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London - I sticked to Soho, Notting Hill, Portobello Road, Ladbroke Grove (when I saw Saint-John's church I wished I could afford a house nearby; it's a small church), and found all these places wonderful.
Oxford street was overcrowded at times, but it's easy to walk at your pace in the parallel streets.
Tiny islands of green everywhere.
The parks are wonderful. I sat in Regent's Park, in the Queen's Circle, on an april afternoon, in that wide garden of roses and felt it was heaven. The way they are shaped never makes them boring.
What surprised me the most : noone seemed to ignore you (apart from Oxford Street and that tube station), expensive food, expensive water, but... you've got room in the restaurants, the fries at McDonalds are made from a different brand of potatoe (different to the ones we eat in France), advertising for theater is very present, in garish colors sometimes, but I can't remember seeing two posters for movies; only spotted one cinema that seemed to be ashame of itself; lots of homeless in the morning (I was in the streets at 7 - 8 o'clock French time).
Paris - Bastille has fine shops; Montparnasse I used to like but I can't recall why, as there's this broad avenue giving you the idea that it's just a part of town you go through; go to Saint-Michel & Odéon when I've got to shop; les Halles for cinema.
I don't like going there. Too many people and no quiet streets to walk in. A constant rush. People are brutes. Even my own friends. Ignoring waiters who remain unpolite even if you thank them with a smile. Restaurants and cafés are loaded with the maximum chairs and tables the owners could find. Almost always fearing bruises.
Two places though : a tiny café in rue Marcadet (around number 134), and an Irish pub by the Opéra - Kitty O'Shea's, where waiters come from the UK; there are the places where you can breathe.
The parks : unlike the British parks, Paris parks offer 20% of lawn, 80% of yellowish gravel, and some trees here and there that can't hide the buildings; wherever you look, you'll see something that will remind you you're in a city.
Brest - Windy. Huge monuments popping up. Rather intimidating. The city hall looks like the replica of a soviet monument in a B movie.
Because of the intimidation of it all, the young seem to look for fun with more stamina than in other towns. Lots of students. Hence many shows by local bands. I liked it.
Perros-Guirec - Expensive. Wonderful place to stay. By the sea. Wonderful.
Saint-Brieuc - My friends are there. So it's fine. When in fact, apart from the Art Rock festival in June, there's nothing interesting.
Rennes - My favorite French town. Lots and lots of cafés. Students galore. Every thursday, they fight the police or start races down the street my friend lives in. They don't use cars but trash containers. Two dedicated record stores. And a wonderful park, with lawn, trees, Japanese ducks...
Nancy - My childhood city. A bit grey but I loved it.
Metz - A beautiful city. One beautiful cemetary, a huge cathedral.
Bordeaux - Almost a disaster of a town. Parts of it are nearly ruins.
Toulouse - The people look like the Parisians. Unless you've got their accent.
I can't remember Brussels, it was so long ago.
And I wish I could go to Norway (Oslo and, most of all, Tromsoe).
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