Do the french hate Americans in General?

Question

I read this 2004 article...about how some americans were harrassed in france ... read the article and please tell me your side.

http://watch.windsofchange.net/themes_76.htm

Answer 1

I frequently travel to France and have been doing so for almost 35 years. I was last in Paris about a year ago. I will return again 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.

More commonly I encounter people 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 observe  Americans expressing anti-French sentiments that are no more rational than those cited in the article concerning anti-American comments.

Further I notice such anti-French sentiments are far more common in the USA than anti-American sentiments in France.

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.

In short, the issues raised in the article referenced are a tempest in a teapot. It should be of no concern to any American traveling to France.

Answer 2

I am Canadian. Before I went to France a friend of mine made it plain that I was to make sure the 'natives' KNEW I was Canadian...and not American.  I speak French...so I had no problem....but in the hotels Americans had all KINDS of trouble getting soap/towels/whatever. The French DO hate Americans...but they LOVE American money.

Answer 3

Making a generalization like that is like saying all americans hate hispancs. Not true. but there are a handful. They tend to only hate you if you act like an American Tourist (speak loudly, litter alot, complain about every little detail, refuse to speak french when your in France). But hate americans in general... I'd say they're more afraid of us. Americans are lawsuit happy. Every time some one looks that their kid funny they get them for as much money as possible. Heck, I'm afraid of those Americans. Overall they really don't mind if your American just don't be an idiot.

Answer 4

I would hope so since Americans in general hate the French. Heck, for that matter every country hates the French.

Answer 5

I'm french and I don't know a person who doesn't like Americans ! The most part of the french dream of going to US. Of course, I think some people hate Americans like in US some people hate french ! French just hate Bush ...

Answer 6

as a canadian who has travelled in france i have been mistakenly labelled as american a few times. i would say the only harrassment i noticed was the time one of the women i was travelling with was called fat by passing school children.  the french don't hate americans. they are just very protective of their culture. they don't want to have to learn english and don't particularly like to have to speak it. i would ask how many of the "harrassed" americans made any effort at all to even attempt a few phrases in french. i have found that often times (not all the time) americans don't make the effort to adapt to country they visit and expect the people in that country to adapt to them. now i have met some polite, cultured americans on some of my travels but not exclusively.

i work at a major attraction in toronto. a few days ago we had a group of american children visiting. every single one of them paid in american dollars making it very inconvenient for us and s******g up our register. one woman even complained that she would be getting canadian dollars back. i mean, how dare we... in canada and all. now before i get a lecture about the mighty greenback, i'm just merely using this as an example. when visiting another country one might give those people the courtesy of paying in that country's own currency.

this example is just one of many.