I'm telling you,
you are not going to want to make these mistakes when you are visiting Paris.
And for all things about life in Paris,
as told by an American who's living here,
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Welcome back to my channel. And if you're new here, I'm Tiff,
I'm an American living in Paris here to help you navigate life in Paris,
navigate life abroad,
help you jump outside of your comfort zone and successfully move to a new
country if that's something that you want to do.
So I know that a lot of you guys who watch my content are super eager to visit
Paris or even move to Paris. Um,
so I really wanted to make this video about the common mistakes that I see at
Paris tourists make.
And this is really to help you navigate your time in Paris without the stress
and overwhelm that can sometimes come with it so that you can truly enjoy your
time here and take advantage of all that the city has to offer.
Now let's get into it.
So the first mistake I have on my list that I see tourists make is not speaking
French. And I'm not saying you have to be fluent,
cause y'all know my struggle with this language. Um,
but I'm telling you a little goes a long way. So for example,
whenever you're entering a coffee shop or an establishment or a restaurant or a
store, you know, make sure that you greet the person and say bonjour. If it's,
you know, the morning or afternoon or bonsoir if it's the evening.
I'm telling you guys, it goes a long way here.
And also if you have a question for someone, you know,
if you can't find something or you need help with something, you know,
you should approach someone and say bonjour j'ai un petite question s'il vous
plait, which means, you know, hello, like,
please I have a small question. Um,
or if you're looking for something you can say avez vous blah, blah, blah, blah,
blah. Which means, hello do you have like, whatever you need, you know,
if you're in a grocery store and you're looking for something. I'm telling you,
it goes a long way and the person will be more inclined to help you.
if they know that you're at least trying to speak the language, um,
and maybe you're struggling a bit, um,
but they will be more inclined to help you.
And you'll see that the French are not as rude as you might think that they are.
And actually a moment of truth here for me. Um,
this had to have been my first year here and I was so flustered.
I remember I was in the store and I was so flustered and I was so like,
Oh my gosh, like frustrated. And I can't find this thing.
And I remember just asking someone like, excuse me, I just need help finding...
And he looked at me like, honey, we're in France, you should be speaking French.
And I just felt so embarrassed, but I get that, that can happen, you know,
when you're super intimidated and flustered, but I'm telling you guys just try,
just really push yourself.
Um, cause you will find that people are more inclined to help you.
They're nicer to you, if you're speaking their language,
if you're at least trying to speak their language.
So that's definitely something I wanted to share with you guys.
So number two on my list is wearing over the top fashion.
So whenever I see someone in full glam, so like heels, you know,
glam from head to toe, um full face of makeup. I'm like,
I don't think you're really from here or you're just in town for fashion week,
honestly, because I'm telling you, um,
the Parisian style is a bit more effortless, you know, it's chic,
but it's effortless.
And if you do kind of wear these over the topnglam high-fashion outfits,
you might also be a target for pickpockets and scammers and things like that.
So definitely something to keep in mind.
Um, so yeah, I would say, you know, again, effortless chic,
they also really like to wear muted tones. So neutrals, grays, blues,
beige black, you know,
I rarely see someone in like a highlighter pink or highlighter yellow sweater or
anything like that. And actually funny story for you guys. Um,
I was actually out the other day and had this kind of like red hounds tooth
jacket on and I totally felt like I was sticking out cause everyone else was in
black jackets, brown jackets, gray jackets. Um,
so definitely something to keep in mind. And even when it comes to makeup,
you know, I do feel like they're all about this, no makeup, makeup look. Um,
and will either do like a bold lip or a bold eye, but never, usually both.
Like I rarely see people in a full face of makeup and actually to be honest with
you, sometimes I don't even really see women wearing a lot of anything,
you know um, but they still look awesome.
So they're doing something, but yeah,
I would say that a lot of people here don't really wear heavy, heavy makeup.
So yeah,
just something to keep in mind so that you don't stick out like a sore thumb.
And so that you're not a target for scammers and pickpockets and things like
that.
And you can totally check out my video that I did on French fashion brands and
Parisian style with some outfit ideas um,
if you guys are wondering what to pack or what to wear when you come to Paris.
And then number three on my list of common mistakes is not researching the
restaurants first. So the food in Paris is amazing.
You guys like amazing, but it definitely depends on where you go. Um,
so it's very different in the sense that I feel like you can't just walk into
any restaurant and expect it to be amazing.
You really have to research the places that you go to.
And especially if you're in a more touristy area,
I would not recommend going to the restaurants around those areas because
they're typically not the best.
So definitely something to keep in mind and actually a funny story for you guys.
Um, when my parents came to visit me when I graduated from my MBA program, um,
you know,
they had wanted to go to the Eiffel tower and all of these places and they were
like, let's just stop in this bar. Let's just stop in this restaurant.
And I'm like, all right guys. And they didn't like the food.
Like they really didn't like the food. And I remember when they went home,
they were kind of like, Oh, the food in Paris, isn't that great. And I'm like,
you guys just didn't go to the right places, but in their defense, um,
at the time I didn't really have my list of all the amazing restaurants that I
know now. Um,
but there were a few that I took them to that they absolutely loved like La
Creole. Um, they also loved breakfast in America,
which is home to a really great brunch in Paris. But yeah,
I just remember them being like, oh, Tiff the food here isn't that great,
but we just weren't going to the right places.
So definitely make sure you do your research, um,
either before you come here or even when you get here.
So that you're actually going to restaurants that, you know, you'll like,
and that have really good food. And also a note about the restaurants too,
is that, you know, not all restaurants are open all day. So I would say,
you know, a handful of restaurants do close, um, between three and seven.
So they'd be open for breakfast, brunch, lunch,
and then they'll close and then they'll open up again for dinner.
So you also don't want to get caught, you know,
going to a restaurant and then realize that it's not open. And guys,
before I move on to the next one,
what is a mistake that you personally made when visiting a new country or a
mistake that you've seen people make I'd love to hear from you?
I'd love to hear your stories. So definitely drop them in the comments below.
So now moving on to number four on my list, which is staying in the suburbs or,
you know, in the outskirts of Paris.
So I get it guys when you're staying outside of Paris,
it can be a lot less expensive than saying in the city. But I'm telling you,
if you are doing most of your activities in Paris, you know,
the restaurants and museums and all of that stuff,
if you are going to be spending most of your time in Paris,
I would highly recommend that you just stay in Paris for one. Um,
it actually is more expensive to commute from the suburbs into Paris.
So a Metro ticket in Paris, you know, when you're taking it around,
the city is 1.90€. But if you are coming from the outskirts of Paris,
so the suburbs and into the city, it can cost you around 6.15€.
So you will definitely be saving money there. You know,
if you just stay in Paris. And also travel time, you know,
when you're staying in the outskirts of Paris,
it can take you like an hour or sometimes even more to get into the city.
And if you're staying here for only a week or so,
you don't want to spend most of your time traveling into Paris,
it's a lot easier if you just stay in the city.
And also something to keep in mind for my friends who are coming from the United
States is that the setup of Paris is a bit different from areas in the United
States.
So I'm going to compare it to Massachusetts because that's where I grew up.
So in Massachusetts,
it's commonly safer to stay in the suburbs than it is to stay in the city so
like in Boston. But here in Paris,
it's actually the suburbs and the outskirts that tend to be, um,
a bit less safe if you will.
And I'm not saying that this is all suburbs because I have some friends that
live in suburbs and are super safe and love it.
But I will say if you are coming to Paris and visiting Paris for the first time,
and you don't really know your way around the suburbs,
I would just advise you to stay in the city.
Because you don't want to get caught up. And again,
there are a lot of areas in the suburbs that aren't the safest places to be.
So the next up on my list is being loud.
So I know I've mentioned this in another video. Um, but I do have to say,
especially for my friends coming from the United States, um,
we are definitely louder than the average French person and also tend to be a
bit more expressive.
So I do think being loud in Paris is definitely a way to draw unwanted attention
to you. You could be a target for scammers, pickpockets, and things like that.
So I'm not saying don't be yourself. I mean, I'm pretty loud. I do have to say.
And I've, Oh my God, there's so many examples in situations where, you know,
I I've been super loud and people are either looking at me or friends are like
Tiff. Oh my God. So I'm not saying change who you are, anything like that. Um,
if you're loud, you're loud. I mean,
I tend to be very loud even in the United States.
Um, but it is definitely something that I wanted to share. Um,
just for you guys to keep in mind, you know, if you're on the Metro, if you're,
if you're walking into a restaurant, Oh my God.
I remember walking into a restaurant being like, Hey girl what's up?
And my friend was just like, girl, like you are loud. So I feel you guys,
you know, if you are my fellow loud friend,
but I did just want to point this out to you. Um,
if you are coming to Paris that we are a bit louder,
a bit more expressive than the French. Um,
and it is kind of a way to draw a bit more attention to yourself. All right.
So moving on to number six, which is doing too much in one day,
I'm telling you guys there is a lot to do here. There's a lot to see here,
but don't overwhelm yourself and cram everything into one day.
You're definitely going to want to space out your activities so that you
actually have time to enjoy yourself and do some, um,
very Parisian things like sitting in a park. Um, Oh my gosh,
there are so many beautiful parks in Paris or enjoying a coffee or people
watching.
So make sure you give yourself time to yes s ee all the museums and the tourist
attractions, but also have time to really sit, relax, and enjoy the city.
And actually I'll give you guys a funny story.
So this was during my very first eurotrip that I took with two friends.
We did France, Spain and Belgium,
but we only gave ourselves like three days or so for each country,
which I'm telling y'all do not do that. Because when we finally got to Paris,
I literally had a breakdown.
Like I called my mom. It was three in the morning and I was like, mom,
this is too much. I'm so tired. We're running around from place to place.
It was a lot. It was a lot. So don't do what I did. Um,
it can be very overwhelming and very stressful when you try and cram too much
into one day. All right.
So number seven on my list is coming in July or August.
I do not recommend one because of the heat wave. Um,
so they call it the canicule here in Paris.
And I'm telling you like last August,
I think it was up to a hundred degrees here in Paris. Like it gets super,
super hot and two in August, specifically, a lot of people go on vacation. So,
you know, if you really wanted to go to a cool restaurant or, um,
a boutique or something like that,
it could very well be closed if you come in August because I'm telling you
everyone leaves like at least for two weeks,
some people even for the full month.
And also I've heard that these months are typically peak season for tourists.
So if you want to avoid long lines at tourist attractions,
if you want to avoid the heat wave. And also if you want to make sure, you know,
restaurants and the boutiques that you want to go to are open,
just avoid coming during these months.
So next up on my list and a common mistake that I see people making is only
eating French food. So I get it. You know, when you come to Paris,
you want to be immersed in the French culture. You want to eat French food.
You want to go to the French bakeries. So definitely, definitely do that,
but don't forget that Paris is home to some great international cuisine.
And you should definitely take advantage of that.
Like I'm telling you guys like I've had some amazing Senegalese food here,
Italian food, Greek food, Mexican food, Vietnamese food,
Thai food. I mean, the list goes on.
So I would hate for you guys to come here and only eat French food and not take
advantage of the many, many different cuisines that Paris has to offer,
because I'm telling you guys, the food is so good here.
I've tried so many different things. Um,
so definitely make sure you do not miss out on the international cuisine here in
Paris. And actually while we're on the subject of food, um,
I might as well bring up that I do also see a lot of people paying for water,
like bottled water. So FYI guys,
the water in France is safe to drink.
So you don't really have to spend extra money on bottled water. You know,
especially when you go to a restaurant, you know,
of course we'll try and serve you bottled water,
but I'm telling you guys just ask for tap water, you'll save some money. Um,
you can ask for a carafe d'eau,
which is basically like a big jug of water for you. Um, but yeah,
you do not need to spend extra money on bottled water here.
Now next up on my list is, um,
I do sometimes see tourists trying to avoid public transportation. Um,
and I get it. The Metro system can be a lot.
I honestly think that I was a bit more prepared for it just having lived in New
York City. But I'm telling you guys,
if you just get Google maps or City Mapper is another great app,
it can be very easy to navigate the public transportation system here in Paris.
And it's also a lot more affordable, you know,
versus taking Uber's or taxis everywhere and also can be a lot faster.
So there can be a lot of traffic in Paris. So, um,
I would just highly recommend taking public transportation here in Paris versus,
you know, getting taxis or Uber's everywhere, but definitely something to know,
you know, if you are taking public transportation during rush hour,
which is usually around like 5 to 7:30,
I would say the trains are packed and I'm claustrophobic. So for me,
like I just completely avoid public transportation around rush hour because you
will literally be packed standing next to someone. So yeah,
I would say public transportation is the best option for you. Um,
if you're trying to get around Paris, but try to avoid it around rush hour,
especially if you're claustrophobic like me.
So number 10 on my list and a very common mistake that I see people make when
they're visiting Paris is not staying long enough. So I get it. You know,
when you come to Paris, you know,
you realize that you're so close to other places in France, um,
or even other countries, you know, it's super close to Spain and Italy. Um,
but I'm telling you guys there is so much to do and so much to see in the city
that I would recommend giving yourself at least a week to stay in Paris without
going to other cities or other areas. Um,
and I would say that this is the best bet, you know,
so that you're not cramming too many things into one day. I mean,
you heard my story when me and my friends did a eurotrip and were trying to do
way too much in one day, we only gave herself a few days per country.
It was a lot. Um, so yeah,
I would definitely recommend giving yourself a week here.
There is so much to do. You will not get bored.
You're going to want to give yourself time to just sit in a park and read a good
book or, you know, walk around the city and explore, you know,
and you're not going to have time to do this if you're only giving yourself like
three days here. So definitely give yourself a week. Um,
I would highly recommend that so that you can really take advantage of all that
the city has to offer. So guys,
that's a wrap on some of the most common mistakes that I see people make when
they're visiting Paris. And let me know in the comments below,
if there's anything that you would add to this list.
But I do hope that this helps you better navigate your trip to Paris and
actually also navigate, you know, if you're just moving to Paris, um,
these are definitely some things to keep in mind.
And if you're looking for more tips on life in Paris or how to navigate life
abroad, definitely get on my email list.
I'll put the link in my description box and also subscribe to my YouTube
channel.
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And you'll also probably love it this video,
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So that's all from you guys.
Thank you so much for watching and I'll see you next week.