Paris Syndrome is a real thing, but not everybody has the same experience, with many first time visitors having the reverse Paris Syndrome effect.
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Do you remember your first trip to Paris? In retrospect, and in complete honesty, how did you feel about it?
Think about it, and soon you will know whether you had the Paris Syndrome or not.
What is the Paris Syndrome?
When someone travels to Paris for the first time, and they are completely disappointed and underwhelmed, to the point that they feel physically sick or depressed, that's the Paris Syndrome.
The term was coined after a set of Japanese visitors went through the Paris syndrome condition.
Paris is known as the city of love, and people from all over the world imagine it to be this perfectly romantic place.
I have heard it times over, “I want to travel to Paris because it's dreamy”, and you surely know someone who expressed this dream.
These are unreal expectations, and I most definitely had the Paris syndrome on my first trip to the city in 2011.
I wasn't physically sick, but I was super disappointed. I was still new to Europe, so I understand the expectations that Asians or Americans might have about Paris.
Although, my wife (being also French), and her family, had warned me before our visit, that Paris wasn't as glamorous as advertised.
Having lived in Europe and after having visited Paris several times after that, my outlook towards Paris changed.
Did you have the Paris Syndrome on your first visit to Paris, or was it the Reverse Paris Syndrome?
What's the Reverse Paris Syndrome?
It's the opposite of the Paris Syndrome, when you are smitten and infatuated by the city. You see everything through rose-colored glasses.
You can't get enough of Paris and spend hours in Bistros and Brasseries in Montmartre and the wonderful, enchanting parks such as the Luxembourg Gardens.
How to NOT get the Paris Syndrome on your First Visit?
The reality of Paris is that it's just another city in Europe, and it's not really the cleanest of them all. Just like Milan in Italy, it can be underwhelming, and you anticipated more of the city.
This is especially true when the people of Paris are protesting. E.g. The garbage collectors strike in 2023.
Remember, France and Paris are always under the spell of a protest and this world city can be messy at times, and that's ok.
Set your expectations right and head to specific spots in Paris. Money can buy you access to the best experiences, especially if your lover takes you on a romantic weekend trip to the Ritz in Paris.
You don't have to see the ugly quarters of Paris, instead focus on the prettiest corners, the ones that inspire you and make you dream.
And for all that's holly, do not ever move to Paris. You will just get disillusioned when reality hits you (and it will!).
Emily in Paris (the Netflix show) literally moved to Rome and got seduced by Solitano and her Italian beau, leaving us wondering if she will ever come back to Paris.
At last, Parisians are not known as the happiest people in the world, just let that sink in.
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