Comments on: France will do (almost) anything for your tourism dollars

By: J. Lewis

J. Lewis — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 17:17:08 +0000

I must concur with WC. The French are famous for their obscene body odor. French subways smell like the Third World, with an underlying hint of Limburger cheese. In fact, the French only bathe when they are so dirty it hurts. The French are also known to shower in pig sweat known as “le douche de cochon.” In English, this means “we like the spread smelly pig pits all over our smelly bodies and call it a shower.” That description was apt three centuries ago. Today the French take two showers a year. In France, escargot is snails. French people eat snails because it’s the only thing they can kill. With everything else, they just surrender.

By: W.C. Fields

W.C. Fields — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:04:10 +0000

As someone who has lived in France cheek by jowl with the rude, arrogant natives for four years, I have one question for all these delirious posters who find the French warm, delightful and friendly. Do you smoke crack 24-7?

By: Dolores M, Westminster, MD

Dolores M, Westminster, MD — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:55:47 +0000

In the last 10 years we have visited the Languedoc, Brittany, Lot, and Paris on 6 or so trips, typically 2 weeks, the most recent in April with a week in the Lot Valley and a week in Paris. With rare exception we have been treated with kindness and help. We’ve had the occasionally less than friendly waiter in Paris, but even there it has been an exception. We have found the French to be friendly, curious and eager to engage in conversation with Americans

By: alexia

alexia — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:50:25 +0000

I must join the chorus of those who say the reputation the French have as rude is undeserved, although they are sticklers for what used to be called common courtesy. I went to Paris for the first time about 4 years ago and, due to their reputation, was apprehensive to say the least. I made certain to memorize a few polite phrases, including, in French, “Pardon me, but do you speak English? My French is tragic. Thank you. ” which brought a smile to more than one face. The Parisians I encountered were, at the very least, polite and helpful.

The rudest? London. Hands-down the rudest people I have ever met. Far ruder than any New Yorker I have encountered in my many years of doing business in Manhattan. I have never encountered, before or since, people who went out of their way to be snide, give misleading information or refuse to assist in any way. It was so bad that I am still puzzled after all these years and have no intention of going back. AND I actively discourage others from staying in London any longer than they need to.

By: tripso.com | France will do (almost) anything for your tourism dollars | France Today

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:37:29 +0000

[...] I have had the privilege of visiting France (for both personal and business trips) since 1980. I just returned from my latest trip on July 9. Though I speak very limited French, I have never encountered anyone holding a job where they … Read the original: tripso.com | France will do (almost) anything for your tourism dollars [...]

By: syd

syd — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:02:54 +0000

WEIRD NEWS PARIS, France – To combat a reputation for unfriendliess, Paris will now place smiling tourism ambassadors throughout the city.

By: Mona

Mona — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:19:45 +0000

We have not found the French to any more impolite than Americans are and actually we have enjoyed ourselves immensely on our trips to France. Our son works in Paris and is a wonderful “guide” to France and other nearby countries. We thouroughly enjoy ourselves on our trips, it would be wonderful to visit now when the vat in restaurancts is so low.
We are just middle income people and so do not just go to higher expensive places.

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:05:36 +0000

I think this is all just fodder for a slow news day.

We just returned from 9 days in Provence and Paris and nothing ruined it for us. Not the allegedly rude reputation of the French, not the weather, not our tiny hotel room near the Louvre, not the little cups of strong coffee, not those crazy roundabouts, not the attitude of the waiters. Not even the horrid exchange rate with the dollar. OK, maybe that last one was a bit of a headache, but we’re already planning a return to Provence with kids in tow.

Currently chronicling our journey on my blog. Updates daily through Sunday.

By: Patrick Goff

Patrick Goff — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:33:36 +0000

If the French stop pretending they can’t speak anything but French, or stop being rude to everyone, stop being so arrogant, they won’t be French any more.

By: Arthur

Arthur — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:29:41 +0000

LOL and what a loaded question.

I will try to make an attempt to answer your question, but with a bit of background.
I was born and raised in New York City, which I believe is the best training ground should a person eventually start to travel. New Yorkers are proud people, they are on a mission, live on tight schedules, and are surrounded by every culture the world has to offer.

I have also been traveling to France since I was a child; maybe the first trip was around 1960.

In my humble opinion Paris and the Parisians, are very similar in attitudes as New Yorkers and other residents of major cities. I have found that most Europeans do speak English/ American in some degree, but why should they?

Do Americans speak French……not that many, and Americans are very much against learning Spanish, which is a growing language issue here in the States. I will not go into the many forms of dialect of the Spanish Language.

Parisians speak their language quickly, whereas if you do have some knowledge of the language, the southern regions of France the spoken French is slower and more poetic.

The Tourist attitude also plays a role in this. If you approach anyone as if a demand, you will be treated as such….”Who in the heck do you think you are to address me in such a fashion”. If you approach a person with a question be polite, have a pad and paper in order to at least line draw what you are trying to address. This has always worked for me, anyplace in the world, and smile.

Before you go really to any country, you should learn a few basic words, such as
Please, Thank You, Pardon me, Your Welcome, Left, Right and a really basic “Where is a toilet?”

If you are perceived to be rude, then it will be reciprocated in kind.

Paris is a walking city. There are two circular roads that go around the city.
As a teenager a friend of mine and I decided to walk the outer road. We eventually got hopelessly lost. A dear little old lady passed us, notice we were confused, began the conversation in French to try and help us, she then immediately broke into English.

We were in shock by the quick language change, and she advised us she learn English when the Americans and English liberated Paris from the Nazi’s. We ended up having an unplanned delightful conversation.

Just as there are “Ugly Americans” and I have seen them in action, I run the opposite direction and I feel sorry for the French person trying to help them.
There are also just rude Parisians, just as there are rude people all over the world.

A tourist has to always remember that “they are a tourist” and mind your place.
The tourist is going to stay in the country for a short period of time, and you are only a visitor in their country. Hence, the tourist needs to make an attempt, and remember they are also representing their country.

Politeness and smiles works two ways.