Al - I agree with you. Where I saw increased dirt was in the poorer neighborhoods OUTSIDE of Paris.

I can't say with authority where grafitti originated but going back years and years ago the appearance of it in real downtown areas the prize went to Rome and in the US of A it was in places like the lower east side and the village etc,etc.

I don't know about Ron's neighbors, but our visit to Paris this March got comments from both my wife and I of how spotless the streets were. After coming out from a cafe for lunch we thought it had rained but the streets were wet from the cleaning machines. We stayed in the St.Germain area and can't disagree with thier friends more.

Marc:

And guess where Europeans learned about graffiti? It's an import from the US. Guess we could consider it art? guess not.

What I've noticed is the increase in spray-painted graffiti. I think all major cities (this is a terrible problem in Rome, too) should simply ban the sale of spray paint cannisters. Perhaps there could be an exception for licensed and bonded contractors, but I'm not even sure that would be a good idea.

No problem!! and thank you for understanding!! K

My apologies. I should have looked for an existing thread.

Ron -- i am surprised. I don't think the sanitation workers were on strike. Perhaps the advent of tourists.

A favor please. Don't create a NEW post but look for an already created thread!! Merci.

My neighbors just returned from a week in Paris and were
really disturbed by the amount of doggy poop, pigeon poop and general
trash on Paris streets (especially in the St. Germain area). They
were in Paris two years ago and said the streets were much cleaner back
then. I know that a "poop law" was passed a few years ago, although
it seems to be generally ignored, from what I understand.

I've been traveling to Paris every year for the past 13 years, and
I think things have improved the last few visits. I always see the
green sanitation trucks and the workers hosing down the streets, so
I was surprised to hear that my friends thought things had gotten
worse.