Starbucks in France experiences boundary="03E16F1C18E9C1CBF70FA33C

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Julia Altshuler

I just had to check since you and someone else denied seeing any public urination, so I ran it through Google..... public urination Paris. I even come across one site where a person comment that if you Google public urination you'd get more hits with Paris than any other place. One site was pushing a book that a n American girl wrote about her travels in France and one section was about coming to terms with public urination. Public urination in Paris is even discussed in the Fodor's travel forum.

"Our first morning, we walked to the Louvre. On the way, we were greeted with what was to be the one constant of our trip...public urination. Yes, nobody will tell you this, except us. Paris is full of piss. It is EVERYWHERE, and we're not just talking about the dogs. "

"My husband and I were similarly unimpressed with Paris. The Louvre was wonderful, we loved the D'Orsay museum, the Metro system was relatively easy to negotiate, the Eiffel Tower was worth seeing, and the chocolate croissants, devine. But, the streets were filthy - dog poop everywhere, men urinating wherever, and the occasional pool of vomit. Not too lovely! I never took a step without looking down first."

"rippowam's report reminded me that, last October, on our second trip to Paris, my hubby and I saw men urinating in public twice. We were absolutely stunned both times--mainly because there was no attempt to hide what they were doing and they were in VERY public areas"

"Things like beggars and scammers are unfortunate realities in any big city. I am more bothered by beggars at home than I was in Paris. As for public urination, I saw it but found it sort of amusing."

"We have not seen anyone urinating in Paris but we have certainly smelled the results. It's enough to make you lose your not-very-good touristy dinner! Perhaps it's time to bring back the pissoirs!"

"I was sitting at a coffee shop one day at the counter looking out the window, when suddenly I saw a man urinating into a trash can in the midst of hundreds of pbutters by. Knowing how many people root through those trash cans looking for food, it nearly made me sick. "

"The public urination in France issue intrigues me. I once a few years ago actually thought about taking photos and doing one of those coffee-table-sytle picture books of guys urinating in public throughout France - by region, of course. Or maybe a French calendar, with a pee picture for each month of the year. I never actually noticed it in Paris or any other major city, but in the countryside, it's incredible how many times I've seen guys standing by the side of the road peeing in full view of pbuttersby."

My wife, son and I saw it. My brothers and I saw it. My sister in law was s disgusted by it that it left her with a really bad impression of the city. Frankly, it seemed so common that I am surprised others never noticed.