During your travels what was your honest impression of the Germans, the French, and the Italians? Be honest!?

Question

Please only answer if you have travelled in any three of these countries. Don't worry yourself about sounding politically correct. I'm asking you to be brutally honest about what your basic core impressions were of each of these nationalities during your travels in their countries. They can be both good and/or bad impressions too.

Answer 1

The germans are stoic,

the french don't care what you think about them,

and the italians are theives, and cheaters.

let the 2006 world cup tell you that

Answer 2

I've traveled in all three and this is my experience.

Germans are friendly, and a lot like Americans. I guess what I mean is that Germany had the most familiar feel. Germany was easy to travel around, and people were helpful. I found them to be caring and family oriented.

France, okay, you asked. Rude. Example: I was in a line at a train station and asked a french policeman if I was in the correct line, he just looked at me and said "no english", so as a test, I turned to another person in line from the states and made a derogatory jest about France in general, and then watched the policeman for a reaction. Well, his face turned red, and a little muscle in his jaw started twitching... test concluded-he did speak english after all. Just didn't want to offer any assist. In general, the french cut in line in front of you, won't make room on a sidewalk so all can manage to stay out of the rain gutter, and tend to behave like ill-mannered children. In other countries I can still spot French often, at about 2 to 3 blocks, because of their bad behavior, which amazes my wife who lived in France for several months.

Italians: By comparison, the exact scenario happened in a Naples train station with 2 policeman who were headed somewhere in a hurry, but still stopped to assist even though they spoke no english, none, but were still able to help out of sheer determination. I love traveling in Italy. I found Italians to be friendly, expressive, and well meaning. The food is great and the people delightful and full of life. Can't wait to go back.

Answer 3

I have not been to Germany, but have met some lovely Germans. I have been to Paris and absolutely loved it. I want to go back. It was this August, the weather was terrible, but it didn't matter. People were freindly and appreciated my efforts to try to speak a little French. There were surly waiters, but that's how they are supposed to be - the classic French surly waiter. The ruder the waiter, the bigger the tip. Now, Italy, or I should say specifically Venice, was another story. Maybe because Venice is sooo ultra touristy, the locals dislike the tourists. I was in Venice for 8 days, and encountered many shopkeepers trying to rip me off - eg. charge me too much, or when i bought say 4 pieces of fruit, put only 3 in the bag, refuse to serve me, etc. The fruit sellers had this law about customers not touching the fruit. I was yelled at in Italian big time for touching the fruit I wished to purchase. kind of scarey!! But also, for every 3 rude shopkeepers in Venice, I'd encounter one exceptionally helpful and pleasant person. So its hard to generalize.

Answer 4

The French and the Germans are cousins. The Italian and the French language share the same latin roots. Regarding nationalities it is VERY difficult to generalize because each countries have regions that are very different. It is difficult to comprehend for someone who has not already travelled in Europe. Europe is very small but very diverse. However, one could say that the Germans are more continental, reasonable and easy going. The French are more subtle, cartesian and difficult;-) The Italians are by far the loudest and have the best climate. Enjoy.

Answer 5

Germany was a blast, I lived and worked there for 3 yrs. and didn't have any real probs. The ladies were great to meet and have fun with,and I was treated like a VIP most of the time. In France, where I lived for a couple of months - I found the police to be very hard
with and agressive to visitors, especially if they used a rucksack.
I was asked for my passport 3 times in as many hours ( South coast of France) and I was asked agressively - as if they wanted me to refuse to show it - so that they could kick the crap out of me. It was a bit scary - to say the least. I never got to Italy because of
this - I came back home by a different route, to avoid the French police.

Answer 6

Ok, very generalised, but in my experience, in their own countries all the nationalities mentioned have gone a good deal out of their way to help obviously lost foreign tourists (us, frequently!). Officials not so much,(Italy was the worst for that!) but that's true of any country sadly. People are just people, whatever language they speak, not trying to be politically correct, but just from experience. I've had french people driving miles out of their way to show us a campsite, germans walking for hours because we didn't speak the language and they wanted to help so could only gesture us to follow while they showed us where to go, and an elderly italian gentleman giving me his seat on an overnight train and insisting I took it. I've also met ignorant oafs of all nationalities, don't think any one country has a monopoly on it, to be honest

Answer 7

went to a really nice 4star resort in mexico in 2003 it was german owned at that time, the germans were very nice and outgoing, had the pleasure of eating dinner with a few people(german) we met,, also i have worked with germans here in the u.s. same impression, same resort 2006 owned by italians the older woman were rude, but that could have been a cultural difference BUT the younger italians seemed very nice, it was during the world cup (soccer) and i can tell you soccer IS very popular everywere outside the u.s.

so thats my limited experience hope it helps.

Answer 8

Germans nice people just don't get our sense of humour, Italians, the older generation are nice the kids are spoilt, and bad mannered, French, hate the English in the major towns and cities, rural are nicer.

Answer 9

My guy has been to all 3 he loved Germany, the beer, the food and thefriendly people all were just wonderful.
He hitchhiked across France he said the French act like they don't understand English to mess up your mind. He found the food/drink expensive and they were very snobbish.. he used sign language to get to Germany that way.
Italy: Naples he said it was the armpit of Europe very smelly, but northern Italy was nice Genoa, Rome, those areas, he did like the Isle of Capri. He said their the food was good and the people were nice there.

Answer 10

i haven't been to germany but there were loads of them in denmark when i was there and i found them very rough and unfriendly.
the french are the french. i have been to disneyland paris 3 times and the people working there were lovely. always smiling and being very helpful. in paris city i thought they weren't polite or helpful. and then i had a french student - a girl - the biggest mistake ever!
the italians? what more can i say, i married one. he and his family are wonderful. when i go over for a holiday they practically roll out the red carpet and everyone in the area knows us and come over to talk to us. they are really nice people.

Answer 11

the Germans still affected by the war in many places like a national shame wanting to make every thing better.....the Italians seem tot be driven by passion and desire the french think they are the centre of the universe and can be very arrogant