All cities have their idiosyncrasies. Here are 11 things to remember when visiting Paris.
Learn some basic French phrases before travelling to Paris.
1. Learn at least some basic French phrases before stepping on the plane. Yes, I know this sounds obvious, but being a guest in a foreign country means doing your best to conform to them, not expecting natives to conform to you. You will win more points than you could know — even if the other speaker answers you in English (or in your own language).
Your credit card number and passport information can be stolen even if they never leave your pocket or purse.
2. Buy an RFID-blocking wallet or case for your passport and credit cards. You can be robbed while travelling without a credit card or passport leaving your person. I previously published a post on this based on this story.
Have enough euros on you when you land in Paris for an emergency; if you have a layover first, even more of a reason.
3. Change at least $100 to euros per person before leaving. Some taxis don’t have credit card machines, and you want to be prepared for emergencies. Quite some time ago, I was literally hijacked by a taxi driver when I arrived in Athens, Greece, for a trip back to the U.S. Through an interpreter (as I said, he hijacked me: he took me to a Greek hotel where the manager served as interpreter) he demanded $50 (all of the money I had on me), which was to serve as payment for him “looking” for my destination, as well as my cab ride with the next guy. (A kickback?) Although I stood my ground as best I could and told him “my government will be looking for me” if I didn’t get to my destination in time for my next flight, had I had more money on me, I would have walked out of the hotel and flagged down the next cab that came my way.
Signage like this at Gare du Nord is to protect travelers as much as it is to direct them.
4. Don’t take a taxi from a Paris airport except from designated areas. I’ve generally used Charles de Gaulle Airport flying in and out of Paris. There were signs telling travelers where to pick up a taxi (outside glass doors), and a recording over a loudspeaker warning travelers not to follow a taxi driver who comes into the airport to greet you. (Then, before you get in, check to be sure he has a credit card machine, if that’s your preferred method of payment.)
Don’t give too much information to people in a taxi you don’t know.
5. Don’t share a taxi with someone you’ve just met and tell them where you’re staying. Seen Taken (2008) anyone?
The cavernous hallways and staircases of the Paris metro can be intimidating to the uninitiated.
6. The Paris metro is a beast. Accept this before you go. The Paris metro is one of the largest and oldest metros in the world. Considering that you would be pressed to walk 10 minutes in the city and not find a metro stop, that means the lines are extensive and many. Bring your reading glasses if you need them because the print is small. Very small.
The souvenir shop at Le Tours France near the Eiffel Tower.
7. Buy a souvenir you like as soon as you see it. This isn’t just because it might not be there when you go back to purchase it, it might increase in price, like what happened to me when I decided to buy a second frame I liked. The price had increased by 7 euros!
My experience has taught me that French women keep to themselves while shopping.
8. If you’re a woman, don’t talk to fellow (French) woman shoppers. Many women bond with other women while shopping, as in, “Oh! Isn’t this cute?” or “What a great skirt/blouse/jacket!” French women will likely look at you uncomfortably and ignore you. I’ll give you 10 guesses how I know this. (By the way, if you’re a man, I’m not sure what would happen if you spoke to a French woman who is shopping. You’ll have to find that out for yourself.)
Have your purse or wallet handy to shove your euros into when receiving change after a purchase.
9. Be prepared to shove your money in a pocket or purse the instant you get your change. I like to be very organized, but being and remaining organized takes time. I was at the receiving end of a glare or two while I tried to shove my euros into my Filofax’s plastic money pouch after receiving change. I later gave up using my Filofax for money and used a money pouch instead, better to stay out of the next customer’s way.
You won’t get your way by screaming like a banshee in Paris. Keep cool, be civilized, and say “Bonjour” before calmly recounting your problem.
10. If you’re upset about something, say “Bonjour” (Hello) before calmly recounting the reason you’re upset to the person who can help you. On several occasions over the course of a month, the Paris metro fare card machines would not accept my Visa debit card. Frustrated, the last time this happened I stormed over to the metro official behind the glass at Blanche station and started to launch into a tirade about my frustration. He took a deep breath and said, “Bon-jour, Madame.” I blinked at him. His greeting brought me back to reality: I was in Paris, where you were expected to act like a civilized person even when you are very upset — not like America, where the angriest and loudest among us are the ones who are catered to. Lesson learned.
A Parisian waiter takes a break in the “back room.”
11. Remember when your favorite seafood/meat/produce guy at your local grocery store had a bad day and wasn’t as friendly as usual? That happens in France, too. Perhaps even more often, since Paris is one of the most-visited cities in the world, and as a consequence, Parisians have to deal with many lost and hungry tourists who don’t speak a word of French. If a French person happens to be not particularly friendly to you, don’t judge all French people based on your experience with that one person, just as you wouldn’t want a foreign traveler in the U.S. to base their perceptions of all Americans based on one American’s behavior. Am I right?
Au revoir!
“French Homework” by Ahson Wardak, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of thief with credit card by CanStockPhoto. Image of wallet with euros by Fufu Wolf, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Gare du Nord Signage by Brian Stokle, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. “Paris Taxi at Night” by Cberthel, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. “Metro Paris” by Doril Photography, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. “Le Tour’s Souvenir Shop” by Rui Riet, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Female Parisian shopper image by CanStockPhoto. Purse at the ready by CanStockPhoto. Image of Aristocratic Couple by CanStockPhoto. Waiter taking a break by Will Wilson, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.