Weird things about France all American travelers should know

When I first moved to Paris more than ten years ago, my first few weeks were bizarre. I was constantly locked out of buildings. My milk seemed to spoil at an incredible rate. And I was hyped up on all the intense espressos I didn’t mean to order but somehow kept drinking!

It didn’t take me long to figure out that there are some key parts of visiting and living in Paris that guidebooks don’t necessarily explain. In my decade in the city, I’ve gathered together a list of these things, so you can avoid the same unpleasant surprises that I encountered!

Without further ado, here’s what all American travelers should know before their trips.

Know your door!

Almost all apartment building doors in Paris have special entry systems. These systems include digicodes: special entry codes unique to each building’s front door. 

Ask for the digicode before leaving if you’re renting an apartment in Paris or visiting friends! I was stranded for hours outside my first Paris apartment because I’d forgotten the code.

Not all buildings have security codes, though. Some have video security with interphone numbers you have to dial. Others have a system where you have to scroll through a list of names and buzz the person you’re there to see. Some buildings have multiple codes for different doors. 

Don’t wait until you’re standing on the sidewalk in confusion (like me!). Always ask about doors in advance.

Don’t assume conveniences

I didn’t realize how much I’d taken for granted living in the States before I moved to Paris. Chief among these? Elevators! 

Until my current apartment, every place I’ve lived in Paris was a walk-up. And I still have friends who live on the fifth, sixth, or even seventh floors of their stairs-only buildings. 

When you do find elevators, they will almost universally be very small. I’ve had to send my suitcase up in the elevator and climb the stairs on foot more than once!

Additionally, air conditioning is not universal in Paris. While you’ll find it at fancier restaurants and attractions, smaller shops and most apartments don’t have it.

During one very hot summer, an American friend and I went to the movies, thinking we’d escape into the air-conditioning. But the cinema didn’t have it! We spent turns running to the bathroom to get wet paper towels.

If these accessibility conveniences are important to or necessary for you, make sure your accommodations have them. Otherwise, the best thing to do is plan to work your legs on the stairs and dress for comfort on hot days.

Don’t judge the prices… much

When I first went out for a coffee with a French friend, she noted how weird her recent trip to New York had been. She wasn’t used to sales tax being an additional payment on top of the listed price!

One weird but nice thing in Paris is that sales tax is already calculated into the listed prices. So, if you go to a grocery store and are wondering how much you’ll have to pay in sales tax, don’t worry! The price you see is the price you pay.

This can make Parisian prices seem sky-high—and they really can be. A walk by Ladurée and its expensive macarons is all you need to confirm that! But they seem artificially high because they already include sales tax.

You can pay for bus tickets by text

Sure, Paris doesn’t always have the same conveniences that American cities do. But it does have one huge bonus: you can buy bus tickets on the go.

Normally, you can only buy bus tickets via the RATP app, at a tabac (tobacconist), or at a Métro station. But happily, you can now buy them by text if you have a local number. If you’ve bought a Paris SIM card, this applies to you.

Before you get on the bus, text BUS+Number (e.g. BUS29) to 93100. You’ll be charged €2.50 for it, but €5 from July to September 2024 due to the Olympics.

You CAN get American-style coffee!

Well, kind of. It’s not drip coffee, but it’s not the intense espresso that ordering “un café” will get you, either. To get a lighter, bigger coffee, order an “allongé.” Normally, cafés serve this with sugar on the side, but you’ll have to request milk.

You don’t have to be a smoker to love a tabac

“Tabacs” are tobacconist shops, and—no surprise—they’re everywhere in Paris. But they’re not just for tobacco products. 

You can buy all manner of things at tabacs: stamps, lottery tickets, newspapers and magazines, maps, souvenirs, parking discs, phone cards, and subway/bus tickets.

Some tabacs also include a small café. You likely won’t get the best coffee of your life here, but it will be cheap!

Sundays mean closures

It took me years to get out of the habit of assuming everything would be open on a Sunday in Paris. Most things aren’t! And if they are, they often have shortened hours. This is especially true for small local businesses and Paris neighborhoods outside the city center.

The main things to plan for are medications and food. 

Learn where the nearest 24-hour pharmacy is, as these are usually open on Sundays. Or, buy your medications on Saturday. The same goes for grocery stores: stock up if you’re planning to cook!

Public holidays are very different—and frequent

There are a ton of public holidays in France—which is great! But you need to plan for them because I’ve been flummoxed dozens of times to find museums, shops, and cafés closed in the middle of the week.

May is particularly packed full of holidays, including Labor Day (May 1), V-E Day (May 8), Ascension, and Pentecost. France is a predominantly Catholic country, so many Catholic holidays are public holidays, as well. The one I always forget is Assumption, which happens in August every year!

Pharmacies are great but limited

Parisian pharmacies are (rightfully) celebrated as great places to do beauty shopping and stock up on essentials. But don’t expect an American-style Walgreens or CVS! You won’t find food, home goods, or other sundries here. 

In Paris, pharmacies are only permitted to sell products related to health and beauty. Of course, they can also dispense prescriptions and over-the-counter medications.

For miscellaneous products, try stores like Monoprix, grocery stores, or department stores. Monoprix is my favorite recommendation. It is the closest thing France has to a store like Target that offers a wide selection of products.

Bring a tote bag

Most stores will charge you for a shopping bag. If a choice is available, plastic is usually more expensive than paper, but tote bags are sometimes available. It only costs a few centimes to buy a disposable bag, but why waste the money and the material?

I have tote bags that I’ve used for years for my groceries. Buy a reusable tote or bring one!

Foreign charges add up—fast

For my first few months in France, I was still using my American debit card. I still do when I have to, but I try to minimize how often I use it. For each transaction, I get charged a percentage of the sale as a foreign conversion fee. If I were to only use my American card each month, I’d be paying dozens (if not hundreds) of dollars in foreign charges.

Make sure you know your bank’s policy on foreign charges. Even when you’re sure you do, keep an eye on your bank accounts and credit card statements to check that they’re what you expected!

You may NEED a VPN

Some U.S. websites won’t work in Paris without a VPN. For example, I can’t access my American bank’s website without a VPN that puts my computer’s virtual signal in the US. 

But even some less important websites are inaccessible without one. For example, some streaming services such as Hulu are inaccessible without a VPN.

Milk is… different

When I first arrived at my rental apartment in Paris, the hosts had left milk on the counter. I was shocked. A French friend laughed at me—didn’t I realize that French milk is ultra-heat treated rather than pasteurized? In other words, milk doesn’t need to be refrigerated.

That is, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated until it’s opened. This finer point of French cuisine escaped me until I finally asked someone why all French milk went bad after a day.

Pasteurized milk is increasingly common in France. But unlike the big shelves that hold the UHT milk, you’ll find pasteurized milk in refrigerated cases. There’s usually a smaller selection than for UHT milk.

Window shopping is doubly delightful

When I lived in New York, I was always enraptured by boutiques’ gorgeous window displays, but terrified to go in having no idea what anything cost. In Paris, I don’t have that problem. 

Clothing stores and realtors post the prices of their products in the display windows. If you see something you like while window shopping, just look for the corresponding price tag!

The same goes for realtors. One of my favorite ways to kill time when waiting for someone is to check out real estate window displays. These not only show full apartment listings, but they also give rental or sale prices for the properties shown!

Don’t expect all your apps to work

As I’ve lived in France for longer and longer, American tech keeps developing—and it’s not always available in Paris. For example, Lyft doesn’t run in Paris (though Uber does). And if there’s a way to download Venmo onto my French phone, I haven’t figured it out yet.

Lastly, take everything in stride!

These are just a few unexpected differences to take into consideration when planning a trip to Paris. I’m sure that during your trip, you’ll find many other differences, from the delightful to the bizarre. Just keep in mind—every frustrating experience will turn into a fun story to tell later on!

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Speaking of stories, I interviewed my sister about her visit to Paris. Read it next!