22 Feb Ask an Au Pair: Adriana recommends a visit to Fountainebleau, too often overshadowed by Versailles
What inspires you about Paris?
I believe that Paris is beautiful for many different reasons, but I very much appreciate the architecture and all the small little details that make this city so beautiful
How would you suggest meeting Parisians?
Joining groups on Facebook helped a lot and also university events since usually the people that go to these events are willing to make foreigners feel welcome.
How do you improve or master your French language skills?
I think that the best way is to just interact with french speakers
What is your favorite neighborhood?
Montmartre is my favorite neighborhood to take pictures and walk around. But the Saint Germain area is my favorite to spend some time with friends.
Can you describe a best meal you’ve had in Paris?
I was not able to eat a lot of french cuisine since I am vegetarian, but one of my favorite places to eat is at Pizzeria Popolare which is only 5 euros for big personal pizza. The place is very well decorated, and I knew I was in a good pizzeria when I realized that I was surrounded by Italians enjoying their pizza.
A favorite café or bar?
You can find so many great cafes and bars in Paris that it’s really hard to pick
A favorite museum?
Musee d’Orsay
Any spots outside of Paris that you would recommend for a weekend or day trip?
I think that a lot of people only go to Chateau de Versailles but I would also encourage them to go to Chateau de Fontainebleau
What do you dislike most about living in Paris?
Although I love cloudy Paris, I do not like the rain
What advice would you give to incoming au pairs?
Enjoy every second that you can, try to share as much as you can about your culture and where you come from while learning about other people’s culture and where they come from too. Although not everything will always be amazing, this is a great experience to learn about who you are and where you want to go from there.
Get to know Paris, from an au pair’s perspective. Our “Ask an Au Pair” series was so popular that we’ve decided to continue it with our next round of au pairs! We pose a dozen questions about the City of Light to those who are seeing it with fresh eyes and learning all of its wonderful intricacies.