I wouldn't describe Paris as a super nice place by any means, more "gritty but cool," but the area near the Eiffel Tower is a tourist zone and always has been.

I wouldn't describe Paris as a super nice place by any means, more "gritty but cool," but the area near the Eiffel Tower is a tourist zone and always has been. Average Parisians rarely go there. I wouldn't call Times Square a nice place either. Your comment would be more convincing if you said Le Marais, Belleville, or the 13th were getting bad.