Swarming Crowds in Paris
One of Courtney Traub’s top dislikes about Paris is the overwhelming crowds. Picture the scene: she was attempting a short stroll from a bakery near Hotel de Ville to the nearest metro station, fueled by her craving for a pain au chocolat. What should have been a simple two-block walk turned into a chaotic journey, maneuvering through crowds of people who appeared out of nowhere. Each attempt to change direction seemed to result in a collision akin to a pinball game. While some may find Paris’s bustling streets invigorating, she often finds it frustrating to navigate the city without being constantly bumped and jostled.
This overcrowding isn’t confined to the streets; it infiltrates various aspects of daily life in Paris, from queuing for a movie to grocery shopping and museum visits. It’s perplexing how so many people can converge on the same idea simultaneously. With Paris ranking as the 27th most densely populated city globally, even surpassing cities like Mumbai and Cairo, and being the most-visited city in the world, it’s no wonder the crowds can become overwhelming and exacerbate feelings of claustrophobia.
