I don't think this is so ridiculous a thought or idea, that someone might be more intimidated in Paris than in, say, Warsaw or Bulgaria or Sicily. Just to name a few places that wouldn't intimidate me, although getting by may be more difficult without knowing the language, actually.

However, I have been to France a lot and speak French, but am not so Pollyanna about this as some folks on here -- yes, I have been treated rudely in France, and I think they can be somewhat ruder there than in some other countries, on average -- at least in Paris, in particular. I am amazed that everyone thinks France and Paris are some perfect experience. So, don't be surprised if you do encounter some unpleasantness, that's all I can say. But it shouldn't be terrible or ruin your trip. If some locals mock and really make fun of you in public, out loudly, Ira, you might not think it is so trivial a thing, depending on their attitude, stance and demeanor. I agree that can sound trivial, but it all depends on the venue, experience, what they were like and what they were really doing.

But, I do agree that I think vegaslocal is overblowing the fear thing and not worry so much about it, but I don't think she should expect a surreal experience like Disneyland.

".. I had an unpleasant experience where a couple of young teenagers made fun of my attempt to speak French.."

I'm not sure I'd recognize someone mocking me, I'd try laughing with them at me, the old 'gallic shrug' and so on. Teenagers can be counted on to mock adults no matter where they are, oui?

I only had one rude encounter in Paris 10 years ago. But it didn't want to make me never go back...

My husband and I just returned from our 4th trip to France (3rd one since I've been posting to this board) and had no rude encounters. Occassionally, I get frustrated when in Paris and "parisiens" break into english with me, but hey, I'm not fluent and if I've just been speaking with my husband, I guarantee it was in english. In the south of France, it's a totally different story depending on where we are, as less people are inclined to understand or speak english...but have had 99% positive experience.

My one bad experience last year was in Aix. I was shopping in a clothing store and had only spoken french to the workers there. My impatient husband came into the store and loudly(for france, not NYC) asked me if I was done yet. I heard the girls from my changing room having a laugh at my expense by speaking english - not well btw- with a bad american accent. I wasn't fluent enough in french to verbally zing them, but I don't take it personally.

I see stuff like this happen in NYC all the time. And as for teena

Oops. typing wildly and posted too quick.

Anyway, I've had teenagers in NYC give me attitude and be rude and we speak the same language. Unfortunately, that's what teenagers do.

And missypie....please don't be intimidated by NYC. I've lived here for a long time and there are days when I can't wait to kiss this city goodbye, but it really is a fabulous place(though I'll admit hands down, that Paris is the prettier city). NYer's can be rude, but most of the time they are being brusque b/c they are always in a rush to get to the next place.

Personally, I always try to stop and help when people are struggling with a map or look lost.

When are you coming to the city?

People my unpleasant experience didn't really stop me from going back to Paris...last year I made my eigth visit to Paris. I just wanted to validate vegas' worries and suggest other options. We all don't have to go to Paris... there are already plenty of us 'dumb tourists' wandering around Paris blabbering ou est this and ou est that.

First of all: Who cares?! You're in Paris.
Live by the 100% rule. There is a 100% chance you will never see these people again so Who Cares!!!

However....

I, too, had your reservations regarding Parisians. On my second trip to Paris I had listened through disc #4 on "Behind the Wheel French" (which I recommend) and was able to converse pretty well.......I thought.

We were at a nice store where a girl was helping me with shoes. I was able to converse the basics and feeling so proud and full. Then she asked something and I shook my head, What? Then she asked again. I said as best I could that I didn't understand much French.

At that time my DH chimed in &quot;She's asking you if you want to try on anything else? &quot; I was floored that he could even begin to understand anything French since he didn't pick up <i>one</i> cd. I asked &quot;How do you know what she's saying???&quot; That's when he spoke the words that have lived in my head ever since....... &quot;She's speaking English!!&quot;

Beware the accent......

My friend once commented about French style:
&quot;French people look like they got dressed, in the dark, in the eighties&quot;

Parisians have the same density of good and bad dressers as in most places (or maybe cities) across the world.
An ex of mine was also taken back by how &quot;normal&quot;-looking people were.

Besides, style is not expensive.

We'll be in NYC July 7-12th. I've been blanketing the US board with all my questions.

Ive never been treated badly in any city Ive ever visited - including Paris and New York,
I mean, there are always one or two jerks, but as a general rule people are helpful and polite - especially when you politely ask for help.

I would not even try to pick up &quot;a few words&quot; of French. Paris is one place that I feel, unless you have at least a basic grasp of the language, it is better simply to speak English.

Basically (without sounding harsh) I do not believe &quot;the locals&quot; care about you, what you say, or how you dress. There must be millions of tourists from all over the world that come thru Paris each year. Take comfort in that thought
;-)

Generally they do like to hear that you at least try to say something in French be it a simple bonjour madame/monsieur, though some may just be tired of tourists regardless. No matter what, the French are more hung up about people respecting their language, not so in Amsterdam.

Hi BG,

&gt;&quot;She's speaking English!!&quot; &lt;

I've had that happen to me many times.

Once you start thinking in another language, you assume that that is what the person speaking to you is using.

I recall that many, many years ago, when language exams were still required, and I had just completed my German exam (3 weeks of cramming), I was having some difficulty following the operating instructions on a piece of equipment.

I asked a fellow student if he could make sense out of it.

He said, &quot;What's the problem? It's in English&quot;.

I realized that I had been thinking in German.

&gt;Generally they do like to hear that you at least try to say something in French ...&lt;

Very true.

&quot;Bonjour (soir) Madame (Monsieur). Parlez vous anglais, s'il vous plait?&quot; is the second most important thing to learn.

The most important is, &quot;Ou est les toilletes&quot;?

Author: PalenQ
Date: 06/20/2007, 12:02 pm
&quot;Yes - just ask Idaho Jaane&quot;
palenQ you're a loser.

I am just about as unstylish as it is possible to be. I am much less intimidated about going to Paris, where people treat me just fine, than I would be to meet some of the people on this forum who describe their ideas of acceptable attire and appearance.

The OP's question, and fnaf999's discussion of facing your fears made me take a philosophical look at one aspect of travel that I actually enjoy...feeling intimidated.

No- I'm not a masochist, and I also love traveling to familiar places where I know excatly what I am doing. I call those &quot;relaxation vacations&quot; as a opposed to &quot;experience vacations&quot;.

&quot;Experience vacations&quot; are always the trips that give me the most special memories...of intimidating little situations like trying to buy migraine pills in a French pharmacy with spots dancing in front of my eyes, or the delight of realizing I actually understood a joke a restaurant owner in Paris told me (in French!), or having that ubiquitous roving band of rude teenagers say something very offensive to me in Florence, but using my teacher stare to make them back down and even seem sheepishly embarassed (good to know the teacher stare works in other cultures!).

Anyway, my point is that although travel guides and magazines (and we Fodorites), tend to focus on the glorious aspects of travel- the food! the wine! the scenery! the shopping!--another special part of travel, for me, is the constant need to test myself in little ways as I learn a new culture. It is the thrill of leaving my comfort zone for something new and different.

In fact, feeling like a &quot;dumb tourist&quot; is part of the allure. I don't mean dumb as in ignoring advice on local politeness, not doing research, showing up without a clue, but I mean dumb as in researching everything about a trip, only to get to a new place to be knocked out by something you never imagined that wasn't mentioned in any guidebooks, but that brings home what it means to be in a different culture.

For example, the first time I went to Italy, I couldn't get over the gorgeous damask tablecloths and napkins in all the restaurants. I had no idea about this despite obsessive research. The first time I went to Paris, the elaborate set up of sugar, cookie, etc that you get on the saucer of your after-dinner coffee was an unexpected surprise.

Let's face it, by adulthood, we've all seen the Effiel Tower so many times in photos and movies that we know what to expect when we visit it. What we can't know is about the tiny differences that show you that you aren't at home anymore...that there are so many ways in the world to go about your daily life. For me, this is why I sort of like that feeling of intimidation. It is the source of memories that expand my view of myself and the world.

My philosophical musing are now over, and I will go and do the laundry that is waiting for me.

Nikki! LOL!

Jaane, internet protocol demands that this cutting insult must be spelt &quot;looser&quot;, followed by half a dozen posts correcting you, all of which themselves must, by law, contain further misspellings or grammatical errors of their own.

BlueSwimmer, exactly so. If you are never dumb you can never become wise.

Though I have to say that none of the many pictures of the Eiffel Tower I saw beforehand prepared me in the slightest for the thrill of seeing the iron and size of it in person.

We are planning for our fourth trip to Paris and love it so much that we are again staying in a rented apartment for a bit more than a month. We have encountered no unsurmountable problems.

We do speak passable survival French; it is trying to decode the &quot;plus rapide&quot; French speaker that is difficult. We have learned that &quot;Pardon. Pouvez-vous parler plus lantement?&quot; usually does the trick--but too often gets the other person to use English.

It is best to go with the flow. Once you actually expect to see a dog seated like a person at the restaurant table next to yours, you have recognized that cultural differences are charming rather than troubling.

oops! That should be &quot;lentement.&quot;