At first glance, Paris has more commonalities with New York than glaring differences. Maybe it was a subconscious effort to avoid culture shock and homesickness, but my fellow New Yorkers and I reached similar conclusions after our first few days in the city of lights.
Both are big cities, classic melting pots of adventure and opportunity, drawing tourists and immigrants from around the world. But upon further investigation, there are many subtle yet significant distinctions between the two capitals. Here are my findings so far:
1. The Language. Okay, so this one isn’t so subtle. Without question the most difficult change to adapt to. Obviously I knew going in that people in France…speak French. But the notion of this as a concept and the experience of it are two entirely different phenomena. Luckily, most everyone speaks English, and will help you if you are in a bind or if they detect an American accent (read: basically every encounter) Nonetheless, it is certainly jarring to look around you and see every street sign, advertisement, and conversation is in a language that you don’t fully understand.
Luckily, you can usually get the jist of it, like how this plaque in the Catacombs probably says something dramatic about the death of our ancestors
2. The Metro System. For a New Yorker, the train system in Paris is pretty easy to understand. If anything, it’s easier than New York’s. Paris itself is much smaller than the five boroughs of NYC, and there are more stops condensed in this already walkable city. Trains come every few minutes in Paris, much more often than New York. It is often joked that Parisians throw a fit if there is a five minute wait for the next train, a waiting time that would make a New Yorker’s day.
The main flaw of Paris’ metro system: it closes. No one seems to know a definite ending time, but it’s around midnight on weekdays, and 1am on weekends. This doesn’t really work well with the college lifestyle, unless you want to party all night and wait for it to reopen at 5am.
These waiting times would warm a New Yorker’s heart
3. Business Hours. It’s a classic case of The City that Never Sleeps vs. The City that Enjoys Frequent Naps. Not only does the Metro close early, but so do many stores and restaurants. Of course, there are many bars and clubs that stay open until the early hours of the morning, but if you have a 1am burning desire for Halal food or a even a pack of gum, you’re basically out of luck in Paris.
In addition, many stores, businesses, and restaurants close for lunch, which can go on for hours. And if you want to do anything outside of your house on a Sunday, good luck. The city all but closes down on the day of rest. The French take vacation time and rest very seriously.
One of many signs in store windows throughout Paris explaining their vacation times from July into August
4. Customer Service. The widely accepted standard, which extends to most of the States is that the customer is always right. Not so much in French culture, where the proprietor’s expertise is not to be questioned. I split a pizza with a few classmates, and when we asked politely for plates, they begrudgingly accommodated us, after explicitly stating that this was a rare occurrence for them and that it would not happen again.
Luckily, this hasn’t been the case in Paris’ many Chinese restaurants
5. Shopping Culture. In New York, and most everywhere in the United States with more than 5 people per capita, there is a Target or Walmart. Or, at the very least, convenience or drugs stores, carrying everything from toothpaste to bananas to phone chargers. In Paris, you often have to go to different stores for each of these items. If you want a book, you go to the librairie, if you want pain reliever, to the pharmacie. My favorite, the boulangerie, sells fresh bread and fine desserts.
The chief exception is a store called Monoprix, which is like a small scale Target, selling food, clothes, housewares, beauty products, etc. You do however, pay a bit more for the convenience than you would elsewhere. There are some supermarkets and “dollar stores” (where everything is much more than a dollar) but these are the exceptions to the standard.
Viennoise chocolat from my favorite boulangerie. Marry me Paul <3[/caption] 6. Weather. True to the stereotype, in Paris, it rains. A lot. Which can be beautiful but also very cold and wet.
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You stay beautiful, Paris.7. Public Restrooms. In New York, Starbucks and McDonalds are your best friends, not because of their mediocre products but because of their compulsory amenity: the public restroom. Finding a place to use the bathroom without spending money or wandering the streets for hours is the struggle of every New Yorker. Paris doesn’t have this problem, because they have FREE public restrooms on the streets. The lines can be long, and the bathroom is cleaned after every use which accounts to about 5-7 minutes per person. But you can’t beat the price and convenience.
Fancy public toilette
8. Water Fountains. Where Paris fails is the lack of drinking fountains. It’s pretty standard in the United States to have a water fountain (or bubbler, for my friends in Wisconsin and Rhode Island) next to every bathroom, in schools, and even on some streets. I have yet to see a single drinking fountain in Paris. I have no idea how Parisians stay hydrated. Restaurants often make you pay for water, and bottled water is seldom cheaper than two euros (close to $3). I’ve gotten used to getting water from bathroom sinks and/or carrying around a huge water bottle to last me the day.
This is as close as Paris gets to “water fountains”
9. Skyline. The Concrete Jungle is known for tall, shiny, new buildings that tower over you just about everywhere you go. The City of Lights, contrary to what the name may suggest, is made of relatively short buildings, which offer an old, romantic charm. New York City lights up at night, while Paris is illuminated solely by the sparkle and search lights of the Eiffel Tower.
Also lit up by rainbows. This is me freaking out about the view of Paris from Sacré Coeur (and the rainbow)
10. Smoking. Of course, both cities are known for heavy smoking. I had grown used to New York’s smoking lifestyle and assumed Paris would be very similar. However, Paris’ culture is over more strongly ingrained in smoking. I have been asked for a lighter countless times. I have seen people smoking in the metro station and on the metro itself! I have seen kids as young as 14 light a cigarette. And in Paris, is it much more common to simply throw a cigarette on the ground, not bothering to put it out. This even happened on the metro. Many Parisians argue that smoking is just as stigmatized as the United States, and there are still graphic pictures on the boxes, but that doesn’t stop an overwhelming majority of Frenchies from indulging in the habit.
This picture is extremely blurry and awful but if you look closely, you can see that this Parisian man is indeed, smoking.
11. Fashion. I thought New York was the land of black and neutral clothing, but Paris also takes the cake on mastering the simple, understated look. Black, white, beige, grey, and navy make up at least 75% of most every Parisian’s wardrobe, which is sometimes accented with a pop of color, like a statement scarf or shoe. The look here is more conservative and formal, with skirts often reaching the knee even in women my age. The French have mastered the art of making a classic, well fitted jean look chic and fabulous. A more detailed post on the subject is in the works!
Look at these Parisians, they’ve got the whole look down!
12. News and Politics. Paris offers many free daily newspapers, given away inside and outside Metro stations. As a result, Parisians tend to be very up to date on politics and news from France and around the world. Unlike the daily commute in New York, many Parisians on the way to work and school can be seen reading up on the latest news.
Headlines from one of the many free daily morning papers
13. Joie de Vivre. The Big Apple is known for the fast paced life, where people are always on the go, racing along the crowded streets regardless of whether they have somewhere to be. Parisians like to stroll, enjoy the day, even taking two hour lunch breaks from work. The French even have a word, flâner, meaning to “to wander aimlessly.”
Frenchies enjoying the afternoon
14. Coffee Another facet of New York life is the quintessential coffee in hand at all times, whether in a to go cup from home or from one of the many coffee shops all over the city. In Paris, this idea is very rare. Coffee is consumed at home, or at the café, where a shot of espresso is typically served.
My friend Cali’s “coffee”
15. Public Drinking. As for the other beverage of life, alcohol, Paris is most definitely much more liberal. Unlike most everything else, alcohol is very cheap in Paris. Unlike New York where vodka filled water bottles and paper bag covered beer are the result of an anti-public drinking policy, people regularly and casually drink in public, often directly from the bottle. It is certainly less stigmatized and so long as no one causes a scene, is not seen as an issue.
Some people in my program and I, just trying to fit in with the culture and all
16.Technology. Also attached at the hip of most New Yorkers are their smartphones, tablets, MP3 players, etc. I’m not saying Parisians don’t use these devices, but they definitely use them less, and don’t rely on them as a crutch in awkward or boring situations as is pretty standard in NYC. It is much more acceptable in Paris to be engaged with those around you or alone with one’s thoughts or something to read. Parisians tend to be less worried with Instagraming their food and more focused on the company.
Great day for lounging sans technology
17. Personal Transportation. I never realized all the personal transportation options for navigating a city, or how boring New Yorkers are for only walking or biking everywhere! Mopeds, vespas, scooters, and rollerblades are all commonplace in Paris, weaving in and around the narrow streets, often taking over the sidewalks.
One of the many couples zooming around on two wheels
I really can’t say which city I like more, although perhaps it is simply too soon for me to say. While I miss the anything goes craziness of New York, Paris has a certain understated charm which I very much appreciate.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, just some of my main observations so far. Hope you enjoyed and stay tuned for more! 🙂
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