Letter 9: My Biases, Myself.
To quote my friend and colleague Tim Ottinger, here is the human condition in one sentence:
“I don’t have any biases that I’m aware of.”
If you’ve never been to Paris you might be one of those who have the romantic notion in your head (and possibly in your Instagram feed) that it’s filled with French bread, berets, kisses under the Eiffel Tower and midnight strolls along the Seine.
If you’ve been to Paris you know there’s no way you’d really want to hang out and kiss by the Eiffel Tower because it’s going to be VERY crowded, and you’ll likely be asked to buy a tiny little light-up Eiffel Tower by one (or 20) local souvenir vendors who surround every inch of its location.
If you HAVE been to Paris, you might have…
…had that romantic Devil Wears Prada bubble burst in your face and think it’s filthy and touristy because yep! It’s a city! OR,
…been lucky enough to know someone (or know of sources like Anthony Bourdain and the like) who tell stories of the amazing places to go in Paris that aren’t cheesy or obnoxious or full of a thousand tourists or restaurants where they beg you to come inside (NOTE: if this happens to you, run away).
I’m happy to be in the latter category.
I LOVE Paris. I love it. Each time I go I discover something new to come back to and I’m becoming more familiar with some of the neighborhoods. This time around I spent a little more time in Bastille.
(psst: Love wine? Go to Le Baron Rouge. Neighborhood joint. Inexpensive. Jovial. Do NOT expect fancy. Expect it to be busy and enjoy).
If I DO go to a known tourist area like Sacre Coeur I KNOW I’m going to a touristy area. Maybe I’m with someone who has never been or there’s something I really want to do there.
Either way, it doesn’t really throw me because I know what I’m in for.
Here’s the deal, and it’s probably very obvious: not all towns in France are the same.
I spent time last January in Rouen in the Normandy region, where Joan of Arc was tried and executed.
People on Reddit told me I would be bored in a day or so while I was working there an entire week.
They were WRONG! Rouen was darling and glorious! I adored it!
I went to Montpellier this summer for work and I loved it! It was beautiful and fun and I never wanted to leave!
And this trip to France I’m working in…Melun!
On Reddit people were all, “hey, don’t waste your time, grab dinner in Paris which is only a 25 minute train ride away (or, if you’re like us, a 46 minute train ride because we took the slower one).
They also said it was “dull” and “not enjoyable.”
Well, I’ve been in Melun for about 48 hours.
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