6 mistakes American tourists make when visiting Paris

One mistake is "trying to squeeze too many landmarks into a short space of time, to the exclusion of two of Paris' chief joys: exploring, and just sitting and watching the world go by," Quora user Diana Arneson said.

"People tend to underestimate how much time it takes to get from one attraction to another, and to overestimate how important it is to get a selfie by those famous landmarks," she added.

Another user advised steering clear of overly crowded tourist destinations.

"Do not spend too much time in Champs-Elysées. Even if the view is iconic, it is really not a good place to feel the Parisian way of life, and you will meet more other tourists than actual locals," Martin Blanchard said.

Another popular mistake is not attempting to use French at all.

"Just learn the basics — a little effort goes a long way," Quora user Katherine Marie said.

User W Kasmer advised, "Use French when entering and leaving shops (greeting when entering, and goodbye and possibly thank you when leaving)."

User Iain Compton pointed out the benefits of discovering Paris on foot.

"Paris is a relatively small city (geographically speaking), so walking is often an option," he said. "Many times it is the best option."

"Parisians do dress casual, but usually smart casual, so looking sloppy might get you refused entry to some more expensive restaurants," W Kasmer said.

Another common mistake is "talking too loudly in public places. It's part of [American] culture and we're not generally aware of it, but it does tend to make us stick out like sore thumbs in restaurants, shops, and train cars," Diana Arneson said.

"What would be a conversational volume and tone in the US would sound very loud in France, so please pay attention to not be louder than the people around you in public spaces, restaurants, etc...," Martin Blanchard added.