Things a foreigner dislikes about living in Paris, France

By most definitions of the word, I am a francophile. I love the language and have enjoyed living in France and learning more about its culture. But nowhere is perfect and France is no exception, so let’s explore some things that I dislike about living here (in no specific order).

1. Dog poop everywhere

At least in the Paris region, many dog owners do not pick up after their dog. As a proud dog owner myself, I find this behaviour to be very inconsiderate. Luckily I think I’ve only stepped in crottes de chien once or twice in the last 13 months.

2. Paid toilets

Some public bathrooms require payment of anywhere between €0.80 and €2.00. Usually it is when there is an attendant ensuring the cleanliness of the premises, so I assume it goes towards their salary. Sometimes card payment is accepted, and other times cash is required (exact change, even). This alone is reason enough to always carry some cash and change on you.

3. Random holidays in the middle of the week

Where I’m from, public holidays are usually moved to be observed on a Monday or Friday, giving people nice long weekends throughout the year. In France, they are observed on the exact day that they land. I guess it’s better than nothing, but who asked for a day off on a random Wednesday? And what about that holiday that landed on a Sunday, when I wouldn’t have worked anyway?

4. Smoking is viewed as normal

Smoking is not stigmatized in France like it is in North America. It is a way for colleagues to bond, parents to de-stress, and youth to look cool. When there are more smokers, there is bound to be more smoke on the sidewalks. And that isn’t ideal for children, sensitive populations, and people who just don’t like the smell.

5. Poor seating arrangements in trains

France seems to love making strangers sit face to face in public transportation by arranging seats in that way. Whether it’s in the metro, the commuter train, or the bus, you are very likely to find yourself sitting closely across someone at some point, both of you awkwardly trying to not accidentally make eye contact with each other (or just pretending to sleep). Why, France, why?

6. Pickpockets

With a booming tourism sector, many French cities have become victims of their own success with regard to the number of pickpockets. While I myself have never been a victim, I’ve heard many stories of people falling prey to these thieves. And so even as a resident, I find myself clutching tightly onto my phone in public transportation and busy streets with a healthy dose of paranoia.

7. Card minimums

For small purchases in cafes or boulangeries, there is usually a card minimum between €5 and €10. Customers like me may not find it super convenient, but the minimum exists because each card transaction costs a flat fee to the store. And so it makes sense that owners would prefer cash for small orders.

8. Chaos in supermarkets

Shopping in French supermarkets can be a frustrating experience. For one, the way in which employees restock their shelves is chaotic. They pile tons of cartons of goods in the middle of the aisle in the middle of the day and leisurely transfer the items to the shelves. As such, aisles becomes difficult for shoppers to navigate, especially during busy hours. Sometimes the boxes are there for hours, and in some aisles they are a permanent feature!

Secondly, it’s not uncommon for things to be labelled with the wrong price. When you get to checkout and inform the cashier of the error, most will just tell you to either cancel the item, or to pay full price and then go to customer service to get a refund. And that’s a perfectly acceptable response here.

9. Tiny elevators

Elevators in France are small, usually fitting no more than 4 people. Smaller residential elevators often only fit two people. It can be pretty awkward when several strangers are squeezed into such a tight space. Maybe it’s to encourage more people to take the stairs and get some exercise? Who knows, but I miss my big American elevators.

10. Hard water

I’m not sure about the rest of France, but in Paris the tap water is very hard (i.e. has a lot of minerals). It leaves visible limescale on metallic surfaces, which isn’t super appetizing to see when you pull out a just-cleaned fork that is covered with water stains. Apparently hard water is also bad for your hair, and I have noticed greater hair loss since moving to Paris. And lastly, though it is technically safe to drink, many people say it also has a weird taste.

11. Parisians don’t realize how lucky they are

All this said, France is a very comfortable place to live with an amazing quality of life. However, Parisians always have a million things to say about why things just suck and sometimes it flat out annoys me. Sure, there’s always room for improvement, but when you already have cheap tuition, subsidized room and board for students, excellent public transportation, free health care, jobs that you can’t be fired from, 5 weeks of vacation, year round access to free museums etc., isn’t there a lot to be thankful for? I certainly think so, and that’s probably why I’m enjoying my life here so much.