Just came back from Paris--my first trip to Europe, which is supposed to be my dream trip. Now I have more questions than I did before the trip, which can only be answered by people who really understand that country. <BR> <BR>Why can't parisians be nicer to tourists, especially those who don't know French, after they made so much money from them? Things are even worse if I started like Bonjour, Monsieur. Then they were reluctant to talk to you in English any more. <BR> <BR>Why can't they pick up their dog's shit as American people do? They are spending a fortune on cleaning and resurfacing the buildings, but the walkway is a disaster. <BR> <BR>Why can't they make things easier and more convenient for tourists by providing longer open hours in stores and restaurants? There is nowhere to eat for lunch before 12 noon and for dinner before 7:30pm, and nowhere to shop on Sunday. <BR> <BR>Why can't they offer better service by prepare at least one highchair in their restaurants? <BR> <BR>Why can't they be more friendly to kids by not hushing them into silence? This is the rudest behavior I've ever seen! <BR> <BR>We did meet lots of friendly French people. But the whole service system is such a failure. In the US, service is provided based upon needs. In silicon valley, when people work hard till midnight, the restaurants there open till 2am, very unusual closing hour throughout the country. But in Paris, who cares about your needs?

Nice try troll.

yes, Paris is just dull compared with semiconductor avenue, er...

ever heard of the saying 'when in Rome do as the Romans do?'. Life is not picture perfect anywhere. One of the main recommendations I can give you for your next piece of travel is don't be so critical. America is not perfect believe it or not - nowhere is. You don't have to leave your dogs dodo on the pavement, but realise that in some countries it is acceptable to do so. <BR>it might not be elegant or hygenic, put its legal. <BR>C'est la vie!

I agree about the dog dodo. But on everything else you are saying why can't the French do things like we do in the USA. How dull if everyone did things the same way. I found that people who enjoy travel like the fact that things are not the same. I'll give one example, my wife and I found that not eating dinner until 7:30 gave us time for one more crape in the afternoon.

Dear Troll: <BR>Which Paris did you visit? We found the French helpful, planned accordingly and had no problems with eating or sites to visit. We saw the beauty of the city and little else! Next time, just stay home because no matter where you go, YOU will be disappointed!!!!!!

I know this is a troll, so this is meant more as a statement than a response. We could learn a lot from the French, and I wish we would. <BR> <BR>Plus, my neighborhood, which supposedly has a pooper scooper regulation, has more dog poop than I saw in Paris. Now, Vienna, that was another story...

I was disappointed too in how my family was treated. Not to be a troll-I think Paris is such a beautiful city with som much to offer. But, in only two days (after a three week trip through Italy and France), we found ourselves in more uncomfortable situations than anywhere. Not simple rudeness, but really being taken advantage of. We were tired, and I guess we looked like good targets. It was really a disappointment rather than a complaint about not being like the US. I thought we tried to be very polite and considerate, yet it didn't change the situations. Only in Paris- other parts of France, and Italy were not so blatant. In fact, a sort of funny thing happened in a cafeteria in France. My school age daughter thought the buffet was "all you can eat" rather than "pay by weight". She was quite excited to see bowl fulls of (previously frozen type) fruit of raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. She heaped them on her plate. It was much more than all four of us could eat. I think it would have cost $10 for the plate of fruit. I took a large helping and place it on another plate, and politely, tried to give the plate to a worker. Understandingly, she was upset, and argue with me in French. In mixed English and French, I tried to explain, and she, unhappily accepted the plate. Later, I saw the lady again, I thanked her, and said Je suis tres desole. She smiled and said she understood. Certainly, they could have insisted we pay for the fruit, but they were accepting of a child's mistake.And I really did appreciate it. But, in Paris, we just seem to have the unlucky circumstances of meeting too many vultures. I really hate to feel that way, but ABC, I can understand the disappointment. I know my support might open me up for criticism, but sometimes, you do have negative experiences when you try to be polite.

secrets to happy travels : be easily amazed, easily amused, and easily pleased. otherwise, stay home.

Why so laidback? Because they're French! <BR> <BR>Actually, I often think service here is awful by comparison with some aspects of the US. But other things are better here than there. <BR> <BR>I appreciate that ABC wasn't criticising exactly, only asking. The only answer is, things are different here!!

I keep reading the postings about rude Frenchman and especially Parisians, but I have yet to encounter much of that in over a decade of travels there. I still believe it must have something to do with how tourists treat them, though I do understand from being in other touristy centers that people sometimes just get tired of the throngs, despite making their living from us. As for dogs, the situation really has improved over the past decade, believe it or not. But that too, depends on where you are, as I have walked considerably and not encoutered "les crottes," as the French call doggie doo-doo. As for times of restaurants, etc., that's part of life in other countries. Thank heavens we are not all the same. Stores closed on Sundays - how nice! There is still lots of time to shop, and the French and many other European nations believe that Sunday is a family day. Maybe, THEY have their priorities right with their laidback life style. North Americans are obsessed with shopping it seems. Late meals - very relaxing. If you can't wait until 7:30 p.m., don't go to Spain or Greece, because meals are even later there! As for the children, I have no personal experience, though my impression is that French children are extremely well-behaved in public, and that it is a part of the culture. Just accept the differences and enjoy them. I have to concur with the two previous writers on this topic.

It's hard for me to believe that a culture that encourages people to work until midnight is the superior one.

My opinion is that people are just people, everywhere! That is, there are rude and nice people wherever you go. <BR> <BR>When my mum and I were in Paris, we didn't experience much of the notorious Parisian rudeness, despite not speaking French (well, besides merci and stuff...I do know a bit of French, but was too chicken to try!). I mean, one man even LEAD us to Sacre Coeur from the train station! It wasn't even on his way. On the other hand, a stressed out sales clerk yelled at my mum for not saying 'bonjour' to her - though I think it was probably because she was sick of tourists (I'm not surprised). <BR> <BR>As for the kids thing, I (14 years old) was treated pretty much the same as in Australia. <BR> <BR>PS. I think Louise's motto is fantastic!

I agree--the Secrets to Happy Travel are great. I'm typing them out to give to all our group (10 of us) as we plan our October trip. <BR> <BR>Thanks Louise!

That's life in the big city. My only experience in Paris was coming and going to the Auvergne. On my arrival the people at the ticket windows were not too co-operative, but I admit my French was none too coherent. Coming back through Paris I asked a man waiting for his train in the Metro where I would catch mine and he was quite helpful. He was also quite handsome. It's a shame France gets such a bad rap. Small town France is gracious and friendly. While looking out a third floor window, the garbage collector motioned for me to jump that he would catch me.

Here were my disappointments with Paris: <BR>1) American-style coffee was really not available; <BR>2) The Metro looked very daunting for anyone who is in a wheelchair (or even has difficulty with stairs); <BR>3) The Pompideau Center was closed for repairs!! <BR> <BR>I encourage a Parisian to post here his/her three (or more) biggest gripes about New York City, such as: <BR> <BR>1) Espresso (outside of Starbucks) was really not available; <BR>2) The New York subway looks daunting to anyone in a wheelchair (or even who has difficulty climbing stairs); <BR>3) The wait at the Empire State Building is over an our long -- and people bring guns up there! <BR>

Ok, I'll bite: Why can't Paris be more like America? Because it's FRANCE, you vacuous idiot. <BR> <BR>Do us all a favor and STAY HOME in your LazEBoy stuffing your face with Doritos. <BR> <BR>And I'll bet that the streets of Paris are cleaner than your home.

I sincerely hope that ABC is not a resident of the Silicon Valley (if he is then he is making a statement representative of my area of the world). If so, he has too much money and not enough education in anything but the techie things in life! The reason to leave the U.S. to visit Europe is to have an experience in another culture. If we criticize how different that culture is from our own local one, what have we gained? Please note, everyone, that this is ABC's first trip to Europe! Perhaps he needs to grow up/travel more in the U.S. etc. before venturing out again. Perhaps ABC should plan his/her next trip to Disney World and Epcot and so get into various different cultures via Disney! No dog droppings there! Dogs are prohibited! I'm sure the French find it fascinating that some Americans work until midnight and can eat at any time they wish throughout the day. In France, it's different------end of lecture.

I haven't visited France yet, but have read an excellent book on the subject. Called: French Toast: An American in Paris Celebrates the Maddening Mysteries of the French, by Harriet Welty-Rochefort. An excellent book by an American woman who moved to France about 20 years ago & then married a Frenchman. Basically explains why things are done a certain way there, that we sometimes can't comprehend here in America.... Excellent! Also love the point... of kids should be seen & not heard, wish America was more like this... and not parents trying to be their kids best friend & not a parent!

Yo-russ i, we don't encourage people to work until midnight in the US, we employ them. In other words, we give them a job and allow those who want to work til midnight to do so. We surely don't force them to do it! We also let some work on Sundays if they wish. Everyone in US has a choice-they don't have to work bad hours unless they choose to. There are no slaves here now.