In January 1879, Johann Strauss II arrived in Paris with his new wife, a lovely 25-year-old actress from Cologne named Ernestine Henriette Angelika Dittrich. Known as Lili, she was less than half the age of her celebrated husband and was considered no match for him. There was much talk surrounding the famous couple as they swept into Paris, where Johann was engaged to conduct his ensemble at a variety of concerts and balls.

Johann had high hopes that Lili would bring renewed energy to his life and music. Indeed, shortly after their marriage, he had seen to the premiere of his immediately popular operetta Blindekuh ("Blind Man's Buff") in Vienna. It was from this work that he drew the themes for his Paris Polka, which was first performed on February 20, 1879, at the Cercle France Internationale in Paris.

The central theme of the Paris Polka is taken from the couplet in Act 1, "Die Eisenbahnen welt und breit die bieten dort viel Sicherheit," the humorous text of which lauds the safety and security to be enjoyed when traveling by rail. (It should perhaps be noted that the composer detested travel, whether by rail or by any other means!) Short, sedate, and slyly playful, the Paris Polka provided enthusiastic Parisian audiences with one or two other familiar themes from the popular operetta as well.

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