This is how Paris, the city of love, looks on
Instagram.
The French capital is famous for its arts, culture and
rich history.
But does reality come close to the romantic pictures posted
online?
Let's do a reality check.
More than 2 million people live in the French capital.
It stands for beautiful architecture, Romantic streets.
It's one of the world's top tourist hotspots.
But does the city live up to its reputation?
Let's visit three of its main attractions.
First up, the Eiffel Tower.
Built by Gustav Eiffel for the World's Fair in 1889,
it's the city's tallest structure.
But taking romantic pictures like these is a bit tricky
and can be quite dangerous since you have to stand
in the middle of the street.
Plus, to walk beneath the Eiffel Tower, you now need
to buy a ticket.
After numerous terrorist attacks over the past few years, the
city of Paris has constructed a transparent wall around the
structure.
You need to pay to get past it and wait
in line to do so.
Getting a picture of this romantic structure from across the
river of the Trocadero isn't the perfect solution either.
You won't be alone, and that's not always comfortable.
The pictures online are Photoshopped, so everybody's dreaming of a
beautiful spot without people, but the place is overcrowded.
It's not as it seems online.
There are also lots of souvenir sellers who want to
get the better of you, and you really have to
look out for pickpockets.
All this is really not that pleasant.
No, I think it corresponds.
Yeah, Yeah, I think it's it's great in person.
It's impressive.
I definitely had a more idyllic, the perception of it
from the pictures and Instagram and what I've seen than
what I actually got to see here.
That gap between the beautiful pictures on Instagram and reality
can cause a medical condition, the so-called Paris Syndrome, often
described as a severe state of culture shock.
Instagram contributes to creating this phenomenon because many visitors are
addicted to the social network and incapable of taking a
step back.
They see idyllic pictures of this gorgeous, clean and safe
city with its beautiful monuments.
Then they're confronted with reality packed public transport, dirty streets
and sometimes even theft.
That difference between your fantasy of Paris and reality makes
the brain go off the rails.
People have developed hallucinations, become delusional and had to be
hospitalized.
Every year, the doctor treats dozens of people with the
Paris syndrome at his hospital.
So how about our second stop, Monmatra, with its majestic
Sacrecur Basilica, located right next to a picturesque artist's quarter?
Is this place as beautiful as people imagine it?
Well, the view from up here is truly breathtaking, but
again, you'll have to share it.
The hill is almost always crowded, and to get to
the cathedral you'll have to wait in line.
However, the queue does move quickly, and the church is
well worth the wait.
Built in the 19th century, the limestone building features beautiful
stained glass windows and has one of the largest mosaics
in the world, The Triumph of the Sacred Heart of
Jesus.
But the cathedral is not exactly a quiet place either.
If you want something more tranquil, cross through the Artist's
Quarter.
Even though it's always crowded, you can still find some
space for yourself in the quieter back alleys.
So what about our third stop, Notre Dame du Paris?
It's the cathedral where, according to the famous French writer
Victor Hugo, Quasimodo fell in love with the beautiful dancer
Esmeralda.
People from around the world still remember 2019 when a
fire partially destroyed the more than 800 year old building.
The cathedral is still closed to the public and cranes
tower over it, but neither fences nor bad weather discourage
tourists.
I think it's still worth coming.
Here you can see the biggest part of it, despite
the cranes.
The cranes don't matter.
The cathedral's almost reconstructed Notre Dame will partly be opened
again by the end of this year.
The bottom line?
Don't expect too much of Paris if you don't want
to get the infamous Paris syndrome, but the city is
still worth a visit.
You might want to avoid the Eiffel Tower, but Sacrecur
and Notre Dame are still charming despite the crowds.