Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is, as one of the World Cultural Heritages, largely known for its charm for tourists, in one hand. But on the other hand, it keeps a status as bishop church in Catholic hierarchy, and holds its religious and political position. The lighting project of its main facade on the West side was a commemorative operation for the City of Paris at occasion of celebrating Millennium. The City, teamed up with two experts of lighting design, spent 14 years for preparation, before switching on the light on 23 December 2002.

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Paris is an elegant town, and the night view is also beautiful. And, it is called "La Ville de Lumieres". In special number issue for journal of the illuminating engineering institute of Japan, "Urban Lightscape in Paris" was featured. I asked Mr. Louis Clair to write the message in the beginning of a book of "special number featuring articles on Urban Lightscape in Paris". And, I went over to Paris to pass one letter to Mr. Louis Clair. Mr. Louis Clair gladly spelt the message of a hearty handwriting to the member of the illuminating engineering institute of Japan. Mr. Louis Clair's profile and message are presented as follows. I asked Miss Akari-Lisa Ishi of Lighting Designer for the translation of the message written in French. Finally, we wish to express our gratitude to Mr. Louis Clair and Miss Akari-Lisa Ishi sincerely.

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In each city all over the world, there is an indigenous identity respectively. Paris is called "Beautiful city like a flower", and then many people visited Paris. Paris has a lot of sceneries for which still old vestige has been left. Additionally, it is "The scenery which is an achromatic color", and peculiar landscape at Paris. Paris is the place of origin of "urban lighting". At present, Paris is called "city of the illumination", and lightscapes are evaluated most in the worlds as beautiful city. Especially, the scenery at twilight is most beautiful. And, the lightscape becomes more beautiful at the yuletide. In this paper, Paris was caught by the following points of view and introduced. Four points of view are shown as follows: -History of Paris, -Urban structure of Paris, -Urban renewal of Paris, -Various cultures of Paris, That is, this paper outlined "history on the city and the illumination" and "the lighting cultures in Paris". In addition, this paper was written based on round-table talk of "Thought on Urban Lightscapes at Paris" with Lighting Designer Akari-Lisa Ishii held in Paris.

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This surveyed is focusing on the night lighting environment of residential streets in Paris, which is the capital of France and one of the well-known city of the world. For this purpose, the author visited residential streets of Paris where people's day-to-day life scene can be seen, both during daytime and nighttime. In this report, the author tells the illuminance and the luminance measurement results and the illuminance and the luminance values of street lighting, as well as her impression of the street illumination in Paris. The author also attempts a comparison of the lighting environment in residential streets of Paris and Tokyo at nighttime based on her survey results. The author additionally studied the standards for road lighting of both Paris and Tokyo and finally introduces the features of the street lights seen in Paris.

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In Paris, there are wide sidewalk spaces and plenty of street furniture; the nighttime city is safe so people can enjoy their nightlife. In Paris, streetlights placed along the streets brilliantly illuminate the nighttime, making the author think that Paris' urban illumination has been very well thought out. In old parts of the city, brackets are often used in lighting, but in old Paris pole lighting was normally the rule. Especially, direct lighting by poles was generally used in public squares. The light source was warm incandescent lamps and high-pressure sodium lamps. Besides, the color temperature of the roadway and sidewalk was differentiated. That is, lamps of low color temperature were used for roadways and lamps of high color temperature were used for sidewalks. So, the author actually visited some public squares in Paris and studied them thoroughly from various points of view. Additionally, the author compared the street lighting of "Avenue des Champ- Elysees in Paris" and "Omotesandou in Tokyo" both at Christmas season and at ordinary time. In Avenue des Champ- Elysees at Christmas season, the illumination of the trees along the street is very beautiful and brilliant, but in ordinary times it changes into a dim, quiet avenue. As for the street lightings of Omotesandou in Tokyo, mercury lamps and fluorescent lamps are main currents, and their color temperature is high, giving the impression that shop lighting and streetlight are fighting with each other. Finally and as a reference example, the author explained the lighting creation of Kyoto Hana Tourou in Kyoto and its nighttime bustle.

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Every year, crowds of tourists visit Paris France. Paris has various factors that fascinate people. The author thinks that one of the factors is the scenery beauty. Paris is protected by restriction laws concerning the urban landscape. Therefore, the color and size of advertisements and signboards are specified in detail bringing the city to have a harmonious view. The most beautiful time of the year in Paris is the Christmas season. So, the author spent Christmas in Paris and observed its Christmas illumination. France is a catholic country. Therefore, Paris citizens have different life customs from Japan. How do people in Paris receive and spend the Christmas season? First of all, the author studied various customs of Paris during Christmas season and dedicated himself to observing the Christmas illumination in several places of Paris. The objects of observation were Avenue des Champ- Elysees and other streets. Additionally, the author observed the Christmas illumination in restaurants and the decorative lighting of Christmas displays in shops. The author further compared the illuminations of Avenue des Champ- Elysees in Paris and Ginza Street in Japan and considered recent tendencies in shop displays, lighting designs, and Christmas illumination.

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There are long history and beautiful buildings, monuments, art culture, mode culture, and dietary culture in Paris. The author is a Paris-based flight attendant. Flight attendants serve and take care of passengers. As flight attendant, the author is constantly going back and forth between Japan and France. The work of flight attendants is very hard because of the time difference between the departure and arrival places. Therefore, the author is always applying the method of "Light Therapy" to reduce the effects of the time lag. The author lives in Paris, and loves it very much. In this report, the author introduces the districts of Canal Saint Martin and Viaduc des Arts, two of her favorite places. Additionally, she introduces some wonderful cafes and restaurants of her choice, as well some menus worthy trying. She also explains the lighting that she usually uses in her daily life.

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There is something refined about Paris, and beauty in Paris never changes. The reason is that the prototype of the town in Paris was formed about 100 years ago. In Paris, architectures and monuments built in the 19th century exists. There are a long history and beautiful buildings, monuments, art culture, mode culture, and dietary culture in Paris. Let's visit to Paris. Well then, the tour planner who is the professional of travel advises the method of voyage to Paris. Immediately, you will prepare the travel to visit Paris.

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This article is Editor's Notes of this special issue. Paris is the place of origin of the urban lightscape, and Paris is called "La Ville de Lumieres". In this title, it is the special issue featuring articles on urban lightscapes in Paris for the first time. And, the title was featured by the following themes by each author's standpoint and expert technical knowledge:-Great master of the lighting design field in France -The structure of city and the culture of lighting -Lighting environment on residential street -Lighting environment on the main public square -Christmas illumination -Flight attendant's aspect -Tour planner's aspect The main article in this title is "the history", "the structure of city", "the street scene", "the lighting culture", and "the life-style of Paris style", etc. in Paris. Finally, Paris WG members selected "Best scenery in Paris, -Best 10-".

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