To think Paris is overrated?

[BorgQueen]

I’m here now and just not feeling it. The insane heat isn’t helping but everything is just annoying me to the point of rage. The Metro is horrific, the bus routes I’d so carefully researched are not running because of road works. We’re spending more on ubers than anything else. Walking around is problematic, so many pavements blocked off where we want to walk, I honestly feel cursed. If we didn’t have the Louvre booked tomorrow, I’d have come home early.
We visited Notre Dame and were herded around like cattle, you couldn’t move freely and it was horrible, packed in like sardines.
We went to the BHV department store afterwards and planned on going to up to the top floor cafe, no escalators or lifts were running and the downstairs toilets were blocked off, I almost cried.
Went to see the Eiffel tower sparkle and it was like a circus with multiple Police chasing the scammers/tat sellers around Trocadero. Loud music playing, it was like the 7th circle of hell crossed with a rave.
Thankfully our hotel in St Germain is lovely with great aircon but I don’t think I’ll ever come back to Paris.

I’ve been several times and always really enjoy it, but never in the middle of August. No cities are fun in the heat and school holidays.

August is the worst time of year to go to Paris! Too many tourists and too hot. When I lived there all the Parisians who could left in July/Aug for the coast or mountains or countryside.

You need to get off the main tourist drag to make the most of Paris. Mooch around the Marais or along the Canal St Martin

There’s a reason that the Parisians who can, leave Paris in August.

I’ve visited in October, November and April and loved it.

I bloody love it, although I never go to Eiffel Tower area. I stay on left bank mostly.

Park yourself up in the shade of a cafe, sit and watch the world go by. Paris is my spiritual home.

Paris is incredible but no city id enjoyable mid august

I love Paris! The metro is normally very efficient for getting around, is it just too hot at the moment?

Only fools go in the middle of August. Most things are shut and it’s when they do maintenance, if possible. Go in spring or autumn and you’ll have a very different experience.

Went once, enjoyed it but just like New York, no plans to ever go back

Meh I think people say this about all of the world's great cities when they arrive and are overwhelmed and surrounded by tourists. People endlessly also say this about London and New York.

Big cities are noisy, exhausting, dirty, crowded and stressful, but that's part of their charm: they're also full of life, full of fascinating things, people, restaurants, bars, museums, history, culture etc, they don't stop and they don't tame themselves for the benefit of visitors. You don't go to capital cities for quiet and convenience and you kind of have to take the rough with the smooth.

Je suis d'accord.

I usually go to Benidorm in August - avec la missus.

Go to Montmatre. Take a trip on the river and stroll through the Tuileries to the gallery with the huge Monet paintings.

You're there at the worst time of year. You can't Paris in all the crowds.

I have been to Paris many times, i love it, but i would never go in August, especially during a heatwave.

Love Paris, but like anywhere else not when it's hot and crowded.

I’ve been several times, in spring and autumn. There are some nice parts in the city centre but also some very rough and dirty parts like any other city. the Eiffel Tower area is on a par with Blackpool tower and surroundings full of pickpockets and scammers. My 15 yr old daughter was groped by an elderly man whist waiting for the lift in the Eiffel Tower so this might have tainted my view. I agree, totally overrated.

The most crowded tourist sites in mid-August in a heatwave were never going to be fun!

I love it, it’s a state of mind. So much better than New York.

I think all cities are awful in summer. I’m in London and longing for Autumn. I imagine Paris would be the same. Have been many times when not in a heat wave!

Last time I went, about 6/7 years ago at Xmas I thought it had really declined. It was about my fifth time in 30-odd years and I wouldn’t rush back. Weirdly the second time I went, at 18, was in August (in a heatwave) and I loved it!

YANBU. I found Paris overrated too, and I went at Easter and have enjoyed New York, Cairo and London in August.

The amount of flies that were tolerated all over the produce in every patisserie we attempted to go to put me off for life.

Boat trip on the river, the tower at night, Musee dOrsay, Montmartre, the department store with the beautiful ceiling and rooftop views. We loved it but it was September so a bit more bearable. The irony of tourists complaining about tourists happens everywhere as well though, you just have to accept that. Hope you find some pleasant gardens to sit in. We also went to the big cemetery, nice and cool. We were looking for graves of famous composers- admittedly a niche interest but it was still a pleasant walk.

Almost everyone knows that you don’t go to Paris in August!

You’re just there at the wrong time of year OP! Head out to the suburbs a bit - I have friends in St Germain en Laye and Maison Lafittes. They’re just residential places but charming and won’t be as busy and you can chill out a bit.

Oh also Maison Laffitte has a chateau and I think a market

Paris is one of my favourite cities in the world, I go about three times a year.

You couldn’t pay me to go in August.