Wow, I am SO grateful for the response on this video!! To be honest, I was a bit scared/shy to speak about my culture, but after seeing all your nice comments, I think I'll keep doing it :) If you want more local French tips, you should watch this video on how to recognize a good croissant: th-cam.com/video/Wc0INHeMOMs/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for a wonderful video. I have been lucky enough to visit Paris 3 times, in addition to Provence, Bordeaux, Loire Valley (I'm in the wine business....!) J'adore Paris, but also the small towns. So much to experience. Merci!
yes, please! I really enjoyed it. 😊😊 Thanks for these tips and sharing your lovely culture! I suddenly crave a cake right now and would really want to eat any pastry made by a boulangerie (hope I spelled that right). ❤❤
We're planning a trip to France in the next couple of months with a few days in Paris so I've been browsing for videos here. Thanks for this one, it's a big help. :)
Absolutely! This drives me mad regardless of what city/country/building I am in. The lack of bodily awareness of most people is astounding - guess that’s why pickpockets still do so well. 😁
"Note that the advice about not standing like an idiot in the flow of pedestrian traffic is applicable to every big city in the world, not just Paris." You would be surprised it is not universal at all
My French is terrible, but I love saying "Bonjour!" and "Merci beaucoup!" Thank you for the excellent, practical advice and the friendly presentation. Au revoir, Bon chance.
Love to hear that me walking around aimlessly was a right way to experience Paris. Also, every time someone says that French people are rude and don’t want to interact I just don’t know what they are talking about, cuz all the French people I met were so nice and respectful and tried to understand me even though I didn’t speak French (which I am working on right now)! Can’t wait to go back. Thank you for the video 😊
Many say that about New Yorkers which I’ve never found this to be true. Good manners are globally accepted everywhere. Thank you….Merci Gracias…. Dankeschon Obrigado….Grazie ….Arigato Gozaimarsu…..Namasteor the internationally recognized 🙏🏽
I fulfilled a long time dream a couple of years ago and spent a full month in Paris. My apartment was across the Seine across from the Louver. I had a month metro ticket and also walked about 350 miles. Every evening I walked along the Seine. I discovered many hidden gems. My French is poor, but got me around. The most beautiful city I know.
I had a really good time when I visited Paris for the first time in 2012. I went there with my wife without real preparations, and judging by your tips, we instinctively did everything right. She speaks a bit of French, having spent some time working in Belgium, so this helped a bit with the locals, who were noticeably pleased when they saw we were doing our best to ask things in French. They often continued the conversation by revealing they knew English or Spanish (we’re from Spain), and made things much easier. In my experience, and confirming your tip, politeness and kindness will help a lot in Paris. Of course it helps everywhere, but I noticed that Parisians are particularly put off by rudeness (or by what they perceive to be rude behaviour) and they quickly become uncooperative. Being polite, quiet, and tactful goes a long way. TH-cam suggested your channel out of the blue, and I’m glad it did. You’re such a lovely presence. Cheers! //Rick
So true! I lived in France but in Alsace and never encountered rudeness when I made an effort to speak French. I speak Spanish as well. I find Parisians speak very quickly if they think you know French but are very kind when you ask them to slow down, please. We are visiting from Scotland which is home.
One thing I love about Paris/France is how quietly French people speak. It almost sounds like a whisper. Great recommendation to relax and enjoy where you are. My wife and I have traveled to Paris for forty years and our favorite things to do are ordinary things locals do. It is very pleasant to watch the world pass by.
When picking a restaurant, look for those that have a “Ticket Restaurant” stickers outside: those’ll be places working people have lunch at every day, and you’ll get a cheap “prix fixe” menu that will typically be excellent traditional cooking.
@@Reaper591000 I don't think the ticket restaurant is a good sign of quality, I find some good or bad restaurant who accept tickets. So, you still have to try it.
Change “pastry” to “pizza” and you just explained every bit of advice we in NYC have for tourists to our city. Why anyone would want to stay in, much less go to Times Square is baffling to us. It’s like Disney’s idea of what New York is. Not real. My favorite part of the video, tourist walking habits. So true, nothing more annoying than you trying to get to work or home and you can’t make your train on time because a group of tourists have decided to form a phalanx across the entire sidewalk as they slow walk armed with their map apps and guides. If you don’t know where to go please make room for those that do. Great video, thanks, I think I’ll like Paris . I’ve traveled to Europe on business many times, mainly to London and Basel , but unfortunately I haven’t had enough free time for a quick trip to Paris. You have just made me more determined to go , thanks.
@@donnaaveni There are many good places for pizza! Ignore anything that says "#1 Pizza" or "best pizza in NY".. it's awful for sure. My *personal* favorites (very debatable, everyone argues about this) are : Grimaldi's (more of a sit down place) Pauli Gee's (sit down but they also have a takeaway place) Joe's (for a very basic, take and go slice of pizza)
Great advice! We moved to Switzerland (French speaking portion) a year and a half ago and we go in to France all the time. My first trip to France 9 years ago I was excited and nervous. As an American all you hear is the worn out stereotype that the French are rude, unhospitable and hate Americans. I worked hard to learn some basic French as I'd heard that if you make an effort then you will have a wonderful experience. That was 100% true. Everyone we met and interacted with were friendly, willing to chat and give advice of where we should visit. But, I started every encounter with a friendly "bonjour" and a smile. And the sit down meal advice is spot on. Since moving my wife and I have become more accustom to a 1.5 to 3 hour dinners when we go out. My father-in-law was about to loose his mind after 45 minutes! 😆 Definitely slow yourself down, sit for coffee's and pastries and enjoy the experience.
We stayed at a ladies house in Paris (a rental room) and every morning while having breakfast she would brief us on places to go and things we might enjoy seeing, very casual and fun, very chill. We walked a lot. Another time we rented a room for three weeks ( I think in the 20th) and walked everywhere except for rides on the metro. Buying 10 tickets at a time saves money and time, don't throw the ticket away before the end of the day. Thanks for your tips. Yes speaking a few French words goes a long way to enjoyment of your stay, it just shows respect.
Unfortunately lot's of English speaker think that the world should do so as well......not realising most Europeans speak (good or lousy) more than one language in the opposite of f.e. the US (just immigrants speak more than one ...in the first generation)
@@51tomtomtom With all due respect, your perception of Americans being monolingual is a generation or two out of date. About a quarter of all Americans are multilingual now, a greater percentage than in the UK, France, or Italy. Immigration has indeed increased the number of Spanish-speaking children, but it has also made a working use of Spanish a necessity for Americans in some US industries. It is called the "bilingual breakthrough." And the increase is not limited to Spanish-speakers: in New England, for example, African and Brazilian immigration has had a knock-on effect, increasing the numbers of Franco-Americans, French-Canadian-Americans, and Portuguese-Americans and rediscovering French and Portuguese. All those language-learning apps and courses you see advertised on TH-cam - most of them were created by Americans for Americans, and Americans are overwhelmingly the people buying them. Perhaps you are from one of the older generations and associate mostly with those older generations? The rise of multilingualism in the US is largely a Millennial and GenZ phenomenon (to some degree GenX too, but less so). American multilingualism is not something Europeans in Europe will have seen a lot of just yet, simply because the generations with the most money to travel abroad are the generation least likely to speak a second language with any fluency.
Merci. Just learn Bonjour, Madame or Bonjour Monsieur to say to the shop owners. "France is not Paris." I lived in Orleans, Pau, Caen & Rennes which allowed me many personal advantages to get to know the people and regional food and differences. I also ran around on a Peugot bike. How I love and adore France and the people. Years and years ago my landlady was 93 and told us how Gen Patton liberated Orleans and what that was like. She was so happy to have Americans living with her because of this. Such enriching experiences to remember at 80 years old.
That's actually the most down to earth description of the Paris tourist experience I have ever seen. Good job! I'll refer my next visitors to your video for a reality check.
We just visited Paris last November and had a wonderful time. We walked everywhere. Miss our morning coffee and croissants. Had the most delightful conversation with our hotel clerk about which boulangerie he loves. He gave the most detailed description of the perfect baguette! ❤ Also found that people were extremely helpful when asking a question politely.
I agree! Went every morning in local boulangery, obviously looking like tourist and "speaking" maybe 20 words, but all stuff was super helpful and pleasant and I was super happy with taste of chevre baguettes ❤
When my wife and I went to the south of France (Provence mostly). We had a great time because we were prepared. I took a French language class. The teacher had lived in France for many years and was well versed in French culture. She said that the most important thing to a French person was being recognized as a person. So the first thing we learned was how to greet a French person. The first thing to say was, “Bonjour, comment allez-vous”. And then, and only THEN, ask “Parlez-vous anglais”? With one exception, EVERY person relaxed and became friendly because I had recognized them as a person. Their answer about speaking English was almost invariably “Un peu” (a little). In most cases, that translated to “I speak it well” (that’s my opinion). In general, we did very well in France by learning the culture and norms. Part of that is because we live in the Seattle area, which is home to many cultures. It’s the norm for us. The only person who responded to “Parlez-vous anglais?” with a firm “Non” was a lady running a filling station while asking her for directions to A8. I realized that I had to depend on my limited French. But I was very successful - good directions (that I understood) and speaking a French person in her language! I left with both of us smiling. Stellar feeling! In my opinion, the key to success is respecting other cultures, even if they are different from our own.
Super boulot Lucile ! As a parisian, I confirm that those are very good advices ! Don't try to thick all the boxes. I'd rather spend a day walking slowly through districts (arrondissements) than queueing to enter a museum ! Parisians are not rude and love foreigners if themselves are not rude. Go to local places to have some drink from 7pm to midnight (Butte aux Cailles, Batignolles, Gaieté, Belleville, Marcadet, Mabillon and many many more) Take your time 🙂
Amazing tips, and they apply to other places too. Absolutely agree with not limiting yourself to a tickbox list of landmarks to visit. Experience the city (indeed, any city) by exploring the seemingly mundane, everyday parts. That's where the adventures are!
Last year, we were in Paris during the World Cup, and boy, I've never seen people get so crazy. People were stood, waving flags, drinking, and sinking. Truly a memory I will always have. We try to visit every couple of years, but even now after a dozen trips, staying a week or more at a time feel like, we still haven't scratched the surface of the city.
On my first visit to Paris, the best part of the trip was wandering through neighborhoods well away from the main tourist sites. I even had fun trying to figure out how to do laundry in a local laundromat. I had pleasant conversations with some locals who gave me tips on what to see.
That is so funny, we had the same experience trying to figure out the laudrymat too. Got it though with some kind help from a local that did not speak English and used it several times on my last trip.
I've not been to Paris...only Strasbourg. But we were 'warned' by a family member who was living in Europe about some of the things NOT to do as a tourist in Europe. ...One of the important things recommended was not being too loud! 🤪We took that to heart.
Yes! We walked so much and it was amazing to just people watch and see how people interact with each other. I loved going to sidewalk cafes and not feeling rushed. Having comfortable shoes and getting out there with a map and exploring was the best thing.
No matter which new country I travel to, I always learn how to say "hello, do you speak English" in their language. Imagine you are in your own country and dont speak a word of French and somebody just walks up to you and starts speaking in French and also has an attitude like they think everybody in the world speaks French. Now. imagine that same person walks up to you and says, in your own language "hello do you speak French?" You I had a wonderful time in Paris traveling solo, staying in an air-b-n-b in a neighborhood in the city but not right next to any major tourist attractions and being surrounded by friendly and helpful locals.
Absolutely correct! Travelling through Europe you cannot master all the languages. But just learning a few basics in the way you have described, stands you in good stead. It's basic respect.
I find Americans and Australians the worst for just barking English at people in foreign countries, it's so weird. How hard is it to learn the basics...ON A LONG HAUL FLIGHT!! The clowns have at least 10 hours to practice!
Maybe you should try saying "hello I'm sorry but I don't speak French do you by chance speak English" that would be more polite and wouldn't make them feel dumb because they only speak their own language. Most French people 30 or under speak English these days.
Was in Paris last spring and these tips are spot on. We found the locals to be very friendly and accommodating though we attempted our best at French where we could. We enjoyed the local neighborhoods way more than the tourist areas. Pack light and walk if you can. We walked a total of 32 miles in 6 days while there. Loved it!
Lived there nearly for 2 years in my youth and I still remember, everytime I couldnt sleep taking my skateboard, going out and riding till I got lost through the streets of Paris which was so quiet and calm after midnight, such a lovely city when is empty!
Very nice videos Lucile thank you ! I'm an expat Brit, lived In Paris for 18 years and have 2 college age dual nationality Franco-Britannique children and being a professional history tour guide I am constantly meeting tourists , and one thing I would mention to anyone as you spoke a little about taking public transport is to be VERY careful to both KEEP and VALIDATE your ticket and have the CORRECT ticket I make sure I always explain this to people on any tours when we chat I always joke that being caught up in a manifestation and tear gassed by the CRS French Riot Police just for doing nothing and being "controlled" by the totally inflexible RATP ticket inspectors are part of the rights of passage of living In Paris RATP , the Parisian area transport authority and the people who work for them are notorious for all the wrong reasons They are COMPLETE ###-holes, the very worst definition of giving someone a tiny bit of power and a uniform and it going to their heads Their lives in reality are sad and pathetic and they get off on this tiny moment of power and creating misery for another human being They deliberatley target stations where they know tourists will frequent because Its "low hanging fruit" as tourists often quite innocently misplace their ticket or the barriers may not be functioning correctly so their ticket doesn't get stamped and as these peoole do not understand the regles which are NOT in English or any of their rights or speak French they can very easily bully them Eg Concorde, Invalides, Etoile, Clemenceau A special mention also for the notorious La Defense station, if you travel there on the RER A then it is a different ticket from if you take METRO LIGNE 1 even though Its exactly the same station It Is TOTALLY confusing makes no sense and Is not explained at all clearly And these ###-holes know this Is the case but still target people from out of town deliberately there knowing full well they will find people making innocent mistakes It Is QUITE deliberate and has absolutely NOTHING to do with preventing ticket fraud at all Its pure and simple revenue collection by the easiest means possible IE TOURISTS I know this because if they were really interested in preventing ticket fraud then they would come out to the 92 and 93 districts and control the tickets at some of the stations there I have lived now in Gennevilliers near Gabriel Peri metro on the ligne 13 for the last 6 years and If I go to Gabriel Peri station and just stand there for one hour I can guarantee that i will see a person at least every couple of minutes going through the barriers witout any ticket But in those 6 years I have not seen ONCE any controleur, I am not exggerating not a single time ! If you live in the Banlieue, even the "colder" ones or shall we say nicer areas of the suberbs then you will know very well why you never see them there In these areas of the 92 and 93 but instead they just target innocent tourists for easy money sadly What a way to treat visitors and say Bienvenue a Paris!
I had the best time in Paris when traveling alone back in 2007. Talked to a lot of locals, very friendly. I remember walking 15+km every day. My line was "bonjour, excuze-moi, Je ne parle pas français, parlez-vous anglais?" Worked like a charm
Toulouse was fabulous. I was very fortunate several years ago to be on a work trip to Toulouse. My schedule allowed me to shop at the local market most days. Delicious food. Lots of great restaurants. I don’t speak more than a few words of French. Bonjour, pardon, merci. Most younger shop and restaurant workers spoke English very well. I only needed my rental car for trips outside the city. Toulouse was a fantastic serendipitous location. I probably would not have picked it as a “chosen” destination. I had a wonderful time. Thanks for the memories.
Years ago, I went on vacation in Tokyo. I got lost and spent my entire time just wandering around and never went to a single tourist attraction. I was FABULUS!
Coincides with my experiences of Paris to a tee. I loved getting lost (not really, as I had a map in my pocket), as the architecture was so gorgeous. Another tip: If it’s a walking alley lined with restaurants, the prices are lowest in the middle, highest at the ends which meet the main streets.
I worked in France but wasn't a tourist. Never saw anything historic. But loved the food and wine. Also the bread! Man I loved hearing the bread truck arriving every morning.
About the American woman in the bakery: It amazes me how many people think, when they encounter someone who doesn't speak English, that if they SHOUT it at him, he will magically begin to understand them. That's NOT how languages work!
@@Ranyanya : You can't be serious. Speaking your own language in your own country and expecting others to have the courtesy of having bothered to learn at least the minimum is NOT "doing things wrong". If that American woman ran a bakery in the U.S. and someone came in shouting at her in French, do you think she'd "learn"? Or do you think she'd be angry? It's no different. And if you think shouting at someone in a language *they don't speak* will be effective, you have a lot to learn.
Been to Paris twice (2007 and last summer) and we loved it both times. This time we had an Airbnb on St-Charles in the 15è and we loved having the open air market twice a week, and the stuff we got there was awesome, especially the salmon! The best meals we had were out of the touristy areas, except for that great Croque Monsieur at Brasserie Les Deux Palais on île de la Cité which is in a touristy area. As for the coffee, my in-laws warned us about that when we were planning our honeymoon trip in 2007, and last summer, the only café filtre I had was the one I made myself in the morning before we headed out for our daily excursions. No language barrier for us, since we live in Québec and are Francophone. Paris is my favourite city in the world, after my own hometown of Montréal. So that's the two largest Francophone cities at the top of my list, pas pire, hein? One of the reasons we love watching Secrets d'Histoire is not only because Stéphane Bern is an awesome host, but also seeing Paris time and again. Both times we were there, I felt like I was home. Maybe it's because I had ancestors who were born there and sailed to Nouvelle-France and settled here in the 17th-18th Century. C'est clair qu'on veut retourner un jour! Bonne soirée!
Great video. I have been to Paris more than 20 times. A lot from Australia! It's a truly amazing city. My favorite. Thanks for sharing you insights and enthusiasm.
We went to Paris last summer. We were mostly in the tourist areas and I found the French to be polite and the service was great. We had an amazing time.
I just wanted to let you know that your videos have been VERY helpful. I even canceled a reservation because it was far away. Now I am about 30 mins walking distance from the areas we plan to visit. I thought I was smarter than that but I really needed to hear this!
You right ! Nice vid ! Paris is not to big. You can easily walk or rent a bike . It doesn t take long time, and you can feel the City and taste each boulangerie you ll met!
I didn't expect to like Paris so much when I went, but there's just something about the city. It's so beautiful, I didn't even have amazing food everywhere (baked goods yes all amazing) but I still loved being there and the fact that everywhere I looked there were beautiful buildings and scenery. I walked different neighborhoods and still it all felt like a movie. Can't wait to go back!!! Thanks for the tips and this channel!
We are in Paris 3 or 4 times a year for decades now, so I know these tips are spot on! We prefer to stay in the 6th for history or Chaillot in the 16th is also rather pleasant.
Merci beaucoup pour cette vidéo, je la garde dans une liste de lecture pour la consulter avant d'aller en France et à Paris. Et j'aime ton énergie bienveillante et que tu sois souriante...encore merci, du Québec 💙
Paris is my favorite city on the planet. I've been there 20 times. It's very walkable--I can walk 15+km no problem--with lots of "rencontres insolites". A lot of the beauty of Paris is how the city is laid out and the fact that the buildings are all the same height and often the same style so you never feel like you're in a canyon. I always stay in AirBnBs for 2 weeks since I sometimes cook and need laundry facilities since I travel very light. Hotels are not very personal and I don't need any froufrou services. Just a boulangerie and traiteur. Going back next spring to see Notre Dame reborn!
I love the fact that where pastries are even, that means that they’re not the best, maniacal precision isn’t the result of human craft. I’m Italian and I was also told several times that if you want bread or pastries, you have to get the “imperfect” one, because it’s handmade, there isn’t a single piece of fresh bread that is identical to another one, and that’s it’s beauty.
Aimless walking, morning coffee and croissant sounds like a perfect way to spend a day-thanks for the great video, will enjoy learning more about the best way to visit Paris and other regions in France. Will plan ahead and work on my French. Merci beaucoup.
I’m American and found that the speaking a little French really helped. My skills aren’t advanced and most of the people I encountered were so kind and switched to English almost immediately, but I could also tell that they appreciated my ability to say hello, how are you, and ask for what I wanted in French. Effort and courtesy goes a long way.
BONJOUR, LUCILE! That was the BEST video I have watched about Paris in a long time. I hope to return in the early Spring and visit old friends, you've given me what I needed! A fresh outlook about Paris and France in general that outsiders can't do the right way! Merci bien! ♥
Im an airline pilot and have been lucky enough to go to Paris dozens if times. Thank you for the great video! There is nothing I enjoy more than picking one thing to see and walking/taking the metro and taking my time to get there. I do have several spots I love to go back to but discovering new things is my favorite part of visiting Paris. Enjoy!!
I like your suggestion about visiting Toulouse, I spent a fair amount of time there for work and enjoyed being able to walk around and enjoy the city without the crowds (and tourists!).
I lived and worked in New York most of my life, and ALL of these big-city tips are so true! And I'm planning a month in Paris during the Olympics this summer and can't wait to put your suggestions to use!
My best cafe meal was in a side street away from the Arc de Triomphe. Full of big burly men in work gear. The lunch was delicious! Thanks to a friend who worked nearby and knew the best spots.
I’ve been learning French for the last two years with the hope of visiting France and spending a long time there and this video was exactly what I was looking for to see the best way to act in Paris. Cultures that may seem very similar can have small, but important differences and it’s really important to learn those and respect the local culture. Thanks for this! I followed your channel, I’m looking forward to learning more about France and French culture. Merci beaucoup, j’adore ton leçon!
Great video Lucile! Fortunately, I learned most of this prior to my first visit to Paris in 2022 and I have to say that it all served me very well. I only wish that I was better able to speak the language more fluently. My biggest pet peeve is when people come into a country like France and don't know and/or don't respect the culture and the norms. I studied this in depth before I went and it made my trip a lot more pleasant, I'm sure! J'aime Paris et la France !
Thank you so much for your nice and detailed comment, I loved reading it! I agree with you, I always try to research the culture of the place I'm visiting beforehand. France is also the first foreign country a lot of people go to, and there are a lot of new things to learn when you travel for the first time :)
Nice. Thank you. I enjoyed that. I primarily watched this to see if there were some tips that I could forward to someone and Number 9 was one of the tips that I really wanted to get across to them. Walk. Paris does have a great Metro system - you can get basically anywhere within inner Paris on it very efficiently. Most places aren't more than a 5 minute walk from a Metro stop and you can almost time your journey by the number of stops they're situated that regularly (with a little extra time for any changes you have to do). However, you're going to miss most of Paris (little shops, eateries, the buildings, the vibe, etc.) if you Metro everywhere. Some locations are really good to walk between, especially in the inner arrondissements. I like the advice on closing time - that is definitely something to consider - their work-time is their work-time and then it is their time. Making them work late for little reward, maybe miss their transportation, or take away from their time, is not just impolite, it is almost an affront to their existence. A job is a job and after that they are regular people with lives to live, not some kind of servant to do your bidding whenever you deem it. I would hazard that this extends to being polite - which is definitely a good option anywhere you go in the world. It may be just simple civility, but it in France it seems to extend to beliefs about a person's existential rights and expectations as a as a human being and a member of a collective society. There are times where someone will be so formally polite with the "Je vous en prie, monsieur/madame" that it feels sycophantic, but in a cultural context I once heard it put that not starting with a simple "bonjour" is like treating the person with whom you are talking (waiter/ress, shop worker, etc.) like a servant instead of a member of the liberté, égalité, fraternité country. And I must agree that when booking your hotel on a website, you need to check each hotel you are considering for its location. You would not believe how far out of Paris you can be offered a "Parisian" hotel - as much as a bus trip past the last stop on an RER train line - and like Lucile said you do not want to be travelling much on the RER outside of inner Paris if you can avoid it. Basically, you really want to stay within the Metro system if you're in Paris, and ideally within the Boulevard Périphérique. However, the closer you get to the Périphérique, the more average or distant it can seem (although there are exceptions). Just think, everything inside the Périphérique is considered Paris proper and everything outside the Périphérique is considered Greater Paris, with the further locations considered commuterville. If you look at the postcodes for your hotel - anything starting with a 75 is inner Paris and the last two digits (01 to 20) will tell you which arrondissement it is in. I would say that there are areas near Gare du Nord and Sacre Coeur aren't too great to be based in either. Funnily enough, I thought that Lucile colour-coded the nice arrondissemets on the map (17, 20, 10th near Canal St Martin), but then I realised that it was just coloured in sequence to the numbered order as one of my favourite local 'coins' is also in another of the same-coloured arrondissements. Paris is mostly safe, but there are number of scams being tried, mostly on tourists: Signing petitions, making donations, organised begging, the bracelet around the wrist, the reward for the "found" ring, etc. plus the potential pick-pockets on crowded streets and trains. Definitely keep your possessions in safe locations and make sure your bags are secure and do not walk around with them just hanging in a way that makes them easy to access without your knowledge. Advice for many places, not just Paris.
This video showed up in my feed and you my dear are a delight! Excellent video, so I became a new subscriber. I've wanted to go to France, live in France for ages. So I began studying France and French culture ages ago, and taught myself French which I found easy to read and write but hard to speak, so I figured total emersian might be best. Life goes on, things happen, dreams get deferred, delayed, or die. Merci for breathing some life into one such dream ❤ 😊 or as we say in Hawai'i, "mahalo and aloha".
I recently travelled to Paris and fell in love. I was a solo traveller and wanted to enjoy the areas that are not touristy and I think is what made my Paris trip so amazing. I did see some tourist spots but was disgusted by the behaviour of tourists. It was summer and the majority of tourists I came across were American or Spanish. I am an Australian and felt bad for the Parisians having to put up with rude tourists not paying any attention to their impact on this beautiful city. Tourists are not guests in the countries they visit, we force ourselves onto the locals and should be mindful of how we treat these places and the people that call it home. Great video, Merci 💓
Very sound and helpful advice. And so true wherever people travel. When my wife and I were in Venice, Florence and Bologna for our honeymoon our guide (after telling our group they were on their own for lunch) would take my wife and I to HIS favorite restaurants which were definitely "locals only" and we ate well. Whereas the rest of our group always complained that the food was horrible in the tourist sections...and i boned up on as much Italian to be respectful to the locals.
That and what a lot of people dont understand is that when you travel to Italy or Mexico from USA - food in those countries doesnt taste like the Americanized versions at Olive Garden and Chi Chis.
For tourism, I would recommend bus rather than metro. It's slower but you can enjoy the sight, get a better understanding of the neighborhood, and thanks to the bus lane they are not much affected by traffic jam. The issue is that there are much less frequent than metro, but you can check the map and waiting time at each bus stop, and travel duration in the bus. If you like sport, there is also a good network of cycle lane and on rent electric bike, but due to the dense traffic, drivers tend to apply the law rather than giving space and pass centimeters away from each other.
O,Lucile,French is beautiful on paper but man,is it hard to perceive when spoken. Spanish (not even talking about super understandable Italian) sticks to me so much better.
Just back from France. Toured the Loire Valley in a n RV and then spent a week in Paris….. Our sixth visit to your most delightful and beautiful country! A great THANK YOU to all the French people for their friendliness and for being so helpful to this ‘francophile’ with his rudimentary command of your language!
Thank you so much for the helpful video, Lucile! We've been to Paris and all over France, and your tips are perfect, especially for people who have never been. It's always important to research how you should behave in any foreign country. And, there are SO many amazing places in France other than Paris ~ I urge people to go!
This is very helpful because I plan on filming some English lessons in Paris next year. Thank you for the tip about the areas in Paris that are local, but not so local.
Thank you for this! I have ancestors who are traced to Ypres. Last I was there we traipsed around other parts of France. We had a short time to visit. I wish to return. The countryside is gorgeous
We really liked staying in the 5th, near UPMC, because there aren't many tourist crowds but there's lots of food and lots of cool things to see (Jardin des Plantes and the Natural History museums, seriously the Hall of Bones needs to be on every tourist itenerary; the Mineral museum in UPMC also, which is mind-blowing), and also it's a short walk to Tourist Ground Zero.
@@LucileHR I assume you've seen the "Hall of Bones", which is absolutely insane. However, you may not have seen the very beautiful Mineral Museum at UPMC, one of the finest mineral collections on earth. Well worth a visit.
I had the HIGHEST expectations when I 1sr came to Paris.....And I was NOT Disappointed!!! 1 Tip - If you have a pre-determined destination; take the Metro "one-way" &Walk the other. You don't tire yourself + you get to take-in all that beautiful Architecture that is Pars Tip #2 - Before a meal (speciallly a sit-down one) stop @ a Tabatry (?) or a local boutique . and ask someone (Cashier?) where she/he would take a friend out for their Anniversaire. Et Voila!
I am a Croat who spent six months in Paris on a IT consulting stint. I must say that I agree with every word you said. To add a little tidbit to your advice about not blocking sidewalks: don't stand on the "wrong" side of escalators - there are many people in hurry who would like to "overtake" you. I was initially often guilty of this.
@@daisy8297 Of course, but not every country has the same "correct" side of escalators to stand vs. walk. I learned to spend a minute first time in a new environment observing, in order to learn to "do as the Romans do".
As a French guy who's lived in paris for a few years, I would say you did a great job with this video! Accurate tips for first-timers, and your english is spot on 👏🏻
Merci beaucoup pour les conseils. Je me rappele que le centre ville était déjà incroyablement cher la dernière foix que j'ai rendu visite à Paris il ya a peu près 40 ans. J'aimerais retourner un jour. Surtout c'est bon savoir qu'il y a une difference entre les boulangeries et la vente de pain génerale.
Oui, c'est vrai que tout est cher à Paris, malheureusement je suis habituée car j'ai habité à New York et Londres qui sont aussi très chères :O Oui, je trouve qu'il y a une grosse différence et il faut trouver une bonne boulangerie :)
Don’t be surprised ,your video is excellent ,simple,honest,straight to the point ,while the one I played yesterday about luxury hotels and stores ,was very scary for people with a small budget ,who are the majority of the tourists ! merci
Another great video Lucile. This is only the third video of yours that I've watched, and I've learned a lot! I like the fact that you mentioned stopping in the middle of the road, sidewalk etc, and blocking the ability for others to get by. I live in Charlotte, NC (I'm from New Orleans), and my partner and I have traveled all over the US and Europe, and one of our biggest pet pevee's is when people block a sidewalk, a hallway, a passage way (like in a department store) to look at their phone or any number of other things. It's super annoying! We are of the belief that if you want, or need to stop, fine, but step off to the side and get out of everyone's way. When we travel outside of the US, the people who bug us the most, are Americans! We try to quickly blend in everywhere we go and recognize the customs of our host city, and be respectful. In other words, treating people the way we would like to be treated.
Was touring Europe in 2000 with my wife. Paris first stop - magical place. For a big city - best place. Will never forget it. I didn’t speak any French, but would try - (would not speak English) - and I never had an issue. The Parisian’s were always appreciative of my flawed attempts.
Great video! Thank you! I like to stay in the 11th. Very chill (except for Rue de Lappe! 😅). And nothing like a stroll through Père Lachaise! I have never been treated rudely and I always give eye contact with a ‘Bonjour’ with shopkeepers. People confuse formality and politeness with coldness. Totally agree about meals. We called it “restaurant prison”, so learned to budget time. 🤣 I learned the hard way showing up in a village with only one resto, but too late after the seatings started. Lots of seats, but not for my “late” entry l. You must respect the rules of the game. 😂
Thank you Lucile! I'm visiting Paris from the UK. I used your advice on where to stay (I'm currently staying in Batignolles, it's a really nice area) and where to find the best food, avoid the tourist traps and I'm having a great time just walking around the city and experiencing more authentic French culture!
Thank for providing good advice , I have traveled the world for fifty years it is so easy these days compared to the 60’s or before. But remember allow your self the best cafe seat with the best city views and allow one hour just to watch the passing life , take a photo of yourself or companions . Every time you look at the photo, it will bring the moments , the sounds, smiles and laughter for the rest of your life . Do not skim on a good seat !
Serious best video on visiting Paris I have ever seen, and i love to "travel online" so I watch many. It's very real and down to earth, and great advice!!!
This is all so accurate in every aspect. I've been visiting Paris for nearly fifty years and have family there. Everything you say is right. The area they live in is off the main tourist routes. A little effort does go a long way and a 'bonjour' smooths the path every time. Curiously, its identical in meaning to our Australian greeting "g'day'", but with a bit more style!
I speak French and know Paris, so I once visited with an American friend, to help her and show her around. Wow! Was that ever frustrating! She came with her checklist of things to see, refused to be interested in anything else, wouldn’t walk, only wanted to eat cheap Chinese because there was something "wrong" with any French food I tried to get her to try … Thank goodness she only had ten days and I could go back to wandering, exploring, sampling, just enjoying.
And this is a friend? Why didn’t you know your “friends” likes, dislikes and interest? Seems not much a friend, but acquaintance. Why couldn’t you accept your “friend” as they are instead of how you think they should be?
@@TC-dw6wg She's a lovely person, and when I agreed to the Paris trip I didn’t interrogate her as to what kind of tourist she is. When I found out, I accommodated her tastes and gave her as far as I could the trip of her dreams, and only went back to enjoying Paris my way after she went home.
@@TC-dw6wgIt’s quite normal to not know how a friend, even a close friend, will behave why travelling abroad especially if the person has never done it before. It’s quite logical.
This is great advice that tracks well for any major city I’ve ever been to. This gal is like the one I might have dreamed about meeting when I went to Paris in my 20’s. Make more of anything!
In no place should one stop in the path especially groups. Also it's super annoying when couples or trios walk side by side hogging all the room. This is courtesy for others and not limited to any one city or nation.
We've been to Paris a dozen times and your advise is great... I always brush up on my high school French before we go and yes an attempt and at least politeness will go a long long way. Oh, YOU must greet the shopkeeper when you enter a store, not the other way around. Be nice, you'll be surprised at how nice the French will be to you. Très magnifique, merci!
Interesting. A similar thing happens in Mexico - the customer is expected to thank the cashier at the end of the transaction in shops for serving them, instead of the employee thanking the customer for their business as happens in Anglo-based countries.
I’ve spent more time in Paris than any city other than my home town. First there in 1975 and been back many times since. Pick pocketed once so be careful. French people can recognise tourists so buy some clothes in Paris and wear them and people won’t know you’re a tourist.
LOVED Toulouse! Had to go where one of my favourite artist was from. They have a wonderful market. Also, your wonderful Paris advice, most of it can easily be applied for other destinations as well. Learn a greeting in their language much less "excuse me, do you speak english?"; simple courtesy.
Nice video and accurate. My wife and I visited for a week and its a favorite of mine. We actually rented an apartment on the Ile de France and Notre Dame was visible from our window and it worked out great. We also used the Metro and walking to get everywhere. We averaged over 10 miles a day walking but it was easy. Imagine seeing some attraction and then walking 2 hours across Paris taken in the gardens, monuments, architecture. No rush. Maybe hit a small deli for a sandwich au jambon or croissant. If you're staying a while give some consideration to day trips out of the city. We did 3 and they were all fantastic. We trained over to Versailles. Try to see the village too its lovely. We also trained to Fontainebleau for a day. Beautiful. And we did a high speed train to Amsterdam, spent the day and came back the next. I loved this entire trip.
Thank you for sharing this video. I grew up in Paris (17ieme) so I was happy to see you mention "my" arrondissement! We used to look forward to September when the weather was still warm, but the tourists had left. Now there is no tourism free season. I still miss living there.
lol j'ai trop rigolé oui ils sont chiants les touristes (et pas que) qui marchent à 2 à l'heure 🤣 mais pas que ya des personnes qui parlent sur le trottoir jusque là ça va bien mais on est obligé de marcher sur la route pour les dépasser car ils prennent toute la largeur, même en criant un pardon ça marche pas 😂 oui belle mention pour le canal de l'Ourcq à la fois à proximité de république riche en restos et bars, et de belleville idem pour pas cher. J'ai vécu dans le 19e,16e,8e, 17e, je suis plutôt fan de la tranquilité du canal de l'Ourcq mais attention aux trotinettes et vélos qui ont tendance à nous foncer dessus, comme des scoots sur le trottoir...
I went to Paris 8 months ago with my wife, it was my second visit and for my wife it was her fifth. This time we decided to do a more relaxed tour, our first visit together was 8 years ago and we stay for a few days and went to the Louvre, Versailles, Notre Dame, and we have very little time and budget to do many things. This time we picked free tours, we visit the Latin Quarter, we went to Montmartre, Saint Denis, we stroll along the Seine, we visited Pere Lachaise cemetery, we went to some cafés and one day we went to Champagne region and Reims. It was a lovely trip. Even so, we did a few mistakes. We rent an apartment in the 11th arrondissement and we saw that there was a metro station a few steps from the building. After leaving the airport we took a bus, then the metro, and we had to change from one line to another, and then the station where we had to leave didn't have automatic stairs or an elevator, yikes! That's why when we left Paris we took a taxi to the airport, a bit expensive but it was better. Anyway, we absolutely love Paris and we can't wait to go there again. Very useful tips, great video.
My wife and I went to Paris for our 50th anniversary last year. The people were very helpfül and very polite…extremely polite. I always began with Ì am sorry I do not speak Frenchˋ which was met with a smile and ˋthat is OK i speak englishˋ even when we just looked a bit confused young people would ask if we would like some help….wow. And the google maps connection to the transit system was amazing…we loved Paris and the people!
So true, I paid so high eating in restaurants in Champs Élysées, I paid over €25 for a pasta and wine 🍷 and also near Eiffel Tower, I paid over €16 for coffee and crepe. Thankfully where I stayed was less expensive and could have breakfast for €6 and €12 for a lunch. Miss and Love Paris ❤️❤️
Perfect advise! I am happy to see the place I stayed in 2022, 17th Ard, is in your suggested areas, and Yes! I do speak some French, and ate at the local cafe to my hotel, Rendezvous des Chauffeurs -- and it was Amazing! I have several friends in US who are Truckers, and the locals were happy with my patronage, kept giving me cognac and more fries, gratis! I was just following my instincts, and it's gratifying to get your confirmation 🙂 Thank you for making this, I DO hope to return to France again! Love the food, respect the culture, know some history and enjoy! Merci
C'était peut être un restaurant routier qui sont souvent d'un excellent rapport qualité prix. Ne pas hésiter à essayer le plat du jour, souvent des plats traditionnels. Malheureusement ces restaurants tendent à disparaitre....
Wow, I am SO grateful for the response on this video!! To be honest, I was a bit scared/shy to speak about my culture, but after seeing all your nice comments, I think I'll keep doing it :)
If you want more local French tips, you should watch this video on how to recognize a good croissant: th-cam.com/video/Wc0INHeMOMs/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for a wonderful video. I have been lucky enough to visit Paris 3 times, in addition to Provence, Bordeaux, Loire Valley (I'm in the wine business....!) J'adore Paris, but also the small towns. So much to experience. Merci!
yes, please! I really enjoyed it. 😊😊 Thanks for these tips and sharing your lovely culture! I suddenly crave a cake right now and would really want to eat any pastry made by a boulangerie (hope I spelled that right). ❤❤
17th is the best arrondissement I've stayed in. Agreed
We're planning a trip to France in the next couple of months with a few days in Paris so I've been browsing for videos here. Thanks for this one, it's a big help. :)
Exactly right! I wish I'd known this. After a day or two I caught on.
Note that the advice about not standing like an idiot in the flow of pedestrian traffic is applicable to every big city in the world, not just Paris.
Hear hear 😂
Absolutely! This drives me mad regardless of what city/country/building I am in. The lack of bodily awareness of most people is astounding - guess that’s why pickpockets still do so well. 😁
Yeah in nyc we curse you out for that 😢😂
love the NY ways haha
"Note that the advice about not standing like an idiot in the flow of pedestrian traffic is applicable to every big city in the world, not just Paris."
You would be surprised it is not universal at all
My French is terrible, but I love saying "Bonjour!" and "Merci beaucoup!" Thank you for the excellent, practical advice and the friendly presentation. Au revoir, Bon chance.
Merci to you :)
Love to hear that me walking around aimlessly was a right way to experience Paris. Also, every time someone says that French people are rude and don’t want to interact I just don’t know what they are talking about, cuz all the French people I met were so nice and respectful and tried to understand me even though I didn’t speak French (which I am working on right now)! Can’t wait to go back. Thank you for the video 😊
You're a young female, that helps to ease things out with strangers 🙂
@@SuperTitankI am neither young nor female, and don't speak French. I agree with Dee about how nice and polite the Parisians were
I've only experienced rude Parisians that were working in restaurants. Everyone else was super nice, but the waitstaff were terrible.
Just arrived back from Paris. I only met lovely helpful people. Loved it
Many say that about New Yorkers which I’ve never found this to be true.
Good manners are globally accepted everywhere.
Thank you….Merci Gracias…. Dankeschon
Obrigado….Grazie ….Arigato Gozaimarsu…..Namasteor the internationally recognized 🙏🏽
I fulfilled a long time dream a couple of years ago and spent a full month in Paris. My apartment was across the Seine across from the Louver. I had a month metro ticket and also walked about 350 miles. Every evening I walked along the Seine. I discovered many hidden gems. My French is poor, but got me around. The most beautiful city I know.
I had a really good time when I visited Paris for the first time in 2012. I went there with my wife without real preparations, and judging by your tips, we instinctively did everything right. She speaks a bit of French, having spent some time working in Belgium, so this helped a bit with the locals, who were noticeably pleased when they saw we were doing our best to ask things in French. They often continued the conversation by revealing they knew English or Spanish (we’re from Spain), and made things much easier. In my experience, and confirming your tip, politeness and kindness will help a lot in Paris. Of course it helps everywhere, but I noticed that Parisians are particularly put off by rudeness (or by what they perceive to be rude behaviour) and they quickly become uncooperative. Being polite, quiet, and tactful goes a long way.
TH-cam suggested your channel out of the blue, and I’m glad it did. You’re such a lovely presence. Cheers! //Rick
So true! I lived in France but in Alsace and never encountered rudeness when I made an effort to speak French. I speak Spanish as well. I find Parisians speak very quickly if they think you know French but are very kind when you ask them to slow down, please. We are visiting from Scotland which is home.
Restaurants with small menu's are the best, if you see like 30 or 40 different dishes...run ;)
Works in every city
Cheesecake Factory doesn’t like this post haha
Unless it’s a Chinese restaurant. They do wide menus
As a local, I can say all these tips are 100% spot on ! Please follow them :D
One thing I love about Paris/France is how quietly French people speak. It almost sounds like a whisper. Great recommendation to relax and enjoy where you are. My wife and I have traveled to Paris for forty years and our favorite things to do are ordinary things locals do. It is very pleasant to watch the world pass by.
When picking a restaurant, look for those that have a “Ticket Restaurant” stickers outside: those’ll be places working people have lunch at every day, and you’ll get a cheap “prix fixe” menu that will typically be excellent traditional cooking.
Is it a smart tip or am I an idiot for never thinking about it? 😂
@@Reaper591000 I don't think the ticket restaurant is a good sign of quality, I find some good or bad restaurant who accept tickets.
So, you still have to try it.
@@theodorefruchart7058 it's not a good sign of quality, but it's a sign that you are gonna have a cheap decent meal which is pretty nice, no?
@@Reaper591000 not cheap : not overpriced for tourists
Bref tout ces tuyaux sont pour des bobos parisiens et déjà connus. Nothing new, sorry.
Change “pastry” to “pizza” and you just explained every bit of advice we in NYC have for tourists to our city. Why anyone would want to stay in, much less go to Times Square is baffling to us. It’s like Disney’s idea of what New York is. Not real.
My favorite part of the video, tourist walking habits. So true, nothing more annoying than you trying to get to work or home and you can’t make your train on time because a group of tourists have decided to form a phalanx across the entire sidewalk as they slow walk armed with their map apps and guides. If you don’t know where to go please make room for those that do.
Great video, thanks, I think I’ll like Paris . I’ve traveled to Europe on business many times, mainly to London and Basel , but unfortunately I haven’t had enough free time for a quick trip to Paris. You have just made me more determined to go , thanks.
Your comment made me laugh! We used to live in NYC and I really loved the no-nonsense energy there. I think you'll like Paris!
Where do you go for pizza in
NYC?
@@donnaaveniTimes Square! They're trying to play the reverse UNO card.
@@donnaaveni There are many good places for pizza! Ignore anything that says "#1 Pizza" or "best pizza in NY".. it's awful for sure.
My *personal* favorites (very debatable, everyone argues about this) are :
Grimaldi's (more of a sit down place)
Pauli Gee's (sit down but they also have a takeaway place)
Joe's (for a very basic, take and go slice of pizza)
Great advice! We moved to Switzerland (French speaking portion) a year and a half ago and we go in to France all the time. My first trip to France 9 years ago I was excited and nervous. As an American all you hear is the worn out stereotype that the French are rude, unhospitable and hate Americans. I worked hard to learn some basic French as I'd heard that if you make an effort then you will have a wonderful experience. That was 100% true. Everyone we met and interacted with were friendly, willing to chat and give advice of where we should visit. But, I started every encounter with a friendly "bonjour" and a smile. And the sit down meal advice is spot on. Since moving my wife and I have become more accustom to a 1.5 to 3 hour dinners when we go out. My father-in-law was about to loose his mind after 45 minutes! 😆 Definitely slow yourself down, sit for coffee's and pastries and enjoy the experience.
We stayed at a ladies house in Paris (a rental room) and every morning while having breakfast she would brief us on places to go and things we might enjoy seeing, very casual and fun, very chill. We walked a lot. Another time we rented a room for three weeks ( I think in the 20th) and walked everywhere except for rides on the metro. Buying 10 tickets at a time saves money and time, don't throw the ticket away before the end of the day. Thanks for your tips. Yes speaking a few French words goes a long way to enjoyment of your stay, it just shows respect.
Unfortunately lot's of English speaker think that the world should do so as well......not realising most Europeans speak (good or lousy) more than one language in the opposite of f.e. the US (just immigrants speak more than one ...in the first generation)
What !!😮
@@51tomtomtom With all due respect, your perception of Americans being monolingual is a generation or two out of date. About a quarter of all Americans are multilingual now, a greater percentage than in the UK, France, or Italy. Immigration has indeed increased the number of Spanish-speaking children, but it has also made a working use of Spanish a necessity for Americans in some US industries. It is called the "bilingual breakthrough."
And the increase is not limited to Spanish-speakers: in New England, for example, African and Brazilian immigration has had a knock-on effect, increasing the numbers of Franco-Americans, French-Canadian-Americans, and Portuguese-Americans and rediscovering French and Portuguese. All those language-learning apps and courses you see advertised on TH-cam - most of them were created by Americans for Americans, and Americans are overwhelmingly the people buying them.
Perhaps you are from one of the older generations and associate mostly with those older generations? The rise of multilingualism in the US is largely a Millennial and GenZ phenomenon (to some degree GenX too, but less so). American multilingualism is not something Europeans in Europe will have seen a lot of just yet, simply because the generations with the most money to travel abroad are the generation least likely to speak a second language with any fluency.
Most important thing no to do in Paris: don't be an American, we despise you.
Merci. Just learn Bonjour, Madame or Bonjour Monsieur to say to the shop owners. "France is not Paris." I lived in Orleans, Pau, Caen & Rennes which allowed me many personal advantages to get to know the people and regional food and differences. I also ran around on a Peugot bike. How I love and adore France and the people. Years and years ago my landlady was 93 and told us how Gen Patton liberated Orleans and what that was like. She was so happy to have Americans living with her because of this. Such enriching experiences to remember at 80 years old.
❤
Love that!!❤
I love Pau!!!
That's actually the most down to earth description of the Paris tourist experience I have ever seen. Good job! I'll refer my next visitors to your video for a reality check.
We just visited Paris last November and had a wonderful time. We walked everywhere. Miss our morning coffee and croissants. Had the most delightful conversation with our hotel clerk about which boulangerie he loves. He gave the most detailed description of the perfect baguette! ❤ Also found that people were extremely helpful when asking a question politely.
What boulangerie did he love?
I agree! Went every morning in local boulangery, obviously looking like tourist and "speaking" maybe 20 words, but all stuff was super helpful and pleasant and I was super happy with taste of chevre baguettes ❤
When my wife and I went to the south of France (Provence mostly). We had a great time because we were prepared. I took a French language class. The teacher had lived in France for many years and was well versed in French culture.
She said that the most important thing to a French person was being recognized as a person. So the first thing we learned was how to greet a French person. The first thing to say was, “Bonjour, comment allez-vous”. And then, and only THEN, ask “Parlez-vous anglais”? With one exception, EVERY person relaxed and became friendly because I had recognized them as a person. Their answer about speaking English was almost invariably “Un peu” (a little). In most cases, that translated to “I speak it well” (that’s my opinion).
In general, we did very well in France by learning the culture and norms. Part of that is because we live in the Seattle area, which is home to many cultures. It’s the norm for us.
The only person who responded to “Parlez-vous anglais?” with a firm “Non” was a lady running a filling station while asking her for directions to A8. I realized that I had to depend on my limited French. But I was very successful - good directions (that I understood) and speaking a French person in her language! I left with both of us smiling. Stellar feeling!
In my opinion, the key to success is respecting other cultures, even if they are different from our own.
Very nice. 👋
Super boulot Lucile !
As a parisian, I confirm that those are very good advices ! Don't try to thick all the boxes. I'd rather spend a day walking slowly through districts (arrondissements) than queueing to enter a museum ! Parisians are not rude and love foreigners if themselves are not rude. Go to local places to have some drink from 7pm to midnight (Butte aux Cailles, Batignolles, Gaieté, Belleville, Marcadet, Mabillon and many many more)
Take your time 🙂
super boulot!
Batignolles, yeas!
Amazing tips, and they apply to other places too. Absolutely agree with not limiting yourself to a tickbox list of landmarks to visit. Experience the city (indeed, any city) by exploring the seemingly mundane, everyday parts. That's where the adventures are!
I agree, I love walking around and trying to do whatever people are doing when I visit a new place :)
Last year, we were in Paris during the World Cup, and boy, I've never seen people get so crazy. People were stood, waving flags, drinking, and sinking. Truly a memory I will always have. We try to visit every couple of years, but even now after a dozen trips, staying a week or more at a time feel like, we still haven't scratched the surface of the city.
On my first visit to Paris, the best part of the trip was wandering through neighborhoods well away from the main tourist sites. I even had fun trying to figure out how to do laundry in a local laundromat. I had pleasant conversations with some locals who gave me tips on what to see.
That is so funny, we had the same experience trying to figure out the laudrymat too. Got it though with some kind help from a local that did not speak English and used it several times on my last trip.
I've not been to Paris...only Strasbourg. But we were 'warned' by a family member who was living in Europe about some of the things NOT to do as a tourist in Europe. ...One of the important things recommended was not being too loud! 🤪We took that to heart.
Well even some Parisians can be loud 😂
especially in Alsace, we have a germanic way of living, way far from the rest of France, quite, serious ppl . Paris is more cheerful
Yes! We walked so much and it was amazing to just people watch and see how people interact with each other. I loved going to sidewalk cafes and not feeling rushed. Having comfortable shoes and getting out there with a map and exploring was the best thing.
No matter which new country I travel to, I always learn how to say "hello, do you speak English" in their language. Imagine you are in your own country and dont speak a word of French and somebody just walks up to you and starts speaking in French and also has an attitude like they think everybody in the world speaks French. Now. imagine that same person walks up to you and says, in your own language "hello do you speak French?" You I had a wonderful time in Paris traveling solo, staying in an air-b-n-b in a neighborhood in the city but not right next to any major tourist attractions and being surrounded by friendly and helpful locals.
Absolutely correct! Travelling through Europe you cannot master all the languages. But just learning a few basics in the way you have described, stands you in good stead. It's basic respect.
I find Americans and Australians the worst for just barking English at people in foreign countries, it's so weird. How hard is it to learn the basics...ON A LONG HAUL FLIGHT!! The clowns have at least 10 hours to practice!
Maybe you should try saying "hello I'm sorry but I don't speak French do you by chance speak English" that would be more polite and wouldn't make them feel dumb because they only speak their own language. Most French people 30 or under speak English these days.
Was in Paris last spring and these tips are spot on. We found the locals to be very friendly and accommodating though we attempted our best at French where we could. We enjoyed the local neighborhoods way more than the tourist areas. Pack light and walk if you can. We walked a total of 32 miles in 6 days while there. Loved it!
you must be american, those are rookie number, haha
@@adamvoid555 yup! 😂
Lived there nearly for 2 years in my youth and I still remember, everytime I couldnt sleep taking my skateboard, going out and riding till I got lost through the streets of Paris which was so quiet and calm after midnight, such a lovely city when is empty!
Very nice videos Lucile thank you !
I'm an expat Brit, lived In Paris for 18 years and have 2 college age dual nationality Franco-Britannique children and being a professional history tour guide I am constantly meeting tourists , and one thing I would mention to anyone as you spoke a little about taking public transport is to be VERY careful to both KEEP and VALIDATE your ticket and have the CORRECT ticket
I make sure I always explain this to people on any tours when we chat
I always joke that being caught up in a manifestation and tear gassed by the CRS French Riot Police just for doing nothing and being "controlled" by the totally inflexible RATP ticket inspectors are part of the rights of passage of living In Paris
RATP , the Parisian area transport authority and the people who work for them are notorious for all the wrong reasons
They are COMPLETE ###-holes, the very worst definition of giving someone a tiny bit of power and a uniform and it going to their heads
Their lives in reality are sad and pathetic and they get off on this tiny moment of power and creating misery for another human being
They deliberatley target stations where they know tourists will frequent because Its "low hanging fruit" as tourists often quite innocently misplace their ticket or the barriers may not be functioning correctly so their ticket doesn't get stamped and as these peoole do not understand the regles which are NOT in English or any of their rights or speak French they can very easily bully them Eg Concorde, Invalides, Etoile, Clemenceau
A special mention also for the notorious La Defense station, if you travel there on the RER A then it is a different ticket from if you take METRO LIGNE 1 even though Its exactly the same station
It Is TOTALLY confusing makes no sense and Is not explained at all clearly
And these ###-holes know this Is the case but still target people from out of town deliberately there knowing full well they will find people making innocent mistakes
It Is QUITE deliberate and has absolutely NOTHING to do with preventing ticket fraud at all
Its pure and simple revenue collection by the easiest means possible IE TOURISTS
I know this because if they were really interested in preventing ticket fraud then they would come out to the 92 and 93 districts and control the tickets at some of the stations there
I have lived now in Gennevilliers near Gabriel Peri metro on the ligne 13 for the last 6 years and If I go to Gabriel Peri station and just stand there for one hour I can guarantee that i will see a person at least every couple of minutes going through the barriers witout any ticket
But in those 6 years I have not seen ONCE any controleur, I am not exggerating not a single time !
If you live in the Banlieue, even the "colder" ones or shall we say nicer areas of the suberbs then you will know very well why you never see them there In these areas of the 92 and 93 but instead they just target innocent tourists for easy money sadly
What a way to treat visitors and say Bienvenue a Paris!
I had the best time in Paris when traveling alone back in 2007. Talked to a lot of locals, very friendly. I remember walking 15+km every day. My line was "bonjour, excuze-moi, Je ne parle pas français, parlez-vous anglais?" Worked like a charm
Toulouse was fabulous. I was very fortunate several years ago to be on a work trip to Toulouse. My schedule allowed me to shop at the local market most days. Delicious food. Lots of great restaurants. I don’t speak more than a few words of French. Bonjour, pardon, merci. Most younger shop and restaurant workers spoke English very well. I only needed my rental car for trips outside the city. Toulouse was a fantastic serendipitous location. I probably would not have picked it as a “chosen” destination. I had a wonderful time. Thanks for the memories.
Years ago, I went on vacation in Tokyo. I got lost and spent my entire time just wandering around and never went to a single tourist attraction. I was FABULUS!
Coincides with my experiences of Paris to a tee. I loved getting lost (not really, as I had a map in my pocket), as the architecture was so gorgeous. Another tip: If it’s a walking alley lined with restaurants, the prices are lowest in the middle, highest at the ends which meet the main streets.
I worked in France but wasn't a tourist. Never saw anything historic. But loved the food and wine. Also the bread! Man I loved hearing the bread truck arriving every morning.
About the American woman in the bakery: It amazes me how many people think, when they encounter someone who doesn't speak English, that if they SHOUT it at him, he will magically begin to understand them. That's NOT how languages work!
But surprisingly sometimes that facilitates understanding haha
But yeah, totally agree
@@atriyakoller136 : It makes the person being yelled at feel attacked. And a language they don't understand is still not understood at any volume.
Yes, that’s it. If they don’t understand you, shout louder !
@@stevecarson4162 and by being attacked, the person realizes doing things wrong. And then learn. Shouting always works in my experience.
@@Ranyanya : You can't be serious. Speaking your own language in your own country and expecting others to have the courtesy of having bothered to learn at least the minimum is NOT "doing things wrong".
If that American woman ran a bakery in the U.S. and someone came in shouting at her in French, do you think she'd "learn"? Or do you think she'd be angry? It's no different.
And if you think shouting at someone in a language *they don't speak* will be effective, you have a lot to learn.
Been to Paris twice (2007 and last summer) and we loved it both times. This time we had an Airbnb on St-Charles in the 15è and we loved having the open air market twice a week, and the stuff we got there was awesome, especially the salmon! The best meals we had were out of the touristy areas, except for that great Croque Monsieur at Brasserie Les Deux Palais on île de la Cité which is in a touristy area.
As for the coffee, my in-laws warned us about that when we were planning our honeymoon trip in 2007, and last summer, the only café filtre I had was the one I made myself in the morning before we headed out for our daily excursions. No language barrier for us, since we live in Québec and are Francophone.
Paris is my favourite city in the world, after my own hometown of Montréal. So that's the two largest Francophone cities at the top of my list, pas pire, hein? One of the reasons we love watching Secrets d'Histoire is not only because Stéphane Bern is an awesome host, but also seeing Paris time and again. Both times we were there, I felt like I was home. Maybe it's because I had ancestors who were born there and sailed to Nouvelle-France and settled here in the 17th-18th Century.
C'est clair qu'on veut retourner un jour! Bonne soirée!
Great video. I have been to Paris more than 20 times. A lot from Australia! It's a truly amazing city. My favorite. Thanks for sharing you insights and enthusiasm.
We went to Paris last summer. We were mostly in the tourist areas and I found the French to be polite and the service was great. We had an amazing time.
There were no French folks there in the summer.
@@Wilem35 paris's urban space has 17 million residents, but alright
I just wanted to let you know that your videos have been VERY helpful. I even canceled a reservation because it was far away. Now I am about 30 mins walking distance from the areas we plan to visit. I thought I was smarter than that but I really needed to hear this!
You right !
Nice vid !
Paris is not to big. You can easily walk or rent a bike . It doesn t take long time, and you can feel the City and taste each boulangerie you ll met!
I didn't expect to like Paris so much when I went, but there's just something about the city. It's so beautiful, I didn't even have amazing food everywhere (baked goods yes all amazing) but I still loved being there and the fact that everywhere I looked there were beautiful buildings and scenery. I walked different neighborhoods and still it all felt like a movie. Can't wait to go back!!! Thanks for the tips and this channel!
We are in Paris 3 or 4 times a year for decades now, so I know these tips are spot on!
We prefer to stay in the 6th for history or Chaillot in the 16th is also rather pleasant.
Merci beaucoup pour cette vidéo, je la garde dans une liste de lecture pour la consulter avant d'aller en France et à Paris. Et j'aime ton énergie bienveillante et que tu sois souriante...encore merci, du Québec 💙
Paris is my favorite city on the planet. I've been there 20 times. It's very walkable--I can walk 15+km no problem--with lots of "rencontres insolites". A lot of the beauty of Paris is how the city is laid out and the fact that the buildings are all the same height and often the same style so you never feel like you're in a canyon.
I always stay in AirBnBs for 2 weeks since I sometimes cook and need laundry facilities since I travel very light. Hotels are not very personal and I don't need any froufrou services. Just a boulangerie and traiteur.
Going back next spring to see Notre Dame reborn!
I love the fact that where pastries are even, that means that they’re not the best, maniacal precision isn’t the result of human craft. I’m Italian and I was also told several times that if you want bread or pastries, you have to get the “imperfect” one, because it’s handmade, there isn’t a single piece of fresh bread that is identical to another one, and that’s it’s beauty.
We love visiting Italy ... Always a great experience with the lifestyle, history and of course food.
Aimless walking, morning coffee and croissant sounds like a perfect way to spend a day-thanks for the great video, will enjoy learning more about the best way to visit Paris and other regions in France. Will plan ahead and work on my French. Merci beaucoup.
My husband and I love Paris and France in general. Have never experienced any rudeness - pretty much the opposite!
I’m American and found that the speaking a little French really helped. My skills aren’t advanced and most of the people I encountered were so kind and switched to English almost immediately, but I could also tell that they appreciated my ability to say hello, how are you, and ask for what I wanted in French.
Effort and courtesy goes a long way.
BONJOUR, LUCILE! That was the BEST video I have watched about Paris in a long time. I hope to return in the early Spring and visit old friends, you've given me what I needed! A fresh outlook about Paris and France in general that outsiders can't do the right way! Merci bien! ♥
That's so nice!! I'm so happy you enjoyed the video :)
Im an airline pilot and have been lucky enough to go to Paris dozens if times. Thank you for the great video! There is nothing I enjoy more than picking one thing to see and walking/taking the metro and taking my time to get there. I do have several spots I love to go back to but discovering new things is my favorite part of visiting Paris. Enjoy!!
I like your suggestion about visiting Toulouse, I spent a fair amount of time there for work and enjoyed being able to walk around and enjoy the city without the crowds (and tourists!).
I lived and worked in New York most of my life, and ALL of these big-city tips are so true! And I'm planning a month in Paris during the Olympics this summer and can't wait to put your suggestions to use!
My best cafe meal was in a side street away from the Arc de Triomphe. Full of big burly men in work gear. The lunch was delicious! Thanks to a friend who worked nearby and knew the best spots.
I’ve been learning French for the last two years with the hope of visiting France and spending a long time there and this video was exactly what I was looking for to see the best way to act in Paris. Cultures that may seem very similar can have small, but important differences and it’s really important to learn those and respect the local culture. Thanks for this! I followed your channel, I’m looking forward to learning more about France and French culture. Merci beaucoup, j’adore ton leçon!
Great video Lucile! Fortunately, I learned most of this prior to my first visit to Paris in 2022 and I have to say that it all served me very well. I only wish that I was better able to speak the language more fluently. My biggest pet peeve is when people come into a country like France and don't know and/or don't respect the culture and the norms. I studied this in depth before I went and it made my trip a lot more pleasant, I'm sure! J'aime Paris et la France !
Thank you so much for your nice and detailed comment, I loved reading it! I agree with you, I always try to research the culture of the place I'm visiting beforehand. France is also the first foreign country a lot of people go to, and there are a lot of new things to learn when you travel for the first time :)
Nice. Thank you. I enjoyed that.
I primarily watched this to see if there were some tips that I could forward to someone and Number 9 was one of the tips that I really wanted to get across to them. Walk. Paris does have a great Metro system - you can get basically anywhere within inner Paris on it very efficiently. Most places aren't more than a 5 minute walk from a Metro stop and you can almost time your journey by the number of stops they're situated that regularly (with a little extra time for any changes you have to do). However, you're going to miss most of Paris (little shops, eateries, the buildings, the vibe, etc.) if you Metro everywhere. Some locations are really good to walk between, especially in the inner arrondissements.
I like the advice on closing time - that is definitely something to consider - their work-time is their work-time and then it is their time. Making them work late for little reward, maybe miss their transportation, or take away from their time, is not just impolite, it is almost an affront to their existence. A job is a job and after that they are regular people with lives to live, not some kind of servant to do your bidding whenever you deem it. I would hazard that this extends to being polite - which is definitely a good option anywhere you go in the world. It may be just simple civility, but it in France it seems to extend to beliefs about a person's existential rights and expectations as a as a human being and a member of a collective society. There are times where someone will be so formally polite with the "Je vous en prie, monsieur/madame" that it feels sycophantic, but in a cultural context I once heard it put that not starting with a simple "bonjour" is like treating the person with whom you are talking (waiter/ress, shop worker, etc.) like a servant instead of a member of the liberté, égalité, fraternité country.
And I must agree that when booking your hotel on a website, you need to check each hotel you are considering for its location. You would not believe how far out of Paris you can be offered a "Parisian" hotel - as much as a bus trip past the last stop on an RER train line - and like Lucile said you do not want to be travelling much on the RER outside of inner Paris if you can avoid it. Basically, you really want to stay within the Metro system if you're in Paris, and ideally within the Boulevard Périphérique. However, the closer you get to the Périphérique, the more average or distant it can seem (although there are exceptions). Just think, everything inside the Périphérique is considered Paris proper and everything outside the Périphérique is considered Greater Paris, with the further locations considered commuterville. If you look at the postcodes for your hotel - anything starting with a 75 is inner Paris and the last two digits (01 to 20) will tell you which arrondissement it is in. I would say that there are areas near Gare du Nord and Sacre Coeur aren't too great to be based in either. Funnily enough, I thought that Lucile colour-coded the nice arrondissemets on the map (17, 20, 10th near Canal St Martin), but then I realised that it was just coloured in sequence to the numbered order as one of my favourite local 'coins' is also in another of the same-coloured arrondissements.
Paris is mostly safe, but there are number of scams being tried, mostly on tourists: Signing petitions, making donations, organised begging, the bracelet around the wrist, the reward for the "found" ring, etc. plus the potential pick-pockets on crowded streets and trains. Definitely keep your possessions in safe locations and make sure your bags are secure and do not walk around with them just hanging in a way that makes them easy to access without your knowledge. Advice for many places, not just Paris.
This video showed up in my feed and you my dear are a delight! Excellent video, so I became a new subscriber. I've wanted to go to France, live in France for ages. So I began studying France and French culture ages ago, and taught myself French which I found easy to read and write but hard to speak, so I figured total emersian might be best. Life goes on, things happen, dreams get deferred, delayed, or die. Merci for breathing some life into one such dream ❤ 😊 or as we say in Hawai'i, "mahalo and aloha".
I recently travelled to Paris and fell in love. I was a solo traveller and wanted to enjoy the areas that are not touristy and I think is what made my Paris trip so amazing. I did see some tourist spots but was disgusted by the behaviour of tourists. It was summer and the majority of tourists I came across were American or Spanish. I am an Australian and felt bad for the Parisians having to put up with rude tourists not paying any attention to their impact on this beautiful city. Tourists are not guests in the countries they visit, we force ourselves onto the locals and should be mindful of how we treat these places and the people that call it home. Great video, Merci 💓
Very sound and helpful advice. And so true wherever people travel. When my wife and I were in Venice, Florence and Bologna for our honeymoon our guide (after telling our group they were on their own for lunch) would take my wife and I to HIS favorite restaurants which were definitely "locals only" and we ate well. Whereas the rest of our group always complained that the food was horrible in the tourist sections...and i boned up on as much Italian to be respectful to the locals.
That and what a lot of people dont understand is that when you travel to Italy or Mexico from USA - food in those countries doesnt taste like the Americanized versions at Olive Garden and Chi Chis.
@@jenp3752 agreed. Good insight!
For tourism, I would recommend bus rather than metro. It's slower but you can enjoy the sight, get a better understanding of the neighborhood, and thanks to the bus lane they are not much affected by traffic jam. The issue is that there are much less frequent than metro, but you can check the map and waiting time at each bus stop, and travel duration in the bus.
If you like sport, there is also a good network of cycle lane and on rent electric bike, but due to the dense traffic, drivers tend to apply the law rather than giving space and pass centimeters away from each other.
O,Lucile,French is beautiful on paper but man,is it hard to perceive when spoken. Spanish (not even talking about super understandable Italian) sticks to me so much better.
It's true, French is so hard to understand!
Just back from France. Toured the Loire Valley in a n RV and then spent a week in Paris….. Our sixth visit to your most delightful and beautiful country!
A great THANK YOU to all the French people for their friendliness and for being so helpful to this ‘francophile’ with his rudimentary command of your language!
It’s a pleasure to watch your videos, Lucile. This one was very helpful. And your accent is absolutely beautiful 🤌
Thank you so much :)
Thank you so much for the helpful video, Lucile! We've been to Paris and all over France, and your tips are perfect, especially for people who have never been. It's always important to research how you should behave in any foreign country. And, there are SO many amazing places in France other than Paris ~ I urge people to go!
This is very helpful because I plan on filming some English lessons in Paris next year. Thank you for the tip about the areas in Paris that are local, but not so local.
Happy this helped and good luck with your filming!
Thank you for this! I have ancestors who are traced to Ypres. Last I was there we traipsed around other parts of France. We had a short time to visit. I wish to return. The countryside is gorgeous
So nice to see the Batignoles, and its marvelous garden of my childhood !
Love someone who prioritises the best way to get good food in her advice.
We really liked staying in the 5th, near UPMC, because there aren't many tourist crowds but there's lots of food and lots of cool things to see (Jardin des Plantes and the Natural History museums, seriously the Hall of Bones needs to be on every tourist itenerary; the Mineral museum in UPMC also, which is mind-blowing), and also it's a short walk to Tourist Ground Zero.
Oh I love the Jardin des Plantes area!!
@@LucileHR I assume you've seen the "Hall of Bones", which is absolutely insane. However, you may not have seen the very beautiful Mineral Museum at UPMC, one of the finest mineral collections on earth. Well worth a visit.
Thank you will check out theses museums
I had the HIGHEST expectations when I 1sr came to Paris.....And I was NOT Disappointed!!!
1 Tip - If you have a pre-determined destination; take the Metro "one-way" &Walk the other.
You don't tire yourself + you get to take-in all that beautiful Architecture that is Pars
Tip #2 - Before a meal (speciallly a sit-down one) stop @ a Tabatry (?) or a local boutique . and ask someone (Cashier?) where she/he would take a friend out for their
Anniversaire. Et Voila!
... tabac ?
I am a Croat who spent six months in Paris on a IT consulting stint. I must say that I agree with every word you said. To add a little tidbit to your advice about not blocking sidewalks: don't stand on the "wrong" side of escalators - there are many people in hurry who would like to "overtake" you. I was initially often guilty of this.
Same in Germany!😁
Ditto for London.
Good manners are applicable everywhere
@@daisy8297 Of course, but not every country has the same "correct" side of escalators to stand vs. walk. I learned to spend a minute first time in a new environment observing, in order to learn to "do as the Romans do".
As a French guy who's lived in paris for a few years, I would say you did a great job with this video! Accurate tips for first-timers, and your english is spot on 👏🏻
Merci beaucoup pour les conseils. Je me rappele que le centre ville était déjà incroyablement cher la dernière foix que j'ai rendu visite à Paris il ya a peu près 40 ans. J'aimerais retourner un jour. Surtout c'est bon savoir qu'il y a une difference entre les boulangeries et la vente de pain génerale.
Oui, c'est vrai que tout est cher à Paris, malheureusement je suis habituée car j'ai habité à New York et Londres qui sont aussi très chères :O
Oui, je trouve qu'il y a une grosse différence et il faut trouver une bonne boulangerie :)
Don’t be surprised ,your video is excellent ,simple,honest,straight to the point ,while the one I played yesterday about luxury hotels and stores ,was very scary for people with a small budget ,who are the majority of the tourists ! merci
Thanks for these tips Lucile! 😅 I need them 😂
Hi Bobby keep having fun in Paris.see ya in the next video. Staying turned.
Another great video Lucile. This is only the third video of yours that I've watched, and I've learned a lot! I like the fact that you mentioned stopping in the middle of the road, sidewalk etc, and blocking the ability for others to get by. I live in Charlotte, NC (I'm from New Orleans), and my partner and I have traveled all over the US and Europe, and one of our biggest pet pevee's is when people block a sidewalk, a hallway, a passage way (like in a department store) to look at their phone or any number of other things. It's super annoying! We are of the belief that if you want, or need to stop, fine, but step off to the side and get out of everyone's way. When we travel outside of the US, the people who bug us the most, are Americans! We try to quickly blend in everywhere we go and recognize the customs of our host city, and be respectful. In other words, treating people the way we would like to be treated.
I had to love this. It's the same in the US in so many big cities, hard to find a good chocolate Croissant and a real coffee. All the best.
Was touring Europe in 2000 with my wife. Paris first stop - magical place. For a big city - best place. Will never forget it. I didn’t speak any French, but would try - (would not speak English) - and I never had an issue. The Parisian’s were always appreciative of my flawed attempts.
Great video! Thank you! I like to stay in the 11th. Very chill (except for Rue de Lappe! 😅). And nothing like a stroll through Père Lachaise! I have never been treated rudely and I always give eye contact with a ‘Bonjour’ with shopkeepers. People confuse formality and politeness with coldness. Totally agree about meals. We called it “restaurant prison”, so learned to budget time. 🤣 I learned the hard way showing up in a village with only one resto, but too late after the seatings started. Lots of seats, but not for my “late” entry l. You must respect the rules of the game. 😂
I'll call it the "restaurant prison" from now on haha
Thank you Lucile! I'm visiting Paris from the UK. I used your advice on where to stay (I'm currently staying in Batignolles, it's a really nice area) and where to find the best food, avoid the tourist traps and I'm having a great time just walking around the city and experiencing more authentic French culture!
Je confirme tout ce que vous dites!!!
Très intéressante vidéo que j’ai partagé avec mes étudiants en Malaisie…
Thank for providing good advice , I have traveled the world for fifty years it is so easy these days compared to the 60’s or before.
But remember allow your self the best cafe seat with the best city views and allow one hour just to watch the passing life , take a photo of yourself or companions . Every time you look at the photo, it will bring the moments , the sounds, smiles and laughter for the rest of your life .
Do not skim on a good seat !
Serious best video on visiting Paris I have ever seen, and i love to "travel online" so I watch many. It's very real and down to earth, and great advice!!!
This is all so accurate in every aspect. I've been visiting Paris for nearly fifty years and have family there. Everything you say is right. The area they live in is off the main tourist routes. A little effort does go a long way and a 'bonjour' smooths the path every time. Curiously, its identical in meaning to our Australian greeting "g'day'", but with a bit more style!
I speak French and know Paris, so I once visited with an American friend, to help her and show her around. Wow! Was that ever frustrating! She came with her checklist of things to see, refused to be interested in anything else, wouldn’t walk, only wanted to eat cheap Chinese because there was something "wrong" with any French food I tried to get her to try … Thank goodness she only had ten days and I could go back to wandering, exploring, sampling, just enjoying.
Another TH-cam comment grounded on Stereotype: guy who only knows asshole Americans.
And this is a friend? Why didn’t you know your “friends” likes, dislikes and interest? Seems not much a friend, but acquaintance. Why couldn’t you accept your “friend” as they are instead of how you think they should be?
@@TC-dw6wg She's a lovely person, and when I agreed to the Paris trip I didn’t interrogate her as to what kind of tourist she is. When I found out, I accommodated her tastes and gave her as far as I could the trip of her dreams, and only went back to enjoying Paris my way after she went home.
I lived 5 yrs in Paris and I just loved walking sometimes withouth a specific place in mind, It was amazing.
@@TC-dw6wgIt’s quite normal to not know how a friend, even a close friend, will behave why travelling abroad especially if the person has never done it before. It’s quite logical.
This is great advice that tracks well for any major city I’ve ever been to. This gal is like the one I might have dreamed about meeting when I went to Paris in my 20’s. Make more of anything!
In no place should one stop in the path especially groups. Also it's super annoying when couples or trios walk side by side hogging all the room. This is courtesy for others and not limited to any one city or nation.
We've been to Paris a dozen times and your advise is great... I always brush up on my high school French before we go and yes an attempt and at least politeness will go a long long way. Oh, YOU must greet the shopkeeper when you enter a store, not the other way around. Be nice, you'll be surprised at how nice the French will be to you. Très
magnifique, merci!
Interesting. A similar thing happens in Mexico - the customer is expected to thank the cashier at the end of the transaction in shops for serving them, instead of the employee thanking the customer for their business as happens in Anglo-based countries.
I’ve spent more time in Paris than any city other than my home town. First there in 1975 and been back many times since. Pick pocketed once so be careful. French people can recognise tourists so buy some clothes in Paris and wear them and people won’t know you’re a tourist.
I was in Paris last year with my family and had a great time. I did not expect french people were so kind to tourists.
LOVED Toulouse! Had to go where one of my favourite artist was from. They have a wonderful market. Also, your wonderful Paris advice, most of it can easily be applied for other destinations as well. Learn a greeting in their language much less "excuse me, do you speak english?"; simple courtesy.
Nice video and accurate. My wife and I visited for a week and its a favorite of mine. We actually rented an apartment on the Ile de France and Notre Dame was visible from our window and it worked out great. We also used the Metro and walking to get everywhere. We averaged over 10 miles a day walking but it was easy. Imagine seeing some attraction and then walking 2 hours across Paris taken in the gardens, monuments, architecture. No rush. Maybe hit a small deli for a sandwich au jambon or croissant. If you're staying a while give some consideration to day trips out of the city. We did 3 and they were all fantastic. We trained over to Versailles. Try to see the village too its lovely. We also trained to Fontainebleau for a day. Beautiful. And we did a high speed train to Amsterdam, spent the day and came back the next. I loved this entire trip.
Such a lovely video! And great tips way beyond common sense - thank you!
Thank you Ana :)
Thank you for sharing this video.
I grew up in Paris (17ieme) so I was happy to see you mention "my" arrondissement!
We used to look forward to September when the weather was still warm, but the tourists had left. Now there is no tourism free season. I still miss living there.
lol j'ai trop rigolé oui ils sont chiants les touristes (et pas que) qui marchent à 2 à l'heure 🤣 mais pas que ya des personnes qui parlent sur le trottoir jusque là ça va bien mais on est obligé de marcher sur la route pour les dépasser car ils prennent toute la largeur, même en criant un pardon ça marche pas 😂 oui belle mention pour le canal de l'Ourcq à la fois à proximité de république riche en restos et bars, et de belleville idem pour pas cher. J'ai vécu dans le 19e,16e,8e, 17e, je suis plutôt fan de la tranquilité du canal de l'Ourcq mais attention aux trotinettes et vélos qui ont tendance à nous foncer dessus, comme des scoots sur le trottoir...
I went to Paris 8 months ago with my wife, it was my second visit and for my wife it was her fifth. This time we decided to do a more relaxed tour, our first visit together was 8 years ago and we stay for a few days and went to the Louvre, Versailles, Notre Dame, and we have very little time and budget to do many things. This time we picked free tours, we visit the Latin Quarter, we went to Montmartre, Saint Denis, we stroll along the Seine, we visited Pere Lachaise cemetery, we went to some cafés and one day we went to Champagne region and Reims. It was a lovely trip.
Even so, we did a few mistakes. We rent an apartment in the 11th arrondissement and we saw that there was a metro station a few steps from the building. After leaving the airport we took a bus, then the metro, and we had to change from one line to another, and then the station where we had to leave didn't have automatic stairs or an elevator, yikes! That's why when we left Paris we took a taxi to the airport, a bit expensive but it was better.
Anyway, we absolutely love Paris and we can't wait to go there again. Very useful tips, great video.
Loved this!!! On my way for my third trip to France in less than two weeks and walking 10 miles a day around all parts of the city 🥰
Enjoy :D
My wife and I went to Paris for our 50th anniversary last year. The people were very helpfül and very polite…extremely polite. I always began with Ì am sorry I do not speak Frenchˋ which was met with a smile and ˋthat is OK i speak englishˋ even when we just looked a bit confused young people would ask if we would like some help….wow. And the google maps connection to the transit system was amazing…we loved Paris and the people!
If you travel to Paris watch out for “pick pocket”.
So true, I paid so high eating in restaurants in Champs Élysées, I paid over €25 for a pasta and wine 🍷 and also near Eiffel Tower, I paid over €16 for coffee and crepe. Thankfully where I stayed was less expensive and could have breakfast for €6 and €12 for a lunch. Miss and Love Paris ❤️❤️
About bakery research in France , the "Artisan Boulanger" sign next to the Boulangerie sign is strongly recommended too !
Perfect advise! I am happy to see the place I stayed in 2022, 17th Ard, is in your suggested areas, and Yes! I do speak some French, and ate at the local cafe to my hotel, Rendezvous des Chauffeurs -- and it was Amazing! I have several friends in US who are Truckers, and the locals were happy with my patronage, kept giving me cognac and more fries, gratis! I was just following my instincts, and it's gratifying to get your confirmation 🙂 Thank you for making this, I DO hope to return to France again! Love the food, respect the culture, know some history and enjoy! Merci
C'était peut être un restaurant routier qui sont souvent d'un excellent rapport qualité prix. Ne pas hésiter à essayer le plat du jour, souvent des plats traditionnels. Malheureusement ces restaurants tendent à disparaitre....