Everyone has heard that Parisians can be rude and that they don’t like Americans. I’ve said before that is simply not true.
They don’t like anyone.
Though, on this trip I feel like they have softened. Is it because they are more grateful for those tourists who have come in spite of fears of more terrorism? Maybe. But I have another theory.
They do have compassion. I’ve seen strangers pick up a person in their wheelchair and carry them up a flight of stairs. I’ve seen a beautiful young lady backtrack her steps in order to hand a homeless man her own fresh pastry. And I’ve seen how they react to The Husband.
They believe he has an unnamed affliction. Why else would he take their cold stares and still smile at them? Why, but for a grave affliction, would a man joke with a Parisian shoe salesman (surely the unhappiest person on the planet) about how “sportif” his clunky American hiking shoes are and make that person laugh?
Yes. The Husband is my secret weapon.
I attended school here for 6 weeks and my best reward was when my fellow student, Ursula, invited me to go with her to a museum but she made me speak in French the whole time.
Today is David’s last day of class. He’s been in class at Atelier 9, for 4 weeks and his whole class, including the teacher and all of their friends have planned a going away party tomorrow night that has grown so big it is now being referred to as a “fête” and a “spectacle”.
Oh, they invited me, too. I wish Ursula could see me now.
A Pierman Sister 
This is awesome! went to Paris on my own month ago and totally agree! French are nice people if you well respect them
I’m Ray from London originally from Hong Kong.
New to blogging about cultures and travel
This month is all about art and lifestyle
would be really lovely if you lovely people can check it out !
https://journaloftheasiangirl.wordpress.com/
Cheers X
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Just can’t help it – we love Dave! And love you too Allison
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They don’t like anyone – this is funny. I had the same impression, when I visited Paris…
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I have only been to Paris once – when I was 21. It was a trip with my Art History class and we stayed in a hotel that was about 200 meters from the Moulin Rouge. The first evening my extremely blonde and equally naive friend and I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. I was wearing a lime green down vest – might as well have had a sign on my back saying “Ignorant Tourist. Please Harass Me”. So my first impression of Parisians was that they liked me WAY TOO MUCH. Such offers I got! And so quickly!
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My first trip to Paris was for my 21st birthday. We were staying with friends in Germany and just popped over for a 3 night stay in Paris on a tour bus. Moulin Rouge tickets were part of the tour price. During the show, I went to the ladies’ room where I found a partially naked man pleasuring himself. I was so naïve back then I almost let it ruin my trip. Oh, la, la, as they say in French!
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This is just getting weird. My trip was also right around my 21st birthday – so a year earlier and I was equally naive. Wanna bet we were harassed by the same guy?
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You make me laugh. Don’t we share the craziest coincidences?!
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“They don’t like anyone”? Haha! True in part. My dear compatriots live in the most beautiful city on earth and don’t know it. (New York is a close contender. And new Yorkers, well…) Parisians also have a very dry sense of humour that can be easily mistaken for rudeness. But, personally, I love sitting at a café terrasse on my first day and get “scolded” by a “garçon”. Then Get into the play, and things are all right.
thank you for a nice blog. I will be back.
(And you will always have Paris)
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I LOVE Parisians and I love their attitudes. I just refuse to believe they dislike Americans. I think they get tired of all tourists. And, frankly, if I lived in a city overrun by tourists, I would, too! Thanks for following. I’m following you too, now!
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Parisians invented Attitude. It’s a bit like New Yorkers (hope I am not doing a “faux-pas”) in both cases you have to know “the right answer” as one of the Pétanque players said. And then they “open up”, stop in their tracks, stop bitching and all is fine. (Merci pour le suivi aussi)
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No faux pas. It’s just a big city attitude. It is fun to crack those tough exteriors, n’est ce pas?
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Absolument. But once you do… you’re fine.
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When Joan, Mom and I went to France, the only ones to give us a hard time were the two elderly ladies selling tickets to the Louve. They not only refused to speak English but acted absolutely uncomprehending at our French. They made us work for it (like, what else would we want but tickets?). I thought they were completing our Paris experience.
But The Husband as a secret weapon? Have you met Joan and Tom? LOL It is a Pierman Sister’s blog.
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They can be so…French, right? Ya, Tom is probably a whole arsenal for Joan! Say what you want about the Pierman girls, we marry well. Thanks for tagging along. I always like seeing your comments.
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