Paris, the most visited city in the world. There are many popular conceptions of Paris, some positive, others negative. There are those that say Paris is the most beautiful and romantic city on the planet, while others talk about how dirty the streets of Paris are and claim that Parisians are rude and the whole city is overrated. I fall more in the middle, leaning to the positive side. I think Paris is an amazing place, though it’s not my favorite in the world.
When I left the Paris-Nord train station, after taking a train from London that went through the English Channel, I immediately noticed major differences in mannerisms and behavior of the French compared to the English.
Although England is technically a foreign country, as an American it didn’t feel too different from the United States. Sure, the English speak in a different accent and use different phrases, but the common language and the cultural similarities made me feel like I wasn’t in a foreign land, even though I was.
When I was in France, however, I truly did feel that I was in foreign territory. One of the first things I noticed when I got out of the train station was that almost everyone was smoking cigarettes. The French also talked faster, and, from my experiences, had a different idea of personal space (not that it’s always a bad thing).
There’s a stereotype that the French are rude and the Parisians are the rudest of them all. Personally I don’t find this true. Many of the French I interacted with were very nice. The taxi and Uber drivers never hesitated to help me with my luggage. The waiters and waitresses often talked to me in great detail about which wines would go best with the dishes I ordered. Random strangers were happy to help when I asked for directions, some of them even walked with me to where I needed to go. I even got a free upgrade on my flight to Amsterdam thanks to the check-in staff of AirFrance!
One of the first places I visited in Paris was the Champs-Élysées, the avenue leading to the Arc de Triomphe, built in commemoration of Napoleon’s great victory at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805. I greatly admire Napoleon Bonaparte, and the arch he built is a glorious piece of architecture.
Above: The Arc de Triomphe
I spent a lot of time walking around the city of Paris. Yes, some areas of Paris are quite dirty, but there are also other areas that are very beautiful, especially around the river Seine.
Above: A view of Notre Dame Cathedral from the Seine River
Another very beautiful part of Paris is the Tuileries Garden. Even during the hot summer, the garden’s fountains cooled the air and created a very relaxing breeze all around. I lounged on one of the benches at the Tuileries Garden for a while, simply enjoying the cool breeze from the fountain on a hot day.
The Tuileries Garden leads up to the Louvre, a former palace of the French monarchy that has now become the largest art museum in the entire world. The Louvre was closed when I arrived, but I had already been in the museum the last time I was in Paris so I just enjoyed the stunning architecture from the outside.
Above: The Louvre
Of course, one does not visit Paris without visiting Paris’s most iconic sight, the Eiffel Tower. Many tourists visit the Eiffel Tower during the day, but it is most beautiful when it is lit up at night. I went to see the Eiffel Tower around midnight, and even then the place was still packed with tourists. In fact, I bumped into a fellow American tourist that I had just met a few hours ago at the Louvre when she asked me to take her pictures.
The Eiffel Tower is a phenomenal sight. The view from the Pont d’léna bridge is amazing, but the best view in my opinion is from the Palais de Chaillot. It is always a marvel to see the Eiffel Tower.
Above: The Eiffel Tower