--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I went to Paris when I was 17 and would…" description: "\"I went to Paris when I was 17 and would sit in a cafe called Les Deux Magots, in the Latin Quarter. I spoke English, but not a word of French.\" — Anna ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/anna-karina-11892_cafe_i-went-to-paris-when-i-was-17-and-would_3004935.jpg" --- # I went to Paris when I was 17 and would sit in a cafe… ![“I went to Paris when I was 17 and would sit in a cafe called Les Deux Magots, in the Latin Quarter. I spoke English, but not a word of French.” quote by Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/anna-karina-11892_cafe_i-went-to-paris-when-i-was-17-and-would_3004935.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/anna-karina-11892_cafe_i-went-to-paris-when-i-was-17-and-would_3004935.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/anna-karina-11892_cafe_i-went-to-paris-when-i-was-17-and-would_3004935.jpg) > “I went to Paris when I was 17 and would sit in a cafe called Les Deux Magots, in the Latin Quarter. I spoke English, but not a word of French.” [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A young traveler experiences cultural dissonance while navigating a foreign city alone. **In simple terms:** Cultural clash in unfamiliar places. Key Takeaway Adapt and learn from new environments. Themes culture shock travel self-discovery Mood reflective adventurous Type personal travel When to use this quote - study abroad - solo travel - expat life Key Concepts sociology language acquisition Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help bridge cultural gaps? - How does solitude shape identity? A Different Perspective Language barriers can limit connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cafe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cafe/) [Latin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latin/) [Paris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paris/) ## Related quotes > [The cafe was called Tattoos. The fella who owned it didn't have any tattoos... but we never saw his wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/the-cafe-was-called-tattoos-the-fella-who-owned-it-didn-t-have-any/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [When I was 20, I went to Paris and tried to meet French women. It didn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/when-i-was-20-i-went-to-paris-and-tried-to-meet-french-women-it-didn/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [I left school when I was 14 to go into Danish films. When I was 17, I went to Paris to make my fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/i-left-school-when-i-was-14-to-go-into-danish-films-when-i-was-17-i/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [As a rule, I try to avoid the French Quarter because of the crowds, especially Bourbon Street. But hey, some people love it. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-batt/as-a-rule-i-try-to-avoid-the-french-quarter-because-of-the-crowds/) [Bryan Batt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-batt/) > [I've always loved films, always. I studied literature and I went to Columbia in New York and I went to Paris for part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jarmusch/i-ve-always-loved-films-always-i-studied-literature-and-i-went-to/) [Jim Jarmusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jarmusch/) > [When I first went to Paris in 1965, I fell in love with the small, family-owned restaurants that existed everywhere then, as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/when-i-first-went-to-paris-in-1965-i-fell-in-love-with-the-small/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [As a young man, I went to Paris and soaked up many hours of film knowledge from Robert Hakim in my efforts to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-weinstein/as-a-young-man-i-went-to-paris-and-soaked-up-many-hours-of-film/) [Harvey Weinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-weinstein/) > [I went to Paris to learn and absorb some of the amazing ambience I was enamored with growing up in Kansas City. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-scott/i-went-to-paris-to-learn-and-absorb-some-of-the-amazing-ambience-i/) [Jeremy Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-scott/) > [I went to Paris, I went to France, I went to England, I went to Ireland. In my mind, I can go wherever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ray-hinton/i-went-to-paris-i-went-to-france-i-went-to-england-i-went-to-ireland/) [Anthony Ray Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ray-hinton/) > [I went to Paris for a year in 1986 to study theatre; there was a lot of clowning around, buffoonery and fencing. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orla-brady/i-went-to-paris-for-a-year-in-1986-to-study-theatre-there-was-a-lot/) [Orla Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orla-brady/) > [When I was younger, I had no interest. But after I went to Paris to see the collections for the first time a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camilla-belle/when-i-was-younger-i-had-no-interest-but-after-i-went-to-paris-to-see/) [Camilla Belle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camilla-belle/) > [When I went to England, to Saint Martins, I was traumatized, in a positive way. It was that British sense of transgression and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riccardo-tisci/when-i-went-to-england-to-saint-martins-i-was-traumatized-in-a/) [Riccardo Tisci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riccardo-tisci/) > [“One year, he went to Paris for the week-end: but that completely upset his equilibrium.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-chatwin/one-year-he-went-to-paris-for-the-week-end-but-that-completely-upset/) [Bruce Chatwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-chatwin/) > [It's a terrific... you can't put it down. So I phoned him back and I said I'd love to do it. I went over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-harwood/it-s-a-terrific-you-can-t-put-it-down-so-i-phoned-him-back-and-i-said/) [Ronald Harwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-harwood/) > [He went to Paris looking for answers to questions that bothered him so. He was impressive, young and aggressive, saving the world on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/he-went-to-paris-looking-for-answers-to-questions-that-bothered-him/) [Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/) ## More by Anna Karina > [I always wanted to be an actress, ever since I was a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/i-always-wanted-to-be-an-actress-ever-since-i-was-a-little-girl/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [It could be a little bit sad as a young girl to sit there and wait in front of the telephone that would never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/it-could-be-a-little-bit-sad-as-a-young-girl-to-sit-there-and-wait-in/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [It's the beautiful minds of this world that win over beautiful faces. They win hearts by winning minds...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/it-s-the-beautiful-minds-of-this-world-that-win-over-beautiful-faces/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [After a while, Godard was going to do 'A Woman is a Woman' with Sami Frey and another actress in the leading lady part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/after-a-while-godard-was-going-to-do-a-woman-is-a-woman-with-sami/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [I've been writing short stories since I was a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/i-ve-been-writing-short-stories-since-i-was-a-little-girl/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [The very first picture that I did, the director came up to me on the street - I was 14 at the time -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/the-very-first-picture-that-i-did-the-director-came-up-to-me-on-the/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [Actors and actresses have done a lot of films with their legs, with their arms, with the whole crew and the camera. Why shouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/actors-and-actresses-have-done-a-lot-of-films-with-their-legs-with/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [When a woman does not want something to go on she has to say stop. And she always has the right to change her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/when-a-woman-does-not-want-something-to-go-on-she-has-to-say-stop-and/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [I had some bad times. We got married because, you know, I was pregnant. But then I lost the baby. Ups and downs. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/i-had-some-bad-times-we-got-married-because-you-know-i-was-pregnant/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [You can always tell a man's nationality by introducing him to a beautiful girl. An Englishman shakes her hand; a Frenchman kisses her hand;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/you-can-always-tell-a-man-s-nationality-by-introducing-him-to-a/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [It was a strange love story from the beginning. I could see Jean-Luc was looking at me all the time, and I was looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/it-was-a-strange-love-story-from-the-beginning-i-could-see-jean-luc/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [We never thought the films would be so famous for so long. We were just happy to do things. It was more bohemian. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/we-never-thought-the-films-would-be-so-famous-for-so-long-we-were/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [I am the old story. L'histoire ancienne. But an old story can still be a good story, no?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/i-am-the-old-story-l-histoire-ancienne-but-an-old-story-can-still-be/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [Obviously when I came I wanted to live in Paris. I wanted to work or... if that didn't work out... perhaps go away with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/obviously-when-i-came-i-wanted-to-live-in-paris-i-wanted-to-work-or/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [There were a lot of ups and downs in my life. And the downs were, you know, very down. Very low.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/there-were-a-lot-of-ups-and-downs-in-my-life-and-the-downs-were-you/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) [Explore all 57 Anna Karina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) ## More Cafe quotes > [If it's a healthy day, I'll head to the gym, then have a steak salad at the cafe next door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-mcgovern/if-it-s-a-healthy-day-i-ll-head-to-the-gym-then-have-a-steak-salad-at/) [Steph McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-mcgovern/) > [Cafe society is as old as the hills. Starbucks and its imitators are the coffee face of the new man in a hurry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/cafe-society-is-as-old-as-the-hills-starbucks-and-its-imitators-are/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [My main home is in Morecambe Bay on a little island called Roa, where there are 13 houses, a lifeboat station, a boat club…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-myers/my-main-home-is-in-morecambe-bay-on-a-little-island-called-roa-where/) [Dave Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-myers/) > [When I was younger, I used to do that a lot: I would hear a part of a song that would really relax me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-krule/when-i-was-younger-i-used-to-do-that-a-lot-i-would-hear-a-part-of-a/) [King Krule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-krule/) > [“It was the same Dimitri from long ago, the fierce one who was willing to risk his life for what was right. I almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/it-was-the-same-dimitri-from-long-ago-the-fierce-one-who-was-willing/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Our favourite restaurant, cafe, noodle joint or eating house is always there for us when we need them, from morning coffee to major milestone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/our-favourite-restaurant-cafe-noodle-joint-or-eating-house-is-always/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) > [A girl came in the cafe and sat by herself at a table near the window. She was very pretty with a face fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/a-girl-came-in-the-cafe-and-sat-by-herself-at-a-table-near-the-window/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [If you can't sit in a cafe quietly and be ignored, how can you observe human nature and write a story?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/if-you-can-t-sit-in-a-cafe-quietly-and-be-ignored-how-can-you-observe/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [If you want to know how old you look, just walk into a French cafe. It's like a public referendum on your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/if-you-want-to-know-how-old-you-look-just-walk-into-a-french-cafe-it/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) > [My mum and dad ran a family cafe in Sligo for 35 years and worked long hours. We grew up in a very hard-working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-filan/my-mum-and-dad-ran-a-family-cafe-in-sligo-for-35-years-and-worked/) [Shane Filan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-filan/) > [I did sketch comedy with a troupe at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selenis-leyva/i-did-sketch-comedy-with-a-troupe-at-the-nuyorican-poets-cafe/) [Selenis Leyva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selenis-leyva/) > [I think it's important to have flexibility to work wherever is best for you. I actually encourage people to work at the cafe -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-wojcicki/i-think-it-s-important-to-have-flexibility-to-work-wherever-is-best/) [Anne Wojcicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-wojcicki/) > [I've grown so accustomed to my life in L.A., going to a Coffee Bean or getting breakfast at Kings Road Cafe. I've seen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maz-jobrani/i-ve-grown-so-accustomed-to-my-life-in-l-a-going-to-a-coffee-bean-or/) [Maz Jobrani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maz-jobrani/) > [When I'm gone, you'll be sitting in a cafe and say, "Do you remember Agnes?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-denes/when-i-m-gone-you-ll-be-sitting-in-a-cafe-and-say-do-you-remember/) [Agnes Denes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-denes/) > [“The silver knives are flashing in that tired old cafe...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-silver-knives-are-flashing-in-that-tired-old-cafe/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) [Browse all 105 Cafe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cafe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I went to Paris when I was 17 and would sit in a cafe called Les Deux Magots, in the Latin Quarter. 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