Laura

My husband and I had a glorious time in France last year and found the people to be very sweet. We traveled the wine road and in one of the little villages we met two little giggling French girls (about eight years old) who had set up a stand and were trying to sell the stones they had painted to tourists. They were so sweet and tried very hard to speak a little English. Of course, we bought several little stones from them, and whenever I think of that trip, I think of those precious little girls. <BR> <BR>Do any of you have any good stories to tell about the French you have met in your travels?

Capo

Nice idea, Laura. <BR> <BR>The first French people I met were actually on my trip to the UK and Ireland, in 1979. I met a very friendly guy named Franck, from Clermont-Ferrand, at a B&B in Edinburgh, and then got picked up while hitchhiking in County Clare, Ireland, by two French couples from St Etienne who were driving white minibuses. I still smile when I remember the elaborate and delicious-looking lunch they made for themselves when we stopped, and that was my first inkling of how the French viewed food and eating. I corresponded with Franck and one of the couples, Helene & Daniel, for a few years and had always hoped to visit them in France but, by the time I finally made it to France, in 1987, I'd lost contact with them. <BR> <BR>On my second trip to France, in 1994, my then-girlfriend & I were sitting in a café, the Les Deux Garcons, on the Cours Mirabeau in Aix-en-Provence and we struck up a conversation with a very friendly guy named Pierre who was down from Paris visiting his family. We exchanged addresses and when she & I returned to Paris that fall, for a quick trip over Thanksgiving, we let him know we were coming, called him when we arrived, and he ended up inviting us to dinner with a group of his friends, which made us feel very honored. He & his girlfriend met us for drinks first, and then drove us out to the suburb of Montreuil where one of his friends lived in a <I>tiny</I> apartment. We had a nice dinner -- with lots of wine! -- felt very welcome by everyone there, and I'll always remember their gracious hospitality. (Unfortunately, I subsequently lost touch with Pierre too.) <BR> <BR>Finally, in the fall of 1999, my girlfriend & I were at a restaurant in Montmartre, overlooking the city, and three people were seated at the table next to us. They were a French couple and a friend of theirs from Prague, and we ended up talking to them for most of the evening. Once again, very friendly people. <BR> <BR>I guess that's why, although I've certainly encountered some rude people in France (as one can do anywhere), I'm always puzzled by people who seem to have nothing but negative experiences with, or impressions of, the French. <BR> <BR>

SharonG

I will never let anyone say anything bad about the French in front of me after how great they were to us in Paris last winter. We were in an accident and the hotel, doctor and pharmacist went out of their way to help us. We might have turned around and gone home if not for these wonderful people.

pasquale

Last year when we went to Strassbourg with reservations at a hotel just across from the huge cathedral, we got hopelessly lost driving into the city and couldn't even find the cathedral. <BR> <BR>I went into an office building to ask instructions, but I speak no French. The receptionist pulled out a map book and showed me where I wanted to go, but she could tell it still made no sense to me. So, she got up and make a Xerox copy of the map and then asked another woman to take me outside and point me in the right direction. They were both so very friendly and the instructions led us straight to the cathedral and our hotel.

Laura

Capo......We had the same type of experience you describe where a French couple sitting next to us at dinner talked to us for hours on our first trip to France. We remember that day much more than any other from that trip because of them. <BR> <BR> I can honestly say that we never had a bad experience in France. In fact, once we asked a waiter there for beurre, and he didn't understand and so we said it again, and again, with him repeating it after us in a puzzled way, until finally he said, "Oh, you mean butter?!!" I don't know who laughed harder, him or us. He talked to us every time he passed by our table and every thing he said was so funny that we would start laughing all over again. He made it very obvious that he liked Americans. Even said he was saving money to come here for a visit. <BR> <BR>Pasquale, several times we have experienced the same kind of helpfulness from the French. It sure makes you feel welcome, doesn't it?

kimbuys

I have met so many wonderful people in France. I can honestly say that I have encountered more rudeness travelling within the US than in all of France. An example wold be on my last trip to Paris in June 2000.

Lauren

Last Saturday (August 18, 2001), I took my daughter to the Pre Catalan, a fancy restaurant located in the Bois de Boulogne just outside central Paris. <BR> <BR>We were supposed to host another couple who I was treating to lunch. They had repeatedly hosted my daughter in their home during her meanderings in Europe, first during her junior year abroad in Montpellier and now that she is working in Muenster, Germany. I wanted to thank them big time. <BR> <BR>Well, at the last minute they were unable to come, so my daughter and I lunched by ourselves. At the adjacent table was an elderly gentleman (with a much younger woman). We chatted back and forth and, when I went to pay, I discovered he had paid for our lunches.

David

I was in France for two weeks this past June. I found the French people friendly and helpful--without exception. For example, I was trying to use the Metro in Paris and asked an elderly couple in broken French if I was heading in the right direction. Within seconds two other people came over to see if they could help. Now I take every opportunity to correct misconceptions about the French.

richardab

If you want to meet some very friendly French people, travel to Alsace. They are so nice its like visiting family (except visiting my family isn't that much fun).

Al

My wife and I were exploring the cemetery of Pere Lachaise, using a small map that had us totally confused. <BR>An elderly French gentleman approached us, lifted his hat, and asked in perfect Maurice Chevalier-type English is he could be of service. We nodded, showed him the map, and asked if he knew where we could find the graves of Chopin, Napoleon's marshalls, and others. Not a problem, he said, and proceeded to give us a one-hour tour of the cemetery. He ended at the grave of Bizet, smiled, raised his hat, shook our hands, and scampered away. We suspected he just liked to talk with Americans about eminent Frenchmen. <BR> <BR>We stopped at a bed-and-breakfast in Brittany. We had followed a sign down a country lane and had no idea where we were headed. As it turned out, the B&B was a chateau, complete with marble floors, a uniformed maid who answered the door, and curving iron staircases that swept up to a magnificent second floor. Our host met us in an hour in his private study, told us his life story, asked what we would like for breakfast...and disappeared. At breakfast, who should serve us but the host himself (he liked to practice his English). We peered down the mirrored hallway where we saw a woman wearing leotards, standing on her head. A harp was playing in the distance. The breakfast was marvelous. The conversation was, too. The headstanding lady, it turned out was the host's wife who spoke no English. The harpist was their daughter. And the bill for the gorgeous room and outstanding breakfast...was about $30...for two. Amazing.

elvira

Let's see - the two women (spoke no English) in a bookshop who drew a map to direct Oldhand (spoke not French) to our hotel in Paris. They came out in the rain to give hand directions "comme ca et a gauche...". <BR> <BR>The train station clerk in Elne who called our landlord to come get us when we couldn't find our way to the house. <BR> <BR>The train station clerk in les Eyzies who put our bags in his office so we wouldn't have to carry them to the restaurant. <BR> <BR>The taxi driver in Amboise who cajoled a train station clerk into storing our bags in a broom closet while we visited the chateau, then wouldn't take any money from the first group because "I will collect from your friends when I bring them, no problem". <BR> <BR>The waiter at a cafe in Paris who watched over my sister while I took Oldhand to the airport. <BR> <BR>The hotel clerk in Paris who wouldn't charge us for a shower because the water was cold "Mon Dieu! Je regret!". <BR> <BR>The owner of a restaurant in Grimaud who knew us after our first visit, and brought pichers de vin rouge and baguettes by the panier-load as soon as we walked in the door. <BR> <BR>The busboy who made a big fuss over my mother, teasing her about "avec whiskey?" when she asked for a glass of water. <BR> <BR>My Paris landlord who said "no problem, I will drive you to the airport!" when I asked how to phone for a cab. <BR> <BR>Hee hee those French try very hard to make us think they're mean, but we know better...the jig is up! <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Lauren

In the throes of remembering my recent meal at the Pre Catalan, I forgot a couple of other experiences I wanted to mention: <BR> <BR>1. The lady at the tourist bureau in Alsace who closed up the office early for lunch just to personally escort me to my B&B. <BR> <BR>2. The gentleman in Nancy who, when I could not find the Ecole de Nancy Museum, told me to follow him and led me to the museum in this car (I followed in a car behind). <BR> <BR>3. Many French people who have stopped to give me directions to various tourist sites in Paris.

Kavey

Not sure if this counts as travels... <BR> <BR>When I was at sixth form college (the two years after chool before uni) in 1989 I signed up for the French Exchange programme, you know the deal, you are matched with a french student an spend 2 weeks in their home before or after they do 2 weeks in your home... <BR> <BR>I was a little upset when I got my matching (based on the interests we had filled into a questionnaire and matched by the teachers) as she was 2 years younger than me (a lot at that age!!!) and didnt seem to share any interests but I was keen to do the trip so enthusiasm bubbled back pretty fast. <BR> <BR>About a week before the trip she had to cancel as her mother broke her hip and could not cope with a visitor. I was gutted. Then 2 or 3 days before my teacher phoned me at home and said there was another french girl who wanted to do the exchange, the dates had not been possible for her family before but now she was free and so on. He said, you have to accept your interests will not be the same etc as we havent matched you but we both agreed to it. <BR> <BR>Well, we got on the best out of all the huge group doing the exchange. (Only 4 couples were in touch after a year and only us after 2 years). <BR> <BR>When I went out there the first night there was a do to raise money for the local pompiers, and I got to meet all the extended famil, aunts, uncles, cousins, it was great. <BR> <BR>During the 2 weeks I met them again, getting into wonderful debates over dinner about one idea or another with her extended family... <BR> <BR>She also had a great time in UK. <BR> <BR>Well we kept in touch and I went to France a few times as part of my degree programme, and always stayed with her family, though I didnt see much of the extended family on these trips. <BR> <BR>When I got married some years later, I asked her family to come. Her parents cancelled their annual holiday just to come and it was funny to see her dad muttering into his camcorder as he filmed. <BR> <BR>When I went back to France in 1999 for her wedding all these family members, many of whom I hadnt seen for 10 years, came up and greeted us, and all of them told me how they had borrowed the wedding video from her father to see our wedding... I was quite embarassed but also touched... <BR> <BR>And I saw Agnes and Sylvain again this May when we went to Normandy, they made it a weekend away to coincide with our trip and it was lovely to see them. <BR> <BR>Other than the weirdos who I au paired for in 1990, (fab kids, weirdo parents) I have always got on well with any french I meet. <BR> <BR>And i realise this is a boring post but I am having fun reminiscing!!!!

Betsy

You hear the same comments from people about the French all the time: they hate Americans, they're rude, they can't handle it when you speak lousy French.......and I hate it. It frustrates me to no end, because I have had nothing but wonderful experiences while in France. <BR> <BR>The ultimate came the first time I was in Paris alone. I was stupid enough to be lugging my luggage down the Metro steps, and this woman, who didn't speak any English, not only helped me, but when it became obvious that I had lost my ticket, bought me another one. I wil always remember that. <BR> <BR>When I went to Bofinger's in Paris with my travel journal, the couple next to me thought I was a restaurant critic! We spent the next hour or so trying to speak to each other in French and English, and while it wasn't easy, it was one of the best experiences I've ever had. We made ourselves understood somehow, even though it was a bit of a struggle. <BR> <BR>I don't normally post, but I thought I'd add my two cents about the French. They could use as much could press as possible.....

aj

When in Paris last May an 80+ year old gentleman gave us directions to the Metro that we were looking for. Since he spoke no English and we not much French he ran after us and walked us all the way to the Metro stop and into the station to make sure that we took the correct train. He was so sweet and his concern will always be remembered. We tell this story to our friends who say the French are rude and don't like Americans! Just speaking broken French always seemed to bring out help and a smile. Even from a very tired waiter!

kelly

I too have a story to share. When I was in High School, I was fortunate enough to travel to Europe with a choir (which I actually played the piano for) for a month at a time...three different summers (91, 93, 95)!! We would stay with different host families for 4-5 days at a time in different countries. The first year we traveled we went to a small northern town in France called St. Amand-Les-Aux. We were hosted by a local choir and their families. We ALL had such wonderful experiences. But, I ended up becoming so close with my family that I stayed with them on the next two trips to France as well (I actually contacted the director and requested to be placed with them!!!). Over hours of conversation and laughs, they helped me with my French and were eager to learn english (I had probably had 5 yrs. of french at that point, and was still not very good with conversation) We would stay up late and sang while my host-dad played guitar, take bike rides together, etc.. They wanted to know all about my family, and I about their's. They eventually referred to me lovingly as their american daughter/american sister. I can remember one evening driving home from a concert (in which both the american and french choirs performed) with my host-mom, Marie-Agnes (lol...I used to think my host dad was calling her something like 'mayonnaise'...we laughed about that one a bit), where we sang Memory together (her in french and myself in english). And I can't even begin to tell you how hard it used to be to say goodbye each time! I could tell story after story about them and the people in that little town. I'll never forget them. (heck, I'm thinking I'll write to them right now!) I am still moved by their love and hospitality. Whenever I go to France, for the rest of my life, it will feel a little bit like home.

Kathleen

Visiting Paris on my own last April, I found myself one night wandering increasingly less populated streets in search of a recommended restaurant. An elderly lady came out of her house to walk her dog. She wasn't quite sure where the restaurant was located, but offered to walk about with me in search of it. <BR> <BR>My French is limited, as was her English, but we discovered we both spoke adequate Spanish. The two of us and her arthritic little dog walked for nearly an hour, talking easily of this and that, laughing at our communication mistakes, delighted when comprehension emerged. <BR> <BR>Never did find the restaurant (ended up in tiny Morroccan place, fabulous lemon chicken cooked & served in a steaming terra cotta pot with a chimney), but that companionable walk with her made me feel at home in Paris. I wonder if she even heard of the restaurant we were supposedly looking for while we walked and talked that night?

Ursula

Kathleen hello: I just loved your post. Isn't life full of positive surprises? You were looking for a specific place and discovered something else ,maybe as nice, if not nicer. <BR>That's the way I like it. And yes, the Moroccan dish "poulet au citron" called tajine (sp?) is definitely among my favourites. Now, I will not ask you about that particular restaurant, because I like to discover new things myself. That's part of each trip. Thanks again.

Kim

What a great thread! I just returned from France (on the 26th) and I was thinking the same thing. This is my third trip there. I have not encountered the rude french stereotype you so often hear about. I am not saying there aren't any rude people in France of course there are just as there are rude people here in the U.S. But I have found that even with limited French (I'm working on it!) people have been very friendly and helpful.

balancing

Just topping to keep up with the "rude french?" thread...