To love Paris and to think ‘Paris syndrome’ is a myth?

[BarbaraVineFan]

Currently coming to the end of a marvellous short break in Paris. I’ve been here lots of times and also lived here for a while when I was a child. In all this time (but especially this most recent holiday) I haven’t found any evidence of any of the accusations levelled against Paris. It’s not dirty- in fact, it seems notably cleaner than the last time I was here in approx 2009) and it isn’t enormously expensive, especially compared to London. What’s more, it’s often said that Parisians are rude, but the people I have met and interacted with have been without exception polite and courteous. Am i missing something? I would honestly live here again in a heartbeat. Does anyone else agree?

I’m very fond of Meudon. We have friends we often stay with there. I love the forest, the market, and Rodin’s house, and being so close to Versailles.

I find it polluted with not many good walking areas, unlike London. And the metro is just smelly. It's ok but I prefer London.

I agree, although they've chosen down the line in Chaville. It is such a beautiful community!

I’ve only been once. Last year for 5 days with DP. it’s strange how I’ve never been before as I’ve been to many different countries all over the world but somehow never got round to it.

I completely fell in love with it! We found the people really friendly and helpful and had a wonderful time. Can’t wait to go back!

I love Paris. I lived and worked there for 9 years and adored it. We left for career reasons but I visit regularly as I still have friends there. It just feels like home to me. But as a tourist it's so walkable and the weather is generally good enough to do so. Failing that the bus routes are a great way of seeing the city, as is line 6 of the metro, which goes overground for quite a good stretch and affords epic views of the Eiffel Tower. Even when I lived there and took that route daily I felt so lucky to be in such a beautifully designed city (Haussman knew what he was doing!). I've also strolled down the Champs-Elysees on a day in December when it was totally closed for Johnny Hallyday's funeral and it was so surreally quiet, giving you such a great sense of the space. I always enjoy the museums and brasseries and there are always so many free events happening that you can just turn up to if you know where to look.
We live in the Netherlands now but only rarely go to Amsterdam as it's a PITA to get to and we just don't like it that much. Honestly I will take the smell of cigarettes in Paris over the smell of weed in Amsterdam ANY DAY.
Funny that people mention preferring Rome. Even after 9 years in Paris (and thereby being fairly streetwise), Rome was the only place where I felt in genuine danger of being imminently pickpocketed. I much prefer other Italian cities such as Lucca and Turin. Cremona (albeit a town rather than a city) was lovely too. My ambition is definitely to live in Italy at some point in my life. Once we are done with NL it's next on the list!

Haven't RTFT yet so it's possibly already been answered but Paris syndrome is typically experienced by the Japanese who I think almost expect the streets to be paved with gold and then can't take the extreme disappointment of the place not being perfect (yes, despite everything I have said, I can see the imperfections of the city, including its problems with homelessness). Japan is itself an extremely clean place with designated smoking areas and no littering, so I can see why you'd save up your whole life to go to Paris and then be disappointed at how grimy it is (despite the major cleanup around the Olympics, it's still got a grubby feel to it, which I accept because I love it and spent formative years - my 20s - there, but which others may be more critical of).

Love Paris and rent an apartment there. DH and I went for a long weekend in August. Walked 60km. Love it. We’re very near the tower.

Just went on a city break with my teen DD. Thought it was beautiful and we had a lovely time. Climbing the Eiffel Tower at night was a great experience. We loved the Musee D’Orsay. But just walking around, looking at the buildings was wonderful. We live in London, so as we stayed in an upmarket area of Paris it felt safer than where we live.

I expected to love Paris. I don’t. It’s crappy. My husband has to work there fairly often. He also can’t stand it. I think there are much better places in France to visit or stay. I love France overall. Just not Paris.

I remember being really unimpressed with Paris when I went when younger. But I went for work and stayed in the heart of it all for a couple of days and found it all beautiful, would love to go back.

I agree - Paris is mostly nice! Every city has its dodgy parts.

Hard disagree from me I'm afraid, Paris is a shit hole. I've been twice (went for a second time after disliking it the first time to give it a second change and still didn't like it). Too many tourists, unfriendly people, pickpockets, expensive and it was really dirty. Considering how many beautiful cities there are in France, I've genuinely no idea why everyone raves about it and have no desire to go again.

Having read about Paris Syndrome (hadn't heard of it before) I have come across similar from foreign tourists visiting Scotland.

They are fed an idealised version of Scotland through Outlander, Hallmark Christmas movies and expat Scots waxing lyrical about their homelands and get a huge culture shock when they arrive and find that we're not all wearing kilts, our major cities have social issues and homelessness, that nobody gives two hoots about what "clan" you are in and that not everywhere is as scenic as Glencoe.

Funniest post I saw on a FB group was from a disappointed tourist who had tried to avoid extortionate Edinburgh prices by booking accommodation in Coatbridge and wondering why it was really not what they were expecting.

I’m indifferent to it, though have decided I find it so much nicer in the winter time. Never really feel that safe there though compared to the likes of Berlin and Vienna

I've always found Parisians to be polite and courteous.

I love Paris when we went did the usual tourist stuff stayed near the place de Republic so history attached to where we were, the weather was kind, breakfast and lunch from a lovely little patisserie near our hotel, but eating out at night maybe I'm fussy but overall the food at night was disappointing I expected fab food dining and it was very meh and nothing special

Forgot to say highlight of the trip was being there when the tour de France bike race finished on the champs de lice the atmosphere and watching a British cyclist win was amazing

Having now read up on the Paris Syndrome, it is clear that this is a Japanese problem, not a Paris one. I imagine you can have a syndrome for any capital city in the world!

To be honest, to get palpitations because there is a bit of litter next to a tourist attraction (presumably dropped by tourists) is a bit extreme. Hopefully, the vast majority who do not suffer this enjoy the enlightenment of leaving a mono-culture.

We love Paris and go very often, like every year for the New Year and for my birthday or just when I feel like it 😊We live in Belgium and have been in Paris uncountable times. Never had any issues. What we dó see is tourists treating Parisians really bad, like screaming for service, sitting down in a restaurant without being offered a table, demanding everybody speaks their language, rude behaviour like clicking your fingers or whistle when they want to order etc. Also entering in group and (trying to) jump a queu in musea, talking really loud in an exhibition, and - this is a pet-peeve of mine - standing in a busy street or intersection and making influencer-clips. If I was treated that way I would probably throw my apron on the ground and go home. But it's often thát kind of tourists who complain.

Very interesting post @thecatfromneptune, and one I’m pleased to read . We visited Paris more than 15 years back, as part of our holiday taking DS to DLP. At the time I thought it was dirty and I was unimpressed but DH keeps asking to return and I figure I ought to give it another go.

I really like Paris, but I couldn't live there. I lived there for nearly a year as a student and it drove me absolutely mad. Admittedly not helped by some seriously extended strike action at the time which basically made doing everything impossible. I also got very fat eating baguette (I didn't even eat croissants etc unless I had visitors!) and a weekly chocolate mousse a l'ancienne. I can't be trusted with French delicacies, clearly.

You can walk to most places in central paris too tbf

I have always loved Paris, however last time I visited (3 years ago) I was really disheartened by the amount of refugees sleeping on the streets - including small children sleeping on cardboard boxes. It changed it for me.

Youtuber Kurt Caz filmed outside Gare du Nord station recently and it could have been Nigeria. Also the aggressive migrant scammers and trinket sellers around the Eiffel tower. No thanks

How could it have been Nigeria? If by this comment you means there were lots of Africans or people of African descent visible in the video of a South African notorious for his anti-migrant videos, then you would be chiefly looking at people from the Maghreb, Mali Senegal, Congo, Cameroon etc.

Id suggest yiu step away from far-right YouTubers.

You mean you don't like the fact that there are lots of black people in Paris.

Newsflash: France is an ex colonial, multi ethnic society. Personally, I like it like that- but then again, I'm not a racist 🙄