From the Heritage Foundation, I'm Michelle Cordero, and this is Heritage Explains.

I always dreamed of traveling to Paris.

Who doesn't hope to one day see the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night?

Visit the Louvre and eat rich, buttery French food.

So when my husband told me he had a work trip plan to Paris and I could tag along, I was very excited.

A lifelong dream, a bucket list item.

And even better, we'd be going during the Christmas season.

Just think of the strung up lights, the Christmas markets, French mulled wine.

But there was one thing that worried me.

Terrorism.

Call me paranoid, but because I work at the Heritage Foundation, I know that France is by far the most targeted for terror plots in Europe. And those threats only increase over the holidays.

Since 2014, France has had 30 terror attacks. Germany has suffered

nine, the UK 8 and Belgium 7. For three days, France has been gripped by an unfolding drama

of unprecedented violence.

The terror that was unleashed as that first burst of gunfire ripped through the Charlie Hebdo office

on a quiet Wednesday morning in Paris and sent shock waves through you.

And we're coming back on the air right now with more on that horrifying

night in Paris. Police have now confirmed at least four attacks in the city of Paris tonight,

one at the Stade de France, where there was a major soccer game between France and Germany.

Two more attacks in central Paris in the 10th and the 11th, Ernieus, once at restaurants in that area.

Gunmen with Kalashnikovs reported and killing several on the scene and the most horrifying

attack of all at the Batakhan concert hall where an American heavy metal band was playing

...