Pausanias

According to a new British poll "Italy was voted the world`s most cultured nation with the best cuisine, while the United States was named the most unstylish with the worst food."

http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/article...04&sid=LIF

But Americans come out ahead of the French and Germans: "The French were voted the world`s most unfriendly nation by a landslide in a British poll published. They were also voted the most boring and most ungenerous.

A decisive 46 per cent of the 6,000 people surveyed by travellers` website where are you now (Wayn) said the French were the most unfriendly nation people on the planet, British newspapers reported.

The Germans have no reason to celebrate the damning verdict. They came second on all three counts."

starrsville

Dang! I was expecting a link to pictures of "shorts and sneakers" in unique circumstances.

FainaAgain

Regarding USA - ubsolutely agree!

Intrepid1

Are these the same people who still thought the world is flat?

MissPrism

What British newspapers reported?
I haven't seen it anywhere.

starrsville

Do the English really dress and eat better than Americans? Sounds a little like the pot calling the kettle black.

J_Correa

That's pretty rich - the Brits complaining about American food

walkinaround

When i see american europhiles on this board giving their reasons why some (usually labeled "ignorant&quot americans think the french are rude they give reasons like:

1. george bush is to blame
2. people who say that have never been to france and are just ignorant conservatives
3. recently, someone even said that fox news was to blame!!!

i have responded many times with the "inconvenient" fact that people here in britain feel exactly the same way ...and we don't have george bush, most of us have been to france many, many times, and we don't have fox news.

this is in no way meant to start a debate over whether the french are actually rude or not, but just hope to disprove the very common misconception that only "ignorant" americans who have never been to france think the french are rude.

Scarlett

Careful about clicking onto the link, I got all sorts of stupid pop ups


This was a British poll...and this is what they said about themselves, LOL

<i>&quot;The British fit in nowhere - good or bad. It appears that we are so completely average that the voters did not include us in any category,&quot; the tabloid `daily express` commented. </i>

cocofromdijon

I read this article this morning and I do think we have a LOT of efforts to make! I even sent the article to a few friends who work in tourism.
http://tinyurl.com/ok6u6 (in French)

Underhill

We don't find the French unfriendly--reserved, yes, unfriendly, no. The French are very polite but they don't smile a lot with strangers; very different from most Americans, and at first it can seem like unfriendliness. Once you get to know French people you discover that they are very pleasant and accommodating--our French friends are absolute dears.

Josser

I imagine that the reason that British tourists find American food disgusting is the same as the reason that Americans find the same thing with British food.

Food where tourists go tends to cater for the lowest common denominator.
In both countries, you need to ask the locals or get a restaurant guide.

DeborahAnn

I thought the article interesting but found it too disagreeable.

I wonder what questions were asked regarding clothing styles and food in the US. Are they referring to visiting tourists or Americans in the US? It's a very inflammatory article without much substance.

I was more concerned about another article at zeenews.com titled &quot;internet addition can harm lives, mariages&quot; Now that's something to be worried about Deborah

DeborahAnn

that's addiction not addition

missypie

If I can contribute one comment about the French: I love Paris. We took our kids there two years ago and spent a very nice week. My middle child was 11 at the time. We didn't talk about the French people's reputation for rudeness before, during, or after our trip. Fast forward two years, when we took the kids to Costa Rica. We had been in the country all of twelve hours when my daughter (now 13) remarked, &quot;I like Costa Rica so much better than France; the people are so much nicer.&quot; That was the opinion of a child who had no preconceived notions about any nationality.

stokebailey

&quot;The British fit in nowhere - good or bad. It appears that we are so completely average that the voters did not include us in any category,&quot;

Naturally the British think of themselves as average or normal; so would any group of people.

Scarlett

LOL, stokebailey, Not Fodorites!!

RufusTFirefly

On average, I'm normal. But I have my moments.

AnthonyGA

It is a common mistake to misinterpret a different culture as rudeness.

The French are not rude. However, they have a justified reputation for some of the worst customer service in the world, and since this is the interaction that most tourists have with them, it creates a poor impression overall. They treat French customers just as badly, but their French customers don't know any better, so they put up with it.

travelgirl2

Sorry to disagree, but... we just returned from Paris and we found most people to be very friendly and helpful. Once you get past the reserve. And if you try to follow their social conventions.

Also, in the hotels and restaurants, we found the service to be of a very high standard.