A disappointed tourist has been left in tears after her visit to France did not go as planned, despite donning a beret in a bid to win over locals.
Angela, a Beijing-born TikToker from San Francisco, visited Lyon as part of a solo travel trip to eight cities in Europe, but she felt “isolated” by her experience there.
Speaking on TikTok From the banks of the Rhone, Angela said she wouldn’t recommend the city to anyone who doesn’t speak French – adding that even buying a pink beret hadn’t helped her fit in.
In a separate video, she slammed the city for having no restaurants open on New Year’s Eve when she arrived, complaining that even McDonald’s was closed.
Angela, a tourist from California, has gone viral after her trip to Lyon, France did not go as planned
She posted a tearful video from the banks of the Rhone, speaking about her ‘isolating’ experience in the country
Captioning the clip “France made me cry,” Angela explained to her 14.8k followers on her TikTok account @RealPhDFoodie: ‘I’m filming this video here in Lyon, France.
‘It’s my first time to visit. Frankly, the experience is very isolating. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful city; there is a lot to see, do and discover.
“But I don’t recommend it for a solo traveler or for someone who doesn’t speak French because it’s a very isolating experience.”
Angela appeared to be suffering from ‘Paris Syndrome’ – the term used for tourists who have been given unrealistic and romanticized expectations of France from books and films, and more recently from TV programs such as Emily In Paris.
In the Netflix show, the main character ends up in the country, wins over the locals despite not speaking French and leads a lavish lifestyle.
As a result, visitors to the city may experience culture shock when reality does not match their expectations.
Paris syndrome is even said to cause hallucinations, convulsions and panic attacks.
Angela later shared a post of herself enjoying traditional dishes after her video TikTok collapsed
Angela, pictured in Copenhagen, travels Europe alone, visiting eight cities in four countries – and said France felt ‘cold’ compared to other, more ‘friendly’ countries
The reality of cluttered streets, the language barrier or an awkward encounter with a local can trigger the mental disorder.
Angela’s video has racked up over six million videos on her TikTok account alone.
Angela continued, “The people here seem very indifferent. I had no problem meeting people and socializing in Italy and Germany, but in France the experience is very different.
‘People make you feel bad because you don’t know their culture or speak their language. I haven’t really met anyone here yet and I’ve been here for five or six days now.
‘I almost feel stupid for coming here and spending money. I even bought a French hat. I’m here to learn and explore, but the experience is just… I don’t really like it.’
Angela stayed in Lyon for about a week after arriving on New Year’s Eve.
In another video, she expressed her disappointment when she couldn’t find anywhere to eat out on New Year’s Eve.
‘I thought I was going to eat escargot and foie gras tonight. Even McDonalds is closed,” she said.
After hearing about her experience, people rushed to the comments on her video, with one person saying: ‘Girl, I’m so sorry about your experience in France. As a Frenchman I sometimes feel isolated.’
A resident added: ‘Sorry about your time in Lyon, if I knew you were alone we would have met but I just saw your video.’
However, others had words of advice for her: “Rule No. 1 when you go to France. DO NOT wear a beret.’
Another said: ‘Actually, when you travel, you should make an effort to learn a few words in the native language.
Since posting her video, Angela has revealed that she has been trying to speak French and only bought the beret on her last day.
She added that she has never seen Emily In Paris.
Angela has lived in the US for twenty years and has a PhD in information sciences. She now documents her experiences as a solo traveler across Europe, visiting Germany, Italy, Switzerland and more.
Lyon’s tourist board said it was “saddened that a stay in Lyon would go so poorly” and even invited Angela back on a trip, according to reports The times.
She said Business insider that her problems with the city were not due to the “language barrier” but instead to the “generally cold and indifferent environment.”
