Currently in Paris - boy is it crowded!

April in Paris. (music emoji)

As the story goes , the intent was actually meant to be " May in Paris " ( the weather is better then ) , but it needed two syllables to make it work with Vernon Duke's music . Arguably ,the best performance of it - https://youtu.be/u2OkHbT5yFQ

No not Dawn Upshaw. Try a classic performance Ella and Louis

Sorry , Dawn Upshaw for me , captures the mood best !

But let's hear Ella's take. Live from Brussels in 1957.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZxrvslGt5w

Thanks for the heads up JR — we were thinking there would be fewer people, that was until we got on our flight to NYC on Thursday. The hotel shuttle was packed at 3 am (they had to call a second one) and all three airports were as well. NYC is hopping with crowds of people everywhere. Masking is present but in the minority.

We fly to Pairs tomorrow, and have our masks packed. We plan on wearing them inside and anytime we are surrounded by crowds.

France also just had a presidential election. Could be why Paris is crowded.

France also just had a presidential election. Could be why Paris is crowded.

Plus it was just Easter and maybe school holidays

I just received a photo from my friend who lives there - the bateau mouches are packed solid. We’re headed to Switzerland soon and hope there are fewer travelers there. 🤞

Pent up demand, the world missed spring break two years in row

Hi,

Thanks for this current info. Sounds good ! Fantastic that the visitors are back !

On the mask issue I will have it on anyway, regardless of indoors or outdoors as I do here.

We left Paris yesterday after a week there and yes, it was very crowded. We had the same experience with people not wearing masks (yes, I realize there is no longer a mandate) but we wore our indoors and in crowded situations anyway.

I agree with Andrea and others. I think it has nothing to do with the election and everything to do with pent up demand!

I was in a restaurant early the other night and of the 5 tables filled, 2 were English speaking and the other 3 were German speakers.

I’ve been here just under 2 weeks in addition to Paris spent a few nights in Colmar which was also shoulder to shoulder.

Also…yes to allergies. I’ve tested myself because of symptoms I “thought” were allergies and yea…negative for Covid.

I’m wearing my N95s inside, outside, all the time unless I’m eating. As the days go by I’m seeing fewer masks on the Metro.

Yes. Allergies. I've been tested too. Bring your Claritin.

It's French spring break for the whole country this week A lot of families go to Paris or send the children to stay with Parisian grandparents. School groups go to Paris from all over Europe in the spring. Families from all over Europe are in France. Paris is always mobbed in the spring--and with 2-years' demand, missed school trips....

Around Easter is a holiday season all over Europe. Indeed, the crowds in town reminded me of the good old pre-Covid days, which is a good thing in my book!
The city should get quieter now, as Paris school holidays have started, those of other regions have ended, and it is no longer holiday season in neighboring countries.
At least, the sheer amount of people leaving the city at Gare Montparnasse this morning at 7 AM certainly makes me think it will be the case!

I just got back from a week in Paris. Yes. SO crowded. Long lines for Berthillon ice cream and Shakespeare and Co. What??? I cannot imagine what the major museums were like. I mostly went to churches and cemeteries. Free and not crowded. Except Sacre Coeur for some reason.
The cafes did seem to free up about mid week. The weather was glorious. I'm sure that added to the crowding.

Kateja, I saw the line at Shakespeare and Co on Saturday and shared the same disbelief 😂. Never really understood the hype.

It is not particularly crowded except that we have become so used to COVID times. In October it was not crowded at all; it was glorious. Definitely get tickets ahead for everything. We made the mistake of not getting tickets for Albert Kahn which we have never visited where there was a line. We waited a long time in the queue for those without tickets while those with waltzed by and in with no wait.

Masking is pretty good on the metro although it depends on time of time and line. Mostly it is about 95% -- although coming back late last night there were lots more people without masks and quite a few men with the mask below their nose. Elsewhere, no masks.

We were in the Orsay on a rainy Friday a couple of weeks ago and it was horribly crowded and I'd say maybe 10% were masked. Louvre the same -- almost no masks. In stores, I see lots of elderly people with masks but most others not.

So yes crowded, get tickets ahead and expect to be exposed to the coughs and sneezes of everyone else.

Yes to Shakespeare and Co. Went by yesterday and people were lined up. But then they are lined up for things I never even thought about. Walk along Rue Cler and wow. Every cafe table is packed. I am sure the businesses are all glad the tourists are out spending. I was just glad to be back in Paris.

We touch down in France on June 28 and I, for one, am elated that fewer people are masking!!! I want to see beautiful faces!!!

@Jimmy666 - exactly what a coronavirus would say.

Then it's about time to have the mask and keep it on, isn't it? The OP's comments suggest that the mask is worn more diligently in southern France.....bravo !

I don't know where in southern France, but I was in Marseille around Easter and nobody was wearing a mask around St Charles station despite the mandate in public transport.
Otherwise, it is difficult to blame people for not wearing a mask when not mandated. We French people need to be told what to do 😂.

FWIW I was just in Washington DC and nary a mask to be seen. Even on Delta it seemed like only the flight attendants were wearing and there was no mention during the PA announcements.