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Living in Paris, France:
Tips for Moving and Visiting

13 local experts
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If you've been wondering what it's like to live in or visit Paris, the Crowdsourced Explorer community can help. We asked 13 people living in Paris what someone who is considering moving to or visiting there should know. Here are their pros and cons, tips, and advice:

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13 comments on “Paris”

Paris has changed greatly during my adult life. It has lost much of the magic. Last time I felt magic here was in the two thousand teens. Great and beloved little shops have bitten the dust. Rare to see someone dressed with elegance, beauty and aestheticism. Streets are dirty and take outs are all over the place.

Great for young people: everything to party and meet. The rents are those of a big city. Avoid agencies for foreigners: everything is overpriced. Families go to the suburbs or region: not a city made for children, and too expensive rents.
Interesting to discover France: all trains leave from Paris. Lots of pickpockets everywhere.

Véronique, says: 2023

Climate change has affected the air pollution in my city a lot. The weather also changes day to day, starting with cold mornings and getting to high temperatures in the afternoon. Although the weather is not the strongest point of my city, having a lot of attractive spots to visit is something to look forward to.

Paris is a romantic city of love, of food, and more importantly, of opportunities. Anyone considering making a move here should, for starters, not be shy. The French may appear cold (and sometimes downright rude) but they can be surprisingly forthcoming when you do ask for help. Learning basic French is important. I quote a friend, “It is far easier to learn French than learning to understand a French speaking English!”. Finally, Paris is not the most budget-friendly city so it is important to plan for it financially.

Jeanna, says: 2020

People who would like to move to Paris should know that it is very expensive to live there. Then being a woman on this city can be very hard, at all moments of the day, from early in the morning to very late in the night. I encourage all women who would like to move here to be very cautious. Also, on a more positive note, there is always plenty of activities in Paris, but if you lack of ideas you can always refer to the official City Hall online blog, you’ll find many!

Anyone moving to Paris should know living here is not like being on a permanent vacation. You will tire of riding the metro and fighting the crowds, making a trip to a museum a chore rather than a pleasure. You will likely struggle with cultural differences and the lack of peanut butter, chocolate chip cookies, and customer service. Living in Paris is no vacation, but can be a pleasure for those who can adjust their expectations and adapt to the French lifestyle.

Adebisi, says: 2020

– Research the city, and it’s lifestyle. They are totally different from any other french city. Everything is high paced here.
– Secure a job, Paris is an expensive city.
– If you are into historical monuments, there are many and everywhere.
– And mostly, start to look for an apartment/studio early because it’s hard to find your own place to stay here.

Nelson, says: 2020

If you come to Paris and my region, Ile de France, you would be eager to discover the most popular place here, just to give you an idea you would be able to visit Eiffel tower or The Museum of Louvre. On the other hand, Paris is very multicultural, so you wouldn’t have any problems with your path-tourism.

Rebecca, says: 2020

Know about the Eiffel Tower and all of the iconic museums and places in the city center such as the “Musée du Louvre” for instance. I suggest they look out for bread-baking classes as there are a few well-known teachers in the city eager to share their expertise and knowledge with keen learners.

Alison, says: 2020

As an American living in Paris, I have noticed several significant differences in culture that any North American should know before moving here. Firstly, though the French are a very kind group, they do not participate in friendly chit-chat on the streets. If you try to strike up a conversation with a stranger at a cafe, for instance, you will be regarded as rather odd.

Anyone moving to Paris should know that, although it is the city of love and light, the reasons for its namesake can be difficult to find at first. The people can be quite unwelcoming at times, especially if you do not speak French. The elegant architecture after awhile may grow monotonous. Don’t be discouraged, though – while the city’s glory days may have passed, its renowned culture of art, music, food, and revolution is still alive and thriving.

Paris is one of the most stunning cities I’ve seen. But, truth be told, it’s not that easy to feel at home here. French people are known for disliking tourists, they are an arrogant nation with quite a strong sense of superiority, while being miserable most of the time. But if you get past feeling unwelcome, it can still become a beautiful place to call home.

Rebecca, says: 2020

Paris is a dense city. The pace of life is pretty fast. Nonetheless, Paris is an extremely rich city that gives many opportunities, especially culturally. Endless events are available each week (concerts, galleries, etc). Even though Paris is urban, there are many parks and green areas where people can escape the noise and intense pace of the city.

Jeanna, says: 2020

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