52 Shocking Travel Destinations That Failed to Impress Even the Most Eager Tourists
And the RATF or whatever runs the trains targets tourists specifically: they sell you an unlimited pass but unlike in every other system the world over, they want you to produce a 2×3 photo of yourself to keep in a secondary card and sleeve. They don’t tell you this when you purchase from an attendant, it is written in small text on the secondary card; there are plenty of accounts online of how they use this to target and fine tourists to the end that I have concluded it is a specific function, not a flaw. They got us, tried to have us arrested, wouldn’t explain anything but just shoved a card reader in our face and kept saying “fine or police.” We realized what was up after looking into it; we did win the fine dispute and ultimately paid nothing but not before being held hostage, having our requests for information or further help rufused, and spending a hundred Euro for nothing. It ruined our evening and we just elected not to take the train anymore.
Parisians in general seemed mostly insular and happy amongst themselves but vitriolic and needlessly rude towards tourists and “others.” They aren’t happy if you speak the language, they aren’t happy if you speak to them in English, they aren’t happy that you’re in their store, they aren’t happy that you’re in their restaurants was the impression I was left with. For all of the times we felt just tolerated, there were two instances where we felt outright unwelcome.
I enjoyed our trips to the countryside infinitely more than Paris and we ended up eating a lot of Italian food just because it was a consistent means of ensuring friendly service. I still think most people should see Paris but avoid people and transit as much as you can, which is the exact opposite advice I’d give for literally any other major city I’ve been to.
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