Why are we attracted to expensive places?

MonacoWe recently spent a weekend on the Cote d’Azur in the south of France. Thankfully we had been warned about the prices that we should expect and so were not caught completely by surprise. Shabby 2 star hotels charging around €100 for a pokey room and restaurants €15 for a simple plate of pasta was the norm in much of Nice and Monaco, and even venturing away from the main tourist streets didn’t seem to bring the prices down very much. We even found that Paris was cheaper by contrast.

Seeing the huge crowds undeterred by the high prices had me wondering: is it the case that the place itself is so unmissable that local businesses can charge whatever they like and people will still come? Or is there another factor at play here; that rather like being seen to own designer clothing or to driver a fancy sports car, holidaying on the French Riviera is a brand that we choose to consume and be identified with, and the price is an essential part of what that brand is all about?

Monte CarloDon’t get me wrong: Nice is nice, Monaco is a worthy day-trip destination and there are enough points of interest along the coast to keep most people entertained for a few days, whatever your taste. And the sea is the same alluring colour that I remember it to be when I last passed this way as a teenage backpacker.

But is this a part of Europe that is unmissable? Not for me. Does it hold any attractions that are worthy of a long journey to get to? No again. We enjoyed exploring the Rothschild villa in Beaulieu-sur-Mer and also the nearby Villa Kerylos, where I stood transfixed as the Mediterranean waves crashed  against the window in a basement gallery we were visiting. But I enjoyed more our time more in Montpellier, an unfussy French city with a wonderful range of cafes and restaurants (priced at a far more affordable level).

Monte Carlo casinoNice and its surrounding towns appeared to me to be a place where the super-rich park their super-yachts and be seen in their latest designer garb. Pouting stilettoed ladies strut the streets with their yapping toy dogs while cigar smoking James Bonds carry a young blonde on one arm and all the while have at least one eye on the passing talent.

Admittedly it’s a people-watcher’s paradise. It’s not since our days wandering the streets of Upper Manhattan that I’ve seen so many folks take themselves so seriously. I guess when you invest so much in your car/dress/cosmetic surgeon then you expect your look to be just right.

So is that it? Do the ‘ordinary’ folks come here and pay the price to watch the super-rich at play? Is a part of the attraction the chance to play the part of one of those millionaires for a day by paying double money for ordinary food in the street restaurants or flashing a small wad in one of the many casinos?

I left without any answers but satisfied that this was not really a place for me. I am a big fan of France and it won’t be long until I’m back on the other side of the tunnel. In such a diverse country it’s only natural that there will be parts that don’t appeal, as I discovered in Nice.

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4 Responses to “Why are we attracted to expensive places?”

  1. Maxine Sheppard #

    I felt similarly about Nice and that part of the coast. I think my expectations were completely skewed by reading far too much F. Scott Fitzgerald when I was younger. I completely romanticised it and imagined I’d be able to just assimilate myself into that world, when the reality was I spent the whole time feeling like I was on the other side of a glass wall looking in. Of course, it’s ravishingly beautiful – all the gorgeous belle époque architecture and that glittering sweep of a bay… I’d probably go back in a heartbeat, especially if someone else was paying (some hope). But I do remember feeling quite aware of my ‘status’ there, ie. not rich, and never quite feeling truly relaxed.

    May 14, 2011 at 1:13 am
  2. JJ #

    Glad I’m not the only one who has these thoughts. To me, places such as those mentioned are just horrible. Yes I’m one of the plebs, so I would say that, but I know plenty of plebs who openly aspire to/envy the whole rich-kid lifestyle. I don’t. Sure it’s got pretty views, but most places on Earth have “pretty views”. Why do you need to go somewhere full of arrogant, shallow, soulless phoneys to get a nice view? The answer: you don’t. Leave them to their conspicuous expenditure and go somewhere properly exciting/interesting.

    May 17, 2011 at 12:24 am
  3. Places like that are somewhat of a tease to those of us who aren’t as financially fortunate as others are. However, the allure of strolling the streets and window shopping amongst the rich and famous is appealing to many people, regardless of the price. That’s why places like Monaco, and Nice are so popular.

    Look at Rodeo Drive and 5th Avenue in NYC. Those streets are loaded with people gawking at purses that cost more than they earn in a paycheck.

    June 1, 2011 at 10:05 pm
  4. Thanks for the great comments. Glad to hear we’re not alone in our thoughts. Yes, as Elle points out, the pastime of observing the rich in their habitat is a popular one. And I have to admit I do enjoy the people-watching side of things; perhaps even more so to watch those who aspire to being one of those rich folks (there are dozens of people pretending to have lots of money in these places to every person who actually has it).

    June 5, 2011 at 10:33 am