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As a french person who grew up in , and went to study in Paris, I think I come to the same conclusion as yours. Paris is always a love-hate relationship with positive but also a lot of negative aspects. The best way to appreciate Paris, for me, is to live there for some time to get to find the places you really like, that give you this feeling of seeing what it was like in past centuries. When you get to know some places really well, it slowly becomes yours in a way, you feel comfortable and at home. A good way to appreciate Paris to its full potential is also to be able to leave the city and come back to discover it all over again.

I've been living in Paris for over 8 years now and I completely agree with everything you've said: there are pros and cons but when we look at the city itself and everything it has to offer, I don't think it's overrated. The thing about Paris though is that you do need to know where to get your information which is why I think the typical tourist experience is totally overrated. But once you live here and you start getting your bearings, oh boy, you will get addicted. Unfortunately for non-french-speakers, I also do think that speaking french enhances everything by 1000%. Paris for people who speak french compared to people who don't is like two different worlds. So if you move here, I would recommend you learn as fast as you can.

I spent one year living in Paris as an exchange student during my early 20s and it was so lovely, such a beautiful experience. I used to go on walks on my own and visit as much art galleries, museums or historical spots as I could - I loved it.

I visited a few years ago with a friend I and told a French woman that I loved her outfit and that she was so stylish. She was so flattered that she gave me recommendations for where to go to get some clothes, and gave me her number in case I needed anything while in the city. We ended up meeting up and having lunch, and we still stay in touch via social media. Put yourself out there and you never know what you might find.

I love living in Paris. I'm a french student at the Ecole du Louvre and my appartment is in Montmartre. Everyday, I get to see beautiful works of art, both in the streets and in the museums; I can go to concerts as often as I want and enjoy nice walks around the Seine and the city. Most of the places of my everyday life are litterally the pictures of postcards: and I think it is worth the five flights of stairs leading to my appartment, the cost of life or the not-so-clean streets. I have great memories of my life in Paris and I am really thankful for living here: for example, last year I woke up at 6 in the morning to enjoy the city at night in january (wich was not possible otherwise beacuse of the curfiew in France at that moment). I came out of my building and realised it was snowing. No one was up, the streets were completely empty and I went to the Sacré-Coeur in the snow. It is one of my favorite memories in Paris: taking time to enjoy the city and be thankful for its surprises. (I'm not a native english speaker,, I hope there's no huge mistakes in here)

Nathaniel, thank you for showing me Paris now I want to live in Paris. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

As a New Yorker who has lived here for 5 years, I agree with you on every point here. Very well explained! The greater respect for people's private lives and healthier work-life balance is the biggest reason why I chose to move here - I felt like I was going insane in the US working 50+ hours a week.

I absolutely agree! Never lived in Paris but I’ve visited many times and always find something new and beautiful. I think tourists forget sometimes that it’s still a real life city, not an amusement park

To me Paris has become underrated because so many people had the stupid illusion that it was perfect (who could believe that?) and the delusion has made a lot of people mad. If you consider Paris like any other cities like London or New York and you’ll have a great time.

I recently left Madrid after teaching there for 2 years. I know EXCATLY what you are talking about, some European Cities just have a certain 'feel' to them that is magical and encourages you to be a better person and live a more balanced lifestyle. Having lived in Canada now for two years and about to move back home to Australia, I certainly miss the balance and being part of a place that is inexplicably larger than yourself. But life is about experiences, and I am glad I have had the privilege to have had all of these experiences to begin with.

Amazing as always Nathaniel! I lived in Paris for a year and a half and I agree with you. However, as a European (non-French) I would like to point out that the point you called mentalite unique (about having a healthier balance, not working on sundays, people leaving in august...) is actually a European thing, not a Parisian thing. Everywhere I lived or visited in Europe has been like that and I love it. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

I visited Paris in 2018 and absolutely loved it. The boulevards, the cafes, carousels, the architecture and history. Just loved it….from an American 🇺🇸 NYer here. I even experienced a strike/protest in which they were lighting flares which was very interesting. It was helpful that many in the city spoke English and tried to understand my terrible French lol.

I think many places are romanticized, and all the photos we see are just a sliver of what the country has to offer. I remember traveling to Greece for a family members wedding, and I was scrolling through endless photos of Santorini & Mykonos and sparking blue oceans. The part I went to near Serres was anything ~but~ what I saw in photos. There were mountains in the horizon, and small rivers scattered through this very small rural countryside village. I saw small farms, and open fields with roaming Buffalo. I think any city or country is easily over glamorized and when we end up seeing things for ourselves they end up being different. Different, but still beautiful.

Great video, as always! However, I personally think that romanticisation is a form of surviving, a sort of 'mental health instinct'. Nostalgia is a romanticisation of the past. Romanticising Moscow was huge for Chekhov and his work. It is inspiration, optimism, and daydreaming, and a huge cultural capital for any place. Paris (as other cities) would be but a collection of buildings and a bunch of strangers merely coexisting if they were not connected by the (somewhat shared and somewhat personalised) romanticised idea(s) of Paris for which, no matter the hard facts, people still want to stay.

I think the love and hate relationship is typical in almost every European Capital. Visit Paris 10 years ago, hope to visit again soon, since this year I moved to Lisbon and have a similar feeling with the city haha

The power of a good video!!! Watched this, loved this, then subscribed and was amazed at the huge amount of videos that are perfect for me when I had a look at your catalog. I've watched loads of your videos now! Good old KZfaq 👍🙂

Born and raised Parisian here. I've lived there all my life basically (except for a year abroad) and I do agree with a lot of people in the comments saying that you have to live here to truly appreciate it for what it is, and to basically find YOUR Paris. Bonding with local people truly helps : they will show you their favorite places, and bring you on unexpected adventures ! Unexpected being the key word here : I do think people have A LOT of expectations coming here, and it's never good in some way. Unfortunately Paris suffers from this a lot because of all the movies, novels, photographs (and so on) featuring it. EVERYBODY on the planet has some idea of what Paris looks like and feels like, therefore it's never a blank slate coming here, and it can become an obstacle almost impossible to overcome once you meet the real thing.

Hi Nathaniel! I'm a Colombian girl living in Italy, and I went to Paris last week. I would say that at first I was really astonished by the entire city, the architecture, the color scheme, the people.... And I truly loved it, I think it is because I come from Bogotá (the capital city of Colombia) and I'm used to moving around a big city.... with all the chaos, the noise, the speed of a capital. I did the touristic things but I also had some friends in Paris that showed me other spots and I really enjoyed it. I feel like I can't describe with words the feeling that Paris left on me, it was magical.

Nathanieeel, this is getting more and more exciting every time you post something...Incredible! I first learnt about Sephardic culture from wonderful Yasmin Levy's songs.

This video made me reconsider my own city which is Prague. I love it so much for its pros and cons and I think that the little flaws create the unique feeling you get when you are discovering cities because if everything would be perfect you would loose half of the experience 😊

Living in Paris (in my opinion) is certainly overrated, but travel isn't. The thing is, Paris isn't a place for everyone to just run towards. From what I've heard, all kinds of jobs aren't available. A banker would fair better in Frankfurt than Paris. However, for artists like you, Paris is the center of the world thanks to the beauty of the city and its being as a center of art and history.

Awesome video. Shout out to whoever's making the motion graphics. They are wonderful. :)

Just a quick word about pickpockets - they are in most major cities worldwide and you should NEVER walk around with a backpack on (they are super easy targets) Keep your cash, credit cards and passport in a money belt UNDER your clothing. Ladies - same goes for you! Carrying your purse might seem safe but any theif with a razor blade can cut that strap and run off with your purse before you even know what happened...

You remind me of myself so much with your genuine excitement about life. Love it!! Love your videos too, thank you for making them.

Ah, this was really great. I lived in Paris for two years and then spent over a decade going back for business and truly feel as you say; it is a city that feels out of reality and when I continue to return over the years, it feels like I'm returning to a recurring dream. Beautifully filmed, thank you!

I went to Paris a few years ago and it really was never a place I particularly wanted to visit. But maybe because I had low expectations 😂 I simply adored every minute!!! I love Paris!!

Nathaniel, I watch your videos and I'm so enamored by your life adventures at such a young age. Watching you "grow up" is so sweet and I am so touched by your honesty and willingness to share. I have a favor to ask, my partner and I will be traveling to Portugal, Paris, France, and Norway over the course of three months. We have never been away from "home" for this amount of time in our lives; but being in our early sixties, we aren't getting any younger and need to travel while we are still well enough. You are an experienced traveler and have been robbed. What can we do to avoid theft while traveling? Any suggestions, uTubes we can watch to help support safe travels would be so appreciated. Thank you - thank you for your videos and education. With a happy heart and wishes for an amazing 2022. Mark

I found central Paris was all the things described in the video. It's great when you're young and kid free, and have a social life. There's a lot of lonely people in the city though; you can be lonely in crowds. The saddest story I know, was a neighbour who had a stroke, fell down behind her front door, couldn't alert anybody, and was found dead a week later, having pulled a rug over her for warmth. Paris was great when I was in my 30's; living there was nothing like being a tourist; I found it had more charm and secrets outside of the most touristic areas. Later, when kids arrived, priorities changed and the city became more impractical. Thankfully there are so many beautiful parts of France in which to lead a quieter life, and now I can just visit the capital as a tourist once in a blue moon. I've certainly found different places can suit people at different stages of their life.

I discovered something similar about LA. It's super Romanticised as being the place to go to follow your film making/acting dreams but as soon as you read up or look into it, you realise there are a LOT of bad things about the place. Despite this however, I'm planning on going there for a while in the new year, because I know there's still lots of opportunity and great things about the city, I just need to have an appropriate view of the place before arriving. Ultimately, it doesn't matter where you go, your thoughts come with you.

This is one of the best videos on the beauties and frustrations of Paris. You nailed it. I recently moved back to Canada after living there for 3 years. I miss it a lot.

definitely agree with everything you said! No place is perfect and at the end of the day each person values things more highly over others when choosing where to live. What is important is to not lose sight of the amazing things a city has to offer when sometimes bogged down by the cons of that same city. I remember experiencing huge disappointment when I studied abroad in Paris during my "Spring" semester and was faced with Paris in the grey, overcast and rain until end of April. It wasn't until i read the book Sarah's key while doing my semester there that it re-opened my eyes to all the history seeped through the city then and now, something I love about Europe and Paris vs. the USA. I remember reading about certain events from WWII in Paris and realizing they occured at/near the metro I took for my classes every day. My favorite thing you said was at the end, the indescribable feeling that you feel deep down Paris is a city where you can dream or be most yourself. I share that and feel that each time I visit, knowing I am meant to live there again, that I am meant to be more than just a tourist in the city

No. Paris is not underrated. I loved Paris, the people, the food. Paris stole my heart. I'm from Chicago, and I couldn't help feeling that Paris was my kind of city. I loved its lack of perfection.

As someone who loves Paris and wants to live there for a couple of years, who speaks French and who has a French wife who has a few amazing French friends, I have other cons: - the homelessness - the crime - it’s dirty and smelly - people care about themselves, not you - people try so hard to be cool & it results in them being more standoffish and judgemental - you feel like you have to dress really well to fit in - the strikes can leave you waiting on a train for 4 hours extra or unable to get somewhere, and they are super regular - the pay sucks Other pros: - Walking is really nice and the subway system, although terribly unpleasant, gets you around super reliably - It’s easy to visit other places in France & Europe (French rail is awesome, when there aren’t strikes) - being in love in Paris is just sublime Paris definitely has fewer pros than cons, but the pros are just really really good. It’s also weird to compare it to New York because New York is also such an extreme place.

This is a great video for introducing those who romanticize the city to what living in Paris feels like. From the food, the beauty, the endless "contiguous villages" vibe to the acute housing crisis, Kafkian administrative nightmares and ubiquitous noise and dust from construction/renovation jobs, you've covered a lot of the essentials. Good job, man! I, for one, never romanticized Paris. I came here to do a six-month course in French at the Sorbonne. That was over 35 years ago, and I've been here ever since. It took a long time for the French to grow on me, but the city itself somehow felt like it could become my home almost immediately. I'd lived in Barcelona and Granada a few years prior to that, in addition to spending lots of time in Trieste visiting family, but none of those other European cities had the same immediate effect on me, despite the fact that my language skills in Spanish and Italian were far superior to my truly sketchy understanding of French at the time. The difference is that Paris is a truly cosmopolitan city. Sure, it's French, just as New York is American or London is English or Moscow is Russian, but it also a city that has been a haven for People from Elsewhere for a very long time, and it shows in the general mindset. Once you get to know the language and people here, you understand just how tolerant it is. And as far as major capitals go, it is very slow-paced, even though few people who live elsewhere in France or have no experience with other global megacities would ever agree with that statement. What else can I say? Paris is safe. Certainly not Japan safe, but very safe all the same. I have never had anything stolen from me here. Over the past 35 years, I have personally witnessed only two physical altercations, and there were no weapons involved. It has one of the best public transportation systems in the world, a system that also happens to be affordable. Paris is clean, and getting cleaner with each passing year, believe me. When you live and work here, you never have to think about health care. And the trope about how arrogant Parisians are is, in my experience, an outdated stereotype. During my first months and years here, I felt that, whereas in the States the customer is always right, in Paris the customer is always in the way. That has gradually changed, and more often than not, I find that Parisians, especially the younger crowd, are eager to interact with people from other countries and (gasp!) even practice their English. Sure, there are drawbacks, and you have pointed most of them out in this video. But as you rightly say, no place is perfect, and no place has universal appeal. Different strokes for different folks. The one thing that really stands out above all other considerations is this: Paris is CIVILIZED AND HUMANE. Long may it remain so.

I loved your video and the editing, the musics that you choose, amazing content, thanks for that :)

I feel as though the “angry Parisians” trope is specific to American tourists who do not take the time to learn basic French phrases or words…as you mentioned earlier in the video, if you don’t start an exchange with “Bonjour”, you’re dead to the person. American tourism is notorious for the expectation that the world speaks English and therefore caters to them. The French have so much pride in their language that there’s actually an institution dedicated to preserving the language that’s been around since the 1630’s, so they respect those of us who can speak at least in basic terms with them! :)

Nathaniel, I'm enjoying seeing you open up more showing both sides of the coin with your life. I felt a lot of your older videos were focused on the romanticism of place and life, and now I feel like I'm seeing a lot more tempered views and nuance through your more recent videos. Bravo 👏

Great video, you've captured the Parisian spirit so well..can't wait to go back there and spend a month or so wandering the streets and getting lost in cafes and intellectual conversation!

I studied in Paris for six months, and I certainly have a love hate relationship with the city. On one had, this is one of the most annoying cities I have been to. There are often traffic disruptions, or some kind of protest going on. When I was there metro workers went on strike for a month, so I had to walk an hour to and an hour back from university each day. At the same time, I loved the "pulse" of the city. It is intense, inspiring and historic.

My grandpa lived in the 17th arrondissement. We would stay in his apartment when we visited Paris it was right beside a market and a bunch of little local shops that I loved. It was at times overwhelming with the metro and the tourists but there was no lack of boredom or experiences. I do not miss the smells of the cities in France. Urine, pollution, dog poop and cigarettes are not the best combination of smells. I can live without them. I am much more of a country kind of girl. I much prefer the small towns and villages in France (or anywhere else for that matter) than the city. I like the quiet.

Lived in Paris for a year. Hated it for the first two month or so, but once I found my way around and got to know a few people I totally fell in love with it. One other thing you might wanna mention are all those farmer markets that pop up all over the city, and you need a local to let you know the schedule. From cheese to vegetables to wine, everything is offered fresh from the farm and often surprisingly good value.

Loving the video production quality!

Thank you for making this video and your energy ofc 🙏🏻 it absolutely made me feel inspired to work towards my manifestations

Love this video! My first time in Paris was a couple years ago and I found it overrated and I hadn’t had the most pleasant experience with Parisians. My second time tho, I loved it! I also saw Paris through a different perspective because I spent more time with locals. You try to take your tourist glasses off then. I loved the architecture of the city a lot. I live in the Netherlands and most surrounding countries have similar architecture (France, Spain, Belgium, etc), but the Netherlands has a quite different architecture overall so I admire seeing it in other countries. I also found public transport to be very convenient there. Took the metro a lot and the bus every now and then. As a non-Parisian/non-French person, it doesn’t matter how many times I’ve been to the city. Because I will always be amazed by the Tour Eiffel, the evening walks and the streets. When I look back at my pictures taken there, I feel nostalgic.

Merci beaucoup pour cette vidéo Nathaniel !!! Tu retranscris parfaitement ce que je ressent entant que parisien depuis que j'y ai emménagé .. toutefois, t'as oublié, surement à juste titre, un point qui me semble commun à tous les parisiens : la chance !! En effet, être résident à Paris représente un privilège énorme et une chance hors du commun. Ça peut paraître un peu prétentieux de parler de "privilège de la vie parisienne" mais en réalité c'est assez perceptible quand on y vit à l'année. Continue de nous faire rêver comme tu le fais si bien ! Bien à toi 😇 edit. Paris c'est un état d'esprit.

I went to Paris for the first time in my life just a month ago. I was only there for for four days so it definitely was a tourist experience. But it didn’t disappoint at all. It was so beautiful and exciting and romantic. I’m already missing it. No París syndrome here.

Im 52...I always wanted to live in Paris and I never realized I could have just gotten up and gone. I have visited a few times. And I haven't given up the dream. And this vid just got me all reinvigorated. I will be there again later this year. I plan on binging a lot of your videos to get some inspiration. Merci Merci Merci pour vos videos.

No one will experience Paris the same way, it depends from where you come.I have been to Paris for a couple of days few years ago, by that time, I have no expectations about the City and I end it up by falling in love with it. I found it very intuitive to walk around the city, you can't risk being lost, the architecture is amazing, even the metro system I found it so practical and easy (I am coming from a place were the transportation system is so weak and kind of a burden) the city is so aesthetic and it feels like you are going through a history book or a "musée à ciel ouvert". Sure being a tourist is not the same as living there, as you have said, Evey place has it's good and it's bad sides, up to you to decide how much you can tolerate the bad ones and if the positive aspects out past the negative ones. That was an awesome video as usual, thank you for sharing this amazing experience.

Nathaniel you have lived the life of like 20 people. I love that you've seen the world and lived in so many places. Great video!

I can't believe that after missing your contents for quite awhile, I get a collab between you and Luke Korns! What a welcome surprise!

Great video Nathaniel! Honestly I like it when people who live places give a review

i lived in paris for a year, was going to stay forever, but moved back home because of the pandemic. this made me smile in memory of the adventure that this city has always been for me. can't wait to go back one day. merci pour cette vidéo

Hey, thanks for making this video! I moved to Paris in April this year, and though I didn't dream of Paris or had much of expectations before coming here, I completely agree with everything you said. Paris has its challenges, but it's such a wonderful, beautiful, vibrant city that has a lot to offer, and I'm only just scratching the surface. Now when I get asked what I think about Paris, I'll just point them to this video :)

Great video. You are a really good commentator, with a great conversational delivery and good observations. I hope to get back to Paris soon. I wish you had a list of places featured in this video.

Great vid! Inspiring, beautifully consumable. Thx :D

Great video. Surprised that you didn't mention "le système d" when talking about bureaucracy. Navigating French bureaucracy is an art form in and of itself. The example you gave of having a friend with you to secure a bank account is "le système d" in action. Another example: queuing up for lines. A line in America is one person behind the other, in the form of...a line. In Paris, a "line" is more of a wedge shape or scrum. Cutting the "line" is considered acceptable behavior if excused with a shrug of the shoulders and a casual "eh, c'est le système d!". La débrouillardise is a second-nature, core survival skill in France, especially in Paris. Another topic you could explore is the downside of the French obsession with food: they are constantly talking about food intake. Especially in Paris, where there is immense social pressure to stay thin. It is socially acceptable to openly chastise (bully) someone for their food choices: "You just had a baby, shouldn't you eat a salad?" "You're gaining weight. Maybe you should skip this meal?" The commenting on food intake teeters the line between unhealthy preoccupation and eating disorder. It is a uniquely French phenomenon that's particularly bad in Paris. Last thing: as a Black American, I have had the absolute weirdest racial treatment that only happens in Paris. I have spent decades perfecting my French accent. It's too perfect: I'm often assumed to be an African immigrant in my initial interactions with Parisians, and treated accordingly. I have learned that there is a social advantage in deliberately speaking French with more of an American accent. Why? I think it's the historical perceptions of Black Americans in France, from the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, to Josephine Baker, to the black G.I.s who helped liberate France in World War II. It's also the current perceptions of black Americans in French culture, from hip-hop music and sports. The French generally put black Americans on a pedestal. My French friends rarely refer to me as "un américain", but almost always as "un noir américain". I wouldn't think it was a "thing" if it weren't for the consistent, Jeckl-Hyde change in demeanor the minute a French person realizes I'm "un noir américain".

Merci. I needed that video. I was blue because today I had to face rudeness and crazy administrative rules. I couldn’t shake off that bad feeling but your thought rebalanced everything. I live in Brittany (le pays des crêpes que tu sembles apprécier) and those cons you mention could apply to the French culture as a whole. I lived ten years in Paris and I love the city. One of the cons that made it difficult to live there was the increase of poverty in the street. I was heartbroken everyday. I also lived in NYC and I love that city too but I also knew that It couldn’t last more than a few years because it’s constantly buzzing with noise and activity. Today I enjoy the sea side and your video was at the perfect timing to remind me that I love the french culture even tough I am really pissed off by certain aspects of it. Thanks for your great videos.

I lived in Paris for 6 months and absolutely fell in love with it. It definitely helps to speak French! You also should find places that make you feel grounded and lucky, then it feels like home. You get used to walking around the city & the metro quiet quickly, it’s not so hard to build a daily routine. I saw the same sights nearly everyday and the city never lost its charms for me. Just absolutely in love and would love to go back.

Wow, can't believe I just now discovered your vlog! Anyway, we've now been in France for two years. We moved to Grenoble. It's always funny to us that our friends consistently think we moved to Paris, as if France and Paris are synonymous. Anyway, we feel like we get most of what people love about Paris without many of the negatives, e.g., cost. The food, the little stores and "ateliers," the public spaces and museums, the way of living, getting around by foot, bike, and public transit, the narrow streets, the quirky buildings, organic construction that rivals nature for beauty, the a dense urban environment that's livable families and children. And on and on - so much of it almost intangible and hard to describe. And almost no tourists here and super friendly locals. So I always wonder, why Paris? Why not Strasbourg, Bayonne, Toulouse, |Lyon, etc etc. Of course, were in a different demographic than you so maybe other cities just don't provide the excitement and events that Paris. I have a friend from the U.S. visiting Paris as I write and after a couple of days in Rouen, he practically ran back to Paris. This is a university town and the students often complain about Grenoble being to small and boring. But coming from the U.S. suburban wasteland, it has a lot of vitality. As for some of the practical difficulties you experienced, we have been lucky. I found a Netherlands online bank before we moved that was fairly easy to open (Bunq) that works just as well as French banks (it's the EU). We also found a super helpful expat community that helped cut through the red tape. We even were able to get a home loan here. And the healthcare system alone has made the move worth it. We are now in the insurance system but even without insurance, the costs are ridiculously cheaper. Anyway, loved your video and I will be mining your vlog for more. Just subscribed.

First off, merci beaucoup for an accurate and beautiful summation of Paris. This synchs up perfectly with my experience of living in Paris as a fellow American ex-pat, who moved here almost 2 years ago as well! Also, not sure if you remember, but we bumped into each other in Montmartre, and I was one of the people who tried to help you with the infamous bank situation. haha Sorry, that didn't work out, but glad it did in the end. Bref, thank you for documenting Paris in such an honest and poetic manner. Keep at it, man! Such a gift of filmmaking, you are putting out into the world!

This video makes me still want to go to PARIS and experience it on my own but your little heads up would make me less disappointed if things aren’t the way I am imagining. Thank you Nathaniel

9:59 As an italian that was the same reaction and I loved that you put your italian friend's one. Tough I think we are also pretty aggressive when it comes to food.

I've been to Paris twice. Once for a week and then once for a month. The big reason for the two different time frames is that after I went for a week, I wanted more. When we stayed for a month I was so happy. Arguably the best month of my life. Was everything perfect and were all of the things that were supposed to be bad, that bad? And were all of the things that were supposed to be great, that great? No. You have to be reasonable and it all depends on taste and preferences too. This place hit practically every good thing that I'd want in a place. Were there things that I really didn't like though? Of course. But I couldn't agree with this video more. And very soon I will be back there for another month. Crossing fingers that the pandemic doesn't change things. Fantastic video and I can tell that we probably have similar tastes as well as similar annoyances lol.

Merci pour ce magnifique portrait 🧡Je vis à Paris depuis 15 ans et je suis amoureuse de ma ville 😊 J’aime tellement ma ville que je regarde des vidéos sur elle ! 😅Merci en tout cas !

As a not-Parisian French, Paris is definitely a place on its own. Both the pros and the cons are kind of unique to Paris. Nothing is as big and feels as expansive in France and probably Europe. And nowhere is as dirty, crowded as Paris. What I'm saying, I guess, is that you should go down and visit down here to the south someday ☺️

Your excitement level when describing the bread is EVERYTHING.

I have been to Paris only twice, for short periods of time. I LOVED Paris…..the food…..the sights….the architecture…..places to go, things to do….awesome place. The vibes…..right on for me. Will go back again if time permits!!! 🥰👍

Well, good timing. I just got home from three months in France. I tend to hate cities wherever I am, but Paris really spoke to me. It was a place I could envision myself staying in for a longer period of time, and as a person with perpetual restlessness, that’s a rare feeling. On the metro I kept thinking, ‘man, nathaniel drew has probably been right near this spot that I’m standing. that’s sick.’ Another absolutely bangin’ film. Cheers!

One recommendation about visiting Paris (that applies to everywhere else though) is try to meet someone via internet that is from the city and that will show you great places. My friend from Montreal came to Paris and loved it, and I definitely think that the fact that I was there with him showing him hidden gems made a difference.

Moving there in 3 weeks.. Super anxious. Thanks for some heads-up:)

I'm so impressed by you and the fact that at such a young age you became an social anthropologist. I love the depths of your insights and opinions. One day I hope I can do the same (albeit at a much older age)

This video is so so amazing, and considering that even I have been living for just over 2 years in Paris, I 100% agree with everything that you mentioned. The good and the bad parts, including the Paris syndrome which I had read about just a week before I boarded my flight to Paris, were so intriguing (no disrespect towards anyone who is or has suffered from it). This is what I love about Paris, the parts that you hate, you hate it so much, but the parts that you love, its true love in its purest form, haha.

I was in Paris only once, when I was in high school, it was (OMG!) 20 years ago :-o It was only 3 days. 2 days for city visiting and one day for Disnayland Paris. And what can I say, I love this city. Beautiful streets, buildings, monuments, architecure etc. I hope to back there and visit Paris again, maybe for longer to see more, to make photos, videos. Paris is greate!! Best wishies from Poland!! :-)

I stayed in paris a couple of months ago and I fell in love. I wasn't satisfied with the food I had, but I'm gonna credit that to perhaps it was a touristy location (2 blocks from the eiffel tower.) However, everything else: architecture, the WINE, the cheese, the candy, the river, to me it was like literally walking through some romance novel. Yes we all know it has its issues I'm sure but its so magical. I could never live there but it will forever be my go to vacation spot.

I actually walked right beside you one day after waking up at 4 am with my best friend and going to watch the sunset in Montmartre, it was on June 12th 2021 to be exact :p I got a sneak peak of you looking very focused on filming the scenery (which is understandable, the sunset was gorgeous), working behind the scenes... I was way too shy to come and talk to you though, I didn't want to disturb you lol But I realise how much work you put into each of your videos, which makes sense considering the high quality you deliver each time :))

I'm French from Reunion Island. And since I was a little girl, I spent a lot of my holidays in Paris where my grandparents live. And I love this city. For a time, I wanted to study there but growing up, I realized I find Paris too busy and overwhelming, the traffic is insane and I didn't want to spend my days in the subway. But going there for the holidays is always wonderful, because it's beautiful, there are so many things to do, there is so much history, so much culture and there is definitely a romantic atmosphere. Just something I noticed in your video, you talk about how cheese is amazing in France while showing images of pecorino which is an Italian cheese. Other than that, I agree with everything you say in your video. And I'm both proud and grateful to be French.

The problem with the French (and I speak as a Parisian) is that we are fully convinced that we are in hell when we are actually in a paradise. I'm probably the only one of my friends who love Paris!!!

Thank you to share your expérience :). Je vis à Paris depuis 4 ans et je ne m’en lasse pas :).

I visited Paris last year and to be honest I can’t understand the negative publicity the place gets. It’s a city of elegance with fantastic historical attractions, top level food and a vibrant atmosphere. The people dress with style and were friendly and accommodating. I will return soon. Greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪

I have visited Paris for the third time this year. It was unexpected and I certainly did not plan to love it. But, I fell in love with the light, the places, the metro system! I felt home but excited at the same time. There was always something new to do, another museum, another side of the river, another dish to taste. Not everything is perfect of course (rats, customer service, traffic, construction). And I do understand that tourism in such an iconic city can be so annoying for the residents... I hope the government can do something about the real estate. Nonetheless, I see myself visiting it more in the future. It fuels me with inspiration!

I visited Paris back in October 2018 for one week (after spending a week in Marseille), but I actually stayed in a suburb town Montgeron that is located probably 20-30 minutes by train from Paris. So the city looked completely different from Marseille that has a lot of hills, sea, beaches, sun, arabic influence. Paris was rainy, greenless, kind of dirty and fast paced, people were walking with baguettes everywhere lol So I didn't like Paris much (although on my first day I met a famous french rapper Gambi which I took a picture with lol), and I felt like in Paris people focus too much on fashion, having the most expensive brands etc. Marseille was simple, more down to earth. Although I liked visiting some of the less touristic places such as Nanterre with the Picasso Towers and some old Theater-type housing project building where guys were selling drugs lol Maybe im a person of nature but I actually liked Montgeron more, cuz it's a small town surrounded by nature. There are literally never-ending parks with small rivers where you could even see some rare animals. And the streets there look super cosy. So IMO, Paris is overrated but it depends on the person ;)

I spent 9 September days in Paris in 2015 before heading south to start my Camino de Santiago. It kept a part of my hear. As an American, it was the first time I've felt the AGE of a place, sometimes overwhelmingly so. If I was in my 30s or 40s again, I'd be living there now.

My favorite city in the world. Excellent video. Glad I found you and I’ll look forward to seeing more from you. Merci!

Good video. I agree with all your cons and pros, though I’ve only visited Paris four times. I’ve travelled all over the world and almost never go back to the same place twice…but I could easily return to Paris again and again. I think of it as one huge village. There’s always a new neighborhood or park or restaurant to explore and experience. I think for many tourists, concentrating only on the major sites may leave them slightly disappointed. They need to get further afield. I’m also Canadian and speak advanced French. So I’ve been told by French people that ability breaks down a barrier and is why I’m less likely to experience the “attitude” that other foreigners experience. Some of my best travel memories have been in what I consider the most beautiful city in the world. But that said, I don’t think I could ever live there! :)

The first time I went to Paris I was 10 years old. My dad worked for State Dept and we were there 6 weeks. It was a magical and amazing experience for a young girl to have and has helped me have an open mind to the world. The food and wine for me, even at 10, were spectacular. I've been back a few times since and it will always remain in my heart as a special and magical place. Could I live there? Not sure but last year I started learning French (again) but have come a long way in a year - so I might have to try at some point.

thanks for this video, to me it really sums up the good and the bad, Paris is still one of my favourite cities but I really struggle with the fact that people expect so much from it. I always tell people yes it's worth visiting but please do your research prior coming here, be aware that it won't be perfect, it's enhanced by the fact that it's so touristy sometimes it feels overwhelming.

I have visited Paris several times in my life. The first time I was 13 in 1977 and was with my family. We took the hovercraft over from England and had a VW CamperVan. Legendary - we drove around the Arc de Triomphe at rush hour and were astonished to see cars driving on the sidewalk - yeah really! Of course we hit all the highlights like the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Versailles and I was astounded. The second time I was a 20 year old backpacker coming over from Canada. I went to see Purple Rain at its premiere on the Champs Elysee (it was 1984) and had a blast staying in a dorm in La Defense while visiting my sister who was attending the Sorbonne for a year, while living in well, basically a closet, just down the street from the Arc de Triomphe! On that trip I met her sexy french friends who took me out for dinner and later we had dinner with her family - I will never forget it - we all got drunk on homemade pear alcohol! Driven back to our hotel late at night in a Mercedes taxi driving along the Seine at 2 am with the Notre Dame in the background, illuminated by a full moon. Legendary. Finally, last summer I stayed for several days after France reopened - rented a car and got lost and of course, ended up driving around the Arc de Triomphe, my old friend, several times before I got headed in the right direction. Paris was more beautiful and cultured than ever - and zero rude people. One of my favourite cities in the world for the past 45 years.

I saw you when you were in Mexico City, and I really wanted to approach and tell you how much I love your videos. But you were enjoying your food at a sushi restaurant, so I just walked away. Anyway, I do love Paris as well, and your work.

I stayed in Montmarte with a friend for a couple days back in 2019 during a heat wave, and I'll always remember how we romanticized the heat and the stairs to the point where we were sprinting up flights of stairs together, sweating buckets, when we could've just taken an elevator. There's truly something about the place that paints even hot, sweaty days in a crowded metro with magic. Great video!

Great way to described, I really like your videos... For me, I think you missed the Apéro time that I just love of french culture. Every time I go to Paris is like a romantic chaos that gets every cell of your body but at the same time pisses you off with some smells and trash around it, not to mention the abusive prices of some... but definitely in places without tourists everything seems magical and normal, at the point of wanting to sing while walking 😂. Btw I'm Mexican living in France but in a little tiny village around the Castle's zone and yep... Here if you don't speak french they don't even bother in looking at you or sometimes because of the accent that I have they'll go like: pardon? And you have to repeat even though it's understandable haha. Funny things happening here, sooooo different than a Latino is used to but I loved it.

Men, where should I start you're just so good in camera I just found you through the recommendations and you are the first person to convince me to get the VPN subscription and already hit the follow button.

Loved your video! I started dreaming about visit Paris since I was 17, when I discovered french movies. 🧐 But I only had the opportunity to visit Paris this year (I'm 26 now Hahah), I was there for 2 weeks and I feel like there is too many things I couldn't see, it was better than I expected, even with the rats. Now I'm dreaming about living there for a while. There is such a different atmosphere, everything is beautiful and inspiring, even the metro station ahah Maybe that's why there are so many artists living there, it's a inspiring city with inspiring people from everywhere around the world, different faces and cultures. Oh I miss Paris! Ahah

Yeah les travaux are hell - I had random drilling happen directly above my apartment for 15 minutes every day at 8:00 am for MONTHS. Why just 15 minutes at a time? Maybe if they did it all in one day instead that would have been better. Perhaps they needed to fumer une clope after 15 minutes of work a day and that's it for the day.

i love these transitions dude

Really happy you mentioned la lumière 😀😀😀

I lived in Paris for one year, and if I were to make a video talking about pros and cons it would be so similar to yours! It turns out that I ended up feeling too depressed like the Japanese haha! I left in 2014 and never came back. Your video made me feel less insane about the things that put me down at the time (particularly the angry French + impossible bureaucracy) but also refreshed my memory and heart about the things I used to love (BREAD, random allies, and all the cultural activities and the overwhelming beauty all around). Awesome video

It’s definitely NOT overrated. I love Paris . I have been there thousands of times and I feel it’s never enough because I always look forward to return . It’s a city that takes my breath away sand bring a smile when I think about it

I’ve been tormented by the desire to move to Paris for years 😭… I haven’t been able to make the Leap yet. Watching you may help me make my decision. Thank you for sharing. 😉

Being a french living abroad, you make me want to come back faster than expected 😂 really good and throughtfull analysis about this very particular city 👏🏻