Shes Belgian , but apparently asking why was outrageous she didn't explain that in OP.
DS users are never going to pass up on the chance to get on their high horses and show how amazingly tolerant they are by shouting down someone for asking a reasonable question ;-)
I think this "French people are rude" stereotype is only popular in the UK, or maybe Anglosphere. I only know such a stereotype exists because of this forum.
I worked for a French company for 15 years until August, which involved a lot of travelling to France. I never encountered French people being anything other than polite.
My views haven't been tarnished. I was just asking of there is a trend of intolerance. Not saying there is or isn't just asking.
Personally, I would put it down to a general feeling of thinking that anyone heard speaking a foreign language is just here to claim benefits and generally scrounge off our creaking system.
Some years ago I would hear someone speaking a foreign language and just thought "how exotic!", but now I just wonder if I should offer directions to the dole office.
True enough but this is about being specifically rude about / to foreigners.
That lady should spare a thought for all the French in the Dordogne / Brittany / Midi Pyrenees / Provence etc. who - like it or not - live side by side by thousands of ex-pat Brits.
Personally, I would put it down to a general feeling of thinking that anyone heard speaking a foreign language is just here to claim benefits and generally scrounge off our creaking system.
I don't think there's anything general about that feeling.
Of course I could be wrong which would help answer the OP's question.
I think this "French people are rude" stereotype is only popular in the UK, or maybe Anglosphere. I only know such a stereotype exists because of this forum.
I think it's one of those things that people believe the more they say it, the more true it is, without ever actually experiencing it.
I've been to France many times, including Paris, and never encountered rudeness of any kind.
On Friday I was looking around a shop with my 10 year old son and we were talking to each other in french when all of a sudden we hear a voice saying very loudly :"Bl**dy foreigners" !!!>:o
We turned around and saw this "lady" who was at least 70. I don' t know why she felt it necessary to talk to us like this but my son was really upset and frankly so was I.
I have never ever experienced something like this in the UK. Are people in the UK getting more intolerant ?
I had a very similar experience from a French chap with his two children in a queue at Eurodisney several years ago, I think he was quite shocked when I turned round to face him and suggested in French that it wasn't a very nice thing to say in front of his children. There are arses everywhere.
On Friday I was looking around a shop with my 10 year old son and we were talking to each other in french when all of a sudden we hear a voice saying very loudly :"Bl**dy foreigners" !!!>:o
We turned around and saw this "lady" who was at least 70. I don' t know why she felt it necessary to talk to us like this but my son was really upset and frankly so was I.
I have never ever experienced something like this in the UK. Are people in the UK getting more intolerant ?
We lived in France for seven years and we got the same treatment from the French at times, believe me. What is more, the French assume because you speak English then you are English...I'm Australian. I have lost count of how many times I said "Je ne suis pas anglais!". My 16 year old son was refused enrolment in College because his French language skills were not great at the time...when I lodged a complaint to the Directeur at the regional Inspection Académique I was told - and I quote in English - "Why did you come to France then if he cannot speak French?"
Imagine saying that to foreigners here and getting away with it....^_^
We lived in France for seven years and we got the same treatment from the French at times, believe me. What is more, the French assume because you speak English then you are English...I'm Australian. I have lost count of how many times I said "Je ne suis pas anglais!". My 16 year old son was refused enrolment in College because his French language skills were not great at the time...when I lodged a complaint to the Directeur at the regional Inspection Académique I was told - and I quote in English - "Why did you come to France then if he cannot speak French?"
Imagine saying that to foreigners here and getting away with it....^_^
The OP didn't settle here, but merely came for a weekend visit.
^^ I'd agree with this (two posts above). The French are in love with the sound of their own language. (Which is fair enough imo)
They are obsessed with keeping Anglo Saxon words out of everyday usage. They are indeed very passionate about their language and I don't have a problem with that.
I've been to rural France many times and I found the people there to be delightful, as others have said Paris is a completely different story. People are so ignorant, especially on the metro, don't seem to understand the concept of queuing.
But it was one old person in a shop, Paris is an entire city of rudeness!
I went to Sweden once and I do not know why but I was genuinely shocked at how rude, unfriendly and unhelpful the Swedes I met were.
I have been to France countless times and have been called the equivalent by some old French guy and have dealt with one or two rude people over there on several occasions. Every country has idiots. Outside of Paris though they generally seem pretty friendly.
The problem with France now is It's got so expensive and the food is really so average and disappointing considering the supposed reputation that you need to get a small mortgage to eat out at somewhere decent there now.
Went to Belgium at the weekend and had a great time around the Flanders area. Seemed to have better food and beer at a much more reasonable cost than France. Even got a complimentary round of drinks from a pub in the middle of nowhere where they probably never see tourists
I've been to Copenhagen in Scandinavia and to be honest all I can really remember is how bitterly cold it was there.
I've been to rural France many times and I found the people there to be delightful, as others have said Paris is a completely different story. People are so ignorant, especially on the metro, don't seem to understand the concept of queuing.
But it was one old person in a shop, Paris is an entire city of rudeness!
It's typical of capital cities around the world though, isn't it? I was in South Korea in April and the kindness and friendliness I received travelling around some of the smaller cities was markedly different than that encountered in Seoul. That's not to say Seoulites were unfriendly, just that they were not as accommodating or warm to foreigners as their compatriots in other cities.
Comments
DS users are never going to pass up on the chance to get on their high horses and show how amazingly tolerant they are by shouting down someone for asking a reasonable question ;-)
My views haven't been tarnished. I was just asking of there is a trend of intolerance. Not saying there is or isn't just asking.
I worked for a French company for 15 years until August, which involved a lot of travelling to France. I never encountered French people being anything other than polite.
I want Hugh to show me.
Personally, I would put it down to a general feeling of thinking that anyone heard speaking a foreign language is just here to claim benefits and generally scrounge off our creaking system.
Some years ago I would hear someone speaking a foreign language and just thought "how exotic!", but now I just wonder if I should offer directions to the dole office.
All Cold As Ice as well :mad:
True enough but this is about being specifically rude about / to foreigners.
That lady should spare a thought for all the French in the Dordogne / Brittany / Midi Pyrenees / Provence etc. who - like it or not - live side by side by thousands of ex-pat Brits.
Of course I could be wrong which would help answer the OP's question.
I think it's one of those things that people believe the more they say it, the more true it is, without ever actually experiencing it.
I've been to France many times, including Paris, and never encountered rudeness of any kind.
I had a very similar experience from a French chap with his two children in a queue at Eurodisney several years ago, I think he was quite shocked when I turned round to face him and suggested in French that it wasn't a very nice thing to say in front of his children. There are arses everywhere.
We lived in France for seven years and we got the same treatment from the French at times, believe me. What is more, the French assume because you speak English then you are English...I'm Australian. I have lost count of how many times I said "Je ne suis pas anglais!". My 16 year old son was refused enrolment in College because his French language skills were not great at the time...when I lodged a complaint to the Directeur at the regional Inspection Académique I was told - and I quote in English - "Why did you come to France then if he cannot speak French?"
Imagine saying that to foreigners here and getting away with it....^_^
I will, provided you're Hot Blooded.
It's probably because they're a Long, Long Way From Home.
They are obsessed with keeping Anglo Saxon words out of everyday usage. They are indeed very passionate about their language and I don't have a problem with that.
I went to Sweden once and I do not know why but I was genuinely shocked at how rude, unfriendly and unhelpful the Swedes I met were.
I find the French fairly rude to non French people, and listening to some of their politicians and their supporters, just as racist as Brits.
You'd be like that if you had to go to IKEA every day in your Volvo listening to Abba.
But it was one old person in a shop, Paris is an entire city of rudeness!
I have been to France countless times and have been called the equivalent by some old French guy and have dealt with one or two rude people over there on several occasions. Every country has idiots. Outside of Paris though they generally seem pretty friendly.
The problem with France now is It's got so expensive and the food is really so average and disappointing considering the supposed reputation that you need to get a small mortgage to eat out at somewhere decent there now.
Went to Belgium at the weekend and had a great time around the Flanders area. Seemed to have better food and beer at a much more reasonable cost than France. Even got a complimentary round of drinks from a pub in the middle of nowhere where they probably never see tourists
I've been to Copenhagen in Scandinavia and to be honest all I can really remember is how bitterly cold it was there.
That's irrelevant. The point is rudeness to foreigners exists beyond the UK.
It's typical of capital cities around the world though, isn't it? I was in South Korea in April and the kindness and friendliness I received travelling around some of the smaller cities was markedly different than that encountered in Seoul. That's not to say Seoulites were unfriendly, just that they were not as accommodating or warm to foreigners as their compatriots in other cities.