginable Japanese import, European games, and so many new and classic US games that most US stores would be put to shame.
After spending about €100 in that store I stumbled out with an air of euphoria, not to mention a shopping bag filled with goodies. Much to my surprise though just a few doors down there was another game store, and this one was even better. Much to the chagrin of my wife, and wallet. To make a long story short there were FIVE game stores within just a few hundred yards. Utterly breathtaking. They had every system, every region, every era. Ebay couldn't hold a candle this paradise.
My biggest shock was yet to come though as I discovered that there was another "gaming district" up by the giant plaza called Republique. This one was even more of a shock to my system as it was about three times as big as the first district. About 15 stores within prehaps two blocks. Specialized stores too; a Sega store. a Sony store. a Nintendo store, a miscellaneous store(NeoGeo, 3DO, NEC, etc.), a game-music/game toys store, etc. along with about ten regular stores that basically carry it all.
It was mind-boggling and by the end of the day it was all one giant blur of gaming impressions. I had seen a copies of Metal Slug (AES), Shinrei Jusatsushi TAROMARU (Saturn), Panzer Dragoon Saga(PAL Saturn), Steam Hearts (Saturn), DragonBall GT (US PSX), Samba de Amigo boxed with maracas, and about ten copies of Radiant Silvergun.
I have since been back there three times and while my initial amazement has settled down a notch it is still the best gaming experience to be had outside Akihabara, and for Western games it blows Akihabara away.
To anyone going there be sure to bring oodles of $£$€£$€$ and prepare to set apart at least an extra day for game SHOPPING on a grand scale. Plus Paris is perfect as you can send any bored significant others to shop for themselves at the giant mall Les Halles or the gargantua-sized department store Printemps.
Sadly, as I now live 6000 miles away from Paris it will likely be years before I get to set foot in this Shangri-La of gaming again but it certainly lives on in my mind as a place and experience that I will never forget, nor probably be able to equal anywhere else.
Edit: Why does siraP show up as Beatrice in this post?
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