Bedbugs in Paris
 

Is this being overblown in the media? My family and friends there tell me it's no big deal. But, I have had a tango in my condo complex with bedbugs, and I would never classify that experience as "no big deal."

I'm supposed to go to Paris next week, but I am thinking of just staying in Lyon for the week and forcing my in-person Paris meetings to zoom.

If I cannot take the subway or RER comfortably in Paris, I'd rather not even go.

Thanks for any replies.

Come on !! do you seriously believe there is bed bugs everywhere in Paris and you need to stay in Lyon ? You can't be serious :rolleyes:
Of course the problem exists, while it was totally unknown some years ago, but it is clearly overblown by media (like every single topic they are covering).

Lol. Thank you for the reply, Goldorak.

For whatever reason, the media coverage is insane here, more than I’ve ever seen it. (I come to Paris 4+ times a year, and have never even had bedbugs be a concern, ever.)

None of my close family and friends really travel in the metro daily, just wanted to make sure i can get about the city and handle my stuff.

Thank you for the reply.

PS: If I get an upgrade offer on the way back and bring bedbugs into the LP salon, I will blame you!!!! :p

ha ha ha :D. Enjoy the P lounge !!!

It's overblown, it's always existed but for some reason, they make it a big deal now and a few schools had to be closed due to this but I went so many times to Paris, never had issues, except once, at the Novotel Tour Eiffel.... gave me the creeps lol.

Certain media have a special interest in trashing Paris whenever possible, even though bedbugs are found in every city of the world. they travel mostly in suitcases, so maybe we should ban tourists.

My only experience with bedbugs with in a lovely B&B on the island of Jersey.

LOL...Ah, maybe I'm just your typical uninformed American, but there's been no coverage about it here in the States. Until reading this thread, I wasn't even aware there was a bedbug issue in Paris.

Wait until Fox News get on the case - it's being pushed by their counterparts in France (CNews) as "caused by immigrants who have a different concept of hygiene".
OTOH, if it's in Paris, it's going to be even worse "en province" (aka the rest of France). There have been reports of people not sitting down on Metro and TGV trains because "the seats are full of bedbugs". They aren't. But if you are in bed, and you look up and see some very plump raisins making their way across your duvet, that's bedbugs - get up and kill the b*ggers.

Thank you all. I’ve been to Paris 150+ times and never, ever considered modifying my travels due to bedbugs..

Glad to see that if anything, it’s the same as it always was (bedbugs exist, but not anything that prevents normal life.)

The coverage is pretty spread out here, not like it’s limited to just left or right-wing leaning news orgs.

thanks again for the replies, everyone!

Do you think I should cancel my stay at the Mandarin Oriental? I know it's a good hotel but very scared about this bedbug pandemic.

I follow several French travel forums with tens of thousands of users. Not a single person has reported an incident since these reports started.

Seriously, I can't believe this. Please stop this madness. A bedbugs pandemic ??? :D There is no bedbugs pandemic anywhere here. And you'd better stop to listen to the media or social media.

If it were a pandemic, they'd be everywhere with no way to avoid them even in other cities.

Live in France long enough, you'll realise that the médias always have something to latch onto and blow out of proportion every 4-5 days. ;)

Bedbugs are everywhere, not just in Paris or France.

Hopefully the rugby team can win the World Cup, so we can have something happier to fuss about. At least for a few days.

LIke the bed bugs, this is limited to France. It is in the nature of media the world over to always amplify a story to make it sound more interesting. You are not going to attract viewers, listeners or readers by telling them that nothing special happens and you don't really have anything newsworthy to print or broadcast. :)