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.

We were there in the last heatwave (2 weeks ago!). Loved it tho agree it was a tad warm. Less humid than UK tho so felt more bearable than here. Highlights were Gallery Lafayette roof with views over Paris - free but you pay 1 euro 50 for the loos. Enjoyed the big bus tour and it had aircon downstairs so was good for a rest from walking around. Sitting and lingering at cafes.

We stayed near the Latin quarter and ate at restaurants on a square off rue monge with live music and people just hanging out near a fountain. Oi sushi was nearby and the best Japanese food I've had outside Japan. Had wonderful crepe sitting by the fountain. We are planning our next trip!

I’ve visited every EU capital city (in a bizarre anti brexit protest that we cooked up in the pub one night) and Paris probably wouldn’t make my top 15.

To me it was grubby and somewhat seedy.
I wasn't comfortable at night.

I went for the first time in December with DP. we loved it. I never thought I’d even go but we had the best time and keep saying we are going to go back. I don’t think it’s overrated at all.

Batobus for a low metro day, go to the back deck where there's some air, the (72?) bus running along the Seine is also brilliant for sights without fuss. If you want to see the tower sparkle, sit on the bank Trocadero side but not at Trocadero itself or at Bir Hakeim bridge. Viisit Fontainebleau for a chateau day away from the city without the crowds of Versailles. Visit some less busy places if you want to avoid crowds, the Louvre except La Jiaconda and the Venus is much less busy! Get ice cream and coffee and take it easy. Just recently back, and had a great time, mostly using metro, rer and buses to get about, with relatively modest expectations.

Yanbu. I went in February and didn't particularly enjoy it either. The baguettes and croissants were excellent though, but honestly Belgium was much nicer and had just as good pastries.

I love Paris personally, but it does sound like you haven't seen the city at its best. I definitely think summer isn't the right time for Paris (or most European cities to be honest). As you have experienced, it's just too crowded and too hot, and because it's the summer holidays they have probably chosen to do extensive road work while it's least disruptive to the locals.

Paris is always busy, and yes, the typical tourist attractions aren't the most fun so I'd probably skip most of them except for those I could pre-book and skip the queue for. But there are so many other things to do than queuing up for museums and whatnot. Lots of interesting arrondisements where tourists hardly come, lots of amazing cafés, bakeries and restaurants, great shopping options (I'm a sucker for French niche perfume shops personally), boat rides, picnics in parks...the parks themselves are great to explore.

I hope you manage to enjoy the rest of your trip.

I think you are 20 years too late. Paris has gone down hill massively.

Yes Paris in August is an absolute no go. London can cope better as it’s huge in comparison. Best to go in Spring, early summer or Autumn.

Conversely, I think it has improved no end. The pedestrianisation of the banks of the Seine, more cycling, the Promenade Plantee, Paris Plage, being able to swim in the Seine...

I've actually been twice in August heatwaves- with the DC!- and we managed to have a lovely time both times. We swam in the Bassin de la Villette, hung out at the Rodin Museum (beautiful shady gardens), walked on the banks of the Seine and crossed to the Ile St Louis for an ice cream at Berthillon. They insisted we went to the Eiffel Tower (I loathe and detest the fucking Eiffel Tower), and even there we managed to enjoy the fountains at Trocadero and lounging on deckchairs in the garden of the Musee du Quai Branly next door.

I don't like Paris much. I couldn't really figure it out. Prefer Rome, Berlin, Krakow. Anywhere really. Musee D'Orsey was good. If I was you if stop doing the absolutely most touristy things in the world and find somewhere quieter.

BHV is a dreadful store, slowly being run down by its owners. Head to Galeries Lafayette or Printemps instead for roof top views and cafés.

We leave Paris end of July, heading back end of August.

Tbh, going to any popular European city in peak season is going to be horrendous. I would never go in July or August.

I've heard only awful things about Paris in recent years to be honest. I still want to go and see the catacombs because I'm a morbid fucker but I can take or leave the rest of it. Of course it I went I'd still try and see all the sites but my main interest is the catacombs. I can't convince anyone to go with me as they all say how dangerous, dirty and rude Paris is!

I mean, you’ve just dissed a city in which millions of people live very happily with no desire to ever leave….as a tourist visiting in the middle of August. I think it’s you, not Paris!

Like any city, the main tourist traps are mostly gonna be tourists being herded about. I don’t know what you are expecting at the Louvre… Going to the less obvious places is the answer. No crowds & always more interesting!

Overrated? According to who? Its a major city where people live and work not a sanitised theme park. Maybe you need to chill out and stop trying to complete the guidebook.

I’m just back after spending a week there and absolutely loved it. I found the metro fantastic to get around and though busy enjoyed all the main tourist attractions along with smaller museums, gardens and parks. I wish I could have stayed longer

Paris was lovely in April. We didn’t go near the Eiffel Tower - you don’t need to to see the damn thing! - mostly visited art galleries which were wonderful. The Jardin des Plants and the Bois de Boulogne were nice - other gardens in Paris are a bit dusty and meh compared to uk ones tbf. We were able to walk nearly everywhere, just one metro out to get to the Musee Marmottan Monet and a couple of G7 taxis which we’d been advised to use rather than Uber - seemed quite reasonable.

Exactly- get the trains to Deauville and enjoy with them x

It’s a bit late to berate the OP for going to Paris in August, she is there now. No need for all the smug and snide remarks (one poster calling her foolish!) from all the sophisticated cosmopolitan and well travelled MNs .
i agree with her, Paris is very overrated, regardless of time of year you visit.

YANBU. I’ve been to Paris about 5 times over 5 decades, and don’t really get the love.

Most of Europe is overrated in june/august.

YABU. It's a fantastic city.

August, especially in a year of multiple heatwaves, is a bad time to see Paris.

I've been to Paris once and would never go back. It's the only city I didn't feel safe in.
My adult kids went a few years ago with their dad and nearly got robbed.