Question about the French?

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Rillifane

I have been traveling to France on a regular basis for over 30 years and I find the French to be perfectly pleasant, helpful and polite.

Of course, it helps that I am originally from New York City and understand that big city residents everywhere can appear brusque when compared to people from smaller towns or from rural areas.

Many visitors seem to forget that the Parisian they approach for directions may be on his way to work or otherwise occupied with the details of his own life and therefore not amenable to stopping to help give directions to some tourist who can't or won't bother to.read a map. this is especially so when the tourist approaches them in a language they may not speak or may have only a limited ability in.

Moreover, over decades of observing my fellow Anglophones (and this applies equally to Americans and Brits) I notice that they often pay little attention to the local customs including what is taken as polite behavior (don't feel too bad...Germans are even worse).

If you take the attitude that you are guest in someone else's country and behave as such then you will, in my experience, be treated with civility and often with great kindness.

bluejay

I studied in France for 4 months and I didn't have one bad experience with a French person. The people I met were very straight forward, nice and helpful.
I think it's the same thing as going to any other country...the way you treat people will be reflected on the way they treat you.

Rose T

On my 5 visits to Paris, I have found the people I encountered to be nice and polite for the most part. The only ones I've had a problem with were the con men who latch onto unaccompanied women and try to scam them, but I think most of them have not been French.

I also have a penpal who works for the Ministry of Health in Cannes and lives in a village outside Nice. We've been writing to each other for about 10 years, and he is very nice.

sloantr

My boyfriend is French, born and raised in Paris. So of course I think French people are nice. I will admit there are some who can be rude, but you will always find rude people in every country. The thing about French people, Parisians in particular, is that they are too busy to worry about if other people find them to be courteous. They have busy lives and their own worries. As for the person who said they were arrogant, you couldn't be further from the truth. They don't think they are better than Americans and they don't hate us. Obviously, you came across the wrong ones.

If you go to France, try to learn a few French phrases, such as "Parlez-vous anglais?" which means "Do you speak English?". You will find that if you try and make an effort, they will appreciate it very much. Don't go there and expect them all to speak English. That's when you will come across the rude ones.

ocularnervosa

Nice, it helps if you speak a little French. Also they are not chit-chat kind of people and get straight to the point so don't be surprised if they really aren't interested in your life story.

dydy

They are nice :) . Try to say some words in french like : Bonjours ( hello) ...they love that and maybe they will can help you in English.
In the south of france like Provence or French riviera, they are more nice and helpful ( the sun the sun lol ).

Torrance19

It really depends on who you talk to if you are in Paris, as written earlier they are stressed and in rush it's the same for a french who'd try to find his way in NY!!! It's not that we are rude but go straight to the point and unfortunately not a lot of people speak english, but there is improvement, to be sure to have an answer in English try to ask someone who seems to be less than 30 years old.

But if you go other place than Paris people who'd be nicer but it's the same every where, all other the world some people are nice and others not, that's it !!

heywelio

Parisians are not pleasant to EVERYONE - they are just too stressed and arrogant. So just enjoy the beauty of the country, its rich culture and ignore the "attitude" of Parisians. However, everywhere else in France, the French people are very nice and welcoming to all. The "Loire" area is fabulous with all its old castles. Have fun if you go, a beautiful place!

Luiz E

my teacher is french
she is really strict... I guess cuz she is old skool...
But really rude...
im not sayin all french are like that
watcch out for the old ones tho....
young people r cool

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