Moving to a new city is always accompanied by hopes and expectations that are usually fueled by the image we know from the media. Especially for big cities like Paris, it is impossible to avoid having some concept of living there. Of course, time spent in the City of Lights deprives every newcomer of misconceptions and shows what Paris is really like. Welcome to this unique guide of 5 things people realize when they move to Paris (according to an adopted Parisian).
1. Paris is much more than the Eiffel Tower
Many foreigners who dream about coming to Paris, fall under the Eiffel Tower’s spell. No wonder why. Almost every movie whose action takes place in Paris features this superstar. According to them everything worth attention happens around it.
The first thing you find out about people living in Paris is that the Eiffel Tower doesn’t make us excited. Don’t get me wrong. We admire and love it with all our hearts. We all have photos and selfies with the Eiffel Tower and threw picnic parties in the vicinity to feel its seductive grandeur. Nonetheless, as Parisians, we had to go to other places at some stage and discover the City of Lights. We know its secrets, its hidden gems, and what’s more important – its topography.
That’s why we find it difficult to abstain from smirking at all these clichés about it like pictures of the Eiffel Tower where it can be seen from the aircraft window. We are resistant to the movies trying to make us believe that Pont d’Arcole is almost the same place. Most of us live nowhere near the Eiffel Tower and guess what… we don’t regret it.
2. Paris is not a city… it’s a labyrinth.
Almost every person moving to Paris is eager to try the famous Parisian lifestyle. Which is globally perceived as sipping a little espresso accompanied by classic Gitanes cigarettes in a small café. However, the more Parisian you get, the more these little cafés you once dreamed of, will become as usual as Starbucks. Even worse, they will often seem almost identical to you. Once it happens, you will also realize that Parisian life flourishes behind closed doors.
Paris is a city of small streets with a plethora of places to hide. Parisians can’t resist and willingly succumb to this charm of staying away from prying eyes. The best bars and clubs are hidden behind unmarked doors (sometimes it is even required to be on the list to enter). Some are located underground. As if it wasn’t enough, many events take place in private apartments which are accessible only if you know the building’s code. It may sound discouraging for newcomers, but don’t feel disappointed. Sooner or later, every Parisian gets there. Just remember to watch out to avoid getting lost (or locked).
3. Paris is actually English-speakers friendly
Before going to Paris, you will hear all these crazy stories that French people don’t speak English at all. According to some urban legend, they worship their mother tongue more than anything and they look down on everyone who uses inferior foreign linguistic forms of life in France. It will make you wonder how your friends were able to survive their honeymoon when everything they can say in French is omelette du fromage (which is incorrect, by the way).
Admittedly, proficiency in French is a huge advantage when living in Paris. For example, it can give you access to affordable higher education and it will help you navigate through the Parisian mess I will describe later. However, the City of Lights is very international. As an English-speaker you will be delighted to find many interesting book stores and that most of the restaurants are prepared for English-speaking guests. You will be surprised by a myriad of places and events where you can feel as comfortable as in the middle of Times Square. But what about the locals? As opposed to the popular belief, French people actually can communicate in English and if they don’t it’s not their bad will – they just need more practice. Just like you with your French. A little tandem maybe?
4. Nothing is easy to get in this city…
We all know that moving to a new place where you don’t know anyone or anything is difficult, but if you consider living in Paris, brace yourself for a nightmare level. Paris is like a cursed teddy bear that turns into a grizzly once you touch it.
Settling down in the City of Lights is very complicated. You can’t just rent a nice apartment, find a job, get a bank account and enjoy your magnifique Parisian life. Almost everything in Paris requires preparing tons of dossiers and chasing after documents that are hard (if not impossible) to obtain for a newcomer. Not having a French relative is also troublesome when you look for an apartment and you have to be ready to get many rejections even if you are a living angel. During the first weeks of the Parisian nightmare dream, you will probably curse your ancestors for not becoming French citizens and making life easier for future generations. Unfortunately, there are many real estate agencies who often like to profit from our difficult position.
5. …but also… magic happens!
Against all odds, at some stage you will also realize that we, adopted Parisians, always manage… somehow. If luck exists then it must really like the City of Lights. Paris is a magical place where opportunities wait behind omnipresent mysterious doors. “Everything is possible in Paris” some people say and it’s true. There are many people who will magically appear to help you from nowhere when a situation seems hopeless and many friends to bond with for life. Sometimes even love or a satisfying and successful career. Paraphrasing Forrest Gump, Paris is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. And who can resist a box of chocolates?
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