In this episode of Challenger Cities, Iain Montgomery talks with journalist and author Simon Kuper about his book Impossible City: Paris in the Twenty-First Century and what modern Paris really is beneath its postcard reputation.

We start with Simon’s accidental arrival in the city and the surprising affordability and vibrancy Paris once had, and then explore how it has changed into a global powerhouse of luxury and culture while still maintaining a remarkable commitment to social housing and dense urban life.

Paris’s paradoxes become a lens for thinking about cities more broadly: its suburbs are Europe’s largest urban agglomeration, massive infrastructure projects like the Grand Paris Express shape new futures, and everyday urban rituals, from playgrounds to meals, reveal a collective culture that defies typical A ...