I’ve always loved the idea of Paris, and I was so excited to finally go last month. As soon as I arrived, it lived up to all expectations. It’s beautiful… cultural… and surprisingly, laid back.

And while I expected the beauty, there were a few things that did catch me by surprise… so here’s 3 things no one tells you about Paris!

EVERYONE SMOKES

One thing that I noticed when I was in Paris was how much everyone smoked. I don’t know whether it’s a European thing, or that Britain has really steered away from it, but 99-percent of the Parisians I saw smoked. And really young people too! I think I am just so used to people swapping real cigarettes for E-cigs, so smelling and seeing someone with a real one was a little shocking to me. All the cafes and restaurants cater for smokers too, as all the outside tables had ashtrays on them ready and waiting.

COMMUTERS JUMP OFF TRAINS WHILE THEY’RE STILL MOVING

Yes. The most shocking thing I saw while in Paris was how the doors of some underground trains opened before it had actually came to a stop. That means people were just jumping onto the platform while the train was slightly moving! I only saw it a couple of times, but that was enough to catch my eye.

PARISIANS ARE REALLY NICE PEOPLE

But the nicest thing I noticed while in Paris was how kind the people where. French people have this stereotype of being really rude, but I actually found Parisians to be the opposite. A lot of people have said that’s because I really made the effort to try and speak French – from just saying bonjour and merci. I found them to all be really sweet and helpful, whether they were young or old, working in a bar or just out on the street. I don’t know where that stereotype has come from.

So these are just three quirky characteristics I found when I was in Paris, but I”m sure there’s plenty more. It’s such a unique and wonderful city, there’s no where on Earth quite like it. If you haven’t been, I couldn’t recommend it more!

For more on what to expect when you visit Paris, here’s a great artice:

https://theculturetrip.com/europe/france/paris/articles/17-things-about-visiting-paris-no-one-tells-you/

And if you want to know more about my trip to Paris, here’s some of my other articles:

What I Ate and Drank in Paris

Have you been to Paris? Did you notice any other weird and wonderful things about the city? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear about them!

paris three things they don't tell you about paris travel travel blogger