Advice on travel to Paris?

[JWMster]

I won't characterize one nation or the other without visiting first... and even then I won't have met the nation, but a few folks here and there. Everywhere I've been outside the country and within it for that matter.... I've always found courtesy goes a long way. Jerks are jerks... and they're everywhere.... even I am a jerk (as a college roommate put it, "we're all jerks, just some recognize it and some don't"). Recognition is the first step to reform. And that leads to finding the courteous and helpful people by trying to be the same and not imposing. These folks are everywhere. Salesmen do their best to find them, and sell themselves, too... or rather let the others want to welcome them... the way we like to buy rather than be sold.

FWIW, there's an on-line Lynda.com "traveling photographer" (I forget his name) who offers the advice to focus our photography as much as possible within the golden hours and let the rest be travel, family, and tourist times. Take advantage of the occasional other moments of beautiful light, but allow ourselves to simply relax and forget the camera, too. That's WHY I'm taking a film camera and limiting my rolls to an ordinary level. The trip is committed to "one camera, one lens, one film". I'll miss plenty, and I"m fine with that. What I want is to get a few good shots, and to enjoy travel with my wife of 38 years.That will be enough.

 

[Dali]

Rather easy to find someone speaking a correct English in Paris, especially among young people. It is a different story in the countryside... Be prepared to practice your limited French!

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I won't characterize one nation or the other without visiting first... and even then I won't have met the nation, but a few folks here and there. Everywhere I've been outside the country and within it for that matter.... I've always found courtesy goes a long way. Jerks are jerks... and they're everywhere.... even I am a jerk (as a college roommate put it, "we're all jerks, just some recognize it and some don't"). Recognition is the first step to reform. And that leads to finding the courteous and helpful people by trying to be the same and not imposing. These folks are everywhere. Salesmen do their best to find them, and sell themselves, too... or rather let the others want to welcome them... the way we like to buy rather than be sold.

FWIW, there's an on-line Lynda.com "traveling photographer" (I forget his name) who offers the advice to focus our photography as much as possible within the golden hours and let the rest be travel, family, and tourist times. Take advantage of the occasional other moments of beautiful light, but allow ourselves to simply relax and forget the camera, too. That's WHY I'm taking a film camera and limiting my rolls to an ordinary level. The trip is committed to "one camera, one lens, one film". I'll miss plenty, and I"m fine with that. What I want is to get a few good shots, and to enjoy travel with my wife of 38 years.That will be enough.

Well, I'll say to keep the camera at hand all the time anyway, because Paris is just so photogenic. I'd love to see what you make of it when you get back.

 

[Sirius Glass]

This is very true. I found the French to be very courteous and friendly. Most of them spoke limited English. So long as you started off trying to speak French to them, they would gladly return the favor and try to speak English back. Between the two, communication was fairly easy.

I ran into many Americans while there. Most were of retirement age, cranky, and selfish, entitled jerks. About 3/4th's of the Americans I ran into while over there tried to bond with me over how rude the French were, but they didn't see that they were the rude ones. They were angry that everyone wasn't bending over backwards to take their money. They were angry that the food tasted different and that the cars were smaller and they had to walk places or take public transportation. They were angry that they came to a foreign country, and it was different from America. Every time I made it a point to ask them if they tried speaking any French, and every time they replied with anger over the thought of having to learn a tiny bit of a new language, even when you're visiting a foreign country (which is weird considering American's tend to expect the same from foreigners coming into the U.S.). Needless to say, I can see where the Ugly American stereotype comes from. In fact, I was often confused for British, Canadian, and Australian because I made an attempt to speak some French and didn't treat the locals like crap. I had one girl at a bar act surprised when she found out I was an American. She told me "I thought you were British because you're not fat and stupid". Had I met her on day one, I would have been furious to hear that. But I met her on day seven, and by then, it made complete sense. I had to tell her that the average American I met on the streets in Paris were nothing like the average American I meet on the streets in America.

My point is, don't be that guy (or gal). Learn to say "Bonjour", "S'il vous plait", and "Merci", and the rest can usually be communicated by pointing. The more French you learn (numbers are really helpful too), the better off you'll be, but if don't learn to at least say "hello", "please", and "thank you", you're going to have a bad time.

I was there last year and I found quite the opposite with the Americans. But yes learn at least the few words that you mentioned in your last paragraph.

 

[Charles Escott-New]

I love the area around the boulevard de montparnasse. Visit the Cartier-Bresson Foundation then a short walk to bohemian Paris. See the grave of Serge Gainsbourg in Montparnasse cemetery to see the glasses of pastis and packets of gitanes left by his French fans, walk and drink in the cafes frequented by Picasso and Hemingway, sit and people watch and photograph at la rotonde or across the street to la coupole. The most evocative is la closerie des lilas, just take your time. Leave the big tourist hot spots to the street sellers ,beggars and con artists, the girls doing the deaf/dumb routine is a classic, look for the real Paris.I spent a lovely Sunday afternoon in a small park which was a memorial to the lost Jewish population watching Parisian families playing chess and boules and tucking in to roast chicken washed down by the odd glass of wine.My favourite photo location is on the Ile de la Cite, where a huge flower and plant market is held during the week, then on Sundays this turns in to that most Parisian of things a cage bird market. This may seem cruel but it gives pleasure to so many older people in their small appartments. The customers are the main attraction. It reminds me of the work of the great Jacques Tati in the film Mon Oncle. Go where Parisians go not where the tourists flock. Possibly have a look at the work of Atget and Bressai to get you in the mindset before you go. My happiest sober memory is sitting watching retired men playing boules and , after asking if I could take photos ,being invited to join in, you don,t get that that by visiting the top 10 attractions. Whatever you see I hope you store up the memories of a lifetime. All the best, Charles.

 

[Charles Escott-New]

Sorry I forgot to say you can spend a lot on eating out in Paris but the best food is local, croissants collected from the boulangerie before breakfast, cheese and baguettes for a lunch in the park. We found a small restaurant with 6 tables only and had a most amazing meal of rabbit casserole, every one eating the same and not a steak and frites in sight.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I love the area around the boulevard de montparnasse. Visit the Cartier-Bresson Foundation then a short walk to bohemian Paris. See the grave of Serge Gainsbourg in Montparnasse cemetery to see the glasses of pastis and packets of gitanes left by his French fans, walk and drink in the cafes frequented by Picasso and Hemingway, sit and people watch and photograph at la rotonde or across the street to la coupole. The most evocative is la closerie des lilas, just take your time. Leave the big tourist hot spots to the street sellers ,beggars and con artists, the girls doing the deaf/dumb routine is a classic, look for the real Paris.I spent a lovely Sunday afternoon in a small park which was a memorial to the lost Jewish population watching Parisian families playing chess and boules and tucking in to roast chicken washed down by the odd glass of wine.My favourite photo location is on the Ile de la Cite, where a huge flower and plant market is held during the week, then on Sundays this turns in to that most Parisian of things a cage bird market. This may seem cruel but it gives pleasure to so many older people in their small appartments. The customers are the main attraction. It reminds me of the work of the great Jacques Tati in the film Mon Oncle. Go where Parisians go not where the tourists flock. Possibly have a look at the work of Atget and Bressai to get you in the mindset before you go. My happiest sober memory is sitting watching retired men playing boules and , after asking if I could take photos ,being invited to join in, you don,t get that that by visiting the top 10 attractions. Whatever you see I hope you store up the memories of a lifetime. All the best, Charles.

Yes, I spent time there, go into the park and down inside ==> Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation, Square de l'Ile-de-France, 7 Quai de l'Archevêché, 75004 Paris, France.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mémorial_des_Martyrs_de_la_Déportation

 

[Charles Escott-New]

Really nice idea Mr. Glass, but the park I meant is a little park in Montparnasse where the locals gather on Sundays. Many Jews lived in the surrounding streets but no longer. The memorial you mention is very much worth a visit, an atmospheric and moving experience.It was in the green next to the memorial, however, that I first encountered the deaf/dumb con. The Jewish memorial that affected me most is a simple plaque on a wall in Montparnasse saying the building was a Jewish school from which 50 young children were taken one morning. After nearly 50 years of visiting Paris I would not consider going to any tourist spot but I realise that on a first trip you must see the sights and the central museums and rightly so.I was fascinated at a young age with the 1920s and ready everything by and about Hemingway, Gertrude Stein and Shakespeare and Co. My interest in photography led me to Man Ray, HCB, Bressai but above all Atget, and so much is still there, there is an excellent Hemingway trail. The French regard Paris as the greatest city on earth and even as a proud Londoner I would find it difficult to gainsay that.All the best, Charles.

 

[benjiboy]

If you have any trouble with French just remind them that in the twentieth century we liberated their country twice.

 

[Ron789]

Be aware that according to the European laws on privacy you're not allowed to make photo's of people in public places without their consent.
In Paris, it's also not allowed to make photo's of many buildings for commercial purposes, like a publication or exhibition. If you make photo's for your own use only it's not a problem.

 

[slackercrurster]

Be aware that according to the European laws on privacy you're not allowed to make photo's of people in public places without their consent.
In Paris, it's also not allowed to make photo's of many buildings for commercial purposes, like a publication or exhibition. If you make photo's for your own use only it's not a problem.

Yes, laws are different in the EU. I was there in the early 90's. It was wonderful! I can't afford it now. Can't take pix of people with the new laws and that is all I shoot. So guess it is not a big deal for me. I got NYC and L.A. anyway, so am not hurting.

Here is something to consider...sounds kinda dangerous now. I was almost robbed of my camera by a gang a long time ago in Dublin. The thugs circle around you and you are blocked. Then they grab what they want. Luckily some police were nearby or I was in trouble.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Be aware that according to the European laws on privacy you're not allowed to make photo's of people in public places without their consent.
In Paris, it's also not allowed to make photo's of many buildings for commercial purposes, like a publication or exhibition. If you make photo's for your own use only it's not a problem.

They know that well in Normandy and really put themselves out to make the Allies feel welcome and appreciated.

 

[Lachlan Young]

Can't take pix of people with the new laws and that is all I shoot.

Total BS - de-contextualised commercial exploitation is largely what those laws are aimed at preventing, not art or journalism. And yes, there are ambulance-chasing lawyers in Europe as well. That said, behaving like a stereotypical street-photographer-asshat is almost always the cause of these 'stories'.

 

[Charles Escott-New]

May I wish Mr. JMWster and wife a happy holiday in Paris. It would be great if you could do a report back with photos ,which would warm the hearts of those of us who would now struggle to make the journey .Thank you in hope. All the best, Charles.

 

[JWMster]

Thank you to all. Thanks especially for the good wishes. I must say, I have been overwhelmed by all that's been offered, and will do my best to post some photos when I get back as gratitude. Photos I take will not necessarily do justice to the gifts of good advice offered, but perhaps they will bring back some memories - if I'm lucky.
My thanks to one and al. and very best to each of you in your own travels.... no matter how far, or not.