two sisters in Paris, need advice

We found the Arabs to be very freiendly. However, you may wish to avoid the 18er. Dress un-American and carry a bagguette. Regards, Donerail

unfortunatly what happened to you is becoming common in France and arab people (some of them …a minority but a disturbing one !!) are often very agressive in the subway etc …i don’t see a single day without any agression of any sort !!! too bad for france !

juste an advice, don’t answer any kind of joke …i mean they want to play with you son don’t enter the game !
be discreet !

it is seeming to be more of a problem nowadays that americans are becoming harassed more and more. I would suggest that you dress like you are not americans. This could help with the "fitting" in part.

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We just returned from a week in Paris and didn’t experience any problems. The French, as usual, were unfailingly helpful and kind. We wear our normal clothes, attempt to speak French, albeit not well, and don’t try to look as though we are other than we are . . . tourists. Everyone was just fine. Waiters served us politely. Service people served us politely. There were no problems in the Metro. As a matter of fact, once we almost got on the wrong train and a French student rescued us. In one restaurant a waitress went out of her way to help us.

I think part of the secret is to try to speak French and to be extremely polite to everyone you meet. If you respect them, they tend to respect you. I was very surprised to read the comments above since we’ve gone to France several times and never had any problems of the sort described above.

If you are planning a trip to Paris, go ahead with it and plan to enjoy yourself. We had several friends go this past summer and none of them had any problems at all.

Bon voyage!

How do Americans dress??? I am coming to Paris in Dec, 2004 and want
to know what to expect? With all the media hype about anti-American
sentiment I am concerned.

Mimsky, I haven’t heard any media hype about anti-Americanism for over a year now. We’ve been to France twice and haven’t seen or heard anything anti-American.

Unless you go around speaking English very loudly, I have no idea how anyone would even know you were American.

If you’re going in December, it will be chilly. Wear a neutral plain coat (usually the French wear black, but navy blue and beige are fine) and purchase a neck scarf to keep off the chill. The French (male and female) all wear scarves for good reason in December. It’s cold and damp. The scarf feels good! You can buy one on the street if you don’t have one.

Most people in Paris won’t be wearing sneakers unless they’re jogging.

If you don’t speak French, learn to say please, thank you and (this is very important) "I have a problem. Please help me." I’ve never met a Frenchman who can resist helping someone with a problem. They consider it a national characteristic to be able to solve problems so let them do what they do best. They’ll love you for it.

Accept the fact that they have a few different customs and don’t get upset about it. Typical "please" and "thank you" are extremely important to them. (Kind of nice when you think about it!) They don’t speak loud in public so if you do, you will be noticed as foreign. They don’t usually ask for special favors in restaurants, e.g. dressing on the side. You can trade menu items if you are asking for a replacement from a less expensive fixed menu. Just don’t try it in reverse. Also, the waiter will not come over and ask you if everything is all right. They think it’s bad manners to interrupt you while you’re enjoying your meal. Remember you will not get the bill until you ask for it. (It’s that bad manners to interrupt you while you’re enjoying your meal thing again.) When you’re ready to leave, simply ask for the bill (l’addition s’il vous plais). If there is a major problem (allergy to a food item, etc.), tell the waiter with the "I have a problem, can you help me?" that you learned and they’ll cheerfully take care of it.

If you are young, female and attractive, I will offer one more tiny tip. The French don’t view flirting the same way Americans do. They tend to date in groups and take a much longer time to get to know each other. When they start flirting, they take it much more seriously than in this country. That, misunderstood, could lead to being harrassed. They will think you are teasing them and won’t take it lightly. It is a more traditional, family-oriented country. Pretend your mom is along and you’ll be just fine!! >

Don’t worry about problems. You hear about them because they are rare and worthy of comment. Most of us go to France and have a wonderful time and have delightful interactions with the French people we meet. You’ll have a grand time.

Bon voyage!!

Hello All,

SalB, you’re right on the money, once more! Your input is always very thoughtful and useful. There really is nothing like someone who has that experience to share it with those that have to go through it for the first time.

We come from a slightly different angle because most of us working here are French people, living in France and some of the things you have experienced we can only accept, but we have not experienced it ourselves!

So maybe I’ll tell you what the average French person likes least in the image of the American tourist. You’ve covered most of it:

* If you make the attempt to speak French, then most of the issue of where you come from becomes moot.
* Always say ‘bonjour’ upon entering a store, a restaurant a bar, etc..
* Never assume that because you have money people will give you the service that you expect and deserve, and for which you agree to pay. French people don’t care so much about money, but they are freaks when it comes to respect! Respect them for what they are, not because you give them money.
* Don’t talk too loud in public spaces, and learn to accept that you personal space just got reduced to its most vital minimum as soon as you enter France. It can be quite unpleasant, but it’s the way it is!

We hope these help!

Sincerely,

France.com Staff