Is there any truth in the French being generally rude?

Question

Is there any truth in the French being generally rude?

Answer 1

There are differences between our two cultures and I think Americans deem those differences to be rude.

The French don't believe in being fake, but they believe in being  sincere. For some reason, in America, being nice is held as a high virtue even though many people are fake about it.

In my experience in France, I had no problems with French people (they helped me twice when I was lost and with my poor French accent) and the people who worked in the shops were very friendly.

I did have problems with French waiters, though. They were stereotypical rude, didn't care if me (or other people in my group) attempted to speak French and acted like we were bothersome.

But other than that, I found the French to be enthusiastic and very pleasing. I traveled to Paris and other parts of the country, too. I can't wait to go back!

Answer 2

No--it's a different culture that American's are not familiar with. Louder? Yes. Outspoken? Yes Opinionated? Yes

Example--French stand much closer to each other when talking, cultural personal space.

Answer 3

definitely.. and it's not just with americans cause i am uruguayan and i was mistreated countless times in paris

Answer 4

Yes,they are. I feel under pressure each time i go to this country. Did i pronounce well? Will the sales girl get angry because i touched the tester in the shop? I've never heard anything stupid like this: to go on holiday you have to learn their language! Fortunately i know the language. but imagine you go there only for 3 days ad you have to learn their language. I am a tourist i don't go to please those people i go to visit another country and plus i pay for that. Normally countries you visit should be kind to tourists but this is not the case in France. That's why i go there now only for job related things.

Answer 5

It's a cultural thing.

1. The French generally don't really care what other people think of them. Americans value this highly and if someone doesn't think what they want of them, the American will actually seek out the reason why.

I really see this driving. They will not let me park or drive really slow in the fast lane. They simply don't care about the other drivers.

2. Service is not highly regarded. People who do service-oriented jobs are not extremely motivated. It's very hard to fire someone in France because of the laws. It's simply cultural. Working in an office carriers more prestige than dealing with the public.

3. The French hate superficiality. If the lady at the car rental agency is having a bad day, everyone will know it. She wont lower herself to being phoney or nice just to please others. She's having a bad day so everyone has to deal with it.  

4.. Being nice to people they don't know is not something they seek out to do. You're nice to who you know well. My sister-in-law, an actual English teacher, made no effort to speak to any of my guests at my wedding, even though many didn't speak French. My husband actually finds it weird if I'm nice to someone on the phone whom I don't know.

5. People are expected to stand up for themselves and speak out if they want something. Expectations are different. When I want something, I go in person instead of calling. If someone is late, I call up their boss. If I've been waiting a long time, I ask how much longer it'll be. Sometimes Americans are seen as "push overs", and the fact I speak up sometimes suprises them. Then they assume I'm German...

By contrast, you can be more assertive *without* seeming rude or unreasonable. When I step off the plane in California, sometimes I have to remind myself to turn it off. I can simply can sit back and expect to be served, a luxury compared to what I'm used to in France.

While the French hate superficiality, they make a big deal about saying "bonjour" and "au revoir". It's important to follow these rituals. Not following them means you haven't been brought up properly.

Americans can come off wrong by seeming unnecessarily nice or too superficial. Sometimes I think it's best to hold off a smile and simply be sincere. Often it helps to "justify" your request. Tell them the story behind it so that they feel that they're doing you a personal favor, and not just doing their job.

Remember too that in France, they never serve the next person without finishing the first. They can drag on about it and that can be frustrating. Don't take it personally. Their rules prohibit them from even acknowedging your existence. It has nothing to do with your nationality. They do it to fellow French people. Either wait or come back another time.

I warn everyone who arrives here about the whole service deal, especially having worked in the service industry itself both here in France, in the U.S. and elsewhere.

The good thing is that you do always know where you stand with people and you, at the same time, can express what you're thinking too, not without any sort of debate but the French don't bottle it up.

Answer 6

They tend to be...towards Americans, but you can't never generalize about anyone or anything, so let's just say some are and some aren't.

Answer 7

Yes, I went to Paris this past February, and they were rude.. Starting from Orly Airport. I speak some french but it was not enough for the train attendants from the airport to the metro to want to understand me.. I got so upset, my fiance had to calm me down.. Not only did i refuse to practice my french anymore, I felt uncomfortable.. I have traveled to many countries, I speak Spanish And English.. I have never had problems with any other countries being rude, if they don´t understand me completely they kindly ask if i want to be spoken to in English or Spanish...  I don´t know if the rest of the french Population is the same way ( i don´t know since i have only been to Paris) but the Parisians are VERY RUDE PEOPLE!

Take care...

Bcn_mimosa from Barcelona, Spain

Answer 8

Totally agree with Toto because i am French,too. We are living in a French bubble thinking that we are the best but when we start travelling around we start to see our mistakes.  Yes, French people are rude.

Being a tourist for a limited time and living actually with them  can be different. Fortunately young generations started to understand because we started to travel and started to see other cultures.

Answer 9

I'm french and live in the US and I think french people are rude

Answer 10

maybe, but as a French, i think that americans feel that way about us because French in general are antiamerican (i'm not). And still, it depends on the way you talk to people : if you're talking to them thinking of them as rude people, then they won't take it well. For my part, i don't think i am.

Answer 11

If you have a good attitude and especially if you try and speak the language you'll be loved.

It is THE city to visit.Period.

And I have traveled

Food is great and they dont rush you.

they are not ignoring you they just dont rush you.

Answer 12

This is a massive generalisation!  Parisians may be less amicable than folk in provincial areas. Remember though that there are cultural differences, and some customs acceptable to the English may be considered rude by the French and vice versa.

Answer 13

No. The more you try to accept and use their culture in their country the more etiquette you'll find them to have.

Answer 14

Yes. Actually i am a foreigner living in different cities of France because of my job i am travelling.  I have visited a lot of countries in the world but never seen another country full of that much rude people who always complain,shout and who are two faced and lazy. Sorry.

Answer 15

I thought that, until I went to Paris a few months ago. I found that majority of the people were friendly and helpful. Also a lot of people there speak english as well as french, so I didn't have too many communication problems.

Answer 16

No, not if you have good manners. Swell-headed Americans with chips on their shoulders will find everyone rude. Most Americans don't want tourists to assume that everyone in the USA is like New Yorkers (whom even we think of as rude). Don't judge the French by the Parisians.

Even in Paris, remember, if you go where rich people go and aren't rich yourself, you have only yourself to blame if snobbish clerks are rude to you. (This happens in America, too.)

Do not flaunt your money, your technology, your clothes or your mastery of French. The French invented wretched excess and are way past that now. Use whatever French you know with modesty and stick to discount or middle class places. They are see fewer tourists and aren't as tired of them.

Express appreciation for whatever help you are given and don't whine about you didn't get.

Answer 17

Hello everyone.

I am French, so I just want to tell you that it all depends on what you're referring to.

I mean, typically, at a "café"... if you speak to a waiter... in English... and if the guy doesn't understand you, doesn't speak a word of English (or if you don't slow down when speaking) ... there's a good chance you'll get a rude answer from him... lol, we do too sometimes, I can assure you.

Make an effort, raise your hand, wave gently... and say "Garçon, s'il vous plait" (Waiter, please)... you'll find out that the French love your accent and will try their best to communicate with you, and make your stay enjoyable.

Just be polite and stop thinking that everybody necessarily understands what you say.

Have a good stay in France.

A Frenchie who traveled the World...

Answer 18

Hey Ashley:  There's as much truth in your generalization as there is in the one about all Americans being obnoxious.  I wish we would get it out our our thick American heads that the French are "generally rude."  Are you going to find some rude people in France?  Sure - but I see as much rudeness on my daily train commute here in Philadelphia as I did in a whole week in France.  Go there with an open mind and behavior and you'll find the Parisans to be lovely.

Answer 19

definitely some truth to that stereotype...not in all of france but i have certainly experienced my fair share of rude people in paris!

Answer 20

Not anymore then Americans - you'll find rude people everyone.

sacre bleu!!

Answer 21

no

Answer 22

Some French people can be rude, especially if you are trying to by something in a store and do not speak much French. That tends to get a little frustrating. Others can be very nice and try to understand. When i visited it went fine when I had my French cousin with me to translate, they were all very curious about us being from the states. But when my family and I traveled to Paris alone it was very hard to get along with the people, we would rarely buy anything in stores unless my cousin was with us.

Answer 23

yes we areand we will scold you unmercifully for speaking improper fracais.

Answer 24

YES

Answer 25

Yes.  They are.  But if you smile and say "Bonjour.  Parlez vous anglais?" it's generally not so bad.  If you start out with English, though, they tend to give you a dirty look and then turn away.  Oh, and if you walk into a shop, don't forget to greet the person behind the counter.  "Bonjour, madame" or Bonjour, monsieur."  In France, it is customary to do this.  The French people do it.  They expect everybody to.  It's because a shop is considered the person's private space and you wouldn't just walk into somebody's home and start looking around without saying hello, would you?

Answer 26

KMA

Answer 27

I found the people there to be quite charming and glad to help (and flirt!)

Answer 28

its not really that they're rude but french culture is a lot more foraml than americans so it seems s****.

Answer 29

no, i went there last summer thinking that they would be, but they were nice, just respect them and their values/culture and they will be nice back

Answer 30

No there is not.

I have been traveling to France regularly for 35 years and have yet to see the allegedly rude behavior that is so often the subject of complaint.

What I have seen is tourists who act as if speaking English was mandated by God amd regard any failure to understand them as insufferable.

I also see a lot of people who are outraged that the customs of Omaha (or Rutland or Perth) are not practiced in Paris.

The sort of people who constantly complain that there's no Wonderbread or Vegamite or Branston pickle on the table and who appear convinced that these items are being kept behind the counter merely to annoy them.

People who walk into a working church (like Notre Dame) and want to stand on the altar in their Hawaiian print shirt and take photos of the Priest elevating the host and then complain bitterly that those "rude" people told them to get down.

People who think that every passerby is required to act as a tour guide or translator for them and interrupt whatever they are doing to assist.

And mainly people who excuse every clumsy, ignorant, ham handed, impertinent, pushy, loud, or obnoxoous act of their own by loudly launching into a dissertation on how they (the Yanks, the Brits, the Aussies) rescued the French in the world wars.

What's rude is going to someone else's country and behaving with anything besides respect for the people.

I've traveled almost everywhere on this planet over several decades and by respecting the people I meet and their customs I have never received anything in return but  courtesy and kindness.

.

Answer 31

Well I think most people can be rude.  Every race, color, religion, etc. has mean and nice people.  I don't like when people generalize one race for being rude.  Every race has that kind of stuff.  I have heard that the French can be rude, but there are exceptions.