When I think of Paris my mind thinks French history, i.e., the centuries of conflict that France and Britian have experienced. William the Conqueror invaded England in 1066 (the Normans were the last people to do so successfully), a date that is almost etched into every Briton’s mind.
The conflict with France continued throughout the medieval ages and late in that period there was something we still refer to as The Hundred Years’ War (It is almost inconceivable to think that it lasted 116 years!!). The very use of that appellation makes one realise that things were wrong between two great nations and had been for a long time.
The struggles continued as part of colonial and global power jostling in the 18th and 19th centuries. Long gone are those days of (pointless?) hatred where people thought it necessary to hurl things at each other and yet in its place there is a healthy rivalry.
To others’ minds the thought of Paris is of a café culture, high fashion and walking hand in hand along the Seine. Such are seduced by the city of romance; they soak up the artistic atmosphere before ascending the Eiffel Tower to be dazzled by the city of light.
I am conscious of the wide variety of thinking concerning Paris, and France in general, but it strikes me that thoughts are so polarised that Paris is like marmite! You either love or hate it. “Why?” you hear me ask. How can a major European city, an icon around the world and the capital of France be considered in such a way? Perhaps the city has such high expectations of itself that it creates its own rod for its own back in that it never seems to reach those lofty heights.
There are some visitors who have arrived in Paris with such high expectations of the city and then are disappointed that it doesn’t meet expectations. This is often referred to as Paris syndrome and is experienced by many from the east who, anticipating much and knowing their own culture, come away quite depressed. In this post I will do my best to explore what there is to love, question what there is to hate, and hopefully conclude by letting you know in which camp I stand.
What’s to love about Paris
Paris Architecture
So far on these blogs on Paris, I have explored some of the incredible architecture the city has to offer. I have challenged its very presence and learnt much. Whilst Paris dates to Roman times, much of the city, certainly the places I visited, are only a couple of hundred years old.
Is Palais Garnier the most beautiful building in Paris? I think so. Sainte-Chapelle is so often ignored but is a timeless classic and a testament to the beauties of medieval architecture.
The tree lined boulevards are part of the transformation from medieval Paris to a modern metropolis undertaken by Haussmann’s urban renovation under Emperor Napoleon III. Maybe the most famous of avenues in the world, the iconic boulevard Champs-Élysées, is the prime example of this. Your eye will wander like the flight of a bird that passes from those trees and onto the iron balconies. Haussmann’s boulevards rival even the city’s most famous monuments.
Parisian Monuments
Like other great cities of Europe monuments are aplenty. One must remember that they’re well spread out and this is something that can be overlooked on planning a visit. A place I haven’t posted about is the largest art museum in Paris, indeed in the world, the ‘Louvre’, or the famous Notre Dame. It would be unfair of me to write about the Louvre and do it justice after such a short visit. Sadly, the Notre Dame was being rebuilt following the tragic fire of April 2019 at the time I visited.
Beautiful monuments abound in Paris like the most monumental of triumphal arches – the ‘Arc de Triomphe’. There is the final resting place of Napoleon I at ‘Hotel des Invalides’. There are the wonderful views enjoyed from the top of Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica.
Too many a visitor (even to travellers) Paris is a tick box exercise in that everything that it offers must be seen on their trip no matter its duration. Does rushing to each one constitute a visit? Does posing and grabbing a picture really count as visiting? Perhaps the likes gained on social media say yes but to my way of thinking this is neither travelling nor visiting.
Paris' Cuisine
Paris’ cuisine is world renowned for its rich flavours. Combinations of cheese, wine, meat and fresh produce are the foodie’s dream. Beef Bourguignon is a powerful combination of red wine and beef in a stew. Coq au vin has a sumptuous taste of chicken, wine, mushrooms and garlic. Duck confit, escargots, the list goes on. For those of a sweeter tooth macarons, gateaux and crème brûlée are staples of Parisian menus. The cafés nestled around Paris are as iconic as pubs are to London.
Among my numerous eating experiences none compares to a trip to ‘Le Train Bleu’, an iconic gourmet restaurant in the Gare de Lyon Station. Inspired by Mr Bean’s visit (from his holiday movie) I just had to go, and I wasn’t disappointed. The majestic setting, steeped in history is both distinctive and attractive. The paintings that adorn the ceilings, chandeliers and gilt work is other worldly. The artwork displays exotic destinations on the French Riviera which are accessible through the Paris-Vintimille line which dates to 1868. The food wasn’t bad either!!
Paris the epicentre of Art
Art is everywhere in the city. Paris was once home to Picasso. Paris is home to iconic museums like the Louvre, Pompidou, Musée d’Orsay and Musee de l’Orangerie. It is easy to see why it is the global epicentre of art.
Montmartre was a place not explored but was home to painters like van Gogh, Renoir and Picasso. Neither was Montparnasse yet it found fame as a 20th century artistic hub whilst the ‘The Marais’ is a bustling district filled with contemporary art galleries.
The Louvre is the largest art museum in the world, covering around 72,000 square metres and 380,000 objects. Being so huge has its challenges. I’m sure one needs a whole day (and maybe that is not enough time) to explore fully its treasures.
Be prepared for overcrowding there – it’s so bad now that even the staff are striking in protest. Prebooking is essential to avoid the queues. The crowds will gather all day at the famous ‘Mona Lisa’. This is a surreal experience as people fight to capture a picture, staff guard it along with numerous security devices in place.
I managed to visit the Louvre, but without realising the size of both the exhibition space and the crowds that gather. It would be a place worth revisiting to fully embrace its vast collections and maybe out of season if there is such a thing.
Neither were visits made to Musée de l’Orangerie where Monet’s Water Lilies can be seen or the Pompidou where works by Picasso and Kandinsky can be found. Musée d’Orsay is perhaps the one that I regret not visiting the most. The former railway station alone is enticing which now houses French art dating 1848 to 1914.
Romance
Known all over the world as the ‘City of Love’ the architecture, art and culture combine to create this fabled romantic atmosphere. When visiting the Eiffel tower, you will be amazed at the surrounding area where wedding photo shoots take place. There are options for proposals, chuck in fake flowers, heart ballons and you can see why some might see it as red mist descending on the iconic site. But to those of you who clearly view this as the place to propose then my congratulations. To me it doesn’t seem very intimate or private.
Some of the Paris’ beautiful backdrops and sensational settings scream romantic gestures yet finding other less touristy places around the city may be as romantic yet more private. Walking hand in hand along the Siene certainly feels aligned to romance – whether it is safe or not is another question.
Paris’ ‘City of Love’ originates from the 19th century as privileged American men would flock to the city in pursuit of entertainment. Music and dancing halls, paintings, sculptures and even the opera were experiences not to be missed. Countless novels, songs and movies have portrayed the city of love.
What’s not to love
Paris unfortunate reputation for cleanliness and smell
Social media feeds and travel chat carp about the cleanliness and smell. I can’t recall things being as bad as people make out, but I may be wrong. Paris’ problems stem from two things – it is an overpopulated and over visited city. There are over 2 million people calling the city home and a further 30 million people visiting each year. The city was built 200 years ago and is going to have many modern-day problems. Coupled with that the many people walking the streets makes litter a major problem.
Furthermore, as a responsible dog owner, it would be amiss of me not to mention dog poop. This is a notoriously big problem in the city as locals don’t pick up after their dogs. Why don’t Parisians legislate against this behaviour? Perhaps we should ask if dogs should be living in a city? What quality of life do they enjoy? That discussion aside, watch your step as you take in the sights.
I wish I could say that Paris’ streets smell of freshly baked baguettes. Sadly, that is far from the truth. The streets are often described as urine soaked. It must be stated that this is not true of every street but there are too many of them that are blighted by this problem. Humans have a lot for which to answer including our animal like behaviour.
With the Olympics in Paris (2024), much money has been invested in improving the water quality of the river Seine. Over a century ago, swimming in the Seine was part of everyday Parisian life. Having looked at the river, it hardly looks appealing. I will have to return to see if there was return on this investment. It is good to dream – how iconic it would be to swim in the Seine.
A community has been set up by local Parisians united around the #SaccageParis which highlighted its mismanagement. A look into the # will show a photo trail of evidence that locals have provided about its state.
Paris certainly draws crowds which brings a host of scams
As mentioned, a whopping 30 million people visit the city each year (considerably higher than the number of tourists visiting London and quite an unthinkable number). Visit at the wrong time and your experience will be painful. I have touched on how crowds flock to the main monuments that lose their appeal as there is a need to fight through the crowds to explore. Finding those lesser-known places remains a challenge, even more so as social media proclaims these finds and sets another trend.
Have you been to Paris if you’ve not climbed the Eiffel Tower or stepped inside the Louvre or been up the hill to Sacre Coeur? Findling the balance in achieving these objectives and avoiding the crowds remains a traveller’s goal.
Big crowds fuel a 21st century problem – scams. Be careful of the crowds swarming around those monuments. Pick pocketers feast on the weak, vulnerable and distracted. Once you have broken free from the web of confusion, be careful not to be preyed upon by men forcing bracelets onto your arm. This normally leads to a standoff over payment for something forced upon you. Finally, don’t trip over the “temporary shops” that proliferate the pavements. Unravelled from bed sheets and backpacks are Chinese knock offs. Save your money for those proper shops.
There are, I’m sure, quieter places around the country that would give a more authentic vision of France. Sadly, it feels that Paris has lost its soul.
Are Parisian's rude & unfriendly
“Paris would be great if it wasn’t for all the Parisians.” I have read and heard this sentiment in many a chat about Paris. I understand why some locals come across as rude. How many English speaking people waltz into a shop or restaurant speaking in English and expect to hear the same language spoken back? The entitlement of tourists is beyond rude – it is insulting.
Now, I’m not fluent in French. I have a few French phrases from my school days that can at least get me through some pleasantries. I tried to speak in the native tongue and by the time I had gone through my repertoire the waiters were generally keen to engage. I haven’t experienced any rudeness – perhaps the tourist should try harder.
What happened to visiting a country and embracing the culture, the people and the language? This is a post for another day. Has travel lost its meaning? When children ask why they are learning French in school it should be easy to answer – so that when you visit France you can strike up a conversation.
My caveat to all this is that if you’re not being spoken to in French on arrival at a café, bar or restaurant, are you really visiting a local establishment? The premises themselves are clearly local, but could it be that people from other parts of the world are seizing the employment opportunity and forcing the locals away?
Paris' Traffic & Noise
Another negative of the city is the amount of traffic and noise. Those long tree lined avenues, once the envy of the world, seem to have lost their identities as cars swarm the roads and people cram the pathways. In Paris’ defence it is not the only city to suffer such problems. I’m sure tales could be shared from any other major city like London, Rome, Madrid, New York, etc.
Perhaps a special mention should be made of the most famous roundabout. This looks like a nightmare to drive around when there seems to be no rules. It looks like cars hurtling around in a circle then veering off when they finally see their avenue. Thankfully pedestrians have been saved from all this with an underground passageway to the monumental arch. Some people, however, ignore the safety of the subway in pursuit of a perfect picture.
Expensive
Paris isn’t cheap!! Maybe I did it wrong, or I’m forgetting how much these incredible places are to visit. It just seemed way more expensive than any of the other major cities visited around the world. My experiences in Sydney would run it close. Whether you aim to do it on a budget or try and live the high life then your wallet is going to take a hammering. The number of monuments that must be visited soon add up, and then throw in accommodation, eating, drinking, etc.
Sitting here and adding up all the places visited comes in a little cheaper than the Paris pass which could be used to save money. I’m sure there are experts out there who will provide you with the information needed to save some money or offer free places to enjoy the city.
Paris conclusions
One either loves Paris or one hates it. Hate is a strong word, but there is a consensus that Paris does not live up to the expectations. Therein lies the city’s biggest problem for it is portrayed as such a wonderful place, where love is in the air, architecture hugs you and light dazzles you. It promises much yet can leave you broke, disappointed and, in some cases, sick. I try to keep politics out of these posts but would comment that Paris is not the only city to suffer homelessness, drugs, dirt, smell, etc. The evidence for these problems is there for all to see when visiting.
High expectations normally lead to disappointment. If the bar wasn’t set so high would Paris endear itself to people. This trip though has opened my eyes to French history, another fascinating subject to learn about.
Sadly though I didn’t fall in love with Paris. In this post I have provided a summary of some of the things that Paris has to offer which I love. I mean, who can’t help but love the inside of the Palais Garnier and Sainte-Chapelle? Or explore the final resting place of Napoleon? Or be overwhelmed by the epicentre of art? I really didn’t do the ‘art’ scene justice as I only made a quick visit. The Eiffel Tower remains a mystery to me. What is all the fuss about? It appears odd and out of place – a blemish on an otherwise beautiful cityscape. I have also highlighted the issues that I and others share on the city. Leave a comment below as I would be interested to hear yours!
Paris, though, has taught me much and inspired me to visit other places and not only in France but in England as well. A couple of these places are close to Paris – the palace at Versailles and the Basilique de Saint-Denis. One much closer to home that I hope to visit sooner rather than later is St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough.