Paris is a big, beautiful, historically and culturally rich,
amazing, and a sometimes intimidating city. For those who have never visited
the City of Lights, scoring a good deal on airfare to Paris, finding a hotel to
stay in and deciding which attractions you just can’t miss are probably the
things on the forefront of your mind. However, after many trips to Paris and
living in the city for a period of time while studying at the Sorbonne, I
discovered there are a few things that every person should know before they
pack their bags and head to Paris.
1. Not all Parisians
are rude. Nor do they hate Americans.
Now, I am certainly not guaranteeing that you will only run
into totally charming and polite people during your trip to France, but I do
think people assume they will get poorer treatment in Paris than most actually
do. Contrary to popular belief, not all French hate Americans. In fact,
especially among the younger generation (many of whom love American pop
culture), seeing an American is a great excuse to practice their English and
discuss American movies and music.
They say that there are Parisians and then there are the
rest of the French (much like how in the U.S. there are New Yorkers and then
there are the rest of Americans). People in Paris do tend to be more big city
like—a little no nonsense and, yes, sometimes rude. That does not mean,
however, that you should expect poor treatment during your stay in the City of
Lights. In fact, you may be surprised just how friendly everyone seems to be.
Be courteous, don’t bash the French way of doing things, try to learn a few
phrases and you may just come home talking about how much nicer the French were
than everyone thinks.
David Lebovitz, an American author, blogger and pastry chef
living in Paris sums it up perfectly:
Visiting and dining in Paris all boils down to one rule: How
You Get Treated is Directly Proportional to the Way that you Behave and Present
Yourself. It’s taken me a few years to get used to the fact that I can’t run to
the corner bakery for bread wearing sweatpants and flipflops, nor can I wolf
down pastries on the métro without getting disapproving stares. So don’t be
afraid to dress a bit better than you would at home and to practice a few words
of your high-school French. Believe me, even the feeblest attempt at a little
French will take you much further than you can imagine in Paris.
2. At least try to
speak French
No, you don’t have to take a bunch of French classes before
you go, but learning a few key phrases, even if it is only “parlez-vous
anglais?” (do you speak English?) is probably a good idea. The French tend to
admire those who at least give an effort to speak a few words of French, before
assuming everyone speaks English. Sure, you may have a bad accent and butcher
it, but most Parisians will probably appreciate the effort and then switch into
English.
Although the French have a notoriously bad reputation as
English speakers, more and more French are speaking better and better English.
In fact, some Americans who actually DO speak some French get frustrated at not
being able to practice when they find many people automatically revert to
English to converse once they detect an accent.
3. Say hello/goodbye when you enter stores and restaurants
Wonder why the woman behind the counter of the boutique you
just strolled into is giving you an icy glare? Did you say “bonjour” when you
walked in the door? If you didn’t, that’s most likely why she’s giving you the
evil eye. It’s not because you’re a tourist. In Paris, it’s imperative to say
“Bonjour Madame/Monsieur” when entering a shop or restaurant, and “Merci
Madame/Monsieur” when leaving. There is an equally incorrect perception that
Americans are impolite since they don’t acknowledge the salesclerks in their
shops, which is like being invited into someone’s home and stepping inside
without saying hello.
Smile, say “Bonjour” and you’ll often get an equally warm
response back (and perhaps even offers to help you find something)
4. The Metro is easy to master
metroSure that big map with a million different colored
lines and French on it looks initimadating, but the Metro is remarkably easy to
master. Plus, because it is so well connected there are very few places in the
city that are not located close to a metro stop. After a trip or two you’ll be
amazed at how quickly you’ve figured exactly how to get anywhere in the city.
Most travelers find buying a carnet (pack of 10 tickets) is the cheapest way to
ride, though if you plan on staying for longer than a week, you may want to
look into the longer-term passes (carte orange).
There are a few tips that will help you be a master before
you even descend below groud, so check out these tips about the Metro before
you go and you’ll be ready to conquer the city (and the underground):
5. Don’t rush through a meal
When I asked for a bill once while I was still eating at a
restaurant in Paris (I was running late for a class at the Sorbonne), my waiter
lectured me on the importance of taking your time when eating and then refused
to bring the bill until after I finished my meal and had sat for at least 10
minutes (yup, I was late for class).
Unlike in the states, where the bill sometimes comes as you
place the first bites in your mouth, it is expected that you’ll sit around for
awhile after you are done eating. When your plates are cleared and there is
still no bill, it’s not because the waiter is ignoring you or doesn’t like you,
it’s because it’s the French way not to rush when eating. So, take your time
and be patient.
6. Elevate your sense of casual
Yes, I understand the need to be comfortable when traveling
and spending a day walking around Paris, but that does not mean you should be
wearing athletic shorts, socks and white tennis shoes around Paris. Paris is a
fashion capital and the French are a notoriously fashionable and well-dressed
group. While you certainly don’t have to wear heels around the city or dress
head to in designer duds, you may also feel awfully out of place in your
cut-offs, t-shirt and flip-flops in Paris.
I asked a friend for her number one tip she’d give to a new
visitor to Paris (she went on her first trip to Paris recently) and she said,
“My main thing if I went back would be to pack differently.” With constantly
changing trends (which always seem to be ahead of ours), it’s hard to tell you
exactly what to pack, but there are some good general rules of thumb that can
help you feel not quite so out of place.
7. Paris is divided
into 20 arrondissements (neighborhoods)
arrondissementsParis is a big city that is divided in a few
different ways. It is both divided by the the Seine River into Left and Right
bank (read Left Bank versus Right Bank to understand more of what that means),
but also by neighborhoods, or arrondissements, of which there are 20. Numbering
wise, these neighborhoods start in the center and continue in a circular
pattern around the city. You will often here people mention a store/restaurant
etc. as being “in the 12th,” which is referring to the number of the
arrondissement. However, to make things even more confusing, there are also
some neighborhoods with names, like the Marais, Latin Quarter and Montmartre.
Buy a good Paris map that marks both and you’ll probably
have an easier time getting around and understanding where everything is in
relation to other sites.
8. Not all things in Paris are expensive
While you will find many things in Paris to be quite expensive,
Paris does not necessarily have to be a city that sucks all the money out of
pockets and bank accounts. After living in the city on a poor student’s budget,
I learned some valuable tricks for how to save money while still having a great
time in Paris. For example, there are plenty of ways to Eat Cheap in Paris.
Plus, walking around the city, taking in the sites and people watching for
hours costs nothing.
One of my very favorite parts about Paris is that you also
don’t have to be stuck eating crepes from street vendors your entire trip to
stay on budget. In fact, eating out at nice restaurants is really quite
affordable.
Once again, David Lebovitz sums it up perfectly:
“There’s lot of
top-notch restaurants in Paris where you can get a terrific…no, make that
superb…three-course meal for 30€ including tax and tip. I ate at one last
night, and had a salad of cured quail on a bed of lentilles de Puy. That was
followed by slices of moist rabbit loin on a rectangle of baked macaroni and
cheese, which was finished up by a warm crêpe filled with homemade bitter
orange marmalade and a scoop of housemade ice cream. Our wine was a 22€ bottle
from the Savoie. I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of any restaurant in
San Francisco or New York that offers a three-course meal with wine for less
than $50pp, including wine, tax and tip. If you avoid the high-end places,
there’s great bargains in Paris.”
Most restaurants and cafés offer specially-priced formulas
for lunch. A simple corner café lunch can be had for around 12€ and even the
high-end places have fixed-priced menus that are much more affordable than at
dinnertime.
9. You’ll need
voltage converters and adapter plugs for your electronics
Since the modern day traveler rarely goes anywhere these
days without a gaggle of things that need to be plugged into the wall, you want
to make sure you’ve got the proper adapter plugs before you take off for the
land of wine and cheese. France runs on 220 volts, so some of your electronics
(like blow dryers) will need a converter switch as well, so you don’t fry it
when you plug it in. While most computers will work just fine with a simple
adapter plug, I’ve fried more than one hair straighter trying to plug it in in
France.
10. Public restrooms
are not always free…or easy to find
paristoiletIf you have a full day of walking and
sightseeing, it is inevitable that you are going to have to use the restroom
when out and about at some point in Paris. However, finding a public restroom
can be a bit on the tricky side in Paris.
A great place to look for public restrooms (don’t think you
can waltz into a restaurant and ask to use the restroom unless you are a paying
costumer) are the many parks scattered throughout the city. The Tuileries and
Luxembourg gardens both have nice restrooms. Don’t be surprised to find an
attendant, however, and be expected to shell out 40 to 50 centimes when you used
them.
You’ll also see those intimidating, automated toilet
structures on the streets of Paris. They cost a little bit of money to use, but
they do the trick in a pinch. You also can find FREE restrooms in many large
department stores.
11. August is vacation
month in Paris
Unlike most work obsessed Americans who get 2 weeks of
vacation a year, many French take a whole month off in the summer months.
Especially during August in Paris, when many people flee the city in the summer
to enjoy vacations on the beach in the countryside, many tourists are surprised
to find so many museums/shops/restaurants closed for weeks at a time in the
summer.
While you may feel annoyed when the restaurant you’ve been
told to has a sign hanging in the door that says “closed til August,” this is
normal, and you have to admire (and perhaps envy) the French appreciation for
time away from work.
However, since there are still many tourists in France, you
should have no problem finding a place to eat or things to do in these summer
months. Since the weather is usually beautiful in the summer (albeit a little
hot and muggy), park cafes and restaurants with large terraces are popular
dining spots in the summer months. There are plenty of great options for summer
dining in Paris, where you can sip your café or citron pressée in the sunshine
and participate in the national French pastime of people watching.
12. Taxis are
expensive, especially at night
Probably because the Metro is so quick and easy to use,
Taxis in Paris tend to be on the expensive side. A ride that is only a few
kilometers long can end up costing you a small fortune. This is especially true
late at night, when taxi fares go up even more. This means if you are stuck
after the Metro shuts down (at 1 am), you may find yourself having to part with
a fat stack of cash just to get home. Stick to the metro or be prepared to pay
heft taxi fees if you decide to travel above ground.
Source:www.parislogue.com
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