Yeah, avoid the asian tour groups. Not to be racist, but the herds do get in the way, a lot. The Parisians treat Americans, or indeed any non-Parisians a little harsh, so it's better to wear a little camouflage (now there's a nice French word). No Nike shirts and sneakers!

Here's a funny story, either the best sales con I ever fell victim to or the most smug adventure of my life. Probably both. Me and my best friend were sitting down on a terrace in a nice Parisian park, not far from the Louvre, packed with tourists. We were the only one in proper shoes, trousers of mature length and shirts with proper cuffs and collars. No camera's, no backpacks and certainly no fanny packs. The world-weary waiter comes down and we order in our best high school French, replete with a little accentual flourish to disguise that we were tribal wanderers from the wild, uncivilized low countries up north. A bottle of the regular white wine, please. "Mais non, the waiter replied, ""let me sell you this nice Burgundy for the same price. He proceeded to explain in a haughty Parisian prattle that the house wine was only stocked pour les barbares, les Americains, les Japonnais. Here, let me show you what I mean, turning on his heels, white coat tails fluttering. He came over with two tasting glasses - the house wine was indeed abominable, but the Burgundy was fine and we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon sipping and watching the barbarian hordes pass by.