french????

Question

what do you think of French people?

Answer 1

Well I am French, and I am not going to tell what I think about French people.
That wouldn't be honest.
It would be more interesting to tell what I think of your comments.
I find them well... very American, which means very approximative. Maybe because most of you like to talk a lot, and mostly when you have no knowledge about the topic, what seems to be very often.
As I have some spare time right now, I am just spending some of it reading the Q&A related to France. Not because I am only interested in it, but because it has more sense to me.

Most of the time you guys have a very low opinion about French people, and what is interesting and reassures me, is that your points of view don't correspond to any real fact.
Saying that French people smell, eat frogs, horses... I have hardly ever met some people like that in country.
I confess I had frog legs once, it is very tasty you know?
But I understand if you prefer your delicious very elaborated fat free hamburgers (yummy!!) That makes you the fatest population on Earth, and this is one more prize you can be proud of.
I can't say I hate you, because this is untrue. You have lots of good persons in your country, well educated, and an interesting culture, very different from the one we have in France.
I like differences.
What I don't like is when you want to impose your lifestyle to the rest of the World. This is your vision of the human dignity. Keep it for you.
The World is made of very old cultures that didn't wait for USA to be created to get some knowledge about life.
I also read that France does nothing when there is a war, but cries when they are attacked.
France's history is made of hundreds of wars. No century in France's history without one, two, more wars.
Most of them were won, this is just a detail, I have no honour while saying that. But for your information, France is not a country of cowards. Our experience in war matters make us a relevant partner to say "go" or "don't go".
We said "don't go" for Irak, we were right. We have a deep knowledge of cultures in this part of the World. We have colonised lots of countries (no honour once again), and are aware of what are dangerous mistakes.
We said "don't go" for Irak, but you did go. The result is more than uncertain, and you didn't find your Bin Laden in Bagdad, did you?
How did you believe that? No one in France did!

France and USA are old turbulent brothers.
The first has a rich history and ruled over the World.
The second has no history but now rule over the World.
We have to learn from you, as you have to learn from us.
Just don't reduce us to arrogant smelly frog eaters. This is a bit desapointing.

Sorry if my english is not very correct, at least did I try to speak in your own language.

Answer 2

American who lived abroad. French people are extremely helpful and friendly however they're more patient with you if you speak the language. Their culture is amazing as well. They have a very rich history. I made some life-long friends from France also.

Answer 3

I think french people are great. I don't think the stereotype is true anymore that they don't speak English. All the young people speak English now. And you can see it in pop culture.

French people are prideful, but all countries are! If you take every country from the best to these shittiest they are all going to be proud of something. It is against your nature to not be proud of where you are from.

Answer 4

Completely agree with Xav. And yeah, why the thing about French people smelling???

Answer 5

I lived in southern France for a year and attended a liberal arts university in Montpellier.
My impression was that the Parisians were generally a pain in the cul, while the rest of the French were hospitable and genuine.
A quick anecdote illustrates my distate for the Paris - ites:
Upon my arrival in France, my spoken french was mediocre - I often found that my attempts to communicate in french were returned with a barrage of french and outright refusal to speak English ( I thought all Europeans spoke English ;) ).
A year later I returned to Paris. Having progressed to fluency, whenever I spoke to someone on the street, or in a bar or restuarant, my communication in french was outright ignored and returned with broken English - as some way to prove that "their english" is better than "my french".
Outside of Paris, the French are usually excited to meet an french-speaking american, and are more than willing to share the things they like and (more importantly) DISLIKE about the U.S.

Answer 6

Xav is correct in what he says, he is well-educated in how he speaks. French people are not bad! I have visited France many times and have never encountered a bad experience.

Answer 7

they were a lot less mean than i was told! even less mean than new yorkers!

I actually tried and knew a little french and that went a long way!

Answer 8

Having lived here for over 3 years I have to say in general really cool - however- never expect an apology and there is a certain
" avarice" about the older generation ( i.e quite happy to smile at you and pretend to be your best friend whilst give you the shaf*&^g (financially) of your life)

Answer 9

french ppl rock! well, the food is awesome. if i ever have a chance and enough money im leaving the states and moving to france. most people want in the U.S., i want OUT lol. france is much better. plus, french is a beautiful language. people there are not the sterotypical "rude" type of people. they are very kind, as long as you dont bring the subject of Bush up.

Answer 10

They're basically all right, but you MUST at least try to speak French while in France. The Normans in Normandy look like Irishmen, and the people from Brittany look like Welshmen. Then again, you know...

...The French you know are a funny race,
For they fight with their feet,
And they f%ck with their face...

Voila!