 Harry Potter's adventures begin with a journey from Kings Cross |
Harry Potter and Tony Blair are among London's main pulls for French tourists, according to a survey. The prime minister and the boy wizard have edged out Trafalgar Square and the West End in a survey by London-to-Paris train company Eurostar.
And the city's musical heritage is apparently at the forefront of tourists' minds as Mick Jagger and punks rated alongside the Queen as symbols of the London.
The capital's shopping mecca Oxford Street does not appeal to the French, who prefer the trendy small shops of north London, according to the survey.
It found Camden Town and the city's football clubs were "significant factors" in the French's decision to visit London.
Once tourists arrive they enjoy the sights and historic buildings and find Londoners welcoming, friendly and helpful - but nearly 60% find it an expensive break.
On the other hand, the survey found Britons are inspired to go to Paris by existentialist writer Jean-Paul Sartre, only 11% find it expensive and 80% see it as the capital of romance.
The survey coincides with a campaign by the French and Paris national tourist boards to encourage Parisians to give a warm welcome to visitors.
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