Monday Night Travel—Paris vs. London

I tuned in live to the early show. The win was very close! I don't know if they post the recording of the early show or the late show.

Agreed, the format was entertaining and informative!

I was in the early session and Paris won by a hair. But yes, it was a bit more fun then the usual travel show.

I watched the recording on Rick’s website. I’m not sure if I saw the early or late recording, but Paris also won. We’re going to both cities in April so it was fun to watch.

I haven’t seen the episode yet, I usually watch the recorded version while walking on the treadmill, but I like Barbara’s plan. Why choose? Go to both!

I haven't seen it yet either...but agree with Tammy and Barbara....go to both if haven't been! I'm going to both in April too....have been to Paris the most often recently but just catching up with lots of London visits in the 80's.

I definitely want to go to both, although I’m a little intimidated by the size of both cites. So, for me, it’s just a matter of deciding which to visit first.

It will probably be London first (unless the rest of this episode convinces me otherwise). London seems easier to me because of the language and I think i'll prefer the food there. Plus, we did a couple of day trips to France (Strasbourg and Colmar) last year from Switzerland and we got a little scared off by the condition of the bathrooms. I know, it’s silly. 😊

I watched the late show and Paris won there as well. I’ve been to Paris 7 times and to London 3 times, and was in both cities this year. We had a week in Paris and 13 nights in London. While I really enjoy both cities my heart belongs to Paris.

As a London-phile, I loved London and would pick it overall for variety of day trips, and ease of travel. Plus I just "get" the British sarcasm/humor. However, food and architecture wise Paris wins, hands down.
If you swing both on a trip it's quite fun to go on the Eurostar and stay a week in both.

Edited to say, I must admit when the guys put on their berets, I immediately thought of National Lampoons European Vacation and the berets with their first names in Paris.

Privileged to have been to both.

I’ll take London over Paris each and every time.

Nothing makes me happier than wandering about and exploring different London neighborhoods.

I appreciate the history, ethnic diversity, public transport options, free museums, pub meals, river and canal foot paths, cemeteries, royal parks, and theatre .

I really enjoyed the new "versus" format that the MNT team introduced, can't wait for future episodes perhaps... Barcelona vs. Lisboa, Madrid vs. Vienna, Krakow vs Gdansk, Copenhagen vs. Stockholm, the possibilities are endless!

As for Paris vs. London, I've been to both (and lived in London for a short time) and I have to go with London on 2 counts:

Food: I think French food is overrated, a lot of fuss but not much to show for it. At least in London there is a great diversity of world cuisines to chose from, when one eventually gets tired of the heavy English food (which is day 2 for me lol).

History: I think in London history is more readily accessible and on display, from ancient Roman to medieval and modern. Most of pre-1870 Paris was unfortunately destroyed when Haussmann was given the keys to the bulldozer.

In the rest of the categories, I think Paris and London are more alike than the locals might want to admit lol :)

I finished the episode this weekend and was surprised at the end when it was revealed that all 4 of the debaters actually prefer london over paris. The 2 guys did such a good job arguing for paris, I as convinced that was their favorite city.

I got about halfway through the episode and turned it off

there were several inaccuracies which I found frustrating.

But I would like to point out there in spite of the London group saying that there is nothing older than the tower of London in Paris there is an amphitheater dating from Roman times which would be older. Heck they’re probably Roman ruins in the London area that are older.

"I definitely want to go to both, although I’m a little intimidated by the size of both cites"

Coming from a small town background (town of 800 for 20 years) and never having lived in a location that had public transport I'll say Chicago intimidates me, lol!!

Public transport in both Paris and London are pretty easy to master and as a first time visitor, I'd recommend staying fairly central so you don't get the feeling that it's such a large area to try and navigate large distances for your daily activities. Single digit arrondissements for Paris and within the Circle line for London are my limits.

I stayed in Colmar for 3 nights last spring and didn't notice anything off-putting about the toilets but I did not go in the train station. I AM picky about bathrooms and although a RS guide gave us a lesson in how to use the automatic self clean bathrooms I'm a bit intimidated by them unless I am with another person who can rescue me if I lock myself in. In Paris I generally try to go in a Museum or restaurant bathroom. The public ones at the Luxembourg Gardens that are below the Cafe du Madame and the toilets at Pere Lachaise Cemetery are the only public ones that come to mind and both of them were clean and just fine.

Hi Pam, I have not come across one of the automatic self clean bathrooms. I’ll be sure to avoid them when traveling alone. 😊

I appreciate the tip about sticking to the central areas. That makes sense. I should be ok once I start my research. Everything always seems a little scary until I get more familiar with it.

And I agree with you on Chicago. I don’t actually live there. I like to keep my location secret. 😊

I just watched. Thanks for sharing, very interesting.

We’ve been to both cities, Paris more times than London. We like them both but we love Paris…It just has a certain je ne sais quoi that keeps us wanting to go back.

We loved that episode of MNT, and found it very entertaining. Much more innovative than the other episodes, as good as many of them are.

The first time we set foot in Paris, we fell in love with it. Yes, we enjoy London, but Paris .... I agree with papillon54 about the "je ne sais quoi." Carlos, I disagree with you about the food in France. I think the salads are unsurpassed, and other, simpler dishes are first rate.

What brought up the comment about bathrooms? I don't remember any discussion of that on the screening we watched. Although it's always possible I drifted off at some point. It does happen...

Carlos, I disagree with you about the food in France. I think the salads are unsurpassed, and other, simpler dishes are first rate.

Of course everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I think I'll take an Ensalada de San Isidro over Salade niçoise any day of the week.

My opinion is that the French have been resting on their laurels since the 1970s, when they had the top cuisine. Now they've been overtaken by more exciting and innovative cuisines of Japan, Latin American, and Spain.

You just have to know how to see London. I pity those who don't.

Instead of pity, please enlighten those of us who haven't been yet.

Food: I think French food is overrated, a lot of fuss but not much to
show for it. At least in London there is a great diversity of world
cuisines to chose from, when one eventually gets tired of the heavy
English food (which is day 2 for me lol).

Likely not a popular opinion, but I 100% agree. I was consistently underwhelmed by French food from Paris to Nice, but the fusion of cuisines I had wherever I went in London was unsurpassed. Except steaks, I've yet to find a steak to my liking in the UK.

One stop in London that will give you a slice of life there is The Old Bailey, London's principal criminal court.

We spent about two hours there and we watched a cross examination of a key witness in a criminal case for one hour and the direct exam of a police expert in a terrorism trial. Both were remarkable and each transported us to different worlds, yet. Riveting - and far more compelling than what we tend to see in courts in the US.

Since you cannot take purses or day-packs or cameras in, check RS London Guide for the travel agency down the street where you can check your items for a fee.

Except steaks, I've yet to find a steak to my liking in the UK.

Funnily enough, one of the best steaks I've ever had was in London, quite near Paddington Station...at a French bistro, of course!

When I start planning a trip I go straight to Ricks Videos on my cities/places of interest and get the basics down, then go onto you-tube to see other vloggers trips to round out my plans and fill in some blanks. This one sounds like fun, look forward to watching it.

The Destination Duels are now a regular Monday Night Travel feature. The next one will be Feb. 27th.

The Destination Duels are now a regular Monday Night Travel feature. The next one will be Feb. 27th.

That's great to hear I enjoy the last one, what will be the face off for this month?

I think they are still deciding. The options are Madid/Barcelona, Munich/Berlin, and Cinque Terre/Amalfi Coast.

I was super excited to hear there will be new duels. I’m hoping for Madrid/Barcelona.

There are so many interesting options:

Edinburgh/Glasgow

Copenhagen/Stockholm

Budapest/Vienna

Put me in the London camp. The city has so much more to offer than Paris.

I think they are still deciding. The options are Madid/Barcelona, Munich/Berlin, and Cinque Terre/Amalfi Coast.

Madrid vs Barcelona of course, nothing beats "El Clásico". One has to be careful with the match ups, has to be a balance, comparable but not too similar, Paris vs. London is a good example of this.

Not sure if there is much difference between the Cinque Terre vs Amalfi Coast or Budapest vs Vienna to occupy a 1+ hour show however.

Madrid/Barcelona should be interesting; we loved both, but Stan preferred Barcelona, while I preferred Madrid.

Cinque Terre vs Amalfi Coast? AC, hands down!

The next duel will be Cinque Terre vs. Amalfi Coast on Feb. 27th.

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/travel-classes/monday-night-travel

Aww, I was hoping it would be Madrid/Barcelona. I'll still watch though.

@roubrat - same :(

Not sure how they're going to fill up an hour show with differences on Cinque Terre vs. Amalfi Coast, they'll definitely have to get creative on this one, maybe ChatGPT can help them out lol!

Bumping this up since the Cinque Terre vs. Amalfi Coast show is on tonight 😊

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_z-qUAodFSJ6KEqcSrHTHeg

The new duel (Cinque Terre vs. Amalfi Coast) is now on you tube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ngmcqjWMVo

And it looks like they switched partners this time. Can’t wait to watch tonight!!