The sunset over the Eiffel Tower, the pretty cobblestone streets of Montmartre, the great pyramid of the Louvre… Then, the packed metro, the overflowing trash cans and the swarming rats. Between the image given by the capital and the reality, there is sometimes a gap. This contrast is at the origin of the “Paris syndrome” which affects some tourists when discovering Paris, especially Japanese visitors.
First studied in 1986 by Japanese psychiatrist Hiroaki Ōta at Sainte-Anne Hospital in Paris, Paris syndrome is characterized by a delusional psychological state, hallucinations, a feeling of persecution, anxiety… but also by physiological symptoms such as tachycardia, dizziness or even cold sweats.
Is this disease a myth or a reality? Why are the Japanese particularly affected? And does it only concern the city of Paris? At L’Express, we interviewed scientists to find out more about this syndrome, and to go beyond the media clichés. Their answers can be found in this new long video formaton our site, and all our networks.