“Emily in Paris”, a Netflix Hit Series Teeming with French Clichés

Criticized too for magnifying the French-US culture clash, "Emily in Paris" has nevertheless found success in recycling the decades-old cliches and Netflix is entirely at ease with that.

"If Emily had come to your city and not 'in Paris', what would the big cliches of the series be?," it joked on Twitter.

"Take Emily in Marseille = it's always sunny, the old port smells of sardines and Jul wanders the streets," it added, referring to a rapper born in the French southern city.

Read also: Mass Evacuations as Forest Fires in Marseille Rage On

For Agnes Poirier, the author of "Left Bank", a book on Paris's post-war intellectual and cultural life, "cliches all have an element of truth or they wouldn't be cliches.

"Also, cliches die hard."

"And in comparison to American cities, yes, Paris looks and feels romantic and the French have a different and more tolerant attitude to extramarital affairs and marriage."

'Silly and funny'

But, she adds: "Paris and Parisians fascinate for what are now, alas, purely historical reasons," referring to the books or films that have created the image of "the city of love", of unrestrained sexuality or of living the good life.

Ines de la Fressange, a fashion designer and co-author of the bestselling lifestyle book "La Parisienne", says it might all be a dream Paris, but with "a little bit of truth in it all" nevertheless.

"We often forget that Americans see Paris as a type of Disneyland — Emily takes a selfie with a pain au chocolat," says the former model.

Read also: Disneyland Paris Reopens with New Health Protocols in Place

"But in New York, we too are amazed by the Empire State Building."

"Right now, Paris is suffering from a lack of tourists. If cliches on gastronomy, elegance and beauty make people want to come here, it's not a problem."

And the series, created by Darren Star who also made "Sex and the City", has sparked a deluge of tweets from foreigners saying they want to live in Paris after having seen Netflix's "Emily in Paris".