Interesting article on MSNBC.

"Polite Paris? Mayor wants locals be friendlier
Campaign to dissolve rude reputation launches with first Paris Tourist Day"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19680045/

BTW, I don't.

This has already been addressed on here, ad nauseum. The answer is, of course, no...

Most things have been addressed here before. Did you read the reference?

The AP correspondent in paris is seriously beginning to irritate me.

I've only found rudeness to be returned for rudeness. And maybe it's my ear but I don't find a French accented Enlish "heavy". IMO the French are much more polite and couteous than most.

I have been to Paris numerous times and have found the French - by and large - to be at least as polite as the other tourists.

(I have encountered some tourists that were treated rudely - but frankly - I would have been rude to them too. One couple we met were convinced every cab driver was trying to cheat them - even though they were shown the rate chart. I think they just weren;t used to riding in cabs - and couldn't understand that there are various extras in specific situations.)

"Beauty is as beauty does."

I've vacationed in Paris 3 times for a week each time. Never did we find anyone to treat us in a rude manner. On the contrary, we were surprised on many occasions with the unrequested assistance from some locals. Here's my take on things in Paris:

- People in Paris are formal and professional. Warm friendly relationships take time to develop. This includes with servers in restaurants. By the end of the evening you warm up to each other and often share a polite joke and even some great discussions. Don't expect immediate friendliness as accustomed in North America - however, it almost always came as we got to know somebody.

Also - attempting to speak some french goes a long, long way. At least be able to apologize and express you only know a little French. Just remember how you'd like to be approached by a tourist in your home town!

Depends on your definition of rude.

My answer, even after years here, is that in general: yes.

It's a question of personal space for me. If you are standing in a empty room in a museum, train quai etc; invariably the one person going by will bump into you or brush against you.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ........................ .......

No more so than Torontonians!

(speaking as one from the 'burbs thereof)

Actual answer? Not in my experience.

My partner and I were standing at a bus stop, looking at the transit map, trying to decide which bus to catch when a Parisien approached us and asked if she could assist us. We spoke for a moment and she told us the correct bus to take to the Musee D'Orsay.
We never encountered any rudeness in Paris.

Except for the "blind pickpocket guy" and "hit me over the head with a newspaper guy" and "laugh at my wife's foot size shoe sales girl", I have only had positive encounters with Parisians throughout the years.

moxie wrote: "If you are standing in a empty room in a museum, train quai etc; invariably the one person going by will bump into you or brush against you."

It's called frottage.

"It's called frottage."

Quite surreal, don't you think Padraig?

I'm not an expert since I've only been to Paris twice (third time will be this fall) but I've never encountered any rude Parisians. In fact, everyone I came in contact with has been extremely helpful to this traveller who speaks very little French. My experiences echo those described in Eastcoast's post.

The barkeep at Harry's Bar was a jerk. And so are the cabbies, for the most part. Other than that...not bad at all.

Interesting that they're handing out brochures telling Parisians to respond to tourists in their own language. I have read comments here from posters who thought Parisians were rude because they answered in English even when the posters were trying to speak in French.

You can't win.

Plus ce change......

Having lived in France twice and taking at least one trip there annually, my observations are:

Like any big city, there definitely are some rude people - has nothing to do with being French though!

Parisians are more accustomed to foreigners (i.e. people who speak accented French as I do) and are thus more tolerant. It is in the small towns in France that I have experienced issues - I didn't say something right and they didn't make any attempt to understand.

I do wonder why this idea (myth?) persists in the US - wonder if other countries feel the same way?