Is it true that the French don't like Americans?

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Rillifane

I frequently travel to France and have been doing so for almost 35 years. I was last in Paris in October.

I have seen relations between the USA and France go up and down over this period.

I speak French but I have no illusions that I sound like a native.

I make no secret of the fact that I am an American, come from Texas, and am generally very patriotic.

I occasionally encounter people who are simply stupidly anti-American. I have never had a problem dismissing such fools.

In fact, I observe Americans expressing anti-French sentiments far more frequently in the USA than I hear anti-American sentiments in France.

Which merely demonstrates that neither country has a monopoly on idiots.

More commonly I encounter people in France who have issues about American policy, culture and lifestyles who are rational, informed, sincere, and, even when passionate about their opinions, ready to engage in reasoned argument concerning those issues. I have had many lively and interesting discussions as a result. I have no problem with these and, in fact, enjoy them.

I have also noticed that Americans can be obnoxious tourists. Too many act as if everyone has a legal obligation to speak English, cannot fathom that not everyone does things just like they do them in the USA, and regard it as a sign of moral depravity if the French do not begin every conversation by thanking them personally for America's part in World War II.

Sensible Americans who take the time to learn a bit about proper behavior from a French point of view, keep open minds, don't look for offense when none is intended, and don't walk around with a chip on their shoulder will find the French perfectly nice people.

Besides, if you take a minute to glance at any group of young people in France you're quite likely to see that they are wearing blue jeans and UCLA sweat shirts, smoking Marlboros, wearing Nikes, listening to American rock and roll, and heading to either Starbucks or McDonalds. Just how "anti-American" could they be?

angelguy_paris

We dont hate American at all we just dont like (like 80% of the countries in the world ) the US politic and G Bush in particular...American are welcome in France so no worries...

You can come to France you will be welcome !!!!

Vladimir ILL

We like nice and educated people - If you're nice and educated, Us, eskimo or bantoo.... we are adults - so please believe that we are adults and make your own philosophy -

mmdjaajl

near every country don't like Americans(the government that is)

enpoche7

I have been visiting Paris twice each year for the past 5 years. In all that time, I have never had a bad experience with anyone. To say that the French don't like American's is not fair. To say that the French don't like people who are rude and expect that they all speak english is another matter. The French are a very passionate, proud people. They are passionate about life and love and proud of their beautiful city. They enjoy living life to the fullest which includes saying hello to people when going into a restaurant or shop before they order or ask questions. I think what puts them off, and gives the impression that they don't like Americans is when Americans act like Americans rather than as guests in someone else's country. The French are not afraid of letting someone know when they are out of line or being rude. They will respond in a like manner. They appreciate it when a tourist attempts to speak French (rather than assuming that everyone else speaks english). They appreciate it when tourists dress like guests rather than like they would in their living rooms. If you look around at the Parisians, most are very neatly dressed and very well groomed. I think it offends their sensibilities when tourists are dressed in 'I'm with stupid' shirts and are loud and rude. So in general, when visiting Paris, try adapt to their customs, and I think you will find, as I have, that they are truly wonderful, fun and funny.

David

By and large, no. It's important to bear in mind, first of all, that generalizations about people based on nationality, ethnicity, religion, etc, are seldom if ever justified- regardless of whether those generalizations are positive or negative. In other words, much like not everyone in the United States thinks alike, not everyone in France does either.
There is inevitably some degree of anti-Americanism in France. But this is not the norm. For people who supposedly hate Americans, the French watch copious amounts of American TV shows and movies, listen to American music, wear American or American-inspired fashions, eat in American fast food restaurants, etc. A rather odd way of demonstrating this "hatred", as you'll presumably agree.
Similarly, for better or for worse, there are a number of prominent public figures in France- from the political arena and the private sector alike- who wish to model France's economy on that of the United States. Former president Jacques Chirac was one, and his successor, the current president Nicolas Sarkozy, is another. People sometimes make the assumption that Jacques Chirac was anti-American because he refused to support the war in Iraq. The irony is that he loves the US- he's spoken fondly of his days as an exchange student here, for instance. His problem was with Bush, and the latter's foreign policy- not with the US as a whole.
I'll conclude with the following. My experience has been that the most vocal France-bashers- the ringleaders so to speak when it comes to perpetrating every ugly and demeaning stereotype and caricature associated with French people- are by far the people who know the least about them. People who have never set foot in France and who've literally never met a single French person in their entire lives are invariably the ones with the most to say about those "rude, unkempt, anti-Semitic, anti-American French". This never ceases to amaze me. Similarly, when Americans go abroad and have unpleasant experiences- in France or elsewhere- it seldom seems to occur to them to do any soul-searching and ask themselves if perhaps something in their behavior and attitudes could be part of the problem. Case in point- when Americans walk into a shop, bakery, restaurant, or any other place of business abroad, start speaking English as if they were back home, and then react with exasperation and contempt when this neither goes over well nor leads to effective communication, that's never going to be a ticket to popularity. Similarly, walking into a place of business and immediately making a laundry list of requests with nary a "hello" or "please" is frowned upon as well. Am I saying that all, or even most Americans do this? No. But I've seen it, and in my view these are often, ironically enough, the type of people who come away from a trip to France with tales of how "rude" and "obnoxious" everybody was. It's all very subjective and open to interpretation when it comes down to it.

catherine

French people are not anti-american! They don't like our government, but many of us here don't like it either. French people appreciate an American trying to speak French, instead of instantly speaking English. They are lovely, welcoming and once they are your friends, they will stay your friends for life. Remember, if you travel there, you are not in the States, so you need to pay attention to the way people behave and behave likewise.

Eclipsepearl

I've been living in France 12 years and can back Rillifane's post 100%.

I only wanted to add that the French are not socialized the way Americans are. They are more reserved and generally are not "nice" to people they don't know. When you wait in line in France or are in a crowd, normally, no one talks to you.

They are polite and can turn cold quickly if you don't follow the correct politeness procedures. I forgot to say "Bonjour" walking into the news agents the other day and they were really put off by it. I didn't forget. They were just far away and busy.

What I'm describing is how French people are to *each other*. Foreigners are not given a break and Americans tend to take things personally.

At first, I found it really off-putting. Now I'm used to it to the point that I have trouble shaking it off. I went on a cruise last summer with my French husband and some French friends. They were really amazed at how we talk to each other. I had to assure them that we have to talk to each other and be nice or they would think I was weird.

If someone is super friendly in France, it might be because belong to a cult, thus want to recruit you or are a mental patient. Sometimes I meet French people who lived in the States and we'll strike up a conversation. Almost always, they will mention, "I really miss this, being able to talk to people that I don't necessarily know. Here in France, you can't normally do this!"

No one has ever held any U.S. policy or politics against me personally. Some French have expressed their views (people I know quite well, not surprisingly). Since I'm from San Francisco, people of any nationality can usually shake down my politics with some confidence.

Laurie

It depends. You shoul try to be as polite as you can (always use "vous" when speaking) and try your best to speak French as often as you can. They will respect you more if you communicate using their language.

david464014

Yes it is - and that's because the majority of Americans assume that all French speak English. Make an effort to speak to them in their own language, as little as "Hello" or "Do you speak English?", and you'll find them very welcoming and hospitable.

titouche

I'm french
I can tel you that french love Americans.

Not just the French.

People generally take other people on a one-on-one basis. If you're cool, they're cool. Remember that the U.S. isn't the only country in the world that is proud of their country. France is proud of their country as well.

As a group, or if you put it "do you like Americans" I would think that most people would say "no". Just the way it is. But as individuals, if you were to ask "do you like John (who happens to be American) it would depend on the type of person that John is, rather than his nationality.

humaniste

It is not true, french and americans are coming from one Jesus

boomer gal

It certainly felt that way when I visited Paris.

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