13 HUGE MISTAKES Tourists Make When Traveling to Paris (by a Local)!
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- čas přidán 4. 04. 2024
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I'm French and these are the biggest mistakes I see people making when they visit Paris. Here we're talking how to avoid tourist scams, not overpacking your schedule and overall just how to actually enjoy your trip to Paris!
Watch my other Paris videos:
- 12 Things NOT to do in Paris (by a Local)! • 12 Things NOT to do in...
- French Food Tour in PARIS, FRANCE (by a Local)! • French Food Tour in PA...
- The Best Croissants in Paris, France (by a Local)! • The Best Croissants in...
#paris #france #lifeinparis #firstimeinparis
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😮 I like you 😊
Will do if we can make it back there in the near future,...hoping
I followed a lot of this advice when I went to Paris for a term break trip when I was studying in England. Really enjoyed myself. And I really don't understand where the stereotype of Parisians being rude comes from, because everyone was so friendly and helpful.
The French can be quite brusque at times (…actually, English gets that word directly from French - - go figure). ‘Brusque’ comes from the Latin word for ‘sour’. In the age of French language when it was acquired by English, it meant ‘lively’ or ‘fierce’. I find Lucille, for example, to be quite ‘lively’ and quite ‘fierce’, but, never rude. Even my French relatives think the French are “rude” in a manner of speaking. The French are _not_ a thin-skinned people so my advice to North Americans is to suck it up. Just treat people like you want to be treated, follow the basic social norms (…French traditions and sensibilities) and you won’t have any problems. Once in a blue moon someone is going to try to out-American you. Just don’t take the bait - - be nice. Most French people are very worldly and helpful. If they come off to you as a little brusque, don’t take it personally - - it isn’t about _you_. They have better things to do than to try and pick on you. Normally, I find the debate over who is more rude, the Americans or the French, to not be ‘worth the voyage’. It is what the French would term, ‘cliché’ - - a hackneyed expression. …Let’s never speak of it, again.
Because Americans expect everyone to speak English and don’t understand French culture.
I found them very nice as well. Not rude at all
I ran a marathon in the UK last week and decided to add three days to my trip so I could visit Paris. Your videos really helped. Instead of staying at a hotel I rented an AirBnB in the 20th Arrondissements. I spent most of my time simply walking around looking at buildings and people watching. I ate at local bakeries in the morning and neighborhood cafes in the evening. I found the people to be very police and pleasant. I always greeted them with "bonjour" which they really appreciated. Mostly everyone spoke English but again they appreciated my badly spoken bonjour, and merci. I did walk around to see some of the famous sites but the most fun thing was walking several blocks from those places and discovering a park with Parisians sitting around eating or talking. I will definitely come back next year
1:44 I agree. I was surprised to find that what i found most enjoyable, was basically strolling, people watching, sitting at a cafe and sipping a coffee, enjoying the sidewalk markets and back streets.
Same here.
J'aime flâner dans les grands boulevards. Il y a tant de choses à voir.
I would recommend the Louvres, it's not only a monument, but a concentrate of the finest art of Europe from all period, from Antiquity to 19th c., superior to British museum and more diverse than Florence museum.
The greatest season is probably spring, light is brighter than in Summer, weather mild, and days are longer in June.
Also, the regions with the strongest cultural identities and stunning landscapes in France are Pays Basque (Basque culture, Atlantic Spanish border), Brittany (Celtic, Western cape), Alsace (Germanic, Rhine valley), Corsica (Latine, Mediterranean island). They are all far from Paris, so if you want a pleasant countryside with fine meals and beautiful places, you can consider Loire Valley, 2 hours from Paris by train or car.
I have been fortunate to have visited Paris 10+ times and still have not seen it all. I was there last October and will be returning in May. I love Paris!!
Every single video you make is informative also I enjoy your beautiful voice thank you so much L.
I just found your Vlog and I’m very happy I did. It’s very informative and you’re very easy to listen to. There are so many vlogs that are just horrible. I delete them immediately. You get right to the point, and you inform your subscribers about the French culture. I have always traveled during the winter. My wonderful father advised me never to travel during the summer. Too many people. I want to be with Parisians and experience all the local culture. I am learning French and getting very good at it. I want to be able to speak the language when I come. That’s a sign of respect. My sister is fluent in three languages and she’s helping me with my French every day. I want to visit all the local eateries where the locals go. I do not want to be with tourists. I have traveled all over and I have always wanted to visit Paris and the beautiful countryside by train. I love Monet and Renoir. I listen to Edith Piaf all the time. She was France. Her voice is so recognizable. One of a kind. I’m looking forward to all the wonderful cuisine, and all the great little restaurants where the locals go. I’m an extrovert and I meet people very easily so I don’t believe what these people say. You have to experience it yourself. Thanks again for all the wonderful videos. I will keep watching until my trip next January. Au revoir 🇫🇷🍷🥂
I'm Australian and I'm heading to Europe for the first time in May.
First stop is four days in Paris. I can't wait!
Your videos have been great preparation, Lucile. Merci!
Thank you! Enjoy your trip :)
I was in Paris a few weeks ago and was glad I did not get pickpocketed or robbed. But I must say I had a really enjoyable time taking photos of everything and had such good food!
I like your relaxed manner, and I enjoy videos that focus on just z as few fragrances at a time.
Thank you for the incredible videos Lucile, I will use several of your tips for my trip in May.
When I went to Paris for the first time, I loved it. Even only able to speak a couple words of French, everyone was so kind to me. The only place I went to see was Versailles. It was beautiful. I mostly enjoyed just wondering about and walking everywhere. I'm going back again in a couple months.
Brilliant advice for visiting Paris. There is so much to see and it is so beautiful. These are great tips to ensure people have a wonderful experience
Sold. The thing that made my brain say, Oh, yes, she absolutely knows what she is talking about? I have been to France once. I flew into Paris. Hopped in a rental car. Drove past the Arc and the Tower--because one does not land at De Gaulle and Not see those two things. And then I spent a week in Alsace. Alsace is wonderful! So, I am thinking next France trip, I'm going to park myself in the Batignolle and wander around the 17th through 20th. See what I can see. Merci, Lucile!
This is all great advice. By some freak of fate my wife and I followed most of these rules without knowing about most of them (if only we'd known to say "bonjour" more!) and we had a magnificent time.
We were also approached by a "help me with this map" scammer, but somehow he didn't get ahold of any of our possessions. We were truly lucky in all kinds of ways in the most beautiful city in the world. Follow Lucile's advice and you will also have a marvelous trip.
Merci pour les conseilles ,Lucile !
Merci beaucoup, Lucile! My goal for our trip to Paris is to knock some fashion sense and food taste into my 18-year-old daughter. LOL. She has a very slender build, is 151cm and 50kgs but lives in hoodies, jogging bottoms and trainers - she is from Scotland and it's very rainy here, eats appallingly. I'm originally from the US, came to Scotland 22 years ago, and I think people try to cram things in because they do not have a lot of holiday leave.
Bonjour, Lucile. Thank you for the excellent advice!
I'd add : come to Paris in the summer if you don't plan to/already visited all tourist attractions. Summer in Paris is pretty nice if you wanna party or take long strolls along the Seine, it's just very packed for visiting tourist attractions. But if you just wanna walk around and enjoy life, food and architecture, sure.
I realize that people don’t eat escargot every day but…skipping it is a mistake. It’s absolutely fabulous.
As you said, people should be adventurous in their diet and experience.
It also depends on whether people want to participate in the starving of a creature for about ten days to make it edible. So some people may be skipping it for this reason and choosing adventure in other ways.
@@beawesome3695 this is the same creature that goes 2-3+ weeks without food naturally. If you’re vegan, good for you. If you’re not, this is one of the least concerning practices you could possibly find to get offended about. Something like foie gras? Sure there’s a lot to unpack there and something I’ve personally avoided for that reason. Escargot? There’s a laundry list of reasons why that’s not going to be concerning to almost anyone.
By all means, you do you.
Mistake#1 NOT visiting Batignolles... It was on my list too. I was in Paris for February and part of March but attended language school in the morning and the month escaped me. I also missed out on Canal Saint-Martin & Fontainebleau. I guess a month is still not enough time? I love St Germain and typically stay there or the Latin Quarter. I appreciate your channel and love watching your videos! Hope to be back in the fall AFTER the Olympics and want to be near Parc des Buttes Chaumont for the colors.
Thank you! Love seeing this side and parts of Paris & France :D Makes me want to visit lol
Omg thank you Lucile!!!
Hi French guy here, in France we ate snails only once a year, by exemple for Christmas and a lot of French doesn’t like it.
The first time I ate frogs legs was when I was around 30 in a French restaurant in Munich, Germany… For me it was just an “OK” experience…
Last year i took a taxi from CDG into Paris downtown and we were stuck pretty much as soon as we approach central Paris. The driver said it's because of the newer policies that restrict roads to 1 lane and prioritizing bike lanes. So if you don't mind walking a bit with your luggage, get the taxi to drop you off at the outskirts but at a metro station to save you a lot of money.
There is a fixed price for taxi from CDG to Paris so you should not accept to be dropped off anywhere but your final destination. No extra.
@@uyen-phuongnguyen8757 thanks, good info
sure, but sitting stuck in a taxi just because it it “free”?
There is excellent train service from CDG to anywhere in Paris. Easy to travel with a medium bag and backpack.
Learning a lot about the country and Paris, thank you 🙏
Thanks for sharing! I'll be in Paris for a week this coming Friday.
Thank you for your advice. Your video is very beautiful.
Awesome advice
Great video thanks!
I am in love with Lucile's videos 😍
Going to Paris in 10 weeks, your channel has been super helpful! thanks a bunch!
Bonjour Lucile, Hi frm Australia☺️. Thank you for all your helpful advice over your various videos☺️.
great video Lucile
Excellent video! 🙂
Great video!
Cheers from Brazil
As a world wide travel content creator, whose only done the big ticket items but also lived in some of those areas.. I hope you continue this with places you've lived in outside of 🇫🇷
Bonjour Lucile,😀 good advice as always! We will be in Paris at least 3 times this year and will avoid all the big attractions... but for first timers who must see them its best not to try for more than 1 big ticket a day (Eifel Tower, Louvre, Versailles) or 2 if doing lesser attractions ( d'Orsay, Sainte-Chapelle, Carnavalet, etc...) Paris is full of ventage and antique shops that can make a great day of shopping instead.
Another Great videos for those unlucky not to have visited this Wonderful City.
I’m back in Versailles in a couple of weeks Lucille as we are going to the Café de la Danse again,
Lovely little Music venue do you know it?
BTW My Favourite French Fromage is Petit Basque Mmmm although I do Love a piece of
Roquefort in conjunction with a glass of Good vin rouge as IMO they complement each other
perfectly ♥️😋
the red sweater in the thumbnail gets me every time. Great video, Lu!
Thank you Brett!!
I have been to France 14 times and Paris, 12 of those. Lucile is spot on in her recommendations. We would definitely have an awesome time walking, talking, people watching, and, not least, eating. Some of us would say that the beginning of the journey into the heart of a culture is through its cuisine. The French make eating and food an art. The displays of their food alone can be breathtaking. I do love escargot and pates and could eat them every day, as wells as Roquefort and any of their 350 plus national cheeses. Bring on the cheese cart, s’il vous plait! The one recommendation I would add has to do with Paris’s 2000 year old history. Remember, Julius Caesar camped out on the left bank. Parisians tend to be very proud of their city and it’s history. Tourists are sometimes unknowledgeable of that history and believe the people of Paris to be rude or snobbish. I’ve not had one horrible experience of that in my many trips. If one can appreciate, respect and celebrate another culture, one will almost always be treated well in return. I’ll never tire of Paris, nor Provence, Dordogne, Loire, the Languedoc. If you’ve never been to Paris and can, please go. If you went and had a bad experience, you might be surprised, if you try again. Every time I leave, I’m already wishing to return. Grand video, Lucile. Merci beaucoup!
So Wise!
I visited Paris with my mom and brother when I was maybe 12 years old and am one of those people who didn't have a great experience, partly because we didn't know what we were doing and partly because I felt sick from jetlag (I was sensitive to the 9-hour time zone difference) and walking so much. I always think it is such a pity that we didn't check out more arrondissements and try better food. My mom also didn't seem to understand that making a kid who's not athletic by any means walk for hours every day would lead to a lot of pain and swelling. I went to the popular attractions and gardens, but didn't get to really enjoy myself. Watching your video makes me reflect on my experience there and want to give the city another shot in the future. I know more French now after taking classes in school, and plan to brush up on my speaking skills and to go with friends who share similar interests and travel paces. Great video!
Love your videos. Great advice. One thing should be mentioned, though, taxi fare from CDG airport into Paris is a flat fee, even if you get stuck in traffic.
Travelling is expensive especially Paris. I think I will still visit the top places like the Lourve Museum, Museum Orsays, the Eiffel Tower, the river seine cruises and the palace of versailles...etc., not because they are the "top things to do" but I really want to experience those.
I enjoy your videos they are very informative thank you!!
Could you recommend a few vegetarian restaurants in Paris .
Thank yiu🎉
Went to Paris first time last July and will go again this July. I love it so much that I’m willing to go knowing Olympics is happening = a lot of ppl in general.
In 2026, I plan on doing a Christmas market tour. Landing in Paris and spending a few days there before going to Strasbourg and colmar, then Cologne and Frankfurt where I fly home. I didn't want to hit a third country and stress myself. Just like you say! I like popping into shops, eating what sounds good though I don't think I'm brave enough for the things you mentioned 😂
I agree with the idea of some people having a consumeristic approach to traveling.
“Consumeristic approach to traveling”, is staying in the best hotels and eating at the best restaurants. Going to a French museum or a French national monument or taking in some historic architecture is _not_ going to kill you. These things just _might_ help you grasp the history that underpins the culture everyone is so eager for you to absorb. You are not going to figure out who’s sleeping with whom in the country by standing around practicing gratitude and manifesting abundance. I mean, life _is_ a highway but don’t put your nose in the air and end up getting run over by a tractor-trailer rig.
Went to mass at Notre Dane de Paris early. Was really nice. Had quick breakfast of a ham sandwich afterwards. Parisians know how to make a simple and perfect ham sandwich.
I’m traveling to Paris from Austin Texas just for a couple of days but I expect to visit Paris many times ; I can not visit all the places I plan . I’ll stroll around and be thankful for my trip . Merci et bises ! Claudia
Enjoy your trip :)
I have visited France (from Australia) a few times and always enjoyed my time there. I'll disagree with you on one small matter; we had a tiny flat for a week in Montmarte and loved staying in that suburb. You only have to be a block off the main tourist trail. I recommend the Dali Paris, the Salvidor Dali museum in Montmarte. It gave me a whole new view of the artist. I also recommend to anyone that they try to take in an opera or ballet at the Palais Garnier. You'll feel like a part of nobility or a millionaire just by being there, after which you can go back to reality and catch the Metro back to your accommodation.
i have been to Paris tons and I avoid the tourist spots and go off the beaten track I have visited most lovely churches and had them to myself for example and i speak French and have had the best time
We have Roquefort in the U.S. It's one of my favorite cheeses.
I love that! :)
My wife and I will be in Paris 1 month from today and I already have 30 croissants I want to try@@LucileHR
Wish i had moved to france while we were in the euro. Maybe one day
Me, too! I'm gutted!
I always wanted to go to Camargue where there are wild horses. Have you been there?
You live in Europe that's why you recommend to visit few countries (Europe is a small continent so going from 1 country to the others might take some few hours driving) but you forget that many tourists have very limited time to view and feel a little bit from each country. Keep in mind that for many people in America (I'm talking the complete continent not just what people from USA think is America) the economy is quite different and vacation time is also different. So for many going to Europe represents a 1 in a time-life experience, for others with better economy, it might take several trips and years to complete your recommendation. Think the opposite way, do you think it might take just 2 o 3 weeks to visit completely Canada or USA or Mexico or Brazil or Argentina ??? Do you think you will have enough time to do that?
Hey Lucille 👋 your the best I love ❤️ you buddy jamie 😊
“Consumeristic approach to traveling”, is staying in the best hotels and eating at the best restaurants. Going to a French museum or a French national monument or taking in some historic architecture is _not_ going to kill you. These things just _might_ help you grasp the history that underpins the culture everyone is so eager for you to absorb. You are not going to figure out who’s sleeping with whom in the country by standing around practicing gratitude and manifesting abundance. I mean, life _is_ a highway but don’t put your nose in the air and end up getting run over by a tractor-trailer rig.
There's medicine for what you have
Awesome job Lucia drop a like
Love your furry mouse microphone. :)
(from Sharon in Australia) Thank you for your vlogs, I am really enjoying them as a self confessed Francophile. Just a little comment if I may ... please don't make the assumption that only Americans come to visit Paris. You mention the States and Americans throughout your video. It can become a little frustrating always hearing CZcamsrs directing their advice to people from America. We have been to your beautiful France 4 or 5 times and each time we grow more in love with your country:))
Please if I may, however, Lucile, a question. In the UK in many major cities, we can refill reusable water bottles for free from fountains that are in the wall in train stations, airports and the like. Can you do that in France? If not, it is 'une bouteille de l'eau, svp?' or 'une bouteille d'eau, svp?' Thank you.
Google the Wallace fountains - they are everywhere! I even heard they had sparkling water but never found that one...
In theory you can. However, public fountains will be on the streets rather than at stations. If you want to buy a bottle of mineral water, just go to any store, pick one up and pay at the counter.
No need to ask for une bouteille d'eau. There is also free tap water in restaurants if you eat there, just ask une carafe d'eau s'il vous plaît.
Paris is a wonderful city especially when you get away from the tourist crowds.
Have the mindset that you will return one day and do the other things. It makes it easier.
I have to see the Mona Lisa!😁
Hurry up! They are talking about relegating her to the basement!
First!!!!
Ah! Roquefort is a favorite!
Hmmm… I just wanna eat. Oh, and drink, too.
3:40 where’s that ?
It's the new park near Batignolles. It's called Parc Martin Luther King. Metro station is Brochant or Pont Cardinet.
When I visited Europe, people asked me for directions on 6 occasions. A couple of French men in a car did look a bit irritated when I answered in English. Irritating locals could potentially be funnier, like asking for "ketchup" in a posh restaurant.😂
You obviously look like you know where you’re going.
Your boyfriend is the luckiest guy in the world because he's with YOU
Actually I don’t agree. I think August in Paris is amazing. Yes it can be hot. Maybe, maybe not like last summer. But the city is empty. Same for Versailles. No calmer time than the first 2 weeks in August.
It is HOT, especially if you're coming from Scotland where we perish of heat if it's above 30 degrees.
@@alliterationUK yeah - even 25 feels hot in August. Last August we had about 10 degrees. So not that hot. But then end of September we had 27 degrees
I have been there 4 times and left my appendix at the Hôpital Necker when I was 10.
Great city!
I really like to ride a bike in Paris😁
I’d like to go
But I hear Paris looks like a 3rd country and it’s not safe.
Is that true?
Most neighborhoods are safe. Fun fact, many French people are afraid to go to New York où Chicago because of fear of crime.
I have never felt unsafe in Paris and it is by no means like a 3rd world country. Like any city, there are some rough parts and you should always travel smartly and be aware.
I’ve gone for walks late at night with zero concerns.
Very 3rd world indeed ….but they make sure not to tell you about the food riots.
I avoided the Louvre and Pompidou, but hit 3 other museums and they were not crowded. I spent time in Pere Lachaise, Hugo's house, Shakespeare & Co,, the sites of the barricades in 1832, 1848 and 1870; found the HQ of the French Revolution on the Left Bank, visiting a library to look at Proust's manuscripts and walked Montmartre's steps, art square, residents of famous painters and Le Chat Noir. I took the train for De Gaulle and the bus from Orly. Got a 4 day pass for the metro and stayed at a hostel. I don't eat cheese or meat so found vegan and vegetarian places. Wonderful trip and will be back!
The stinkier the cheese the more delicious it is to eat!
If you Love the Smellies try Vieux Lille it’s a corker, it smells more than Pont-l'Évêque and that’s saying something 😵💫 😋
The autofocus is very distracting. Otherwise, I enjoy your videos
Well, …of course. You are a woman. I didn’t even notice the autofocus. At first, I thought you alluding to “zoom”. The only thing in the video that ‘distracts’ _me_ is, Lucille.
Lucille is right. Avoid museums and national landmarks. You can go to those places when you’re dead. I recommend that you spend your time chercher les femmes. That’s how I like to spend my time in France. Moldy cheese won’t kill you but the steak tartar and cheeses made from raw milk, _might_. Those French dishes kill about 400 French people a year. Still, the odds are in your favor. But they are a lot more adventurous fare than the pedestrian frog legs (…she meant the amphibians - - NOT eating the legs of cute French girls) and big fat snails soak in butter and garlic. I like frog legs and escargot but I think I will stick with the gigot de cute French girl, myself.
Tourists should be told as much as possible to use common sense. They totally lack common sense it's so bizarre.
I grew up using Bir Hakeim station everyday to go to school. But used the entrance near the bridge. There were always tourists but mostly locals people. I didn't even know there was another entrance. Now I learned about that entrance because I use a e scooter and the elevators are on that entrance which is to get to the Eiffel Tower. A total nightmare. A sea of tourists acting irrationally and blocking the entire area. Queuing forever to by a single ticket when there are countless CHEAPER options to avoid doing that. When you tell them they simply don't care. The Head of Paris already warned and the single ticket would be increased to 4 euros for the Olympics and those paying for that anyway instead of using the pass or their phone with normal fares can only blame themselves. On the automatic gates there is a bigger one dedicated for strollers, wheelchairs and big stuff like my e scooter. You see tourists using that gate instead of using the other gates for people who don't carry anything heavy and where they could go faster. And if that's not bad enough, instead of exiting as a group like they are allowed to, they exit one by one! 🤦 What's the point of using a larger door they shouldn't be using in the first place if it's to go one person at a time? Don't be on the way and use the regular gates if you want to do that! Tourists carrying strollers and baby in it in the stairs when there are elevators. That Eiffel Tower entrance at Bir Hakeim is a real nightmare. And they always stay on the way of everything like they don't know people need to circulate.
First!!
😬
You're French, you're wonderful and you're beautiful.
Is it just me or is anyone else lost in your beautiful accent ?
Oh yes, me too! Lovely
This guide speaks excellent English with a very pleasant sound. For a Quebecer speaking French and English, the French accent of France sounds unpleasant to our ears, particularly due to the impossibility for most French people to pronounce the 'th' correctly ...
Nahhhh… It’s just you. I’m not saying you shouldn’t go there and try your luck but keep in mind that young French people, these days, are significantly less promiscuous than say, Americans. Still, my motto is that, “once you go French, you’ll never go back to the wench”. It is just much more likely that you are going to seduce some co-ed from St. Louis University in the Cathédrale de Saint-Louis de Versailles than to meet up with Lucille. …Lucille wouldn’t be caught dead in a cathedral. I should know, I grew up in the mean streets of Paris - - actually…. Paris… Kentucky. Mais, il est obligatoire de parler francais, la.
Young French people speak such excellent idiomatic North American English, these days, that it is starting to shock me. France still has a reputation for being not very linguistically facile compared to most other European countries but I’m suitably impressed. The secret is the exposure to more international television and movie exposure via the Internet. American “culture” is not exactly a favorable impact on French culture. Fifty years ago it was theorized that the American in-roads by fast-food would destroy France. They have managed to handle the pollution but the younger generations have lost a lot of their natural resistance to it (….although I’m sure their resistance to American boys has become fortified from increased exposure). The good part, perhaps, is that the world is a lot smaller and that makes it easier to go to France and figure out what it is all about. (…Just don’t go molesting the local pheasants.)
I’m right there with you. 😍❤️💕
Flaw number one: google adds! - Flaw number 2 is not pronouncing French words in French! 😊
What’s wrong with your hair?
Eh? There is nothing wrong with her hair. Why such a strange question?
What’s wrong with your personality? There’s nothing wrong with her hair.