Is it true that Paris and London are highly overrated cities?

[Physics-Man]

Yes

No

One is the other isn't/Other

[Jonny59]

my opinion is YES
but I really want to visit them and learn things and see new things
it’s overhyped, overexposed, and overrated.

Whenever someones rave about a place, ask them “What’s so great about this place?” which the usual answer tend to be: Amazing, it’s beautiful, there so much to do, etc.

Then answer them; “What is beautiful? What can I do?” I already know you’re not going to get a genuine answer, I mean, look at the comments: It’s glorious, it’s beautiful, so much history blah, blah, blah…. The same generic answers but never specific.

They are brainless defensors - or - one of those people who get a thrill seeing people having a horrible time in (x) - or - they work for the tourism industry.

I have been to both London and Paris, I thought they were okay. Nothing spectacular.

Some of the architects were nice, but after 5 minutes, okay, next. The food is always a hit or miss, but the desserts are always the best part of the highlight.

You will definitely become bored after a while. As much as people love to say there is so much to do, there really isn’t. Sure, you might have nice moments, but moments, remember that.

Definitely take people 5-star reviews with a pound of salt and always question their motive. Think of it as a day in court, give me proof, provide me evidence, and create a strong argument - “It’s amazing, it’s beautiful, so much history” says nothing.

These types of people are brainless zombies.

[MCheetah]

Yeah. Just like San Francisco, LA, and New York. They're overpriced and full of rude people. Definitely overrated. I'd say London is far worse, as recent politics and "diversity" has ruined that city indefinitely.

[MCheetah]

Thanks for the MHO.

[AmandaYVR]

I personally think people over-romanticize Paris. Some of the architecture is stunning, no doubt. But the people have a bit of a superiority complex, there are a lot of stinky-smelling people for some reason (maybe they walk a lot?), they are not friendly or warm, and the food is overly rich. There are sauces on everything and it feels like you need to go on a diet and fast after simply trying to eat their regular food while you're there.
I've been on two trips there and I'm glad I went, but I personally do think Paris is overrated. Perhaps it's a must-see, but it's not a must-stay or live.

London is interesting. It's a very walkable city, there's lots of neighbourhoods and areas which each have their own vibe. The population is diverse (they're having integration issues), some areas are more gritty, some posh, but overall it feels diverse and quite cohesive, in my opinion.

They're both expensive to live and visit. I prefer the greenness of London. They get so much rain, there are parks everywhere you look and they are lush. Some dislike the rain. But on my two trips, it rained more in every other country than it did in London.

[exitseven]

Thanks Amanda. Very interesting description. Not the usuall tourist trap stuff.

[AmandaYVR]

@exitseven 🎩

[Julielamar2]

In fact madam, what you call arrogance is actually more of a cultural difference.

Anglo-Saxons you tend to be open-minded people, welcoming etc and when you go to a store you are used to the salesperson doing their best to help you.

In France, if you don't know people, we tend to be wary of people and not be too open or enthusiastic. And we also have shortcomings in customer service, even I often have the impression of bothering the salesperson or the store advisor. But they don't react like that because you come from a foreign country, in France we reacted exactly like that with other French people, if we don't know the person, we will tend to keep our distance

[na2398]

Ma'am, I was in Paris a fortnight ago and tis spot on. I loved the vibes but it's filthy as well.

Guess what? Positano is more romantic than Paris

[AmandaYVR]

@na2398 Oh interesting.
I have seen Positano via aerial view on the nature channel on my TV. I often put these types of shows on as beautiful background images. It looks breathtaking.

Julie, "cultural difference" does not explain it. "... if we don't know the person, we will tend to keep our distance" is true of all people, everywhere you go, to varying degrees.
The service in Paris was perfunctory but it's not the only thing I base these conclusions on.
You like to argue with me about this geography stuff (ex: Quebec, Canada, America.) You have your opinions, I have mine. We disagree. That's it and so be it. You should write your own standalone comments instead of always challenging mine.

[na2398]

@AmandaYVR Ma'am, it's such an underrated destination. What other places did you love on the channel? 😊

The whole Amalfi Coast made me go gaga

[na2398]

I was in Positano last week. Ethereal ♥️

[Bluemax]

London is the best city in the world, I think. And I agree with you about the parks.

And do you know I have visited London many times. Yet I've never heard Big Ben!!! It's maddening I tell you! Every time I've been, it's been down for maintenance!

And I concur with you about English people seeming to be warmer and friendlier. However, my father's side is English so I readily confess I am not an unbiased observer.

[Bluemax]

I believe in many cases that the degree to which we observe things is what makes it a cultural difference. Disney employees are trained to be courteous in both California and Tokyo. However, my friend (who is a Disney employee) has been to Tokyo Disney, where he observed that Tokyo Disney cast members bend over backwards and turn themselves inside out to be courteous. Both polite, but to me it seems the degree of politeness might be considered a cultural difference.

Alas, the only time I have been to Paris was around the age of two. I don't remember it. I very definitely remember the Palace of Versailles, especially the hall of mirrors. It's on my bucket list to return there.

[Bluemax]

@Julielamar2
My father (functionally fluent in French), several friends of mine (various levels of fluency in French), and my French teacher in high school (completely fluent in French and who was educated and worked in France) all seem to relay a common theme. If you can't speak French well, many would prefer you not to speak it at all. My father encountered this a lot. He understood every word the hotel staff, wait staff, railroad conductors, etc., said in French. Yet when he spoke to them in French, if they knew how they would upon detecting his accent immediately switch to English, even when their English was far worse than his French. My friends and French teacher have similar stories.

It's entirely possible that my friends, my father, and my teacher are viewing this through their own biased lenses. What do you think?

[Julielamar2]

@Bluemax Haha I don't know, maybe. But I still think most French people like it when foreigners try to speak French.

In reality in most cases, even if you don't speak French we will try to help you as best we can lol

[AmandaYVR]

@Bluemax London is my favourite city abroad. NY to visit in North America. Where I am in Canada.
Hall of Mirrors is fantastic. A fascinating place. I just watched a documentary about it. I plan to use it in a mytake. My brain is full with ideas and lacking in focus. It goes on the to-do list.
That's very interesting about the observations made by those you know. I find there will always be those who pushback, out of pride, etc etc. But some things are simply true. Especially when said by those who have perspective.

[Prettygurl12]

I've been to both. They're nice enough, but they're both very expensive. London's food is... meh. Paris' people are... meh - especially to Americans. There are nicer places in each country to visit.

[rcljr]

I’d rather go to Germany, Switzerland or Lichtenstein.

[PlaticXrealityx]

Food in London is horrible. You can find some ok places but nothing wow

[anniisa97]

Have you guys visited Nandos and the Indian places?

In England the most eaten dish is chicken tika masallah which is an Indian dish that was made in England. The actual food that England is talented in isn't isn't "British food" but Indian and Chinese food, thats eaten more over here than fish and chips.

[Lynx122]

Yes I think so. I liked Rome more than both Paris and London combined and a lot of people say Rome is not even the best city to visit in Italy. I'm sure there are some great experiences to be had in Paris and London but in Rome you basically can't miss because the city is so full of history and artwork etc. I didn't get the same feeling in Paris. There are historic things in Paris too but it doesn't feel like the whole city lives and breathes it. I had better experiences in the rest of France Normandie Or the South of France you can go from east to west and back and it's beautiful everywhere.

I wasn't in London long enough to be able to fully judge it but I also don't feel like I want to go back to see more so there's that. I really liked the London Olympics though the organization was really good.

[Julielamar2]

Well for Paris it has grown ugly for years, this ridiculous Louvre pyramid we are the proof.


London I don't know, I never had the chance to visit.


What I can say is that by visiting these capitals, you see at the same time not only a different culture but above all a different way of seeing the world. These two capitals waged war for several centuries, the most important of which is what historians call a Second Hundred Years War, which would decide which country would have world hegemony.


So when you go to see one of these two capitals, you are going to see a the view of the world different

[electromagnetic]

Considering I’ve lived in London for 2 years, I wouldn’t call it overrated per say. there's always something to do. And when there isn’t, there’s always something to do…
It’s expensive. That’s the killer. Things add up so quickly without even thinking about it. For people who don’t know anything but £ (British pound) they wouldn’t think much of it. But someone such as myself who is used to $, paying for some things are a nightmare. Especially makeup and fancy things that would t cost an arm and ass cheek.

[Avicenna]

Well, there are lots of interesting places to see in both cities. It kind of depends on what you value most. I love the museums in London, for example, and Montmartre, Luxembourg Gardens, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

If overrated includes overpriced, yeah, both of them definitely are.

[Avicenna]

Another thing to take into consideration is that I took girlfriends to both places when I was in my 20s, as well as going to both later for business, so it might depend a bit on what you're trying to do.

[anniisa97]

No, been to both cities, and London isn't far from where I live. There are some dangerous areas in London, a lot of gangs here and there. That being said, most capital cities have good and bad areas, so its not really fair to say that.

The only thing about Paris is it serioisly smells of urine, and they need to sort that out. Other than that, its great.

[DonkeyDan]

It depends how you look at a city, if you're looking at it from a culture, history and architecture pint of view they are not over rated. But if you look at it from the pint of view of the kind of people who inhabit the cities then yeah they are over rated and trash. Just like most major cities these days.

[Aquariusmystery]

I’m a Londoner (born and raised) and I’ve been to Paris and both are overrated. They both smell like piss and are full of litter. Both have huge amounts of crime and are filthy. They’re so romanticised in films, books, tv and social media that people will have you believe they’re perfect. But they’re just like any other city. Full of cigarette butts and homelessness unfortunately

[ChrisMaster69]

I think this is true of a lot of capital cities.

personnally I can’t stand London, visitors go to London and assume they have seen the UK.

The UK is nothing like London, if anything it’s a different country.

[venom9801]

I mean central London is good if you have a lot of money to spend but I live in south-east London and it's really just full of poverty, knife crime and drug addicts. I've been to paris when I was young and I just thought it was like London but with less things to do.

[exitseven]

I have not been to either but people told me I would be disappointed with the Statue of Liberty and instead I was really moved by it.

[SpiderManFan2002]

I suppose it depends how you’d define overrated, for some they’re the best cities in the world, for others not so much lol it depends on the person.

[rcljr]

Paris stinks, unless they douched it in the last 20 years. London is full of blue blood snobs.

[exitseven]

Other that that you thought they were great, right?

[rcljr]

@exitseven , um, sure… 2 out of 10 on the tourist scale. I will say, London cab drivers are some sharp individuals, very impressive

[Bluemax]

London can drivers are THE BEST!

[Bluemax]

*cab*

[Neosporin]

I like Paris I think it’s beautiful. London’s style is just depressing for me and food was bland.

Both cities are famous for good reason though

[Nomina]

I know about Paris, not London. But Paris is so overrated. It's actually pretty nasty.

[zagor]

You have to temper your expectations. Paris is supposed to be beautiful, but there are are lot of rather bland sections. Probably neither is too fun right now due to covid.

[FinalFantasyBro]

You should seen videos and news of both cities they just as dirty like Los Angeles and New York City.

[NYCQuestions1976]

I believe anything outside of North America is highly overrated.

[genericname85]

yeah. they're both overrun tourist traps with little character.

[MDollarBill]

From all I read, Muzzies have taken over both of them and turned them into another dangerous Muzzie shit-hole.

[Asianguy123]

I didn't like them because it's old and dirty but I like people better than Americans. European white people are nicer than American white.

[BlueWalker]

For someone like me who prefers nature, all cities are overrated. ☺️

[BCRanger10]

I'd love to visit both cities, so I can't say yes to this question.

[Anonymous]

Of course they exaggerate because it's in Europe. For example, places such as Baghdad, Tehran, Ankara etc. are never exaggerated. because Europe is cool, because Europe is racist, because Europe is holy.

[Anonymous]

I’ve never been to either but I’ve heard that they’re both trashy

[rcljr]

Due to Muslim “ rapefugees” yes, very trashy.

[Opinion Owner]

I’m talking trashy as in trash everywhere lol like New York

[rcljr]

Yes, that’s what I’m talking about, the rapefugees are very very unclean people, compounding the trash issue exponentially.

[Bluemax]

I feel London is underrated.

[Rachelspiks]

Vienna and Budapest are much nicer. Moscow too.

[Bluemax]

Ah! Vienna! City of musicians!

[FatherJack]

Not to mention , overpriced , esp London.

[rcljr]

I did stand on the bridge and thumb my American nose at the Queen…

[FatherJack]

@rcljr Did you also fart in her general direction too?

[Barry88]

London is cool, Paris is highly overrated.

[the_kisses_of_sun]

Can you blame them? I mean they are beautiful cities.

[Iron_Man]

I actually like them a lot

[pepper1828]

Paris, yes. London, no.

[grierwrange]

I luv london tho. Paris is overrated

[IncognitoBandito]

There are better places to visit in each country

[karaspara]

Depends what you expect from them I guess

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Yes, I think so

[Mavie]

yes i think

[Anonymous]

Both are shitholes

[msc545]

Nope.