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Noumea is referred to as "Paris of the Pacific", but it looks pretty much like a large town than a 'city'. And it's only called that because the French found it.
What other city on the Pacific fits the bill in terms of culture, vibrancy and maybe even climate?
They call anything the French found "Paris", like Vietnam and how Saigon was called Paris l'orient and Cap Francais in Haiti, the "Paris of the new world", basically anything that's controlled and influenced by France would be called Paris, lol. (Although its arugable since the Dutch called Bandung Parijs van Java due to its European town planning, Art deco and cafe culture)
Although i am impressed by Saigon's cityhall that is basically replica of the one in Paris... anyway maybe the French Polynesia's capital i would call another Paris in the pacific. None of those city really can be called Paris of the pacific, especially Australians cities with basically British influence... although since Paris is often regarded to title cities which is basically most "beautiful and European" maybe something with those traits that those cities had, i haven't visited any of them so i can't comment but SF is definitely not the "Paris" neither is Sydney.
Yes, I was quite surprised when I read about.
Not sure why they called it a Paris of the Pacific, though.
Being founded by the Russians in 1799 and retaining a Russian feel noted especially in iconic St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Bishop’s House, with a strong influence of Russian culture, I would think that more appropriate would be calling it Saint Petersburg of Pacific.
In 1799 the Russians built a fort and trading post and named the site “New Archangel.” In 1802 the Tlingit destroyed the Russian outpost. The Russians retaliated in 1804 by destroying the Tlingit fort in the Battle of Sitka. By 1808, Sitka was the capital of Russian-America, which extended from northern
Alaska, south to Fort Ross, California.
During the mid-1800s, Sitka, known as the “Paris of the Pacific,” was the largest, most industrious city on the Pacific Rim, with Canton China and San Francisco, California following behind.
Ships from many nations visited the port. Furs, salmon, lumber and ice were exported to Hawaii, Mexico and California. There was an active shipyard and foundry. http://www.sitka.net/Downloads/2014_Profile_pg1.pdf
"As out of the way as it appears now, the settlement was once known as the "Paris of the Pacific;" for the first half of the nineteenth century, it was the most important port on the West Coast." Sitka, Alaska - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sitka: Paris of the Pacific, Then & Now. This exhibit focus on how Sitka, as a result of the international maritime fur trade, was one of the most urban settlements on the Northwest Coast; how its infrastructure, international flair and influence, opulence, refinement and culture earned it the 19th century distinction of being the “Paris of the Pacific”; and how Sitka with its present-day dynamic community, innumerable nonprofits, and vibrant arts and cultural scene, has lived up to its title in modern times. Sitka: Paris of the Pacific, Then & Now Community Curating Application, Submission Guidelines | Sitka Historical Society Community Curating
Sitka was the capital of Russian-America from 1799 until 1867 and during the mid-1840’s Sitka was the leading economic center of the Pacific Rim with the first boatyard, lighthouse, sawmill, iron, brass and bronze foundries, and flourmill. Sitka, with scenic beauty possessed by few world communities, was known as the “Paris of the Pacific” and was the largest European-style settlement on the West Coast of North America. “Paris of the Pacific” Sitka, Alaska | Jill's Cabana Stories and Travels
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