“××× was here,” “×××, I love you”... Seeing such graffiti at tourist attractions can be truly annoying. In France, visitors often come across street art on abandoned walls, but rarely see vandalism on cultural relics or historic sites. As a major tourism destination rich in cultural resources, how does France prevent and handle this persistent issue?
To find out, reporters interviewed several Chinese people who have lived in France for many years. According to them, French parents are very strict with their children’s upbringing, instilling in them from a young age the importance of protecting public property and cultural heritage. No matter how young, if a child makes noise, causes a disturbance, or defaces public spaces, they will be sternly reprimanded by their parents or even asked to apologize publicly. As a result, most French people develop a habit of protecting cultural relics from childhood, understanding that vandalism can cause trouble for both themselves and others.
The average income level in France is relatively high, and the French enjoy many holidays, giving them more opportunities to travel. The French don’t see traveling as a rare opportunity, so they naturally don’t feel the need to carve “I was here” to commemorate a place they’ve visited. As for those mischievous tourists who vandalize either cultural relics or urban buildings, once caught, they face varying degrees of punishment. For causing serious damage, fines can reach tens of thousands of euros, and even imprisonment is possible.
Several French friends told reporters that from a young age, they visited many museums under the guidance of teachers and parents. Most of these museums offer free or discounted admission to help children understand the value of historical and cultural heritage from an early age, thereby fostering better preservation and protection. As they grow older, they also come to legally understand that defacing cultural relics is a serious offense and absolutely unacceptable.
In addition to educating and supervising citizens and tourists, some French cities and attractions also use new technologies and materials to prevent vandalism. The Marseille city government, for example, applies anti-graffiti coatings to certain buildings. Walls treated with these coatings are virtually “graffiti-proof,” as most paints fail to leave any marks on them.