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I would love to subscribe NordVPN but I just subscribed to expressvpn haha Also, I am visiting Paris for the first time in May and just doing a little bit of research, there is nothing that can stop me from going now, but just thought I should know a little more.
C'est bien d'avoir fait une vidéo sur Paris mais tu as oublié un truc très important c'est que tu parles d'une position avec un certain pouvoir d'achat et un certain privilège la vie du Parisien moyen laborieux n'est pas du tout désirable avec les long trajet en métro matin et soir la grisaille et la crasse
I've been living in Paris for over 8 years now and I completely agree with everything you've said: there are pros and cons but when we look at the city itself and everything it has to offer, I don't think it's overrated. The thing about Paris though is that you do need to know where to get your information which is why I think the typical tourist experience is totally overrated. But once you live here and you start getting your bearings, oh boy, you will get addicted. Unfortunately for non-french-speakers, I also do think that speaking french enhances everything by 1000%. Paris for people who speak french compared to people who don't is like two different worlds. So if you move here, I would recommend you learn as fast as you can.
As a french person who grew up in , and went to study in Paris, I think I come to the same conclusion as yours. Paris is always a love-hate relationship with positive but also a lot of negative aspects. The best way to appreciate Paris, for me, is to live there for some time to get to find the places you really like, that give you this feeling of seeing what it was like in past centuries. When you get to know some places really well, it slowly becomes yours in a way, you feel comfortable and at home. A good way to appreciate Paris to its full potential is also to be able to leave the city and come back to discover it all over again.
@@dawae2162 you are silly, it’s an illusion to think it wasn’t diverse in the past ;) I don’t see any modern city or city of importance that is not or was not diverse. Despite what you seem to want to believe, that’s also the beauty of Paris/Europe. Diversity, it’s ingrain in French history
Thats a great comment I must say. I feel feel the same about London but its much more hate. I want to leave and not return for a long time but eventually come back and discover it all over again as you said.
I visited a few years ago with a friend I and told a French woman that I loved her outfit and that she was so stylish. She was so flattered that she gave me recommendations for where to go to get some clothes, and gave me her number in case I needed anything while in the city. We ended up meeting up and having lunch, and we still stay in touch via social media. Put yourself out there and you never know what you might find.
Exactly. Everywhere my wife and I have visited have been exceptional. We are not only remembered. But welcomed with open arms. Why? Because we are very polite, respectful and are always happy to engage others on their own cultural level despite the fact we are totally fumbling it. It helps that I speak French and my wife speaks Spanish. And together we can piece together Italian. But we definitely don’t look like any of those nationalities.
I spent one year living in Paris as an exchange student during my early 20s and it was so lovely, such a beautiful experience. I used to go on walks on my own and visit as much art galleries, museums or historical spots as I could - I loved it.
As a New Yorker who has lived here for 5 years, I agree with you on every point here. Very well explained! The greater respect for people's private lives and healthier work-life balance is the biggest reason why I chose to move here - I felt like I was going insane in the US working 50+ hours a week.
I couldn't agree more! I was born an raised in new york in the bronx after discovering this side of life im already planing my move to italy by late next year or 2024👏
@@maegalroammis6020 Something only a French person would say 😄Paris is not even half as stressful as New York, trust me, I've lived in each place for a long time.
@@maegalroammis6020 Not to mention that in the US, in general, everything is just much more stressful. Work contracts basically don't exist there, which means you can get fired basically at any time for no reason... Salaried employees there, like I once was, don't earn overtime for those hours they work over 40 per week, which means that you're essentially working for free for a good part of your week. Lunch break? Forget about it - even if you have one, most of your colleagues will look at you like a lazy person and resent you if you go outside and don't eat at your desk while working like they do. Oh, and don't forget that you must pay for your health insurance out of pocket, which, for good coverage, will cost you at least 500 dollars a month. Don't have insurance and end up in the hospital? Congratulations, you are now $25,000 in debt and your life is screwed. And to add onto that, cost of living is way higher, the government doesn't help anyone except the extremely impoverished (and that help is laughable), and the entire culture is work-obsessed. You're expected to respond to emails when you're not at work, especially if they're "important" (they almost all are). There is literally a law against that here in France. I could go on, and on, and on, giving you explanations, but it really doesn't even do it justice. Paris is heaven compared to New York.
Living in Paris (in my opinion) is certainly overrated, but travel isn't. The thing is, Paris isn't a place for everyone to just run towards. From what I've heard, all kinds of jobs aren't available. A banker would fair better in Frankfurt than Paris. However, for artists like you, Paris is the center of the world thanks to the beauty of the city and its being as a center of art and history.
for bankers i think you took a wrong example, there aren't any city in Europe with nearly as many finance jobs let along the salary. the problem would be more that english is less used making it harder for a non french to get a position. But la defense being by far the largest business district in Europe its quite a strange statement
I love living in Paris. I'm a french student at the Ecole du Louvre and my appartment is in Montmartre. Everyday, I get to see beautiful works of art, both in the streets and in the museums; I can go to concerts as often as I want and enjoy nice walks around the Seine and the city. Most of the places of my everyday life are litterally the pictures of postcards: and I think it is worth the five flights of stairs leading to my appartment, the cost of life or the not-so-clean streets. I have great memories of my life in Paris and I am really thankful for living here: for example, last year I woke up at 6 in the morning to enjoy the city at night in january (wich was not possible otherwise beacuse of the curfiew in France at that moment). I came out of my building and realised it was snowing. No one was up, the streets were completely empty and I went to the Sacré-Coeur in the snow. It is one of my favorite memories in Paris: taking time to enjoy the city and be thankful for its surprises. (I'm not a native english speaker,, I hope there's no huge mistakes in here)
I’d never know you’re not a native English speaker if you hadn’t said so. Your English is way better than my French, which I barely speak and am only a little better at writing after studying it for 7 years (from high school through most of college).
That's such a beautiful memory!! Snow really does make everything seem magical! Going out into the city at the break of dawn when almost no one else is awake is such a strange (but nice) feeling. It's quite surreal, in my opinion, seeing the empty streets bathed in the early morning light. And your English is great!
To me Paris has become underrated because so many people had the stupid illusion that it was perfect (who could believe that?) and the delusion has made a lot of people mad. If you consider Paris like any other cities like London or New York and you’ll have a great time.
I absolutely agree! Never lived in Paris but I’ve visited many times and always find something new and beautiful. I think tourists forget sometimes that it’s still a real life city, not an amusement park
Amazing as always Nathaniel! I lived in Paris for a year and a half and I agree with you. However, as a European (non-French) I would like to point out that the point you called mentalite unique (about having a healthier balance, not working on sundays, people leaving in august...) is actually a European thing, not a Parisian thing. Everywhere I lived or visited in Europe has been like that and I love it. Wouldn't trade it for the world.
France has still one of the lowest amount of hours to work per week, so he's not wrong in that regard. A typical french guy would work between 35 and 39 hour a week, I don't know any european country where it's lower actually
@@ahouais5620 legaly it's true, but it's not as different as other european country if you look at real working hour at the end of the day. Anyway i agree with the first message, with different systems the cultural thing is shared accross occidental and northern europe. It seems arguably different in another way for the eastern part though (depend on the country too)
@@ahouais5620but there is working and working. Usually the countries with the long hours worked are also the least productive. When the French show up at work, they work for real. They don't stay on site just pretending working.
I am European and I love visiting Paris cause actually a lot is open on Sundays. Like Lafayette is open 11am-8pm on Sundays which is only 1.5 hours shorter than on regular days. I was looking for a suit and everywhere I wanted to look for one was open on Sunday.
Great video, as always! However, I personally think that romanticisation is a form of surviving, a sort of 'mental health instinct'. Nostalgia is a romanticisation of the past. Romanticising Moscow was huge for Chekhov and his work. It is inspiration, optimism, and daydreaming, and a huge cultural capital for any place. Paris (as other cities) would be but a collection of buildings and a bunch of strangers merely coexisting if they were not connected by the (somewhat shared and somewhat personalised) romanticised idea(s) of Paris for which, no matter the hard facts, people still want to stay.
Actually Chekhov is a fantastic example of exploring paradox. The Cherry Orchard has such poignancy about a way of life that was in decline, there was a sense of loss. Yet there was inevitable social progress and change for the proletariat. The French generally have a high regard for the arts. Whereas in many other countries artists are not as respected, They also have a long had a healthy regard for Australian Aboriginal art, and jazz flourished in Paris, and black writers of course found a place there where they could be supported. The problem is people imagine by going there the magic will transfer onto them, without realising the magic is also generated by ourselves.
I think many places are romanticized, and all the photos we see are just a sliver of what the country has to offer. I remember traveling to Greece for a family members wedding, and I was scrolling through endless photos of Santorini & Mykonos and sparking blue oceans. The part I went to near Serres was anything ~but~ what I saw in photos. There were mountains in the horizon, and small rivers scattered through this very small rural countryside village. I saw small farms, and open fields with roaming Buffalo. I think any city or country is easily over glamorized and when we end up seeing things for ourselves they end up being different. Different, but still beautiful.
As a Greek person living abroad I totally agree and I try every day to make people see that Greece (like any other country) has many sides and many different places to see and experience. If someone actually wants to see the beauty and know the people he/she should try visit diverse places of the same country.
Born and raised Parisian here. I've lived there all my life basically (except for a year abroad) and I do agree with a lot of people in the comments saying that you have to live here to truly appreciate it for what it is, and to basically find YOUR Paris. Bonding with local people truly helps : they will show you their favorite places, and bring you on unexpected adventures ! Unexpected being the key word here : I do think people have A LOT of expectations coming here, and it's never good in some way. Unfortunately Paris suffers from this a lot because of all the movies, novels, photographs (and so on) featuring it. EVERYBODY on the planet has some idea of what Paris looks like and feels like, therefore it's never a blank slate coming here, and it can become an obstacle almost impossible to overcome once you meet the real thing.
@@pierren___ True. I have been going there for 20 yrs, from Canada, and I get the 20's allure and the current horror of the place. I still love it. Kisses from Canada.
Just a quick word about pickpockets - they are in most major cities worldwide and you should NEVER walk around with a backpack on (they are super easy targets) Keep your cash, credit cards and passport in a money belt UNDER your clothing. Ladies - same goes for you! Carrying your purse might seem safe but any theif with a razor blade can cut that strap and run off with your purse before you even know what happened...
I visited Paris in 2018 and absolutely loved it. The boulevards, the cafes, carousels, the architecture and history. Just loved it….from an American 🇺🇸 NYer here. I even experienced a strike/protest in which they were lighting flares which was very interesting. It was helpful that many in the city spoke English and tried to understand my terrible French lol.
@@Jucarlien "it really doesn't exist inside Paris" "maybe just in some suburb parts" make your mind up smoothbrain, the suburbs are still Paris and there's absolutely no justification for anything like this to happen anywhere in the west, the fact that you're immediately trying to deny it or ultimately justify it speaks volumes about how much you care about your country, there shouldn't be any no go zones in France to begin with
@@Jordi_Llopis_i_Torregrosa96 Why are you being so aggressive. No the suburbs of Paris is not Paris, I myself live in the suburbs of Paris, this video talks specifically of Paris not the region. I also didn't at all tried to deny the fact that there exist "nogo" zones, neither did I try to justify it. I just wrote my first comment because thanks to the media and particularly American media, some people think that Paris is filled with "no go" areas, wich is completely false. There exist some dangerous places to go in France, particularly NEAR and not IN: Paris and Marseille, wich is a really big problem, but you sound like you just repeat some stuff you read on a random article.
Hi Nathaniel! I'm a Colombian girl living in Italy, and I went to Paris last week. I would say that at first I was really astonished by the entire city, the architecture, the color scheme, the people.... And I truly loved it, I think it is because I come from Bogotá (the capital city of Colombia) and I'm used to moving around a big city.... with all the chaos, the noise, the speed of a capital. I did the touristic things but I also had some friends in Paris that showed me other spots and I really enjoyed it. I feel like I can't describe with words the feeling that Paris left on me, it was magical.
Italy is literally the museum of Europe alongside Greece. Italy is far more architecturally superior than France. Italian architectur dominates Europe till to this day.
I recently left Madrid after teaching there for 2 years. I know EXCATLY what you are talking about, some European Cities just have a certain 'feel' to them that is magical and encourages you to be a better person and live a more balanced lifestyle. Having lived in Canada now for two years and about to move back home to Australia, I certainly miss the balance and being part of a place that is inexplicably larger than yourself. But life is about experiences, and I am glad I have had the privilege to have had all of these experiences to begin with.
I went to Paris a few years ago and it really was never a place I particularly wanted to visit. But maybe because I had low expectations 😂 I simply adored every minute!!! I love Paris!!
I visited Paris last year and to be honest I can’t understand the negative publicity the place gets. It’s a city of elegance with fantastic historical attractions, top level food and a vibrant atmosphere. The people dress with style and were friendly and accommodating. I will return soon. Greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪
idealization is never good we can only be disappointed, Paris remains an incredible city otherwise it would not be the most visited country in the world it is that some people like it anyway
I feel as though the “angry Parisians” trope is specific to American tourists who do not take the time to learn basic French phrases or words…as you mentioned earlier in the video, if you don’t start an exchange with “Bonjour”, you’re dead to the person. American tourism is notorious for the expectation that the world speaks English and therefore caters to them. The French have so much pride in their language that there’s actually an institution dedicated to preserving the language that’s been around since the 1630’s, so they respect those of us who can speak at least in basic terms with them! :)
As an American the best way to get people to speak English to you that I have found is to really try and speak the local native language. Usually I am so bad at it they switch to English to prevent harm to themselves. I do not speak their language poorly on purpose I just suck at it. But I have also found that you get more respect for at least trying even if you only speak in simple toddler like sentences like I tend to. Learn Hello Goodbye Thank you and How to count to at least 10. It is amazing how just that little bit will make a huge difference.
Exactly, I often see videos or comments about people hating Parisians because they're always mad and rude. But as a Parisian, I've been to most countries in Europe, and though we are not the most likeable, I definitely don't think we're the worst either. It's true though that people can be touchy with very very basic politeness rules, like saying "Bonjour". I realized a few years ago how it was important to us when I witnessed a bunch of Americans coming into a bar where I used to go and didn't even say hello or anything. When I enter somewhere I ALWAYS start with a "bonjour monsieur" or "bonjour madame" before I even ask for anything. But they just entered and were talking extremely loudly and expansively, and what we would consider rude or disrespectful and just sat there and called the waiter. They expected everyone to speak a perfect English and acted like they were the only one in the bar, very over-friendly and like the waiter was at their disposal. And the waiter was visibly upset and not very nice with them. I thought to my mind, there we have some Americans that when they will get home, they will say that Parisian waiters are rude assholes, but there's an incredibly huge cultural gap here that Parisian waiters experiments all the time with some tourists (not only Americans), that we all have different standards when it comes to politeness. And I realized that those guys weren't necessarily rude or anything, they just had different standards. In Paris (and in France) we are less effusive than Americans who are very friendly, very fast. We aren't, but it doesn't mean we won't respect you or treat you well. And when we enter a place a "bonjour" is always expected. If there isn't one, it definitely isn't a good start. Even between French people, it's often that I see people arguing in the streets and someone who starts talking to the another person, and this person would answer with "euh, bonjour déjà", which means ("uh, first of all hello").
Not just U.S. American tourists, but anyone who speaks English and refuses to learn at least a few phrases in French because they THINK everyone should speak English. That sentiment bothers me so much, and I'm from the States. Fortunately, I speak French along with 5 other languages. And when I travel to other countries where I don't speak the language, such as Greece or Slovakia, I learn a few phrases and how to read the language, if needed. Locals really appreciate that. English is a world language, but it's not a universal language (b/c not everyone speaks it), and most importantly, it's not the ONLY language. Learn another language or at least some common phrases of the country you're going to visit. Be respectful of other countries and the locals.
@@christopherr.2137 How about speaking French without having the goal of getting them to speak English? Ask them to continue speaking to you in French because you'd like to improve.
As someone who loves Paris and wants to live there for a couple of years, who speaks French and who has a French wife who has a few amazing French friends, I have other cons: - the homelessness - the crime - it’s dirty and smelly - people care about themselves, not you - people try so hard to be cool & it results in them being more standoffish and judgemental - you feel like you have to dress really well to fit in - the strikes can leave you waiting on a train for 4 hours extra or unable to get somewhere, and they are super regular - the pay sucks Other pros: - Walking is really nice and the subway system, although terribly unpleasant, gets you around super reliably - It’s easy to visit other places in France & Europe (French rail is awesome, when there aren’t strikes) - being in love in Paris is just sublime Paris definitely has fewer pros than cons, but the pros are just really really good. It’s also weird to compare it to New York because New York is also such an extreme place.
@@AlbumLeViola Fair enough! Paris is romanticised because of its beauty, its food, its language, and its fashion. It’s pretty easy to make that look good on screen and to make people want to go there! I don’t mind Switzerland, the skiing is insane and the chocolate is to die for. Many places in Europe are pretty amazing for lots of different reasons, and they also all have their flaws. If you like Switzerland, if that’s your place, then that’s great!
"being in love in Paris is just sublime". Is that your pro? Being in love is sublime, full stop. "you feel like you have to dress really well to fit in", you definitely don't know Paris if you say that. I lived 25 years in London, I can spot someone from Paris in a second. No designer clothes, no high heels, no complicate hairstyle (or weaves for black girl). You will not love Paris if you think like that. That's 100% the movie romantization you are describing.
No. Paris is not underrated. I loved Paris, the people, the food. Paris stole my heart. I'm from Chicago, and I couldn't help feeling that Paris was my kind of city. I loved its lack of perfection.
I think the love and hate relationship is typical in almost every European Capital. Visit Paris 10 years ago, hope to visit again soon, since this year I moved to Lisbon and have a similar feeling with the city haha
I just went to Paris for a few days and thought the Paris syndrome was funny, because I had the opposite experience. As a German I never liked France because of the unfriendly stereotypes, and I never romanticized Paris to begin with. When I chose my university, I never considered France, I didn't even think about it. But when I came here, I was baffled, the city is beautiful, probably the best architecture, in such a harmony, I have ever seen. The atmosphere is amazing, the streets are filled wherever you go, there is great food and wine around every corner, it's like a never ending movie. I guess the movie ends somewhere out in the suburbs, but few cities come close in having such a big, lively area. I been to New York and even though it's also big, there were often corners close to popular areas where I wouldn't feel safe, I never had that in my time in Paris. I have a hard time going back to German cities now, knowing how beautiful Western European cities can be (I don't compare them to Southern European ones, they just have a different vibe and climate).
As a Dutch guy I have exactly the same feelings. Paris is amazing and I don't get why I didn't get that sooner. There's something in our shared cultural understanding that Paris is shit. Maybe it got transferred through our parents generation or something, I don't really know.
Ah, this was really great. I lived in Paris for two years and then spent over a decade going back for business and truly feel as you say; it is a city that feels out of reality and when I continue to return over the years, it feels like I'm returning to a recurring dream. Beautifully filmed, thank you!
My grandpa lived in the 17th arrondissement. We would stay in his apartment when we visited Paris it was right beside a market and a bunch of little local shops that I loved. It was at times overwhelming with the metro and the tourists but there was no lack of boredom or experiences. I do not miss the smells of the cities in France. Urine, pollution, dog poop and cigarettes are not the best combination of smells. I can live without them. I am much more of a country kind of girl. I much prefer the small towns and villages in France (or anywhere else for that matter) than the city. I like the quiet.
This is a great video for introducing those who romanticize the city to what living in Paris feels like. From the food, the beauty, the endless "contiguous villages" vibe to the acute housing crisis, Kafkian administrative nightmares and ubiquitous noise and dust from construction/renovation jobs, you've covered a lot of the essentials. Good job, man! I, for one, never romanticized Paris. I came here to do a six-month course in French at the Sorbonne. That was over 35 years ago, and I've been here ever since. It took a long time for the French to grow on me, but the city itself somehow felt like it could become my home almost immediately. I'd lived in Barcelona and Granada a few years prior to that, in addition to spending lots of time in Trieste visiting family, but none of those other European cities had the same immediate effect on me, despite the fact that my language skills in Spanish and Italian were far superior to my truly sketchy understanding of French at the time. The difference is that Paris is a truly cosmopolitan city. Sure, it's French, just as New York is American or London is English or Moscow is Russian, but it also a city that has been a haven for People from Elsewhere for a very long time, and it shows in the general mindset. Once you get to know the language and people here, you understand just how tolerant it is. And as far as major capitals go, it is very slow-paced, even though few people who live elsewhere in France or have no experience with other global megacities would ever agree with that statement. What else can I say? Paris is safe. Certainly not Japan safe, but very safe all the same. I have never had anything stolen from me here. Over the past 35 years, I have personally witnessed only two physical altercations, and there were no weapons involved. It has one of the best public transportation systems in the world, a system that also happens to be affordable. Paris is clean, and getting cleaner with each passing year, believe me. When you live and work here, you never have to think about health care. And the trope about how arrogant Parisians are is, in my experience, an outdated stereotype. During my first months and years here, I felt that, whereas in the States the customer is always right, in Paris the customer is always in the way. That has gradually changed, and more often than not, I find that Parisians, especially the younger crowd, are eager to interact with people from other countries and (gasp!) even practice their English. Sure, there are drawbacks, and you have pointed most of them out in this video. But as you rightly say, no place is perfect, and no place has universal appeal. Different strokes for different folks. The one thing that really stands out above all other considerations is this: Paris is CIVILIZED AND HUMANE. Long may it remain so.
I love this comment.❤️ I hope to one day visit France. I'm on day 3 of learning basic conversational French. I learned from a colleague that recently had an Art show in Paris, and he described the area where he stayed as the Lower East Side of NYC (my favorite place to hang out❤️) of the 60's and 70's.
I studied in Paris for six months, and I certainly have a love hate relationship with the city. On one had, this is one of the most annoying cities I have been to. There are often traffic disruptions, or some kind of protest going on. When I was there metro workers went on strike for a month, so I had to walk an hour to and an hour back from university each day. At the same time, I loved the "pulse" of the city. It is intense, inspiring and historic.
@@atesah I agree! But that doesn't change the fact that they can be annoying. Still, I like that in France many people support these strikes, even if they are inconvenient.
@@LegendTheAnonymous okay, it’s just the way you described it made it seem a little self centred. not accusing or anything, I just think it’s important to remember why workers strike and the importance of it and the point of it is to show how vital the work they do is and that society doesn’t function efficiently without these workers so they should be compensated fairly and justly and not have their rights at work eroded by their bosses. The inconvenience of it all displays how important their work is and we should be “annoyed” at their selfish, greedy bosses pushing the workers until they had no choice but to strike
I found central Paris was all the things described in the video. It's great when you're young and kid free, and have a social life. There's a lot of lonely people in the city though; you can be lonely in crowds. The saddest story I know, was a neighbour who had a stroke, fell down behind her front door, couldn't alert anybody, and was found dead a week later, having pulled a rug over her for warmth. Paris was great when I was in my 30's; living there was nothing like being a tourist; I found it had more charm and secrets outside of the most touristic areas. Later, when kids arrived, priorities changed and the city became more impractical. Thankfully there are so many beautiful parts of France in which to lead a quieter life, and now I can just visit the capital as a tourist once in a blue moon. I've certainly found different places can suit people at different stages of their life.
Nathaniel, I'm enjoying seeing you open up more showing both sides of the coin with your life. I felt a lot of your older videos were focused on the romanticism of place and life, and now I feel like I'm seeing a lot more tempered views and nuance through your more recent videos. Bravo 👏
This video made me reconsider my own city which is Prague. I love it so much for its pros and cons and I think that the little flaws create the unique feeling you get when you are discovering cities because if everything would be perfect you would loose half of the experience 😊
I went to Paris for the first time in my life just a month ago. I was only there for for four days so it definitely was a tourist experience. But it didn’t disappoint at all. It was so beautiful and exciting and romantic. I’m already missing it. No París syndrome here.
Lived in Paris for a year. Hated it for the first two month or so, but once I found my way around and got to know a few people I totally fell in love with it. One other thing you might wanna mention are all those farmer markets that pop up all over the city, and you need a local to let you know the schedule. From cheese to vegetables to wine, everything is offered fresh from the farm and often surprisingly good value.
Wow. I'm a French person that has always hated Paris, because there are a lot of problems with it. But after watching this video I'm reconsidering my views, maybe I was being too binary. The city is quite beautiful and the culture is overflowing from every corner It also made me appreciate our food and overall culture way more to see you this enthusiastic about living there, so thank you! Can't wait to travel to see how the world is outside of our country. Keep being great!
Yes!! From someone who moved & lived here in the U.S. for almost 2 yrs. the food here are insane!! they are processed in anyway but long term you’ll just get used to it (but it makes me ick thinking about it). And living here is work work work Welcome to the American Dream😂
Fellow French person here! I used to hate Paris too, but what really made me reconsider my opinion are videos like this one. Seeing a city through someone else's perspective brings new aspects to light that you otherwise wouldn't have considered. I love it when foreigners discover and appreciate our culture, because it makes me fall in love with my country all over again :))
I lived in Paris for 6 months and absolutely fell in love with it. It definitely helps to speak French! You also should find places that make you feel grounded and lucky, then it feels like home. You get used to walking around the city & the metro quiet quickly, it’s not so hard to build a daily routine. I saw the same sights nearly everyday and the city never lost its charms for me. Just absolutely in love and would love to go back.
This is one of the best videos on the beauties and frustrations of Paris. You nailed it. I recently moved back to Canada after living there for 3 years. I miss it a lot.
Love this video! My first time in Paris was a couple years ago and I found it overrated and I hadn’t had the most pleasant experience with Parisians. My second time tho, I loved it! I also saw Paris through a different perspective because I spent more time with locals. You try to take your tourist glasses off then. I loved the architecture of the city a lot. I live in the Netherlands and most surrounding countries have similar architecture (France, Spain, Belgium, etc), but the Netherlands has a quite different architecture overall so I admire seeing it in other countries. I also found public transport to be very convenient there. Took the metro a lot and the bus every now and then. As a non-Parisian/non-French person, it doesn’t matter how many times I’ve been to the city. Because I will always be amazed by the Tour Eiffel, the evening walks and the streets. When I look back at my pictures taken there, I feel nostalgic.
I discovered something similar about LA. It's super Romanticised as being the place to go to follow your film making/acting dreams but as soon as you read up or look into it, you realise there are a LOT of bad things about the place. Despite this however, I'm planning on going there for a while in the new year, because I know there's still lots of opportunity and great things about the city, I just need to have an appropriate view of the place before arriving. Ultimately, it doesn't matter where you go, your thoughts come with you.
I went to LA a few months before the pandemic and was disappointed. I loved the touristy places, but you have to drive everywhere and it’s wall to wall people. I remember walking to the beach and it was so congested, I left.
Everytime I hear that song "California Dreamin" it makes me wanna move to LA so bad, and perhaps it was that amazing in the 1960s, but yeah everyone from LA I know these days says too hot, wildfires, rage inducing traffic, crime, they're always bitching about something rather than saying how nice it is lol (tho it's still got it's perks like anywhere, the weather is still amazing year round regardless)
I agree. My family lived in LA for many years when I was a kid, but I've lived outside of LA for most of my life. I returned after a long absence in 2020 (for a visit) and I wasn't sure if I would still love it. I was glad to find that even with the significant changes, I still love it there. BUT. Since I'm from there I avoided the touristy/famous places almost entirely, and I just chilled out while I was there. A few friends of mine who had never been to LA visited there after my trip, and they hated it. They did the touristy stuff and stayed in touristy/famous areas, and it was deeply unpleasant for them. They didn't see the LA that I see when I go there (my suggestions were ignored), so to them LA is a horrible, expensive, filthy place that's full of homeless people and selfish people. I think they felt lied to by the romanticizations. That makes me sad for them.
No one will experience Paris the same way, it depends from where you come.I have been to Paris for a couple of days few years ago, by that time, I have no expectations about the City and I end it up by falling in love with it. I found it very intuitive to walk around the city, you can't risk being lost, the architecture is amazing, even the metro system I found it so practical and easy (I am coming from a place were the transportation system is so weak and kind of a burden) the city is so aesthetic and it feels like you are going through a history book or a "musée à ciel ouvert". Sure being a tourist is not the same as living there, as you have said, Evey place has it's good and it's bad sides, up to you to decide how much you can tolerate the bad ones and if the positive aspects out past the negative ones. That was an awesome video as usual, thank you for sharing this amazing experience.
Yeah for me as a person who was raised in a country that has been colonised by France I was raised to see france as evil and BAD for what it has done in the past to my ancestors and when I got there it was actually pretty deferent , I mean sure there is bad people but every place in earth has good AND bad ones and because I was raised to hate France I had zero expectations therefore I really liked it when I went there .
I have been to Paris only twice, for short periods of time. I LOVED Paris…..the food…..the sights….the architecture…..places to go, things to do….awesome place. The vibes…..right on for me. Will go back again if time permits!!! 🥰👍
I have visited Paris several times in my life. The first time I was 13 in 1977 and was with my family. We took the hovercraft over from England and had a VW CamperVan. Legendary - we drove around the Arc de Triomphe at rush hour and were astonished to see cars driving on the sidewalk - yeah really! Of course we hit all the highlights like the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Versailles and I was astounded. The second time I was a 20 year old backpacker coming over from Canada. I went to see Purple Rain at its premiere on the Champs Elysee (it was 1984) and had a blast staying in a dorm in La Defense while visiting my sister who was attending the Sorbonne for a year, while living in well, basically a closet, just down the street from the Arc de Triomphe! On that trip I met her sexy french friends who took me out for dinner and later we had dinner with her family - I will never forget it - we all got drunk on homemade pear alcohol! Driven back to our hotel late at night in a Mercedes taxi driving along the Seine at 2 am with the Notre Dame in the background, illuminated by a full moon. Legendary. Finally, last summer I stayed for several days after France reopened - rented a car and got lost and of course, ended up driving around the Arc de Triomphe, my old friend, several times before I got headed in the right direction. Paris was more beautiful and cultured than ever - and zero rude people. One of my favourite cities in the world for the past 45 years.
It’s definitely NOT overrated. I love Paris . I have been there thousands of times and I feel it’s never enough because I always look forward to return . It’s a city that takes my breath away sand bring a smile when I think about it
As a not-Parisian French, Paris is definitely a place on its own. Both the pros and the cons are kind of unique to Paris. Nothing is as big and feels as expansive in France and probably Europe. And nowhere is as dirty, crowded as Paris. What I'm saying, I guess, is that you should go down and visit down here to the south someday ☺️
Not quite Europe anymore but I think we can certainly crown London as the filthiest and largest city by a long shot. And it doesn’t have nearly as many redeeming qualities as paris does 🥲
I'm Japanese living in Paris for almost 5 years now. Since my work allows me to see other French and European cities, my experience hasn't been too bad. But after being in the city for a few weeks or months straight, I always have this massive need to get out and connect with nature or something. Because it is quite dirty, noisy, and polluted. At this point, I just don't have any expectations of the city so I guess I need to focus on the good 😄
I definitely get that feeling. Every time I visit Paris, I get so overwhelmed by the noise, the crowds and the atmosphere! I live in the west of France, and it always feels relieving when I go back home, it's so much quieter and peaceful. I think that in order to fully appreciate Paris, you have to live there and slowly make the city yours by finding places you love. Other big European cities are similar to Paris, in my opinion, like London and Barcelona. May I ask what kind of job you have?
@Kiko Absolutely agree - and I've been in Paris for a similar length of time. The other problem I've had, that isn't addressed in the video, is the hassle on the street. I've lived in the 14th, 17th and 18th arrondissements, i.e. the areas that are shown a lot in the video, and I have been pushed around on the street, shoved against a wall, sworn at, and even been spat at by random guys. In my experience it's a misogynist culture, which of course won't be visible to male visitors. I ended up feeling really unsafe every time I left my apartment. I've lived in cities most of my life and never experienced this sort of aggro. Can't wait to move elsewhere!
I lived in Paris in 1979. I can't imagine what it is like now. I actually lived on circa $2 a day. Young people were hardly consumers back then, other than shopping at the open markets. I hung out at the Pompidou or at the Shakespeare Bookstore. I lived in a 11th-story walk up on the Rue D'Ormesson (Arondissement 4) between St. Paul and the Bastille. What hasn't changed is if you didn't say good day they would pretend they didn't understand a word you said. :-)
I am French and live in the UK. I agree with your list :). Am not sure why you didn't mention that, perhaps you haven't spent a lot of time with groups of French people. French favour sort of contrarian discussion, yes but - they like to debate until the early hours. Demonstrating intellectual prowess and debate is instilled in us from an early age. I have been in the UK for so long where people just accept your opinions for what they are that I now find this French trait quite hard to digest.
That’s so right. I live in France for 5 years. This is the thing I really don’t appreciate in France. Since they do this excessively, it stops you moving forward generally. I sometimes get so demoralised when they do this to me while I struggle to express my arguments in French.
Being passive aggressive and fake doesn't mean that people accept your opinion. Arguing isn't about accepting or rejecting an opinion, it's about pursuing a conversation which makes sense and eventually the facts will emerge from that. A bit like the basic of philosophy. People who always want to be right or can't stand that people disagree with them or contradict them or can't debate with arguments can't be happy with the French habit. Pursuing harmony over reason can be satisfying at a personal level but it can be very toxic and destroy countries.
@@uygar9931 Being critical towards people's opinions, thoughts, projects etc will allow them to go the extra step. By highlighting the bad and wrong things in you, it will allow you to erase these imperfection and get closer to perfection in everything you do. You get the others point of view and way of doing things that can help you construct a better educated opinion, mindset, idea or piece of work.
@@audran3897 the magical word that I mentioned above is “excessively”. They do it so excessively that you cannot even get to a step where you make up ideas or decisions. Imagine being constantly judged for what you think and why so. It is mostly not constructif. Judging for judging.
@@uygar9931 well I can indeed imagine it since I live here… but I understand that it can be hard if you weren’t raised in this mentality. It has its pros and cons
I visited Paris back in October 2018 for one week (after spending a week in Marseille), but I actually stayed in a suburb town Montgeron that is located probably 20-30 minutes by train from Paris. So the city looked completely different from Marseille that has a lot of hills, sea, beaches, sun, arabic influence. Paris was rainy, greenless, kind of dirty and fast paced, people were walking with baguettes everywhere lol So I didn't like Paris much (although on my first day I met a famous french rapper Gambi which I took a picture with lol), and I felt like in Paris people focus too much on fashion, having the most expensive brands etc. Marseille was simple, more down to earth. Although I liked visiting some of the less touristic places such as Nanterre with the Picasso Towers and some old Theater-type housing project building where guys were selling drugs lol Maybe im a person of nature but I actually liked Montgeron more, cuz it's a small town surrounded by nature. There are literally never-ending parks with small rivers where you could even see some rare animals. And the streets there look super cosy. So IMO, Paris is overrated but it depends on the person ;)
@@MishaElRusito yes Marseille is a very diverse city and different from Paris, in terms of landscapes, mentality and of course the weather! It's cool that you saw this difference with capital and it would be nice if people stopped seeing France only through Paris 😅
The problem with the French (and I speak as a Parisian) is that we are fully convinced that we are in hell when we are actually in a paradise. I'm probably the only one of my friends who love Paris!!!
Every time I transit through Paris, I make sure I have 10 hours to get out of the airport and walk around the beautiful city. However I noticed a decline in the city with every visit.
If by paradise you mean a place where you can't afford relaxing for 10 seconds straight because there's human filth all over the place trying to mug you, yeah it's paradise
I have visited Paris for the third time this year. It was unexpected and I certainly did not plan to love it. But, I fell in love with the light, the places, the metro system! I felt home but excited at the same time. There was always something new to do, another museum, another side of the river, another dish to taste. Not everything is perfect of course (rats, customer service, traffic, construction). And I do understand that tourism in such an iconic city can be so annoying for the residents... I hope the government can do something about the real estate. Nonetheless, I see myself visiting it more in the future. It fuels me with inspiration!
I stayed in paris a couple of months ago and I fell in love. I wasn't satisfied with the food I had, but I'm gonna credit that to perhaps it was a touristy location (2 blocks from the eiffel tower.) However, everything else: architecture, the WINE, the cheese, the candy, the river, to me it was like literally walking through some romance novel. Yes we all know it has its issues I'm sure but its so magical. I could never live there but it will forever be my go to vacation spot.
Other things I hate about it: Paris can be extremely dirty in general, it is a nightmare for pedestrians and bicycles as a lot of space was given to cars even in the city center and it seems like we are centuries behind other countries concerning recycling, vegan options in restaurants, etc. Over romanticising Paris is prejudicing its case. I love my city and it is full of wonders, but it has a lot of flaws and people need to be aware of it otherwise one can only feel disappointed when they come here!
A nightmare for pedestrians? Phew, as a Latin American living in Paris that statement blows my mind. We have different standards of comparison I guess. But even still, Paris is the most walkable city that I've been to in Europe and walkability alone would be at the top of my "Pros" list.
I'd heard horrible things before our visit. My husband and father in law speak French. I speak Spanish. I was shocked by how much fun we had and how... It was shockingly wonderful. People I expected to be mean weren't mean at all. A+.
I've only been to Paris once. To me it was exhilarating, but still a big expensive city. I spent more time in some of the smaller cities of France, and found them more to my taste.. not so overwhelming. The food seems to be wonderful everywhere there, and I like the architecture. I also found French people to be congenial, in general; not at all as difficult as they are sometimes depicted. I wish that I had spoken better French, to be an ideal guest; but was glad that I had tried to learn as much as I had. It's really a very beautiful language.
Une très belle langue en effet, dommage que les français fassent tout pour la transformer en une version batarde de l’anglais. Content que votre voyage vous ai plu nonobstant.
I stayed in Montmarte with a friend for a couple days back in 2019 during a heat wave, and I'll always remember how we romanticized the heat and the stairs to the point where we were sprinting up flights of stairs together, sweating buckets, when we could've just taken an elevator. There's truly something about the place that paints even hot, sweaty days in a crowded metro with magic. Great video!
Merci beaucoup pour cette vidéo Nathaniel !!! Tu retranscris parfaitement ce que je ressent entant que parisien depuis que j'y ai emménagé .. toutefois, t'as oublié, surement à juste titre, un point qui me semble commun à tous les parisiens : la chance !! En effet, être résident à Paris représente un privilège énorme et une chance hors du commun. Ça peut paraître un peu prétentieux de parler de "privilège de la vie parisienne" mais en réalité c'est assez perceptible quand on y vit à l'année. Continue de nous faire rêver comme tu le fais si bien ! Bien à toi 😇 edit. Paris c'est un état d'esprit.
I was in Paris only once, when I was in high school, it was (OMG!) 20 years ago :-o It was only 3 days. 2 days for city visiting and one day for Disnayland Paris. And what can I say, I love this city. Beautiful streets, buildings, monuments, architecure etc. I hope to back there and visit Paris again, maybe for longer to see more, to make photos, videos. Paris is greate!! Best wishies from Poland!! :-)
Im 52...I always wanted to live in Paris and I never realized I could have just gotten up and gone. I have visited a few times. And I haven't given up the dream. And this vid just got me all reinvigorated. I will be there again later this year. I plan on binging a lot of your videos to get some inspiration. Merci Merci Merci pour vos videos.
Took the family to Paris via London this past August (from New Jersey). Our consensus is that Paris really is all that we thought it would be beforehand. We were not disappointed and had a great time.
Recently travelled throughout Europe and wasn’t even planning on visiting Paris. Decided at the last minute to go for a couple days and was absolutely blown away by the city. One of the best parts of my trip.
First off, merci beaucoup for an accurate and beautiful summation of Paris. This synchs up perfectly with my experience of living in Paris as a fellow American ex-pat, who moved here almost 2 years ago as well! Also, not sure if you remember, but we bumped into each other in Montmartre, and I was one of the people who tried to help you with the infamous bank situation. haha Sorry, that didn't work out, but glad it did in the end. Bref, thank you for documenting Paris in such an honest and poetic manner. Keep at it, man! Such a gift of filmmaking, you are putting out into the world!
This video makes me still want to go to PARIS and experience it on my own but your little heads up would make me less disappointed if things aren’t the way I am imagining. Thank you Nathaniel
I spent 9 September days in Paris in 2015 before heading south to start my Camino de Santiago. It kept a part of my hear. As an American, it was the first time I've felt the AGE of a place, sometimes overwhelmingly so. If I was in my 30s or 40s again, I'd be living there now.
I've been to Paris twice. Once for a week and then once for a month. The big reason for the two different time frames is that after I went for a week, I wanted more. When we stayed for a month I was so happy. Arguably the best month of my life. Was everything perfect and were all of the things that were supposed to be bad, that bad? And were all of the things that were supposed to be great, that great? No. You have to be reasonable and it all depends on taste and preferences too. This place hit practically every good thing that I'd want in a place. Were there things that I really didn't like though? Of course. But I couldn't agree with this video more. And very soon I will be back there for another month. Crossing fingers that the pandemic doesn't change things. Fantastic video and I can tell that we probably have similar tastes as well as similar annoyances lol.
i lived in paris for a year, was going to stay forever, but moved back home because of the pandemic. this made me smile in memory of the adventure that this city has always been for me. can't wait to go back one day. merci pour cette vidéo
I'm from Austria and I went to Paris 4 years ago or so. The flair is nice and I get why people like it. I feel like Americans romanticise it too much though. I don't mean you personally but whenever Americans talk about going to Europe, what they mean is Paris, because thats kinda the only place they know "well" from movies or whatever? And for Europeans on the other hand french people are mostly rude and very nationalist haha and while it is being romaticised as well, its not as bad here because many life style factors are shared throught many countries in Europe I guess, so its not as exciting.
"french people are mostly rude and very nationalist" nice to generalize 67 millions people. Like we are all the same. In most parts of France outside Paris(and may be the French Riviera), French people are actually nice...
Was in Paris for 5 times now in different stages of my life. It is one of my favourite cities, I have seen so much already yet I haven't seen so much that I would still want to see, and I'm not even talking about diving into some scene, enjoying some nightlife, just the tourist things like museums, certain spots. Sadly I have cancer and had surgery and am disabled with a rollator now and maybe soon needing a wheelchair. I promised my son to take him once to Paris too, because when I went with my daughter he couldn't go. But I don't know how I could now manage the city being disabled. The metro is one big labyrinth of stairs and many places are not disable friendly either. Would still want to go if just for my son.
Great video. Surprised that you didn't mention "le système d" when talking about bureaucracy. Navigating French bureaucracy is an art form in and of itself. The example you gave of having a friend with you to secure a bank account is "le système d" in action. Another example: queuing up for lines. A line in America is one person behind the other, in the form of...a line. In Paris, a "line" is more of a wedge shape or scrum. Cutting the "line" is considered acceptable behavior if excused with a shrug of the shoulders and a casual "eh, c'est le système d!". La débrouillardise is a second-nature, core survival skill in France, especially in Paris. Another topic you could explore is the downside of the French obsession with food: they are constantly talking about food intake. Especially in Paris, where there is immense social pressure to stay thin. It is socially acceptable to openly chastise (bully) someone for their food choices: "You just had a baby, shouldn't you eat a salad?" "You're gaining weight. Maybe you should skip this meal?" The commenting on food intake teeters the line between unhealthy preoccupation and eating disorder. It is a uniquely French phenomenon that's particularly bad in Paris. Last thing: as a Black American, I have had the absolute weirdest racial treatment that only happens in Paris. I have spent decades perfecting my French accent. It's too perfect: I'm often assumed to be an African immigrant in my initial interactions with Parisians, and treated accordingly. I have learned that there is a social advantage in deliberately speaking French with more of an American accent. Why? I think it's the historical perceptions of Black Americans in France, from the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, to Josephine Baker, to the black G.I.s who helped liberate France in World War II. It's also the current perceptions of black Americans in French culture, from hip-hop music and sports. The French generally put black Americans on a pedestal. My French friends rarely refer to me as "un américain", but almost always as "un noir américain". I wouldn't think it was a "thing" if it weren't for the consistent, Jeckl-Hyde change in demeanor the minute a French person realizes I'm "un noir américain".
You're not the first person I've seen attest that being noticeably American is actually better in France if you're black. It's an upsetting reality and reminds that Europe is not always the wonderfully progressive place North America idealizes it as at times.
Hello Derrick, I'm Parisian by birth and white (I'm 54) and have spent most of my life in Paris in the very near suburbs. Your analysis is relevant, and I wouldn't take a word out of what you said. On the other hand, I'd like to add a few details to this analysis and perhaps thus modify your perception a little bit of this differentiated attitude between black Africans and black Americans in Paris and France in general. The first thing that comes to mind is the cultural difference between black Africans and black Americans. Indeed, most of the former are Muslim, while the majority of the latter are Christian. This isn't a detail to be overlooked. Because suddenly, the cultural differences between the two at the level of social behavior are very different. France is historically Christian (even if since 1789, the country has been secular). In every village in France, there's a church, often ancient. The way of perceiving things is closer between a white French and a black American than between a French white and a black African, and perhaps even between a black American and black African who will not have the same city culture. When a black African arrives in Paris and comes to settle (most of the time in the suburbs) there, he arrives with his African habits and customs. This isn't the case with a black American who most often will behave more or less like a French white. Black Africans in the suburbs come together and often live in isolation. It will not be the case for a black American, who will instead seek contact with the local population. And above all, the biggest problem is the number. There's a lot of delinquency on the part of black Africans in France who have also landed in mass in France in the last twenty years when the country is already financially in bad shape. On the other hand, we know few and even practically not at all black Americans who behave like delinquents in Paris (or elsewhere). Yet, on the other hand, young black Africans from so-called "sensitive" neighborhoods are talked about a lot in France. There are, of course, obvious reasons for this; The first is poverty, unemployment. The second is also the ghettoization and prohibition of cannabis in France. It generates enormous trafficking with all the problems this causes in the suburbs. Most of the black Americans who come to Paris have studied and had a trade. They most often come from the middle class compared to their African counterparts. These last most often arrive here totally destitute and without fundamental professional skills. This is why the view of the French on black Americans who land here is so different from that which they have on black Africans. Have a friendly day, 🤗
@@j-loosenfout67 Well, “black” American and Native Africans are not the same people and have two totally different histories but i’m sure all you know is the European slave narrative of history that get propagated throughout the world
@@lexbogie1 Hello, First, I' like to clarify one thing. I come from the neighborhoods and the working class and I still live and work there. My parents were not graduates. I grew up surrounded by black Africans, Italians, Arabs, Chinese, Portuguese and all that the world can offer as a difference in culture. I have friends of all origins including Malians, Arabs, etc. Those who know me know that I'm not racist. I don't judge people by their skin color, their origins, or even their words. I judge people one by one, not in groups and in relation to their attitude towards me personally. I have no preconceptions when I meet someone for the first time. I'd even say that the better someone has a good face, the more I'm wary. 😅 And yes, when you grow up in barrios, you know that the cover of the book isn't necessarily a reflection of what it contains. On the other hand, concerning the History, know that the manipulation works as well in one direction as in the other. And that no one has the pure truth. Reality and truth are two very different things. Truth is human, multiple and variable depending on the point of view from which it is observed. On the other hand, reality is universal. It belongs to Nature (some call it God, others call it Universe, others still give it other names). So I'm never sure to hold any truth. Neither am I sure you have it yourself. Truth is a variable. Have a nice day my friend.
@@j-loosenfout67 your reply is the reason why as a POC who grew up in Paris i feel so much happier and healthier in the US. Though Paris is to me the best city in the world hands-down, white French people are the most obnoxious, arrogant and ANNOYING type of people I have ever met when it comes to their weird obsession with assimilation of POC to their white culture and their rejection of French-African culture. And most of them don’t even realize how problematic and extreme the assimilation narrative sounds in other multicultural countries
For me a great city is about having an endless supply of places to explore. I am just a simple and curious person. I like to eat and sightsee. Paris, London and NYC definitely fit the bill. Any cities that can hold up even after 5 visits are not overrated in my book. Most big cities have the same cons... e.g. expensive housing, terrible noise, pollution, traffic jam...If you can afford to live in one of those cities, do it. I can't, and I can only save up to travel to those cities a couple of times a year.
Well, good timing. I just got home from three months in France. I tend to hate cities wherever I am, but Paris really spoke to me. It was a place I could envision myself staying in for a longer period of time, and as a person with perpetual restlessness, that’s a rare feeling. On the metro I kept thinking, ‘man, nathaniel drew has probably been right near this spot that I’m standing. that’s sick.’ Another absolutely bangin’ film. Cheers!
Loved this. As someone who lived and worked in Paris for 18 months, I agree with a lot of what you said. French bureaucracy is in fact my idea of hell. However, as someone who also worked in hospitality, I can say that working Sundays are not only a thing, but probably the hardest working day of the week - the Parisians seem to live for their Sunday brunch. Looking back on some of those shifts, it's almost enough to make me want to cry. Ha. But I do miss living there. I also never gave much thought to how the pandemic would have shifted the city's dynamic, but it sounds almost magical to see the city free from the hordes of tourists.
Wow, can't believe I just now discovered your vlog! Anyway, we've now been in France for two years. We moved to Grenoble. It's always funny to us that our friends consistently think we moved to Paris, as if France and Paris are synonymous. Anyway, we feel like we get most of what people love about Paris without many of the negatives, e.g., cost. The food, the little stores and "ateliers," the public spaces and museums, the way of living, getting around by foot, bike, and public transit, the narrow streets, the quirky buildings, organic construction that rivals nature for beauty, the a dense urban environment that's livable families and children. And on and on - so much of it almost intangible and hard to describe. And almost no tourists here and super friendly locals. So I always wonder, why Paris? Why not Strasbourg, Bayonne, Toulouse, |Lyon, etc etc. Of course, were in a different demographic than you so maybe other cities just don't provide the excitement and events that Paris. I have a friend from the U.S. visiting Paris as I write and after a couple of days in Rouen, he practically ran back to Paris. This is a university town and the students often complain about Grenoble being to small and boring. But coming from the U.S. suburban wasteland, it has a lot of vitality. As for some of the practical difficulties you experienced, we have been lucky. I found a Netherlands online bank before we moved that was fairly easy to open (Bunq) that works just as well as French banks (it's the EU). We also found a super helpful expat community that helped cut through the red tape. We even were able to get a home loan here. And the healthcare system alone has made the move worth it. We are now in the insurance system but even without insurance, the costs are ridiculously cheaper. Anyway, loved your video and I will be mining your vlog for more. Just subscribed.
I'm French from Reunion Island. And since I was a little girl, I spent a lot of my holidays in Paris where my grandparents live. And I love this city. For a time, I wanted to study there but growing up, I realized I find Paris too busy and overwhelming, the traffic is insane and I didn't want to spend my days in the subway. But going there for the holidays is always wonderful, because it's beautiful, there are so many things to do, there is so much history, so much culture and there is definitely a romantic atmosphere. Just something I noticed in your video, you talk about how cheese is amazing in France while showing images of pecorino which is an Italian cheese. Other than that, I agree with everything you say in your video. And I'm both proud and grateful to be French.
Alors tu vis à la Réunion et puis à Paris pendant les vacances... Il y en a vraiment qui ont tiré le gros lot. Tu n'est pas trop stressée, la vie est belle ?
The romanticizing of the city really becomes a problem with the mindset. It happens way more than other cities since Paris is the most visited and possibly most romanticized city in the world. But it is, ultimately, a city. If you've lived in one, or even been to one, you'll have a good idea what to expect. Theft happens, grime happens, economic disparity happens, and people tend to keep to themselves. It will have its pros and cons and your opinion is really dependent on if those pros click with you as a person. Like it may not as clean nor efficient as Tokyo, but the work culture is way more relaxed (and this is my personal favorite pro). It may not as relevant to modern culture as New York City, but its history stands out in every corner, and it has better transit. If you remember Paris is just another dense economic center of a country you'll be more grounded to fairly judge it, and probably appreciate its beauty more. As an extra, I might be an exception that food is not a very high pro to me. I am latin american from California, and was able to find many kinds of food and for cheaper there. I do miss my spice and harsher flavors sometimes. For bakeries though there really is no rival.
Very interesting video. I’ve only visited Paris twice - once as a teenager and once a few years ago. I definitely liked Paris much better on the second visit as an adult - it’s a beautiful place. But, I’ve always felt far more connected to London (which I visit often). Lisbon also really connects with me in a strong way - so much so I think I’ll move there at some point. I also agree with you about work-life balance. It’s a real problem In the US. The one point that baffled me was the comment about food in the USA. I completely agree that France and Italy have incredible food cultures. I was in Milan in July - mostly just to eat. I also feel the USA food culture wasn’t great for much of the 20th century. But, during the last 20-30 years our food culture has changed dramatically. I live in San Diego - I have a bakery down the street that makes bread in ovens imported from France, where the baker studied for years. The bread is superb. That’s just one example. Being a “foodie” in the US is really common now. Good, and great, food can be found almost anywhere. And, yes, there’s still too much fast food in the US, yes the portions are ridiculous; and yes, food in Europe (and other parts of the world) is spectacular. But, it’s untrue that you cannot easily find wonderful food, containing amazing farm to table ingredients in the US - all cooked by true artists.
@@Emilie-kw5kt I’d respond by saying Native Americans had, and have, a vibrant food culture - that certainly originated on this continent. Additionally, foods such as corn and potatoes (to name just a couple) originated in the Americas. Let’s try not to have the colonial/Eurocentric mindset that the only good food originated in Europe. And, I say that with full transparency - I love food in Europe and elsewhere. Additionally, my original comment was simply addressing a statement in the video about good food being hard to find in the US - it’s not. It’s not a competition and no culture has a monopoly on tasty foodways/cuisine.
@@Emilie-kw5kt I’m pleased to hear that you are sensitive to issues around colonial mindsets and you certainly have every right to be proud of French gastronomy. I also abhor the common prevalence of processed foods in the US. Thankfully, not all of us in this country eat that way. Nice chatting with you.
I've been living in Paris (well, the very distant southern suburbs) for 7 months now and I agree with everything you mentioned. Despite the bureaucracy (I haven't yet opened a bank account and only just got my social security number 2 weeks ago -- and I'm technically employed in the French civil service!) I love the city. It feels like home in a way that nowhere else ever has to me. I think it's a great place for young people especially -- concert and opera tickets for 10-15 euros when you're under 28, free museum and gallery tickets for under 26s etc. The cultural life is unbeatable.
hey nathaniel I'm french american living in paris the last 8 years. Yes the cost of living is expensive but knowing the cheap good spots is essentiel. Most spots I got to eat cost me around 5 euros for lunch. The 11th 20th and 19th arrondissement are my favorite because theyre not romantic paris but what I feel is the reel paris.
I think Paris is wonderful but too frenetic, as you were saying for New York. I've seen people nearly loosing their mind to stay behind the rhythm. I'm from a city near Naples (Italy) and I think here we enjoy more the life.
You are so on the nose. From my perspective you have to look at things from every angle. I live in a travel destination for many people and I think having that lens to see through helps. But when I first visited Paris I didn’t want to love it. I stepped on dog poo in less than 24 hours, I first stayed at the sketchiest area of Paris in the 19th my first night. I got scammed. But having said that I actually found the people to be really warm. I loved walking in the morning before people got up and then seeing the city wake up. Watching parents walk their kids to school. Go to the local boulangerie and buy baguettes. See people just hanging out along the Seine. Not just tourists but locals having lunch or doing homework. It’s a magical place that is real. There are homeless, trash bins, smells like a real city. It’s alive and interesting. I am moving there in a couple of years. I know I’ll have to deal with the heat but I have a couple of years to plan for it. Or invent a local climate regulator… not called air conditioning! Awesome video. I always enjoy seeing how you see the world.
I think as a rather young man, you are fairly flexible in your expectations and adaptable to your surroundings. Unfortunately, based on a few videos of your parents and their search for a new home, Paris may not be the answer for them. Maybe in a small village on the outskirts of the city.
Great video! There is something magical about Paris ….what I like the most is that there is so much life… and like Jean Cocteau wisely said “In Paris, everybody wants to be an actor, nobody is content to be a spectator” ..
I saw you when you were in Mexico City, and I really wanted to approach and tell you how much I love your videos. But you were enjoying your food at a sushi restaurant, so I just walked away. Anyway, I do love Paris as well, and your work.
The first time I went to Paris I was 10 years old. My dad worked for State Dept and we were there 6 weeks. It was a magical and amazing experience for a young girl to have and has helped me have an open mind to the world. The food and wine for me, even at 10, were spectacular. I've been back a few times since and it will always remain in my heart as a special and magical place. Could I live there? Not sure but last year I started learning French (again) but have come a long way in a year - so I might have to try at some point.
@@da96103 when you cook alcool it disapear for exemple in north and france/Belgium we like to cook with beer but you have not 1g of alcool il the meal
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Never had an Interest in the city. Spent 15 days there last summer and now I want to move in. Paris is PERFECT. the art, the real estate, the food is not as good as Portuguese but boy do they make good baguettes Boy did this video got me all hyped up to go get the plane ticket ps. by perfect i don't mean perfect, i mean it has a super big wow I'm in love effect.
What makes Paris amazing is that it's unique. You will never find something as unique as Paris. While big cities with buildings has no identities, Paris has a strong identity with an amazing History in every street !
Hello Nathaniel. I'm french, born and raised in Paris and spent most of my life here. Im now kinda looking for getting out of here but I know there is so much I will miss as well. Apart from the 6 euros for a coffee - honestly you must have been to a REALLY fancy place because most of coffees are around 2 - you had some pretty good points, and yes prices are crazy. The constant works is definitely a thing, and it also gets on my nerves sometimes. It's gotten especially bad since we have the last mayor of Paris. Seems like she wants to modify as many streets as she can. You made me laugh with the spit on the ancesters but, it is definitely something, if you don't start by bonjour, you definitely start things the wrong way :D You made me realize how much it is absolutely crucial even for me. I will definitely be reluctant to have any contact with someone who doesn't start by bonjour hahaha. My bad. ... maybe? And YES, YESSSS, 5th and 6th floors without lifter and very hot days in summer are a nightmare! I fear those days like you have no idea every year ^^. Well to summup I have very similar opinions about my city.... It is still beautiful even after decades living here and knowing it since i was born. But.... but i feel sad about the french typical traditional culture dying. I will probably disapoint a lot of people here, but a lot of what i considered to be the culture here is now dead. It is no longer the same city AT ALL as when i was a child. The mc donald's, worldwide americanization has killed a lot of what used to be so nice and it breaks my heart. You still have some kind of a spirit but what most people see as a culture, I now see as remnants of a culture that slowly but surely evaporate with time. The buildings and stones are still here but the heart is not really beating anymore. But I still love this place. I just wish people here were more careful about maintaining their own culture. That said, wonderful video, your honesty is undeniable, I loved the images you selected and the quality of the points you listed is unseen until now as far as I'm concerned. Congratulations, I like your work.
The French have always tried to replace other people culture and impose their culture especially towards North Africans, they make it tough for other cultures to self preserve yet they want to preserve their French culture ( hypocrisy ) .
Excellent considerations, Drew. You and Jay Swanson have such "I was reborn in Paris" vibes going on. I get it. I will include your video next time I teach my college course that travels to Paris. I think it will spur some great discussion. For our Paris trips, one of the cultural aspects/differences that I explain to my mostly American students is that they should consider Parisians as "gatekeepers". Sometimes the gate opens, and sometimes it does not. One really never knows how it will go. I also explain that as an American, they will want to "talk it out" and convince the gatekeeper who says" no" to change to "yes" but forget that idea. Move on, and and find someone else who may be willing to help = better management of personal energy. Over the years and many trips, my students have loved Paris so I think being able to prepare them properly ahead of time goes a long way. I love Paris - she is moody, complicated, enchanting, and ever faithful. One other point I always tell my students is that tourists see the Eiffel Tower as the symbol of Paris but locals think of Notre Dame Cathedral as the city's heart.
Yeah les travaux are hell - I had random drilling happen directly above my apartment for 15 minutes every day at 8:00 am for MONTHS. Why just 15 minutes at a time? Maybe if they did it all in one day instead that would have been better. Perhaps they needed to fumer une clope after 15 minutes of work a day and that's it for the day.
I’m so proud, I just learned the words “fumer” and “une clope” today in French class! Wannabe French-American, here. I look forward to going back to Paris understanding more of the language. And get this, my air b&b had les travaux like mad during the afternoons when I was there a few years back…
As a german spending 2019 a year in nice, I can say that Bureaucracy BROKE ME 🗣 .. never cried so much like in that year Your enthusiasm is contagious , he right ! It makes me feel a little less critical .. beautiful video!
When a German complains about bureaucracy in other places it must truly mean that bureaucracy is pretty bad indeed. Never experienced so much bureaucracy when I lived in Germany. I much Prefer German than French cities though. Everything works better in Germany somehow, despite the ridiculous German outdated bureaucracy
@@guayaquilindependiente8763 I never said I was (proudly from São Paulo and never had inferiority complex, like many, quite the contrary) but lived in many countries and met native born Germans, Swiss, British etc with a wide diversity of names and looks. One of My German friends born and raised and mixed white-black is named Laura Pedrosa. If you would look at her you’d say, like many, even by me at the beginning, that she’s not German. Mind u, you’re German by blood of one of your parents. So, your assumption might prove rather incorrect. I learned by experiencing cases like that. How about you?
Oui! Voila! C'est ca!! You got it all right. New Yorker here who visited Paris for 11 days shortly after you made this video. I waited until late October specifically because of the a/c situation (sorry, VERY American on that sole point). Even then it was humid. My hotel a/c took 3 hours to chill the room down sufficiently, but then it was arctic. Solution: turn it on when you head out for the evening. Yes, there is construction all over...just like in New York. It didn't bother me other than the fact that French contractors bang it out for 20-30 minutes and then, seemingly, go home for the day! Speaking a decent La Langue Francais that always began with "Bonjour!", I had NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER. In fact, almost everyone responded to me in halting English! With one exception EVERYONE was polite, friendly, patient and charmant! That beats the rating on Manhattan Island for sure! I spent most of my visit in tears, weeping for joy. I could not believe I was in the City of Light again after so long. The art, the architecture, the food (my God the food. I ate bread and eclairs every day and still lost 10 pounds), the people, the vibe. MY ASTROLOGER told me that between August and year-end I'd fall in love; and she was right. I fell in love -again- with PARIS.
Totally not over rated in my opinion. As an American with no pre conceived romantic ideals of Paris or France in general. 3 weeks in France (1.5 in Paris) added to our last 2 month Europe trip was my 16 yr old daughters idea and dream. I was kind of dreading spending so many days there not knowing the language, I do speak Italian So I am always most comfortable there, and hearing all the stereotypes of French people. I travel extensively with my daughter so there is normally nothing romantic about our trips, until falling in love on this one, with Paris and France in general.
I like that we get the opinion of someone actually living there. Rich tourists can be as disappointed as they wish, it's a city where millions of people live and they also are the reason this place is getting extremely expensive for people who live there. It has so much to offer, so much diversity, culture, beauty, proximity. But the working class is suffocated by mass tourism because we have to satisfy the rich clientele rather than the actual locals, so they think what they want but the beauty of Paris is also its working class culture and mixing that we are losing to gentrification. Anyway, that's my rant against this stupid idealization of Paris, people live here and just like everywhere else it can't be perfect and that's what makes it great. It is also a city which historically attracted artists and people from everywhere who wanted to live freely and be inspired, it's a vibrant city, not just a museum
One of my favorite cities. Been here 4 times but sadly the last time was 10 years ago. I can't believe. I kept going back to teach in Italy for 18 months and England for 18 months while visiting the Czech Republic and Ireland with others like Germany, Belgium and Greece. I love the beautiful historic parts of Paris! I do not like modern buildings except like Art Nuovo etc. Paris is so romantic!! I found the people friendly. I always found the French kind the ones I met. Not all but I think I am polite, friendly and more. Non speaker of French, at least I was sensitive to their culture and language by asking them in French do they speak English. Most said yes or a little bit. Some native speakers of English and met some Italians and Germans that told me they forget and just start speaking English to them. I tried to be mindful. I did see Japanese tourists too asking in English did they speak English to French and they went around in front of me asking over and over do they speak English. They came up to me asking do I speak English? I said yes. They were thankful and told me the French do not speak it. I said I was lucky they did to me. I said try to ask them in French do they speak English? They said do you think it can work? I said it doesn't hurt. 90 percent of the people I asked spoke a little or really well. ( the ones who say a little spoke really well to me!). Later hours later, I saw the Japanese students again and they said hello and said my advice worked! They said many English by simply asking in French do you speak English? They said much better now. :)
Merci. I needed that video. I was blue because today I had to face rudeness and crazy administrative rules. I couldn’t shake off that bad feeling but your thought rebalanced everything. I live in Brittany (le pays des crêpes que tu sembles apprécier) and those cons you mention could apply to the French culture as a whole. I lived ten years in Paris and I love the city. One of the cons that made it difficult to live there was the increase of poverty in the street. I was heartbroken everyday. I also lived in NYC and I love that city too but I also knew that It couldn’t last more than a few years because it’s constantly buzzing with noise and activity. Today I enjoy the sea side and your video was at the perfect timing to remind me that I love the french culture even tough I am really pissed off by certain aspects of it. Thanks for your great videos.
definitely agree with everything you said! No place is perfect and at the end of the day each person values things more highly over others when choosing where to live. What is important is to not lose sight of the amazing things a city has to offer when sometimes bogged down by the cons of that same city. I remember experiencing huge disappointment when I studied abroad in Paris during my "Spring" semester and was faced with Paris in the grey, overcast and rain until end of April. It wasn't until i read the book Sarah's key while doing my semester there that it re-opened my eyes to all the history seeped through the city then and now, something I love about Europe and Paris vs. the USA. I remember reading about certain events from WWII in Paris and realizing they occured at/near the metro I took for my classes every day. My favorite thing you said was at the end, the indescribable feeling that you feel deep down Paris is a city where you can dream or be most yourself. I share that and feel that each time I visit, knowing I am meant to live there again, that I am meant to be more than just a tourist in the city
Thank you for this video. I am French and I was born and raised in Paris and I agreed with everything you said. I am feeling the same way with the pros and cons you said. And for me you resume pretty well this city that you love and hate at the same time. Ici c’est Paris 👌🏻
Thanks NordVPN for sponsoring this video. Go to nordvpn.com/nathanieldrew to get a 2-year plan plus a bonus gift with a huge discount! It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!
Very cool!! thanks 🙏
Damn you're funny hahaha ! Everything is true, that's why I think we also love Paris
You're welcome
I would love to subscribe NordVPN but I just subscribed to expressvpn haha
Also, I am visiting Paris for the first time in May and just doing a little bit of research, there is nothing that can stop me from going now, but just thought I should know a little more.
C'est bien d'avoir fait une vidéo sur Paris mais tu as oublié un truc très important c'est que tu parles d'une position avec un certain pouvoir d'achat et un certain privilège la vie du Parisien moyen laborieux n'est pas du tout désirable avec les long trajet en métro matin et soir la grisaille et la crasse
I've been living in Paris for over 8 years now and I completely agree with everything you've said: there are pros and cons but when we look at the city itself and everything it has to offer, I don't think it's overrated. The thing about Paris though is that you do need to know where to get your information which is why I think the typical tourist experience is totally overrated. But once you live here and you start getting your bearings, oh boy, you will get addicted. Unfortunately for non-french-speakers, I also do think that speaking french enhances everything by 1000%. Paris for people who speak french compared to people who don't is like two different worlds. So if you move here, I would recommend you learn as fast as you can.
So true! 💯
nailed it!
How long did it take you to learn french?
@@marizamentzou3293 c'est vrai ça 🤔🤔
Thank you
As a french person who grew up in , and went to study in Paris, I think I come to the same conclusion as yours. Paris is always a love-hate relationship with positive but also a lot of negative aspects. The best way to appreciate Paris, for me, is to live there for some time to get to find the places you really like, that give you this feeling of seeing what it was like in past centuries. When you get to know some places really well, it slowly becomes yours in a way, you feel comfortable and at home.
A good way to appreciate Paris to its full potential is also to be able to leave the city and come back to discover it all over again.
Totally love and hate relationship!!! I always said the same
It's too "diverse" now that you need to imagine the past. Hehe
@@dawae2162 you are silly, it’s an illusion to think it wasn’t diverse in the past ;) I don’t see any modern city or city of importance that is not or was not diverse. Despite what you seem to want to believe, that’s also the beauty of Paris/Europe. Diversity, it’s ingrain in French history
Best way to enjoy Paris is to not live in Paris and go there when you want to for small trips, events & more.
Thats a great comment I must say. I feel feel the same about London but its much more hate. I want to leave and not return for a long time but eventually come back and discover it all over again as you said.
I visited a few years ago with a friend I and told a French woman that I loved her outfit and that she was so stylish. She was so flattered that she gave me recommendations for where to go to get some clothes, and gave me her number in case I needed anything while in the city. We ended up meeting up and having lunch, and we still stay in touch via social media. Put yourself out there and you never know what you might find.
Exactly. Everywhere my wife and I have visited have been exceptional. We are not only remembered. But welcomed with open arms. Why? Because we are very polite, respectful and are always happy to engage others on their own cultural level despite the fact we are totally fumbling it. It helps that I speak French and my wife speaks Spanish. And together we can piece together Italian. But we definitely don’t look like any of those nationalities.
I spent one year living in Paris as an exchange student during my early 20s and it was so lovely, such a beautiful experience. I used to go on walks on my own and visit as much art galleries, museums or historical spots as I could - I loved it.
Just as me. But it has changed a lot; mainly because of high prices.
As a New Yorker who has lived here for 5 years, I agree with you on every point here. Very well explained! The greater respect for people's private lives and healthier work-life balance is the biggest reason why I chose to move here - I felt like I was going insane in the US working 50+ hours a week.
I couldn't agree more! I was born an raised in new york in the bronx after discovering this side of life im already planing my move to italy by late next year or 2024👏
at Paris ? what a joke. it's more or less than same thing than NY. i refuse to take that seriously.
Me working 84 a week 🛌🏻
@@maegalroammis6020 Something only a French person would say 😄Paris is not even half as stressful as New York, trust me, I've lived in each place for a long time.
@@maegalroammis6020 Not to mention that in the US, in general, everything is just much more stressful. Work contracts basically don't exist there, which means you can get fired basically at any time for no reason... Salaried employees there, like I once was, don't earn overtime for those hours they work over 40 per week, which means that you're essentially working for free for a good part of your week. Lunch break? Forget about it - even if you have one, most of your colleagues will look at you like a lazy person and resent you if you go outside and don't eat at your desk while working like they do. Oh, and don't forget that you must pay for your health insurance out of pocket, which, for good coverage, will cost you at least 500 dollars a month. Don't have insurance and end up in the hospital? Congratulations, you are now $25,000 in debt and your life is screwed.
And to add onto that, cost of living is way higher, the government doesn't help anyone except the extremely impoverished (and that help is laughable), and the entire culture is work-obsessed. You're expected to respond to emails when you're not at work, especially if they're "important" (they almost all are). There is literally a law against that here in France.
I could go on, and on, and on, giving you explanations, but it really doesn't even do it justice. Paris is heaven compared to New York.
Living in Paris (in my opinion) is certainly overrated, but travel isn't. The thing is, Paris isn't a place for everyone to just run towards. From what I've heard, all kinds of jobs aren't available. A banker would fair better in Frankfurt than Paris. However, for artists like you, Paris is the center of the world thanks to the beauty of the city and its being as a center of art and history.
Interesting...
Most people actually go there for work because it's easier to find than anywhere else in France
@@matthewdaws9877 I was speaking from the perspective of a foreigner.
for bankers i think you took a wrong example, there aren't any city in Europe with nearly as many finance jobs let along the salary. the problem would be more that english is less used making it harder for a non french to get a position. But la defense being by far the largest business district in Europe its quite a strange statement
@Pink Crab Hands I would say it is one of the centers.
I love living in Paris. I'm a french student at the Ecole du Louvre and my appartment is in Montmartre. Everyday, I get to see beautiful works of art, both in the streets and in the museums; I can go to concerts as often as I want and enjoy nice walks around the Seine and the city. Most of the places of my everyday life are litterally the pictures of postcards: and I think it is worth the five flights of stairs leading to my appartment, the cost of life or the not-so-clean streets.
I have great memories of my life in Paris and I am really thankful for living here: for example, last year I woke up at 6 in the morning to enjoy the city at night in january (wich was not possible otherwise beacuse of the curfiew in France at that moment). I came out of my building and realised it was snowing. No one was up, the streets were completely empty and I went to the Sacré-Coeur in the snow. It is one of my favorite memories in Paris: taking time to enjoy the city and be thankful for its surprises.
(I'm not a native english speaker,, I hope there's no huge mistakes in here)
Your is english is great.
@@frankmcnally5993 Omg thanks! It means a lot 🥰
I’d never know you’re not a native English speaker if you hadn’t said so. Your English is way better than my French, which I barely speak and am only a little better at writing after studying it for 7 years (from high school through most of college).
That's such a beautiful memory!! Snow really does make everything seem magical! Going out into the city at the break of dawn when almost no one else is awake is such a strange (but nice) feeling. It's quite surreal, in my opinion, seeing the empty streets bathed in the early morning light. And your English is great!
Ma sœur est à l'école du Louvre hihi
To me Paris has become underrated because so many people had the stupid illusion that it was perfect (who could believe that?) and the delusion has made a lot of people mad. If you consider Paris like any other cities like London or New York and you’ll have a great time.
I went to these two citizens none of them come near Paris. May ne london..
New York has lost my love as soon as I saw Paris.
I absolutely agree! Never lived in Paris but I’ve visited many times and always find something new and beautiful. I think tourists forget sometimes that it’s still a real life city, not an amusement park
It's an open air sewer
Exactly, it's a city, there are many just like it. It seems a bit overrated when you have similar, maybe better European cities
I live in a major city in the USA and tourists do act as if the city is an amusement park or giant mall.
Amazing as always Nathaniel! I lived in Paris for a year and a half and I agree with you. However, as a European (non-French) I would like to point out that the point you called mentalite unique (about having a healthier balance, not working on sundays, people leaving in august...) is actually a European thing, not a Parisian thing. Everywhere I lived or visited in Europe has been like that and I love it. Wouldn't trade it for the world.
France has still one of the lowest amount of hours to work per week, so he's not wrong in that regard. A typical french guy would work between 35 and 39 hour a week, I don't know any european country where it's lower actually
@@ahouais5620 legaly it's true, but it's not as different as other european country if you look at real working hour at the end of the day.
Anyway i agree with the first message, with different systems the cultural thing is shared accross occidental and northern europe.
It seems arguably different in another way for the eastern part though (depend on the country too)
@@ahouais5620but there is working and working. Usually the countries with the long hours worked are also the least productive. When the French show up at work, they work for real. They don't stay on site just pretending working.
I am European and I love visiting Paris cause actually a lot is open on Sundays. Like Lafayette is open 11am-8pm on Sundays which is only 1.5 hours shorter than on regular days. I was looking for a suit and everywhere I wanted to look for one was open on Sunday.
Great video, as always! However, I personally think that romanticisation is a form of surviving, a sort of 'mental health instinct'. Nostalgia is a romanticisation of the past. Romanticising Moscow was huge for Chekhov and his work. It is inspiration, optimism, and daydreaming, and a huge cultural capital for any place. Paris (as other cities) would be but a collection of buildings and a bunch of strangers merely coexisting if they were not connected by the (somewhat shared and somewhat personalised) romanticised idea(s) of Paris for which, no matter the hard facts, people still want to stay.
That is a very interesting and unique thought
An interesting notion!!
Its when "that girl trend" and "sigma lone wolf alpha male trend" takes it over the top, does it becomes dull and sometimes, even toxic.
well said!
Actually Chekhov is a fantastic example of exploring paradox. The Cherry Orchard has such poignancy about a way of life that was in decline, there was a sense of loss. Yet there was inevitable social progress and change for the proletariat.
The French generally have a high regard for the arts. Whereas in many other countries artists are not as respected,
They also have a long had a healthy regard for Australian Aboriginal art, and jazz flourished in Paris, and black writers of course found a place there where they could be supported. The problem is people imagine by going there the magic will transfer onto them, without realising the magic is also generated by ourselves.
I think many places are romanticized, and all the photos we see are just a sliver of what the country has to offer. I remember traveling to Greece for a family members wedding, and I was scrolling through endless photos of Santorini & Mykonos and sparking blue oceans. The part I went to near Serres was anything ~but~ what I saw in photos. There were mountains in the horizon, and small rivers scattered through this very small rural countryside village. I saw small farms, and open fields with roaming Buffalo.
I think any city or country is easily over glamorized and when we end up seeing things for ourselves they end up being different. Different, but still beautiful.
Agreed! Also it works vice versa btw 👌
As a Greek person living abroad I totally agree and I try every day to make people see that Greece (like any other country) has many sides and many different places to see and experience. If someone actually wants to see the beauty and know the people he/she should try visit diverse places of the same country.
Born and raised Parisian here. I've lived there all my life basically (except for a year abroad) and I do agree with a lot of people in the comments saying that you have to live here to truly appreciate it for what it is, and to basically find YOUR Paris. Bonding with local people truly helps : they will show you their favorite places, and bring you on unexpected adventures !
Unexpected being the key word here : I do think people have A LOT of expectations coming here, and it's never good in some way. Unfortunately Paris suffers from this a lot because of all the movies, novels, photographs (and so on) featuring it. EVERYBODY on the planet has some idea of what Paris looks like and feels like, therefore it's never a blank slate coming here, and it can become an obstacle almost impossible to overcome once you meet the real thing.
So right!
Le truc c'est que les expectations des américains ont été bien réelles, jusque dans les années 80. Ils ont une image des années 20, voir ~1750
@@pierren___ True. I have been going there for 20 yrs, from Canada, and I get the 20's allure and the current horror of the place. I still love it. Kisses from Canada.
@@adamcotton2121 sorry for me too, i have the same idea of Paris as a french
@@pierren___ Please be well, Pierre! And keep the city warm!
Just a quick word about pickpockets - they are in most major cities worldwide and you should NEVER walk around with a backpack on (they are super easy targets) Keep your cash, credit cards and passport in a money belt UNDER your clothing. Ladies - same goes for you! Carrying your purse might seem safe but any theif with a razor blade can cut that strap and run off with your purse before you even know what happened...
You are correct! I do find that the pickpockets in Paris are far more skilled than those in other big European city.
no, only cities in france, germany, and england suffer from abundance of pickpockets.
Not in Australia they arent
@@kwazooplayingguardsman5615 not many in London. Just don’t be naive
Yeah, not really, Paris is heaven for criminals
I visited Paris in 2018 and absolutely loved it. The boulevards, the cafes, carousels, the architecture and history. Just loved it….from an American 🇺🇸 NYer here. I even experienced a strike/protest in which they were lighting flares which was very interesting. It was helpful that many in the city spoke English and tried to understand my terrible French lol.
Nathaniel, thank you for showing me Paris now I want to live in Paris. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Enjoy the no go zones where westerners aren't even allowed to go into
@@Jordi_Llopis_i_Torregrosa96 it really doesn't exist inside Paris, maybe just in some suburb parts
@@Jucarlien "it really doesn't exist inside Paris" "maybe just in some suburb parts"
make your mind up smoothbrain, the suburbs are still Paris and there's absolutely no justification for anything like this to happen anywhere in the west, the fact that you're immediately trying to deny it or ultimately justify it speaks volumes about how much you care about your country, there shouldn't be any no go zones in France to begin with
@@Jordi_Llopis_i_Torregrosa96 Why are you being so aggressive. No the suburbs of Paris is not Paris, I myself live in the suburbs of Paris, this video talks specifically of Paris not the region.
I also didn't at all tried to deny the fact that there exist "nogo" zones, neither did I try to justify it. I just wrote my first comment because thanks to the media and particularly American media, some people think that Paris is filled with "no go" areas, wich is completely false.
There exist some dangerous places to go in France, particularly NEAR and not IN: Paris and Marseille, wich is a really big problem, but you sound like you just repeat some stuff you read on a random article.
@@Jucarlien sounds like a cope
Hi Nathaniel! I'm a Colombian girl living in Italy, and I went to Paris last week. I would say that at first I was really astonished by the entire city, the architecture, the color scheme, the people.... And I truly loved it, I think it is because I come from Bogotá (the capital city of Colombia) and I'm used to moving around a big city.... with all the chaos, the noise, the speed of a capital. I did the touristic things but I also had some friends in Paris that showed me other spots and I really enjoyed it. I feel like I can't describe with words the feeling that Paris left on me, it was magical.
I'd love to hear your view of Bogota, Columbia!
As a Latino, I’m curious about which you prefer, Paris or Rome?
Yeah im curios too: Rome or Paris?
Guys I’m italian, I think Florence and Venice are better tourist spots than Rome
Italy is literally the museum of Europe alongside Greece. Italy is far more architecturally superior than France. Italian architectur dominates Europe till to this day.
I recently left Madrid after teaching there for 2 years. I know EXCATLY what you are talking about, some European Cities just have a certain 'feel' to them that is magical and encourages you to be a better person and live a more balanced lifestyle. Having lived in Canada now for two years and about to move back home to Australia, I certainly miss the balance and being part of a place that is inexplicably larger than yourself. But life is about experiences, and I am glad I have had the privilege to have had all of these experiences to begin with.
At least you Aussies know how to relax and leave work at 5 to meet at the pub/coffee-shop :)
Why live in Canada when you could've lived in Australia?
@@sm3675 : because is pretty nice to live in 🇨🇦. Hugs from Montréal !
@kai liepins: nicely said. You are right.
I went to Paris a few years ago and it really was never a place I particularly wanted to visit. But maybe because I had low expectations 😂 I simply adored every minute!!! I love Paris!!
I visited Paris last year and to be honest I can’t understand the negative publicity the place gets. It’s a city of elegance with fantastic historical attractions, top level food and a vibrant atmosphere. The people dress with style and were friendly and accommodating. I will return soon. Greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪
idealization is never good we can only be disappointed, Paris remains an incredible city otherwise it would not be the most visited country in the world it is that some people like it anyway
The same can be said for all major Italian cities with the exception Italian cities are better.
are you naive? it's a polluted dirty place with many robbers and stalker all around with some' stupid rules
@@filippomonaco2303very objective statement
Its only because of algerians causing criminaliy, just tipe saint Denis
I feel as though the “angry Parisians” trope is specific to American tourists who do not take the time to learn basic French phrases or words…as you mentioned earlier in the video, if you don’t start an exchange with “Bonjour”, you’re dead to the person. American tourism is notorious for the expectation that the world speaks English and therefore caters to them. The French have so much pride in their language that there’s actually an institution dedicated to preserving the language that’s been around since the 1630’s, so they respect those of us who can speak at least in basic terms with them! :)
As an American the best way to get people to speak English to you that I have found is to really try and speak the local native language. Usually I am so bad at it they switch to English to prevent harm to themselves. I do not speak their language poorly on purpose I just suck at it. But I have also found that you get more respect for at least trying even if you only speak in simple toddler like sentences like I tend to. Learn Hello Goodbye Thank you and How to count to at least 10. It is amazing how just that little bit will make a huge difference.
@@christopherr.2137 Totally the same experience! Almost always works :)
Exactly, I often see videos or comments about people hating Parisians because they're always mad and rude. But as a Parisian, I've been to most countries in Europe, and though we are not the most likeable, I definitely don't think we're the worst either.
It's true though that people can be touchy with very very basic politeness rules, like saying "Bonjour". I realized a few years ago how it was important to us when I witnessed a bunch of Americans coming into a bar where I used to go and didn't even say hello or anything. When I enter somewhere I ALWAYS start with a "bonjour monsieur" or "bonjour madame" before I even ask for anything. But they just entered and were talking extremely loudly and expansively, and what we would consider rude or disrespectful and just sat there and called the waiter. They expected everyone to speak a perfect English and acted like they were the only one in the bar, very over-friendly and like the waiter was at their disposal. And the waiter was visibly upset and not very nice with them. I thought to my mind, there we have some Americans that when they will get home, they will say that Parisian waiters are rude assholes, but there's an incredibly huge cultural gap here that Parisian waiters experiments all the time with some tourists (not only Americans), that we all have different standards when it comes to politeness.
And I realized that those guys weren't necessarily rude or anything, they just had different standards. In Paris (and in France) we are less effusive than Americans who are very friendly, very fast. We aren't, but it doesn't mean we won't respect you or treat you well. And when we enter a place a "bonjour" is always expected. If there isn't one, it definitely isn't a good start.
Even between French people, it's often that I see people arguing in the streets and someone who starts talking to the another person, and this person would answer with "euh, bonjour déjà", which means ("uh, first of all hello").
Not just U.S. American tourists, but anyone who speaks English and refuses to learn at least a few phrases in French because they THINK everyone should speak English. That sentiment bothers me so much, and I'm from the States. Fortunately, I speak French along with 5 other languages. And when I travel to other countries where I don't speak the language, such as Greece or Slovakia, I learn a few phrases and how to read the language, if needed. Locals really appreciate that. English is a world language, but it's not a universal language (b/c not everyone speaks it), and most importantly, it's not the ONLY language. Learn another language or at least some common phrases of the country you're going to visit. Be respectful of other countries and the locals.
@@christopherr.2137 How about speaking French without having the goal of getting them to speak English? Ask them to continue speaking to you in French because you'd like to improve.
As someone who loves Paris and wants to live there for a couple of years, who speaks French and who has a French wife who has a few amazing French friends, I have other cons:
- the homelessness
- the crime
- it’s dirty and smelly
- people care about themselves, not you
- people try so hard to be cool & it results in them being more standoffish and judgemental
- you feel like you have to dress really well to fit in
- the strikes can leave you waiting on a train for 4 hours extra or unable to get somewhere, and they are super regular
- the pay sucks
Other pros:
- Walking is really nice and the subway system, although terribly unpleasant, gets you around super reliably
- It’s easy to visit other places in France & Europe (French rail is awesome, when there aren’t strikes)
- being in love in Paris is just sublime
Paris definitely has fewer pros than cons, but the pros are just really really good. It’s also weird to compare it to New York because New York is also such an extreme place.
lol i dont get why paris is so overromanticized.... is it coz of the media? i find switzerland more romantic than paris
@@AlbumLeViola Fair enough! Paris is romanticised because of its beauty, its food, its language, and its fashion. It’s pretty easy to make that look good on screen and to make people want to go there!
I don’t mind Switzerland, the skiing is insane and the chocolate is to die for. Many places in Europe are pretty amazing for lots of different reasons, and they also all have their flaws. If you like Switzerland, if that’s your place, then that’s great!
@@ds_7 idk... i dont think perfect places exist. its all in our mind anyway
@@AlbumLeViola Yeah nowhere is perfect, but it’s also great to appreciate what is good about wherever you go :)
"being in love in Paris is just sublime". Is that your pro? Being in love is sublime, full stop.
"you feel like you have to dress really well to fit in", you definitely don't know Paris if you say that. I lived 25 years in London, I can spot someone from Paris in a second. No designer clothes, no high heels, no complicate hairstyle (or weaves for black girl).
You will not love Paris if you think like that. That's 100% the movie romantization you are describing.
No. Paris is not underrated. I loved Paris, the people, the food. Paris stole my heart. I'm from Chicago, and I couldn't help feeling that Paris was my kind of city. I loved its lack of perfection.
Its lack of perfection ?
That’s their point, both places are imperfect so she felt comfortable
I live in Paris and dream of living (even for a while) in Chicago. Such a perfect city!
I think the love and hate relationship is typical in almost every European Capital. Visit Paris 10 years ago, hope to visit again soon, since this year I moved to Lisbon and have a similar feeling with the city haha
I just went to Paris for a few days and thought the Paris syndrome was funny, because I had the opposite experience. As a German I never liked France because of the unfriendly stereotypes, and I never romanticized Paris to begin with. When I chose my university, I never considered France, I didn't even think about it. But when I came here, I was baffled, the city is beautiful, probably the best architecture, in such a harmony, I have ever seen. The atmosphere is amazing, the streets are filled wherever you go, there is great food and wine around every corner, it's like a never ending movie. I guess the movie ends somewhere out in the suburbs, but few cities come close in having such a big, lively area. I been to New York and even though it's also big, there were often corners close to popular areas where I wouldn't feel safe, I never had that in my time in Paris. I have a hard time going back to German cities now, knowing how beautiful Western European cities can be (I don't compare them to Southern European ones, they just have a different vibe and climate).
As a Dutch guy I have exactly the same feelings. Paris is amazing and I don't get why I didn't get that sooner. There's something in our shared cultural understanding that Paris is shit. Maybe it got transferred through our parents generation or something, I don't really know.
Ah, this was really great. I lived in Paris for two years and then spent over a decade going back for business and truly feel as you say; it is a city that feels out of reality and when I continue to return over the years, it feels like I'm returning to a recurring dream. Beautifully filmed, thank you!
My grandpa lived in the 17th arrondissement. We would stay in his apartment when we visited Paris it was right beside a market and a bunch of little local shops that I loved. It was at times overwhelming with the metro and the tourists but there was no lack of boredom or experiences. I do not miss the smells of the cities in France. Urine, pollution, dog poop and cigarettes are not the best combination of smells. I can live without them. I am much more of a country kind of girl. I much prefer the small towns and villages in France (or anywhere else for that matter) than the city. I like the quiet.
I lived in the 17th arrondissement too! Villa Aublet, between Ave Niel and Bld Péreire. But I understand why you appreciate the quiet too.
@@marktwain6609 my grandfather was beside le parc batignole
This is a great video for introducing those who romanticize the city to what living in Paris feels like. From the food, the beauty, the endless "contiguous villages" vibe to the acute housing crisis, Kafkian administrative nightmares and ubiquitous noise and dust from construction/renovation jobs, you've covered a lot of the essentials. Good job, man!
I, for one, never romanticized Paris. I came here to do a six-month course in French at the Sorbonne. That was over 35 years ago, and I've been here ever since.
It took a long time for the French to grow on me, but the city itself somehow felt like it could become my home almost immediately. I'd lived in Barcelona and Granada a few years prior to that, in addition to spending lots of time in Trieste visiting family, but none of those other European cities had the same immediate effect on me, despite the fact that my language skills in Spanish and Italian were far superior to my truly sketchy understanding of French at the time.
The difference is that Paris is a truly cosmopolitan city. Sure, it's French, just as New York is American or London is English or Moscow is Russian, but it also a city that has been a haven for People from Elsewhere for a very long time, and it shows in the general mindset. Once you get to know the language and people here, you understand just how tolerant it is. And as far as major capitals go, it is very slow-paced, even though few people who live elsewhere in France or have no experience with other global megacities would ever agree with that statement.
What else can I say? Paris is safe. Certainly not Japan safe, but very safe all the same. I have never had anything stolen from me here. Over the past 35 years, I have personally witnessed only two physical altercations, and there were no weapons involved. It has one of the best public transportation systems in the world, a system that also happens to be affordable. Paris is clean, and getting cleaner with each passing year, believe me. When you live and work here, you never have to think about health care. And the trope about how arrogant Parisians are is, in my experience, an outdated stereotype. During my first months and years here, I felt that, whereas in the States the customer is always right, in Paris the customer is always in the way. That has gradually changed, and more often than not, I find that Parisians, especially the younger crowd, are eager to interact with people from other countries and (gasp!) even practice their English.
Sure, there are drawbacks, and you have pointed most of them out in this video. But as you rightly say, no place is perfect, and no place has universal appeal. Different strokes for different folks.
The one thing that really stands out above all other considerations is this: Paris is CIVILIZED AND HUMANE. Long may it remain so.
I love this comment.❤️ I hope to one day visit France. I'm on day 3 of learning basic conversational French. I learned from a colleague that recently had an Art show in Paris, and he described the area where he stayed as the Lower East Side of NYC (my favorite place to hang out❤️) of the 60's and 70's.
Le peuple français disparaît donc bel et bien. C’est extrêmement triste à lire.
I studied in Paris for six months, and I certainly have a love hate relationship with the city. On one had, this is one of the most annoying cities I have been to. There are often traffic disruptions, or some kind of protest going on. When I was there metro workers went on strike for a month, so I had to walk an hour to and an hour back from university each day.
At the same time, I loved the "pulse" of the city. It is intense, inspiring and historic.
strikes are important for worker rights
@@atesah I agree! But that doesn't change the fact that they can be annoying. Still, I like that in France many people support these strikes, even if they are inconvenient.
@@LegendTheAnonymous okay, it’s just the way you described it made it seem a little self centred. not accusing or anything, I just think it’s important to remember why workers strike and the importance of it and the point of it is to show how vital the work they do is and that society doesn’t function efficiently without these workers so they should be compensated fairly and justly and not have their rights at work eroded by their bosses. The inconvenience of it all displays how important their work is and we should be “annoyed” at their selfish, greedy bosses pushing the workers until they had no choice but to strike
Et oui vous n avez pas eu de chance. Un pays gouverné par des gauchistes cela donne ça et plus une invasion migratoire depuis 1981...
I found central Paris was all the things described in the video. It's great when you're young and kid free, and have a social life. There's a lot of lonely people in the city though; you can be lonely in crowds. The saddest story I know, was a neighbour who had a stroke, fell down behind her front door, couldn't alert anybody, and was found dead a week later, having pulled a rug over her for warmth.
Paris was great when I was in my 30's; living there was nothing like being a tourist; I found it had more charm and secrets outside of the most touristic areas. Later, when kids arrived, priorities changed and the city became more impractical. Thankfully there are so many beautiful parts of France in which to lead a quieter life, and now I can just visit the capital as a tourist once in a blue moon. I've certainly found different places can suit people at different stages of their life.
You’re a spot on about different places suiting people at different stages of life.
Nathaniel, I'm enjoying seeing you open up more showing both sides of the coin with your life. I felt a lot of your older videos were focused on the romanticism of place and life, and now I feel like I'm seeing a lot more tempered views and nuance through your more recent videos. Bravo 👏
This video made me reconsider my own city which is Prague. I love it so much for its pros and cons and I think that the little flaws create the unique feeling you get when you are discovering cities because if everything would be perfect you would loose half of the experience 😊
Prague is one of the most beautiful cities i have ever seen. And i'm french.
I went to Paris for the first time in my life just a month ago. I was only there for for four days so it definitely was a tourist experience. But it didn’t disappoint at all. It was so beautiful and exciting and romantic. I’m already missing it. No París syndrome here.
Awesome video. Shout out to whoever's making the motion graphics. They are wonderful. :)
Completely agree! Skyler is the one creating these, Nathaniels brother - indeed a very talented motion designer.
Animator here -- thank you!! Been a big fan of your work for some years, it's definitely inspired some looks in these videos haha. Cheers :D
Absolutely agree! I always watch his videos trying to learn something new.
@Luis Guirola it's Skyler, his brother. if you don't believe it you can watch "A Q&A With My Brother" from No Backup Plan, Nathaniel's second channel.
Lived in Paris for a year. Hated it for the first two month or so, but once I found my way around and got to know a few people I totally fell in love with it. One other thing you might wanna mention are all those farmer markets that pop up all over the city, and you need a local to let you know the schedule. From cheese to vegetables to wine, everything is offered fresh from the farm and often surprisingly good value.
Wow. I'm a French person that has always hated Paris, because there are a lot of problems with it. But after watching this video I'm reconsidering my views, maybe I was being too binary. The city is quite beautiful and the culture is overflowing from every corner
It also made me appreciate our food and overall culture way more to see you this enthusiastic about living there, so thank you!
Can't wait to travel to see how the world is outside of our country. Keep being great!
Yes!! From someone who moved & lived here in the U.S. for almost 2 yrs. the food here are insane!! they are processed in anyway but long term you’ll just get used to it (but it makes me ick thinking about it). And living here is work work work Welcome to the American Dream😂
Fellow French person here! I used to hate Paris too, but what really made me reconsider my opinion are videos like this one. Seeing a city through someone else's perspective brings new aspects to light that you otherwise wouldn't have considered. I love it when foreigners discover and appreciate our culture, because it makes me fall in love with my country all over again :))
I lived in Paris for 6 months and absolutely fell in love with it. It definitely helps to speak French! You also should find places that make you feel grounded and lucky, then it feels like home. You get used to walking around the city & the metro quiet quickly, it’s not so hard to build a daily routine. I saw the same sights nearly everyday and the city never lost its charms for me. Just absolutely in love and would love to go back.
Content que vous ayez aimé.
This is one of the best videos on the beauties and frustrations of Paris. You nailed it. I recently moved back to Canada after living there for 3 years. I miss it a lot.
Love this video! My first time in Paris was a couple years ago and I found it overrated and I hadn’t had the most pleasant experience with Parisians. My second time tho, I loved it! I also saw Paris through a different perspective because I spent more time with locals. You try to take your tourist glasses off then.
I loved the architecture of the city a lot. I live in the Netherlands and most surrounding countries have similar architecture (France, Spain, Belgium, etc), but the Netherlands has a quite different architecture overall so I admire seeing it in other countries. I also found public transport to be very convenient there. Took the metro a lot and the bus every now and then.
As a non-Parisian/non-French person, it doesn’t matter how many times I’ve been to the city. Because I will always be amazed by the Tour Eiffel, the evening walks and the streets. When I look back at my pictures taken there, I feel nostalgic.
I discovered something similar about LA. It's super Romanticised as being the place to go to follow your film making/acting dreams but as soon as you read up or look into it, you realise there are a LOT of bad things about the place.
Despite this however, I'm planning on going there for a while in the new year, because I know there's still lots of opportunity and great things about the city, I just need to have an appropriate view of the place before arriving.
Ultimately, it doesn't matter where you go, your thoughts come with you.
Great perspective
I went to LA a few months before the pandemic and was disappointed. I loved the touristy places, but you have to drive everywhere and it’s wall to wall people. I remember walking to the beach and it was so congested, I left.
Everytime I hear that song "California Dreamin" it makes me wanna move to LA so bad, and perhaps it was that amazing in the 1960s, but yeah everyone from LA I know these days says too hot, wildfires, rage inducing traffic, crime, they're always bitching about something rather than saying how nice it is lol (tho it's still got it's perks like anywhere, the weather is still amazing year round regardless)
I agree. My family lived in LA for many years when I was a kid, but I've lived outside of LA for most of my life. I returned after a long absence in 2020 (for a visit) and I wasn't sure if I would still love it. I was glad to find that even with the significant changes, I still love it there. BUT. Since I'm from there I avoided the touristy/famous places almost entirely, and I just chilled out while I was there. A few friends of mine who had never been to LA visited there after my trip, and they hated it. They did the touristy stuff and stayed in touristy/famous areas, and it was deeply unpleasant for them. They didn't see the LA that I see when I go there (my suggestions were ignored), so to them LA is a horrible, expensive, filthy place that's full of homeless people and selfish people. I think they felt lied to by the romanticizations. That makes me sad for them.
No one will experience Paris the same way, it depends from where you come.I have been to Paris for a couple of days few years ago, by that time, I have no expectations about the City and I end it up by falling in love with it. I found it very intuitive to walk around the city, you can't risk being lost, the architecture is amazing, even the metro system I found it so practical and easy (I am coming from a place were the transportation system is so weak and kind of a burden) the city is so aesthetic and it feels like you are going through a history book or a "musée à ciel ouvert".
Sure being a tourist is not the same as living there, as you have said, Evey place has it's good and it's bad sides, up to you to decide how much you can tolerate the bad ones and if the positive aspects out past the negative ones.
That was an awesome video as usual, thank you for sharing this amazing experience.
Yeah for me as a person who was raised in a country that has been colonised by France I was raised to see france as evil and BAD for what it has done in the past to my ancestors and when I got there it was actually pretty deferent , I mean sure there is bad people but every place in earth has good AND bad ones and because I was raised to hate France I had zero expectations therefore I really liked it when I went there .
I have been to Paris only twice, for short periods of time. I LOVED Paris…..the food…..the sights….the architecture…..places to go, things to do….awesome place. The vibes…..right on for me. Will go back again if time permits!!! 🥰👍
I have visited Paris several times in my life. The first time I was 13 in 1977 and was with my family. We took the hovercraft over from England and had a VW CamperVan. Legendary - we drove around the Arc de Triomphe at rush hour and were astonished to see cars driving on the sidewalk - yeah really! Of course we hit all the highlights like the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Versailles and I was astounded. The second time I was a 20 year old backpacker coming over from Canada. I went to see Purple Rain at its premiere on the Champs Elysee (it was 1984) and had a blast staying in a dorm in La Defense while visiting my sister who was attending the Sorbonne for a year, while living in well, basically a closet, just down the street from the Arc de Triomphe! On that trip I met her sexy french friends who took me out for dinner and later we had dinner with her family - I will never forget it - we all got drunk on homemade pear alcohol! Driven back to our hotel late at night in a Mercedes taxi driving along the Seine at 2 am with the Notre Dame in the background, illuminated by a full moon. Legendary. Finally, last summer I stayed for several days after France reopened - rented a car and got lost and of course, ended up driving around the Arc de Triomphe, my old friend, several times before I got headed in the right direction. Paris was more beautiful and cultured than ever - and zero rude people. One of my favourite cities in the world for the past 45 years.
It’s definitely NOT overrated. I love Paris . I have been there thousands of times and I feel it’s never enough because I always look forward to return . It’s a city that takes my breath away sand bring a smile when I think about it
As a not-Parisian French, Paris is definitely a place on its own. Both the pros and the cons are kind of unique to Paris. Nothing is as big and feels as expansive in France and probably Europe. And nowhere is as dirty, crowded as Paris.
What I'm saying, I guess, is that you should go down and visit down here to the south someday ☺️
I went to Niece and Cannes in January 2017 and it was quite clean, the weather was nice and sunny, people were nice :)
Not quite Europe anymore but I think we can certainly crown London as the filthiest and largest city by a long shot. And it doesn’t have nearly as many redeeming qualities as paris does 🥲
I'm Japanese living in Paris for almost 5 years now. Since my work allows me to see other French and European cities, my experience hasn't been too bad. But after being in the city for a few weeks or months straight, I always have this massive need to get out and connect with nature or something. Because it is quite dirty, noisy, and polluted. At this point, I just don't have any expectations of the city so I guess I need to focus on the good 😄
I definitely get that feeling. Every time I visit Paris, I get so overwhelmed by the noise, the crowds and the atmosphere! I live in the west of France, and it always feels relieving when I go back home, it's so much quieter and peaceful. I think that in order to fully appreciate Paris, you have to live there and slowly make the city yours by finding places you love. Other big European cities are similar to Paris, in my opinion, like London and Barcelona. May I ask what kind of job you have?
Don't you get disgusted? It's just filled with black people right now
@@pastadecosta5683 based
@@h4f3ou5h based on what? Reality? Man I have visited patis in 2018, feels like Africa now
@Kiko Absolutely agree - and I've been in Paris for a similar length of time. The other problem I've had, that isn't addressed in the video, is the hassle on the street. I've lived in the 14th, 17th and 18th arrondissements, i.e. the areas that are shown a lot in the video, and I have been pushed around on the street, shoved against a wall, sworn at, and even been spat at by random guys. In my experience it's a misogynist culture, which of course won't be visible to male visitors. I ended up feeling really unsafe every time I left my apartment. I've lived in cities most of my life and never experienced this sort of aggro. Can't wait to move elsewhere!
I lived in Paris in 1979. I can't imagine what it is like now. I actually lived on circa $2 a day. Young people were hardly consumers back then, other than shopping at the open markets. I hung out at the Pompidou or at the Shakespeare Bookstore. I lived in a 11th-story walk up on the Rue D'Ormesson (Arondissement 4) between St. Paul and the Bastille. What hasn't changed is if you didn't say good day they would pretend they didn't understand a word you said. :-)
.... which is a stupid habit ( I say that, and I m French)
I am French and live in the UK. I agree with your list :). Am not sure why you didn't mention that, perhaps you haven't spent a lot of time with groups of French people. French favour sort of contrarian discussion, yes but - they like to debate until the early hours. Demonstrating intellectual prowess and debate is instilled in us from an early age. I have been in the UK for so long where people just accept your opinions for what they are that I now find this French trait quite hard to digest.
That’s so right. I live in France for 5 years. This is the thing I really don’t appreciate in France. Since they do this excessively, it stops you moving forward generally. I sometimes get so demoralised when they do this to me while I struggle to express my arguments in French.
Being passive aggressive and fake doesn't mean that people accept your opinion. Arguing isn't about accepting or rejecting an opinion, it's about pursuing a conversation which makes sense and eventually the facts will emerge from that. A bit like the basic of philosophy. People who always want to be right or can't stand that people disagree with them or contradict them or can't debate with arguments can't be happy with the French habit. Pursuing harmony over reason can be satisfying at a personal level but it can be very toxic and destroy countries.
@@uygar9931 Being critical towards people's opinions, thoughts, projects etc will allow them to go the extra step. By highlighting the bad and wrong things in you, it will allow you to erase these imperfection and get closer to perfection in everything you do. You get the others point of view and way of doing things that can help you construct a better educated opinion, mindset, idea or piece of work.
@@audran3897 the magical word that I mentioned above is “excessively”. They do it so excessively that you cannot even get to a step where you make up ideas or decisions. Imagine being constantly judged for what you think and why so. It is mostly not constructif. Judging for judging.
@@uygar9931 well I can indeed imagine it since I live here… but I understand that it can be hard if you weren’t raised in this mentality. It has its pros and cons
I visited Paris back in October 2018 for one week (after spending a week in Marseille), but I actually stayed in a suburb town Montgeron that is located probably 20-30 minutes by train from Paris. So the city looked completely different from Marseille that has a lot of hills, sea, beaches, sun, arabic influence. Paris was rainy, greenless, kind of dirty and fast paced, people were walking with baguettes everywhere lol So I didn't like Paris much (although on my first day I met a famous french rapper Gambi which I took a picture with lol), and I felt like in Paris people focus too much on fashion, having the most expensive brands etc. Marseille was simple, more down to earth. Although I liked visiting some of the less touristic places such as Nanterre with the Picasso Towers and some old Theater-type housing project building where guys were selling drugs lol Maybe im a person of nature but I actually liked Montgeron more, cuz it's a small town surrounded by nature. There are literally never-ending parks with small rivers where you could even see some rare animals. And the streets there look super cosy. So IMO, Paris is overrated but it depends on the person ;)
I’m from Marseille and I just wanted to thank you for the good image you share of this city 😄
@@theomichel72 haha yeah Marseille was really nice especially the southern part. And the mountains. And the cathedral on the hills.💪🏻
@@MishaElRusito yes Marseille is a very diverse city and different from Paris, in terms of landscapes, mentality and of course the weather! It's cool that you saw this difference with capital and it would be nice if people stopped seeing France only through Paris 😅
Did you visited any monuments on Paris ? It seems you just passed in it
Anna polina ❤🇷🇺 😉
The problem with the French (and I speak as a Parisian) is that we are fully convinced that we are in hell when we are actually in a paradise. I'm probably the only one of my friends who love Paris!!!
Every time I transit through Paris, I make sure I have 10 hours to get out of the airport and walk around the beautiful city. However I noticed a decline in the city with every visit.
If by paradise you mean a place where you can't afford relaxing for 10 seconds straight because there's human filth all over the place trying to mug you, yeah it's paradise
I have visited Paris for the third time this year. It was unexpected and I certainly did not plan to love it. But, I fell in love with the light, the places, the metro system! I felt home but excited at the same time. There was always something new to do, another museum, another side of the river, another dish to taste.
Not everything is perfect of course (rats, customer service, traffic, construction). And I do understand that tourism in such an iconic city can be so annoying for the residents... I hope the government can do something about the real estate.
Nonetheless, I see myself visiting it more in the future. It fuels me with inspiration!
I stayed in paris a couple of months ago and I fell in love. I wasn't satisfied with the food I had, but I'm gonna credit that to perhaps it was a touristy location (2 blocks from the eiffel tower.) However, everything else: architecture, the WINE, the cheese, the candy, the river, to me it was like literally walking through some romance novel. Yes we all know it has its issues I'm sure but its so magical. I could never live there but it will forever be my go to vacation spot.
Other things I hate about it: Paris can be extremely dirty in general, it is a nightmare for pedestrians and bicycles as a lot of space was given to cars even in the city center and it seems like we are centuries behind other countries concerning recycling, vegan options in restaurants, etc.
Over romanticising Paris is prejudicing its case. I love my city and it is full of wonders, but it has a lot of flaws and people need to be aware of it otherwise one can only feel disappointed when they come here!
A nightmare for pedestrians? Phew, as a Latin American living in Paris that statement blows my mind. We have different standards of comparison I guess. But even still, Paris is the most walkable city that I've been to in Europe and walkability alone would be at the top of my "Pros" list.
I'd heard horrible things before our visit. My husband and father in law speak French. I speak Spanish. I was shocked by how much fun we had and how... It was shockingly wonderful. People I expected to be mean weren't mean at all. A+.
With all due respect, you could say that about pretty much every huge city in the world. :\
@@Magnificent881 It is far worse than other capitals in Europe like Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Brussels...
@@shimmerngspirit See, that's a good example. When you expect the worse you can only be gladly surprised :)
I've only been to Paris once. To me it was exhilarating, but still a big expensive city. I spent more time in some of the smaller cities of France, and found them more to my taste.. not so overwhelming. The food seems to be wonderful everywhere there, and I like the architecture. I also found French people to be congenial, in general; not at all as difficult as they are sometimes depicted. I wish that I had spoken better French, to be an ideal guest; but was glad that I had tried to learn as much as I had. It's really a very beautiful language.
Une très belle langue en effet, dommage que les français fassent tout pour la transformer en une version batarde de l’anglais. Content que votre voyage vous ai plu nonobstant.
I stayed in Montmarte with a friend for a couple days back in 2019 during a heat wave, and I'll always remember how we romanticized the heat and the stairs to the point where we were sprinting up flights of stairs together, sweating buckets, when we could've just taken an elevator. There's truly something about the place that paints even hot, sweaty days in a crowded metro with magic. Great video!
Merci beaucoup pour cette vidéo Nathaniel !!! Tu retranscris parfaitement ce que je ressent entant que parisien depuis que j'y ai emménagé .. toutefois, t'as oublié, surement à juste titre, un point qui me semble commun à tous les parisiens : la chance !!
En effet, être résident à Paris représente un privilège énorme et une chance hors du commun. Ça peut paraître un peu prétentieux de parler de "privilège de la vie parisienne" mais en réalité c'est assez perceptible quand on y vit à l'année.
Continue de nous faire rêver comme tu le fais si bien !
Bien à toi 😇
edit. Paris c'est un état d'esprit.
I was in Paris only once, when I was in high school, it was (OMG!) 20 years ago :-o
It was only 3 days. 2 days for city visiting and one day for Disnayland Paris.
And what can I say, I love this city. Beautiful streets, buildings, monuments, architecure etc.
I hope to back there and visit Paris again, maybe for longer to see more, to make photos, videos.
Paris is greate!!
Best wishies from Poland!! :-)
Im 52...I always wanted to live in Paris and I never realized I could have just gotten up and gone. I have visited a few times. And I haven't given up the dream. And this vid just got me all reinvigorated. I will be there again later this year. I plan on binging a lot of your videos to get some inspiration. Merci Merci Merci pour vos videos.
Took the family to Paris via London this past August (from New Jersey). Our consensus is that Paris really is all that we thought it would be beforehand. We were not disappointed and had a great time.
Recently travelled throughout Europe and wasn’t even planning on visiting Paris. Decided at the last minute to go for a couple days and was absolutely blown away by the city. One of the best parts of my trip.
Why you didnt Even plan to go ?
First off, merci beaucoup for an accurate and beautiful summation of Paris. This synchs up perfectly with my experience of living in Paris as a fellow American ex-pat, who moved here almost 2 years ago as well! Also, not sure if you remember, but we bumped into each other in Montmartre, and I was one of the people who tried to help you with the infamous bank situation. haha Sorry, that didn't work out, but glad it did in the end. Bref, thank you for documenting Paris in such an honest and poetic manner. Keep at it, man! Such a gift of filmmaking, you are putting out into the world!
Ah yes I remember! Thank you for the kind words :) - I hope you’re doing well!!
This video makes me still want to go to PARIS and experience it on my own but your little heads up would make me less disappointed if things aren’t the way I am imagining. Thank you Nathaniel
I spent 9 September days in Paris in 2015 before heading south to start my Camino de Santiago. It kept a part of my hear. As an American, it was the first time I've felt the AGE of a place, sometimes overwhelmingly so. If I was in my 30s or 40s again, I'd be living there now.
I've been to Paris twice. Once for a week and then once for a month. The big reason for the two different time frames is that after I went for a week, I wanted more. When we stayed for a month I was so happy. Arguably the best month of my life. Was everything perfect and were all of the things that were supposed to be bad, that bad? And were all of the things that were supposed to be great, that great? No. You have to be reasonable and it all depends on taste and preferences too. This place hit practically every good thing that I'd want in a place. Were there things that I really didn't like though? Of course. But I couldn't agree with this video more. And very soon I will be back there for another month. Crossing fingers that the pandemic doesn't change things. Fantastic video and I can tell that we probably have similar tastes as well as similar annoyances lol.
i lived in paris for a year, was going to stay forever, but moved back home because of the pandemic.
this made me smile in memory of the adventure that this city has always been for me.
can't wait to go back one day. merci pour cette vidéo
I'm from Austria and I went to Paris 4 years ago or so. The flair is nice and I get why people like it. I feel like Americans romanticise it too much though. I don't mean you personally but whenever Americans talk about going to Europe, what they mean is Paris, because thats kinda the only place they know "well" from movies or whatever? And for Europeans on the other hand french people are mostly rude and very nationalist haha and while it is being romaticised as well, its not as bad here because many life style factors are shared throught many countries in Europe I guess, so its not as exciting.
"french people are mostly rude and very nationalist" nice to generalize 67 millions people. Like we are all the same. In most parts of France outside Paris(and may be the French Riviera), French people are actually nice...
Was in Paris for 5 times now in different stages of my life. It is one of my favourite cities, I have seen so much already yet I haven't seen so much that I would still want to see, and I'm not even talking about diving into some scene, enjoying some nightlife, just the tourist things like museums, certain spots. Sadly I have cancer and had surgery and am disabled with a rollator now and maybe soon needing a wheelchair. I promised my son to take him once to Paris too, because when I went with my daughter he couldn't go. But I don't know how I could now manage the city being disabled. The metro is one big labyrinth of stairs and many places are not disable friendly either. Would still want to go if just for my son.
Paris is a very disabled person city.... by bus :) very well equipped and practical
Great video. Surprised that you didn't mention "le système d" when talking about bureaucracy. Navigating French bureaucracy is an art form in and of itself. The example you gave of having a friend with you to secure a bank account is "le système d" in action. Another example: queuing up for lines. A line in America is one person behind the other, in the form of...a line. In Paris, a "line" is more of a wedge shape or scrum. Cutting the "line" is considered acceptable behavior if excused with a shrug of the shoulders and a casual "eh, c'est le système d!". La débrouillardise is a second-nature, core survival skill in France, especially in Paris.
Another topic you could explore is the downside of the French obsession with food: they are constantly talking about food intake. Especially in Paris, where there is immense social pressure to stay thin. It is socially acceptable to openly chastise (bully) someone for their food choices: "You just had a baby, shouldn't you eat a salad?" "You're gaining weight. Maybe you should skip this meal?" The commenting on food intake teeters the line between unhealthy preoccupation and eating disorder. It is a uniquely French phenomenon that's particularly bad in Paris.
Last thing: as a Black American, I have had the absolute weirdest racial treatment that only happens in Paris. I have spent decades perfecting my French accent. It's too perfect: I'm often assumed to be an African immigrant in my initial interactions with Parisians, and treated accordingly. I have learned that there is a social advantage in deliberately speaking French with more of an American accent. Why? I think it's the historical perceptions of Black Americans in France, from the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, to Josephine Baker, to the black G.I.s who helped liberate France in World War II. It's also the current perceptions of black Americans in French culture, from hip-hop music and sports. The French generally put black Americans on a pedestal. My French friends rarely refer to me as "un américain", but almost always as "un noir américain". I wouldn't think it was a "thing" if it weren't for the consistent, Jeckl-Hyde change in demeanor the minute a French person realizes I'm "un noir américain".
You're not the first person I've seen attest that being noticeably American is actually better in France if you're black. It's an upsetting reality and reminds that Europe is not always the wonderfully progressive place North America idealizes it as at times.
Hello Derrick,
I'm Parisian by birth and white (I'm 54) and have spent most of my life in Paris in the very near suburbs.
Your analysis is relevant, and I wouldn't take a word out of what you said.
On the other hand, I'd like to add a few details to this analysis and perhaps thus modify your perception a little bit of this differentiated attitude between black Africans and black Americans in Paris and France in general.
The first thing that comes to mind is the cultural difference between black Africans and black Americans. Indeed, most of the former are Muslim, while the majority of the latter are Christian. This isn't a detail to be overlooked. Because suddenly, the cultural differences between the two at the level of social behavior are very different.
France is historically Christian (even if since 1789, the country has been secular). In every village in France, there's a church, often ancient. The way of perceiving things is closer between a white French and a black American than between a French white and a black African, and perhaps even between a black American and black African who will not have the same city culture.
When a black African arrives in Paris and comes to settle (most of the time in the suburbs) there, he arrives with his African habits and customs.
This isn't the case with a black American who most often will behave more or less like a French white. Black Africans in the suburbs come together and often live in isolation. It will not be the case for a black American, who will instead seek contact with the local population.
And above all, the biggest problem is the number. There's a lot of delinquency on the part of black Africans in France who have also landed in mass in France in the last twenty years when the country is already financially in bad shape.
On the other hand, we know few and even practically not at all black Americans who behave like delinquents in Paris (or elsewhere). Yet, on the other hand, young black Africans from so-called "sensitive" neighborhoods are talked about a lot in France.
There are, of course, obvious reasons for this; The first is poverty, unemployment. The second is also the ghettoization and prohibition of cannabis in France.
It generates enormous trafficking with all the problems this causes in the suburbs.
Most of the black Americans who come to Paris have studied and had a trade. They most often come from the middle class compared to their African counterparts. These last most often arrive here totally destitute and without fundamental professional skills.
This is why the view of the French on black Americans who land here is so different from that which they have on black Africans.
Have a friendly day, 🤗
@@j-loosenfout67 Well, “black” American and Native Africans are not the same people and have two totally different histories but i’m sure all you know is the European slave narrative of history that get propagated throughout the world
@@lexbogie1 Hello,
First, I' like to clarify one thing. I come from the neighborhoods and the working class and I still live and work there.
My parents were not graduates. I grew up surrounded by black Africans, Italians, Arabs, Chinese, Portuguese and all that the world can offer as a difference in culture.
I have friends of all origins including Malians, Arabs, etc.
Those who know me know that I'm not racist. I don't judge people by their skin color, their origins, or even their words.
I judge people one by one, not in groups and in relation to their attitude towards me personally.
I have no preconceptions when I meet someone for the first time.
I'd even say that the better someone has a good face, the more I'm wary. 😅
And yes, when you grow up in barrios, you know that the cover of the book isn't necessarily a reflection of what it contains.
On the other hand, concerning the History, know that the manipulation works as well in one direction as in the other. And that no one has the pure truth.
Reality and truth are two very different things.
Truth is human, multiple and variable depending on the point of view from which it is observed.
On the other hand, reality is universal. It belongs to Nature (some call it God, others call it Universe, others still give it other names).
So I'm never sure to hold any truth. Neither am I sure you have it yourself.
Truth is a variable.
Have a nice day my friend.
@@j-loosenfout67 your reply is the reason why as a POC who grew up in Paris i feel so much happier and healthier in the US. Though Paris is to me the best city in the world hands-down, white French people are the most obnoxious, arrogant and ANNOYING type of people I have ever met when it comes to their weird obsession with assimilation of POC to their white culture and their rejection of French-African culture. And most of them don’t even realize how problematic and extreme the assimilation narrative sounds in other multicultural countries
For me a great city is about having an endless supply of places to explore. I am just a simple and curious person. I like to eat and sightsee. Paris, London and NYC definitely fit the bill. Any cities that can hold up even after 5 visits are not overrated in my book. Most big cities have the same cons... e.g. expensive housing, terrible noise, pollution, traffic jam...If you can afford to live in one of those cities, do it. I can't, and I can only save up to travel to those cities a couple of times a year.
Well, good timing. I just got home from three months in France. I tend to hate cities wherever I am, but Paris really spoke to me. It was a place I could envision myself staying in for a longer period of time, and as a person with perpetual restlessness, that’s a rare feeling. On the metro I kept thinking, ‘man, nathaniel drew has probably been right near this spot that I’m standing. that’s sick.’
Another absolutely bangin’ film. Cheers!
Man, I miss Paris... Called Paris my home for a year & cannot wait to go back!! Thank you for reminding me of the beauty (& chaos) of this city ✨
Loved this. As someone who lived and worked in Paris for 18 months, I agree with a lot of what you said. French bureaucracy is in fact my idea of hell. However, as someone who also worked in hospitality, I can say that working Sundays are not only a thing, but probably the hardest working day of the week - the Parisians seem to live for their Sunday brunch. Looking back on some of those shifts, it's almost enough to make me want to cry. Ha. But I do miss living there. I also never gave much thought to how the pandemic would have shifted the city's dynamic, but it sounds almost magical to see the city free from the hordes of tourists.
Your excitement level when describing the bread is EVERYTHING.
Wow, can't believe I just now discovered your vlog! Anyway, we've now been in France for two years. We moved to Grenoble. It's always funny to us that our friends consistently think we moved to Paris, as if France and Paris are synonymous. Anyway, we feel like we get most of what people love about Paris without many of the negatives, e.g., cost. The food, the little stores and "ateliers," the public spaces and museums, the way of living, getting around by foot, bike, and public transit, the narrow streets, the quirky buildings, organic construction that rivals nature for beauty, the a dense urban environment that's livable families and children. And on and on - so much of it almost intangible and hard to describe. And almost no tourists here and super friendly locals. So I always wonder, why Paris? Why not Strasbourg, Bayonne, Toulouse, |Lyon, etc etc. Of course, were in a different demographic than you so maybe other cities just don't provide the excitement and events that Paris. I have a friend from the U.S. visiting Paris as I write and after a couple of days in Rouen, he practically ran back to Paris. This is a university town and the students often complain about Grenoble being to small and boring. But coming from the U.S. suburban wasteland, it has a lot of vitality. As for some of the practical difficulties you experienced, we have been lucky. I found a Netherlands online bank before we moved that was fairly easy to open (Bunq) that works just as well as French banks (it's the EU). We also found a super helpful expat community that helped cut through the red tape. We even were able to get a home loan here. And the healthcare system alone has made the move worth it. We are now in the insurance system but even without insurance, the costs are ridiculously cheaper. Anyway, loved your video and I will be mining your vlog for more. Just subscribed.
I'm French from Reunion Island. And since I was a little girl, I spent a lot of my holidays in Paris where my grandparents live. And I love this city. For a time, I wanted to study there but growing up, I realized I find Paris too busy and overwhelming, the traffic is insane and I didn't want to spend my days in the subway. But going there for the holidays is always wonderful, because it's beautiful, there are so many things to do, there is so much history, so much culture and there is definitely a romantic atmosphere.
Just something I noticed in your video, you talk about how cheese is amazing in France while showing images of pecorino which is an Italian cheese. Other than that, I agree with everything you say in your video. And I'm both proud and grateful to be French.
Alors tu vis à la Réunion et puis à Paris pendant les vacances... Il y en a vraiment qui ont tiré le gros lot. Tu n'est pas trop stressée, la vie est belle ?
The romanticizing of the city really becomes a problem with the mindset. It happens way more than other cities since Paris is the most visited and possibly most romanticized city in the world. But it is, ultimately, a city. If you've lived in one, or even been to one, you'll have a good idea what to expect. Theft happens, grime happens, economic disparity happens, and people tend to keep to themselves. It will have its pros and cons and your opinion is really dependent on if those pros click with you as a person. Like it may not as clean nor efficient as Tokyo, but the work culture is way more relaxed (and this is my personal favorite pro). It may not as relevant to modern culture as New York City, but its history stands out in every corner, and it has better transit. If you remember Paris is just another dense economic center of a country you'll be more grounded to fairly judge it, and probably appreciate its beauty more.
As an extra, I might be an exception that food is not a very high pro to me. I am latin american from California, and was able to find many kinds of food and for cheaper there. I do miss my spice and harsher flavors sometimes. For bakeries though there really is no rival.
Very interesting video. I’ve only visited Paris twice - once as a teenager and once a few years ago. I definitely liked Paris much better on the second visit as an adult - it’s a beautiful place. But, I’ve always felt far more connected to London (which I visit often). Lisbon also really connects with me in a strong way - so much so I think I’ll move there at some point. I also agree with you about work-life balance. It’s a real problem In the US. The one point that baffled me was the comment about food in the USA. I completely agree that France and Italy have incredible food cultures. I was in Milan in July - mostly just to eat. I also feel the USA food culture wasn’t great for much of the 20th century. But, during the last 20-30 years our food culture has changed dramatically. I live in San Diego - I have a bakery down the street that makes bread in ovens imported from France, where the baker studied for years. The bread is superb. That’s just one example. Being a “foodie” in the US is really common now. Good, and great, food can be found almost anywhere. And, yes, there’s still too much fast food in the US, yes the portions are ridiculous; and yes, food in Europe (and other parts of the world) is spectacular. But, it’s untrue that you cannot easily find wonderful food, containing amazing farm to table ingredients in the US - all cooked by true artists.
Conoces Buenos Aires? Se te a pasado por la mente visitar Argentina?
@@Emilie-kw5kt I’d respond by saying Native Americans had, and have, a vibrant food culture - that certainly originated on this continent. Additionally, foods such as corn and potatoes (to name just a couple) originated in the Americas. Let’s try not to have the colonial/Eurocentric mindset that the only good food originated in Europe. And, I say that with full transparency - I love food in Europe and elsewhere. Additionally, my original comment was simply addressing a statement in the video about good food being hard to find in the US - it’s not. It’s not a competition and no culture has a monopoly on tasty foodways/cuisine.
@@Emilie-kw5kt I’m pleased to hear that you are sensitive to issues around colonial mindsets and you certainly have every right to be proud of French gastronomy. I also abhor the common prevalence of processed foods in the US. Thankfully, not all of us in this country eat that way. Nice chatting with you.
I've been living in Paris (well, the very distant southern suburbs) for 7 months now and I agree with everything you mentioned. Despite the bureaucracy (I haven't yet opened a bank account and only just got my social security number 2 weeks ago -- and I'm technically employed in the French civil service!) I love the city. It feels like home in a way that nowhere else ever has to me. I think it's a great place for young people especially -- concert and opera tickets for 10-15 euros when you're under 28, free museum and gallery tickets for under 26s etc. The cultural life is unbeatable.
Hi! I would love to know more about Paris would you mind if I dm you or email you questions?
hey nathaniel I'm french american living in paris the last 8 years. Yes the cost of living is expensive but knowing the cheap good spots is essentiel. Most spots I got to eat cost me around 5 euros for lunch. The 11th 20th and 19th arrondissement are my favorite because theyre not romantic paris but what I feel is the reel paris.
I think Paris is wonderful but too frenetic, as you were saying for New York. I've seen people nearly loosing their mind to stay behind the rhythm.
I'm from a city near Naples (Italy) and I think here we enjoy more the life.
My grandparents were from Naples. I've always wanted to see where we were from. (born in Chicago USA)
You are so on the nose. From my perspective you have to look at things from every angle. I live in a travel destination for many people and I think having that lens to see through helps. But when I first visited Paris I didn’t want to love it. I stepped on dog poo in less than 24 hours, I first stayed at the sketchiest area of Paris in the 19th my first night. I got scammed. But having said that I actually found the people to be really warm. I loved walking in the morning before people got up and then seeing the city wake up. Watching parents walk their kids to school. Go to the local boulangerie and buy baguettes. See people just hanging out along the Seine. Not just tourists but locals having lunch or doing homework. It’s a magical place that is real. There are homeless, trash bins, smells like a real city. It’s alive and interesting. I am moving there in a couple of years. I know I’ll have to deal with the heat but I have a couple of years to plan for it. Or invent a local climate regulator… not called air conditioning! Awesome video. I always enjoy seeing how you see the world.
Nathaniel you have lived the life of like 20 people. I love that you've seen the world and lived in so many places. Great video!
I think as a rather young man, you are fairly flexible in your expectations and adaptable to your surroundings. Unfortunately, based on a few videos of your parents and their search for a new home, Paris may not be the answer for them. Maybe in a small village on the outskirts of the city.
Great video! There is something magical about Paris ….what I like the most is that there is so much life… and like Jean Cocteau wisely said “In Paris, everybody wants to be an actor, nobody is content to be a spectator” ..
I saw you when you were in Mexico City, and I really wanted to approach and tell you how much I love your videos. But you were enjoying your food at a sushi restaurant, so I just walked away. Anyway, I do love Paris as well, and your work.
The first time I went to Paris I was 10 years old. My dad worked for State Dept and we were there 6 weeks. It was a magical and amazing experience for a young girl to have and has helped me have an open mind to the world. The food and wine for me, even at 10, were spectacular. I've been back a few times since and it will always remain in my heart as a special and magical place. Could I live there? Not sure but last year I started learning French (again) but have come a long way in a year - so I might have to try at some point.
Wine at age 10? That only happens in France. They serve boeuf bourguignon as school lunch.
@@da96103 when you cook alcool it disapear
for exemple in north and france/Belgium we like to cook with beer but you have not 1g of alcool il the meal
Never had an Interest in the city. Spent 15 days there last summer and now I want to move in. Paris is PERFECT. the art, the real estate, the food is not as good as Portuguese but boy do they make good baguettes
Boy did this video got me all hyped up to go get the plane ticket
ps. by perfect i don't mean perfect, i mean it has a super big wow I'm in love effect.
portuguse food is disgusting and only enjoyed by portugese. Who ever heard of a portugese restaurant lol
What makes Paris amazing is that it's unique. You will never find something as unique as Paris. While big cities with buildings has no identities, Paris has a strong identity with an amazing History in every street !
Hello Nathaniel. I'm french, born and raised in Paris and spent most of my life here. Im now kinda looking for getting out of here but I know there is so much I will miss as well. Apart from the 6 euros for a coffee - honestly you must have been to a REALLY fancy place because most of coffees are around 2 - you had some pretty good points, and yes prices are crazy. The constant works is definitely a thing, and it also gets on my nerves sometimes. It's gotten especially bad since we have the last mayor of Paris. Seems like she wants to modify as many streets as she can. You made me laugh with the spit on the ancesters but, it is definitely something, if you don't start by bonjour, you definitely start things the wrong way :D You made me realize how much it is absolutely crucial even for me. I will definitely be reluctant to have any contact with someone who doesn't start by bonjour hahaha. My bad. ... maybe? And YES, YESSSS, 5th and 6th floors without lifter and very hot days in summer are a nightmare! I fear those days like you have no idea every year ^^. Well to summup I have very similar opinions about my city.... It is still beautiful even after decades living here and knowing it since i was born. But.... but i feel sad about the french typical traditional culture dying. I will probably disapoint a lot of people here, but a lot of what i considered to be the culture here is now dead. It is no longer the same city AT ALL as when i was a child. The mc donald's, worldwide americanization has killed a lot of what used to be so nice and it breaks my heart. You still have some kind of a spirit but what most people see as a culture, I now see as remnants of a culture that slowly but surely evaporate with time. The buildings and stones are still here but the heart is not really beating anymore. But I still love this place. I just wish people here were more careful about maintaining their own culture. That said, wonderful video, your honesty is undeniable, I loved the images you selected and the quality of the points you listed is unseen until now as far as I'm concerned. Congratulations, I like your work.
The French have always tried to replace other people culture and impose their culture especially towards North Africans, they make it tough for other cultures to self preserve yet they want to preserve their French culture ( hypocrisy ) .
Excellent considerations, Drew. You and Jay Swanson have such "I was reborn in Paris" vibes going on. I get it. I will include your video next time I teach my college course that travels to Paris. I think it will spur some great discussion. For our Paris trips, one of the cultural aspects/differences that I explain to my mostly American students is that they should consider Parisians as "gatekeepers". Sometimes the gate opens, and sometimes it does not. One really never knows how it will go. I also explain that as an American, they will want to "talk it out" and convince the gatekeeper who says" no" to change to "yes" but forget that idea. Move on, and and find someone else who may be willing to help = better management of personal energy. Over the years and many trips, my students have loved Paris so I think being able to prepare them properly ahead of time goes a long way. I love Paris - she is moody, complicated, enchanting, and ever faithful. One other point I always tell my students is that tourists see the Eiffel Tower as the symbol of Paris but locals think of Notre Dame Cathedral as the city's heart.
Yeah les travaux are hell - I had random drilling happen directly above my apartment for 15 minutes every day at 8:00 am for MONTHS. Why just 15 minutes at a time? Maybe if they did it all in one day instead that would have been better. Perhaps they needed to fumer une clope after 15 minutes of work a day and that's it for the day.
I’m so proud, I just learned the words “fumer” and “une clope” today in French class! Wannabe French-American, here. I look forward to going back to Paris understanding more of the language. And get this, my air b&b had les travaux like mad during the afternoons when I was there a few years back…
@@robinhadveck6490 hahah nice! That's a coincidence then because I posted the comment today. I hope you get to enjoy Paris soon :)
work out drill :D or simply a mindful neighbor who wants you to make the best of your day by starting it early :D
As a german spending 2019 a year in nice, I can say that Bureaucracy BROKE ME 🗣
.. never cried so much like in that year
Your enthusiasm is contagious , he right ! It makes me feel a little less critical .. beautiful video!
When a German complains about bureaucracy in other places it must truly mean that bureaucracy is pretty bad indeed. Never experienced so much bureaucracy when I lived in Germany. I much Prefer German than French cities though. Everything works better in Germany somehow, despite the ridiculous German outdated bureaucracy
You’re not German.
@@guayaquilindependiente8763 and how would you know she’s not German?
@@rucky_665 The same way I know you’re neither German nor European either.
@@guayaquilindependiente8763 I never said I was (proudly from São Paulo and never had inferiority complex, like many, quite the contrary) but lived in many countries and met native born Germans, Swiss, British etc with a wide diversity of names and looks. One of My German friends born and raised and mixed white-black is named Laura Pedrosa. If you would look at her you’d say, like many, even by me at the beginning, that she’s not German. Mind u, you’re German by blood of one of your parents. So, your assumption might prove rather incorrect. I learned by experiencing cases like that. How about you?
Oui! Voila! C'est ca!! You got it all right. New Yorker here who visited Paris for 11 days shortly after you made this video. I waited until late October specifically because of the a/c situation (sorry, VERY American on that sole point). Even then it was humid. My hotel a/c took 3 hours to chill the room down sufficiently, but then it was arctic. Solution: turn it on when you head out for the evening. Yes, there is construction all over...just like in New York. It didn't bother me other than the fact that French contractors bang it out for 20-30 minutes and then, seemingly, go home for the day! Speaking a decent La Langue Francais that always began with "Bonjour!", I had NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER. In fact, almost everyone responded to me in halting English! With one exception EVERYONE was polite, friendly, patient and charmant! That beats the rating on Manhattan Island for sure! I spent most of my visit in tears, weeping for joy. I could not believe I was in the City of Light again after so long. The art, the architecture, the food (my God the food. I ate bread and eclairs every day and still lost 10 pounds), the people, the vibe. MY ASTROLOGER told me that between August and year-end I'd fall in love; and she was right. I fell in love -again- with PARIS.
Totally not over rated in my opinion. As an American with no pre conceived romantic ideals of Paris or France in general. 3 weeks in France (1.5 in Paris) added to our last 2 month Europe trip was my 16 yr old daughters idea and dream. I was kind of dreading spending so many days there not knowing the language, I do speak Italian So I am always most comfortable there, and hearing all the stereotypes of French people. I travel extensively with my daughter so there is normally nothing romantic about our trips, until falling in love on this one, with Paris and France in general.
I like that we get the opinion of someone actually living there. Rich tourists can be as disappointed as they wish, it's a city where millions of people live and they also are the reason this place is getting extremely expensive for people who live there. It has so much to offer, so much diversity, culture, beauty, proximity. But the working class is suffocated by mass tourism because we have to satisfy the rich clientele rather than the actual locals, so they think what they want but the beauty of Paris is also its working class culture and mixing that we are losing to gentrification. Anyway, that's my rant against this stupid idealization of Paris, people live here and just like everywhere else it can't be perfect and that's what makes it great. It is also a city which historically attracted artists and people from everywhere who wanted to live freely and be inspired, it's a vibrant city, not just a museum
@@RemplacementTV Wow you sound v mature
One of my favorite cities. Been here 4 times but sadly the last time was 10 years ago. I can't believe. I kept going back to teach in Italy for 18 months and England for 18 months while visiting the Czech Republic and Ireland with others like Germany, Belgium and Greece. I love the beautiful historic parts of Paris! I do not like modern buildings except like Art Nuovo etc. Paris is so romantic!! I found the people friendly. I always found the French kind the ones I met. Not all but I think I am polite, friendly and more. Non speaker of French, at least I was sensitive to their culture and language by asking them in French do they speak English. Most said yes or a little bit. Some native speakers of English and met some Italians and Germans that told me they forget and just start speaking English to them. I tried to be mindful. I did see Japanese tourists too asking in English did they speak English to French and they went around in front of me asking over and over do they speak English. They came up to me asking do I speak English? I said yes. They were thankful and told me the French do not speak it. I said I was lucky they did to me. I said try to ask them in French do they speak English? They said do you think it can work? I said it doesn't hurt. 90 percent of the people I asked spoke a little or really well. ( the ones who say a little spoke really well to me!). Later hours later, I saw the Japanese students again and they said hello and said my advice worked! They said many English by simply asking in French do you speak English? They said much better now. :)
Merci. I needed that video. I was blue because today I had to face rudeness and crazy administrative rules. I couldn’t shake off that bad feeling but your thought rebalanced everything. I live in Brittany (le pays des crêpes que tu sembles apprécier) and those cons you mention could apply to the French culture as a whole. I lived ten years in Paris and I love the city. One of the cons that made it difficult to live there was the increase of poverty in the street. I was heartbroken everyday. I also lived in NYC and I love that city too but I also knew that It couldn’t last more than a few years because it’s constantly buzzing with noise and activity. Today I enjoy the sea side and your video was at the perfect timing to remind me that I love the french culture even tough I am really pissed off by certain aspects of it. Thanks for your great videos.
definitely agree with everything you said! No place is perfect and at the end of the day each person values things more highly over others when choosing where to live. What is important is to not lose sight of the amazing things a city has to offer when sometimes bogged down by the cons of that same city. I remember experiencing huge disappointment when I studied abroad in Paris during my "Spring" semester and was faced with Paris in the grey, overcast and rain until end of April. It wasn't until i read the book Sarah's key while doing my semester there that it re-opened my eyes to all the history seeped through the city then and now, something I love about Europe and Paris vs. the USA. I remember reading about certain events from WWII in Paris and realizing they occured at/near the metro I took for my classes every day. My favorite thing you said was at the end, the indescribable feeling that you feel deep down Paris is a city where you can dream or be most yourself. I share that and feel that each time I visit, knowing I am meant to live there again, that I am meant to be more than just a tourist in the city
Thank you for this video. I am French and I was born and raised in Paris and I agreed with everything you said. I am feeling the same way with the pros and cons you said. And for me you resume pretty well this city that you love and hate at the same time. Ici c’est Paris 👌🏻