canterbury417

A friend of mine told me today that her Mom and cousin were openly laughed at in Naples and Rome about their weight. She hinted that it might be the case in Paris as well. Do the French--waiters/people on the street openly laugh at fat Americans? I am so nervous now about going. As this has prompted me to begin a diet it is too late to cancel my trip.

Wildflower

This is a joke, right?

elle

Not only are there plenty of overweight Americans in Paris, there are plenty of overweight French people (and English people and Russians and Germans and Italians) there as well.

Relax and enjoy your trip.

canterbury417

Absolutely not! I purposely picked Paris to avoid the whole closed in pool scene at beach resorts and now this. I had gone to Maui last Summer and the people around the pool made no bones about talking/sniggering and elbow poking when I passes(even with a cover-up), I could not wait to get home. It did prompt me to lose 20 pounds but that is not nearly enough.I was just wondering about other people'sexperiences. Thanks to all.

degas

Please provide your height, weight, sex, and bone structure (large, medium or small. I will do some figuring and get back to you with a laugh index based on each European country along with some clothing and eating recommendations.

Edgar Degas, North Georgia Wellness Center Director

WillTravel

Why worry about what some hypothetical snotty Parisiens might do? If they want to laugh at their fellow humans, it's not up to you to change them. As pointed out, you wouldn't have trouble finding Americans who would do this either.

Keith

I'm fat, but noticed no comments or looks in Paris.

Keith

Underhill

In Paris you will see people in a wide (no pun intended) variety of sizes and shapes. Although being overweight can make you self conscious, try not to be: no one will be looking at you when there are things like the Eiffel Tower to see. The French in general are very polite; I'd be amazed if anyone behaved badly toward you. Just dress conservatively to blend in: earth and dark colors, tailored clothes, and you'll feel right at home.

NYCFoodSnob

After you finish sending that info to Edgar, send it on to me. I'm looking for a good laugh.

Scarlett

Please , also send a photo to Degas and he should post it here for all of us to decide if you really should go to Europe.
Let us be the judge of that!

bonniebroad

Canterbury, I think you're having yourself a good laugh on a Tuesday afternoon! If you are large enough that people stopped what they were doing, elbowed each other and snickered at you by the pool on Maui (even in your coverup).......... well, I believe you need more help than even these brilliant Fodorites here (like Degas) can give you........

uuhhhh

judging by responses here, you have more to worry about ridicule from fodorites than from parisiens.

honestly, i'm surprised.....

capo

You asked, <i>Do the French--waiters/people on the street openly laugh at fat Americans?</i> and then, later, mentioned that people around the pool in Maui <i>made no bones about talking/sniggering.</i>

I don't think people in Maui have a patent on rudeness so, yes, it's <i>possible</i> that an obese person -- especially one who's very obese -- could be the object of the same kind of sniggering, not just in Naples and Rome and Paris, but in many other places.

Hopefully, this won't happen to you but please don't let anxiety about it take away from being excited about your trip to one of the beautiful cities in the world. And if, by chance, it does happen, then try your best to just shrug it off.

P_M

I am sorry to say that this problem exists just about everywhere and you cannot hide from such ignorance. I am not overweight, but many of my relatives are and this is a legitimate problem, but not just in France. My nephew has suffered all his life from being teased about his weight. It hurts me when I see snickering or hear comments behind his back, but this would not stop him from travelling. Go to Paris, enjoy your trip, and do not worry about what the French think.

P. S. For what it's worth, the French openly laughed at me every time I tried to speak French. I can't blame them, I do speak it very badly. It bothered me at first, but I decided to be a good sport and I laughed right along with them.

LisainSA

You know, judging from some of the rather nasty (to downright evil-minded) comments on this thread you'd think Fodorites had no insecurities concerning their appearance ... oh, but hold on, there are all those threads about what to wear while on holiday, and how not to look like a tourist ...
Hope you have an amazing holiday canterbury417.

m_kingdom2

My dear, I'm no hypocrite - I never ask &quot;what to wear?&quot;

LisainSA

And I don't think Fodorites (please note the plural) refers to you specifically.

palette

My travel companion and I were in Paris in April. She is considerably overweight, but we were not aware of any attention whatsoever. Paris is such a joy - please don't let your concerns keep you from living life.

bonniebroad

Really, I would never make a rude comment to someone about their weight or &quot;snicker&quot; at someone, personally......... I am certainly not a &quot;skinny&quot; myself, by any means! But I absolutely believe this is a JOKE.......... because of the comments about Maui which seem too farfetched to me. Sorry if I'm wrong, Canterbury, but I just don't think so............

nocinonut

What do you expect the posters here to write? We could write that it is ok to be overweight or that you should lose weight and not be self-consious.

Only you know the reason and the answer, so go on your trip and live life like you have been living it all along.