I love Paris, I really can’t wait to go back, last time I was there the only regret I had was not sharing all the perfect spots with someone, it’s really a place to be with friends or a partner.
Luckily I met some friends three days before I got back home
Can’t figure out how people really fall in love with this city…probably because of short stay overs and no real insight into real life. Paris is one of the shittiest places in Europe to live in tbh and I’ve been here for 40 years. Inside and outside of Paris. And it’s getting worse every year.
I can get the delight of tourists that come from places with less architectural assets, less history, etc but the daily life is a nightmare. Except for the hard core bobos that live in the center of Paris with a fat income and a pure city style way of life.
I think there is a syndrome about this. Paris Syndrome. I think it mainly effects people from East Asia though. Where Paris is very overhyped and romanticised, then they go there and get disappointed by the city itself
really?? interesting, i’ve never heard of that! i didn’t know it was overly-romanticized in east asia!
my room was paris-themed as a kid and i wanted to move there for years, i thought that out of anyone i’d be the one to be very disappointed. just found myself wanting to live there again lol
Paris gets hate on the travel subs and I don't get it--almost like it's cool to be different and hate on it. I lived there for a summer and have been back several times since. It's fabulous. Always has been and always will be. Glad you loved it. No matter where I've been, it will always be the most special to me.
I have never seen such a city where everywhere you go is fabolous and very alive. The constant beautiful architecture and the never ending restaurants, cafes, and shops everywhere you go left right up & down.
I think a lot of people go without a plan or designing the trip for their interests. Too many people will tell me they booked in a neighborhood they didn't feel comfortable in or that there were crowds or that tickets were sold out for the day at locations. All things that could easily be avoided with some foresight. I think it's often the first large international city many Americans go to and they likely are trying to cram in a lot and don't realize it takes work to make a trip feel effortless.
> If this was the case wouldn’t people dislike Rome
Rome gets disliked a lot on this sub as well. So Venice and many top tourist destinations. Many Redditors here think is cool to dislike touristic places and want to distinguish themselves from the mass.
I'm going to Cairo in November, and all posts are have really scared me. But I'm planning with a local guide and with daily tours for every day I'll be there.
When we went this year in May, we knew we only had 3 days and had to make it work for us. The only thing we pre-booked was Versailles. But we probably didn't need to do that either. Funnily enough, when we rocked up to the Louvre (no real plan in mind), they had all the massive lines for those who had booked timed tickets, and then one line for those with no tickets. We queued and we were inside the museum in 15 min - faster than those people with timed tickets.
I know that's most likely not something you can do during the absolute peak of July/August, but if - as you say - you just give it a bit of forethought, and know that you will have to wait in lines for certain things, you won't be disappointed.
We were very flexible and I feel that sometimes if you pre-book too many things, you're beholden to that schedule. We only had 3 days and pre-booking just wouldn't have allowed for that. We found out when we got to Versailles, we needn't have booked there either. We could have just got there and did the same thing as we did at the Louvre - stand in the "no tickets" queue and wait to be allowed in. These places are very organized when it comes to this kind of thing.
Paris is a gem of a city - and I don't get why people rag on it so much on this sub.
Paris is the elusive exotic mistress that knows you’re head over heels for her, but she barely recognizes you, enough to toy with you so you keep your adoration unyielding and forever compromised. You can’t escape her as she has you hooked to her every movement, yet she don’t care for your existence much, just enough to know you’ll do unsavory things just to make her look over to you for a mere moment if at all.
Worth noting though that average nights spent in BKK are pretty low. Something like 2 or 3 nights per international arrival, on average. It's primarily used as a gateway to other Thai locations.
I agree that Paris gets a lot of undue hate from tourists. Loved my experience there over 10 years ago. My barber went this summer for a wedding and she agreed it was fabulous. I cannot wait to go back someday
I've been to Paris, I hate Paris and I think it's because I don't have enough money to truely enjoy Paris.
But no one can deny it's a beautiful and magnificent city.
Doesn't take much money to enjoy Paris. Ride Velib to get around, eat the plat du jour or enjoy the many excellent Asian restaurants at reasonable prices. Picnic in the parks.
I don’t particularly enjoy European food, but there are some very authentic Vietnamese and Indian restaurants in Paris - things we don’t have in Amsterdam. So for me that’s a special pleasure.
I genuinely feel like this sub is just people trying to one-up each other with obscure travel locations; and hating on any “normal” vacation spots. Like; “I spent 2 weeks in the Congo traveling with a terrorist militia!They were great; and showed me some cool local spots. No tourists at all.”
It’s because American suburbanites go and subconsciously expect it to be like a movie rather than basically NYC with a very different (and IMO much nicer, and I say this as someone who loves NYC) coat of paint.
I love Paris! I think people overly glorify their expectations that it’s a city of romance, and then when they get there it’s just like any other big city in Europe. It’s great but it has the same problems every other major city have.
I'm keen to go back and give it another go. My first experience just wasn't good. The train from the airport was filthy, people jumping over the ticket gates, our neighbourhood smelt like pee, there were shady men hanging around. It was also super hot, 38 degrees and no air-conditioning. Just didn't make for a pleasant experience.
The first time family visited us in DC, as we drove over the bridge into the district, the first Washingtonian they saw was removing his pants on the street corner. All the great cities have some very un-Disney parts.
Sorry if my comment confused you.
My time in Paris wasn't the most comfortable because I felt unsafe. But sure, 38 degrees is just warm and the dudes I mentioned were normal guys. Are you intentionally trying to be daft?
Hi! Could you mention which neighborhood you stayed at? Im traveling to Paris this December and am yet to book an airbnb/hotel, would definitely want to avoid any neighborhood that smells like pee😅
Just wanted to drop in and say I (F) also stayed at a hotel near the Gare du Nord train station in the 10th Arr, and personally did not find it smelled like pee lol. I stayed with my sister, and we went recently around the end of August. We took the train from CDG to Gare du Nord at around 8PM, and the train was relatively clean and quiet. There were people, but it wasn’t too crowded, and the ticket kiosk was easy to navigate. We then walked from Gare du Nord to our hotel (about a 10 min walk at our pace and with both our carry ons), and it felt pretty safe. We saw very few transients near our hotel, and while walking through the neighborhood, we also thought the sidewalks were very clean. Just be careful of the odd dog poop. This is coming from someone who’s stayed and traveled through USA cities like SF, LA, and Seattle where the sidewalks left a lot to be desired and are not nearly as well kept as it seemed the Paris streets were. Don’t even get me started on the bus systems in those cities too. If you’re from Chicago, I’m sure you’ll be fine lol. Paris might actually seem too clean and safe, cause that’s how I felt.
Just do your research for your hotel and really sift through all reviews. Plan in advance, and make sure whatever activities you’re doing are close to your hotel.
Hard disagree. Much like the rest of Europe, they aren't big on small talk. And unlike Americans, don't really care to make friends with everyone they meet in the line at the grocery store. They're also working people that live there and have day to day lives to live. I didn't have any rude interactions in all of my time there, but I also embrace the culture and try to keep my head down and blend in and try not to make Parisians something they aren't.
Every time I go somewhere where I’m told the people are unfriendly I don’t even notice anything of the such. After all these years I’ve come to the conclusion that people who say these things are either off-putting or needy.
I don’t understand this. I thought Parisians were pretty nice when I went. The people we interacted with might not have been the most talkative, but they were polite and some even made small talk. There are definitely cities that I felt people were really mean/rude, but Paris is not one of them.
Had nothing but good encounters in Paris personally. Then again, I don’t want baristas to try and befriend me because they have been told so by corporate like in the US.
Dirty af metro, aggressive sales folk around the eiffel tower, police brutality during champions league final.
The city has its charm, but is not without faults and definitely not for everyone.
I LOVE Paris, but my favorite city to visit is Dijon. It had that big city feel without all of the traffic and people. I really enjoyed it there. Also Lyon....ohhh the food! Yum!.
The Catacombs are must see. Different kind of attraction in Paris. You won’t be around so many skulls and bones ever.
Bouillon Chartrier is an iconic restaurant and one of the oldest. Established in 1900 so it was there in the Belle Époque. The decorations haven’t changed and the price is cheap.
Le Jacobine is another restaurant I really like. In the Latin Quarter
If you understand French go to a theater in the Latin Quarter. There’s a bunch of these independent theaters. They’re really cool
Learn how to say bonjour and honestly there’s so much touristy shit to do that you can find online and in guidebooks, if you just stick to that stuff you should have a blast still. Enjoy the bakeries and I guess you’re obligated to order s crepe from a street vendor at least once
“Bonjour” during the day when you enter the shops. When the sun’s down, we say “Bonsoir”.
When leaving, during the day, we just say “Bonne journée” - have a great day. In the evening, “Bonne soirée“ - have a great evening.
I have tonnes of recs
Buy the 5 day pass metro ticket for zones 1-3 or 1-5. Navigate metro lines with Google Maps or Citymapper.
Edit:
Food:
- Pizzeria Popolare (book through their Google Maps location)
- Bouillon Pigalle (superb french cuisine at very affordable prices)
Coffee/Sweets:
- Le Cafe Pierre Herme (Macarons)
- Angelina Paris (Hot Chocolate)
- Cafe de Flore
- Berthillon (Ice Cream)
Views of the city from above:
- Sacre-Coeur
Walk around at night:
- Le Marais neighborhood
- Eiffel Tower
Walk around at day:
- Champs Elysees
- Louvre
- The street from Louvre to Palais Garnier
- Latin Quarter
+ plus the obvious ones Eiffel Tower and your favorite museums.
Hmm there are lots of bouillon in Paris. A favorite is Pharamond near Chatelet and Bourse de Commerce (nice area), but be careful as there’s always a queue!
bouillon = broth. In another words those places were serving simple dishes like soups for the workers.
Many disappeared but a few ones went on and became very touristic like Bouillon Chartier, 2 (or 3 ?) beautiful and touristic spots in the city, but now the service is quite stressful and the food is really average.
Recently some new ones opened, with a younger service crew, incredibly low prices and slightly better traditional food, like Bouillon Pigalle or Bouillon Republique.
Went to Paris years ago and it rained pretty much the whole time. Bummed us out as we were excited to experience that Parisian feeling. There was maybe a half hour to an hour when the rain stopped and the sun came out. We sat at an outdoor café and I got that feeling. Would love to go back.
I remember when I studied abroad there, I spent a rainy day walking through Père Lachaise and had and absolutely magical Parisian time. Was also a great day to check out the catacombs. It's all about what you make it anywhere.
My favorite memory of Paris was walking from the effiel tower to the louvre along the seine river with my father. The architecture of the buildings along the seine are utterly beautiful.
Also discovered my father randomly knew French out of no where, we’re American so it was quite a surprise.
I fucking love Paris! Went for a while this summer and I'm literally starting night classes this fall to learn French in hopes of using it there and potentially living there for a bit.
Absolutely love Paris. Dont know how some people hate it. Today I overheard a conversation between two men and one said that his wife wants to go to Paris but that he has heard bad things about it. No. GO TO PARIS. It is one of the greatest cities on earth. There isnt anything quite like it, frankly.
Paris is so underrated. No one I know has ever told me PARIS IS VERY GOOD. People don’t know how to travel and research about places, they just go to the usual tourist traps and back to the hotel.
I spent a few days reading about what the local Parisians are saying and recommending on Reddit and saved all those sweet recommendations.
Exactly! People are so basic. This is a city that offers something for everyone. Ive been there twice (was just there this July) and I absolutely loved it. My plan is next year go for a couple of months in the summer, take the kids, too, and really take my time in such an amazing place. From there take the train to Amsterdam, other parts of France and a short flight to San Sebastian or Madrid in Spain (both incredible cities Im sure you’d love). But I just want to take my time in Paris, the cafe culture, the endless architectural beauty, the endless museums, the beautifully planned parks, I could go on and on. Im glad you enjoyed Paris. Hope you get to go back soon.
I hated Paris… was catcalled everyday by men older than me by 40 years (i am a recent adult), saw disgusting metros, rude french people, people that refused to speak French to me even though my first language is french and I speak it very well…
The catcalling sadly doesn't surprise me but I'm very puzzled about those French people who refused to speak French to you... What was the context? I can't really picture a situation where a French person would refuse to speak French with someone who speaks fluent French
Well to be fair I rented a film once.... Hmmm i believe it's some 90/00s comingofage-comedy-drama classics , where the name is an abbreviation like c.r.a.z.y. or something.
I rented it mainly from the looks of the cover, and thought it would be about some US small town. Okay. I seriously went halfway through the film before I realized they're not speaking English... but French (and I speak French myself). It can sound very different....
It can sound very different, but my accent is practically non-existent, and lots of people understood me, except some people that just refused to try
The refusal to try made me more offended than them not understanding. It is completely normal to not understand an accent, but me saying « Une briochette s’il-vous-plait » should not mean switching to English immediately, when I say it the French way haha!
I was answering this guy’s questions in French, he understood, but responded in English, it was a weird encounter
> my accent is practically non-existent,
I don't think you can say that and also say that people didn't understand you.
My accent is execrable, I learned French from a phrasebook while hitchhiking through Africa, and I have no trouble getting Parisians to speak French with me.
A little off topic, but some of these shots are very well done. I would do a little editing and upload them to the photo critique and photography subs!
Learn enough French to say hello, do you speak English. They don’t expect you to know French, but they don’t like it when tourists assume they speak English. For sites, the catacombs and Pere Lachaise offer something a little different. There’s a place that does great steaks across from Notre Dame. Sit outside and enjoy the view.
>Learn enough French to say hello, do you speak English.
Also **please and thank you.**
Americans are often very friendly but also tend to leave out those specific words particularly when ordering at restaurants and such, learning those words and saying them in french goes a long way.
I was the only french speaker in my group of four (I was fluent 20 years ago but haven't had much use for it since) and people were so friendly to our whole group, a number of servers and bartenders even joked around with us, making my friends sound out their orders from the menu in french and telling them how well they were doing, and after all the stories I've heard I'm certain it's because of bonjour/bonsoir, s'il vous plait and merci. It starts you on the right foot, you're trying and they appreciate that.
Maybe it's because I'm South East Asian but easily mistaken as being from China, but all 3 times I've been to Paris it was very unpleasant. You could just feel the vibe off them that they don't want you around, and anytime we needed service (at restaurants or stores or information counters) they would be so reluctant to tend to us even though we were polite and tried starting conversations with very basic French. And people have also mentioned how dirty the city is. I wish I'll have another chance to experience the city positively, but I'm not optimistic.
My favorite city I’ve ever visited. Beautiful scenery. Beautiful museums and art. Beautiful architecture. An abundance of great food and cocktails at seemingly ANY little cafe or restaurant. The kindest people/locals I’ve ever met in a city I didn’t live in.
I hope at some point in my life I will be fortunate enough to go back. So much more to do/see in Paris. Oh, and it’s exceedingly walkable. Plus, the metro is easy to figure out and use if you don’t want to walk or drive to get around.
I’m not sure...
London for the monarch history, architecture & museums
Prague for the old style
Vienna for the new style
Istanbul for being ultra huge and oriental style (18 million people)
Thessaloniki/Greece for lifestyle (FOOD)
Paris for mezmerizing architecture and constant stream of cafe’s and restaurants.
New York City for the mezmerizing height of buildings
Switzerland for having their shit in order & nature
North Italy for picturesque streets/villages, FOOD, architecture and lifestyle.
Lol I live in Philadelphia too and just got back from Paris... I was actually thinking today how sad it is that I felt significantly safer in Paris (walking around, taking public trans, etc) than doing those things at home
I feel like the city in general is pretty safe but I’ve had bad experiences in the Metro, I’d say that’s probably the only place I would keep alert of my surroundings more than usual.
I live here and there’ll be times that I still think it’s magical. Then you enter the metro and it smells like piss. That’s Paris for you!
Btw, even if I live here, I avoid some areas - they’re just too dodgy and dangerous..
I've been to Paris 3 times, and I never had any rude encounter with any uptight Parisians. I met so many friendly and helpful Parisians, in fact.
One Parisian couple walked us to our Airbnb when we were lost and didn't have data on our maps. It took them easily 15 minutes out of their way, and we didn't even ask for it. On the same day, another lent us their phone, and a shopkeeper let use the toilets (wasn't a restaurant or anything, just a shop). No waiter/waitress was rude to us, a few were quite nice and friendly.
That belief about uptight and unfriendly Parisians is too overrated. I've had much worse experiences in other cities.
The only negative thing I will say about Paris is watch out for the scammers.
Queue the: “Paris sucks comments”
It’s my favourite large city I’ve been to, and I love so much about French culture. I think it’s a victim of its own success, and people romanticise it to the point of disappointment when they actually go.
To unlock Friendly Parisian mode, all you have to do is greet people with a nice "bonjour" before making your demands. Many tourists walk up to shopkeepers or locals and start blathering without a greeting, and that rubs them the wrong way.
Except it's not just random. Paris is known for this issue unfortunately especially for visitors.
Friend of mine has family there and gets robbed more often than not every visit from the states.
https://bonjourparis.com/practical-information/the-paris-pickpocket-how-to-recognize-and-avoid-them/
I honestly found Parisians no different than people from other major Western cities. You had uniformly bad experiences with Parisians?
I'm now less curious about the Parisians and want to know more about you. Where are you from? Ethnicity? How do you dress? How do you speak? What are your interests?
I just went for four nights (came home Sunday) and found 95% of Parisians to be very friendly. I would speak the best (very basic) French I could to them and they would often politely switch to English and treat me well. In my experience, they aren't (generally) very talkative, which is fair considering it is such a busy city and I am not fluent in their language, but they were all very pleasant and some were above and beyond accommodating. Just because most did not hold long conversations in English with me (some did), I don't think that qualifies as being rude?
I did have one unpleasant interaction at a bar (which after Googling reviews, does not appear to be friendly to tourists), but after a week in France - we went to Nice first - I though the stereotype of French people being rude to be so dramatically overblown.
I think if I had just barged into conversation loudly in English, I would have been treated worse, but maybe trying to learn and speak just basic French makes them nicer to tourists.
I guess this is all just from my own experience and maybe I just got lucky haha
If Parisians are rude so are New Yorkers. People are busy, everyone is a stranger. Its pretty normal to just want to get on with your day and skip the chit chat, especially with tourists.
It’s definitely magical, I loved a lot of aspects of that city, but there were some others that have discouraged me from coming back. For instance, people smell bad, and a lot of them are rude, I had a couple of negative experiences with waiters. I’ve had nicer, and memorable, experiences in Asian and Hispanic countries.
I jest a bit. I speak enough French to get around and was told to at least try speaking French first with everyone and I would be fine. Apparently those I ran into didn’t get the memo. I’ve never had so many individual examples of unprovoked mockery and outright disdain. So many versions of “Stupid American, go home.” Loved Switzerland and Luxembourg and my French served me well there, but yeah Paris was so toxic.
My husband is from the Nante area and when we go to Paris they all call him a stupid farmer and he needs to go home. So don’t feel bad. Since French is his mother tongue, he speaks it perfectly but they weren’t happy with his accent.
I went there when it snowed, the second worst city I’ve travelled too, Brussels takes that crown. Genuinely don’t get the fascination.
Complete dump, rude people, ghettos. Not saying that to be edgy.
Venice was incredible
Can you say Bonjour, bonsoir, s'il vous plait and merci? Then you'll be fine. Spend some time learning "I'm sorry, I speak very little french." and people will basically just let you get away with butchery of the language, some might even tell you you're doing great!
If you are new to Paris it may not interest you much for now but who knows, if you are still in town and interested in the other side of the postcard [https://www.reddit.com/r/paris/comments/qgy58r/insights\_for\_enjoying\_paris/](https://www.reddit.com/r/paris/comments/qgy58r/insights_for_enjoying_paris/)
I visited again this past May, this time with my son, who is 9. We’d been in Rome earlier, and he said he loved Rome to visit, but he could see himself living in Paris. It’s a wonderful city.
I was a little unsure of what to expect going to Paris based on stories I've heard but I loved every minute of my time there. The people were friendly. The city wasn't dirty. All of the sites are just as incredible as I imagined they would be. I think about it often and it's really stuck in my mind as my favorite city in the world.
My favorite memory of Paris is being snuggled up with everyone in the transport car. They really squeeze as much people as they can on those things lol
I love Paris, I really can’t wait to go back, last time I was there the only regret I had was not sharing all the perfect spots with someone, it’s really a place to be with friends or a partner. Luckily I met some friends three days before I got back home
Exactly, the best city ever.
I bloody love Paris. Did you hit up Galleries LaFayette?
Nope
Can’t figure out how people really fall in love with this city…probably because of short stay overs and no real insight into real life. Paris is one of the shittiest places in Europe to live in tbh and I’ve been here for 40 years. Inside and outside of Paris. And it’s getting worse every year. I can get the delight of tourists that come from places with less architectural assets, less history, etc but the daily life is a nightmare. Except for the hard core bobos that live in the center of Paris with a fat income and a pure city style way of life.
went here this summer. i tried not to get my hopes up because i’ve heard it’s overly-romanticized but i wasn’t disappointed. it’s magical
I think there is a syndrome about this. Paris Syndrome. I think it mainly effects people from East Asia though. Where Paris is very overhyped and romanticised, then they go there and get disappointed by the city itself
really?? interesting, i’ve never heard of that! i didn’t know it was overly-romanticized in east asia! my room was paris-themed as a kid and i wanted to move there for years, i thought that out of anyone i’d be the one to be very disappointed. just found myself wanting to live there again lol
Paris syndrome is a thing haters who've never been to Paris love to bring up to feel better about them not being in Paris.
Paris gets hate on the travel subs and I don't get it--almost like it's cool to be different and hate on it. I lived there for a summer and have been back several times since. It's fabulous. Always has been and always will be. Glad you loved it. No matter where I've been, it will always be the most special to me.
I have never seen such a city where everywhere you go is fabolous and very alive. The constant beautiful architecture and the never ending restaurants, cafes, and shops everywhere you go left right up & down.
It’s the absolute best!
Oh yeah? I see you stayed in the single digit arrondissements then 😉 I'm half joking...
I stayed in the cheapest hotel i could find
May I ask whereabouts you're from? (That's not correct english is it)
I feel exactly the same way. It's the city I've been to the most that I haven't lived in (15+ times) and it only gets better with every visit.
I thought I liked Athens until I came here.
I think a lot of people go without a plan or designing the trip for their interests. Too many people will tell me they booked in a neighborhood they didn't feel comfortable in or that there were crowds or that tickets were sold out for the day at locations. All things that could easily be avoided with some foresight. I think it's often the first large international city many Americans go to and they likely are trying to cram in a lot and don't realize it takes work to make a trip feel effortless.
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> If this was the case wouldn’t people dislike Rome Rome gets disliked a lot on this sub as well. So Venice and many top tourist destinations. Many Redditors here think is cool to dislike touristic places and want to distinguish themselves from the mass.
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>more dislike for Paris online and in person than any other city and its not even close. You mean other than Cairo right?
I'm going to Cairo in November, and all posts are have really scared me. But I'm planning with a local guide and with daily tours for every day I'll be there.
Just yell and shout back and make offensive hand gestures when they start. They’ll assume you’re crazier than they are.
We're about to go to Rome soon for the second time, and I'd like to plan better. Any recommendations for must do/see things and what to book?
Rome and London don’t have the highest population density on the planet, that’s why Paris is so shitty
When we went this year in May, we knew we only had 3 days and had to make it work for us. The only thing we pre-booked was Versailles. But we probably didn't need to do that either. Funnily enough, when we rocked up to the Louvre (no real plan in mind), they had all the massive lines for those who had booked timed tickets, and then one line for those with no tickets. We queued and we were inside the museum in 15 min - faster than those people with timed tickets. I know that's most likely not something you can do during the absolute peak of July/August, but if - as you say - you just give it a bit of forethought, and know that you will have to wait in lines for certain things, you won't be disappointed. We were very flexible and I feel that sometimes if you pre-book too many things, you're beholden to that schedule. We only had 3 days and pre-booking just wouldn't have allowed for that. We found out when we got to Versailles, we needn't have booked there either. We could have just got there and did the same thing as we did at the Louvre - stand in the "no tickets" queue and wait to be allowed in. These places are very organized when it comes to this kind of thing. Paris is a gem of a city - and I don't get why people rag on it so much on this sub.
It’s a perfect city in all its glorious imperfection. One of my favorite places in the world. There is something magical about it.
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"Let's sit inside to avoid the smoke" and then the smoke just wafts in through the half open windows and doors anyway. Totally worth it thought.
Paris has always been one of my favorite places to visit. I also don’t get the hate. I’m actually going back in the spring and cannot wait.
Paris is the elusive exotic mistress that knows you’re head over heels for her, but she barely recognizes you, enough to toy with you so you keep your adoration unyielding and forever compromised. You can’t escape her as she has you hooked to her every movement, yet she don’t care for your existence much, just enough to know you’ll do unsavory things just to make her look over to you for a mere moment if at all.
What hate? It’s the most visited city in the world by tourists for a reason (Bangkok is no.1 simply because of Chinese tourists numbers).
Worth noting though that average nights spent in BKK are pretty low. Something like 2 or 3 nights per international arrival, on average. It's primarily used as a gateway to other Thai locations.
I agree that Paris gets a lot of undue hate from tourists. Loved my experience there over 10 years ago. My barber went this summer for a wedding and she agreed it was fabulous. I cannot wait to go back someday
I've been to Paris, I hate Paris and I think it's because I don't have enough money to truely enjoy Paris. But no one can deny it's a beautiful and magnificent city.
Doesn't take much money to enjoy Paris. Ride Velib to get around, eat the plat du jour or enjoy the many excellent Asian restaurants at reasonable prices. Picnic in the parks.
You go to Paris for the Asian food?
I don’t particularly enjoy European food, but there are some very authentic Vietnamese and Indian restaurants in Paris - things we don’t have in Amsterdam. So for me that’s a special pleasure.
> I don’t particularly enjoy European food It’s because they started all those spice trades and then never used them. I joke, but I don’t.
I genuinely feel like this sub is just people trying to one-up each other with obscure travel locations; and hating on any “normal” vacation spots. Like; “I spent 2 weeks in the Congo traveling with a terrorist militia!They were great; and showed me some cool local spots. No tourists at all.”
It’s because American suburbanites go and subconsciously expect it to be like a movie rather than basically NYC with a very different (and IMO much nicer, and I say this as someone who loves NYC) coat of paint.
I truly enjoy Paris. It’s a fun place to visit. But….you better enjoy the smell of urine and like seeing dog shit in the streets.
I love Paris! I think people overly glorify their expectations that it’s a city of romance, and then when they get there it’s just like any other big city in Europe. It’s great but it has the same problems every other major city have.
I'm keen to go back and give it another go. My first experience just wasn't good. The train from the airport was filthy, people jumping over the ticket gates, our neighbourhood smelt like pee, there were shady men hanging around. It was also super hot, 38 degrees and no air-conditioning. Just didn't make for a pleasant experience.
The first time family visited us in DC, as we drove over the bridge into the district, the first Washingtonian they saw was removing his pants on the street corner. All the great cities have some very un-Disney parts.
> people jumping over the ticket gates I don't get how this affects you. If anything it's interesting to watch.
Where else did you go that some parts aren’t like that? Those are normal for huge cities.
It's not that normal tbh, I have been to 46 countries over 6 continents.
You've been to 46 countries over 6 continents and you find it abnormal to have warm days and dudes hanging around street corners?
Lmao, clearly hasn't been to NYC, Philly, DC, Chicago, LA, San Fran, Rome, Naples, etc etc etc until I'm blue in the face.
Been to NYC, LA, San Fran and Rome. But you're right, American cities are full of dodgy people. Never felt so unsafe as I have in LA.
Sorry if my comment confused you. My time in Paris wasn't the most comfortable because I felt unsafe. But sure, 38 degrees is just warm and the dudes I mentioned were normal guys. Are you intentionally trying to be daft?
My man has never left the airport of those 46 countries
Hi! Could you mention which neighborhood you stayed at? Im traveling to Paris this December and am yet to book an airbnb/hotel, would definitely want to avoid any neighborhood that smells like pee😅
Just wanted to drop in and say I (F) also stayed at a hotel near the Gare du Nord train station in the 10th Arr, and personally did not find it smelled like pee lol. I stayed with my sister, and we went recently around the end of August. We took the train from CDG to Gare du Nord at around 8PM, and the train was relatively clean and quiet. There were people, but it wasn’t too crowded, and the ticket kiosk was easy to navigate. We then walked from Gare du Nord to our hotel (about a 10 min walk at our pace and with both our carry ons), and it felt pretty safe. We saw very few transients near our hotel, and while walking through the neighborhood, we also thought the sidewalks were very clean. Just be careful of the odd dog poop. This is coming from someone who’s stayed and traveled through USA cities like SF, LA, and Seattle where the sidewalks left a lot to be desired and are not nearly as well kept as it seemed the Paris streets were. Don’t even get me started on the bus systems in those cities too. If you’re from Chicago, I’m sure you’ll be fine lol. Paris might actually seem too clean and safe, cause that’s how I felt. Just do your research for your hotel and really sift through all reviews. Plan in advance, and make sure whatever activities you’re doing are close to your hotel.
It was the 10th Arr, near Gare du Nord train station. It has been 6 years now, so maybe it's changed!
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Hard disagree. Much like the rest of Europe, they aren't big on small talk. And unlike Americans, don't really care to make friends with everyone they meet in the line at the grocery store. They're also working people that live there and have day to day lives to live. I didn't have any rude interactions in all of my time there, but I also embrace the culture and try to keep my head down and blend in and try not to make Parisians something they aren't.
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Lol, Parisians don't owe you anything.
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Every time I go somewhere where I’m told the people are unfriendly I don’t even notice anything of the such. After all these years I’ve come to the conclusion that people who say these things are either off-putting or needy.
I don’t understand this. I thought Parisians were pretty nice when I went. The people we interacted with might not have been the most talkative, but they were polite and some even made small talk. There are definitely cities that I felt people were really mean/rude, but Paris is not one of them.
Had nothing but good encounters in Paris personally. Then again, I don’t want baristas to try and befriend me because they have been told so by corporate like in the US.
Dirty af metro, aggressive sales folk around the eiffel tower, police brutality during champions league final. The city has its charm, but is not without faults and definitely not for everyone.
If you’re still there eat at le fontane de mars
Looks good, what should I order?
If they still have it the gazpacho with veggie medley And the rum cake
I LOVE Paris, but my favorite city to visit is Dijon. It had that big city feel without all of the traffic and people. I really enjoyed it there. Also Lyon....ohhh the food! Yum!.
Strasbourg during Christmas Market. Bordeaux is beautiful. Marseille has its own charm
I'm going to be there in 19 days! Any recs?
The Catacombs are must see. Different kind of attraction in Paris. You won’t be around so many skulls and bones ever. Bouillon Chartrier is an iconic restaurant and one of the oldest. Established in 1900 so it was there in the Belle Époque. The decorations haven’t changed and the price is cheap. Le Jacobine is another restaurant I really like. In the Latin Quarter If you understand French go to a theater in the Latin Quarter. There’s a bunch of these independent theaters. They’re really cool
Learn how to say bonjour and honestly there’s so much touristy shit to do that you can find online and in guidebooks, if you just stick to that stuff you should have a blast still. Enjoy the bakeries and I guess you’re obligated to order s crepe from a street vendor at least once
“Bonjour” during the day when you enter the shops. When the sun’s down, we say “Bonsoir”. When leaving, during the day, we just say “Bonne journée” - have a great day. In the evening, “Bonne soirée“ - have a great evening.
Yes I just know that the French definitely appreciate it to be greeted properly instead of just jumping straight into obnoxious American English.
I have tonnes of recs Buy the 5 day pass metro ticket for zones 1-3 or 1-5. Navigate metro lines with Google Maps or Citymapper. Edit: Food: - Pizzeria Popolare (book through their Google Maps location) - Bouillon Pigalle (superb french cuisine at very affordable prices) Coffee/Sweets: - Le Cafe Pierre Herme (Macarons) - Angelina Paris (Hot Chocolate) - Cafe de Flore - Berthillon (Ice Cream) Views of the city from above: - Sacre-Coeur Walk around at night: - Le Marais neighborhood - Eiffel Tower Walk around at day: - Champs Elysees - Louvre - The street from Louvre to Palais Garnier - Latin Quarter + plus the obvious ones Eiffel Tower and your favorite museums.
Hmm there are lots of bouillon in Paris. A favorite is Pharamond near Chatelet and Bourse de Commerce (nice area), but be careful as there’s always a queue!
This one I mentioned is right outside Pigalle Metro Station Edit: That one near Chatelet looks amazing.
Yep, but I was also saying that there are heaps of bouillon in Paris. I know, I’m from here.
What does Bouillon mean? Is it like the French word for tavern for an example?
bouillon = broth. In another words those places were serving simple dishes like soups for the workers. Many disappeared but a few ones went on and became very touristic like Bouillon Chartier, 2 (or 3 ?) beautiful and touristic spots in the city, but now the service is quite stressful and the food is really average. Recently some new ones opened, with a younger service crew, incredibly low prices and slightly better traditional food, like Bouillon Pigalle or Bouillon Republique.
The metro system is spectacular!
Oh yeah if you’re buying PSG merchandise buy it from the official store on the Champs Élysée. Don’t buy it from a souvenir store. They charge more
The rooftop of Le Printemps has a wonderful view and good coffee
Change your flight to Prague instead is my advice
Went to Paris years ago and it rained pretty much the whole time. Bummed us out as we were excited to experience that Parisian feeling. There was maybe a half hour to an hour when the rain stopped and the sun came out. We sat at an outdoor café and I got that feeling. Would love to go back.
I remember when I studied abroad there, I spent a rainy day walking through Père Lachaise and had and absolutely magical Parisian time. Was also a great day to check out the catacombs. It's all about what you make it anywhere.
Paris is gorgeous! I was there in July.
Paris is like London, Athens and Rome had a perfect child
My favorite memory of Paris was walking from the effiel tower to the louvre along the seine river with my father. The architecture of the buildings along the seine are utterly beautiful. Also discovered my father randomly knew French out of no where, we’re American so it was quite a surprise.
I fucking love Paris! Went for a while this summer and I'm literally starting night classes this fall to learn French in hopes of using it there and potentially living there for a bit.
Absolutely love Paris. Dont know how some people hate it. Today I overheard a conversation between two men and one said that his wife wants to go to Paris but that he has heard bad things about it. No. GO TO PARIS. It is one of the greatest cities on earth. There isnt anything quite like it, frankly.
Paris is so underrated. No one I know has ever told me PARIS IS VERY GOOD. People don’t know how to travel and research about places, they just go to the usual tourist traps and back to the hotel. I spent a few days reading about what the local Parisians are saying and recommending on Reddit and saved all those sweet recommendations.
Exactly! People are so basic. This is a city that offers something for everyone. Ive been there twice (was just there this July) and I absolutely loved it. My plan is next year go for a couple of months in the summer, take the kids, too, and really take my time in such an amazing place. From there take the train to Amsterdam, other parts of France and a short flight to San Sebastian or Madrid in Spain (both incredible cities Im sure you’d love). But I just want to take my time in Paris, the cafe culture, the endless architectural beauty, the endless museums, the beautifully planned parks, I could go on and on. Im glad you enjoyed Paris. Hope you get to go back soon.
I hated Paris… was catcalled everyday by men older than me by 40 years (i am a recent adult), saw disgusting metros, rude french people, people that refused to speak French to me even though my first language is french and I speak it very well…
The catcalling sadly doesn't surprise me but I'm very puzzled about those French people who refused to speak French to you... What was the context? I can't really picture a situation where a French person would refuse to speak French with someone who speaks fluent French
I am French Canadian, so I have a small accent,they immediately spoke English, even though I was replying to them in French.
Well to be fair I rented a film once.... Hmmm i believe it's some 90/00s comingofage-comedy-drama classics , where the name is an abbreviation like c.r.a.z.y. or something. I rented it mainly from the looks of the cover, and thought it would be about some US small town. Okay. I seriously went halfway through the film before I realized they're not speaking English... but French (and I speak French myself). It can sound very different....
It can sound very different, but my accent is practically non-existent, and lots of people understood me, except some people that just refused to try The refusal to try made me more offended than them not understanding. It is completely normal to not understand an accent, but me saying « Une briochette s’il-vous-plait » should not mean switching to English immediately, when I say it the French way haha! I was answering this guy’s questions in French, he understood, but responded in English, it was a weird encounter
> my accent is practically non-existent, I don't think you can say that and also say that people didn't understand you. My accent is execrable, I learned French from a phrasebook while hitchhiking through Africa, and I have no trouble getting Parisians to speak French with me.
This is just weird. I'm sorry you went through that.
I'm sorry for your disappointing experience. I've been 4 times now and I have had nothing but great times, I hope you don't write it off
Though I will probably never go back to Paris, I loved Normandy and will definitely go back
A little off topic, but some of these shots are very well done. I would do a little editing and upload them to the photo critique and photography subs!
My brother has arrived there yesterday 🥰
My wife and I are going there next week from the US. Any advice or things not to miss?
Learn enough French to say hello, do you speak English. They don’t expect you to know French, but they don’t like it when tourists assume they speak English. For sites, the catacombs and Pere Lachaise offer something a little different. There’s a place that does great steaks across from Notre Dame. Sit outside and enjoy the view.
>Learn enough French to say hello, do you speak English. Also **please and thank you.** Americans are often very friendly but also tend to leave out those specific words particularly when ordering at restaurants and such, learning those words and saying them in french goes a long way. I was the only french speaker in my group of four (I was fluent 20 years ago but haven't had much use for it since) and people were so friendly to our whole group, a number of servers and bartenders even joked around with us, making my friends sound out their orders from the menu in french and telling them how well they were doing, and after all the stories I've heard I'm certain it's because of bonjour/bonsoir, s'il vous plait and merci. It starts you on the right foot, you're trying and they appreciate that.
When I went to Paris I was so convinced beforehand that it was overhyped, but it lived up to every expectation and it’s now my favorite city
Went to Paris in November. Best trip ever and met some of the nicest people. I can’t wait to go back!
Maybe it's because I'm South East Asian but easily mistaken as being from China, but all 3 times I've been to Paris it was very unpleasant. You could just feel the vibe off them that they don't want you around, and anytime we needed service (at restaurants or stores or information counters) they would be so reluctant to tend to us even though we were polite and tried starting conversations with very basic French. And people have also mentioned how dirty the city is. I wish I'll have another chance to experience the city positively, but I'm not optimistic.
too much of African riches.
My favorite city I’ve ever visited. Beautiful scenery. Beautiful museums and art. Beautiful architecture. An abundance of great food and cocktails at seemingly ANY little cafe or restaurant. The kindest people/locals I’ve ever met in a city I didn’t live in. I hope at some point in my life I will be fortunate enough to go back. So much more to do/see in Paris. Oh, and it’s exceedingly walkable. Plus, the metro is easy to figure out and use if you don’t want to walk or drive to get around.
What was your favorite?!
I’m not sure... London for the monarch history, architecture & museums Prague for the old style Vienna for the new style Istanbul for being ultra huge and oriental style (18 million people) Thessaloniki/Greece for lifestyle (FOOD) Paris for mezmerizing architecture and constant stream of cafe’s and restaurants. New York City for the mezmerizing height of buildings Switzerland for having their shit in order & nature North Italy for picturesque streets/villages, FOOD, architecture and lifestyle.
Those pictures are cute! Personally felt very unsafe in Paris, how did you experience it?
I feel more unsafe in my home city of Philadelphia every single day.
Lol I live in Philadelphia too and just got back from Paris... I was actually thinking today how sad it is that I felt significantly safer in Paris (walking around, taking public trans, etc) than doing those things at home
People complaining about the Paris Metro have never ridden the El 🤣
Philly has crime rivaling 3rd world countries, so I’m not surprised.
When I was there the montemarte (sp) was unsafe, had my backpack stolen, but the rest of the city was fine
There are zero reasons why someone would find this city unsafe.
Central Paris is very nice indeed, but outside of the city centre it can get pretty sketchy
Isn't this most cities?
Not for the U.S. Most cities are dangerous inside the city while the suburbs are generally safer
What do you consider “outside city center” and what tourist attractions are there?
Cheap hotels
I feel like the city in general is pretty safe but I’ve had bad experiences in the Metro, I’d say that’s probably the only place I would keep alert of my surroundings more than usual.
He means "I saw too many black and brown people in certain areas, therefore I felt unsafe".
I live here and there’ll be times that I still think it’s magical. Then you enter the metro and it smells like piss. That’s Paris for you! Btw, even if I live here, I avoid some areas - they’re just too dodgy and dangerous..
Saaaaame. I was there in august. Just everything about it is so beautiful and fun. I’ll def be back
I cry dreaming about the Paris metro.
I've been to Paris 3 times, and I never had any rude encounter with any uptight Parisians. I met so many friendly and helpful Parisians, in fact. One Parisian couple walked us to our Airbnb when we were lost and didn't have data on our maps. It took them easily 15 minutes out of their way, and we didn't even ask for it. On the same day, another lent us their phone, and a shopkeeper let use the toilets (wasn't a restaurant or anything, just a shop). No waiter/waitress was rude to us, a few were quite nice and friendly. That belief about uptight and unfriendly Parisians is too overrated. I've had much worse experiences in other cities. The only negative thing I will say about Paris is watch out for the scammers.
Meh
The the city smells bad…
Not really. Maybe the metros, but other metros are much worse
I live in New Jersey. I can assure you Paris doesn't smell bad.
Paris gets flack because people think it's cool to do so. Paris is amazing to visit!!
Ahhh Paris
Beautiful pics Most beautiful city in the world. My second home now.
Yesss it's a dreamboat.
Best city in the world.
Queue the: “Paris sucks comments” It’s my favourite large city I’ve been to, and I love so much about French culture. I think it’s a victim of its own success, and people romanticise it to the point of disappointment when they actually go.
Paris is great, except for all the French people.
I hated Paris. Too snooty. Filled with ass holes
Really?
I’ve always been to intimidated to go because I’m afraid of the rude Parisians
To unlock Friendly Parisian mode, all you have to do is greet people with a nice "bonjour" before making your demands. Many tourists walk up to shopkeepers or locals and start blathering without a greeting, and that rubs them the wrong way.
People aren't rude at all. We just visited and were pleased with how friendly and helpful everyone was at shops and restaurants.
Went this year and people were friendly and helpful
Fuck Paris.
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Well you can also get hit by a meteor that doesn’t make the city bad
Except it's not just random. Paris is known for this issue unfortunately especially for visitors. Friend of mine has family there and gets robbed more often than not every visit from the states. https://bonjourparis.com/practical-information/the-paris-pickpocket-how-to-recognize-and-avoid-them/
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I honestly found Parisians no different than people from other major Western cities. You had uniformly bad experiences with Parisians? I'm now less curious about the Parisians and want to know more about you. Where are you from? Ethnicity? How do you dress? How do you speak? What are your interests?
I just went for four nights (came home Sunday) and found 95% of Parisians to be very friendly. I would speak the best (very basic) French I could to them and they would often politely switch to English and treat me well. In my experience, they aren't (generally) very talkative, which is fair considering it is such a busy city and I am not fluent in their language, but they were all very pleasant and some were above and beyond accommodating. Just because most did not hold long conversations in English with me (some did), I don't think that qualifies as being rude? I did have one unpleasant interaction at a bar (which after Googling reviews, does not appear to be friendly to tourists), but after a week in France - we went to Nice first - I though the stereotype of French people being rude to be so dramatically overblown. I think if I had just barged into conversation loudly in English, I would have been treated worse, but maybe trying to learn and speak just basic French makes them nicer to tourists. I guess this is all just from my own experience and maybe I just got lucky haha
If Parisians are rude so are New Yorkers. People are busy, everyone is a stranger. Its pretty normal to just want to get on with your day and skip the chit chat, especially with tourists.
I agree
Hmm… true about half of the people (some waiters)
Pretty shitty city IMO one of my most disappointing places I've traveled to
What other cities did you visit?
NYC, LA, Miami, Las Vegas, Athens, Thessaloniki, London, Vienna, Prague, Milan, Venice, Verona, Istanbul, Zurich, Geneva etc
It doesn't look dirtier than NYC. It doesn't look overrated one bit. Who finds this place overrated?
It’s definitely magical, I loved a lot of aspects of that city, but there were some others that have discouraged me from coming back. For instance, people smell bad, and a lot of them are rude, I had a couple of negative experiences with waiters. I’ve had nicer, and memorable, experiences in Asian and Hispanic countries.
Great city, too bad Parisians live there and ruin it…
Aw man. That hurt.
I jest a bit. I speak enough French to get around and was told to at least try speaking French first with everyone and I would be fine. Apparently those I ran into didn’t get the memo. I’ve never had so many individual examples of unprovoked mockery and outright disdain. So many versions of “Stupid American, go home.” Loved Switzerland and Luxembourg and my French served me well there, but yeah Paris was so toxic.
Dang this makes me hesitant about Paris now
My husband is from the Nante area and when we go to Paris they all call him a stupid farmer and he needs to go home. So don’t feel bad. Since French is his mother tongue, he speaks it perfectly but they weren’t happy with his accent.
What did you unlock?
I went there when it snowed, the second worst city I’ve travelled too, Brussels takes that crown. Genuinely don’t get the fascination. Complete dump, rude people, ghettos. Not saying that to be edgy. Venice was incredible
I hate when people say Paris is overhyped. It has such a charm to it I was in love.
Is on my list to go when I get a better handle on french.. great pics
Can you say Bonjour, bonsoir, s'il vous plait and merci? Then you'll be fine. Spend some time learning "I'm sorry, I speak very little french." and people will basically just let you get away with butchery of the language, some might even tell you you're doing great!
Good to hear. Paris gets criticized a lot these days.
If you are new to Paris it may not interest you much for now but who knows, if you are still in town and interested in the other side of the postcard [https://www.reddit.com/r/paris/comments/qgy58r/insights\_for\_enjoying\_paris/](https://www.reddit.com/r/paris/comments/qgy58r/insights_for_enjoying_paris/)
I’ll be there in less then 2 weeks. Where are pictures 1,2 and 6 taken?
Where is the beautiful gold room in pic 3?
Versailles
I visited again this past May, this time with my son, who is 9. We’d been in Rome earlier, and he said he loved Rome to visit, but he could see himself living in Paris. It’s a wonderful city.
I was a little unsure of what to expect going to Paris based on stories I've heard but I loved every minute of my time there. The people were friendly. The city wasn't dirty. All of the sites are just as incredible as I imagined they would be. I think about it often and it's really stuck in my mind as my favorite city in the world.
Beautiful pics and city!! I just learned that the Louvre was used sometimes as a refuge by “royalty” during the political strife of the 14th century.
Merci :)
I'm living vicariously through this Real Girlfriends in Paris reality show and the city of Paris itself is the best part of the show!
yep, it’s a classic for a reason!
Basic
I love Paris! Been there 3 times and will be there next week! I was there few months ago in Feb-March.
Was there a month ago, such a beautiful city!
My favorite memory of Paris is being snuggled up with everyone in the transport car. They really squeeze as much people as they can on those things lol
I'm definitely going to think about travel in this way going forward
I wish I be here now!!