‘This is scary’: Traveler shares PSA to tourists on food vendors near Eiffel Tower, other landmarks
Have you ever wanted to go to Paris and eat a crepe underneath the Eiffel Tower? Well, think again. Recently, an American living in Paris went viral on TikTok when she warned visitors to not eat from food stands around the Parisian landmark.
TikToker Erin Tridle (@erintridle) posted the video to the horror of many, and received over 2 million views as of publication. Tridle frames her video with a text overlay that reads: "The Disgusting Way Illegal Crepe Stands Are Storing Their Materials in Paris."
"I'm an American who lives in Paris, and I am one of those people who definitely eats street food," Tridle explains. "I love street food. I'm big into it, but I have decided that maybe that is not the path for me here in Paris because street food in Paris, well, there's a little problem with the storage habits."
"So a while back I made a video about water bottle scams in Paris that happen rarely. Actually...the grossest thing about those buckets is they are stored in the sewer. Well, guess what else is stored in the sewer: Crepe batter, kebab materials, sandwich materials," she continues.
"All of those illegitimate food stands you see around the Eiffel Tower and other tourist spots. Yeah, they're storing their food in the sewer overnight," Tridle reveals.
Many users were disgusted, with some sharing their own experiences with street food in Paris.
"I saw this the first time I went to Paris - watched a man pull a bucket of water bottles out of the sewer and then sell them to tourists!" one shared.
"I was on this app bc I was having trouble sleeping, now I can’t stop thinking ab the potential sewer crepe I had in front of the Eiffel Tower in 2017," a second added.
Others roasted Paris after watching the video.
"Bedbugs and sewer food? I’m good on Paris for life," a user remarked.
"I’m just convinced that Paris is just a glamorized version of NYC lol," another joked.
@erintridle ???????????? Sadly, I’m not surprised this is happening… #americaninparis #paris #france #french #france???????? #???????? #food #frenchfood #streetfood #parisscam #gross #paristiktok #paristiktok #paristok #paristravel #travelparis #paristraveltips #paristravelguide ♬ original sound - Erin Tridle | &
Unfortunately, the details just keep getting worse. Street vendors were indeed discovered storing food in the city's sewers, according to a report from Le Parisien published in October. These food stalls regularly store their ingredients in manholes along the Champ-de-Mars, a major thoroughfare near the Eiffel Tower.
These vendors are unlicensed and illegal, and are known for putting a variety of food stuff into manholes. Most are undocumented and are being exploited by criminal organizations. “Many use frozen dough that has been stored in questionable conditions. To mask the smell and rancid taste, they sprinkle it with vanilla sugar,” a vendor explained to Le Parisien in French.
In response to the revelation, Paris authorities pledged to end the practice and crack down on illegal stands prior to hosting the 2024 Olympic Games. Regardless, if the city intends to end the practice or not, if you ever visit Paris be sure to eat at brick-and-mortar restaurants.
The Daily Dot reached out to Tridle via email for further information.
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