Why Paris was a letdown, but taught me to be a better traveler
Paris was my most anticipated destination, on my very first visit to Europe in 2016 (sandwiched between Barcelona and Venice, to give you some context). In my preparations for this big trip, Paris is the place I spent the most time imagining, reading about, watching movies about, etc.
…the warm strolls along the River Seine, romantic picnics beneath the Eiffel Tower, quaint cafes, and people watching. But, I failed (to be realistic) on a few accounts:
I failed to filter those “magical” experiences through the cold temperatures of springtime. We visited during a time when the fountains were turned off all around the city, the sky was dark and dreary, and walking outside was not exactly enjoyable. We braved the cold because there was no other option — we were in PARIS, after all! But, all of the imagined picnics and strolling and cafe-sitting went out the window because of the biting cold and rain. The picture I had in my head of Paris was a picture of Paris in summer. Unfortunately, this was an unrealistic expectation for my visit in April, and set me up for disappointment.
I failed to learn any French beyond “bonjour” and “merci.” In my defense, we were visiting 7 destinations (representing 3 different languages) in less than 3 weeks. It was a lot to prepare for without considering the various languages in which we would be immersed! But, I think this lack of knowledge/effort proved to be a major hindrance in Paris, particularly. It is true that many, if not most, Parisians speak or understand English. But, we found that English was certainly not preferred or favored. We struggled when it came to interacting with locals. We did not find the Parisians to be warm, welcoming, or helpful. We felt very much like outsiders. And yet, my parents had a much different (better) experience visiting Paris, which I suspect had much to do with my mom’s ability to speak/understand a bit of French.
I failed to understand the make-up of the city (that the residential areas sprawl really far and wide!), and therefore booked our lodging on the “outskirts.” This would have been fine, had we previously visited Paris, or had we planned to stay for more than 3 nights. Our Airbnb apartment was well equipped, spacious, and quite luxurious for the price ($97/n)! And our host spoke perfect English, which was a huge deal for us. The problem was, the apartment was not close to really anything we had planned to see, which meant spending a lot of our precious time walking through unexciting residential areas and riding on public transportation. We also had to navigate the bus system to get to the apartment from the airport (which we found very confusing at first).
So, if you are planning a visit to Paris, I would recommend that you:
BE AWARE OF THE WEATHER you are likely to experience, and set your expectations for outdoor activities accordingly.
LEARN A BIT OF CONVERSATIONAL FRENCH, especially words/phrases that will assist you in the process of ordering food and navigating the metro.
AND, BOOK YOUR LODGING NEAR THE HISTORIC CENTER of the city (where you will spend the majority of your time), or with easy access to public transportation! This will reduce wasted-time, and your likelihood of getting lost or ending up in the “wrong section” of town.
Follow these tips, and you are likely to have a much better experience in Paris than I did! And honestly, these things are relevant for anywhere you go!
I think that’s kind of the whole point! My visit to Paris (one of the first places I ever traveled), taught me many lessons on how to be a better traveler, in general. I had to learn these lessons the hard way! But, if you are a beginning traveler, I hope hearing my story can help you to avoid some of the same “letdowns,” and experience the best each destination has to offer, Paris included!
And I hope, some day soon, I will be able to give the magic and romance of Paris a second chance too!
