7 lies that everyone tells you about Paris

Paris is definitely my favorite, I visit it more than any other city in the world and I am already looking forward to settling down on the terrace of L’ Avenue in May, but I need to get something off my chest. Because there are a lot of rumors about Paris that are simply not true.

Paris is the most romantic city in the world

I only walk around arm in arm and kissing when I'm with my sweetheart, hopping from restaurant to bar. But research shows that ‘people’ actually find Venice to be the most romantic city in the world. But Paris is of course the most beautiful.

You can sit so wonderfully on terraces in Paris

That is basically true, almost every establishment has a terrace but what people often forget to mention is that this is a kind of living ashtray. If you still want to settle on a terrace, I recommend you just smoke a bit. Très Parisienne and you won't be annoyed by the people next to you.

Parisiennes are rude and arrogant

Then you haven't met my Marie Claire colleagues Sèverine and Sylvie yet. And our friends from Vuitton. They may walk a few steps faster than we do and don’t nod and wave bonjour over the boulevards, but really, you can laugh, eat, and drink with them just as easily as here.

Parisiennes always drink wine at lunch

France and wine, that equals Naples and pizza Margherita for us. But really, go have lunch with a Parisienne and she orders water, bet? Want to show off your Parisian best? Then order a Badoit, that’s the most French and tastiest water you’ll find.

The understated style of Parisiennes costs nothing

Although you will never see a Parisian it-girl flashing a logo, that doesn’t mean she scores her clothes in cheap shops. The right Left Bank look calls for the most expensive labels, with the reason why it’s so expensive being kept as hidden as possible.

Paris is too expensive to shop

For the average person, clothes in Paris are almost unaffordable. Go to concept store Merci and you’ll pay 125 euros for a pair of panties. If, like me, you don’t get very happy from vintage shops in Le Marais, it gets tricky because the prices are high. But of course, I have done a lot of fieldwork (#hetis my job 1TP5Someone has to do it) and I can whisper a few labels to you that are financially doable. Maje, Sandro, Vanessa Bruno. And on the first day of the sale, right in front of Le Bon Marché, the prices immediately drop. Even my very top boss from Marie Claire International jumped into a taxi that day with her credit card in her right hand to do some shopping.

Paris is not as cozy as Amsterdam

Whoever says this has never been to the Fête de la Musique. On the longest day of the year (very good, June 21) there is music everywhere on the streets. People drink, sing, and dance. It’s almost as fun as King’s Day. The nice thing is that when you go to the Fête de la Musique, you are treated to the summer sales afterwards. They start three days later this year, on June 24. I would say, hop, the Thalys in.