Why do French people not roll out the red carpet for their tourists? Instead, the French are rude to them?

Question

The French also think that all tourists, especially Americans, should speak French when they travel there. That is fkng stupid of the French.

English is the universal language so the French are the ones that should be accomodating the tourists, not the other way around.

Answer 1

Isn't stereotyping a little old?

I beg to differ.

I am a 13 year old girl living in Nice, France.

In my humble opinion, I don't like Americans coming here and not knowing an ounce of the French language. In fact, I don't know ANYONE who enjoys that.  I'm sure it bothers you Americans when Mexicans come and don't know an ounce of English.

Like someone said above, you are the guest and this is our country. What do you want us to do?

Hold a huge gathering party to bow and praise upon tourists?

No thank you...

Answer 2

I speak english but I don't see why the French should be "accomodating" tourists as far as language is concerned.

What is rude are tourists who come into a shop and start talking in their own language as I have witnessed on many occasions. When I go abroad, I try to use some of the local language  It's very arrogant to assume that everyone understands english.

The French are not rude as a people. Incidentally, I find you rather rude and ignorant.

Answer 3

This is one of the most retarded post i have ever read, how can you assess that everyone should be speaking english, don t you have any tolerance or you re simply one of these narrow minded redneck.

English is NOT the universal language , whatever you have heard from fox news, nowadays there are more people speaking either chinese or spanish than english, why don t you start learning a foreign language, yeah i forgot you never graduate and you never attend any college.  

Bear your racist grudge against french people, it doesn t much matter, french people do love american people but not the retarded ones that you represent well.

Answer 4

Are we thinking of the same place? I was amazed to find in Paris, no teenage gangs, everyone to be ridiculously polite; even a beggar at midnight bid me good evening after I failed to give him money. Here in the UK you would be sworn at and stabbed for that. In Paris I felt it was so safe you could go for a walk with your grand mother and kids at midnight at nothing would happen, whereas here in England you would be beaten up and have your "heads kicked like a football" by bored, drunk and stoned youths.

Also many parts of France are falling under the fold of British expats who speak no French and expect the French to speak English.

Answer 5

You should stay home as you sound like a typical American that believes they are the centre of the universe.  You're not. I've lived in Paris, Normandy and Provence; I never found anyone rude.  If your city was inundated constantly with tourists, and especially tourist buses everywhere like in Paris, you'd get a little testy too - it's their city not yours.  If you don't like the French, don't go to Paris.  Maybe learn a little French if you can manage a second language although you still seem to be struggling with English.

Answer 6

First I'm completely stunned that you've been to Paris 8 times and do not speak any French? By the time I went to Italy for the 3rd time I was practically fluent in Italian. I made a huge effort to study 10+ hours a week for years to learn to speak well enough that I could appreciate the culture and have a more authentic experience. If you like to travel somewhere and go there often, it's bizzarre to me that you haven't attempted to learn the language. The whole point of international travel is to experience another culture.

Secondly, the French absolutely do roll out the red carpet!!! I have never experienced any rudeness whatsoever in Paris. I found the french to be lovely, polite and gracious people. Perhaps it's because, I don't speak French so I always asked them first (in French) if they spoke Italian, if they said no, THEY always offered English as a second. My husband and I were expecting to be treated badly and rudely since we are Americans and we were pleasantly surprised when everyone was so polite to us. If you go in expecting them to speak English without even making an attempt at French, that's just not good tourist behavior. When you travel abroad, you are an embassador for America, however you behave, good or bad is going to be applied to Americans as a broad sweeping generalization. So if you are being treated rudely you can be assured that there are small adjustments you can make that will change how you are perceived and consequently treated. I think it's absolutely inconsiderate that someone would go to a foreign country and expect them to speak English because it's the universal language. That's just not reality first off and it's not being a good traveller, no matter how many times you've been somewhere. Also, American's are not the only bread and butter of tourism in Paris. Everytime I've gone there, I've seen more non-American tourists than the opposite. Paris is an amazing, romantic, gorgeous city full of history, hospitality, and great food. The people are friendly and not rude. If you are giving off a rude vibe people will be rude to you. If you go to Paris fully expecting and demanding that the French speak English, you're setting yourself up for an unpleasant experience.

Answer 7

you're not the center of world my dear friend, if you think that, you're so stupid too ... it's not because americans try to make their laws with guns, GI, wars and dollards that you think you are alone in the world. whereever I go, I see these americans or english poeple act as colonizers....

when you visit a country, if you need help, the basic way of sense is you speak a little bit the language ...it's call "savoir-vivre"

Answer 8

Thats the most retarded thing I've ever heard.

France is an industrialised country that does not rely on the United States for economic support, so the French have no need to learn english, the French economy doesnt rely soley on toursim at, so they arent being "fed" by foreigners at all.

And it's completely absurd to say that they must cater to Americans. Americans arent the only tourists in france, there are plenty of Italians, Brits, Spaniards, Germans, Dutch and Swedes as well, and they all seem to do fine with the idea of speaking french in france. Only americans are truly averse to the concept of learning a second language, so any ill will directed towards an ignorant fool like you would be well deserved. It's a rude gesture in itself to demand that someone converse in your language while in THEIR country. They are French, and have a right to speak their own language in their own country.

and if you hate french and france so much, why would you vistit Paris 8 times?

Answer 9

yes I'm French and I think you're right, we should know more English, I'm often ashamed at the way tourists are treated. But don't think that people are nicer with French tourists, I've been to Paris once and I wasn't delighted at the way we were greeted, it's like that, people from Paris are a little "weird", you learn quickly that it's better not to ask anything, they expect you to manage by yourself.

Personally, I don't expect anyone to be able to speak French, you're right its stupid.

And those who say that people should at least learn some basic expressions, it's not always easy to know the pronunciation.(I'm sure they're glad to find someone who speaks French or English when they go to Tunisia or Italy for example, you can't say the contrary!). Why do we bother to learn English in school if it's not to help tourists?

Answer 10

I agree with many people here and especially with Rilifan. I take the occasion to say him hello ;)

You are right for a part, some Parisian people are sometimes rude with tourists and also with other French people...but as you know probably, Paris is a great town and there are many kind of people as in every big town. We cannot obliged everyone to be always kind. Wherever you go, there are stupid people...

But fortunately, there are also kind people in Paris who always want to show their town, even if, like me, they live in a very touristic place (Montmartre).

About english language, it's true that French are not very good to speak foreign languages...but generally when tourists ask kindly informations, most of people try to help.

In Paris, in many places, all the informations are written in several languages (metro, museums...), generally in english, german and spanish. When i have visited New York and London, if my memory is good, there are informations only in english !

Answer 11

"The French also think that all tourists, especially Americans, should speak French when they travel there. That is fkng stupid of the French.

English is the universal language so the French are the ones that should be accomodating the tourists, not the other way around."

->I disagree. The stuff is that we have no problem with italian, or german speaking english: like us they try to make an effort. But english spoken people don't have to. So they could at least try to speak french (if they are in france). That's it. And most americans arrive here like if they are some gods, like if french have to adapt themselves to the tourists. And it's stupid. We don't have to make effort, the tourits have to.

Why would you think if I came to the US, speaking french everywhere and got angry because nobody could understand me? Would you think that YOU are rude to not speak french?

I make effort to speak english (I did study it for 14 years so I'm okay) when I'm in a foreign country. Not when I'm home. Well personnaly I would speak english in France to help a lost tourist, but I understand that some french don't want to.

Answer 12

With this kind of attitude should not even be traveling, you are a danger to diversity.  Don't you think it will be boring if everybody were to speak the same language?!

Answer 13

Not that you're being judgemental at all or looking for someone to validate you're prejudice.

English is not the universal language, it's not even the most widely spoken (see Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese etc).  It is the international language of the sea and air.  

I hope you speak to any foreign visitors to your town (s***bucket, Arizona or wherever) in their own language.  No?  Don't have many tourists then?  I wonder why?

Bit of advice.  Stay at home and nurture your prejudices leaving France to those who appreciate culture, civility and good food.

Have a nice day.

Answer 14

When you go to any country, you should act as a guest.  You might put your feet up on your coffee table at home, but when you are a in someone elses home, you act different.  They don't like it when people go to their country and expect them to speak English.  How would you feel if Japanese tourists cussed out Americans for not speakin Japanese?  How would you like it if Latino immigrants expected Americans to speak Spanish?  For that matter, how do you feel when every once in a while you see spanish signs in the US or when you hear about a state with a proposal for bilingual education in schools?  Most Americans have the attitude that in America, people should speak English.  So don't be so hard on the French.  

English is currently popular.  But it wasn't always like that and it may not always be that way.

Answer 15

Next time you feel like going to Paris and/or anywhere outside of Ohio, please, for me, stay home

English is not THE official language and really, I find your entire line of reasoning "fkng stupid", especially in light of your inability to express yourself without the use of expletives

Answer 16

Two days ago I spent twenty delightful minutes listening to an American exposing - loudly - to his friends his view of the French in the metro. He spoke loudly because he was entitled to make as much noise as he wanted in a country where people speak softly, and he spoke rudely because of course noone could understand him. The main complaint was that the French did not treat him like a king and lived their own lives in their own country without caring that he was here, without following American rules or feeling the need to be bilingual to cater to his needs. The rest was just the usual "The French are inferiors peones" blathering. I'm sure he thinks the French are rude too.  

I have been grabbed by the arm while walking, called "Hey, you!", pushed around by a mob of tourists acting like invading soldiers, or unable to go through a door because a group of tourists were discussing what to do next without giving a d**n that they were in the way and annoying the locals. I have helped lost tourists to see them go away without even a thank you. I have seen tourists insult metro staff or bus drivers because they didn't speak English, or didn't speak it well enough. I have learned to avoid touristy areas, to look away when a pack comes in sight, and to bull through rudely through 'corkers' standing in doorways as if they own it.

I have also met Americans well worth knowing and regretted not to be able to spend more time with them. I spent a delightful hour - it was on my day off - walking a couple down my favourite old streets to bring them to where they wanted to go and all three of us having a great time. I have seen polite tourists who took the time to learn and use the minimum rules of politeness for the French and left smiles behind them and not glowers, and was glad to be able to give a hand to some lost and bewildered tourists who thanked me politely. I have listened with a smile to people exchanging their views on us, our country, our city and not taken that criticism personally because it was not a rant but a real personal viewpoint. I will help with translation happily, if the tourist is nice. Why should I bother if he is rude?

Now you can tell me, when you come to Paris which of those two sets of attitude do you usually adopt? My guess from your question would be the first one.

Answer 17

I've been to Paris seven times and I've never found them to be any more rude than Americans who live in large cities. In fact, I have little difficulty getting along with the locals and I don't speak a word of French.

Yes, some of them dislike Americans. However, they tend to dislike Americans who feel that everyone else in the world should conform to what Americans want. Everyone should speak English and everything written should be in English. Food should be similar to what is served at home and should be served at the times that we usually eat. Americans have a bad reputation in many countries because of a small number of tourists who demand that everything conform to American standards.

If French tourists came to the US and demanded that everyone speak French and all restaurants serve French food, Americans would think that they were being ridiculous. Yet, we go there and expect everyone to accommodate us. No wonder they don't like us!

Answer 18

English is the universal language but NOT the official language, so, people from countries where it is not official haven't got the duty of speak english. It's true that both (tourist and people from the country) should try to understand each other.

I'm tired of hear that kind of things, it's like the English world is the center of the Earth, and I am totally disagree with that.

Nevertheless, I have to recognise that some French people are famous for being rude, altough I don't find the ones who live in South France (closer to Spain, where I am from) rude.

Answer 19

First of all, a warm "Hello" to Rillifane and Tiramisu. Dear, are you trying to say that the Americans roll the red carpet for their tourists?

Answer 20

I disagree with the premise of your question i.e. that the French (even the Parisians) are rude. In 30+ years of tourist visits to Paris I have never encountered anything I would consider to be rudeness.

Then again, I don't walk around with a sense of entitlement. I do speak French but people invariably realize I'm not a native French speaker and switch to English if they can. English may well be a "universal language" (or, to be old fashioned, a  "lingua franca" ...ironic eh?) but it is hardly universally understood.

These days I don't need directions to navigate Paris but even when I was first stumbling around I never had trouble finding someone who would help me with directions. True, not everyone had the time to serve as an unpaid guide to a clueless American but I expected that to be the case and wasn't offended if they said they were too busy. No one anywhere owes me anything.

I also realized that not everyone in Paris knew directions to every tourist site just like not every New Yorker can tell you where to find every historic sight in their city. I took "I don't know" at face value and didn't suspect a conspiracy to afflict American tourists.

I further recognized that France is not the United States and that things are done differently and that it was MY job to learn the difference and MY responsibility, as a visitor, to conform to local customs not theirs to cater to me.

I know that the world doesn't revolve around me and what I want and I know better than to be loud, obnoxious and profane anywhere but especially in a foreign country where I am a guest (or on a public forum like this one).

Indeed, I use these same notions wherever I travel  and have, as a result, been warmly received and well treated not only in Paris but everyplace from Masai villages to bars in Shanghai.

Answer 21

The reason that you think that the French treat you that way is because of your attitude. Your attitude is the 'I'm from America, so everything revolves around me'. And most Americans actually are like that, sadly. I currently live in France and have been to Paris numerous times, and yes there are rude people, but there are more nice people than rude. You have the wrong attitude. I am so sick of people like you, and I'm American! I absolutely love it in France and I have met more wonderful people in my short time here than I have ever met in my entire life in the United States. So do you just expect France to change it's national language to English? Because it's not going to happen. You should open your mind and maybe become a bit more cultured before you try and put down people who have a lot more class than you.

Answer 22

Haven't you ever heard the truism "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"?  

I've been to Paris four times and have never experienced any rudeness.  I believe that is because I practice what I preach -- I try to be nice and I get treated well.  You can of course choose to be a jerk, but then you should expect to be treated less well.  

The next time you travel, I hope you choose to put aside the ethnocentric attitude and learn to treat people nicely according to their standards.  You'll enjoy the trip much more, you'll get more out of it, and most of all you won't be furthering the "ugly American" reputation.