It’s difficult to keep hidden gems hidden in this social media age. That’s something that residents of Paris’ Rue Crémieux are well aware of. It’s a picturesque, car-less cobblestone street that’s lined with pastel-colored homes. It’s the kind of street an Instagrammer would like, and they do, a lot of them. So much so that the residents have now demanded that the city install gates to keep Instagrammers away.
According to reports, the residents want games installed on both ends of the street so that visitors can be kept out on evenings and the weekends. The residents complain that their small street gets overrun with tourists during these hours who don’t quietly admire the street but cause a lot of disruption while they’re there.
“We sit down to eat and just outside we have people taking photos — rappers who take two hours to film a video right beneath the window, or bachelorette parties who scream for an hour,” said a resident.
One can imagine how it would feel if there are dozens of people right outside your door every single day. The noise would mean that getting a moment of peace in your own home becomes difficult. Not to mention that you risk showing up on someone’s Instagram the moment you step outside the door.
Simply look up the #ruecremieux hashtag on Instagram and you’ll find people doing all sorts of stuff in front of private residences. There are Instagrammers striking yoga poses, flash mobs, and just throngs of people trying to get the perfect shot.
The residents have given the city until the summer to find out a solution that works for them while continuing to allow limited access to those who just want to do it for the ‘Gram.