France: Ile de France: Paris: Rive Droite: 18e Arrondissement: Montmartre: Basilique Du Sacré-Coeur

Muriel
Los Angeles

Worth visiting!

A tip I have about this place

Whether your going up or down, there are peddlers and vendors who know you’re a tourist. If you stop to listen to them, they will NOT leave you alone.

We were leaving Sacre-Coeur and a guy (from Africa, he says), grabbed my husband’s finger very kindly and started braiding a bracelet. I thought, ‘oh, how nice, a token for our honeymoon.’ Another guy (also from Africa) grabs my finger and starts doing the same thing. They were very nice, congratulated us on our marriage, wished us the best, etc.

Then they said “10-10”, and I thought, 10 euro for both? Well, that’s a bit much, but hey, whatever. Then they reiterated 10 EURO FOR EACH – can you believe that? We didn’t even ask for the damn pieces of string!

I lied and said I had no euro and gave them a $20 bill, which I knew was about 13.50 euros. Then one of them had the nerve to ask for the change in my hand “for a cup of coffee”. WTF?! I just GAVE you a $20 bill! Coffee is expensive there, but I’m sure 13 euros would cover it.

Peddlers in Paris have no sense of value – they will ask for an outrageous amount and won’t really barter down for it.

So, I thought I would warn anyone who visits. Our cousin had been here and hadn’t bothered to warn us about these people; that they even followed her all the way to the Moulin Rouge! I think we should ask her for $20…

PS. Sacre-Coeur and it’s hill is gorgeous; stay up there as long as possible before dodging the “vendors” at the bottom.

Comments:

Teitur
47 places

I don’t quite get the “sense of value” comment.. peddlers know quite well that what they try to sell to tourists is worthless crap, at least it certainly is to them. It’s the tourists which generally don’t have “a sense of value”.

In any case though your experience has nothing to do with Paris but rather the (extremely annoying) practices of northern Africa (though there they might have bartered…)

Muriel
Los Angeles

I suppose I meant “sense of value” as in they are trying to make money, selling you their wares, and a sense of value to me is not just a product that is worth my investment, but the morals to not rip someone off.

But in literal terms, you’re right, they know the value and tourists don’t.

Otherwise, I don’t quite get your “nothing to do with Paris” comment. I experienced it in Paris. I wouldn’t say that the practices of immigrants here in the US would not be an experience “with our country.”


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