The allure of Paris has always attracted lovers, tourists, and art enthusiasts alike. The City of Light is always bustling with the tourists that Parisians at times tend to be a bit rude with. But that could be due to the fact that tourists always butcher the French language, assuredly, an act detested by the natives.
However, things are a bit different this year as the coronavirus pandemic has allowed the French city to rejuvenate, with less tourism and quiet streets. With international travel lessened dramatically, many Parisians don’t have to complain about the busy streets, overflowing with visitors, which they actually miss now.
Quiet Paris
Although, many tourist attractions are open now, of course with new guidelines, relatively few are willing and able to plan a trip to Paris this year. Paris had over 40 million visitors in 2018, but this year it bore a loss of about 16 million tourists this season – reducing the income of hotel and restaurant owners to almost half.
It must be tiring for Parisians to see hordes of tourists waltzing in, wielding selfie sticks and guidebooks, making it almost impossible to catch a glimpse of the Mona Lisa or climb the Eiffel Tower without waiting hours in the line. But that’s not the case this year.
The reduced influx of tourists has led to a resurgence of Parisians enjoying their city. Every year the natives would venture out of Paris in favor of distant destinations, allowing the city to entertain foreign tourists. But the pandemic has given them the opportunity to discover the known, yet unknown territory – their homeland.
Best time to visit Paris
With less tourists, the city provides an experience of a lifetime – la vie en rose (life in happy hues). The lines are gone, public transportation is not that tiresome with plenty of seating and social distancing. Paris is now so quiet that even the waiters are convivial.
It is the best time to visit Paris as the city has taken every precaution to ensure the safety of people from the coronavirus. Hand sanitizers have been put at bus and metro stops. Street placards encourage hand washing, and masks are mandatory.
Most galleries are open, bike paths are getting busy and restaurants are keeping customers seated according to social-distancing procedures. Surely, now is the best time to visit Paris, while enjoying the splendor of this stunning city to the fullest.
