Overall

I've been living here for 6 months. Honestly people who say this place is so great have not the faintest idea of what they are talking about. The very centre of Paris (Odeon, Louvre...) is stunning. Of course this is where most tourists stay/go to and hardly ever get to see the wider picture. For those people who say it is full of French people and that that spoils it for them... they have never ventured into some of the areas I have. Paris is such an integral part of anglo-american culture that it is hard to dispell the myths. It is dysfunctional. Very old, creaking even. Backwards. Stagnating. Filthy. Poor. Violent, edgy people. Rude. Very very racist. Dodgy and generally unwelcoming. Of course I know Paris inside out... it's why I can tell you that those people that hang around the louvre, boulogne, the eiffel tower or le marais have no idea of what Paris is like for 90% of its residents that don't live in such areas. Take the RER and venture into St. Denis, Laplace, Massy, Nanterre, Les Mureaux, Alfortville, Courneuve, Malakoff... Enjoy!

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Value

Last Visit: july 2005

17 July 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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