Pretty straightforward question! I know a lot of people went to Paris for the Olympics this year, and I wondered what you thought about it
Beautiful architecture and streets. A lot of homelessness and rats everywhere though. Bakery food/breads were fantastic. We found people to be a lot more welcoming in rural France than in Paris.
Didn’t go during Olympics, this was pre-COVID.
I’ve been there a bunch. It’s a bit expensive and peopley, but It’s OK*
*: This opinion was 100% based on the fact that I’ve only visited the Charles de Gaule “suburb”
It was quite nice, but the number of elevators that were out of order at major tourist attractions was bonkers. Good luck in Paris if you have mobility issues!
I’d double down on those difficulties - my partner has mobility issues and the metro is a nightmare to navigate if you have a cane… if you have a wheel chair it’s pretty much impossible.
I went between the Olympics and Paralympics. I liked it a lot. Wandering streets in the Latin Quarter. Poking around random shops and such.
Went to see Notre Dame, the Arc and the Effiel Tower as the main attractions.
I went to the Louvre but its was crazy busy, even on a weekday. Kind of hard to enjoy it and there were very few places to sit, even less where you could sit and enjoy the artwork. Still went to have a look at Lisa and Venus, pretty neat.
The food (as long as you stay away from tourist traps) was great! Do try a baguette by itself if you can. I had no idea bread could be so deep and complex and just damn tasty by itself.
I will add, do try the baguette, in any “Boulangerie” you want. Something that does not look that hard, yet I miss or is not the same when anywhere else
It is a pleasant major Western city, with all the pluses and minuses involved in that.
It was really nice. We went prior to the Olympics, but Paris and other parts of France are beautiful and lovely each in their own way. It feels very much like home, yet foreign at the same time.
I will never forget how immaculately well kept the American graves were at the beaches of Normandy. They treat them with such respect, and it brought tears to my eyes. The people of France will always have a spot in my heart for what they’ve done for us in our time of need and for the utmost respect they have shown our ancestors in both world wars.
I went there when I was much more young and aggressive, looking for answers to a lot of questions that bothered me. I ended up getting distracted by the fine weather, food and drinks (such good cheese), and my time there didn’t amount to much.
Not at all asking this being stuck in Parisien transports
I’ve been there a few times over the past decade. It’s a major metro city with substantial tourism. The people there are just like people anywhere else in the world in that if you treat them with respect, they will reflect that; and if you treat them like smug shit, they will _also_treat you like smug shit.
The semi-popular reputation Paris has is unearned and based in prejudice.
Semi-popular?
Didn’t go for the Olympics - we’ve been a few times as it’s easiest for us to fly in there and then train through Europe… it’s fucking awesome, the food is good, the markets are amazing, and the people are nice!
I’ve gone twice, the first time, it was awesome! I was with two friends, we roamed and checked out basically every street. I even got to put a lock on the lock bridge for my partner at the time. Everyone was friendly and 2 of us spoke French so that helped a ton.
The second time I went was a few years after. The terrorist attacks had happened and the experience was not as great. The Eiffel tower is now gated and patrolled, you need had to get in lines and wait to get up close. They also had taken down the lock bridge (I was still with the same partner). It was still a good experience for sure, the vibe was different though.
Paris at night is beautiful, though remember that it is still a city, so treat it as such.
