What things do French people hate most about American people who travel in France?

Show all answers

WISE OWL

What a lovely girl you are, Delicious!
I do not think you will have any problems in France because you have the right attitude to start with: you are looking forward to going, you want to practise your French, you are musical and therefore artistic and sensitive, and you want to please which is a major asset to befriend people and make a good impression.

You are correct about the stories that you have heard about SOME Americans making a very poor impression when they come to France. The most usual reproach made about these people is that they are very loud, brash, and rude. They expect everyone to understand them when they speak English, they make unreasonable demands, expect people to be at their beck and call, and make no effort beforehand to know not just basic greetings, as you mentioned, but a bit about common manners and customs. They find fault with everything, are not prepared to adapt to local conditions and demand what they want in a tone that they would not use for their dog back home.

In shops it is customary to say "Bonjour" when you go in and they don't. They touch everything, often without any intention of buying anything, try on hats or clothing, and just chuck them back any old how, making loud or rude comments (which sometimes are well understood). In hotels often the staff do speak English, and they understand the deprecating comments that are made very loud about other people there, or about things that these guests have come across during the day. Whilst everyone is entittled to voice criticism and express an opinion, there are ways of doing it which are less offensive.

France is a very old country with a deep and thorough culture which is very rewarding to get to know rather than superficially skate over, (what I call the "been there, done that syndrome") giving two minutes to a site and moving on to the next with no real interest at the history or the interesting facts behind what there is to be seen.

The same goes with food. France is a gastronomic heaven, but many Americans will demand American style food and drinks, and are not prepared to experiment and taste local dishes unless it is something like quiche that they have seen it in their local supermarket back in the States.

Some Americans or Brits come over with clothing which, whilst it may be practical, comfortable or trendy, is completely wrong for where they are. The French are rather conservative in what they wear and are somewhat taken aback by what American and British tourists wear; girls expecting to go around in shorts or swimwear in the middle of towns for instance and entering churches semi-naked because, after all, they are "on holiday". Nobody will batter an eyelid at classic jeans and tee-shirts because most French teenagers wear them all the time, but tiny mini skirts that have been deliberately distressed, tops that expose too much flesh, holed and torn clothing, anything gross or over the top in style, are excentricities which immediately spell "tourists".

Looking at what I have written above, I think that what I am trying to say it that the French dislike people who, whatever nationality they are, draw the wrong kind of attention to themselves, or those that are rude and disrespectful, arrogant and look down on them as inferiors.

Last year for instance I was in a hotel dining room where there were two American couples who had four children whom they sent to play in the garden whilst they lingered over their meal. The children were clearly bored so they proceeded in moving the rocks from a rockery, building things with flowers and greenery which they picked from flowerbeds, taking gravel from the paths on to the lawn and eventually starting to pull the stones from a dry wall to build something on the path. When I saw from our table that they were doing real damage and that it was becoming dangerous because the wall was starting to collapse, I quietly and politely went to draw the parents' attention to the fact that the children were at risk by what they were doing. One father went to investigate and came back to shout at me very loudly across the room in front of all the other guests that "the children were being creative and there was no harm in them using what was at hand since the staff was employed by the hotel to clear after them". Would this have been tolerated in America ? I very much doubt it.

You will be travelling in a group, and like young people all over the world, you are likely to be enthusiastic and noisy when you visit places, but there is a difference between that and shrieking loudly or even showing too much enthusiasm with: "My, isn't that CUTE!" in shops on top decibels.

I have taken loads of students to France and, before going, I gave them some insights about what to do and how to behave so as not to give offence, and I expect that your choirmaster/mistress will do the same.

So have a really lovely time, enjoy all the wonderful things you are going to see, and practise your French as much as you can. I am sure you will do very well!

Bon voyage!

GÃ©gÃ© le sanglier

Hi there,
first of all, your teacher is right, learn a few words like "bonjour" or s"il vous plait", it makes a big difference. When you wanna know something, ask first if the guy speaks english.
We are not rude, just proud, imagine if a french in US asks you something in the street in french. You would say : We are in my country!! Try to speak my language or at least, ask me first if I speak yours!!
And that's perfectly normal in my opinion. Depends where you are, but in some place, especially the campaign, nobody speaks english. So you'll practice your french, don't worry about that...
Try to not speak about WW2, that you saved us, etc.... Everybody gets worked up at the end, always (my experience).
Don't ask american food in a restaurant, if you don't want the waiter spits in your food (I'm kidding, but don't).
And just be yourself!!! If you respect us, everybody will respect you, that's all we ask.
If you want more advice, email me.
Have a good trip in France!

sotires

In fact saying "hello" when they go into a shop would be OK. Most of them just ask for what they want without even saying hello. Of course "bonjour" would be better.
The French love you to try to speak French. They then forgive you and try and get a free English oral lesson out of you, until they get fed up and switch back to French.
What they don't like is for someone to just barge in and assume everyone talks English.
If you go there with an attitude of wanting to learn about France and the French, as would seem to be the case, you'll be fine.

And now you've got rid of the imbecile that you had voted in for president, American popularity ratings have shot up.
By the way, the orchestra I play in (in Paris) has two American girls in it.

elliott

Just be polite.
I work in one of France's top 10 attractions (by visitor numbers) and every year American students come across as the rudest.
Why?
Because they rarely say hello, please or thank you in French or English (I really do not care in what language as long as they say it)!
However, by far the most polite group are by far the older American couples who never hesitate in speaking a little French and are always polite.

Please do not take offence to this but it is unfortunately how we see it.

Cabal

Just to add to Wise Owl very thorough explanation, we love English or American accent in French, we find that cute just like English usually enjoys the French accent in English (which I find awful).
Do not touch people, I noticed that Americans are more prone to touch each other, pat each other than we are. This is very rude in France. However our personal space is waayyyy smaller than yours, when people queue expect to have no more than a few inches between you and the next person.
We do not smile. That's not because we don't like you, it is because smiling to people you don't know is not in our customs. Usually we recoil wondering why that person is smiling at us and what does he (or she) want. A pleasant neutral expression is the proper answer, and that is the hardest thing for Americans to get used to. Their first impression is that we don't like them, that we are rude when in fact we are polite... French way. And when we smile we do not grin, we only laugh loudly and grin when between friends away from the public eye.
Most French people will make plenty of allowances to foreigners who show they are trying, you'll probably even get them to smile. The others are idiots (you find them in every country I'm afraid), ignore them and enjoy your stay.

awm663

if you're going to paris, study your french!!! they won't give you the same respect if you don't speak the language. you don't need to know the whole language but just a little bit. words like oui, no, bonjour, salut, merci, and other things will come in handy.

and if you're going to champs-elysees, if you walk down the left side of the little street that is to the right of Haagen-Dazs, there's a little restaurant called Ziti that is excellent!!! its italian food though

and they have little sandwhich shops there and some good ones are Paul, Pomme du Pain, and Brochee Doree

geranium

it'all about about it : don't be scared of nothing, say" bonjour", "merci" or "s'il vous plait" with a huge smile.
We don't talk as loud as you do here in france and find it rude to hear americans screaming even in our subway but at the end of the day, everything is fine, now that W has retired (frenchies can't help it)

Enjoy our country and don't fell hated at all, it's full legend

qriste

there is a simple thing to do, not only for Americans, it's when ordering even a simple coffee if the waiter says bonjour to you they expect you to answer (if the waiter says bonjour you should answer bonjour (I mean it's not just optional), when they say
au revoir you say au revoir, otherwise they're cross. (French)

david464014

Of course French people dislike all foreigners who assume that all French speak all foreign languages. How would you feel if foreigners walked into your local store and assumed that you would be able to respond in their own language?

No, it's not the arrogance of all Americans that offends the French. It is the American concept of personal hygiene. American visitors to France rarely bathe or shower during their stay, and never change their socks - unless the females need sanitary protection.

Make an effort with the language and shower or bathe at least three times a week and you'll do fine.

MusicLover8790

Hey I'm going on this trip too.!

French people hate it when Americans go to their country and act like its their own. Litter-wise and attitude-wise. (I take French as a class and Ms. Veliz said this)

Can't wait for france!

hamboy

we hate when americans speak english
kind of disrespectful

carnecotta

Hi I'm french. There is not any problem with american people but I think there is an inferiority complex. We can be proud and arrogant. But you are welcome in France. Dont take care it. Good travel.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: