Thirty-two million people will visit Paris this year. Being the most visited city in the world comes with millions of preconceived notions or what Paris is or isn’t. We’ve all heard them. Here are five things that may debunk some of the myths surrounding Paris.
- The French are actually very friendly helpful people. More obvious perhaps while living here for a longer amount of time, we have experienced people repeatedly going out of their way to help me, show me directions, hold doors open, let me go ahead of them in line, and explain unfamiliar systems. What the French don’t like is when they aren’t greeted properly. It’s a huge gesture of disrespect, an act of rudeness. Liken it to someone giving you the finger before they talk to you, and it will help you remember to say “Bonjour”. This is why many tourists have felt cold or even rude reactions from the French, because they didn’t know this basic cultural expectation. They not only say hello, they say good-bye, like bookend greetings. If you remember these simple rules of engagement, you’ll be surprised how helpful the people are here. Once I knew how to avoid this rudeness-provoking hot button, I no longer find the French rude in a way I once did.
- With all the research available these days this one still shocks me. The degree to which they focus on the pleasures of good wine, fresh food, and living fully, they also spend ignoring the facts about smoking and lung cancer. While smoking has decreased in the States and smokers now stand far away from building entrances often in little boxed zones, the French forge ahead, disregarding the information en masse. Sometimes we will choose a table inside when we would rather be outside, just to avoid the haze.
- Where has all the dog poop gone? When we first came here in 2002 with three active girls, we spent more time dealing with Paris dog poop than in museums. And we spent a lot of time in museums. We spent more time looking down than up, avoiding the slippery slide sidewalks of poo, or in search of some way to clean up the girls’ shoes or stroller wheel with puddles, leaves, or twigs. Sometimes we’d pick the girls up not realizing they had it on their shoe or sat in some, and then we’d have it all over our clothes. Then on the metro we’d smell like the poo family and couldn’t narrow down where it was, because by then it was everywhere. Before we entered the house we did a shoe-poo check. Not fun. Today, we see dog owners scooping, no really, I saw it with my own eyes. Hallelujah.
- Service. With few exceptions, we have had a range from tolerable to excellent service. But I can’t totally debunk this myth, just chip away at it a little. If you eat out, it’s likely bad service will make you feel crazy at some point. Once when we entered a restaurant, the waitress asked if we were having lunch, we said yes, so she seated us. She could have told us the kitchen didn’t open for another 45 minutes, but instead just ignored our glances and efforts to order. She only told us about the kitchen as I was getting my coat on to walk out. Perhaps there where lunch hours posted that we missed, but when we saw all the people at tables, we went in. There will be moments of service-frustration when dining out, they can’t be entirely avoided. But our experiences with service has been mostly pleasant and positive.
- Fashion. I’m just not buying all the hype, especially after being here for months. People are put together here similar to those in other major cities. Yes they like their dark colors, but no more than the Japanese, for example. I will say that as a sweeping generalization, Parisiens up their game in the shoe department. But once again, I lived close to Toronto where they are also up on their shoe game, as well as their scarf game, but only when it’s cold. Like any other city, I’ve seen their fair share of bad fashion choices walking the streets. Yesterday on the metro I saw a man wearing pointy shiny silver shoes as dress casual. That’s a no, in any culture, although we do have a Hungarian friend who would have loved those. Not to be confused with fashion, the women are generally thinner, but that’s due in large part to the smaller portion sizes considered normal here. I’m not convinced this city’s fashion is superior to other major fashion cities in the world. Shocker, I know.