13 Paris Culture Shocks You Neet to Know

If you head to Paris expecting it to be just like home but with more bread, you’re going to have a rough time. The city has a specific social rhythm that catches most travelers off guard. Between the unwritten rules of saying hello and the specific ways you’re expected to order a coffee, it can feel like everyone is in on a secret except you.

To help you avoid looking like a clueless tourist, here are a few cultural reality checks that that a visitor should know about before they land.

1. The Magic Power of Greeting

Always start every single interaction with “Bonjour”. In France, launching straight into a request without a greeting is considered incredibly rude. If you forget this, expect “chilly” responses from staff who feel ignored as human beings.

2. Your Coffee Price Depends on Your Chair

Cafe prices in Paris are not fixed, they change based on where you sit. Drinking an espresso at the counter is the cheapest option. If you choose to sit at a table inside or on the terrace, the price goes up because you are paying “rent” to linger in a high-demand spot.

3. Don’t Expect the Bill to Just Appear

Waiters in Paris will almost never bring the check unless you specifically ask for it. Since French dining is meant to be a slow, relaxed experience, bringing the bill early is seen as rushing the guest. Just catch the server’s eye and ask for “l’addition” when you are ready to leave.

4. Takeaway Coffee is a New Concept

The default way to drink coffee in Paris is sitting down. If you don’t explicitly say “à emporter” (to go), you will be served a small espresso in a ceramic cup meant for the bar or a table. Carrying a paper cup around the street is still a relatively recent trend there.

5. The Meaning of Entrée

Language can be confusing: in France, an “entrée” is actually the appetizer or starter dish. The main course is called the “plat”. If you order an entrée thinking it is a large American-style meal, you are going to be very hungry later.

6. Beware of the Café Blanc

If you see “café blanc” on a menu, don’t assume it is a latte. It is actually a Lebanese “digestif” made of hot water and orange blossom essence. Some describe it as smelling like “cleaning fluid,” so be careful if you just wanted caffeine.

7. Personal Space is a Luxury

Parisian cafes are famous for being cramped. You will often find yourself seated “shoulder to shoulder” with total strangers at tiny tables. It is a dense city, and being packed in tight is just part of the local atmosphere.

8. The Legend of Pink Toilet Paper

In older French homes or smaller towns, you might still find the infamous pink, single-ply toilet paper. It usually comes in folded squares rather than a roll. Some joke that using it feels like “wiping with tree bark”.

9. Proper Table Etiquette

It is considered bad form to order a drink at the bar and then walk it over to a table yourself. If you want a seat, you should wait for a server to take your order at the table, as the pricing for table service is different than bar service.

10. Direct Milk Vocabulary

When you ask for milk in a modern coffee shop, the barista might ask, “de la vache ou de l’avoine?” (from the cow or from the oat) . This literal way of naming the animal is standard in French, even if it sounds a bit blunt to English speakers.

11. The Persistence of Smoking

Smoking is still very common among younger people in France. For visitors from countries where smoking has mostly disappeared among the youth, the constant smell of smoke in outdoor areas can be a big surprise.

12. Casual Approach to Nudity

Public nudity and topless sunbathing are treated much more casually in France than in the US. Some travelers even stumbled into nightclubs with pools where everyone was expected to be naked.

13. Crossing the Street

Parisians treat red lights for pedestrians as suggestions rather than laws. Jaywalking is incredibly common, which can be shocking if you come from a country where you would be fined or shamed for doing the same.