Things to Know: in Paris
This is more of a beginners guide to Paris, but if you plan to live there or stay there beyond a tourist, this list should help you get started. I split this up in basics, culture, and how to stay clear of trouble. As for things to I would recommend you to do while in Paris, I will have to separate it to another post.
Disclaimer: I lived in Ile-de-France, which is just outside of Paris for a year.
Basics
French Logic - It’s a thing, I can’t really explain it but it is a logic that you never experienced anywhere before but if you live in France long enough then you get over the initial shock relatively quickly
Bureaucracy, you can’t avoid it - Starting from applying for my visa to working with different types of French administration, it is an experience that you will never forget.
Remember everyone means well - Probably not the most helpful group of people and there is a lot of “I wish I could help but I can’t” in their attitudes, but if you get to know them they are really good people.
Arrondissements - Paris is formed by arrondissements, 20 in total - kind of like neighbourhood. People will form their idea about you based on which arrondissement you came from. It was named based on pure French logic, in a snail shell pattern from the most inner to the most outter.
3rd & 4th - Artistic
7th - Lots of tourist
16th - where the most wealthy lives
Culture
Dress like a Parisian - Scarfs. Don’t ever leave home without it. You could be wearing a t-shirt but make sure you wear that scarf to keep your neck warm.
French Diet - Bread, Cheese and Wine. (Almost exclusively for many)
Language - Learn some French, even if it is the most basic: bonjour (hello), merci (thank you), pardon (sorry), au revoir (bye bye) - it will get you a long way. Please don’t be embarrassed by it, people will quickly change to English when they hear you - meanwhile if you begin with English, they will just look at you and say “pas d’Anglais” (which just mean we are done here …)
French phrases I find most useful: l’addition, s’il vous plaît (check please!) and où sont les toilettes s'il-vous-plait (where is the toilet)
When in doubt, use the most complex version of the word and put a French accent on it (saved me many time in French classes)
Be Fashionably Late - It is rude for you to show up on time for a social call, so always aim to show up 15 minutes later than the time your host tells you to. Unfortunately, sometimes this attitude carry over to professional appointments. (Don’t ever do that in interviews though)
How Stay Clear of Trouble
Public Transportation - In other places on earth, most people can zone out during their daily commute. Not in Paris. Here is are how to work with public transit:
First, always check if there is a strike (most of the time it’s planned). While you’re at it, note down the unavailable service dates that they post (sometimes they are everywhere, sometimes you can hardly find it).
Don’t crank your music up in your headphone to 100% - because announcements are sometimes very sporadic but important.
If you stay in Paris for more than a week, get a Navigo card. However there are some limitations to Navigo: its weekly pass starts every Monday (that’s right, don’t charge your weekly pass on a Sunday). Make sure you add a photo to your Navigo card (each station should have a photo booth for you take pictures on the spot). If a staff or personnel find yours without one they can confiscate it (it could be stolen) or in my case get yelled at.
Citymapper App > Google Maps App - I might have just committed blasphemy but no regrets. Due to the unpredictability of the Parisian public transportation system, use Citymapper to give you more variety and options.
Everything Needs a Hardcopy - You want to cancel your bank account? Write a letter. You want to cancel your phone service? Write a letter. Oh, and the letter better be in French.
Two Hour Buffer - If you like scheduling things with military precision, France is not the place for you. Many time it is caused by traffic and commuting (I can write a novel on commuting in Paris, but I’ll share with you the cliff-note version in above bullet). I would recommend you to put a two hour buffer between each of your appointment (unless they’re in the same building). Luckily, Parisiens are very forgiving on tardiness - up to a point.
