Does Paris ruin you for life?
 

Ever since I set foot in Paris, 10 years ago, I became a devotee of the city. Paris has highly exceeded my expectations, that now I'm finding it really hard to feel awed by any other city. Every European city pales in comparison.
Yes, Prague is beautiful, and so is Venice, but Paris isn't a list of must-sees you cross off your list. It's a "mode de vie", a place you can never get enough of.

It sounds like you need to visit another part of the world - say, Asia or South America so you can have a different kind of city experience.

Different I'll give you, Kathie. Better; I'm not so sure. I have been to the areas you mentioned, and I'm firmly in Loaker's camp.

Laocaker posting something positive.

Alleluia ! My prayers were answered

Yes it does. But, my daughter and I are traveling to Toulouse next to give it a try. A big city but in the south and I think a little more laid back. Beautiful but in a different way. I will return to Paris but we're giving it a pass this next trip.

I used to think Paris was the "best" but in the years I've spent expanding my horizons I've come to think there are a number of bests, each in their way. And compared to my personal assessment of best in Asia, Europe in general feels a bit tame. Even boring in some ways, including Paris. But I still go back from time to time, just to make sure. Lately I've found Paris to be something of a pretty face, for instance, compared to London, now my favorite in Europe.

Yes, I like returning to Paris ( 30+ times) and several others cities in Europe:
Madrid and Barcelona (8-9), Berlin and Amsterdam (6-7), London and Rome
( 5-6).
We love Spain , have gone back every year in the last ten years.
Many other beautiful spots I visited like Prague , Stocholm, Bologna , Florence , Nice ..etc
just don't have the same "pull" for me )

I have seen ( and liked ) some other cities in the world : Sydney, Tokio, Hong-Kong, Jerusalem...but chances of revisiting are slim. ( distance / cost ).
I did like St Petersburg and would go back to Moscow for the third time.

South America is " on my list".

nukesafe, I love Paris, but Bangkok is still my favorite city in the world.

I just made a hotel reservation for a couple of nights of opera in Paris for NEXT year. We always enjoy returning but we enjoy returning to a lot of cities.

After I lived there for many months in my youth, I suppose it ruined me. I would never live there again unless it was important for some reason other than Paris itself. There are many other cities, towns and villages of the world I enjoy much more than Paris (in no small part because French food, while very lovely in many ways, it not my favorite).

But I am glad you found someplace you like!

Good point, frencharmoire, the food. I'm much fonder of Asian food than European and while I can find it there, including Paris, Asian food in Asia just seems better. No surprise.

Paris sera toujours Paris, la plus jolie ville du monde !

To each his own. I've never had any desire to return to Paris.

I actually spent last Christmas in Thailand and Cambodia. (Bangkok-Siem Reap-Phi Phi)

I was pleasantly surprised by Bangkok after having read so many bad reviews about it. The temples and grand palace are out of this world. I'd definitely go back, but I'm not sure I would live there. It's too dirty and chaotic for me to call home.

Most Asian cities are concrete monstrosities, with a few preserved temples here and there.

In Paris, everywhere you look there's something beautiful.(at least in Paris, proper) It's a real pleasure to walk its streets. It's a city whose beauty can be appreciated without having to step into a museum.

WoInParis, haha at least now you understand why I'm negative towards other cities. :D

Yes, my life has been ruined, ruined I tell you. I am about to go back again for more punishment.

It is my fav city. So much to see and take in but I still love to explore new places. This next trip is a mystery but checked the hotel openings for next weekend just in case.

Paris was my first love in Europe - London on that same trip was great, mind you, but...then there was Paris. It seemed almost magical.

But seventeen years later, I've been to many other parts of Europe (as well as back to Paris three times - and a fourth time a few weeks from how). And since then, I'm finding I enjoy big cities less and less and much prefer the smaller towns. The last time I visited Paris in 2013, it just felt huge and not as charming as I remember from my first visit. I didn't leave yearning to return soon. Rain almost every day didn't help.

We'll see my next visit goes in a couple of weeks!

Agree completely on smaller cities. Paris, to me, is either overrun by tourists or just not that interesting in other quarters. In France, I'd rather be half a dozen other places (Aix, Dijon, et. al.)

London is far worse - - what a generic cosmopolitan rat race (except for where there are tens of thousands of tourists). I'd rather be most anywhere else in England or Scotland - - the less trammeled the better.

Heading to Salerno in June (not Rome); to Zadar in June (not Dubrovnik); to the Orkneys in July (not Edinburgh); to Galway in September (not Dublin); and to Cardiff next December!

Other faves are Ghent or Mechelen or Leuven (not Brussels); and Utrecht (not Amsterdam).

smaller places - not matter how charming -
hold my internet for a day or two. Never wanted to return to any of them.
ok., maybe Toledo.

Love big cities with great museums, galleries, boulevards, the vibe...

À Chacun Son Goût !