Some people always give beggars change, some never do. And some people, especially visitors to Paris who see the beggars in the streets and on the metro with “J’ai faim” signs, aren’t sure whether they want to hand over their change or not.
I myself was one of them. A few years ago, sick of feeling guilty when I didn’t give my loose change to a beggar, but mad that people were still begging on the streets considering how much taxes I pay for the French social services, I started asking questions. Aren’t there places where these people can go? Aren’t there places where they can eat? I wasn’t really sure, so I decided to see for myself by volunteering for one of the soup kitchens, the Restos du Coeur.
The Restos du Coeur have three major programs to feed those who are hungry in Paris. There are the Restos du Coeur food distribution centers, where individuals and families who can prove they are low income go to receive their food baskets, filled with all of the ingredients for making a balanced, healthy meal at home, as well as basic cooking supplies (like butter, flour, and sugar) and personal hygeine products. There are special products for those with babies, as well.
Then there are the outdoor soup kitchens, set up on tables in squares around Paris every day for lunch and dinner, with freshly-made food that includes, at any given meal: bread, hot main dish of meat or fish, a side dish of vegetables or pasta, and a packaged dessert like yogurt, pudding or sometimes even pastries for special occasions. There is a hot soup table, a cereal table with hot and cold milk, a coffee stand, and a stand distributing books, blankets, and other items that may be needed like toiletry kits. None of the food is “leftovers” as some people might imagine, or “donations” from restaurants. All of it is purchased and prepared in the Restos du Coeur kitchens every day. Anyone can come to these soup kitchens, no ID is required, no questions asked.
The third program, run by the more experienced volunteers, entails driving around Paris in the Restso du Coeur vans looking for those in need who don’t come to the soup kitchens. The bring them their meals and a hot cup of coffee, leaving it next to them if they’re sleeping or passed out, talking to them if they’re in a talking mood. The Croix Rouge and Secours Catholique also send out vans that scour the city in the middle of the night looking for the hungry people who need food.
Back at the Restos du Coeur, I was assigned to the Sunday evening shift at one of the outdoor soup kitchens, at a square between the Observatoire de Paris and Metro St Jacques. The one where I volunteered was quite sociable. Many of the people who came to the soup kitchen had been coming long enough to know each other as well as all of the volunteers. I would estimate half of them were French, 25-45 years old, who could easily blend in with the average Parisian without loking “homeless”. Another 25% were foreigners, mostly from Eastern Europe, and new to Paris. About 10% were elderly people who lived nearby and came for the food because even though they weren’t homeless, they were either to too poor to cook or to old to manage on their own. Another 10% were young and often wearing nice sneakers and listening to music on iPods. I suspect they were either backpackers or locals who were taking advantage of a free meal. Only about 5% of the people who came to my soup kitchen fit the public’s stereotype of the “typical homeless person”, pushing all of their belongings in a shopping cart, either not talking to anyone or ranting at everyone, most likely suffering from some form of mental illness.
They were among the most polite, they got their food and left without causing trouble. Some of the regulars would get into fights over politics (I was a volunteer when Sarkozy was elected), and I had the feeling many of them were homeless because they were anarchists or talented manipulators of the system and it suited their anti-establishment self image to live off the grid. There were even a few who would grumble about the “étrangères” who came to the soup kitchen, saying that Coluche (the comedian who founded the charity) would be turning in his grave if he knew that non-French people were eating at the Restos du Coeur. It didn’t strike them as ironic for me to point out that an “étrangère” was the one serving them their food (and that my annual donations were also helping to pay for it).
Sometimes I found it hard to deal with the emotional toll of the work. Most of the people who came to the Restos du Coeur treated the volunteers with kindness and appreciation, but there were always a few bad apples who were arrogant or outright rude. And you never knew which to expect, so it was a bit like walking on eggshells. When giving out the desserts one night, we ran out of the chocolate mousse and only had plain yogurt left, which made quite a few of them none too happy. I resisted the urge to translate “Beggars can’t be choosers” and learned not to let those at the front of the line talk me into giving them two at a time so that we wouldn’t run out.
What really made it a positive experience for me were the other volunteers. If you think that all Parisians are self-centered, cynical and condescending, you should spend time volunteering. Some of the volunteers had been there for many years, some were new like myself. But everyone was so friendly, welcoming, and really showed the spirit of charity work. Never once did I hear “That’s not my job” at the soup kitchen. We all did everything, filled in where needed, and made efforts to be respectful not only of each other but also of the people who came to the soup kitchen to eat. There was no sense of righteousness or anyone patting themselves on the back. The volunteers who had the most experience were “in charge”, but they tended to be the first on site, the last to go, and the most willing to do the dirty work. I applaud their dedication and their staying power, and was really sad when my erratic work schedule finally made it impossible to continue volunteering (you have to commit to a specific time period for the long term, there are no “drop-in” volunteers).
My time there also answered some of the questions I had about all of the beggars in Paris with signs saying that they need money for food. At the end of every single one of my shifts there was leftover food. Sometimes we would give away entire containers of milk, vacuum packed trays of meat and potato dishes, and as much bread as anyone could carry. We would even fill empty water bottles with soup so that we wouldn’t have to throw it out. Whenever I made the bad decision to go to my shift on an empty stomach, it killed me to watch the leftovers go to waste (it would have been very bad form for me to take it). I once asked one of the veteran volunteers why there are still so many people in Paris begging for money if they can eat for free, either at our soup kitchen or at any of the others around Paris, like at the American Cathedral.
“Sometimes they don’t know about it. I try and carry little slips of paper with the addresses and schedules of the soup kitchens and hand them out. Sometimes they just don’t need food.” I think this is what makes most people hesitate to give their money, because they fear it will be used to buy drugs or alcohol. And that’s sometimes true. I will occasionally be behind someone at the supermarket who is buying a bottle of cheap wine with a huge bag of centimes. They don’t serve wine at the Restos du Coeur, after all. But there are many other reasons why people won’t accept free food.
Once a woman who looked clean and properly dressed, wearing a large wooden cross around her neck,asked me for change as I passed her in the street walking my dogs. I apologized and said I didn’t have anything on me but a plastic bag for cleaning up the dogs’ business, and she huffed at me. As I came back around to the same spot at the end of my walk, she yelled something rude in my direction. I tried to be helpful by asking if she knew there was a Restos du Coeur a few blocks down the street, and she replied something along the lines of “That’s merde, I don’t eat merde!” I had a similar response twelve years ago when I worked at a muffin shop at St-Germain-des-Près. here was a homeless man always camped out at the metro entrance asking for money. I tried to give him my bag of leftover muffins (which we would take home at the end of the shift instead of throwing them out), and he screamed at me, “I’m not going to eat that American merde!”
I still prefer to give my money to the organizations who can help feed and shelter the homeless rather than handing out cash on the street. But that’s a personal decision, and I’m not here to tell anyone else what to do with their money. But I do think it’s important that when you do give money, it’s because you want to and feel good about it, not because you’re being bullied or manipulated. Most of the beggars on the streets of Paris are perfectly harmless and bother no one. And, at least in the metro cars, I prefer the quick speech and walk through to the bad music that’s often blared out of amplifiers by the less talented musicians. Only once was I attacked for not giving someone money.
Ten years ago I was was returning home on the metro after having my impacted wisdom teeth removed, when an agitated young guy with bloodshot eyes (high as a kite) waved his hand in front of my face after making the “please give me your loose change” speech. I made the mistake of asking him in my slurred French to leave me alone (my street smarts must have gone with the teeth), and he responded by spitting in my face and then kicking me across the aisle. Luckily nothing like this has happened since (I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut), and I’ve never heard of anyone else having similar experiences.
The usual story is that of pickpockets and scammers preying on tourists. I always alert my clients to the “Is this your ring?” con, and tell them to say “Non” whenever someone (and it’s usually the Roma, or Gypsy women, aka Gens de Voyage in French) carrying around little signs asks them “Do you speak English?” These people just want your money, and they can get quite aggressive if you look like you’re even thinking of considering it. Like any big city, Paris has its fair share of beggars, homeless drunks passed out in the metro, and illegal street entrepreneurs trying to sell you junky Eiffel Tower keychains and postcards. It’s up to you whether you want to give them your money or not. But don’t believe for a minute that anyone in Paris dies of hunger because they can’t pay for food.
If you really want to make a difference to the lives of those who are in need, consider donating your time or money to reputable French charities and volunteer organizations.
NOTE: Last year, the 1660 volunteers of the Restos du Coeur in Paris served almost four million meals to over 22,000 people in need.
There are a lot of people begging and doing illegal trading (cigarettes etc) around the Gare du Nord…they whisper as you try to walk past…they ask for change…they curse if you ignore them…they are intimidating… homeless people sit in small gangs with their blankets and bags… I wonder if, like in Oxford, England, where I live, a lot of them travel to such hot spots early in the morning with their props ready to fake being rough sleepers… I obviously don’t know all their situations, but they are often very confident and not really in any distress..but they worry me when I see them…one of the gang goes spot begging within sight of their friends and if anyone objects to being molested by them the gang can get involved. People choose to do this because they can make the price of a packet of cigarettes in a few minutes if they have a good act, whilst others who lack confidence and are in trouble have to roll cigarette ends up to get a smoke. I know it can be hard to distinguish who’s doing what, but it’s intimidating I would say – the approaches of rough strangers, and this is unsettling. I would say it harms people as they try to walk around when they are confronted with some beggars, and all the guilt tripping must be a crime…it creeps up on you, like they do.
Hi Sandie, As you've discovered, everyone has to use their own judgement. I always give something to the elderly man who has been living on the streets of my neighborhood for the past few years. But never the beggars in the metro. Last week during the height of the Christmas shopping madness there was a man on a VERY crowded metro car, dragging himself along the floor begging for money as if he was crippled and couldn't stand. He was about 30 years old. I watched as people practically climbed on top of each other to get out of his way, but also giving him money. And then at one stop he dragged himself off the car, and as soon as the doors closed, he stood up and walked off, much to the horror of everyone standing in the metro. When in doubt, give your hard-earned cash to organizations which house and feed the truly needy instead of the scammers.
Hi everyone, I'm English but have lived in France near Bordeaux for thirty years and I often work in Paris.I've always believed that if one is visiting a city anywhere in the world one can give to almost every beggar one encounters if it's just a few centimes each time, much to the annoyance of my compagnion. My husband would get exasperated as we travelled around Paris and I would insist on giving to every beggar we came across……..I used to give myself a "beggar budget "which would be about 10 euros a day so that when it had really run out I could genuinely reply that I had no money left to give appeasing my guilt as I was on my way to buy something I didn't urgently need ,no doubt. I hasten to add that during the years when I was a single parent with two children , living in social housing and managing on a very low income my beggar budget was maybe 5 euros but I still gave……I believed that it was not for me to judge the motive or needs of someone who found themselves in such excrutiatingly undignified circumstances. That It is my heart being judged also.However, I admit over the past 5 or 6 years I've have started to walk by without giving It has become increasingly difficult to believe one is not being duped.The Eastern European beggars have a much more aggressive approach . They seem to have no humanity in their 'regard ´ . The shocking site of bare – footed women who carry obviously drugged babies in their arms up and down the metro trains carrying empty milk bottles wailing a mantra in french ……..'s'il vous plait . Donnez .Pas de Lait , Pour mon bebe ' ……… so obviously staged and abusive to the child that one is repulsed , even afraid of such women .An unfamiliar feeling has emerged for us in France which exists in every third world country. These beggars are predators and we are seen as the prey.It's certainly tragic for those who are really in need. To me this indicates that we have clearly become very spoilt in Western Europe! Even the beggars are more civilized and gentle than those in countries where there is no assistance and support for the needy.
Hi Eric, Thanks for your concern. I wrote this to protect people from a real problem, not to make racists feel better about themselves. As you yourself said, "you aren't saying that all Roma are like that". That's because all Roma aren't like that. But the ones I'm talking about ARE like that, and my readers' and clients' safety is important enough to say it, despite the fact that some racist people will read this and assume that ALL Roma must be the same way because it fits their views. I like to assume the average Secrets of Paris reader is a bit smarter than that. 😉
Fair enough some people are sincere and others do take advantage but tarring everyone with the same brush ('and it's usually the Roma, or Gypsy women') pretty much amounts to racism. While you aren't saying that all Roma are like that, you are giving that impression. Maybe you should think a little more about what you write before you do.And 'beggars can't be choosers'? What?!
Dear Heather, Thank you! This was exactly the information I was looking for. My last visit to Paris, ending yesterday, was the least pleasant one. I will not want to return in a hurry…. Has the city been so gravely hit by recession, or is the local administration so unable or unwilling to take care of it's people? A beggar on every street corner, it seems. Appalled I was especially by seeing they bring dogs these days. Poor animals. I conclude from your article that help is available, even if it is not as prominently found on the streets as it is in, for example, New York. I will be sure to donate to Restos du Coeur. It seems a perfect way to support people, and hopefully not encourage the people so unfortunate to live on the street to bring a helpless animal along in their suffering by directly donating to a regulated charity. Kind regards, Astrid Maria
Hi John,Great question! If you haven't already looked at my article on volunteer opportunities click here: http://www.secretsofparis.com/heathers-secret-blog/holiday-volunteer-opportunities-in-paris.htmlOtherwise, if you speak no French at all your best bet is probably to call the American Church (http://www.acparis.org/) or the American Cathedral (http://www.americancathedral.org/ I'm pretty sure they serve meals to those in need at least once a week) to ask if there's anything you can do while you're in Paris. There are no other English-language groups in Paris that I know of who do regular aid work. Regards and Happy Holidays,Heather
Hi Heather, Merry Christmas! I'm an american visiting for a week this holiday season and would like to see if their is anyway That a non-french speaker can volunteer while in paris. I unfortunately, cannot read the Restos du coeur site therefore I dont know what it will take to volunteer. if you can make some suggestions it would be great! thank youAll the best,John
Rachael, If you go to the Resto du Coeur website they usually post the orientation times for volunteers. Your French doesn't have to be perfect, just good enough to understand what to do. You do, however, have to commit to a consistent, long-term schedule; they don't take one-off volunteers. It's a great group of people, highly recommended you go for it!
Thank you Heather for his very informative post. I moved to Paris about a year ago and like yourself I was concerned about the levels of homelessness seen on the streets and in the metros and wondered if there was anywhere for these please to get help, food, information. I asked some of my French friends who didn't seem to know and with the typical French shrug explained that the government would help them in some way. I found this very strange since in the UK the Big Issue (a magazine that homeless people sell to earn money – a very good charity) and the homeless charity Shelter are very visible in public life (especially in the cold winter months). I wanted to help but didn't know how. I'm not currently in Paris but will be returning in January for the foreseeable future and would like to ask you how I can get involved with the Restos du coeur to help, my French is so-so but I am learning (will this be a hindrance?)P.s. I found your blog today, it's amazing, especially the post with all the great tips, thank you for taking your time to write something so useful and entertaining.
Glad to see there are charities that will feed the homeless. In America, it is the same thing here. We have social programs here for the hungry, but they have chosen to be out on the streets for whatever reason. Sometimes I give people a couple bucks if I have it. I do far less when I'm alone for safety reasons. I didn't know you were attacked in the subway. Pretty unsettling.
It’s also worth noting that Restos de Coeur derives a major portion of their annual budget via the Les Enfoires concert that is held normally in February each year…..the concert has been an annual event since 1986 and was started by a fabulously interesting chap named Colouche, a comedian and bistro owner who launched a campaign to become president of France…and then dropped out of the race when the journalists suddenly declared that he had a fairly good chance of actually winning! Sadly he died after about 2 years of the Les Enfoires concerts…but the tradition has been kept alive by a number of the most talented musicians in France….
Good post indeed. I asked this question many times to people with no answer. I was amazed at the amount of homeless on the streets with the amount of social security they have here. Glad my questions are answered!
The beggar’s comment about Coluche is really terrible, Coluche was of italian origin, at time he wouldn’t be considered "french"
One of the least effective metro speeches I’ve heard was from a guy who went on for several minutes, enumerating about ten or so points, one of which was something along the lines of "Sure I get enough money to buy sandwiches, but you can’t eat sandwiches every day!"If I have extra food on me (I used to work in a bakery backin the States where we could take home the leftover sandwiches, muffins, and cookies at the end of the day) I’m happy to give it to someone who needs it more than I do. But I generally don’t hand out money.
Thanks Heather, that’s a great post.
I do not think one can always judge by appearance alone and the increasing amount of well-dressed and well-spoken men and women unexpectedly asking for help because they have hit a real low since ‘la crise’ just goes to prove that. Others become regular fixtures along travel and shopping routes, having been in a particular location on the streets, for years, and are clearly in need. Some become people to regularly share a ‘bonjour’ and ‘ça va’ to – common courtesy and respect often welcomed even if there are no small pennies to share.My own personal philosophy is to always assume someone is genuinely in need. After all one is usually only talking about a euro or two and even if, like me, you have little money yourself, those couple of euros can make a difference to the really needy. I have met ignorant beggars too who will not be happy with what I have given them and demand more, or who have the arrogance to tell me that I am not really sorry I am unable to give them anything at that time and are swift to judge my character when they know nothing about me.But there are ignorant and arrogant people everywhere, which makes it even more important for those of us who do care to extend the hand of friendship and understanding – to swallow our capitalist cynicism and show a belief in the fundamental meaning of what it is to be a human being.I feel it is important not to confuse the homeless and the hungry with the ‘Do you speak English?’ or the trinket-sellers, but everyone needs to make money and, irritating as they may be, they are conducting business of a sort and they do have plenty of willing clients. Sometimes, however, their tactics become aggressive and infringe on personal space and this is when it is necessary to voice a very firm ‘Non!’.I think if you choose to give to a charity or an organisation then you need to see how they spend and use that money for yourself. Personally, donating to a charity fails to stop me feeling a need to donate directly to a needy person when I see or pass one. I also think that for any of us to assume that each beggar we pass will likely have a full belly sooner or later because it is available for free is a dangerous assumption; whether through addiction, mental health issues or simple economics there will clearly be people who are overlooked or, for some other reason, remain beyond reach…
Sadly, the Roma have the reputation, whether merited or not, of being thieves. When I lived in the south of France, there were several of their camps near our town (and a particularly large one near the Carrefour in Antibes where I shopped). The women would beg in the parking lot for money, yet in the camps they were living in brand new trailers with satellite dishes on the roof, pulled by brand new white mercedes vans. I felt like asking THEM for change!
Thanks so much for this. I’ve been living in Paris for about 8 months now, and this answers so many of my questions. Awesome post.
I agree with the others, thanks for a very informative post. I did a lot of volunteering in shelters in the US, and I’ve always wanted to volunteer for the Restos du Coeur – unfortunately I’ve been turned away twice now! Once in Bretagne because I didn’t speak French well enough & they didn’t want to deal with me, and now here in Paris because I travel too much for work and like you couldn’t commit to a set time. But I still think they provide a great service and I hope one day I’ll be able to get involved.
Well done, Heather. Even for long-timers in Paris, it’s good to know where/how to contribute. A few years back, the dean of the American Cathedral in Paris spoke about his give- or-don’t-give dilemena as well, knowing that many of the Roma people who beg near the Cathedral are dropped off in the morning by their compatriots in a large van.
When I came to Paris last year, it was winter and last year’s winter was pretty cold. I also saw quite a lot of people sleeping on the street and I asked my boyfriend (he’s French) whether there was a social organization taking care of those people. He said that there are of course places to sleep but a lot of the beggars have dogs and they are not allowed in those shelters. And beggars prefer to keep dogs to protect them from trouble making teenagers, some of whom think that it’s fun to get high and beat up a few homeless people. But you’re right about some of them: we came across a group of homeless people while walking around, who had a burner and few bottles of cheap wine and looked at us in a quite threatening way. So there are surely different stories around.
Excellent post…I’ve often wondered the same things, and appreciate the explanation. This should be required reading for first-time visitors to Paris.
what a joy to read this article – I have visited Paris 3 times and on each occasion have seen the home-less, especially near’ Hotel de ville’. It worried me that these people were sleeping out on the concrete in very cold weather and I wondered if there were any soup kitchens for these home-less people.also I wondered were they home-less from choice or because of circumstances beyond their control.I’m delighted to know that they can obtain lunch and dinner and I feel very thankful for all those workers who make this possible. I saw several well dressed parisian women who had just been into a patisserie – when they came out they had a small bag with a pastry in which they then proceeded to walk over and give to a clochard sitting nearby. this was done with utmost respect and was a pleasure to see.I did not like to see mothers with babies sitting near the metro’s crying for money – this looked fake.