[TechBro8615]

The culture shock of the Paris experience has less to do with vague aspersions against Parisian personality, and more to do with the sudden confrontation of the sight of thousands of unhoused immigrants under a bridge, or dozens of pickpockets at every tourist attraction. You know, the stuff they don't include in the tourist brochures and the movies about Paris.

Personally I found Paris extremely underwhelming - it felt just like New York but slightly more French. I had a much better experience visiting small towns in the south of France. But to be fair to France, I don't think this is an issue unique to their country - it's an issue with tourism to cities. As a tourist I've come to realize that most cities are largely the same across every meaningful dimension. The best travel experiences come from smaller towns and generally anywhere "off the beaten path." As they would say in Thailand, every city is "same same but different."

[ethbr0]

Paris felt extremely different than New York to me.

Firstly, much cleaner. Just in terms of trash/litter on your average street.

Secondly, the integration of metro into the regional train network. Amtrak tries, but it's a sad cousin to European rail systems.

Thirdly, weekend markets and general ingredient quality. Paris feels like it cares about ingredients a lot more than the US. Even canned meals from Franprix were pretty good. And don't get me started on the ridiculousness that is Picard.

Small French towns will always have a dear place in my heart though. If I had my choice, I'd still pick them every time over Paris.

[mytailorisrich]

Paris is definitely much worse than, say, London when it comes to pickpockets, street hawkers, and other nastiness because they actually do very little about those problems...

[Gud]

I disagree. You cannot compare Dubai with Paris - or any othe 1 million+ population city.

They all have their unique story to them. Even cities as close as say Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Antwerp are totally different.