21:25
Hey, there fellow travelers, Mark here with Wolters' World. Today, we're here in Paris and today I want to talk about are some of the common annoyances that US tourists mention when they talk about coming to Paris. Now, if you know me and you watch my videos, you know I'm a Francophile. You know I love France. I love Paris. The people are fantastic. I love it all. But, I do listen to our followers. I do listen to other travelers. So, these are some of the issues they've had with coming to Paris and I'm going to help them out by giving them advice to help combat these annoyances cuz I think the biggest one when people talk about probably the most when it comes to Paris is the rude
service. And it is, whether it is, you know, they're not taking your order or you're trying to get their attention to get your bill, but somehow they can miss you by looking and glancing just away at that one moment we might make eye contact. When you go to the store, it's like they don't care about taking your money. These kind of things really frustrate people because in the US, it's all about the customer is king. Whereas here in France, the customer isn't king. The customer is just another person in this world, just as important as me or you or anyone else. And so therefore, they're not the king. And so, there's a different way they treat customers here. But, I think the biggest issue when it
comes to rude service, it's not the people of Paris. It's not the restaurant tours of Paris. It's not the waiters of Paris. It is the restaurants, bars, and shops in the highly trafficked tourist areas that give Paris service such a bad name because they're getting overrun with tourists all the every time. There's people that are rude to them and all kinds of stuff and they're just done. So, they're like, "Oh, you'll order now or forget about it." Like they have that different kind of vibe. If you go and explore the city more, like here in Montmartre, go to the 18th arrondissement, there's so many great restaurants you can go to. Like we go to La Vache et le Cuisinier all the time cuz the people are so friendly
there. Or Jocelyn, her favorite store in the world is Heroines, right in the 11th. And she goes there and they're super sweet. I actually was helping we were speaking my broken French and her broken English together and we were talking to Jocelyn about getting her some clothes and I mean, fantastic. The people actually are really wonderful, but if you're only at those tourist sites, if you're only hanging out at the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, yeah, you're probably going to have a little bit of the ruder service. So, get out of those like main tourist areas and you're going to get to meet the real Parisians that are super awesome. Like, they are the most friendly one of the best like
big city people because if they're one of them, they like great. That's why it's important you always remember to like say your bonjours and things like that because it can make a difference. So, the rude service, that's probably the biggest one people mention the most. Now, number two I want to talk about. This is one that I do have to give people um credit on this one cuz this one is true. The small accommodation you get when you come to Paris, but the high price you pay for that accommodation and the lack of elevators sometimes in the buildings that have the accommodation. In the US, all the hotels have elevators. It doesn't really matter what hotel you go to, there's going to
be one. So, people are kind of trained that way. And if you're in a hotel that's on the fifth floor and you've got to walk up all those flights of stairs with a suitcase, it puts people in a bad mood. Or those little tiny you know, elevators are here like Americans just aren't used to that and therefore they get kind of upset. And I want to tell you this for my American friends, realize, yes, I'm not going to lie to you, the accommodation here in Paris is small. And yes, it is expensive, but do you really expect to spend much time in your apartment or in your hotel room when you're here in Paris? Of course not.
You're going to be going to Sacré-Cœur, which is right over there. You are going to be going to the Eiffel Tower. You're going to go to Champs-Élysées. You're going to go to the Louvre Museum or say the Luxembourg Gardens. You're going to be going around so much that you don't actually use the hotel room like you do in other places where it's like, oh, oh, the hotel room is part of my stay. No, the hotel room in Paris is just for you to sleep and then go explore more of the city. So, if you think of it that way, that can help. Also, if you're looking to save money on your accommodation, maybe don't stay by the Eiffel Tower.
Like, I can't believe how many people want to stay by the Eiffel Tower. It's one of the most expensive places to stay as a tourist. And there's not a lot of stuff there. There's better restaurants around the town. There's There's more accommodation options. So, get out of that area. You'll get a little bit more space, but your money will go a lot farther. Now, another thing people mention is um Mark, do cigarettes come with everything in Paris? Well, I'll be honest with you, dude. The cigarette smoking has gotten better. My first time here in Paris was in the last millennium, and I can really tell the difference in how much the smoking has gone down. Now, I'm not saying it's not
like all the time and people have with a cigarette and a coffee in the morning and when they're walking down the street or when they're going to see the sights outside, yes, smoking is the thing here. I'm not going to lie to you, but it's not as bad as it used to be. And the people in the locals like, "Look, I'm smoking. You don't like it? Go to the side of the street." Or if you're at a cafe and they're smoking outside, where they can, you should go inside cuz inside they can't smoke. So, that could be something to help eliminate that issue if it is something that bothers you. You know, another thing tourists mention is that just the price of Paris.
Like, coming to Paris isn't cheap. I'm not going to lie to you. Paris is not a cheap destination. It's actually on my list of expensive places that you should actually go to. It's actually number one for expensive places that are so worth going to. And you have to realize prices in Paris are expensive, but it's not just expensive for you, it's also expensive for the locals, too. So, they feel the pain. So, what you can do to kind of eliminate some of those things, getting some of the passes that are here for the museums can save you money. Uh using the metro instead of the taxis or Ubers. I mean, the metro's great and it's cheap and it goes everywhere. And we have a video about the downside of
the metro, too, to help you out. But also, spread out. Get out of those arrondissements one, two, or three and four and get farther out and you can save money in your accommodation, in your eating, okay? Also, look for the plat du jour at lunch. The lunch specials can really help you save money and get some really great French food, Parisian food for a good price. Also, think about booking early, especially if you're going to be traveling around France when you're here, cuz if you buy buy train tickets early, you get a discount on them. Now, another thing that tourists like to complain about and I think it's funny cuz it's we tourists complaining about ourselves, is just the amount of tourists and the long lines
you have at the sites all over Paris. Like people are like, "Mark, where when is there not tourists there?" Never. There's never a low season. Paris is always fantastic go to and people are here all the time. And that's just the way it is. So, the only thing I can really tell you is maybe like don't come in July and August. Like try to avoid the summer when it's super packed. Come in the winter when there's a lot less tourists here in the fall, spring because that might be a little bit better. Or if you're going to be here in the spring, maybe come during the week cuz on the weekend is when all the
weekend tourists from around Europe come here and that can really get a lot more people, a lot longer lines. So, do be aware of it. And also, some of those lines, if you get some of those passes, actually help you skip the line. So, it's a little bit less of waiting when you are here. Now, the next thing I want to say is "Parlez-vous anglais?" Do you speak English? Look, this is one thing that some tourists they come to Paris, they get kind of upset. Like, "Why aren't they speaking more English?" Well, actually in France, they do learn English, but the French love the French language. They want it to blossom and grow. They speak it and they appreciate
it when tourists try to speak it. So, if you come in just being like, "Hey, I need some help." That's not going to go over well. Remember, anytime you go into a restaurant, anytime you go into a store, anytime you get on the bus, whatever, you always say "Bonjour" when you come in. That is going to ingratiate yourself with the locals and they'll know right away you don't speak French by how you say "Bonjour." But the fact that you try really goes a long way. So, do that. And I know some people they complain, "But Mark, I did try and I tried to use my French from high school and they kind of laughed at me, rolled their eyes, and then went into English." But you notice, they did
go into English. They did roll their eyes, but it was a like a little happy rolling eye thing. So, it's actually a thing they do enjoy when you do try. So, make sure you learn a few words. We actually have a few videos teach you some basics of French as a tourist that can help you get more out of your adventure here in Paris. So, why don't you check those out, okay? And it's going to help when you go shopping and I think that's another thing people complain about. They're like, "Mark, why is everything closed on Sundays? And why are a lot of things closed like randomly in the middle of the day like offices and things?" Look, the French do take their Sundays off. They want to enjoy
their family and friends as well. So, they're doing that. So, if you want to kind of avoid dealing with not being able to do shopping on Sundays, what I recommend, museums, parks, outdoor activities, those are still going on Sundays and you can go enjoy those. So, do that. Now, a safety issue that people do bring up when they talk about Paris is just the number of pickpockets and those petition people that you always feel like they're trying to see it like size you up to rob you kind of stuff. That is something that the locals don't like as well and I'm going to tell you as a traveler like the cops they're trying to do something but there's a lot out there. So, what I recommend you do,
remember always keep your, you know, wallet in your front pocket, lock your, you know, your passport in the safe at the hotel, take a picture of it so you have it with you, have a copy in your wallet, have those things and be aware. If you're on the metro going into the metro like when you put your ticket through it or tap in and go in and out, you want to make sure you're paying attention. When you're going into the metro or out of the metro, the trains, pay attention. If you're sitting there at the door, don't be on your phone like this cuz some people will grab it as the door shuts and there are those there. So, you want to be vigilant about these things. Also, if those,
you know, petition people come to talk to you, just tell them no merci, no thank you and just walk away because your signature means nothing to them. They're sizing you up for stuff and believe me, if you're not from France, your signature doesn't mean anything at all to the politicians anyway, right? So, I kind of another thing that goes along with that is a lot of people do note the number of kid child beggars on the street or like a mom with their kid there and the government will tell you don't give them money. There's social programs here in France that help people and some of those are actually run by
criminal organizations. So, your best bet is not to give to them, but it's up to you. I'm going to say that, but it is something that tourists do mention. They're like, "Wow, I saw so many people. I'm at the ATM and there's somebody sitting right there ask for money when I'm trying to get money out. It's really weird." And that is a thing. So, do be aware of that, all right? Now, into more of a logistical annoyance. Um one thing that tourists do mention is how confusing it is when they take the train through Paris. Like, "I'm going to
Lyon and I want to go to Normandy. So, I got to come through Paris and switch train stations. But then I got to go to one train station and figure out how do I get to the other one and it's so confusing." Look, there's a number of main train stations when you are here. The Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est, Gare de Lyon. I mean, also there's there's so many train stations here. Montparnasse. It's depends where you're going to go, which station you're going to be at. So, make sure you're checking these things out beforehand because you might think, "Oh, well, Gare du Nord is just right over there. That's where my train is going to go from, right?" Well, if you're going to Bordeaux, probably not. So, do be aware of that and we actually have a
video that goes through each of the stations and what destinations are for there or from there, so you know where to go, okay? Now, another logistical nightmare annoyance that people like to talk about when they come to Paris is the strikes. Vive la grève! Look, in France, striking is like a national pastime, but it's their national pastime to keep their time. I.E. they want to keep their retirement. They want to keep their days of the week, the days off, these kind of things. And strikes are very common here. Industrial action, whether it's at the airport, on the trains, wherever, and it might affect you. But here's the
thing, as a tourist, you don't have to worry as much about it because when it's something like the airports and the metro and stuff, they will announce that beforehand, so you'll know that, "Okay, we're going to have an issue on Friday cuz there's going to be a strike. So, instead of taking the metro to where I need to go, we need to arrange an Uber. We need to arrange a driver." So, you can that. So, yes, it does suck about the strikes, but at least they'll let you know about it, so you can plan accordingly. Now, speaking about those metros, another thing that tourists complain about is that not all the metros have elevators. Yes, sometimes you got to walk up some steps. That's
fine, we can all do that. But, actually, no, we can't all do that. Not all travelers are able to walk upstairs, and that's one of the really downfalls of the metro system, they don't have that. Now, the thing is, the metro was built like 100 years ago. So, they weren't really thinking about elevators at that time, and they've tried to retrofit them to put them in, and especially all the new ones have that, and they've done a good job of getting it there. But, I'm going to tell you, if you do have a limited mobility, make sure you look on the map and look at the stop you want to go to and see if it does have the elevators there if you need it, cuz
they do label it. And so, if you see there isn't something there, you're like, "Okay, I need to plan a different station to get out on." Cuz that can have a big impact on the way you go, because you're going to the metro goes all over. So, it's going to be helpful, but you want to make sure you got the right stops, okay? And actually, when you're on the metro, that reminds me another thing people complain about. Woohoo! Pepe Le Pew, the Euro funk that you'll get here in Paris, especially in the summertime, especially on the metro, it gets a little uh musky, let's say. And so, you'll be like, "Oh, is that BO? Or [snorts] urine?" It really depends,
cuz like in the summer, it's more of a urine-like smell, whereas in the winter, it's more of a BO type smell. And the only like recommendation I can do you for that one is maybe volunteer to change baby diapers for the month before you come to Paris, and then you won't notice it. I mean, it worked for me for years. And you know, when you think about those baby diapers and the funk and that kind of stuff, um I think another kind of annoyance that people mention is kind of like some people say, "Well, the dog poop on the streets, or sometimes Paris seems kind of dirty." Look, it's a huge city with, you know, millions of people living here, millions of tourists coming through here every year. And so, sometimes it's hard to manage
the city. And so, you'll notice every night going through the streets, the trash collectors are coming by, they're picking up the trash, trying to do a better job, trying to keep the city clean. And I'm not going to lie to you, they've done a much better job with the dog poop and the cigarette butts on the street the last few years they did even 10 years ago. It's completely different. But it is one of those things. And you know, one other thing I'm just going to say to, you know, help you with this is make sure you watch your step when you're walking around in the residential areas. In the tourist spots are pretty much cleaned up quite a bit. But if you're like here in the 18th, you know,
there might be a little doggy doo-doo around the place. So, do be aware of that. It's getting better. But keep your eyes on the here on the cobblestones in front of you when you're walking. And then there's something that people love to complain about with Paris when it comes to summertime. And that is the no air conditioning in the summer. Look, the locals don't have air conditioning either. We all live through this. And the thing is it can get very warm, like very hot here in the summer in Paris. And so, you might want the AC. And some places do have it. So, you can look for hotels and
accommodation that do have it. There can be that. Or you can just crack your window open and try to get a cross breeze. But I will tell you, since sometimes the city's loud at night or loud early in the morning with those garbage collectors coming by, I might crack the window and bring some earbuds or earplugs as well to help you sleep through the noise to get some of that air in since you don't have any AC. Now, these are some of the more common things I've heard tourists complain about when it comes to Paris. Honestly for me, I love this place. None of this stuff bothers me. It just makes it part of Paris. That's why I love Paris. I love the people here. I love my time here. And I hope you do, too. And if you want
to learn more about coming to Paris, maybe the don'ts about coming to Paris, mistakes tourists make when they come here, what to eat when you're here, check us out on our website at waltersworld.com. And I'll say au revoir from here in Paris.
