Why are French men so rude?Are the French women rude also?

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Mac

Some are, but there are a lot of rude americans, too.
I have to deal with people all the time at my job and it amazes me how rude people can be.
My family is from France, and I dont think they were that rude.
Of course, you will find rude people everywhere you go.
Not going to deny that. I know that they like to keep to themselves and keep to themself if they don't know the person.
We are pretty open people, we will talk to people and open.
They on the other hand aren't open like we are with things.
More reserved is word I like to describe it. My family is awesome. Very funny people and just love to laugh and joke around. Im sure if you get to know them more, they open up.
When I go there to visit family, I meet people while im out, and they do tend to me a little stuck up at first, but once I got to know them, they were cool as ****, and went and had some drinks and partied it up.
Nothing is wrong with them, its a cultural differences. They might think of Americans and wonder, why must they be so loud?
Why do we have to have everything big and supersized?

Rillifane

I think that even a lot of experienced and sophisticated visitors may fail to understand that they are dealing with a particular set of cultural differences and facts on the ground that combine to give them the impression that Parisians are unfriendly and/or rude.

Parisians are formal as are the French generally. There is a clear distinction between the stranger and the real friend. So the easy informality of Americans (which they have spread to many other places) is not forthcoming.

Parisians deal with the problem of urban density by erecting mental walls between themselves and their environment. This is a common way that big city folk deal with crowding (there are other ways to do it but this is not an unreasonable method).

Parisians must also deal with the fact that literally millions of tourists swarm over their city at all times of the year. For those who are in the tourist trade this may be a boon but for others it is simply a pain in the neck.

For myself, I have never experienced Parisian "rudeness" in over 35 years of traveling to Paris. I have encountered people who don't want to be my instant buddy or become my unpaid travel guide but I take no offense. My attitude is that strangers owe me nothing. On the other hand, I have meet a lot of Parisians who have been helpful. I take this as a gift.

JUPITER

Dew....Americans often sees other cultures and people from other countries "rude", but they're not rude.

It seems that you only see the world with American eyes and then, you say "oh, how rude!" - but, it's not rude at all. Another example: Germans are more open and honest than Americans, but for most Americans it's suddenly a rude behavior, but it's not. But, Germans are honest and very direct - and this is not a rude addititude at all. It's just part of their culture.

Indeed, I think that (some) Americans has to understand and to respect other cultures and other behaviors abroad before they're easily & quickly judging other customs, traditions, nationalities and other country's culture & behaviors.

French are just very honest and they say what they think - and this is not a rude behavior. It's a cultural difference.

And how many times I have seen loud, arrogant, unfriendly and rude Americans over here in Europe, telling everyone that America is the greatest & the best country in the entire universe and such bullshit and that everything is soooo much better in America, blah, blah, blah...When Americans are acting like this abroad, it's no surprise that Americans also get rude replies back.

Baiocchi

I'm really sorry to read that. It's a pity you had a bad experience with the French people.

For the explanation, I'd say MAYBE it's because they're not happy in the their life : criminality has grown, unemployment is very very high, and the cost of living is amazingly high (due to the switch to the ā‚¬uro).

If you got that bad experience in Paris try to go somewhere else, people are more 'relaxed'.

Radhiyah Coutry

I think rude is not a good word to describe a french. They are not rude but just proud of their culture, ethnics and etiquette. Very well mannered right from the beginning till end. From my point of view, French are very profound people. I am married to a French and everyday there's always something new to discuss or debate about. NB: DEBATE is their cup of tea...

Sherrie

I was just there for three weeks as a guest of my girlfriend who speaks french fluently but with an English accent. She said they are mostly rude to her too, since her French is accented. Paris people mostly nice as the tourist is money. I spent time in the South of Franch in villages where the people would not even look at me after my friend said I was from America.

On a previous trip, the rudeness was so bad, it was actually funny. Don't speak English before you are waited on in a restaurant outside of Paris, or you will be sorry.

2 shy

I can't help but wonder why you feel that French men are rude? Have you been around a lot of French men and found them all to be rude??
There always seems to be a big debate here on Answers between French and American politics, cultures, behaviour, and the list goes on......
I am neither from France or America but have traveled, lived and worked in both countries (a lot).
As far as the rudeness of the French goes, my personal observation is that French people (and in fact most European people in general) tend to be forthright, frank, opininated and ready to defend their opinions. They are honest to a fault. If they think that you are an idiot, they will tell you so. If they don't like you, then you will know. If they don't agree with you, you will know. Not agreeing with you, by the way, does not mean that they don't like you. They would be quite happy to have the same argument with you two weeks later. The history of Europeans has been centuries of wars, protection of their towns and families and self-defense. It is still in their culture today.

Americans on the other hand are friendly to a fault, they are taught to smile when they don't feel like it, "be nice to the customers!" type of mentality. Most Americans come from a puritan history. Many were raised in churches and Sunday Schools where they were taught to be kind, to be nice, "to do to others as you would have them do unto you". This is not a bad thing, but human nature remains the same. Americans are not as confrontational as Europeans, they are more "smiley" than Europeans, but... they can be nice to your face and talk about you behind your back, gossip about you, even lie about you, be a friend in public and an enemy in secret. In short, Americans can be serious back-stabbers.
So, depends on what you prefer really... rudeness to your face or meanness behind your back.
Every country has it's culture and it's history, and different people react in different ways. It is up to us to accept and try to understand the view from their standpoint.

** just to clarify my personal opinion, not ALL Americans are gossipy and mean behind your back, and neither are ALL French people rude and confrontational. **

Lavinia H Y L

First of all, the french women are worst!!!! The social analyse is that there is al lot of outsiders in France. So the society is extremely competive. Every body fight for their life. Secondly, they are very arrogant ( a bit like americans..). Thirdly, the society is working badly and every one has enough of their problems. A real mess....!

Kate

Quite simply, the French (as a people) think they are better than everyone who is not French. My friend who went to Paris said that they're more full of themselves, plus think that many Americans are crass, fat, uncultured, and idiotic

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