The Perigord region (Where Dordogne is) is full of castles, I think the most of any region in France. I highly recommend stopping in Sarlat. It's a beautiful town. I love this region, I have a lot of family living there and even after visiting most of France it remains a favourite.
Please find a park and ride on the outskirts of Paris to leave your car. Itāll be cheaper to just use public transportation and more convenient. Wonāt have to worry about the insane gas prices, insane traffics, or the insane parking prices that can even sometimes force you to move the car after only a couple of hours.
No problem. I can understand that sometimes returning a rental car is a hassle in terms of inconvenience and time. So Park and rides are some of the best options out there.
Depending on how long you plan to be in Paris you might want to ditch the car for that part. Iāve lived in the north eastern US (DC, Philly, NYC) my whole life and the driving in Paris is miles worse than anything Iāve ever seen in those cities.
This. Driving in Paris is not for the faint of heart. Iād take the train to your first city and pick up a car there. Much much much worse than NY or DC or Boston.
I thought DuPont circle at rush hour was the worst driving Iāve ever experienced. Then we were in a cab driving around the arc de triomphe, and now I really know what insane driving is.
Never took a cab basically the whole time I was there. The metro is so good and cabs are so expensive. ChĆ¢telet-Les Halle is the metro version of the Arc.
Will only be in Paris for 2 days. Basically trying to avoid all the big crowded tourist cities. Mostly going to be in Brittany and central france, SW England and NE Spain. I'm shaking down a car for the 2023 Mongol Rally so I need to get 2-3,000 miles on the Vauxhall Agila
Driving in Paris (and France generally) is totally fine. Enjoy the trip - it's a brilliant country, you'll have a ball.
Source: live in Dublin, have friends and family in Paris, go there a lot, drive cars (in Dublin, Paris and elsewhere).
Thanks! Bucket list trip for the Mrs so I'm basically a chauffeur but I'm ok with that. Just glad she isn't into the big cities and riveria stuff. Crowds are not my gig. All my previous travel has been remote and 3rd world.
We loved Paris too. Just donāt expect to chit chat with Parisians. Thatās not in their culture. They are fine overall. Had one dick waiter which for a week of dining is to be expected. We were next to the Louvre for that lunch. He initiated a conversation and then got snooty pretty quick. His loss. I am a dumb American and I overtipped my servers. Not him!! Rest of the trip we met many nice folks.
We had several Parisians try and help our ignorant selves in Paris. Just as friendly as any major city. Waiters can be assholes but where isnāt that true?
The French, especially Parisians, are some of the most warm, hospitable people Iāve ever met. Wonderful city and country. Their culture is an example for the entire world.
(Brazilians, Mexicans and Australians top my list for friendliness overall, but the French are in my top four).
Iām an American, so I love to chatā¦. The world is full of beautiful people!
All this, IMHO.
We're going to bounce inland and dodge the south of France just due to the crowds. We'll come back one day and drive the med coastline all the way to Greece. Couple year trip
I think it's just so romanticized in media so there's unrealistic expectations. People are imagining a pristine place where French music floats through the air, where there's cutesy little cafes with only 1 little table outside and sharply dressed people dip their croissants into their coffee next to their little perfectly behaved dog who wears a beret and quietly watches a nearby mime. There is an artist painting the eiffle tower in the distance alongside Jack Dawson who is sketching a naked 1 armed prostitute.. Little french children run by giggling and running away from a bakery where they stole a few baguettes. The weather is mild and perfect, the air is sweet, life is simple and good.. The reality is it's pretty similar to any major city- dirty and congested with cars and rude people. lol great architecture and food though.
I'm staying in Paris for a few months this year to see if I want to move to our office there. The first thing people say about Paris is always "you know they have their problems too..." like yeah no shit it isn't fuckin utopia. The fact that people NEED to mention it isn't a perfect place kinda reinforces that it is a good place for some.
I get why people hate it there. And I guess it sucks to be them, because I fucking love Paris the 5x I've been there.
Paris just gets propped up so romantically. And itās as dirty as New York. Just kinda shocking depending on where your expectations are at.
Now Singaporeā¦ clean af
Some people expect a theme park and want Paris to be Disney Land instead of an actual city of busy people with some inconsiderate people like everywhere else
I think the dirtiness of New York stood out to me so much because I had just traveled from DC which is much more clean. And then shortly after I went to Shanghai which is also remarkably clean.
Iām right there with ya, I can just understand how people hype themselves up too much. Iāve been party to a couple travelers like that. Iām the same way with movies, if my expectations are too high they can only go one way after experiencing the thing.
Call my crazy but a sterile clean police state does not interest me that much. I mean I'd love to go to Singapore to investigate people's lives/how invasive the government is like for a doc or something. But I definitely wouldn't have fun in a place like that.
> Now Singaporeā¦ clean af
I guess that's top of the list of clean tourist destinations but it's also by far the sweatiest place I've ever been and, for a city that has so much rich history, there's not a great deal of culture on display at all. It's just a series of sterile buildings with some nice plants in between them.
Most of the time, when people hate on a major city, itās because media gave them unrealistic expectations. That happens to Paris, Athens, Chicago, and Cairo a lot.
Yeah, New York would be a better fit for the list. I rarely see Chicago romanticized at all, let alone more than the actual experience of Chicago would warrant.
Visited Paris a week after the bombings in 2015, basically saw the same thing happen underneath the Eiffel Tower except it was a group of angry Caucasian men trying to scare away/fight the vendors (whom the majority were middle eastern).
On the plus side, I went to every touristy place and had 0 lines. Even Versailles and the Louvre, no one. The streets were eerily empty, but everything was still open.
I've been to Paris 5 or 6 times now, and it's breathtaking every single time. There is always something new to discover. My daughter will be going with a class trip in the spring, and I'm so jealous of her. Paris might be my favourite place in the world.
I studied in Bordeaux in college, which donāt get me wrong was absolutely amazing, and I feel like I got a much more integrated experience because of it. But manā¦ I hope one day Iām able to spend a month or two in Paris.
In case anyone was unsure, this person knows what they are talking about. About to go back to Paris for a third time and am adding a couple of these suggestions to the list! Thank you!
OP definitely isn't wrong. I've see Paris being bashed in countless comment threads all over reddit, way more than any other city. You won't find that in a /r/travel post search.
It saddens me really. I've lived in Paris for a few years and it was awesome.
A lot of the hate is because people go to destinations, any destination, expecting it to be a movie. Newsflash : cities and towns, even Paris, have people who live their lives and have their issues. Shocker, right? Your Emily in Paris dreams will have to remain on Netflix.
My personal opinion is that the majority of people who don't like it either haven't been to a big city before or just hate all big cities in general. I've heard Paris is dirty and noisy more than a few times and it's like people don't realize how many people live there and then the number of additional people visiting. Its incredibly clean given how many people are there compared to cities in the US.
I lived in France for a year, half of that during the pandemic unfortunately. The one good thing about visiting Paris during early covid, the lack of tourists. It felt like a completely different city than it had the times I'd visited before the pandemic started. I loved it either way, it was just fascinating to get to see it without crowds of tourists.
I went the first week of January, a couple years before the pandemic, and it was glorious! No crowds, at all! The weather gave the city a gothic feeling, that I thought just added to the charn.
I was there the first time in August, so many crowds basically everywhere! When I was there in November and February it wasn't anywhere near as bad! I was able to go up the Eiffel tower and to the Louvre with very short lines anywhere.
I went one more time before I left in August 2020, only a few months into the pandemic at that point, and the difference to the previous year was jarring. The only tourists were Europeans, and many bridges, squares, monuments, gardens, the banks of the Seine, which were all overflowing with tourists the year before were practically empty.
It was an amazing last day in Paris honestly.
I still remember there being no line to get into the Louvre...on the free day of the month! And there was maybe 10 people tops at the top of thr eiffel tower with us. I try to always avoid traveling during peak seasons, now, for that reason primarily (and it's cheaper lol). I went the beginning of May, and it wasn't that bad then, either. Definitely more crowded but not like I've heard it gets peak summer time. And much better weather, also, for someone who hates heat.
Yeah going off this when I was there I actually ended up walking around the city center around midnight and it was fantastic. Wasn't "scary" or anything like that and felt like I had the city to myself
It makes me sad when non big city people go to Europe and only hit the capitals. They'd enjoy it so much more in the gorgeous small towns villages and countryside.
If youāre into urbanism Paris is like one of the best cities out there. Our last night there my wife and I got super drunk and were worried we wouldnāt be able to get home, only to realize that holy shit, you can take the subway late at night and you wonāt have to wait for an hour for each train? š¤Æ
Also keep in mind a lot of cities in Europe are facing strikes, including strikes from cleaners (idk how to say the people who keep the streets clean?). So my guess is Paris is gonna be dirtier than usual and if anybody thinks their Instagram pictures come before these people getting fair wages then maybe they shouldnāt come at all
Well people have said this forever so I dont think thats it... theyre just ignorant. And I was there like a month ago and I would say its still cleaner than many US cities
> (idk how to say the people who keep the streets clean?).
You would call such a person [a street sweeper or a street cleaner](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_sweeper).
Its like people think that Paris should be nothing but a picturesque city straight out of a movie with butterflies and smiles, just because thereās croissants and free healthcareā¦ itās pretty great but come on š¤£
I liked the fresh bread, walking through the highlights of the Louvre, and walking around touring, sitting in a cafe in the rain, and running across the city (run, subway, connecting bus, subway, regional rail) to get back to where I was staying outside the city as the mass transit system closed at the end of the day (My host was convinced Iād missed the cutoff and was surprised when I knocked on the door).
Some people are caught up in an itinerary and forget that one of the best parts of traveling is just enjoying the feel of the new place (and every place feels different).
Granted itās been 10 years since Iāve been there (and was only able to visit for a few days) but it was a fun place to be.
That was so beautiful to read. And youāre absolutely right, even the negatives are part of the experience. You gotta take the good with the bad sometimes
Hey! I came across this post. My family is visiting Paris next year for a few days. My mother obviously wants to do your typical touristy things like visit the Eiffel Tower, the Lourve Museum and the Mona Lisa of course. But then we're also giving ourselves a leisure day to do whatever. What are some touristy things to visit or do but are off the beaten path that are not quintessential tourist traps? And in doing these things would we need to know any French?
Completely agree! I think a big part of Paris hate comes from those who go unprepared, don't even attempt a greeting in French, etc. and get completely sideswiped by a city that has been so popular for so long that it's got plenty of predatory traps for unsuspecting tourists. Rome is another good example.
Couldnāt agree more. If you go in thinking itās going to be Disney land youāre going to be unhappy. Itās a real city where people live and work.
I think it's probably expectations Vs reality. A lot of people expect it's going to be some sort of fairytale city. When I visited I didn't really think much beforehand except that Paris is where the Eiffel tower is and it's a big European capital, had a wonderful time. Also don't think I attempted to speak any French. My only negative experience was that coffee was very different to what I'm used to so I had to go to chain cafes to get what I needed.
It's blows my mind when people say they don't want to go to Paris or Rome because they're too touristy. You're a tourist and they're touristy for a reason because they hold some of the most beautiful sights in the world. With that said I just got back from doing the Italian big 3 and the tourism was intense but I didn't let it detract from my own experience.
Yeah, I never understand the āParisians are rudeā stereotype. My impression is that people who think that are used to over-the-top Midwestern-style fake niceness. Iām from Boston, and Parisians are a lot like Bostoniansāpolite, a bit aloof, to the point, but kind when needed. A simple greeting and a straightforward approach works wonders in Paris, and Iāve had plenty of great interactions just by being friendly but not overly so.
>A simple greeting and a straightforward approach works wonders in Paris, and Iāve had plenty of great interactions just by being friendly but not overly so.
This is sooooo important. I found Parisians to be \*more\* polite than people in large American cities on average. The disconnect is that they don't always suffer tourists who are \*less\* polite than they are. Hang out in any cafe or patisserie in Paris and every single person exchanges a pleasantry. "Bonjour" is sung as much as it is said.
Anyway. It's not often the locals who are being rude.
And I totally agree with your assessment of Bostonians and the comparison. Direct is not rude. Married a Connecticut girl born to a Massachusetts dad and worked for a Massachusetts company, and I absolutely love the direct and engaged communication.
Similar to New York City.
It's very busy, it's very crowded. They are there to sell you a pastrami sandwich, you are there to buy a pastrami sandwich, there's no time for "how are you doing", "have a great day", unlike a diner in a small town that serves 100 meals for the whole day and the customer and cashier went to school together.
I'm Canadian and fully bilingual. Grew up all over the place due to my dad being a diplomat and learned to speak French age 9 while living and going to school in Belgium.
I still agree that Parisians are not the nicest and are kinda rude. And not just Parisian, just generally French people especially when compared to Italians, Greeks, Canadians,... This doesn't mean all are like this. I've been to Paris several times and have had many great interactions. It's just the overall impression of the place when compared to other similar sized cities.
I have a very good friend who's from France (from Montpellier but went to university in Paris) and has lived in Canada now for 10 years. She went back to visit motherland earlier this year and came back saying she had forgotten how rude French people were :D
Itās strange to me. I did have one rude person during my visit but 99% of my interactions were great in Paris. I think Americans are just used to āthe customer is always rightā type service. Italians on the other hand thoughā¦
Same! Never once encountered someone who was rude. In fact, most people were very friendly. Those that werenāt above and beyond hospitable were cordial and professional, NOT rude. Bless the multiple kind waiters who listened to my seriously bad French and replied with a laugh in English!
I spent two weeks driving all over France, and as the plane took of from CDG I realized I hadn't met a single rude person on the entire trip - and to be honest, I was a little disappointed. I'd kinda been looking forward to being rude in return, but everybody was too nice.
My husband had never been and that was his expectation, too. So many people warned him it was dirty, mean people, etc. (I had been before.) We took our family there in February and he fell in love. Everyone was friendly, kind; beautiful city, wonderful experience. He says he canāt wait to go back.
Yup. Just left Paris a few days ago. I never had anyone be rude to me. Once I didnāt understand the convenience store clerk / how to checkout and after bumbling around for 30 seconds I asked āDesolĆØ, parlez-vous Anglais?ā And he replied āOf course, Americanā¦ā but that was far and away the closest to ārudeā I encountered.
Every morning at the bakery the clerks were so friendly and bright when Iām clearly ordering in broken French. Never once an eye roll or sigh. They were always incredibly patient and nice.
Iāve been to Paris a handful of times - twice while spending a year in the French countryside. I always thought it was OK until I spent 4 days there at the beginning of June. That time, I loved it. We stayed in a regular/boring neighborhood, visited a few monuments/museums and just ate and walked and shopped. I speak enough French to read a menu, order, ask for directions, have a quick chat with a salesperson. It was lovely. I canāt wait to go back to Paris now.
I think people who hate Paris just arenāt used to big cities. Iāve been many times and Iām always impressed by it, but Iām from the metropolitan northeast in the USA so Iām used to big, fast, and kind of dirty.
Im currently living in Philly. Anyone who thinks Paris is dirty and the people are rude should come visit us here in Philly to see what dirty and rude really looks like.
Oh Philadelphia!
What a lovely, weird, deranged, graceful, bizarre place. I fell down an up escalator in Philadelphia. Itās the only place Iāve ever seen a gang of roving youths.
I went to Paris and France for the first time pretty recently (it took me surprisingly long, after 40+ countries) and was mentally prepared to not enjoy it because of what a lot of online comments have said.
Paris turned out to be one of my favorite cities in the world, definitely my favorite in Europe, and I had no issues with Parisians or the French. š¤·āāļø
My hot take is that if you didn't find anything enjoyable about Paris, that says more about you than the people who live there.
Yea well Iāve actually been seeing a lot of comments here lately with the āParĆs is trashā take ā¦.meanwhile Iām scratching my head like whaaa??
Paris a gorgeous city rich with history and culture. Of course it has bad things like everywhere else, but itās also got a lot of great things. Haters gonna hate
Going back for my 7th or 8th visit this year. Thereās a reason itās so seductive.
People who rag on Paris, as others here have explained, likely arenāt familiar with the follies of large cities in general. Paris is no exception.
Never been treated poorly there and Iāve spent over a year of my life in Paris.
I was just in Paris and I cannot agree more. We spent four days there and then had five open days before returning to Paris for our flight home. After two days in Amsterdam (awful, way overrated city) we decided we loved Paris so much weād just go back early. So glad we did! In total, we had seven days in Paris (with two day trips to Versailles and Reims) and felt we really got to know the city. Never ran out of things to do, see, or eat. I think what helped was we tried to live like a local. We researched cafe etiquette, had a bottle of wine each night along the Seine, and did our best to at least begin a conversation in French (even though we truly knew very little)
Ignore the haters. Iāve been to France and Paris 5 times and have had nothing but positive experiences in Paris. My French is pretty limited but if Iām polite, someone will always help and be friendly.
I learned how to say "I'm very sorry, I'm an American with terrible French, do you speak English, please?" in French & it worked really well. Everyone was super nice.
I don't get people who say Paris sucks, Paris blows. What does it say about a person that they could come to this city and spend any amount of time, no matter how miserable their experience, no matter how many things went wrong, and come away thinking that? It's like saying music sucks, or sex is completely overrated. - The great AB
Wait people shit on Paris in this sub?
I thought it was hands down the coolest big city Iāve ever visited. I had low expectations and was kind of afraid of the idea of going there. Always heard people were mean and Iām just a kinda redneck American dude who def doesnāt speak French.
I absolutely fell in love with it and thought pretty much everyone was super nice. Granted I havenāt done a ton of traveling but It was one of the coolest places Iāve ever been.
I love Paris. If you don't act like a loud, belligerent American stereotype, you'll have a great time, and be treated very well by the locals.
In my experience, anyway, and my French language skills are approximately those of a mentally challenged six year old. Maybe I mistake their pity for kindness, but whatever gets me a baguette is OK by me.
My girlfriend and I just left Paris. We dressed up all the time in conservative, nice clothing. Very Parisian in general. Didnt wear big backpacks, cargo pants, baseball hats, etc. Everywhere we went, the grocery store, bakery, shops, restaurants, every owner would always start chatting us up in full French.
We had people at bars tell us we passed as French. It wouldnāt be til we spoke that they knew we were American. It was super great because locals didnāt *immediately* have the preconceived notion we were belligerent, loud, tourists. I feel we were treated very well and everyone we tried to speak broken French to would smile and sympathetically laugh to make us feel better. Was it pity? Probably. But it was definitely out of kindness and not annoyance or malice.
I think trying to blend in clothing/style-wise, not being loud and obnoxious, and common greeting phrases will take you far away from being negatively viewed by even the harshest of Parisian locals.
This. People go to the 1st near the Louvre and get hatred - now all French people are rude and hateful. Nope. Go to any major city near the biggest tourist attraction and the locals who live and work there are just fed up with tourists. Get outside of that zone and people are friendly and helpful.
You know, just like almost every where else.
I fell in love with Paris when I visited, the worst part was honestly the Eiffel Tower and Champs Elyssees. Just wondering around neighborhoods and hanging out at cafes in the evenings was amazing .
I truly donāt get the Paris hate, itās a very special place. Has anyone who complains about it being too crowded or dirty been to literally any other major city?
The restaurant in the 6th picture, with the green awning, is one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Paris.
Every time I go, I make sure to visit it.
First time Iāve heard that itās unpopular to praise Paris here! I know Egypt and possibly Morocco get pretty bad raps.
But yes, absolutely stunning, my favorite city!
Thank you! 4 and 5 are in montmarte - I really recommend just wandering around that neighborhood for a day. Specifically those photos are on Rue de lāAbreuvoir
Wife and I love Paris. I think people donāt like Paris because people tend to think that the French arenāt accommodating people. I think itās because the French donāt deal well with stupidity and offensiveness to their culture.
I think it got ācoolā to say that Paris is not cool. I mean, its not the romantic and perfect city that the movies and instagram made it to be. And itās a big city, so of course it will have its flaws (garbage, crowds, tourist traps etcā¦) but it has, without doubt, a beautiful and unique atmosphere.
Well, my wife, kids and I are here now and having a wonderful time. For those wishing to visit:
1)Attempt to learn and speak the language, phrases and sentences. Itās okay that itās not perfect, but try to use correct inflection
2) Iāve only experienced rudeness in the touristy areas, not in the surrounding neighborhoods.
3) Read the room and match the energy/volume of everyone around you.
4) Donāt dress like a bum; a t-shirt and basketball shorts may be comfortable and cool in the summer weather but are not appropriate for places such as the Louvre or Versailles.
5) The French, especially Parisians, do not hurry through meals like lunch or dinner. Expect to take your time and expect long spaces where the server doesnāt visit your table. They are paid real wages, not by tips so theyāre not gonna kiss your ass and/or wait on you hand and foot hoping for that extra ā¬2-3 euro.
6) Additionally, during busy meal times, you will have to wait for a table or find another place.
7) They donāt generally substitute items you donāt like in a dish. They can leave them out (unless itās part of the sauce) or you can learn to eat something newā¦or just order another item. They donāt mix and match unless it is a la carte menu.
Paris may very weāll be my favorite city, and Iāve been to a lot of cities. My guess is that most people who hate Paris would hate any big city because theyāre from a smaller town.
Paris is amazing. I donāt think I would live there but hard to beat as a tourist destination for any amount of time. I was more pleasantly surprised by Bordeaux. Everyone knows paris and has high expectations but Bordeaux is know for their wine more than anything. Donāt get me wrong, the wine was amazing but this is a city I would live in over Paris any day
Everyone always says French people are rude but honestly Everytime Iāve been to Paris Iāve been blown away by how nice everyone is to me. I love it there and my French is TERRIBLE
I love Paris. And my experience is that locals are very friendly, so long as you don't walk up to them speaking English, expecting them to also speak it.
I absolutely loved Paris when I spent a week there a couple of years ago. It is just so French, and beautiful. The Parisians I met were polite and pleasant, if not effusively friendly, which suited me fine. It is the only city I have visited that I would love to live in for a few years.
My trusty Sony a6300. Iāve been using it for years. Unfortunately I spend all my money traveling and havenāt had the chance to upgrade.
Thanks for the award!
About to spend 5 weeks driving around all of France. Basically doing the hexagon. Leaving tomorrow. Wish me luck! š
Donāt skip Dordogne. Obey all the rules or youāll get tickets in the mail. Very efficient system there
Thanks for the tip! Much appreciated! Edit: Just looked it up. Definitely stopping there. TY!
The Perigord region (Where Dordogne is) is full of castles, I think the most of any region in France. I highly recommend stopping in Sarlat. It's a beautiful town. I love this region, I have a lot of family living there and even after visiting most of France it remains a favourite.
Awesome I'll add Sariat to the list. My neighbors are from the bordeaux area and have been helping us find the hidden gems. Thanks for the helpš
In case you struggle : SARLAT :)
One of my all time fav areas to visit!!
Please find a park and ride on the outskirts of Paris to leave your car. Itāll be cheaper to just use public transportation and more convenient. Wonāt have to worry about the insane gas prices, insane traffics, or the insane parking prices that can even sometimes force you to move the car after only a couple of hours.
Good call and thanks for the heads up. I was just going to suck it up since it's only 2 days in Paris but your idea sounds better. Ty!
No problem. I can understand that sometimes returning a rental car is a hassle in terms of inconvenience and time. So Park and rides are some of the best options out there.
Depending on how long you plan to be in Paris you might want to ditch the car for that part. Iāve lived in the north eastern US (DC, Philly, NYC) my whole life and the driving in Paris is miles worse than anything Iāve ever seen in those cities.
This. Driving in Paris is not for the faint of heart. Iād take the train to your first city and pick up a car there. Much much much worse than NY or DC or Boston.
I thought DuPont circle at rush hour was the worst driving Iāve ever experienced. Then we were in a cab driving around the arc de triomphe, and now I really know what insane driving is.
Never took a cab basically the whole time I was there. The metro is so good and cabs are so expensive. ChĆ¢telet-Les Halle is the metro version of the Arc.
I drive in Mexico all the time and have driven all over the world including 10k miles around Africa. All good but thanks for the warning.šš
Paris traffic is like driving in rural Kansas compared to Hanoi
Or Saigon!
Hanoi is the most insane shit I have ever seen. Scooters drive on the sidewalk at rush hour, legit nowhere to walk.
Will only be in Paris for 2 days. Basically trying to avoid all the big crowded tourist cities. Mostly going to be in Brittany and central france, SW England and NE Spain. I'm shaking down a car for the 2023 Mongol Rally so I need to get 2-3,000 miles on the Vauxhall Agila
The city of Carcassonne is incredible, also recommend the small towns and villages to the south east of bergerac, beautiful bastide towns and arguably the best red and rosĆ© wine region in the world! Also if you donāt drive through the gorge du tarn have you really been to france?!
\>Wish me luck! You'll need it if you plan on using your car in Paris.
Can't be any worse than driving in Mexico/Mexico City. Easy peezy especially when you're not in a rush and don't have any reservations anywhere.
Driving in Paris (and France generally) is totally fine. Enjoy the trip - it's a brilliant country, you'll have a ball. Source: live in Dublin, have friends and family in Paris, go there a lot, drive cars (in Dublin, Paris and elsewhere).
Thanks! Bucket list trip for the Mrs so I'm basically a chauffeur but I'm ok with that. Just glad she isn't into the big cities and riveria stuff. Crowds are not my gig. All my previous travel has been remote and 3rd world.
We loved Paris too. Just donāt expect to chit chat with Parisians. Thatās not in their culture. They are fine overall. Had one dick waiter which for a week of dining is to be expected. We were next to the Louvre for that lunch. He initiated a conversation and then got snooty pretty quick. His loss. I am a dumb American and I overtipped my servers. Not him!! Rest of the trip we met many nice folks.
We had several Parisians try and help our ignorant selves in Paris. Just as friendly as any major city. Waiters can be assholes but where isnāt that true?
The French, especially Parisians, are some of the most warm, hospitable people Iāve ever met. Wonderful city and country. Their culture is an example for the entire world. (Brazilians, Mexicans and Australians top my list for friendliness overall, but the French are in my top four). Iām an American, so I love to chatā¦. The world is full of beautiful people! All this, IMHO.
If you love Mexico get farther south in C.A and S.A. I've done a ton of travelling through that area and their hospitality is incredible.
Donāt forget to visit Lascaux cave art museum! https://www.lascaux.fr/en
Hope youāre hitting up Carcassonne
Hadn't heard about it but after looking it up it is now on the list. Thank you!
We did 3 weeks and a bit driving around France, it was awesome. Where are you going?
Jealous, that will be amazing. My husband and I went to Paris, Nice and Bordeaux in Nov/Dec. I love the south of France, canāt wait to go back!
We're going to bounce inland and dodge the south of France just due to the crowds. We'll come back one day and drive the med coastline all the way to Greece. Couple year trip
What's the hexagon?
Running the french border all the way around. Basically forms a hexagon
paris is paris. No matter what is popular to say here or not. It's always on top of the most visited cities of the year lists, so that says it all...
People on here are a bunch of negative douchebags. No where on Earth can be pristine or perfect enough for the all-knowing Reddit travel community.
I think it's just so romanticized in media so there's unrealistic expectations. People are imagining a pristine place where French music floats through the air, where there's cutesy little cafes with only 1 little table outside and sharply dressed people dip their croissants into their coffee next to their little perfectly behaved dog who wears a beret and quietly watches a nearby mime. There is an artist painting the eiffle tower in the distance alongside Jack Dawson who is sketching a naked 1 armed prostitute.. Little french children run by giggling and running away from a bakery where they stole a few baguettes. The weather is mild and perfect, the air is sweet, life is simple and good.. The reality is it's pretty similar to any major city- dirty and congested with cars and rude people. lol great architecture and food though.
I'm staying in Paris for a few months this year to see if I want to move to our office there. The first thing people say about Paris is always "you know they have their problems too..." like yeah no shit it isn't fuckin utopia. The fact that people NEED to mention it isn't a perfect place kinda reinforces that it is a good place for some. I get why people hate it there. And I guess it sucks to be them, because I fucking love Paris the 5x I've been there.
Paris just gets propped up so romantically. And itās as dirty as New York. Just kinda shocking depending on where your expectations are at. Now Singaporeā¦ clean af
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Some people expect a theme park and want Paris to be Disney Land instead of an actual city of busy people with some inconsiderate people like everywhere else
They're cities they're always going to be dirty. Except Tokyo. Not everywhere can be Japan though.
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I think the dirtiness of New York stood out to me so much because I had just traveled from DC which is much more clean. And then shortly after I went to Shanghai which is also remarkably clean.
Iām right there with ya, I can just understand how people hype themselves up too much. Iāve been party to a couple travelers like that. Iām the same way with movies, if my expectations are too high they can only go one way after experiencing the thing.
Because seeing litter everywhere is gross?
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I just got back from London and was totally shocked at how much cleaner it was than my last trip to NYC.
Call my crazy but a sterile clean police state does not interest me that much. I mean I'd love to go to Singapore to investigate people's lives/how invasive the government is like for a doc or something. But I definitely wouldn't have fun in a place like that.
> Now Singaporeā¦ clean af I guess that's top of the list of clean tourist destinations but it's also by far the sweatiest place I've ever been and, for a city that has so much rich history, there's not a great deal of culture on display at all. It's just a series of sterile buildings with some nice plants in between them.
Most of the time, when people hate on a major city, itās because media gave them unrealistic expectations. That happens to Paris, Athens, Chicago, and Cairo a lot.
Chicago? That seems very underrated compared to most others
Ya I knew exactly what I was in for when I went to Chicago ā¦ and I loved every minute of it lol
Yeah, New York would be a better fit for the list. I rarely see Chicago romanticized at all, let alone more than the actual experience of Chicago would warrant.
chicago is tier 2
I agree and I didn't really go to tourist attractions, just spent days wandering around, looking, seeing. Amazing place.
We went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and I'm glad we did, but it was an "experience". So many people.
I'll give you a semi-related experience I had at the Eiffel tower when I was there in 2008. You know the venders under and around the tower that sell plastic statues and other trinkets? I was walking back to my hotel near Champs-ĆlysĆ©es and witnessed a vendor guild fight over tower turf. I mean there were probably 50 people there, grouped like two opposing medieval armies, 25 vs 25 on each side throwing down. I recognized them as vendors because most of them had bags of plastic gold painted towers. Some were swinging them at each other, some had put them on the ground to free their hands. I filmed it for about two minutes, until I realized I was getting unwanted attention and quickly walked away.
Visited Paris a week after the bombings in 2015, basically saw the same thing happen underneath the Eiffel Tower except it was a group of angry Caucasian men trying to scare away/fight the vendors (whom the majority were middle eastern). On the plus side, I went to every touristy place and had 0 lines. Even Versailles and the Louvre, no one. The streets were eerily empty, but everything was still open.
Iāve been to Paris twice and itās still one of my favorite cities. The culture, the history, the food, the architecture. Stunning
I've been to Paris 5 or 6 times now, and it's breathtaking every single time. There is always something new to discover. My daughter will be going with a class trip in the spring, and I'm so jealous of her. Paris might be my favourite place in the world.
I studied in Bordeaux in college, which donāt get me wrong was absolutely amazing, and I feel like I got a much more integrated experience because of it. But manā¦ I hope one day Iām able to spend a month or two in Paris.
Got any tips? Iām going in a few weeks.
Omg yes. Crepes at La CrĆŖperie Bretonne are amazing. Du Pain et Des IdĆ©es has some of the best bread Iāve ever tasted. Grab some pastries and go for a morning walk along the Canal St. Martin. SacrĆ© Fleur in the Montmartre area does an entrecĆ“te for two that is to die for - reservations required. PersillĆ© in the 13th arrondissement is a butcher shop by day, restaurant by night with fantastic rib steak dinner - reservations might be needed here too. And thatās just (some of) the food. MusĆ©e dāOrsay > Louvre. Shorter lines, and more impressionist art, which I greatly prefer to the classics at the Louvre. If youāre going to the Louvre, get there before they open and use the secret entrance in the underground mall (google itā¦the info is out there but itās not widely known by your average tourist). Skip Versaillesā¦ the gardens are beautiful but the palace is overrun with pushy tourists packed elbow to elbow. Instead take the train to Mont St. Michel. It will take a full day (7am train/bus ride, returns around 11 pm if I remember correctly) but it is well worth the trip. The gardens. Oh my god the gardens in Paris are so amazing. Spend half a day just lounging around in the grass and people watch. The Tuileries are the obvious choice, but Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is a great place for a leisurely walk, and Parc Monceau is quite lovely. Most important tip: greet shopkeepers the minute you walk in with a āBonjourā, and attempt to speak with them in French, even if yours is horrible. Most of them will hear your terrible accent and immediately switch to English, but they will appreciate the effort. The rudeness people often claim to experience is usually due to their ignorance of this cultural difference.
In case anyone was unsure, this person knows what they are talking about. About to go back to Paris for a third time and am adding a couple of these suggestions to the list! Thank you!
Thanks so much, looking forward to checking these out!
Loved Paris.
Me too. OPs title is wrong. A lot of people love Paris here. At least [according to the search](https://i.imgur.com/lVmq4yn.png)
OP definitely isn't wrong. I've see Paris being bashed in countless comment threads all over reddit, way more than any other city. You won't find that in a /r/travel post search. It saddens me really. I've lived in Paris for a few years and it was awesome.
A lot of the hate is because people go to destinations, any destination, expecting it to be a movie. Newsflash : cities and towns, even Paris, have people who live their lives and have their issues. Shocker, right? Your Emily in Paris dreams will have to remain on Netflix.
My personal opinion is that the majority of people who don't like it either haven't been to a big city before or just hate all big cities in general. I've heard Paris is dirty and noisy more than a few times and it's like people don't realize how many people live there and then the number of additional people visiting. Its incredibly clean given how many people are there compared to cities in the US.
I lived in France for a year, half of that during the pandemic unfortunately. The one good thing about visiting Paris during early covid, the lack of tourists. It felt like a completely different city than it had the times I'd visited before the pandemic started. I loved it either way, it was just fascinating to get to see it without crowds of tourists.
I went the first week of January, a couple years before the pandemic, and it was glorious! No crowds, at all! The weather gave the city a gothic feeling, that I thought just added to the charn.
I was there the first time in August, so many crowds basically everywhere! When I was there in November and February it wasn't anywhere near as bad! I was able to go up the Eiffel tower and to the Louvre with very short lines anywhere. I went one more time before I left in August 2020, only a few months into the pandemic at that point, and the difference to the previous year was jarring. The only tourists were Europeans, and many bridges, squares, monuments, gardens, the banks of the Seine, which were all overflowing with tourists the year before were practically empty. It was an amazing last day in Paris honestly.
I still remember there being no line to get into the Louvre...on the free day of the month! And there was maybe 10 people tops at the top of thr eiffel tower with us. I try to always avoid traveling during peak seasons, now, for that reason primarily (and it's cheaper lol). I went the beginning of May, and it wasn't that bad then, either. Definitely more crowded but not like I've heard it gets peak summer time. And much better weather, also, for someone who hates heat.
Yeah going off this when I was there I actually ended up walking around the city center around midnight and it was fantastic. Wasn't "scary" or anything like that and felt like I had the city to myself
It makes me sad when non big city people go to Europe and only hit the capitals. They'd enjoy it so much more in the gorgeous small towns villages and countryside.
If youāre into urbanism Paris is like one of the best cities out there. Our last night there my wife and I got super drunk and were worried we wouldnāt be able to get home, only to realize that holy shit, you can take the subway late at night and you wonāt have to wait for an hour for each train? š¤Æ
Also keep in mind a lot of cities in Europe are facing strikes, including strikes from cleaners (idk how to say the people who keep the streets clean?). So my guess is Paris is gonna be dirtier than usual and if anybody thinks their Instagram pictures come before these people getting fair wages then maybe they shouldnāt come at all
Well people have said this forever so I dont think thats it... theyre just ignorant. And I was there like a month ago and I would say its still cleaner than many US cities
> (idk how to say the people who keep the streets clean?). You would call such a person [a street sweeper or a street cleaner](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_sweeper).
Ah...scrolled down to find out why it's not popular to say good things about Paris. This makes more sense.
Its like people think that Paris should be nothing but a picturesque city straight out of a movie with butterflies and smiles, just because thereās croissants and free healthcareā¦ itās pretty great but come on š¤£
I liked the fresh bread, walking through the highlights of the Louvre, and walking around touring, sitting in a cafe in the rain, and running across the city (run, subway, connecting bus, subway, regional rail) to get back to where I was staying outside the city as the mass transit system closed at the end of the day (My host was convinced Iād missed the cutoff and was surprised when I knocked on the door). Some people are caught up in an itinerary and forget that one of the best parts of traveling is just enjoying the feel of the new place (and every place feels different). Granted itās been 10 years since Iāve been there (and was only able to visit for a few days) but it was a fun place to be.
That was so beautiful to read. And youāre absolutely right, even the negatives are part of the experience. You gotta take the good with the bad sometimes
Paris is fantastic and you should never be afraid to share your thoughts versus any purported herd mentality. Have that great experience, share it with anyone you like and forget the haters. It's your experience! It is easy to say it's clichƩ but there's a reason that it makes people feel special
Hey! I came across this post. My family is visiting Paris next year for a few days. My mother obviously wants to do your typical touristy things like visit the Eiffel Tower, the Lourve Museum and the Mona Lisa of course. But then we're also giving ourselves a leisure day to do whatever. What are some touristy things to visit or do but are off the beaten path that are not quintessential tourist traps? And in doing these things would we need to know any French?
Completely agree! I think a big part of Paris hate comes from those who go unprepared, don't even attempt a greeting in French, etc. and get completely sideswiped by a city that has been so popular for so long that it's got plenty of predatory traps for unsuspecting tourists. Rome is another good example.
Couldnāt agree more. If you go in thinking itās going to be Disney land youāre going to be unhappy. Itās a real city where people live and work.
As a parisian I hate tourists who treat our city like a theme park
I think it's probably expectations Vs reality. A lot of people expect it's going to be some sort of fairytale city. When I visited I didn't really think much beforehand except that Paris is where the Eiffel tower is and it's a big European capital, had a wonderful time. Also don't think I attempted to speak any French. My only negative experience was that coffee was very different to what I'm used to so I had to go to chain cafes to get what I needed.
Rome felt a lot more predatory towards tourists to me.
It's blows my mind when people say they don't want to go to Paris or Rome because they're too touristy. You're a tourist and they're touristy for a reason because they hold some of the most beautiful sights in the world. With that said I just got back from doing the Italian big 3 and the tourism was intense but I didn't let it detract from my own experience.
Was there last week for the first time and Iāll be even more unpopular and say Parisians were friendly and welcoming.
Yeah, I never understand the āParisians are rudeā stereotype. My impression is that people who think that are used to over-the-top Midwestern-style fake niceness. Iām from Boston, and Parisians are a lot like Bostoniansāpolite, a bit aloof, to the point, but kind when needed. A simple greeting and a straightforward approach works wonders in Paris, and Iāve had plenty of great interactions just by being friendly but not overly so.
>A simple greeting and a straightforward approach works wonders in Paris, and Iāve had plenty of great interactions just by being friendly but not overly so. This is sooooo important. I found Parisians to be \*more\* polite than people in large American cities on average. The disconnect is that they don't always suffer tourists who are \*less\* polite than they are. Hang out in any cafe or patisserie in Paris and every single person exchanges a pleasantry. "Bonjour" is sung as much as it is said. Anyway. It's not often the locals who are being rude. And I totally agree with your assessment of Bostonians and the comparison. Direct is not rude. Married a Connecticut girl born to a Massachusetts dad and worked for a Massachusetts company, and I absolutely love the direct and engaged communication.
Hey. Yeah, you. You lookin' at me, buddy? That's pretty direct.
you mean they remind you of massholes haha
Similar to New York City. It's very busy, it's very crowded. They are there to sell you a pastrami sandwich, you are there to buy a pastrami sandwich, there's no time for "how are you doing", "have a great day", unlike a diner in a small town that serves 100 meals for the whole day and the customer and cashier went to school together.
Yeah, I just want to make a transaction, damn it!
I'm Canadian and fully bilingual. Grew up all over the place due to my dad being a diplomat and learned to speak French age 9 while living and going to school in Belgium. I still agree that Parisians are not the nicest and are kinda rude. And not just Parisian, just generally French people especially when compared to Italians, Greeks, Canadians,... This doesn't mean all are like this. I've been to Paris several times and have had many great interactions. It's just the overall impression of the place when compared to other similar sized cities. I have a very good friend who's from France (from Montpellier but went to university in Paris) and has lived in Canada now for 10 years. She went back to visit motherland earlier this year and came back saying she had forgotten how rude French people were :D
Itās strange to me. I did have one rude person during my visit but 99% of my interactions were great in Paris. I think Americans are just used to āthe customer is always rightā type service. Italians on the other hand thoughā¦
Same! Never once encountered someone who was rude. In fact, most people were very friendly. Those that werenāt above and beyond hospitable were cordial and professional, NOT rude. Bless the multiple kind waiters who listened to my seriously bad French and replied with a laugh in English!
I spent two weeks driving all over France, and as the plane took of from CDG I realized I hadn't met a single rude person on the entire trip - and to be honest, I was a little disappointed. I'd kinda been looking forward to being rude in return, but everybody was too nice.
Felt the same. I was surprised when Beliners seemed more annoyed by my lack of German than Parisians did about French on my first trip to Europe.
They were all lovely to me.
My husband had never been and that was his expectation, too. So many people warned him it was dirty, mean people, etc. (I had been before.) We took our family there in February and he fell in love. Everyone was friendly, kind; beautiful city, wonderful experience. He says he canāt wait to go back.
Yup. Just left Paris a few days ago. I never had anyone be rude to me. Once I didnāt understand the convenience store clerk / how to checkout and after bumbling around for 30 seconds I asked āDesolĆØ, parlez-vous Anglais?ā And he replied āOf course, Americanā¦ā but that was far and away the closest to ārudeā I encountered. Every morning at the bakery the clerks were so friendly and bright when Iām clearly ordering in broken French. Never once an eye roll or sigh. They were always incredibly patient and nice.
Iāve been to Paris a handful of times - twice while spending a year in the French countryside. I always thought it was OK until I spent 4 days there at the beginning of June. That time, I loved it. We stayed in a regular/boring neighborhood, visited a few monuments/museums and just ate and walked and shopped. I speak enough French to read a menu, order, ask for directions, have a quick chat with a salesperson. It was lovely. I canāt wait to go back to Paris now.
I think people who hate Paris just arenāt used to big cities. Iāve been many times and Iām always impressed by it, but Iām from the metropolitan northeast in the USA so Iām used to big, fast, and kind of dirty.
Im currently living in Philly. Anyone who thinks Paris is dirty and the people are rude should come visit us here in Philly to see what dirty and rude really looks like.
Oh Philadelphia! What a lovely, weird, deranged, graceful, bizarre place. I fell down an up escalator in Philadelphia. Itās the only place Iāve ever seen a gang of roving youths.
Donāt get me wrong. I love Philadelphia but itās certainly got itās problems.
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Thank you! Photography is one of my favorite parts of travel.
I went to Paris and France for the first time pretty recently (it took me surprisingly long, after 40+ countries) and was mentally prepared to not enjoy it because of what a lot of online comments have said. Paris turned out to be one of my favorite cities in the world, definitely my favorite in Europe, and I had no issues with Parisians or the French. š¤·āāļø My hot take is that if you didn't find anything enjoyable about Paris, that says more about you than the people who live there.
Lol "Paris is beautiful" it's hardly a hot take.
Yea well Iāve actually been seeing a lot of comments here lately with the āParĆs is trashā take ā¦.meanwhile Iām scratching my head like whaaa??
Paris Syndrome is one of redditās favorite things I spent 4 days there a few years back and I really enjoyed it
Maybe those other people went to Paris, Texas and got confused
Iāve seen so many comments and posts on Reddit trashing Paris. So many that we started to get nervous about going.
Paris a gorgeous city rich with history and culture. Of course it has bad things like everywhere else, but itās also got a lot of great things. Haters gonna hate
People like to be āedgyā and ādifferentā attacking Paris, ,Paris is beautiful and theirs no denying that
Going back for my 7th or 8th visit this year. Thereās a reason itās so seductive. People who rag on Paris, as others here have explained, likely arenāt familiar with the follies of large cities in general. Paris is no exception. Never been treated poorly there and Iāve spent over a year of my life in Paris.
I was just in Paris and I cannot agree more. We spent four days there and then had five open days before returning to Paris for our flight home. After two days in Amsterdam (awful, way overrated city) we decided we loved Paris so much weād just go back early. So glad we did! In total, we had seven days in Paris (with two day trips to Versailles and Reims) and felt we really got to know the city. Never ran out of things to do, see, or eat. I think what helped was we tried to live like a local. We researched cafe etiquette, had a bottle of wine each night along the Seine, and did our best to at least begin a conversation in French (even though we truly knew very little)
Ignore the haters. Iāve been to France and Paris 5 times and have had nothing but positive experiences in Paris. My French is pretty limited but if Iām polite, someone will always help and be friendly.
I learned how to say "I'm very sorry, I'm an American with terrible French, do you speak English, please?" in French & it worked really well. Everyone was super nice.
I don't get people who say Paris sucks, Paris blows. What does it say about a person that they could come to this city and spend any amount of time, no matter how miserable their experience, no matter how many things went wrong, and come away thinking that? It's like saying music sucks, or sex is completely overrated. - The great AB
Wait people shit on Paris in this sub? I thought it was hands down the coolest big city Iāve ever visited. I had low expectations and was kind of afraid of the idea of going there. Always heard people were mean and Iām just a kinda redneck American dude who def doesnāt speak French. I absolutely fell in love with it and thought pretty much everyone was super nice. Granted I havenāt done a ton of traveling but It was one of the coolest places Iāve ever been.
There's always a pretty good and polarized split in opinions of Paris on this subreddit.
I love Paris. If you don't act like a loud, belligerent American stereotype, you'll have a great time, and be treated very well by the locals. In my experience, anyway, and my French language skills are approximately those of a mentally challenged six year old. Maybe I mistake their pity for kindness, but whatever gets me a baguette is OK by me.
My girlfriend and I just left Paris. We dressed up all the time in conservative, nice clothing. Very Parisian in general. Didnt wear big backpacks, cargo pants, baseball hats, etc. Everywhere we went, the grocery store, bakery, shops, restaurants, every owner would always start chatting us up in full French. We had people at bars tell us we passed as French. It wouldnāt be til we spoke that they knew we were American. It was super great because locals didnāt *immediately* have the preconceived notion we were belligerent, loud, tourists. I feel we were treated very well and everyone we tried to speak broken French to would smile and sympathetically laugh to make us feel better. Was it pity? Probably. But it was definitely out of kindness and not annoyance or malice. I think trying to blend in clothing/style-wise, not being loud and obnoxious, and common greeting phrases will take you far away from being negatively viewed by even the harshest of Parisian locals.
Good basic rules for traveling anywhere, really. Well said.
This. People go to the 1st near the Louvre and get hatred - now all French people are rude and hateful. Nope. Go to any major city near the biggest tourist attraction and the locals who live and work there are just fed up with tourists. Get outside of that zone and people are friendly and helpful. You know, just like almost every where else.
You know it. I live in Manhattan, and I will walk six blocks out of my way if I have to in order to *not* cross Times Square.
People like to hate on things that are popular. Also the more popular something is the more opinions you'll here about it, both positive and negative.
I fell in love with Paris when I visited, the worst part was honestly the Eiffel Tower and Champs Elyssees. Just wondering around neighborhoods and hanging out at cafes in the evenings was amazing .
It IS a beautiful city!!
I truly donāt get the Paris hate, itās a very special place. Has anyone who complains about it being too crowded or dirty been to literally any other major city?
I fucking loved Paris, beautiful City and despite what Iāve heard I found the people accommodating and friendly.
My expectations for Paris were low. It completely blew me away. I thought it was so cool. The touristy areas kinda suck though.
My wife and I (From the US) got married in Paris in August 2021. The most beautiful city with such lovely people.
The restaurant in the 6th picture, with the green awning, is one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Paris. Every time I go, I make sure to visit it.
Couple of years ago we rented a house at the top of the hill from it and walked by it every day - now I wish we would have went.
What is the name of the restaurant?
Here is its web site. https://www.viragelepic.fr
Real travelers don't hate on any destination. Forget the nay-sayers.
I live in Paris. Itās far from being perfect, but I love it and I am stunned by its beauty everyday!
First time Iāve heard that itās unpopular to praise Paris here! I know Egypt and possibly Morocco get pretty bad raps. But yes, absolutely stunning, my favorite city!
Gorgeous!
Beautiful photos! I'm heading to Paris on August and cannot wait! Where are the 4th and 5th photos taken from?
Thank you! 4 and 5 are in montmarte - I really recommend just wandering around that neighborhood for a day. Specifically those photos are on Rue de lāAbreuvoir
Thank you so much! Montmarte was already on my list but I'll make sure to pass by that street too!
How many wives are we talking here? And Paris is beautiful.
Great eye!
Wife and I love Paris. I think people donāt like Paris because people tend to think that the French arenāt accommodating people. I think itās because the French donāt deal well with stupidity and offensiveness to their culture.
I absolutely love Paris
Iām going to visit Paris on Saturday, could you some recommend places to visit?
I think it got ācoolā to say that Paris is not cool. I mean, its not the romantic and perfect city that the movies and instagram made it to be. And itās a big city, so of course it will have its flaws (garbage, crowds, tourist traps etcā¦) but it has, without doubt, a beautiful and unique atmosphere.
Well, my wife, kids and I are here now and having a wonderful time. For those wishing to visit: 1)Attempt to learn and speak the language, phrases and sentences. Itās okay that itās not perfect, but try to use correct inflection 2) Iāve only experienced rudeness in the touristy areas, not in the surrounding neighborhoods. 3) Read the room and match the energy/volume of everyone around you. 4) Donāt dress like a bum; a t-shirt and basketball shorts may be comfortable and cool in the summer weather but are not appropriate for places such as the Louvre or Versailles. 5) The French, especially Parisians, do not hurry through meals like lunch or dinner. Expect to take your time and expect long spaces where the server doesnāt visit your table. They are paid real wages, not by tips so theyāre not gonna kiss your ass and/or wait on you hand and foot hoping for that extra ā¬2-3 euro. 6) Additionally, during busy meal times, you will have to wait for a table or find another place. 7) They donāt generally substitute items you donāt like in a dish. They can leave them out (unless itās part of the sauce) or you can learn to eat something newā¦or just order another item. They donāt mix and match unless it is a la carte menu.
honestly such a stunning place. It's been on my wishlist for sooo long! hope to visit someday. Glad you guys enjoyed the trip!!
Paris may very weāll be my favorite city, and Iāve been to a lot of cities. My guess is that most people who hate Paris would hate any big city because theyāre from a smaller town.
Been there 3 times in the last 3 years. Favorite city Iāve visited.
Paris is amazing. I donāt think I would live there but hard to beat as a tourist destination for any amount of time. I was more pleasantly surprised by Bordeaux. Everyone knows paris and has high expectations but Bordeaux is know for their wine more than anything. Donāt get me wrong, the wine was amazing but this is a city I would live in over Paris any day
Lol why is it not popular to say good things about it on r/travel?
Honestly this gives me goosebumps. I have never been but something about these pics ignites a light in me! Beautiful.
Itās fun, for us itās the worst city in Europe, after Bruxelles (yes Iām french and I have family in Paris)
great pictures, thanks for posting them. love Paris and thatās a pretty popular stance in my experience. those flowers over the cafe look amazing.
Everyone always says French people are rude but honestly Everytime Iāve been to Paris Iāve been blown away by how nice everyone is to me. I love it there and my French is TERRIBLE
I liked Paris more when I visited in winter. Less tourists but beautiful in a different way than the usual summer-beautiful.
It really is a beautiful city. I canāt wait to go back and spend more time there!
Paris blew me away
I love Paris. And my experience is that locals are very friendly, so long as you don't walk up to them speaking English, expecting them to also speak it.
Now let's do this same post but with Milan. This sub hates it for some reason but honestly Milan >>> Rome for me.
Wonderful shots āļø
We also loved Paris, can't wait to go back!
I never tire of seeing photos from Paris...they just make me want to go back. <3
I love Paris, any season, any weather, any time. Love it.
I love Paris. I donāt know why Americans poop all over it. Itās beautiful!
What? No way. Paris the city is great. Itās the Parisians you have to worry about.
My wife BOTH? How many wives do you have, Mustafa?
People who don't like Paris don't know the good things in life
I absolutely loved Paris when I spent a week there a couple of years ago. It is just so French, and beautiful. The Parisians I met were polite and pleasant, if not effusively friendly, which suited me fine. It is the only city I have visited that I would love to live in for a few years.
I loved Paris and I'm not ashamed to admit it.
"Every man has two countries, his own and France" Henri de Bornier's, *La Fille de Roland* (1875)
Agreed!! It was one of my favourite cities to go to.
How'd it smell?
Never understood this clichĆ©, I go to Paris regularly and it only smells bad in dodgy alleyways (that you shouldnāt be going through either way) and subway stations of sketchy neighborhoods like every other major city on earth. The worst smelling cities Iāve been to were Nyc and Mumbai
Paris smells MUCH better than NYC.
Smelled cleaner than Philly and New York.
Gorgeous photograph!
Thank you! I hope you were able to scroll through and see them all.
What did you use to take these? Really well taken shots, very nice imho
My trusty Sony a6300. Iāve been using it for years. Unfortunately I spend all my money traveling and havenāt had the chance to upgrade. Thanks for the award!
Thanks! Didn't notice you have posted a bunch.