Sophie de Loubens
Sophie was one of our excellent guides. She always greeted us with a warm welcome, and her loving and cheerful personality helped us brave the Paris winter. An excellent English speaker herself, Sophie helped us translate unusual slang and idiomatic expressions.
Company/Société: Le Paris de Sophie. www.leparisdesophie.com
Profession: Tour guide
Favorite Visit: Well, it's always difficult to answer such a question. I would say La Défense, the business district of Paris! This car free area is an extraordinary place where modern architecture rises up into the air. Several city planning projects have made its skyline. Today, ambitious projects dealing with the HQE are in process. The Haute Qualité Environnementale or HQE (High Quality Environmental standard) is a standard for green building in France based on the principles of sustainable development. Wow! I like that! I also like this daring district because of its intense cultural activities: open air concerts, jazz festivals, cultural shows, exhibitions. Last but not the least, La Défense is also a free open air museum. Monumental works of art are exhibited all over the public space. Great artists such as the American Alexander Calder and the Spaniard Joan Miro came to La Défense and worked closely with workers and city planners. More than 50 sculptures scatter these modern surroundings.