GET The Best 125 Hotels of Paris Guide Downloadable PDF Format 👉 bit.ly/2024ParisHotelGuidePDF ONLINE (Via Thatch App) 👉 bit.ly/FreeOnlineParisHotelGuide
It's not a theme park. You made my day right there. I come from a beautiful village in the south of France and tourists are so loud, even in the middle of night, because they forget that all those typical old houses are actually homes for real people, not a movie set.
@zepoubelle - I think you might be doing them a courtesy by providing them with that excuse. In my experience, if people act like that anywhere in public, they are just as loud and obnoxious wherever they go.
I was visiting a lovely Belgian little town with a friend. As we were going back to the train station, we were stopped by some incoming tourists asking where is the entrance to the amusement park. It took a few minutes to figure out that they considered the whole town as some medieval version of the Disney park. People passing by with prams, with groceries, pets... somehow, they didn't seem to register them as real. It was genuinely shocking.
Unfortunately it is, Paris( 1 to 16) is an unlivable city for Parisians. No normal (grocery) shops, absurd housing costs. For a normal family it's impossible to live there. It's Disney for the rich.
The last remark is very important. Last time i ate in a Bouillon (traditionnal parisian restaurant) a north american person, came (alone) and start taking pictures of the place, food and everything. One of the client came to her and said to please delete pictures where we could see him. That's how serious we're taking the question. If it is your job to share your life on social media please respect the right of others to not share their image on your social media.
@@MastaHibouw And technically you can take photos of other people without asking them, but it need to be in public AND that the person is not the main target (so like a picture of the Eiffel Tower, with a lot of people on it)
Hahaha! What you say about Parisians not liking tourists mindlessly blocking the way is equally true here in New York City. I once saw an advertisement here (for an online dental booking service) that said "I'd rather get stuck walking behind tourists than make a dental appointment." I want to be gracious to tourists, but sometimes tourists need to pay attention on busy sidewalks and stairs to the subway. New Yorkers and Parisians are quite different, but in this way we are the same.
I'm a pure Parisian and I lived in New York for 2 years......I'll surprise you......but we're the same!!!! we have so much in common and in particular being extremely proud of our city and having to put up with loads of tourists who are totally unaware and not very respectful of the inhabitants.....tourists in New York we see them 200 km away .....they all have their noses in the air looking at the sky!!!!😂😂😂 in Paris, it's very simple too.....they make noise!!!! and sits absolutely any way, anywhere!!!!😂😂😂....but New Yorkers and Parisians are basically nice, they just live in big cities and they're not on vacation !!!! so sometimes they seem in a bad mood.....but it's also part of the local thing, it's a bit of a game. we like to be bad mood guys😂😂😂😂
...and London: stand on the wrong side when on a Tube escalator and you have a good chance of being given a quick course in British English expletives for free. In Copenhagen bike lanes and sidewalks are next to each other only separated by a painted line - veer into the bike lane while walking and the course given will be in Danish. Central part of Stockholm Metro practices something akin to London Tube rules, except its stand/walk to the right, run to the left - and the most common reaction in Stockholm could well be a loud sigh breathing up you neck, or an irritated "Hallooo!". Its a big/biggish city thing in general.
I lived in Paris for four years. I have to say this is a great video. Paris in particular has ritualised behaviour, people from countries with ritualised behaviour like Japan have no problem there. Visitors who complain about Parisians, waiters in particular, just didn’t learn the rules. Always say bonjour in a shop or restaurants and remember that the waiter is the boss, not you.
I think this is an excellent observation. In English there are a hundred an one ways to greet a person during the day. In France it feels like bon jour is required by law. Which makes it easy for those of us who are visiting!
@@42judgeYeah, bonjour is really the default way to go. Except in more friendly occasions like festivals, pubs, parties, street protests, etc. There you can confidently go with "salut" even with total strangers.
3:00 The staring-and-not-acknowledging thing happens in Paris and busy tourist places, but in smaller towns and villages it's quite common to greet the strangers with a polite “bonjour” and a smile.
@@jamesrawlins735 No it's not. Go to a Kuala Lumpur, a Jakarta, a Dubaï, a Mexico City, and you'll get as much if not more "unfriendly" behaviours. It's the same for all big and dense cities, not just Paris.
Its so hard not to smile at someone if you happen to look at each other at the same moment. I've always wondered at Europeans (except Brits) not acknowledging other people when travelling. Are they not enjoying their holiday? Turns out they treat each other the same way 😊. I guess the lesson is that every culture has its good things and its other things.
Other french people consider Parisians as "rude" and "unfriendly" (most probably because we are either busy, in a hurry, or because there are too many people). At most other cities, especially small ones, the behavior is completely different, which takes me a few days to cope with when I travel during vacations (Why is he saying hello to me? what does he want?! ... oh, I'm not in Paris anymore ^^).
@@vgraham2988 Paris is a beautiful city, but very violent and harsh sometimes, I was born and raised there for 23 years. I love people but in Paris you never know what can happen to you... You learn to build an internal armor somehow, to be prepared to any situations... And, yes, we are still quite scornful for unknown reasons haha.
From the Uk I used to work in Paris…..if not strictly an unbroken rule, I have always found French/Parisiens welcome an attempt to speak the language. If they speak back to you in English don’t take it personally! ….but they will appreciate you’ve tried
I found Berlin to be like that and even been told not to waste my time with German, just speak English, but i think Berlin's a bit more extreme. A lot of the Germans use English them selves.
I think it is in part because it is true that we appreciate the effort (and are a little annoyed at the perceived lack of effort if someone doesn't try even a "bonjour" in French before switching), and in part because most French people are self-conscious about their ability to speak English, the pronunciation in particular, so encountering someone who struggles a little with French makes trying to speak English with them a little less daunting. Instead of feeling ridiculous if I can't speak English as well as they do (if they are native speakers and you are not, it feels insurmountable), the bar is lowered to "I need to speak English as well as they speak French" which is a more attainable goal.
Funny story. I was on the corner by the Louvre at Pont Royal and an American couple approached me and asked in very awkward French where the Musée D’Orsay was. So I said in English that it was the building with the big clock across the river. The said “wow your English is great!” so I said “i hope so I’m from Texas!” We all had a good laugh.
I was in Denmark and got chatting to an American family. The teenage son asked me, "How come your English is so good?" I replied, "I AM English". He looked nonplussed. To Americans English is a language. THEIR language. Apparently I'm British - though I'm not Welsh or Scottish so I must be English. It turned out this family had no connection with the British Isles being first generation Americans of mixed Danish/Egyptian origin, visiting their home countries. We all make assumptions!
Please, please, pleaaaase, if someone comes up to you ans starts speaking French, don't switch to English. I'm a French teacher in Canada and the number of students I have who are ashamed and don't want to speak French anymore after just one event like this is crazy. You think you are helping but ask them first because maybe they want to practice they're French and you basically just told them "Your French sucks, let's speak English". I litteraly just finished a class (like 20 minutes ago) with a student who goes to France often and has absolutely no self confidence because of that. She knows things but even with me she has trouble speaking French because she's had so many encounters where people switched to English when she wanted to practice.
@@Elwene2fr - I've had friends tell me how obnoxious "the French" were, because when they would start off in English with a quick "Pardon me, do you speak English," they would be met by a shrug and a gruff "Non!" BUT...on my own travels, I noticed that if you started off making your attempt in French, without just automatically assuming that they would be expected to speak a language not their own in their own country, they would simply switch to English on their own, because they simply could not stand to hear their beloved native tongue massacred like that. 😆 After I figured that out, I got a lot further with my limited French. It seemed like they both appreciated that I was being respectful enough to acknowledge their native language, and in switching to English as needed, actually had no problem being helpful.
There’s also an unspoken rule about Parisian escalators : if you’re standing, stay on the right. The left lane is for people who are walking up. I feel like the same thing applies for sidewalks, always be mindful of the people around you so you don’t block the whole sidewalk (which can be very narrow)
If you're going to Paris I can not recommend going to Giverny highly enough. It's Monet's home, and you are basically walking through his waterlily paintings. Go early to avoid the tourists! We took a shuttle out there, then walked part of the way back. It was one of my favourite days in France.
Thank you for the tip! My friend wants us to go and see Versailles and the Louvre, but I want to see Giverny and the other artist museums that were mentioned in another Frenchies video. I think we will have to stay more days than a long weekend will give us!
A lot of these apply to Paris but not across France. We live in the Loire Valley and people invariably acknowledge each other with a ‘Bonjour!’ and a smile when passing in the street.
I was in Provence and Cote d'Azur in September/October and I agree with you. Especially in the smaller towns. I was even surprised that the locals were friendly in Nice, which has a reputation of being snobby.
It's the same in USA the Midwest country folks are friendly and look you in the eye and smile. In the south, the server a d customer call each other, sweety and honey, In the northeast, they never say high and smile and are quite curt
That’s why I enjoy visiting other parts of France more than Paris. Too much second-hand smoking and racist name-calling (Asian here) during every one of my 10 visits to Paris. Recommend Lyon.
The last time I was in Paris I thought I could pass for 65. Every time I got on a bus or the Metro people would immediately jump up and give me their seat. Sometimes while holding onto the pole for a short hop I would say I wasn't going far. But then they would watch me carefully to make sure I wasn't about to lose my grip. I love Paris! Also, it is wise to hang onto anything you can on public transport, no matter how old you are!
lucky you, they wont even "jump up" for my very pregnant wife. Maybe in the bus, but not the metro. She has to ask very politely, when she does,a woman gets up. Everytime.
@@vivelespatat2670 at 6:30 i think they mixed up Parisians and French people. In Paris, and big cities, you can do without a car, in the rest of the country : not so much
@@tihanaharrison6728 probably just polite. Does'nt speak too loud in a peaceful places, says "bonjour , parlez vous anglais s'il vous plait" before speaking english way too fast out of the blue, and can adapt to the client - employee relationship culture which is very , very different. "may I take your name (in order to report you to your manager and try to get you fired if I get the chance)" is a no-no for exemple, not saying "hello/bonjour, thanks/merci" to the waiter , very shocking, not understanding that a service does'nt exist in the country and insisting and geting mad at the employee=> you're out and the personn you're interacting with you will treat you like an equal so if you piss them off, they will act accordingly. Relationship are way less hierarchized. This is what I encountered with some americans when I worked in the service industry and why I got "rude" (american interpretation of the word) in a few cases. it would usualy go that way: enters a woman and her husband, woman wants something that we can't provide because it does'nt exist or is illegal , couple thinks we're refusing the thing because they are americans and we "hate them", couple starts yelling disrupting the peace, woman asks for name in order to report to the manager , service personn gets attacked in his french core value system (you don't try to get people fired , it's wrong) , service personn starts talking back and tells you things like "I don't care", "I won"t" , "nope" , "get away please'.
I would add a codicil to the bit about formality and engagement with people. This just happens in Paris and major cities that have Parisien aspirations. This does not happen in the rest of the country where it is rude not to acknowledge passers by with a bonjour or bonsoir or where entering a room - any room - you give a polite mme/monsieur to the room. I would also add that the Parisiennes are pretty much despised in the rest of France for their aloof behaviours. Thanks for the vlogs; really interesting and fantastic content, thankyou.
The best advice I got was to learn some basic phrases and always ALWAYS begin any conversation or inquiry or interaction with "bonjour" and then speak French, no matter how badly or poorly it's gonna come out. Nearly EVERYONE spoke English and would quickly stop me from murdering their beautiful language so we could communicate effectively. But the attempt mattered, and I was always treated well. I saw people who did not make the attempt and they were not treated well. Paris was wonderful IME; I would gladly visit again.
Yes. Not even trying is the best way to get dressed up proper. It shouldn't make any sense to approach people in their country using a foreign language. It is unatural. This is common sense. Here is my train of thought in these cases: "Why does he use this language with me, when i am from this country?". "Oh, yeah, because he doesn't even know a word in my language". "But now, what the heck? Does he simply assume that while he doesn't know a word of MY language, I should know HIS language well enough to have a full-blown conversation?". "Despite it being My country, and not his?". "How does that make any sense?". "And does that mean that he simply assumes naturally that I should be the one to make 100% of the effort just so that everything is more convenient for him?". "When he is the one who needs me and came for help?". "Without even a please, or f*ck or what ?". "I am not paid enough to be your devoted servant". "Who does he think he is by the way? We ended aristocrats who ordered us around with the guillotine. Is the "new wave" looking for something?". "Get lost". If it makes sense...
@@nox8730 its more a feeling like they're treating me like a tour guide, first up they're lucky i even speak english and this is a city not a theme park, i don't know it just feels very rude to not try to speak french just a little bit, i don't know why just cultural i guess
@@salade5324 As i said, it is about meeting halfway. When 2 persons from different countries try to interact, the only way is by meeting halfway. No respect can exist without both parties walking half of the way to meet the other. And so, when they just expect you to commit to it alone so that they won't have to make any effort themselves, despite the fact that they are the ones in a foreign land bothering people who asked for nothing, and despite the fact they are the ones who need your help and should try to be polite when asking something of others... This totally feels like they look down at lowly servants expected to be useful to them for free. No respect. A one way street. I mean, looking at it logically, it would be very unsurprising if this behaviour were to inspire violence, right?
@@panpan-6944 J'exagère pas. C'est comme les conneries que tu peux lire en angliche un peu partout. Tsé, c'est comme pour tout. La première fois, osef. La 10e fois... ça saoûle. La 50 fois... t'appelles l'hosto :)
I went to Paris for the first time last year, and I found the French to be very kind and friendly. I'm going back again in a few months because I liked it there so much
So have I, and I go there (Paris and other areas in France) for business often (I'm in Europe). I use the pubic transport (which is great) and have no problem. TGV is unbelievably smooth and fast. The French I work with in my business (Nuclear power) are professional and smart. No problems at all. Of course, I leave out the American flag t-shirts and Yankee Doodle attitude ... maybe that helps. 😅
Right! As a visitor I was polite, "Bonjour, Madam or Monsieur," soft spoken, and wore clothes that were not jeans and tennis shoes (those stop after graduating college), and every person I talked to was lovely! I was 40 years old, and nice young people helped me with my luggage up the stairs once. No, they were not thieves. Just nice young people. :)
@@BeLoud13, I would _not_ stop wearing those for anybody, unless I have to dress formally. I find that expectation people have of others to be very snobbish and stuck-up.
I can see why you'd think that. But I think it's just their custom. Like, I would think it's weird if a 50 year old wore swimming trunks and a tank top in the summer in town, like college kids do. There's no law, of course. I just like to fit in. I agree that it's hard to not wear our beloved, well-fitted favorite jeans! ;) @@Neville60001
I just came back from Paris (about 36 hour ago). The magic words are Bon Jour/Bon Soir/Merci/Au Revoir. We went to places that tourists usually don't go, and with us being polite and appreciating the culture (especially at restaurants) everyone was so nice and helpful! And even funny at times: at one restaurant I tripped and nearly took out a beverage cart with about $1K worth of wine on it - luckily, I found my footing and didn't fall - and the owner came over and said to me in a joking way, "I'm sorry, we don't serve drunk people!"
I visited Paris for the first time last year. I didn't encounter rude Parisians. What I did find was similar to what I noticed in Italy: when you encounter polite behavior, it tends to be especially gracious.
Thank you for posting this. My wife and I were on a high school trip to Europe together (that's where we met) and visited Paris for the first time in 1966. We've been back several times since. Our oldest grandson lived in Paris for nearly two years while at university through the Studies Abroad program. We love Paris and if you obey the unspoken rules you'll find Parisians helpful and actually warm. We had a small triumph on a recent visit. We went to Pere Lachaise cemetery. We stopped at a nearby café for lunch. By the time our server came to the table, we had put away our touristy stuff and greeted her with the cheerful "Bonjour!". She responded by rattling off the lunch specials in French. We sort of kept up, but she noticed our quizzical expression, smiled and said: "OK, once more in English!". We had a wonderful lunch and she was warm and charming, asking us all about where we lived. When we told her we were in Paris when we were 14 and 15 over 50 years before, she replied: "c'est trop mignon!"
As a person from NYC all those rules made PERFECT sense for anyone traveling to a large metropolitan area. Thank you for sharing and loved visiting Paris as well.
The unspoken rule I always adhere to is when engaging with a Parisian, make an honest attempt to communicate in French first. The French and, in particular, the Parisians are very proud of their culture and history and this includes their language. I have found that if I initiate contact in French and take it as far as I can, that really goes a very long way with Parisians. I've heard countless people complain about Parisians being rude. Often this revolves around an unwillingness on the Parisian to speak English to the tourist (often US tourist). If the roles were reversed and a Parisian was visiting the US we'd expect them to communicate in English, so extend the same courtesy when visiting Paris. I've found that if you do this, Parisians are very warm and helpful.
it's more a "don't behave as a colonizer", the french are not that proud of their culture and language unfortunately. But I think it stings their egalitarian mindset when somebody just assumes that they should adapt immediately and are expected to speak english by default, they are already forced to learn english at school wether they are interested in the language or not, and that's why they mostly suck at it. Most of them learn foreign terms when they travel, it's not a one way street.
@@backintimealwyn5736 I think the French are proud of their culture and resent that their language has been overtaken by English in use. I once went into a shop that had typical souvenirs from Latin America and tried my rustic French and the man realized I was trying and spoke faster and faster to see when I would give up, which I didn't and he had to listen to my French to the end !.... haha !...
@@tilsit8875 I think the french are the people that faces the most projections from anyone else. There is an amount of paranoia and interpretation that is through the roof as soon as it comes to french people, bad intentions are always assumed. French people have no opinion about english, they protect the use of their language on their own land, which every people should do and for some reason it makes americans crazy and resentful. They also created institutions to protect their movie industry from being destroyed by hollywood, they were right. Culture is not so much about pride but about a strong respect for heritage and ancestors and the will to protect it, it's more love than pride. Protecting french movies , music is about making sure that french artists can still work , create and make a living.
I am French, Parisian and I completely agree with you. Even though I speak english, if an English speaking person starts talking to me in his own language right away, assuming that I would understand what he says, I would pretend not to speak english, and if he insists, I would move on.
My husband has a theory about the French being considered rude by others. His idea is that not only are the French more formal, but they respect privacy more. So they don't make eye contact, don't say excuse me if they bump into, because they are preserving their bubble of privacy AND yours. If you have cause to engage them we find them at least as polite as the average American, it's just they are running different software. And of course there are cranky people everywhere.
Parisian here. First point is not very accurate. Most shops aren't closed on Mondays in Paris (as they are in the rest of the country). "And we don't know why they are closed": of course we know, it's written on the paper: "For inventory". This happens usually once a year, and usually in the early days of the year (for businesses that close their books in December).
Many bakeries, butchers and other small grocery stores are closed on Monday (or even some random day of the week) because they are open on Sunday. An American tourist would be wise to pay attention to that point and not expect everything to be opened 7 days a week for long hours.
My wife and I are fortunate to have visited Paris 13 times. Far and away the single most important thing to do when you’re there, which was addressed in this video, is to greet people when you enter a shop or restaurant, and also to say “Au Revoir” when leaving. Stores in France used to be in people’s homes, and just like you expect someone to say hello and goodbye to you when visiting your house, it was also expected by French people, and that tradition continues even now that most businesses are in commercial buildings, not homes. If you fail to do this, your interactions with French people are going to be cold, as you’ve skipped what they consider to be a fundamental part of social interactions. On the metro, wait for people to get off before getting on. And if a metro car is crowded, do not sit in the fold down seats located near the doors. Sitting there makes it difficult for others to get on and off, so stand until the crowd thins. Also, when you’re looking for a table at a restaurant, the ones with silverware on them are reserved for people who are ordering a meal. If you just want a coffee or a glass of wine, sit at a table without silverware. And when you want the check, you have to ask for it. The French phrase for that is “l'addition s'il vous plaît”, although if the waiter is far away, making a writing motion in the air will also let them know you want the bill.
Stores have not been in people’s homes for some 2 centuries… It is funny (funny sad) to read that some foreigners consider as exotic French manners what is only basic common sense (let people get off before getting on ; not sitting on the foldable seats when the carriage is crowded, etc).
We have travelled extensively, the only place we came across rude arrogant people was in Paris. We even found rudeness from people working in tourist positions. That's not to say all Parisians were terrible, 2 people went out of their way to help us, even when we didn't need it, we just accepted their help and thanked them. The country areas were not only beautiful but had wonderful people.
Been there briefly and in the airport over the years and I concur😅 I just smile anyway and wish them a nice day❤. I guess polite is a subjective term. Cold and aloof is not polite to me.😅
I'm French but living in Toronto. I thought about the "French are formal" (or "Canadians are informal" rather) yesterday when I went to a glass repair shop to have my broken glasses fixed. The guy greeted me and talked to me like we knew each other. I didn't think anything of it at first because I'm used to it now, but when I came home last night I realised that's not something that would've happened in France. We would've greet much more formally and I'd probably never know the person's first name (the guy from the repair shop was called Alex)
I love this about our country and hope it never changes! I wave to passing cars on my street when I'm walking my dog and always chit-chat with neighbours and all the random people I run across during my errands. Be it a Canada Post workers or the cashier at Rona, it never hurts to smile and say something nice!
As a Brit living in USA..i used to be very disconcerted by how familiar the yanks are.Sometimes it s ok..but if i am not feeling social..it s tiring!I still wear a mask..and I try to avoid eye contact if I m not in a social mood ..lol!
Have you lived or visited elsewhere than Toronto? I agree, Americans are a friendly people too. I should've mentioned I'm from the West Coast of Canada. I didn't grow up in and I don't live in the city. Friendliness in all cities is always hit and miss unfortunately. Although my experiences in Canadian cities are still mostly positive. @@a.jlondon9039
As always, another great video with useful information. One unspoken rule that you just mentioned obliquely I thought would get more emphasis: not speaking or laughing loudly in public. Many Americans (myself included) use our “outdoor voices” routinely when on the Metro or in a cafe.
@Apre4Apes - I'm American, and I find that Americans don't really have "indoor" and "outdoor" voices anymore - it's just one loud bellow. Maybe it's to do with the fact that we're all walking around in a technological haze, with earphones on and eyes on our phones, and when we do disconnect, everything around us is operating at a major roar. if you walk into a store, there can be two or three different varieties of programmed music blaring at the same time..if you stop for a coffee or cocktail and a chat with a friend, there are four televisions plus the house music going...and of course, the "work from home" brigade conducting business at a roar on their phone/computer/laptop, from NOT at home.
Some things you mention are the same in every big city, but if you get out of Paris to another region or small town people to say hello, people smile and reply. (Paris does not represent France it's same as London doesn't represent all the UK)
I lived in five different regions (Paris, Bretagne, Alsace, Lorraine, Franche-Comté) and there's not a big difference in attitude. That's a big clichés that Parisians are rude. They're a bit more stressed out but that's about it. The only places I noticed a real difference was in villages, but that's the same in every country.
As a former Parisian now living in Colorado, I appreciate your video as being right on. I knew saying "bonjour" when going into a store would be in it but you mentioned "eye contact" also and I agree with that also. Parisians are looking for respect. Your videos for Americans in Paris are great. Keep up the good work!
I drove in Paris on my first trip........ it was a mess........but a badge of honor never to be repeated.....I survived the Arc de Triumph traffic circle. The second trip we took a car to Paris and later back to CDG, rented a car and drove out to the countryside from there. Much better.
besides, it is not useful to drive in Paris. There are plenty of buses, subways, RER... unless there is a strike, of course. I recommend taking the bus. then you can also enjoy the view. there are little tricks to learn, but buses are convenient (for example, buses 90 something usually are from/to Gare Montparnasse; 20 something Gare Saint Lazare. etc.)
Place de la Concorde was the worst for me. The huge open intersections with seemingly unmarked lanes going every direction. I recommend renting a car near the outskirts of Paris or outside Paris if you are going to drive around France.
Happened to me as well...rush hour on a November evening. There was an accident right in front of me which I barely managed to evade. I was still trembling when we reached our hotel 5 minutes later.
Yup also I also survived the Arc de Triumph traffic circle!! 1974 in a Renault 5, No drivers license and Gears on the column!! Hilariously scary!! Now when I go back to Europe, my wife just won't drive!! 🙂 But she has a thing about distances, which Europeans have a problem when they come over here also (In Canada for us!!)
Americans please stop airing all your personal stuff, failed relationships, medical conditions etc etc on the Eurostar from London to Paris. Year after year we encounter a group of them talking incessantly and so loudly for the entire journey non stop while consuming vast amounts of food and drinks. All the way without taking a breath. We dread going back home to visit family for this reason. Please please be considerate. Some peace and quiet on the journey is much appreciated.
@@DC-vg7qi Public transport effects a lot of Americans like some kind of drug... it's not really their fault. It's the euphoria of experiencing real freedom combined with all that architecture.
@@DC-vg7qi Once on a train trip from London heading toward Cumbria, we encountered a group of young women on their way to Blackpool for a bachelorette party or some such event. They were English, and they were absolutely obnoxiously rowdy, certain ones among them more so than others. They had a good head start on the boozing. There was another group in the same train car, a little older and quieter, but wearing shirts imprinted with a picture and phrase that were shocking to me. My point is that inappropriate comportment isn't limited to Americans, though I know that many of us could use a little more finesse when it comes to public behavior.
9:38 That is particularly annoying for people who live here, large groups of tourists blocking the metro entrances, exits and sidewalks or a bunch of them huddled in front of the metro ticket machine trying to figure out how it works when you're in a bit of a hurry. I get that it's not so easy but step out of the way or ask for help.
This is true in NYC as well. Get out of the way. What is really annoying is when people get to the top of an escalator and just stand there. Get out of the way!
@@paulkoza8652 Right?! I hope Parisians remember all these rules when they come to NYC! Stopping right at the bottom of the stairs on the subway platform is a personal pet peeve of mine.
@@paulkoza8652 Yes yes yes!! That's another one that's bothersome. The standing at the top or bottom of the escalator. Makes me wonder if people do those kinds things when they are at home. LOL
@@Kimar7779 Doesn't surprise me at all that Parisians do dumb stuff like that when they visit NYC. I love living in France and I absolutely adore French people. That said, they're actually pretty bumbling when they walk, always in your way and full of sudden stops when you are walking behind them.
I'm french, ex-parisian, and i loved this video ! you're right, it's not a theme park, people live there and don't have time but i'm always happy when people enjoy there
Great video ! Two more things I would say as a french guy living in paris, regarding transportations : - Whenever your take an escalator on a public place, if you don't plan to walk through it, stay on the left. Especially in paris, where people are used to having big transits and don't really have time to patiently wait behind you while you just enjoy your time, leave them space so they can get home quicker - Even if you're tired, whenever the metro/tramway city train is too crowded, don't stay sitted in the fold up seats. It's seen as very impolite, and takes a lot of space. You'll rest later, first, leave room so that everyone can get in there.
I really like your Vlogs. I am born and raised in Paris and living in the United States for 40 some odd years with frequent trips back to Paris. I just wanted to add that I’ve always loved the formality because I feel like it takes a while to get to know someone or to get to know me! I like that distance at first, and then I like the other layers of intimacy! I’ve never liked the’ I am your best friend even though I’ve just met you ‘ American deal! How many years in Paris I have found that for example my favorite Arab restaurants I could know them formally for 20 years and they would always have my back. Something for Americans to consider is that formality doesn’t mean unfriendliness. Thanks for your Frenchiness! Can’t wait to see more of my home town!
As a french person, it's funny to see those rules seen from the outside. Some are accurate, some are a little false, some are not that important, and some needs waaaaay more nuances because from one french to another, you will have a large specter of behaviour. French does not all act the same, sometime for the best, sometime for the worst. Don't hesitate if you need any answers, I'm a former parisian, now living far from Paris, and I have visited almost every major cities here from North to South. If I can be of any help, you're welcome to ask 🙂 Anyway, it's a really good video, it's really cool that you try to warn tourists and help them have a nice stay in your beloved/hated capital city 🙂
It is a pity that tourists have to be told to behave, that should be natural. It is the rule anywhere, among civilized people, not to disturb the others. Now, as mentioned in the above comment, there is not ONE French person, but many different types and socio-cultural levels - not to mention the many immigrants.
Paris sounds pretty much like any large cultural city. People in Boston, never say hi walking bye or a smile. Lot’s of helpful information here. Thank you 😊
@@SandraLovesSun Hi 👋. Boston had a great deal of cultural life. It’s the most European city in the USA I believe. Wonderful museums, parks, historical sites, great all around.
I moved to France 20 years ago and these tips are all very good! On a side note, I speak French and actually am French by birth. I do speak with a small accent and I can tell you that EVERY single day I have someone who asks me where I am from. Since I don't have children and have never worked in a French firm; I have not been able to make friends with anyone French. The French are formal? Try cliquish. Knowing what I know now, I should have moved to Italy lol
That is tough! 20 years in a place and still treated like an outsider! I hope you find community. I can relate. I lived 11 years in African country where I was treated as an outsider being of mixed race.
yeah, we don’t really make friends outside of certain context and most people tends to keep friends from childhood overall. Even as I am considered very friendly for a french person it takes me a while (and specific situations) to make new friends. Try joining local activities and clubs! It’s the best way to meet people ^^
I'm sorry, but there are many ways to make friends in Paris. You can try different "associations", whether it's about hiking, cooking or cycling, etc. There's plenty of them!
So many of these apply exactly to NYC as well, especially the last one. This may explain why I never had any problems in Paris - the same general rules apply in both places.
So true....I'm a Parisian, and i live in N-Y 2 years.....and we are so the same😂😂😂......its a joke!!!! Paris, New-York.....twin city and brother people👋😍😍
Paris being a weird dichotomy of hyper vigilant public decorum vs organized chaos is funny. Trying a little French goes a long way. And the drive me and my friends had from Paris to Lyon to Provence to Marseille to Barcelona was truly lovely. Driving in paris is an absolute catastrophe.
As is the case for most european cities, Paris is not meant for driving anymore. And will be less and less. I expect to see cars forbidden one day, except for special services. That would be a good thing, too.
Thank you for another very helpful video. I think it’s important to remember that no matter where we travel, we are GUESTS, & should be mindful of the cultural differences. It’s helpful for me to learn about French formality because I am not formal in the least. Information from Les Frenchies & good manners are invaluable tools. Merci! ☺️
I am always a bit put off when we are called formal. I mean, japanese are formal. But, reading stuff, watching videos, listening to testimonies, i realise that we may be. And i may be vastly more formal than the average. I mean, i still use 18th century french locutions at times. And i am not THAT old. Reading you and others, i realise that while i may no have limits regarding many things (especially when it comes to speaking my mind), i may be seen as formal anyway. That's super weird to consider. I never thought about it in my entire life. Perspectives and points of view are everything when it comes to appreciating things and people it seems...
I watched the channel out of curiosity (as a French guy from the Moselle) and I've been binge watching your videos. I found them very interesting and pretty accurate. Thanks for mentioning that Paris is not France an Parisien are not like other french residents. I really find it offensive when people say this and that about France and they've only ever been to Paris. Thanks for all the good and very interesting work your doing, I'll definitely be recommending your channel to my British in-laws and also to anyone going to Paris. And I'll be sure to download your guide on my next visit to the "ville lumière".
Si seulement tu savais.....moi je suis parisien et je nous trouve plutôt patient qu'autre chose.....les touristes sont globalement assez impoli et pas très très sympa et je parle mêmes pas du fait qu'ils fassent zéro effort.....jamais.....c'est ca que je trouve fou moi.....et après en plus ils disent qu'ont est pas sympa.....je ne me suis jamais permis de faire a l'étranger le millième de ce que je vois tout les jours a Paris......mais bon bref....c'est peine perdu......forcement les parisiens sont méchants....
Charming videos on all accounts! This is a new FAVORITE! PARIS OR BUST! Just purchased one of your many Guides and downloaded the Free Cheat Sheet for Ordering Food! Especially enjoyed "Best Time to Travel!"
Thank you very much! These tips are very good and necessary for Americans and British. Being of Italian descent and brought up in an old-fashioned way (of which I am proud) all these things are natural to me. Your videos are wonderful and extremely valuable. Congratulations and keep up the good work!
I lived in Paris is the mid 70’s and then again working designing parties at the U S Embassy. My French is 85% with a hood accent and I feel privileged to have seen Paris and many places before the IPhone etc. I remember you could just walked into to Louvre without lines Ces jours me manquent. Bonne soirée
I just arrived yesterday from a “tour de France” visiting Paris and several cities in the country for 15 days. Your tips helped me a lot! Sometimes I thought if I would have luck meeting you guys casually in a restaurant or pastry shop in Paris. Thanks!
I'm French and I live in Paris, and to be honest, this is the best video guide to Paris or France I've ever seen. Follow these rules and Paris open's to you :) But for me, ask the parisian for the best coffe, place or restaurant to go. We really know our cityn don't be shy, but be good without forcing !
Great video! Some of this definitely applies to other tourist destinations. For example don’t block the way - I’ve worked in New York for many years and so many tourists are oblivious to the fact that people work, commute and live there 😒
Boy are you right! I live in Manhattan, and the tourists galavant about as if real people don't live there. While understanding the important source of revenue that tourism brings to the city, tourists are a necessary headache pain in the derriere.
We love your vlog, thank you for your work. We have a suggestion to visit the Eglise Saint-Sulpice for the sound of its organ. The church has one of the largest organ in the world, and they employ some of the best organ players. Every Sunday after service around 10 am there is a 20-30 minutes free concert. One doesn't have to be classical music lover to appreciate the sound of the instrument. We highly recommend to check this out.
1:58 I'm French and I find it completely unacceptable for anyone to cut a line in front of people or staring at people. 2:25 In America, is it OK to go to someone's place and not greet your host? So what do you do? Walk in and help yourself in their fridge without talking to them?
For your second question, it's mainly stores and restaurants. Yes it is common in America to place your order without any greeting in restaurants. And in stores it's common to walk in and shop without ever greeting the owner or any employee. Those two things would never happen in Paris.
@@crazy808ish Thank you! I've only been to New York so I'm not familiar with the do's and dont's in smaller American places. I think just like Paris, New York isn't at all representative of the whole of the USA
@@pphedup That's funny that this popped up now. I was at Burger King last Thursday and watched somebody order like that and thought of this. Maybe you're in the south where people are more polite, but it's common in NY
What a great video! I'm enjoying your series. I am trying to learn French through an App (ooo it's tough); I don't plan to travel there anytime soon, however I know I can peruse your videos. I live in NYC so a lot of these "rules," apply. One thing I can say though, is that I have noticed that many French tourists are extremely loud on NYC subways. I don't mind it at all, but I have been told how "loud," Americans can be while using the Metro.
For learning french, i advise using the same method i used for english. Get the basics of the language, and then read and type in said language. Social media or UA-cam are great for that. Don't mind the mistakes, but research any word you are not certain of and overuse Word Reference. And then, watch the french UA-cam to work on your listening. Do everything at home in french anytime you can, and you will naturally get used to it. Read out loud in french while caring for your pronunciation, and while checking pronunciation with Reverso or Word Reference. I don't think i ever bothered with learning any english grammar. Apps and methods and stuff like that... no way in hell would i ever learn anything from that. It is pure suffering to me, like school was back in the day. And so i learned english without... actually, without much efforts. And for free, in fact. Despite it being a pretty difficult language to learn for a french. It merely took time. But since doing what i do is not work, it's pretty easy to stick with it. Ah, by the way, me typing this is part of it, too ^^. Have fun.
All a matter of perspective. If you are annoyed by tourists everything about them, dress, voices, mannerisms, will seem LOUD! If you embrace tourists the differences are celebrated instead of silenced😊
I’ll never forget the reaction, many years ago, of a Paris Metro employee when I tried to ask for a ticket in French. I expect he’s still having counselling to this day…
These types of videos are great because really, it also helps to not offend the locals and just helps things run smoother. Knowing local customs or mannerisms is so helpful. I was told by many to greet anyone with “bonjour” if you want to ask a question or entering a shop or restaurant.
If there is no line people can't cut lines. People simply don't know the rule. There is no line to get on the bus and the metro. The only line for the bus is the one to enter from the first door. Those who want to queue to enter first may queue, the others simply wait on the side. There is no line for the backdoors. If it's crowded people will simply stay on the side waiting for people to exit the bus, but that's not a line therefore people aren't cutting a line. Some buses have only 2 doors. One to enter at the front and one to exit in the middle. With those buses we might see a line. In places where there is actually a line people in general do respect it.
Thank you so much for the advice. I wrote to you last year about our wonderful visit to Paris. We loved it so much, we are visiting again this coming April!! So, I'm reviewing your helpful videos!
So nice to see your content as French living in Paris , best rule to import in France is the full Japanese respect for lines , I hate this chaos here All the best to you for Auteuil in Paris
Thank you for your tips. We visited Paris for 12 days about 15 years ago with 2 kids at Christmas time. Stayed in an apartment in 13/14 arrondissements. Bad spelling. We totally loved all the trains and walking. We wore our Australian badges and this was an advantage as we were not mistaken for British or American. France is on my bucket list for another visit.
Quick note on the cultural difference on queue etiquette. There is always a queue and bypassing it is frown-upon (exceptions exist in Paris). But anglo-saxons prefer to form nice figures, like waiting in a straight line. Whereas french queue works by order of arrival rather than by geometry. So to an american, it may looks like a blob of persons, but each one has memorized who were before them. And if they didn't, a quick reminder is useful, as you said.
As a traveller I have spent many years in total visiting France. One thing I found that you did not mention is learning at last some basics words and phrases and how to 'hear' a predicted response. I found so many locals happy to switch to English if you try out their language, apart from much older people who in general don't bother with English. It's easy to learn French too, there's over a half a million French people living in London.
French parisian here: "Except people to cut in line in front of you" -> This is rude, even in France. Parisians just don't form a line for the bus, but they do for museum, or for the restroom in restaurants for example. "French are formal" -> Depends.. maybe in posh restaurants/hotels. Less in the country side. East parisians are more open-minded. "People stare at me" -> Remember that you are in Paris. Most of people are just tourists from different countries. Parisians don't have time to sit at café-terrasses and stare are people. "Doggy bag" -> You can ask. I personaly do. "Toilets in grocery store" -> Not in Paris at least. But there are toilets in big supermarkets outside Paris.
The lack of toilet facility in the city of Paris was a bit OTT for me during my trip there. Its like its a special privileges facility over there, and it's definitely not a location for those with a weak bladder. Lol😂
When I was in Paris a few years ago, the first thing I noticed is that there are no washrooms/toilets - ANYWHERE! The public ones you do find CLOSE early. We were constantly looking for a McDonalds (I know) to use the bathroom. We still joke today to friends that there are no washrooms in Paris.
That's not true! "Anywhere"?! You can always go to a café or bistrot and order a coffee, then you're entitled to go to their toilets. And there's always the public toilets as shown in the video. That was still the case 30 years ago!
I NEVER miss an opportunity to use the bathroom. Even if I had NO desire to go, it I was in one of Le Grand Magasins or a museum. I never left without going .
Me, Parisian, during all the video : Talk about the "stand to the right side" rule in escalator, talk about the "stand to the right side" rule in escalator, talk about the "stand to the right side" rule in escalator pleeeease it drives me crazyyy
There’s no shame in being a tourist, in fact the French would actually treat you better if you’re a tourist (except on the metro) when I moved here French people were very helpful in specially restaurants or cafes and shops and they would help you if you say or do something wrong, or even help you order food, besides even if you are a French person, the moment you visit any attractions, you become a tourist by definition.
I'm french and parisian and when I have friends from abroad who are coming to visit I love to do tourist places with them because I kind of would never do it on my own time like going to the arc de triomphe or climbing the Eiffel tower.
I've always wondered why people don't want to look like a tourist....its a privilege to be able to travel. I would love to be able to afford Paris and to look like a tourist. 😆
This is some of the best legit content I've seen in a long time. Not AI generated. Not voiced by a computer. Just legit and topical. I pass through CDG about twice per year and will remember these tips to see if they apply. Thank you.
You guys are doing a great job and very helpful. People cutting lines would really test my patience as does standing in the way of others trying to get to their destination. I am a very outgoing individual so the formalness of Paris would be a challenge also. I wave and talk to complete strangers whenever I go out in public. Great video guys and thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Just a brief tip for people, visiting large cities, weather in Europe, or the United States, or anywhere in the world. Remember, most people, I said, in this video, are not on vacation, although you are. So they are not going to be especially friendly or chatty. Even in places that value “small talk”, it’s going to be very superficial. For the most part. But, I found that the easiest place to meet locals, and where people are relaxed, is when they are on a bit of vacation themselves. I found this the first time years ago when traveling, I decided to go to the Amsterdam zoo, Artis. Outside of perhaps, London, Berlin, San Diego, most tourists don’t usually frequent the zoo. It’s a place where locals go to unwind, local families, go with their children, and people tend to be more relaxed and friendly. In a sense, unless you work at the zoo, everyone is on vacation . And I found that people were especially friendly there. So consider going to places where locals will go to unwind. Ive heard that the guinguettes has made a bit of a come back around Paris. If that’s true, it would be fun to see a video. I think there’s one in charenton-sur-Marne. In any case, they have an interesting history, going back, a few centuries, like fun fairs Another fun video I look to see would be some of the smaller attractions in the western immediate suburbs like St Cloud, Marly, st Germain en Laye malmaidon ( or Enghien, St Denis, villa Savoye or the le Corbusier apt. building near Boulogne billancourt. Or alternatives… like Musée marmottan for the orsay, some of the 18th century style hotels-particuliers and collections like M Nissim de Camondo, musee Cognacq-Jay, can show the world of the imagination of the 18th century easier than Versailles and its crowds. Or jacquemart Andre unmanageable, small museum, with great masterpieces, sadly, less crowded and more manageable than the Louvre painting collection. In fact, some of the lesser visited museums, or as much fun, if not more than the “must sees“. The Cite de l’architecture in the Chaillot has a fascinating history as an outgrowth of the collection of reproductions put together to teach art students. The quai Branly Jacques Chirac took pieces of artistic merit out of anthropological museums and made them an art museum, art of sub-Saharan, Africa, tribal Asia, indigenous, America, and Oceania, in a fantastic, interesting new building, with a great restaurant on top, with a great view of the Eiffel Tower. The Pompidou center is closed for a bit, including the national Museum of modern Art… The Palais de Tokyo city Museum of modern Art is less crowded, just as fascinating, and right nearby… Let’s be honest… How many people slogging through the Louvre would have a better time walking through the Musee Galliera and looking at museum quality pieces of fashion, Parisian fashion, as presented by the city?! I enjoyed your video on castles and palaces as alternatives to Versailles. And I think just presenting some alternatives to heavily visited locations would be cool. Arc de Triomphe too crowded? Go to malmaison and really spend some time with Josephine and maybe even Napoleon. There are certainly plenty of people lately I’ve seen who go to Paris for the US and combine it with a trip to the D-Day beaches. That’s very interesting and lovely and meaningful and moving. But they can also just take local transport and go visit to sites in Suresnes… the Mont Valerien at next door, the American cemetery, donated to the US by the French government, as a memorial to the Americans, who died in the first world war, and a great view of the city. Or visit the brand new museum of the liberation, just moved and restructured and really cool.. or for an even sadder or darker side, the memorial to the deportees near Notre Dame, the shoah memorial in the Marais , the new memorial on the site of the Vel d’Hiv, or for those with special interest might be heading out to Saint Denis to see the royal necropolis, you can stop at Drancy and see what’s left of the transit/concentration camp, and at the same train lines you’re on were used for other purposes during the war . Or just go to one of the few zoos.
Thanks so much Colleen and Antoine for the tourist "tips" in Paris! Living in NYC and working right across the street from Washington Square Park --- I have seen it all. And it is true -- because we have so many skyscrapers, the tourists can be identified right away because they are looking up and blocking everyone -- unintentionally -- but sometimes annoying ! Sometimes if I see two people trying to take photographs I will step up and ask if they would like a picture together -- most of the time people are so appreciative -- once in awhile there is a skeptical look -- but for me I know my intention is practicing an anonymous kindness for a stranger -- so I am never offended ! Hoping this is the year for Paris -- but I have just started an online business so I will see how it goes! Cheers from NYC!
One more I'd mention, as an addendum to your last point, which is probably relevant to any city. I came across this SO much when I was working in London. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't try to travel to the tourist sites during the rush hour in the morning! The number of times my bus was held up and made me late for work, even after leaving extra time to get there, because people were asking questions about getting to Westminster or Trafalgar Square or wherever. Aaaargh!
As a French person, I quite disagree about recycling ! Not a lot of people do it ! If they do it, it's because they can get fined. 80% of the plastics collected in yellow bins are ACTUALLY NOT RECYCLED even if the government says the contrary ! I do enjoy your vids ! Take care !
Parisians are not very disciplined and their recycling isn’t enough. Quite different from other cities, particularly Strasbourg and Rennes, as I noticed.
You can legally drink in France if you are 16 if your parents are with you and purchase the alcohol. Most Americans have issues with allowing young people to drink since our drinking age is so high compared to other countries. We also have a serious alcohol problem among people who are late teens and 20 somethings because they never learned responsible drinking with their parents.
Not even 16, there are no drinking age in France (in consumption sense), only buying age. And actually it is not illegal for a minor to consume or buy alcohol, it is only illegal for a shop to sell alcohol to a minor.
Nope, this is a legend. Sellers aren’t responsable if parents give alcohol to their childs, and they don’t have the right to refuse since the parents are major. But parents who give alcohol to their children theorically risk the suppression of their parental rights.
Brought back memories. My wife and I visited it in 86. We were newly married and both USAF stationed in Germany. Trips to Paris and Alsace were some definate highlights to our time there.
When i am in Paris I am a tourist no getting around that.. I am in Paris for the art and museums. The food I expect to be good as any large city should have excellent food. I am not offended easy nor do I intentionally offend. Life is to short for that.
Exactly. No matter how perfectly you study the rules before visiting, you will still be a tourist, so why stress if you happen to actually act like a tourist?
I returned home from Paris five days ago after a sixteen-day stay and I believe that your list of rules is totally accurate. Particularly, waiters do not expect any tips if you are not American and I can only remember a waiter who wrongly kept 5 Euros in his pocket thinking that he was being tipped, that happened in a famous restaurant near Gare du Nord.
I rarely watch a video that is not judgmental, and is actually speaking the truth about what Paris is and who Parisians are. You are so respectful. Thank you for your great work!
I ended up at one of the outdoor markets under the train lines by Garde De Est by accident. The insanely busy one for locals. You have a shot of another similar in this video and I am crying the memory was so powerful thank you.
The lack of public toilets ruined my holiday and has put me off visiting Paris ever since unfortunately, and it's becoming worse and worse in London too. It's a human need to go to the loo and having to buy coffee to use the loo is expensive and unhealthy and creates more need to use toilets so completely counterproductive. This is a problem that cities and countries need to address
Agreed!!!!!! We were in London for first time and even eating at a restaurant surprised when I had to pay for restroom access!!!!! And it was tiny, cramped, and smelly. Not acceptable.
Well, you have to sort of plan your tour. Take advantage of toilets when you are at a restaurant or shopping center/museum etc and drink according to your schedule!
As a french, I think it's the first video i see where the rules are actually right ! most of them apply to France as a whole, but thank you ! People blocking the sidewalk just to look around is the number one way of getting yelled at in France 😂
GET The Best 125 Hotels of Paris Guide
Downloadable PDF Format 👉 bit.ly/2024ParisHotelGuidePDF
ONLINE (Via Thatch App) 👉 bit.ly/FreeOnlineParisHotelGuide
you have become ridiculous with your paris......
I really love Paris Hilton ❤
@@paulweber1570 what do you mean?
Good tips, your lovely wife could use help pronouncing MONSIEUR correctly ,along with other words that I´m sure you both use a lot!
@@paulweber1570what are you talking about?
The fact that I'm french and I live in Paris but still watching and enjoying this video 😂😂
😅😅😅
I've never been to France and don't have any plans to go any time soon but I'm watching this for some reason
you're here for the fact checks 😂
me too even tho some mistakes make me a little upset 😅
Did they miss any other unspoken tips we should watch out for in Paris (or France overall)?
It's not a theme park. You made my day right there. I come from a beautiful village in the south of France and tourists are so loud, even in the middle of night, because they forget that all those typical old houses are actually homes for real people, not a movie set.
@zepoubelle - I think you might be doing them a courtesy by providing them with that excuse. In my experience, if people act like that anywhere in public, they are just as loud and obnoxious wherever they go.
As Chevy Chase said to Jason Lively in "Vacation", "It's not Wally World, Rusty, it's a country ..."
No more manners - everywhere
I was visiting a lovely Belgian little town with a friend. As we were going back to the train station, we were stopped by some incoming tourists asking where is the entrance to the amusement park. It took a few minutes to figure out that they considered the whole town as some medieval version of the Disney park. People passing by with prams, with groceries, pets... somehow, they didn't seem to register them as real. It was genuinely shocking.
Unfortunately it is, Paris( 1 to 16) is an unlivable city for Parisians. No normal (grocery) shops, absurd housing costs. For a normal family it's impossible to live there. It's Disney for the rich.
The last remark is very important. Last time i ate in a Bouillon (traditionnal parisian restaurant) a north american person, came (alone) and start taking pictures of the place, food and everything. One of the client came to her and said to please delete pictures where we could see him. That's how serious we're taking the question. If it is your job to share your life on social media please respect the right of others to not share their image on your social media.
I would even add that you are legally in danger if you publish photos of strangers without their consent and they realize it
@@MrZToRx That's technically true but in fact nobody will press charges (it cost time and money).
@@MastaHibouw And technically you can take photos of other people without asking them, but it need to be in public AND that the person is not the main target (so like a picture of the Eiffel Tower, with a lot of people on it)
No u just met a French Karen
In France it’s allowed to take anybody in picture if you don’t post it
If you post it just blur and it’s legal
@@KoolKidsKaisseKlub-LeKoala depending If it save in the cloud or not.
Hahaha! What you say about Parisians not liking tourists mindlessly blocking the way is equally true here in New York City. I once saw an advertisement here (for an online dental booking service) that said "I'd rather get stuck walking behind tourists than make a dental appointment." I want to be gracious to tourists, but sometimes tourists need to pay attention on busy sidewalks and stairs to the subway. New Yorkers and Parisians are quite different, but in this way we are the same.
I'm a pure Parisian and I lived in New York for 2 years......I'll surprise you......but we're the same!!!! we have so much in common and in particular being extremely proud of our city and having to put up with loads of tourists who are totally unaware and not very respectful of the inhabitants.....tourists in New York we see them 200 km away .....they all have their noses in the air looking at the sky!!!!😂😂😂 in Paris, it's very simple too.....they make noise!!!! and sits absolutely any way, anywhere!!!!😂😂😂....but New Yorkers and Parisians are basically nice, they just live in big cities and they're not on vacation !!!! so sometimes they seem in a bad mood.....but it's also part of the local thing, it's a bit of a game. we like to be bad mood guys😂😂😂😂
...and London: stand on the wrong side when on a Tube escalator and you have a good chance of being given a quick course in British English expletives for free. In Copenhagen bike lanes and sidewalks are next to each other only separated by a painted line - veer into the bike lane while walking and the course given will be in Danish. Central part of Stockholm Metro practices something akin to London Tube rules, except its stand/walk to the right, run to the left - and the most common reaction in Stockholm could well be a loud sigh breathing up you neck, or an irritated "Hallooo!".
Its a big/biggish city thing in general.
@@davebowman6497 so true and you forget Amsterdam, and the rule about the cohabitation between the bike and the pedestrian....😂😂😂 so funny to watch.
@@drfunkesteinExactly what I wanted to write!😅
@@donaldgrove2249 Fran Liebowitz "Pretend it's a City"
I lived in Paris for four years. I have to say this is a great video. Paris in particular has ritualised behaviour, people from countries with ritualised behaviour like Japan have no problem there. Visitors who complain about Parisians, waiters in particular, just didn’t learn the rules. Always say bonjour in a shop or restaurants and remember that the waiter is the boss, not you.
I think this is an excellent observation. In English there are a hundred an one ways to greet a person during the day. In France it feels like bon jour is required by law. Which makes it easy for those of us who are visiting!
@@42judgeYeah, bonjour is really the default way to go.
Except in more friendly occasions like festivals, pubs, parties, street protests, etc. There you can confidently go with "salut" even with total strangers.
The waiter is also the boss in America, aholes.
3:00 The staring-and-not-acknowledging thing happens in Paris and busy tourist places, but in smaller towns and villages it's quite common to greet the strangers with a polite “bonjour” and a smile.
Absolutely. Paris is one of the more "unfriendly" cities in the world - even the rest of France dislike Parisians.
@@jamesrawlins735 No it's not. Go to a Kuala Lumpur, a Jakarta, a Dubaï, a Mexico City, and you'll get as much if not more "unfriendly" behaviours. It's the same for all big and dense cities, not just Paris.
Its so hard not to smile at someone if you happen to look at each other at the same moment. I've always wondered at Europeans (except Brits) not acknowledging other people when travelling. Are they not enjoying their holiday? Turns out they treat each other the same way 😊. I guess the lesson is that every culture has its good things and its other things.
Other french people consider Parisians as "rude" and "unfriendly" (most probably because we are either busy, in a hurry, or because there are too many people).
At most other cities, especially small ones, the behavior is completely different, which takes me a few days to cope with when I travel during vacations (Why is he saying hello to me? what does he want?! ... oh, I'm not in Paris anymore ^^).
@@vgraham2988 Paris is a beautiful city, but very violent and harsh sometimes, I was born and raised there for 23 years. I love people but in Paris you never know what can happen to you... You learn to build an internal armor somehow, to be prepared to any situations... And, yes, we are still quite scornful for unknown reasons haha.
From the Uk I used to work in Paris…..if not strictly an unbroken rule, I have always found French/Parisiens welcome an attempt to speak the language. If they speak back to you in English don’t take it personally! ….but they will appreciate you’ve tried
True
So true! I found that they loved it when I asked them to speak English with me!
100% I had same experience. I was told by french people at my table that they like it if I try.
I found Berlin to be like that and even been told not to waste my time with German, just speak English, but i think Berlin's a bit more extreme. A lot of the Germans use English them selves.
I think it is in part because it is true that we appreciate the effort (and are a little annoyed at the perceived lack of effort if someone doesn't try even a "bonjour" in French before switching), and in part because most French people are self-conscious about their ability to speak English, the pronunciation in particular, so encountering someone who struggles a little with French makes trying to speak English with them a little less daunting. Instead of feeling ridiculous if I can't speak English as well as they do (if they are native speakers and you are not, it feels insurmountable), the bar is lowered to "I need to speak English as well as they speak French" which is a more attainable goal.
Funny story. I was on the corner by the Louvre at Pont Royal and an American couple approached me and asked in very awkward French where the Musée D’Orsay was. So I said in English that it was the building with the big clock across the river. The said “wow your English is great!” so I said “i hope so I’m from Texas!” We all had a good laugh.
I was in Denmark and got chatting to an American family. The teenage son asked me, "How come your English is so good?" I replied, "I AM English". He looked nonplussed. To Americans English is a language. THEIR language. Apparently I'm British - though I'm not Welsh or Scottish so I must be English. It turned out this family had no connection with the British Isles being first generation Americans of mixed Danish/Egyptian origin, visiting their home countries. We all make assumptions!
Please, please, pleaaaase, if someone comes up to you ans starts speaking French, don't switch to English.
I'm a French teacher in Canada and the number of students I have who are ashamed and don't want to speak French anymore after just one event like this is crazy.
You think you are helping but ask them first because maybe they want to practice they're French and you basically just told them "Your French sucks, let's speak English".
I litteraly just finished a class (like 20 minutes ago) with a student who goes to France often and has absolutely no self confidence because of that. She knows things but even with me she has trouble speaking French because she's had so many encounters where people switched to English when she wanted to practice.
@@Elwene2fr - I've had friends tell me how obnoxious "the French" were, because when they would start off in English with a quick "Pardon me, do you speak English," they would be met by a shrug and a gruff "Non!" BUT...on my own travels, I noticed that if you started off making your attempt in French, without just automatically assuming that they would be expected to speak a language not their own in their own country, they would simply switch to English on their own, because they simply could not stand to hear their beloved native tongue massacred like that. 😆
After I figured that out, I got a lot further with my limited French. It seemed like they both appreciated that I was being respectful enough to acknowledge their native language, and in switching to English as needed, actually had no problem being helpful.
@@Elwene2fr I’ve had this happen to me and I just say “your English is great but I’m trying to learn French. Would you mind speaking in French. “
@@corgiowner436 If you've been through it I don't understand why you spoke English with the tourists who tried to speak English with you.
There’s also an unspoken rule about Parisian escalators : if you’re standing, stay on the right. The left lane is for people who are walking up.
I feel like the same thing applies for sidewalks, always be mindful of the people around you so you don’t block the whole sidewalk (which can be very narrow)
that's basically EVERYWHERE
Very much the case in UK. Stand on the left on an escalator on the tube and someone will shove you aside.
I live in Corsica and truly do that everywhere please!
If you're going to Paris I can not recommend going to Giverny highly enough. It's Monet's home, and you are basically walking through his waterlily paintings. Go early to avoid the tourists! We took a shuttle out there, then walked part of the way back. It was one of my favourite days in France.
I loved Giverny.
Thank you for the tip! My friend wants us to go and see Versailles and the Louvre, but I want to see Giverny and the other artist museums that were mentioned in another Frenchies video. I think we will have to stay more days than a long weekend will give us!
A lot of these apply to Paris but not across France. We live in the Loire Valley and people invariably acknowledge each other with a ‘Bonjour!’ and a smile when passing in the street.
I was in Provence and Cote d'Azur in September/October and I agree with you. Especially in the smaller towns. I was even surprised that the locals were friendly in Nice, which has a reputation of being snobby.
It's the same in USA the Midwest country folks are friendly and look you in the eye and smile. In the south, the server a d customer call each other, sweety and honey,
In the northeast, they never say high and smile and are quite curt
That’s why I enjoy visiting other parts of France more than Paris. Too much second-hand smoking and racist name-calling (Asian here) during every one of my 10 visits to Paris. Recommend Lyon.
@@DavidWilliams-qr5yj I found the people in Maine to be very friendly usually greeting you with friendly good morning or hello.
It is probably like this in all big cities vs the smaller cities and country.
The last time I was in Paris I thought I could pass for 65. Every time I got on a bus or the Metro people would immediately jump up and give me their seat. Sometimes while holding onto the pole for a short hop I would say I wasn't going far. But then they would watch me carefully to make sure I wasn't about to lose my grip. I love Paris! Also, it is wise to hang onto anything you can on public transport, no matter how old you are!
Also, young people will pick up a baby carriage together and take it up the stairs for the mothers. So kind! They don’t hesitate.
lucky you, they wont even "jump up" for my very pregnant wife. Maybe in the bus, but not the metro. She has to ask very politely, when she does,a woman gets up. Everytime.
Do we live in the same Paris ?
@@vivelespatat2670 at 6:30 i think they mixed up Parisians and French people. In Paris, and big cities, you can do without a car, in the rest of the country : not so much
@@mariannegiroud8131 That's exactly what they said. 7:50
I've been to Paris three times and Parisiens have been nothing but friendly, helpful and kind. My favorite city on the Continent.
my experiences have been lovely!!
You must be fluent in French😊
@@tihanaharrison6728 probably just polite. Does'nt speak too loud in a peaceful places, says "bonjour , parlez vous anglais s'il vous plait" before speaking english way too fast out of the blue, and can adapt to the client - employee relationship culture which is very , very different. "may I take your name (in order to report you to your manager and try to get you fired if I get the chance)" is a no-no for exemple, not saying "hello/bonjour, thanks/merci" to the waiter , very shocking, not understanding that a service does'nt exist in the country and insisting and geting mad at the employee=> you're out and the personn you're interacting with you will treat you like an equal so if you piss them off, they will act accordingly. Relationship are way less hierarchized. This is what I encountered with some americans when I worked in the service industry and why I got "rude" (american interpretation of the word) in a few cases. it would usualy go that way: enters a woman and her husband, woman wants something that we can't provide because it does'nt exist or is illegal , couple thinks we're refusing the thing because they are americans and we "hate them", couple starts yelling disrupting the peace, woman asks for name in order to report to the manager , service personn gets attacked in his french core value system (you don't try to get people fired , it's wrong) , service personn starts talking back and tells you things like "I don't care", "I won"t" , "nope" , "get away please'.
same here
Nothing comes close world wide... nothing. Love it. Live here permanently now.
I would add a codicil to the bit about formality and engagement with people. This just happens in Paris and major cities that have Parisien aspirations. This does not happen in the rest of the country where it is rude not to acknowledge passers by with a bonjour or bonsoir or where entering a room - any room - you give a polite mme/monsieur to the room. I would also add that the Parisiennes are pretty much despised in the rest of France for their aloof behaviours. Thanks for the vlogs; really interesting and fantastic content, thankyou.
The best advice I got was to learn some basic phrases and always ALWAYS begin any conversation or inquiry or interaction with "bonjour" and then speak French, no matter how badly or poorly it's gonna come out. Nearly EVERYONE spoke English and would quickly stop me from murdering their beautiful language so we could communicate effectively. But the attempt mattered, and I was always treated well. I saw people who did not make the attempt and they were not treated well. Paris was wonderful IME; I would gladly visit again.
Yes. Not even trying is the best way to get dressed up proper. It shouldn't make any sense to approach people in their country using a foreign language. It is unatural. This is common sense. Here is my train of thought in these cases: "Why does he use this language with me, when i am from this country?". "Oh, yeah, because he doesn't even know a word in my language". "But now, what the heck? Does he simply assume that while he doesn't know a word of MY language, I should know HIS language well enough to have a full-blown conversation?". "Despite it being My country, and not his?". "How does that make any sense?". "And does that mean that he simply assumes naturally that I should be the one to make 100% of the effort just so that everything is more convenient for him?". "When he is the one who needs me and came for help?". "Without even a please, or f*ck or what ?". "I am not paid enough to be your devoted servant". "Who does he think he is by the way? We ended aristocrats who ordered us around with the guillotine. Is the "new wave" looking for something?". "Get lost". If it makes sense...
@@nox8730 its more a feeling like they're treating me like a tour guide, first up they're lucky i even speak english and this is a city not a theme park, i don't know it just feels very rude to not try to speak french just a little bit, i don't know why just cultural i guess
@@salade5324 As i said, it is about meeting halfway. When 2 persons from different countries try to interact, the only way is by meeting halfway. No respect can exist without both parties walking half of the way to meet the other.
And so, when they just expect you to commit to it alone so that they won't have to make any effort themselves, despite the fact that they are the ones in a foreign land bothering people who asked for nothing, and despite the fact they are the ones who need your help and should try to be polite when asking something of others... This totally feels like they look down at lowly servants expected to be useful to them for free. No respect. A one way street. I mean, looking at it logically, it would be very unsurprising if this behaviour were to inspire violence, right?
@@nox8730violence?! N'exagérons pas XD
@@panpan-6944 J'exagère pas. C'est comme les conneries que tu peux lire en angliche un peu partout. Tsé, c'est comme pour tout. La première fois, osef. La 10e fois... ça saoûle. La 50 fois... t'appelles l'hosto :)
I went to Paris for the first time last year, and I found the French to be very kind and friendly. I'm going back again in a few months because I liked it there so much
So have I, and I go there (Paris and other areas in France) for business often (I'm in Europe). I use the pubic transport (which is great) and have no problem. TGV is unbelievably smooth and fast. The French I work with in my business (Nuclear power) are professional and smart. No problems at all. Of course, I leave out the American flag t-shirts and Yankee Doodle attitude ... maybe that helps. 😅
Every time we go to Paris, we say, that is it we never need to visit again. Until next time, and the next time, and the next time.
Right! As a visitor I was polite, "Bonjour, Madam or Monsieur," soft spoken, and wore clothes that were not jeans and tennis shoes (those stop after graduating college), and every person I talked to was lovely! I was 40 years old, and nice young people helped me with my luggage up the stairs once. No, they were not thieves. Just nice young people. :)
@@BeLoud13, I would _not_ stop wearing those for anybody, unless I have to dress formally. I find that expectation people have of others to be very snobbish and stuck-up.
I can see why you'd think that. But I think it's just their custom. Like, I would think it's weird if a 50 year old wore swimming trunks and a tank top in the summer in town, like college kids do. There's no law, of course. I just like to fit in. I agree that it's hard to not wear our beloved, well-fitted favorite jeans! ;)
@@Neville60001
I just came back from Paris (about 36 hour ago). The magic words are Bon Jour/Bon Soir/Merci/Au Revoir. We went to places that tourists usually don't go, and with us being polite and appreciating the culture (especially at restaurants) everyone was so nice and helpful! And even funny at times: at one restaurant I tripped and nearly took out a beverage cart with about $1K worth of wine on it - luckily, I found my footing and didn't fall - and the owner came over and said to me in a joking way, "I'm sorry, we don't serve drunk people!"
I visited Paris for the first time last year. I didn't encounter rude Parisians. What I did find was similar to what I noticed in Italy: when you encounter polite behavior, it tends to be especially gracious.
They can be polity rude, especially in Paris. You sometimes don't even notice it.
If you want to find the really rude Parisiens, you'll only find them scattered all over the country in the small towns and villages.
I don't belive you were in Paris
@@Hae3roI have the same experience as he did. Maybe it's time to introspect yourself :)
@@Hae3ro I don't believe you were either.
Thank you for posting this. My wife and I were on a high school trip to Europe together (that's where we met) and visited Paris for the first time in 1966. We've been back several times since. Our oldest grandson lived in Paris for nearly two years while at university through the Studies Abroad program.
We love Paris and if you obey the unspoken rules you'll find Parisians helpful and actually warm. We had a small triumph on a recent visit. We went to Pere Lachaise cemetery. We stopped at a nearby café for lunch. By the time our server came to the table, we had put away our touristy stuff and greeted her with the cheerful "Bonjour!". She responded by rattling off the lunch specials in French. We sort of kept up, but she noticed our quizzical expression, smiled and said: "OK, once more in English!". We had a wonderful lunch and she was warm and charming, asking us all about where we lived. When we told her we were in Paris when we were 14 and 15 over 50 years before, she replied: "c'est trop mignon!"
I have been visiting France since 2004 and the French have always been wonderful.
As a person from NYC all those rules made PERFECT sense for anyone traveling to a large metropolitan area. Thank you for sharing and loved visiting Paris as well.
😊❤️👍
The unspoken rule I always adhere to is when engaging with a Parisian, make an honest attempt to communicate in French first. The French and, in particular, the Parisians are very proud of their culture and history and this includes their language. I have found that if I initiate contact in French and take it as far as I can, that really goes a very long way with Parisians. I've heard countless people complain about Parisians being rude. Often this revolves around an unwillingness on the Parisian to speak English to the tourist (often US tourist). If the roles were reversed and a Parisian was visiting the US we'd expect them to communicate in English, so extend the same courtesy when visiting Paris. I've found that if you do this, Parisians are very warm and helpful.
it's more a "don't behave as a colonizer", the french are not that proud of their culture and language unfortunately. But I think it stings their egalitarian mindset when somebody just assumes that they should adapt immediately and are expected to speak english by default, they are already forced to learn english at school wether they are interested in the language or not, and that's why they mostly suck at it. Most of them learn foreign terms when they travel, it's not a one way street.
@@backintimealwyn5736 I think the French are proud of their culture and resent that their language has been overtaken by English in use. I once went into a shop that had typical souvenirs from Latin America and tried my rustic French and the man realized I was trying and spoke faster and faster to see when I would give up, which I didn't and he had to listen to my French to the end !.... haha !...
@@tilsit8875 I think the french are the people that faces the most projections from anyone else. There is an amount of paranoia and interpretation that is through the roof as soon as it comes to french people, bad intentions are always assumed. French people have no opinion about english, they protect the use of their language on their own land, which every people should do and for some reason it makes americans crazy and resentful. They also created institutions to protect their movie industry from being destroyed by hollywood, they were right. Culture is not so much about pride but about a strong respect for heritage and ancestors and the will to protect it, it's more love than pride. Protecting french movies , music is about making sure that french artists can still work , create and make a living.
I am French, Parisian and I completely agree with you. Even though I speak english, if an English speaking person starts talking to me in his own language right away, assuming that I would understand what he says, I would pretend not to speak english, and if he insists, I would move on.
My husband has a theory about the French being considered rude by others. His idea is that not only are the French more formal, but they respect privacy more. So they don't make eye contact, don't say excuse me if they bump into, because they are preserving their bubble of privacy AND yours. If you have cause to engage them we find them at least as polite as the average American, it's just they are running different software. And of course there are cranky people everywhere.
Parisian here. First point is not very accurate. Most shops aren't closed on Mondays in Paris (as they are in the rest of the country). "And we don't know why they are closed": of course we know, it's written on the paper: "For inventory". This happens usually once a year, and usually in the early days of the year (for businesses that close their books in December).
Absolutely. Inventory is only once a year. Should not be too disturbing….
Many bakeries, butchers and other small grocery stores are closed on Monday (or even some random day of the week) because they are open on Sunday. An American tourist would be wise to pay attention to that point and not expect everything to be opened 7 days a week for long hours.
Non, les commerces ne sont pas «fermés le lundi», ils le sont en général 1 à 2 jours successifs dans la semaine, pas forcément le lundi.
Sometimes you'll see a note on the door that read "be back in 30 minutes"
But you won't know when that person left lol
@@DavidFlrczkcorrect, but at least you know it shouldn't be too long
My wife and I are fortunate to have visited Paris 13 times. Far and away the single most important thing to do when you’re there, which was addressed in this video, is to greet people when you enter a shop or restaurant, and also to say “Au Revoir” when leaving. Stores in France used to be in people’s homes, and just like you expect someone to say hello and goodbye to you when visiting your house, it was also expected by French people, and that tradition continues even now that most businesses are in commercial buildings, not homes. If you fail to do this, your interactions with French people are going to be cold, as you’ve skipped what they consider to be a fundamental part of social interactions.
On the metro, wait for people to get off before getting on. And if a metro car is crowded, do not sit in the fold down seats located near the doors. Sitting there makes it difficult for others to get on and off, so stand until the crowd thins.
Also, when you’re looking for a table at a restaurant, the ones with silverware on them are reserved for people who are ordering a meal. If you just want a coffee or a glass of wine, sit at a table without silverware. And when you want the check, you have to ask for it. The French phrase for that is “l'addition s'il vous plaît”, although if the waiter is far away, making a writing motion in the air will also let them know you want the bill.
Stores have not been in people’s homes for some 2 centuries… It is funny (funny sad) to read that some foreigners consider as exotic French manners what is only basic common sense (let people get off before getting on ; not sitting on the foldable seats when the carriage is crowded, etc).
In the Midwest USA, Walmart has to hire "greeters"!
@@pphedupWhat is even that?
@@nox8730 "Greeters" are people hired to say "Hello/Goodby" to people, (and to be sure they aren't making off with anything.)
@@pphedupOh, thanks. One mystery solved today :)
We have travelled extensively, the only place we came across rude arrogant people was in Paris. We even found rudeness from people working in tourist positions. That's not to say all Parisians were terrible, 2 people went out of their way to help us, even when we didn't need it, we just accepted their help and thanked them. The country areas were not only beautiful but had wonderful people.
Been there briefly and in the airport over the years and I concur😅 I just smile anyway and wish them a nice day❤. I guess polite is a subjective term. Cold and aloof is not polite to me.😅
You are totally right. @@mamadeborah1999
When I had a Parisian in Paris ask me for directions, I knew I had blended beautifully. We both had a good giggle together.
I'm French but living in Toronto.
I thought about the "French are formal" (or "Canadians are informal" rather) yesterday when I went to a glass repair shop to have my broken glasses fixed.
The guy greeted me and talked to me like we knew each other. I didn't think anything of it at first because I'm used to it now, but when I came home last night I realised that's not something that would've happened in France. We would've greet much more formally and I'd probably never know the person's first name (the guy from the repair shop was called Alex)
I love this about our country and hope it never changes! I wave to passing cars on my street when I'm walking my dog and always chit-chat with neighbours and all the random people I run across during my errands. Be it a Canada Post workers or the cashier at Rona, it never hurts to smile and say something nice!
As a Brit living in USA..i used to be very disconcerted by how familiar the yanks are.Sometimes it s ok..but if i am not feeling social..it s tiring!I still wear a mask..and I try to avoid eye contact if I m not in a social mood ..lol!
Toronto is a hit and miss city when it comes to friendliness. I live in Toronto. I find the Americans are the friendliest people when I travel.
Have you lived or visited elsewhere than Toronto? I agree, Americans are a friendly people too. I should've mentioned I'm from the West Coast of Canada. I didn't grow up in and I don't live in the city. Friendliness in all cities is always hit and miss unfortunately. Although my experiences in Canadian cities are still mostly positive. @@a.jlondon9039
Yes pretty much, or at least it would take multiple times for people to open themselves to each other and make it less formal
As always, another great video with useful information. One unspoken rule that you just mentioned obliquely I thought would get more emphasis: not speaking or laughing loudly in public. Many Americans (myself included) use our “outdoor voices” routinely when on the Metro or in a cafe.
@Apre4Apes - I'm American, and I find that Americans don't really have "indoor" and "outdoor" voices anymore - it's just one loud bellow. Maybe it's to do with the fact that we're all walking around in a technological haze, with earphones on and eyes on our phones, and when we do disconnect, everything around us is operating at a major roar.
if you walk into a store, there can be two or three different varieties of programmed music blaring at the same time..if you stop for a coffee or cocktail and a chat with a friend, there are four televisions plus the house music going...and of course, the "work from home" brigade conducting business at a roar on their phone/computer/laptop, from NOT at home.
Oh yes. Americans can be so loud...
I am American and other Americans embarrass me with their boorishness.
Some things you mention are the same in every big city, but if you get out of Paris to another region or small town people to say hello, people smile and reply. (Paris does not represent France it's same as London doesn't represent all the UK)
A French teacher I once had said using an honorific makes all the difference: Not just "Bonjour!" but "Bonjour, Madame!"
It’s true, definitely. What would happen if you smiled to everyone crossing your path in NYC?
Most of the time if you are polite in the first place you will get a nice reply. It's the golden rule of conversations.
I lived in five different regions (Paris, Bretagne, Alsace, Lorraine, Franche-Comté) and there's not a big difference in attitude. That's a big clichés that Parisians are rude. They're a bit more stressed out but that's about it. The only places I noticed a real difference was in villages, but that's the same in every country.
@@FrankBrennosTheGreatest Yes, exactly. It’s a “big city” thing.
It's right there on the sign! "Closed for inventory." And Exceptionellement means that it's not usually closed.
In this case yes. You could also meet "fermé pour raison de santé" ou fermé pour raison familiale" (health issues / family-related issues)
In this case yes. You could also meet "fermé pour raison de santé" ou fermé pour raison familiale" (health issues / family-related issues)
As a former Parisian now living in Colorado, I appreciate your video as being right on. I knew saying "bonjour" when going into a store would be in it but you mentioned "eye contact" also and I agree with that also. Parisians are looking for respect. Your videos for Americans in Paris are great. Keep up the good work!
Bonjour, from Colorado! 😊
I drove in Paris on my first trip........ it was a mess........but a badge of honor never to be repeated.....I survived the Arc de Triumph traffic circle. The second trip we took a car to Paris and later back to CDG, rented a car and drove out to the countryside from there. Much better.
I also survived the Arc de Triumph traffic circle - on 2 trips. It’s a badge of honor. 😊
besides, it is not useful to drive in Paris. There are plenty of buses, subways, RER... unless there is a strike, of course. I recommend taking the bus. then you can also enjoy the view. there are little tricks to learn, but buses are convenient (for example, buses 90 something usually are from/to Gare Montparnasse; 20 something Gare Saint Lazare. etc.)
Place de la Concorde was the worst for me. The huge open intersections with seemingly unmarked lanes going every direction. I recommend renting a car near the outskirts of Paris or outside Paris if you are going to drive around France.
Happened to me as well...rush hour on a November evening. There was an accident right in front of me which I barely managed to evade. I was still trembling when we reached our hotel 5 minutes later.
Yup also I also survived the Arc de Triumph traffic circle!! 1974 in a Renault 5, No drivers license and Gears on the column!! Hilariously scary!! Now when I go back to Europe, my wife just won't drive!! 🙂 But she has a thing about distances, which Europeans have a problem when they come over here also (In Canada for us!!)
#11 Do not talk loudly. Whether it is fair or not, the French complain about tourists speaking too loudly in public.
Americans please stop airing all your personal stuff, failed relationships, medical conditions etc etc on the Eurostar from London to Paris.
Year after year we encounter a group of them talking incessantly and so loudly for the entire journey non stop while consuming vast amounts of food and drinks. All the way without taking a breath.
We dread going back home to visit family for this reason.
Please please be considerate.
Some peace and quiet on the journey is much appreciated.
@@DC-vg7qi Asking Americans to be considerate, is like asking Isrealis to stop killing Palastinians..... never gonna happen
Yesss this one 👆
@@DC-vg7qi Public transport effects a lot of Americans like some kind of drug... it's not really their fault. It's the euphoria of experiencing real freedom combined with all that architecture.
@@DC-vg7qi Once on a train trip from London heading toward Cumbria, we encountered a group of young women on their way to Blackpool for a bachelorette party or some such event. They were English, and they were absolutely obnoxiously rowdy, certain ones among them more so than others. They had a good head start on the boozing. There was another group in the same train car, a little older and quieter, but wearing shirts imprinted with a picture and phrase that were shocking to me. My point is that inappropriate comportment isn't limited to Americans, though I know that many of us could use a little more finesse when it comes to public behavior.
9:38 That is particularly annoying for people who live here, large groups of tourists blocking the metro entrances, exits and sidewalks or a bunch of them huddled in front of the metro ticket machine trying to figure out how it works when you're in a bit of a hurry. I get that it's not so easy but step out of the way or ask for help.
This is true in NYC as well. Get out of the way. What is really annoying is when people get to the top of an escalator and just stand there. Get out of the way!
@@paulkoza8652 Right?! I hope Parisians remember all these rules when they come to NYC! Stopping right at the bottom of the stairs on the subway platform is a personal pet peeve of mine.
@@paulkoza8652 Yes yes yes!! That's another one that's bothersome. The standing at the top or bottom of the escalator. Makes me wonder if people do those kinds things when they are at home. LOL
@@Kimar7779 Doesn't surprise me at all that Parisians do dumb stuff like that when they visit NYC. I love living in France and I absolutely adore French people. That said, they're actually pretty bumbling when they walk, always in your way and full of sudden stops when you are walking behind them.
Stopping at the top or bottom of an escalator is dangerous for the person who stopped and for everyone on the escalator!
I'm french, ex-parisian, and i loved this video !
you're right, it's not a theme park, people live there and don't have time
but i'm always happy when people enjoy there
Great video ! Two more things I would say as a french guy living in paris, regarding transportations :
- Whenever your take an escalator on a public place, if you don't plan to walk through it, stay on the left. Especially in paris, where people are used to having big transits and don't really have time to patiently wait behind you while you just enjoy your time, leave them space so they can get home quicker
- Even if you're tired, whenever the metro/tramway city train is too crowded, don't stay sitted in the fold up seats. It's seen as very impolite, and takes a lot of space. You'll rest later, first, leave room so that everyone can get in there.
I really like your Vlogs. I am born and raised in Paris and living in the United States for 40 some odd years with frequent trips back to Paris. I just wanted to add that I’ve always loved the formality because I feel like it takes a while to get to know someone or to get to know me! I like that distance at first, and then I like the other layers of intimacy! I’ve never liked the’ I am your best friend even though I’ve just met you ‘ American deal! How many years in Paris I have found that for example my favorite Arab restaurants I could know them formally for 20 years and they would always have my back. Something for Americans to consider is that formality doesn’t mean unfriendliness. Thanks for your Frenchiness! Can’t wait to see more of my home town!
and your American "friends" may act like don't know you in that moment of need.
As a french person, it's funny to see those rules seen from the outside. Some are accurate, some are a little false, some are not that important, and some needs waaaaay more nuances because from one french to another, you will have a large specter of behaviour. French does not all act the same, sometime for the best, sometime for the worst.
Don't hesitate if you need any answers, I'm a former parisian, now living far from Paris, and I have visited almost every major cities here from North to South. If I can be of any help, you're welcome to ask 🙂
Anyway, it's a really good video, it's really cool that you try to warn tourists and help them have a nice stay in your beloved/hated capital city 🙂
It is a pity that tourists have to be told to behave, that should be natural. It is the rule anywhere, among civilized people, not to disturb the others. Now, as mentioned in the above comment, there is not ONE French person, but many different types and socio-cultural levels - not to mention the many immigrants.
Exactly, parisian to here!
Je suis parisienne et tout est vrai dans cette vidéo 🤷🏻♀️
Et il n'y a pas 12 millions d'habitants à Paris 😂
@@edissa067 ah ouais? T'as déjà eu des gens qui te passent devant a la boulangerie? Pas moi en tout cas.
Paris sounds pretty much like any large cultural city. People in Boston, never say hi walking bye or a smile. Lot’s of helpful information here. Thank you 😊
Some cities are friendlier than others. I wouldn't say Boston is cultural. Not sure what that means. It's liberal, that is for sure.
Even in the colder American cities I find Americans in general are still friendlier with strangers.
@@SandraLovesSun Hi 👋. Boston had a great deal of cultural life. It’s the most European city in the USA I believe. Wonderful museums, parks, historical sites, great all around.
I moved to France 20 years ago and these tips are all very good!
On a side note, I speak French and actually am French by birth. I do speak with a small accent and I can tell you that EVERY single day I have someone who asks me where I am from. Since I don't have children and have never worked in a French firm; I have not been able to make friends with anyone French.
The French are formal? Try cliquish.
Knowing what I know now, I should have moved to Italy lol
That is tough! 20 years in a place and still treated like an outsider! I hope you find community. I can relate. I lived 11 years in African country where I was treated as an outsider being of mixed race.
yeah, we don’t really make friends outside of certain context and most people tends to keep friends from childhood overall. Even as I am considered very friendly for a french person it takes me a while (and specific situations) to make new friends. Try joining local activities and clubs! It’s the best way to meet people ^^
I'm sorry, but there are many ways to make friends in Paris. You can try different "associations", whether it's about hiking, cooking or cycling, etc. There's plenty of them!
So many of these apply exactly to NYC as well, especially the last one. This may explain why I never had any problems in Paris - the same general rules apply in both places.
So true....I'm a Parisian, and i live in N-Y 2 years.....and we are so the same😂😂😂......its a joke!!!! Paris, New-York.....twin city and brother people👋😍😍
Paris being a weird dichotomy of hyper vigilant public decorum vs organized chaos is funny. Trying a little French goes a long way. And the drive me and my friends had from Paris to Lyon to Provence to Marseille to Barcelona was truly lovely. Driving in paris is an absolute catastrophe.
As is the case for most european cities, Paris is not meant for driving anymore. And will be less and less. I expect to see cars forbidden one day, except for special services. That would be a good thing, too.
Europeans recognize cars have bad consequences on everyone yeah... In the countryside cars are inevitable tho...
As a Parisian worth his salt, I never owned a car.
J'aime trop vos vidéos, vous êtes sympathiques, ça se voit!
Et épicuriens! 🙂
En + vous présentez Paris d'une belle manière
Merci
Please - nice you know a few words in French - but please don't butcher the French language. Since you are not a "Frenchie"
@@BernhardSchwarz-xs8kp ?
Thank you for another very helpful video. I think it’s important to remember that no matter where we travel, we are GUESTS, & should be mindful of the cultural differences. It’s helpful for me to learn about French formality because I am not formal in the least. Information from Les Frenchies & good manners are invaluable tools.
Merci! ☺️
Not only are you GUESTS, but you are also AMBASSADORS for your own country.
@@Harry-kk6qf Excellent point! Thank you very kindly!
I am always a bit put off when we are called formal. I mean, japanese are formal. But, reading stuff, watching videos, listening to testimonies, i realise that we may be. And i may be vastly more formal than the average. I mean, i still use 18th century french locutions at times. And i am not THAT old. Reading you and others, i realise that while i may no have limits regarding many things (especially when it comes to speaking my mind), i may be seen as formal anyway. That's super weird to consider. I never thought about it in my entire life. Perspectives and points of view are everything when it comes to appreciating things and people it seems...
I watched the channel out of curiosity (as a French guy from the Moselle) and I've been binge watching your videos.
I found them very interesting and pretty accurate.
Thanks for mentioning that Paris is not France an Parisien are not like other french residents.
I really find it offensive when people say this and that about France and they've only ever been to Paris.
Thanks for all the good and very interesting work your doing, I'll definitely be recommending your channel to my British in-laws and also to anyone going to Paris.
And I'll be sure to download your guide on my next visit to the "ville lumière".
I find that most people are friendly and welcoming if you are kind and friendly to them.
Si seulement tu savais.....moi je suis parisien et je nous trouve plutôt patient qu'autre chose.....les touristes sont globalement assez impoli et pas très très sympa et je parle mêmes pas du fait qu'ils fassent zéro effort.....jamais.....c'est ca que je trouve fou moi.....et après en plus ils disent qu'ont est pas sympa.....je ne me suis jamais permis de faire a l'étranger le millième de ce que je vois tout les jours a Paris......mais bon bref....c'est peine perdu......forcement les parisiens sont méchants....
Charming videos on all accounts! This is a new FAVORITE! PARIS OR BUST! Just purchased one of your many Guides and downloaded the Free Cheat Sheet for Ordering Food! Especially enjoyed "Best Time to Travel!"
thank you so much!!
Thank you very much! These tips are very good and necessary for Americans and British. Being of Italian descent and brought up in an old-fashioned way (of which I am proud) all these things are natural to me. Your videos are wonderful and extremely valuable. Congratulations and keep up the good work!
I think they used to be natural to most people, to be honest. Good manners and a smile go a long way.
I lived in Paris is the mid 70’s and then again working designing parties at the U S Embassy. My French is 85% with a hood accent and I feel privileged to have seen Paris and many places before the IPhone etc. I remember you could just walked into to Louvre without lines Ces jours me manquent. Bonne soirée
I just arrived yesterday from a “tour de France” visiting Paris and several cities in the country for 15 days. Your tips helped me a lot! Sometimes I thought if I would have luck meeting you guys casually in a restaurant or pastry shop in Paris. Thanks!
As a French, I'm astonished how accurate your recommandations are.
I'm French and I live in Paris, and to be honest, this is the best video guide to Paris or France I've ever seen. Follow these rules and Paris open's to you :) But for me, ask the parisian for the best coffe, place or restaurant to go. We really know our cityn don't be shy, but be good without forcing !
Great video! Some of this definitely applies to other tourist destinations. For example don’t block the way - I’ve worked in New York for many years and so many tourists are oblivious to the fact that people work, commute and live there 😒
Cue Fran Lebowitz: "Pretend it's a city!"
Boy are you right! I live in Manhattan, and the tourists galavant about as if real people don't live there. While understanding the important source of revenue that tourism brings to the city, tourists are a necessary headache pain in the derriere.
We love your vlog, thank you for your work. We have a suggestion to visit the Eglise Saint-Sulpice for the sound of its organ. The church has one of the largest organ in the world, and they employ some of the best organ players. Every Sunday after service around 10 am there is a 20-30 minutes free concert. One doesn't have to be classical music lover to appreciate the sound of the instrument. We highly recommend to check this out.
And if you attend Sunday mass, they serve kir on the sort of balcony in front. Or they used to, pre Covid.
1:58 I'm French and I find it completely unacceptable for anyone to cut a line in front of people or staring at people.
2:25 In America, is it OK to go to someone's place and not greet your host? So what do you do? Walk in and help yourself in their fridge without talking to them?
For your second question, it's mainly stores and restaurants. Yes it is common in America to place your order without any greeting in restaurants. And in stores it's common to walk in and shop without ever greeting the owner or any employee. Those two things would never happen in Paris.
@@crazy808ish Thank you! I've only been to New York so I'm not familiar with the do's and dont's in smaller American places. I think just like Paris, New York isn't at all representative of the whole of the USA
@@crazy808ishIt is NOT common or polite to walk into a McDonald's even and just say "Gimme a Big Mac."
@@pphedup That's funny that this popped up now. I was at Burger King last Thursday and watched somebody order like that and thought of this. Maybe you're in the south where people are more polite, but it's common in NY
@@crazy808ish Born in Chicago.
What a great video! I'm enjoying your series. I am trying to learn French through an App (ooo it's tough); I don't plan to travel there anytime soon, however I know I can peruse your videos. I live in NYC so a lot of these "rules," apply. One thing I can say though, is that I have noticed that many French tourists are extremely loud on NYC subways. I don't mind it at all, but I have been told how "loud," Americans can be while using the Metro.
For learning french, i advise using the same method i used for english. Get the basics of the language, and then read and type in said language. Social media or UA-cam are great for that. Don't mind the mistakes, but research any word you are not certain of and overuse Word Reference. And then, watch the french UA-cam to work on your listening. Do everything at home in french anytime you can, and you will naturally get used to it. Read out loud in french while caring for your pronunciation, and while checking pronunciation with Reverso or Word Reference. I don't think i ever bothered with learning any english grammar. Apps and methods and stuff like that... no way in hell would i ever learn anything from that. It is pure suffering to me, like school was back in the day. And so i learned english without... actually, without much efforts. And for free, in fact. Despite it being a pretty difficult language to learn for a french. It merely took time. But since doing what i do is not work, it's pretty easy to stick with it. Ah, by the way, me typing this is part of it, too ^^. Have fun.
@@nox8730 thank you!
All a matter of perspective. If you are annoyed by tourists everything about them, dress, voices, mannerisms, will seem LOUD! If you embrace tourists the differences are celebrated instead of silenced😊
@@mamadeborah1999 This may be true for the first 1000 or so, not beyond.
I’ll never forget the reaction, many years ago, of a Paris Metro employee when I tried to ask for a ticket in French. I expect he’s still having counselling to this day…
😅
These types of videos are great because really, it also helps to not offend the locals and just helps things run smoother. Knowing local customs or mannerisms is so helpful. I was told by many to greet anyone with “bonjour” if you want to ask a question or entering a shop or restaurant.
If there is no line people can't cut lines. People simply don't know the rule. There is no line to get on the bus and the metro. The only line for the bus is the one to enter from the first door. Those who want to queue to enter first may queue, the others simply wait on the side. There is no line for the backdoors. If it's crowded people will simply stay on the side waiting for people to exit the bus, but that's not a line therefore people aren't cutting a line. Some buses have only 2 doors. One to enter at the front and one to exit in the middle. With those buses we might see a line.
In places where there is actually a line people in general do respect it.
I’m STILL receiving speeding tickets from three trips to France last year. 🤦🏻♀️ I’ve learned to ask a co-pilot to keep an eye.
As a frnechmen coming from Bordeaux, I totally agree with the content of this video :)
Yay, thank you!
Thanks!
Thank you so much for your support!!
Thank you so much for the advice. I wrote to you last year about our wonderful visit to Paris. We loved it so much, we are visiting again this coming April!! So, I'm reviewing your helpful videos!
Wonderful! Thank you Johnny
The formality and staring are typical in Germany as well
And recycling and inability to queue.
The closed shop sign showed the reason "Inventory". So that was quite a wrong example :)
So nice to see your content as French living in Paris , best rule to import in France is the full Japanese respect for lines , I hate this chaos here
All the best to you for Auteuil in Paris
Thank you for your tips. We visited Paris for 12 days about 15 years ago with 2 kids at Christmas time. Stayed in an apartment in 13/14 arrondissements. Bad spelling. We totally loved all the trains and walking. We wore our Australian badges and this was an advantage as we were not mistaken for British or American. France is on my bucket list for another visit.
So they dislike Americans?😢
Proud to be French and Parisian ❤
Try not to overdo your sense of pride, my friend. Being born in this country and in this city is pure happenstance.
Thanks for your videos they are great! Hello from Puerto Rico🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷
Quick note on the cultural difference on queue etiquette. There is always a queue and bypassing it is frown-upon (exceptions exist in Paris). But anglo-saxons prefer to form nice figures, like waiting in a straight line. Whereas french queue works by order of arrival rather than by geometry. So to an american, it may looks like a blob of persons, but each one has memorized who were before them. And if they didn't, a quick reminder is useful, as you said.
It sounds like the people waiting to be served in a British pub. No line, but everyone knows their place.
As a traveller I have spent many years in total visiting France. One thing I found that you did not mention is learning at last some basics words and phrases and how to 'hear' a predicted response. I found so many locals happy to switch to English if you try out their language, apart from much older people who in general don't bother with English.
It's easy to learn French too, there's over a half a million French people living in London.
Danke!
Thank YOU!
French parisian here:
"Except people to cut in line in front of you" -> This is rude, even in France. Parisians just don't form a line for the bus, but they do for museum, or for the restroom in restaurants for example.
"French are formal" -> Depends.. maybe in posh restaurants/hotels. Less in the country side. East parisians are more open-minded.
"People stare at me" -> Remember that you are in Paris. Most of people are just tourists from different countries. Parisians don't have time to sit at café-terrasses and stare are people.
"Doggy bag" -> You can ask. I personaly do.
"Toilets in grocery store" -> Not in Paris at least. But there are toilets in big supermarkets outside Paris.
The lack of toilet facility in the city of Paris was a bit OTT for me during my trip there. Its like its a special privileges facility over there, and it's definitely not a location for those with a weak bladder. Lol😂
That's kind of a given world-wide, I think! Drink accordingly, lol.
We found Paris to be OK, but the Netherlands was crap. How about $3 for a pee! I recommend an apple juice bottle and a modesty towel.
Just go to a café for a coffee.
@@philgray1023 Amsterdam does not represent the rest of The Netherlands.
At Utrecht Central Station, public toilet costs 0.70 Euros.
Every café has a toilet and there are cafés everywhere.
When I was in Paris a few years ago, the first thing I noticed is that there are no washrooms/toilets - ANYWHERE! The public ones you do find CLOSE early. We were constantly looking for a McDonalds (I know) to use the bathroom.
We still joke today to friends that there are no washrooms in Paris.
I am french and i too look for McDonald to use their bathroom :)
That's not true! "Anywhere"?! You can always go to a café or bistrot and order a coffee, then you're entitled to go to their toilets. And there's always the public toilets as shown in the video. That was still the case 30 years ago!
I fit right in every time I visit Paris... feels just like home (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
I NEVER miss an opportunity to use the bathroom. Even if I had NO desire to go, it I was in one of Le Grand Magasins or a museum. I never left without going .
Me, Parisian, during all the video : Talk about the "stand to the right side" rule in escalator, talk about the "stand to the right side" rule in escalator, talk about the "stand to the right side" rule in escalator pleeeease it drives me crazyyy
I'm going to be running in the Paris marathon in April. Do alot of people spectate? Hoping its a fun event!
Oh yes, you have many people all along, especially when the race go through parks. The pros are very serious but it's a fun event forr everyone else.
There’s no shame in being a tourist, in fact the French would actually treat you better if you’re a tourist (except on the metro) when I moved here French people were very helpful in specially restaurants or cafes and shops and they would help you if you say or do something wrong, or even help you order food, besides even if you are a French person, the moment you visit any attractions, you become a tourist by definition.
Totally agree.Do you think French people make an effort in other peoples countries?A tourist is a tourist
I'm french and parisian and when I have friends from abroad who are coming to visit I love to do tourist places with them because I kind of would never do it on my own time like going to the arc de triomphe or climbing the Eiffel tower.
@@rob7819of course, the French, like most Europeans are more likely to be frequent travellers than Americans.
I've always wondered why people don't want to look like a tourist....its a privilege to be able to travel. I would love to be able to afford Paris and to look like a tourist. 😆
@@vgraham2988personally it is by fear of being seen as vulnerable
This is some of the best legit content I've seen in a long time. Not AI generated. Not voiced by a computer. Just legit and topical. I pass through CDG about twice per year and will remember these tips to see if they apply.
Thank you.
You guys are doing a great job and very helpful. People cutting lines would really test my patience as does standing in the way of others trying to get to their destination. I am a very outgoing individual so the formalness of Paris would be a challenge also. I wave and talk to complete strangers whenever I go out in public. Great video guys and thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I'm from Nova Scotia Canada we say good morning to everyone and we smile, guess I will stand out
Just a brief tip for people, visiting large cities, weather in Europe, or the United States, or anywhere in the world. Remember, most people, I said, in this video, are not on vacation, although you are. So they are not going to be especially friendly or chatty. Even in places that value “small talk”, it’s going to be very superficial. For the most part.
But, I found that the easiest place to meet locals, and where people are relaxed, is when they are on a bit of vacation themselves. I found this the first time years ago when traveling, I decided to go to the Amsterdam zoo, Artis.
Outside of perhaps, London, Berlin, San Diego, most tourists don’t usually frequent the zoo. It’s a place where locals go to unwind, local families, go with their children, and people tend to be more relaxed and friendly. In a sense, unless you work at the zoo, everyone is on vacation . And I found that people were especially friendly there. So consider going to places where locals will go to unwind.
Ive heard that the guinguettes has made a bit of a come back around Paris. If that’s true, it would be fun to see a video. I think there’s one in charenton-sur-Marne. In any case, they have an interesting history, going back, a few centuries, like fun fairs
Another fun video I look to see would be some of the smaller attractions in the western immediate suburbs like St Cloud, Marly, st Germain en Laye malmaidon ( or Enghien, St Denis, villa Savoye or the le Corbusier apt. building near Boulogne billancourt. Or alternatives… like Musée marmottan for the orsay, some of the 18th century style hotels-particuliers and collections like M Nissim de Camondo, musee Cognacq-Jay, can show the world of the imagination of the 18th century easier than Versailles and its crowds. Or jacquemart Andre unmanageable, small museum, with great masterpieces, sadly, less crowded and more manageable than the Louvre painting collection.
In fact, some of the lesser visited museums, or as much fun, if not more than the “must sees“. The Cite de l’architecture in the Chaillot has a fascinating history as an outgrowth of the collection of reproductions put together to teach art students. The quai Branly Jacques Chirac took pieces of artistic merit out of anthropological museums and made them an art museum, art of sub-Saharan, Africa, tribal Asia, indigenous, America, and Oceania, in a fantastic, interesting new building, with a great restaurant on top, with a great view of the Eiffel Tower.
The Pompidou center is closed for a bit, including the national Museum of modern Art… The Palais de Tokyo city Museum of modern Art is less crowded, just as fascinating, and right nearby… Let’s be honest… How many people slogging through the Louvre would have a better time walking through the Musee Galliera and looking at museum quality pieces of fashion, Parisian fashion, as presented by the city?!
I enjoyed your video on castles and palaces as alternatives to Versailles. And I think just presenting some alternatives to heavily visited locations would be cool. Arc de Triomphe too crowded? Go to malmaison and really spend some time with Josephine and maybe even Napoleon.
There are certainly plenty of people lately I’ve seen who go to Paris for the US and combine it with a trip to the D-Day beaches. That’s very interesting and lovely and meaningful and moving. But they can also just take local transport and go visit to sites in Suresnes… the Mont Valerien at next door, the American cemetery, donated to the US by the French government, as a memorial to the Americans, who died in the first world war, and a great view of the city. Or visit the brand new museum of the liberation, just moved and restructured and really cool.. or for an even sadder or darker side, the memorial to the deportees near Notre Dame, the shoah memorial in the Marais , the new memorial on the site of the Vel d’Hiv, or for those with special interest might be heading out to Saint Denis to see the royal necropolis, you can stop at Drancy and see what’s left of the transit/concentration camp, and at the same train lines you’re on were used for other purposes during the war .
Or just go to one of the few zoos.
Thanks so much Colleen and Antoine for the tourist "tips" in Paris! Living in NYC and working right across the street from Washington Square Park --- I have seen it all. And it is true -- because we have so many skyscrapers, the tourists can be identified right away because they are looking up and blocking everyone -- unintentionally -- but sometimes annoying ! Sometimes if I see two people trying to take photographs I will step up and ask if they would like a picture together -- most of the time people are so appreciative -- once in awhile there is a skeptical look -- but for me I know my intention is practicing an anonymous kindness for a stranger -- so I am never offended ! Hoping this is the year for Paris -- but I have just started an online business so I will see how it goes! Cheers from NYC!
Good luck with your business! If you don't mind, what kind of business did start?
Hi ! In the minute 1:18 the shop is close for inventory, it mean they have to list all the goods they have to prepare the shop and manage the stock.
One more I'd mention, as an addendum to your last point, which is probably relevant to any city. I came across this SO much when I was working in London. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't try to travel to the tourist sites during the rush hour in the morning! The number of times my bus was held up and made me late for work, even after leaving extra time to get there, because people were asking questions about getting to Westminster or Trafalgar Square or wherever. Aaaargh!
As a French person, I quite disagree about recycling ! Not a lot of people do it ! If they do it, it's because they can get fined. 80% of the plastics collected in yellow bins are ACTUALLY NOT RECYCLED even if the government says the contrary ! I do enjoy your vids ! Take care !
We have the same problem here in Australia.
Parisians are not very disciplined and their recycling isn’t enough. Quite different from other cities, particularly Strasbourg and Rennes, as I noticed.
Just remember, you're on holiday, were just trying to get to work.
You can legally drink in France if you are 16 if your parents are with you and purchase the alcohol. Most Americans have issues with allowing young people to drink since our drinking age is so high compared to other countries. We also have a serious alcohol problem among people who are late teens and 20 somethings because they never learned responsible drinking with their parents.
that's very true
Not even 16, there are no drinking age in France (in consumption sense), only buying age.
And actually it is not illegal for a minor to consume or buy alcohol, it is only illegal for a shop to sell alcohol to a minor.
Nope, this is a legend. Sellers aren’t responsable if parents give alcohol to their childs, and they don’t have the right to refuse since the parents are major. But parents who give alcohol to their children theorically risk the suppression of their parental rights.
Brought back memories. My wife and I visited it in 86. We were newly married and both USAF stationed in Germany. Trips to Paris and Alsace were some definate highlights to our time there.
Very informative. I have visited Paris many times since 1964 but reminders are always welcome
Here's another one: stop putting these stupid "love locks" everywhere!
Wrong habit, people. I'm sure you can prove your love in a much more convincing way.
When i am in Paris I am a tourist no getting around that.. I am in Paris for the art and museums. The food I expect to be good as any large city should have excellent food. I am not offended easy nor do I intentionally offend. Life is to short for that.
Exactly. No matter how perfectly you study the rules before visiting, you will still be a tourist, so why stress if you happen to actually act like a tourist?
I returned home from Paris five days ago after a sixteen-day stay and I believe that your list of rules is totally accurate. Particularly, waiters do not expect any tips if you are not American and I can only remember a waiter who wrongly kept 5 Euros in his pocket thinking that he was being tipped, that happened in a famous restaurant near Gare du Nord.
I rarely watch a video that is not judgmental, and is actually speaking the truth about what Paris is and who Parisians are. You are so respectful. Thank you for your great work!
I ended up at one of the outdoor markets under the train lines by Garde De Est by accident. The insanely busy one for locals. You have a shot of another similar in this video and I am crying the memory was so powerful thank you.
The “cutting in line” thing happens in Philadelphia too.🤣
Re the rule about being mindful and not blocking public walkways in Paris: It's applicable to walking in any big city in the world.
Especially Tokyo. Bound to be super annoying there. A japanese made a video for this very reason ^^.
The lack of public toilets ruined my holiday and has put me off visiting Paris ever since unfortunately, and it's becoming worse and worse in London too. It's a human need to go to the loo and having to buy coffee to use the loo is expensive and unhealthy and creates more need to use toilets so completely counterproductive. This is a problem that cities and countries need to address
Where possible, in the UK go into a department store. I do all the time.
Agreed!!!!!! We were in London for first time and even eating at a restaurant surprised when I had to pay for restroom access!!!!! And it was tiny, cramped, and smelly. Not acceptable.
Well, you have to sort of plan your tour. Take advantage of toilets when you are at a restaurant or shopping center/museum etc and drink according to your schedule!
As a french, I think it's the first video i see where the rules are actually right ! most of them apply to France as a whole, but thank you ! People blocking the sidewalk just to look around is the number one way of getting yelled at in France 😂