I have often thought about the cult of Paris, and how people seemingly forgive it pretty much anything. But when general strikes are announced, threatened complete closures, street scams, mass-produced frozen food in restaurants, overtourism protests, overtourism, riots in the banlieu (okay, admittedly this was a very long time ago now) ... what would be the deal-breaker for you? I see much of the grittiness of Paris is forgotten, but in other cities this is the main feature that people hate (Marseille). When would you say, no more Paris, I think I prefer (Lyon, Nice, Bordeaux, etc)?

Lavandula

I can't really answer because Paris holds zero appeal to me anyway, but what you describe applies to many major cities in Europe, not only Paris, yet people go back to them time after time.

Anyway I prefer smaller, quieter places and countryside, not only in Europe but on our trips to the US in the past.

Ah geeee, I'm afraid there is nothing that would be a deal-breaker for me for Paris. No matter what, there would be the architecture, the wide, tree-lined boulevards, the Seine, the restaurants, and having a coupe de champagne at a sidewalk cafe. In fact, I was just about in that worst-case scenario last November, when I'd marched off to Paris after spinal surgery. I found I could hardly walk two blocks. Still, I took a bus every day to a restaurant, ate, and came back to my lodging to gaze at the Seine. If no busses were running, I'd just find a closer restaurant.

Then again, Paris is a special case for me, full of nostalgia for when I lived there for a school year in 1977-78. I find my old self in several nooks and crannies of the city.

Any other much-loved destination? What would it take for me to stop returning? Crowds, I think. I fell in love with Sarlat, but my 2d visit was in May, and the town was shoulder-to-shoulder packed. I may not return because of that, or may return in March or early April. But, yeah, I hate crowds. Don't care if they're locals doing the weekly marketing or tourists gawking, I don't like crowds.

Fun question!

s

I tend to prefer smaller cities as they are walkable or more nearly so. Out of the UK I tend to go vegetarian anyway and while it is possible to freeze veggie food it can be very obvious. If I am eating fish or meat then I stick to simple dishes nothing complicated.

I find Lyon a bit big.

But hey for a cold week in winter Paris is still a great get-away.

If I worried about France having strikes and revolutions I'd have never have gone.

What they said. Large cities or cities in general no longer represent the individual culture or uniqueness of a nation and have lost or squandered their culture and traditions. Why bother? You have to get further and further down into the weeds and get into the areas where you can still witness and enjoy the culture and customs before they, too, are gone or diluted.

The only deal breaker for me is occupation of the city by a hostile military force, something which seems to be happening more and more around the world.

I�m with swandav2000, nothing can ever keep me away from Paris. This is where I went with DH as a newlywed 46 years ago, he a lowly third secretary at the Indian mission and I a student at the Sorbonne. We didn�t have much money, but did so many fun things and travelled all over Europe at every opportunity. Nostalgia most certainly plays a part, but where else do you find such a beautiful city, with some of the finest museums? The whole of France is gorgeous, and Paris the crown jewel 😍

No one had to fire a shot....

I agree. On my first trip (21 years ago) I booked a flight into Paris and out of Nice. I wasn't that excited about Paris. I feel in love. I still feel that way. I can't imagine that ever changing.

Last night I talked to an older woman (than I) who moved to Paris as a little girl. She asked me what was my favorite country and the conversation continued from there. She was born in Algiers, lived in India, Buenos Aires, Paris and Luxembourg. She married someone who doesn't like to travel but always asks about my trips. She shared her biggest surprise at her first experience in Paris - that people weren't dressed in long dresses and using carriages like the did in the movie Around the World in 80 Days! LOL

Her brother returned to study at the Sorbonne as well.

I love Paris more after every trip, not less.

After having been in Paris briefly a few times as a child (going to Lorraine to see my grandparents), I decided in 1971 that Paris was the city where I wanted to live. I moved to Paris in 1973 the moment I finished university and have lived here ever since. It might not be a perfect place, but it is perfect for me. One thing I like is how it keeps changing as the years go by -- but of course not the architecture.

I too am with Swandav2000 and Starrs: Every time we go to Paris, I come home with list of still unseen! I think reading non-fiction about the city helps fuel our interests. This last time (7th) read a great book by Diane Johnson who lived in the 6th, Rue Bonaparte actually. We ended up staying around the corner on Rue Jacob, and knowing what and where to see the gems of history -- original roman wall remnants for one. The Musee Delacroix, being another when we couldnt get into the D'Orsay (but seen once before) because it was Christmas week. Yes, this last trip with last week of Dec and first of January was a challenge in that I couldn't get through Place du Tertre for a painting due to the crowds. But it allowed us to explore Musee Montmartre for the first time! And on a previous trip exploring Passage Vivienne led us to the nearby Musee Carnavalet, a true gem. And so it goes! And it's a walkable city, flat except for the north. Our visits usually in Sept-Oct, with once in March (wet and chilly) and last one at Christmas. And every trip includes 5-7 nights in other areas of France after 5-7 nights in Paris. It works for us.

I can count the number of times I've been to Paris on more than one hand and would still go back. There is still much I haven't yet seen or gotten to. I think the only thing that would keep me away indefinitely would be the same as kerouac, hostile military force. I haven't been in sometime, but I do think about and when the stars align again, I would go back as each time for me, it's been different.

My first visit to Paris was 1972. I was 18 and I fell in love with the city.
I have been back 9 times since, as well as other parts of France.

I hope to visit a few more times before age finally catches up with me.

Aside from a volcano erupting in Iceland, I don't see what else would stop me.

Friends would ask, "You're going to Paris again?" Now they just say, "When are you going back to Paris?" So, it appears, nothing would stop me.

My first visit to Paris was one late November decades ago�The weather was miserable, but it didn�t matter.
Over the years I have returned more than twenty times .
I love big cities anyway, but Paris is like no other�

One of my favorite visits was a completely unexpected visit.
I was flying out of Athens, Greece on the last non-stop flight of the season with a Comfort+ seat. Delta wanted that seat. They were overbooked and kept making great offers. I was not interested. The voucher amount kept going up but I really wanted to go home. When they asked again, I told the Delta agent that I would give up my seat IF they found a way to route me through Paris...with enough time on the ground to make it worth my while. She smiled and said she was on it! I told them I didn't even need the overnight voucher (they had offered the Sofitel in Athens) IF my favorite hotel in Paris had an opening. She made it work! I was happy. Delta was happy. It was October so my clothes for Greece were not "enough" for Paris but I just layered up. The morning before my flight home was rainy but I got up early to walk around and enjoyed taking photos of quiet Paris as shops were opening and wait staff were straightening the chairs at my favorite bistro. Too short of a visit but a lovely surprise!


A rainy morning in Paris

starrs, I remember you posting about this some years back and thinking what a perfectly delightful surprise it must have been!

starrs, great story

I can't imagine anything that would be a deal breaker for me...

Seriously though, I was just in Paris last month after an absence of many years and thinking to myself-why haven't I been back here every year?!
Planning on returning next year for a longer stay.

On March 15, 1962, my then husband and I arrived at the Gare du Nord by train from Ghent. We were supposed to travel on by train to LeHavre but were told that all trains were canceled and that Paris was under military control. There was a total blackout. We walked a bit and found a nearby hotel where we checked in and learned that there were threats of violence by the OAS, a French para-military group opposed to the imminent signing of the Evian Accords that sought to end the war with Algeria. When we asked to make a phone call to LeHavre, we were told we would have to go to the PTT (phone company) office with an escort and we did. The call was connected and my husband spoke with his business contact while an official listened in. We then were taken back to the hotel where we spent the night. We were able to get a train the next afternoon to LeHavre. The accords were signed on March 18. A few days after that we returned to a beautiful city that seemed to have resumed normal life and I enjoyed my first of many visits there. Now I don't know if or when I will ever get back, but I can't imagine any kind of "deal-breaker" keeping me from wanting to.