Is Paris Overrated? (my thoughts after living here for 2 years)

[laurettes.]

As a french person who grew up in, and went to study in Paris, I think I come to the same conclusion as yours. Paris is always a love-hate relationship with positive but also a lot of negative aspects. The best way to appreciate Paris, for me, is to live there for some time to get to find the places you really like, that give you this feeling of seeing what it was like in past centuries. When you get to know some places really well, it slowly becomes yours in a way, you feel comfortable and at home.
A good way to appreciate Paris to its full potential is also to be able to leave the city and come back to discover it all over again.

[hothotheat]

I visited a few years ago with a friend I and told a French woman that I loved her outfit and that she was so stylish. She was so flattered that she gave me recommendations for where to go to get some clothes, and gave me her number in case I needed anything while in the city. We ended up meeting up and having lunch, and we still stay in touch via social media. Put yourself out there and you never know what you might find.

[aichadiagne]

I've been living in Paris for over 8 years now and I completely agree with everything you've said: there are pros and cons but when we look at the city itself and everything it has to offer, I don't think it's overrated. The thing about Paris though is that you do need to know where to get your information which is why I think the typical tourist experience is totally overrated. But once you live here and you start getting your bearings, oh boy, you will get addicted. Unfortunately for non-french-speakers, I also do think that speaking french enhances everything by 1000%. Paris for people who speak french compared to people who don't is like two different worlds. So if you move here, I would recommend you learn as fast as you can.

[bchavesv]

I spent one year living in Paris as an exchange student during my early 20s and it was so lovely, such a beautiful experience. I used to go on walks on my own and visit as much art galleries, museums or historical spots as I could - I loved it. <3

[adoberoots]

As a New Yorker who has lived here for 5 years, I agree with you on every point here. Very well explained! The greater respect for people's private lives and healthier work-life balance is the biggest reason why I chose to move here — I felt like I was going insane in the US working 50+ hours a week.

[layrienei]

I love living in Paris. I'm a french student at the Ecole du Louvre and my appartment is in Montmartre. Everyday, I get to see beautiful works of art, both in the streets and in the museums; I can go to concerts as often as I want and enjoy nice walks around the Seine and the city. Most of the places of my everyday life are litterally the pictures of postcards: and I think it is worth the five flights of stairs leading to my appartment, the cost of life or the not-so-clean streets.
I have great memories of my life in Paris and I am really thankful for living here: for example, last year I woke up at 6 in the morning to enjoy the city at night in january (wich was not possible otherwise beacuse of the curfiew in France at that moment). I came out of my building and realised it was snowing. No one was up, the streets were completely empty and I went to the Sacré-Coeur in the snow. It is one of my favorite memories in Paris: taking time to enjoy the city and be thankful for its surprises.

(I'm not a native english speaker, , I hope there's no huge mistakes in here)

[oleksandrfabry]

To me Paris has become underrated because so many people had the stupid illusion that it was perfect (who could believe that?) and the delusion has made a lot of people mad. If you consider Paris like any other cities like London or New York and you’ll have a great time.

[michellegonzalez]

Hi Nathaniel! I'm a Colombian girl living in Italy, and I went to Paris last week. I would say that at first I was really astonished by the entire city, the architecture, the color scheme, the people.... And I truly loved it, I think it is because I come from Bogotá (the capital city of Colombia) and I'm used to moving around a big city.... with all the chaos, the noise, the speed of a capital. I did the touristic things but I also had some friends in Paris that showed me other spots and I really enjoyed it. I feel like I can't describe with words the feeling that Paris left on me, it was magical.

[Luna]

I absolutely agree! Never lived in Paris but I’ve visited many times and always find something new and beautiful. I think tourists forget sometimes that it’s still a real life city, not an amusement park

[saraoctenjak]

Amazing as always Nathaniel! I lived in Paris for a year and a half and I agree with you. However, as a European (non-French) I would like to point out that the point you called mentalite unique (about having a healthier balance, not working on sundays, people leaving in august...) is actually a European thing, not a Parisian thing. Everywhere I lived or visited in Europe has been like that and I love it. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

[syedraidarsalan]

Living in Paris (in my opinion) is certainly overrated, but travel isn't. The thing is, Paris isn't a place for everyone to just run towards. From what I've heard, all kinds of jobs aren't available. A banker would fair better in Frankfurt than Paris. However, for artists like you, Paris is the center of the world thanks to the beauty of the city and its being as a center of art and history.

[kozkozof]

Born and raised Parisian here. I've lived there all my life basically (except for a year abroad) and I do agree with a lot of people in the comments saying that you have to live here to truly appreciate it for what it is, and to basically find YOUR Paris. Bonding with local people truly helps : they will show you their favorite places, and bring you on unexpected adventures !

Unexpected being the key word here : I do think people have A LOT of expectations coming here, and it's never good in some way. Unfortunately Paris suffers from this a lot because of all the movies, novels, photographs (and so on) featuring it. EVERYBODY on the planet has some idea of what Paris looks like and feels like, therefore it's never a blank slate coming here, and it can become an obstacle almost impossible to overcome once you meet the real thing.

[robertl.gyorgyi]

Great video, as always! However, I personally think that romanticisation is a form of surviving, a sort of 'mental health instinct'. Nostalgia is a romanticisation of the past. Romanticising Moscow was huge for Chekhov and his work. It is inspiration, optimism, and daydreaming, and a huge cultural capital for any place. Paris (as other cities) would be but a collection of buildings and a bunch of strangers merely coexisting if they were not connected by the (somewhat shared and somewhat personalised) romanticised idea(s) of Paris for which, no matter the hard facts, people still want to stay.

[jimdandy]

Just a quick word about pickpockets - they are in most major cities worldwide and you should NEVER walk around with a backpack on (they are super easy targets) Keep your cash, credit cards and passport in a money belt UNDER your clothing. Ladies - same goes for you! Carrying your purse might seem safe but any theif with a razor blade can cut that strap and run off with your purse before you even know what happened...

[tjr]

I visited Paris in 2018 and absolutely loved it. The boulevards, the cafes, carousels, the architecture and history. Just loved it….from an American 🇺🇸 NYer here. I even experienced a strike/protest in which they were lighting flares which was very interesting. It was helpful that many in the city spoke English and tried to understand my terrible French lol.

[vaeeapirpiris]

I think many places are romanticized, and all the photos we see are just a sliver of what the country has to offer. I remember traveling to Greece for a family members wedding, and I was scrolling through endless photos of Santorini & Mykonos and sparking blue oceans. The part I went to near Serres was anything ~but~ what I saw in photos. There were mountains in the horizon, and small rivers scattered through this very small rural countryside village. I saw small farms, and open fields with roaming Buffalo.

I think any city or country is easily over glamorized and when we end up seeing things for ourselves they end up being different. Different, but still beautiful.

[ilolatu]

I recently left Madrid after teaching there for 2 years. I know EXCATLY what you are talking about, some European Cities just have a certain 'feel' to them that is magical and encourages you to be a better person and live a more balanced lifestyle. Having lived in Canada now for two years and about to move back home to Australia, I certainly miss the balance and being part of a place that is inexplicably larger than yourself. But life is about experiences, and I am glad I have had the privilege to have had all of these experiences to begin with.

[LukeKorns]

Nathaniel, thank you for showing me Paris now I want to live in Paris. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[horgan]

I visited Paris last year and to be honest I can’t understand the negative publicity the place gets. It’s a city of elegance with fantastic historical attractions, top level food and a vibrant atmosphere. The people dress with style and were friendly and accommodating. I will return soon. Greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪

[macandfire]

I went to Paris a few years ago and it really was never a place I particularly wanted to visit. But maybe because I had low expectations 😂 I simply adored every minute!!! I love Paris!!