Everyone has seen the postcards, but what's really worth seeing in Paris? We put the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur to the test.
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00:00This is how Paris, the city of love, looks on Instagram.
00:04The French capital is famous for its arts, culture and rich history.
00:09But does reality come close to the romantic pictures posted online?
00:14Let's do a reality check.
00:17More than two million people live in the French capital.
00:20It stands for beautiful architecture, romantic streets.
00:24It's one of the world's top tourist hot spots.
00:27But does the city live up to its reputation?
00:30Let's visit three of its main attractions.
00:33First up, the Eiffel Tower.
00:36Built by Gustave Eiffel for the World's Fair in 1889,
00:40it's the city's tallest structure.
00:44But taking romantic pictures like these is a bit tricky
00:48and can be quite dangerous since you have to stand in the middle of the street.
00:54Plus, to walk beneath the Eiffel Tower, you now need to buy a ticket.
00:59After numerous terrorist attacks over the past few years,
01:02the city of Paris has constructed a transparent wall around the structure.
01:06You need to pay to get past it and wait in line to do so.
01:11Getting a picture of this romantic structure from across the river of the Trocadero
01:15isn't the perfect solution either.
01:18You won't be alone, and that's not always comfortable.
01:25The pictures online are photoshopped,
01:28so everybody's dreaming of a beautiful spot without people,
01:31but the place is overcrowded.
01:34It's not as it seems online.
01:36There are also lots of souvenir sellers who want to get the better view,
01:39and you really have to look out for pickpockets.
01:41All this is really not that pleasant.
01:44No, I think it corresponds.
01:46Yeah, I think it's great in person. It's impressive.
01:50I definitely had a more idyllic perception of it from the pictures on Instagram
01:54and what I'd seen than what I actually got to see here.
01:57That gap between the beautiful pictures on Instagram and reality
02:01can cause a medical condition,
02:03the so-called Paris Syndrome,
02:06often described as a severe state of culture shock.
02:13Instagram contributes to creating this phenomenon
02:16because many visitors are addicted to the social network
02:19and incapable of taking a step back.
02:22They see idyllic pictures of this gorgeous, clean and safe city
02:26with its beautiful monuments.
02:28Then they're confronted with reality,
02:30packed public transport, dirty streets and sometimes even theft.
02:36That difference between your fantasy of Paris and reality
02:39makes the brain go off the rails.
02:42People have developed hallucinations, become delusional
02:45and have had to be hospitalized.
02:48Every year, the doctor treats dozens of people
02:51with the Paris Syndrome at his hospital.
02:55So how about our second stop, Montmartre,
02:58with its majestic Sacré-Coeur Basilica,
03:00located right next to a picturesque artists' quarter?
03:05Is this place as beautiful as people imagine it?
03:08Well, the view from up here is truly breathtaking.
03:11But again, you'll have to share it.
03:13It's always crowded.
03:15And to get to the cathedral, you'll have to wait in line.
03:21However, the queue does move quickly,
03:24and the church is well worth the wait.
03:28Built in the 19th century,
03:30the limestone building features beautiful stained-glass windows
03:34and has one of the largest mosaics in the world,
03:38the Triumph of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
03:41But the cathedral is not exactly a quiet place, either.
03:45If you want something more tranquil,
03:47cross through the artists' quarter.
03:49Even though it's always crowded,
03:51you can still find some space for yourself
03:53in the quieter back alleys.
03:56So what about our third stop, Notre-Dame du Paris?
04:01It's the cathedral where,
04:03according to the famous French writer Victor Hugo,
04:06Quasimodo fell in love with the beautiful dancer Esmeralda.
04:12People from around the world still remember 2019
04:15when a fire partially destroyed the more than 800-year-old building.
04:21The cathedral is still closed to the public,
04:24and cranes tower over it.
04:27But neither fences nor bad weather discourage tourists.
04:34I think it's still worth coming here.
04:36You can see the biggest part of it, despite the cranes.
04:39The cranes don't matter.
04:40The cathedral's almost reconstructed.
04:45Notre-Dame will partly be opened again by the end of this year.
04:49The bottom line?
04:51Don't expect too much of Paris
04:53if you don't want to get the infamous Paris syndrome.
04:57But the city is still worth a visit.
04:59You might want to avoid the Eiffel Tower,
05:01but Sacré-Cœur and Notre-Dame are still charming,
05:05despite the crowds.