Paris Loves Me, Paris Loves Me Not

The first thing you see when you step off the plane in Charles de Gaulle Airport is the giant lettering, Paris Vous Aime. Paris Loves You. A fitting slogan for the City of Love, but how true is it? After a crazy week of ups and downs exploring the city with my fellow dialogue students, let’s verify.

Paris Loves Me: Beauty

This may seem trite, but it’s true: pictures don’t do Paris justice. They don’t fully capture its beauty, no matter what you think you may have seen before. The sights are so vibrant; the gold-tipped Palace of Versailles was gorgeous in the afternoon sun, and even the bricks shone in a way that I can’t see on my phone screen. And as many pictures as I’ve seen of the Eiffel Tower at night, I was not at all prepared for the shout I made when I saw it light up at 10:00 exactly.

Paris Loves Me Not: Allergies

There’s something in the air in Paris. The first thing I smelled when I left the airport was the distinctly different air: slightly sourer, slightly sharper. And then I started sneezing and haven’t had a spare second to smell anything else since. My nose runs and stuffs and itches to a degree it never has in Boston. If you’re going abroad, beware, and pack extra tissues! You might also find yourself in as unfortunate a situation as being allergic to Paris.

Paris Loves Me: Tourist-friendly

Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world, and they are well prepared for visitors. Even if you don’t know a lick of French, English works perfectly well. Nearly every sign is written in French and English, with some even including Chinese! The same applies to the city’s population. Most restaurants keep both French and English menus, and the waiters spoke enough English to get us our meals just fine. They didn’t even mind our butchered attempts at French! (At least, not much.)

Paris Loves Me Not: Commercialized

Unfortunately, Paris is more than tourist-friendly; I would go so far as to call it tourist-oriented. You’ll run into vendors peddling Eiffel Tower miniatures or other trinkets on every street corner. I got especially frustrated during our visit to the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. Right at the entrance, there was a sign to not take any pictures, ostensibly because it would be disrespectful to the church. Yet, right by the exit I saw a gift shop built right in the building! I was struck by the hypocrisy, and though I’m glad Paris didn’t require my French to be perfect, the overt monetization of tourism put a damper on my spirits.

Paris Loves Me: Diversity

To my surprise, I found Paris to be just as diverse as Boston. Often we conflate “European” with “white,” but I’d forgotten that France has a long history with colonialism and immigration, especially in North Africa. Add in tourists from all over the world, and it makes sense that Paris would be filled with people of all colors and all walks of life. France also ranks among the highest countries in the world for support of the LGBT community. While it’s harder to recognize someone’s sexuality out in the streets of Paris, I couldn’t help but notice the rainbow flags for sale in many of the tourist shops.

Paris Loves Me Not: Culture Shock

When you’re abroad, there are simple things that can make you feel very out of place. If you can keep a tourist mindset the entire time, then everything can be a new experience! But other times you might be hit with nasty surprises and a bout of homesickness. In Paris, everything seems to close at 8 pm. As we wandered the streets in search of a place for dinner at 10:30, I found myself missing the accessibility of a hot meal in Boston even past midnight. The time difference doesn’t help either: I can’t seem to find a good time to call my parents, so we’ve been reduced to text messages at odd times of day.

Paris Loves Me: Liveliness

Reputation for romance aside, Paris was made for people who love people. It’s not quite the hustle and bustle of home: Boston life is hyper-paced, filled with a million little connections to be made every day. Paris is slower, but nowhere near sleepy. Everywhere you look, there are people doing something together. My favorite moments in the city include exploring the Marais, a neighborhood of shops and markets, and a simple walk through the Place de la Republique. Paris has a subtle zest for life, amplified in the unique areas that are hubs of activity without being tourist traps.

Paris Loves Me Not: The Usual Suspects

For all its beauty, Paris is a city like any other, which means it has all of the same problems. There are homeless people on the streets, some areas are super crowded, and the cost of everything is ridiculously inflated. If you take the metro, keep your ticket stubs on you at all times! Some of us got caught at a checkpoint without the stubs and had to pay fines of 35 or even 50 euros, just a few steps away from the station exit. We didn’t find out until later that it was mostly a scam targeting tourists.

So what’s the verdict?

I think Paris loves you, but you have to give it the benefit of the doubt. In truth, I was a little disappointed this week. I had built up the idea of Paris with stories from my friends and rose-colored portrayals in film, and when I didn’t get the magical atmosphere I expected, I felt let down. I’m getting over it though. Paris is a beautiful city no matter what your preconceptions are, and I was surprised in more ways than one. By being willing to explore, I found hidden gems that might not be on the usual tourist checklist. Should you decide to visit Paris, keep an open mind, because the experience really is worth it if you let it be so.

Ever yours,

Anson