A bit of history...

I think you should know a little bit of the history of Paris, one of the oldest Europe city

Paris find these origins in the neolitic, some bones and human trails, giving evidence of the men presence (about 5000 years before Jesus christ) due to a good climat in this area, and above all, the presence of the river "La seine", allowing the first inhabitants to cultivate fields and raise animals.

Paris used to be called "lutèce" during the gallic era and enjoyed a growth due to bussiness with others tribes.

During the middle age, the french kings move in Paris, which became a important place of power. In fact, the more years passed, and the more Paris got powers thanks to human activities, an increase of population, and orders given by kings to the rest of France
Lots of famous places were built, like "notre dame de Paris", Castle of "Louvres" in these time.

Paris kept growing up and kings moved out, close to Paris, to prevent riots and get more space (Versaille for exemple). They might have been surrounded by crowd and made prisoners easier. (Think to the french revolution...)

During the second empire (1848-1870), France Entered in the Industrial revolution and got modern. Until the beginning of the 19th century, Paris was still thought of as a mediaeval town, with narrow streets and dangerous buildings. Napoleon 3 asked to re-thinking of the concept of urbanisation in Paris to Georges-Eugene Haussmann a great town-planner. Paris was totally destroyed in some parts and let place to large streets called "avenue" and new modern buildings for Well-off people. But in fact, this works were done for others reasons : moved the working class to the suburbs due to the inflation of rents, and prevent revolution thanks to the new "avenues" enabling army to patrol simpler and so to prevent new revolutions.
I think the actual Paris looks alike to the Haussman's Paris

To conclude shortly, Paris is overloaded of history, like lots of European cities, and you won't see skyscrepers like in Australia or United states.

If you are really interested (or a bit mad ), 2 links :
History of France : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_history
If you want more, I can scan my old history books (6 with 400 hundred pages each...)

History of Paris : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_History