How is France for you?
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Carlitos
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Spain is a tourist country and we can meet people from around the world and the truth is that I always had a good impression of the French girls, it is difficult to explain, but had more success with the French with Spanish.
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Cambrius (The Red)
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People are generally more friendly outside the major cities.
P. Courvel
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Paris is a case of its own. There is no comparison between the smugness and arrogance of a Parisian and a Lyonnais, a Marseillais or a Bordelais. I don't think that the Londoners are more unpleasant than other British people, but the Parisians are, and everybody in France knows it. (by the way I am not from Paris originally :blush
Reinaert
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Well.. All big city people are annoying. I love France, but I don't visit Paris, Lyon, Marseilles.
I like the southern part of France, because it's my second home land.
I am Dutch, but my roots are there.
I have always felt that way, and yDNA research testified why.
I like the southern part of France, because it's my second home land.
I am Dutch, but my roots are there.
I have always felt that way, and yDNA research testified why.
I mean, anywhere capital is not the same as the country.
France certainly has its charm, and many people around the world want to visit, but I am not competent because was once in Paris but very short.
If someone wants to visit the south of France and Côte d 'Azur where to go to feel the atmosphere, spirit, life, beauty, authenticity of France, including sites at sea and inland?
Reinaert
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Hmm.. The Côte d 'Azur is too commercial. I wouldn't go there. I've been there, but don't like it.
If you drive at least 30 km inland, it's ok. Try a place like Anduze. Or Arles. Arles is the place where Vincent van Gogh painted some of his works. Get a car, and drive through the countryside. You'll find what you like.
Hmm.. The Côte d 'Azur is too commercial. I wouldn't go there. I've been there, but don't like it.
If you drive at least 30 km inland, it's ok. Try a place like Anduze. Or Arles. Arles is the place where Vincent van Gogh painted some of his works. Get a car, and drive through the countryside. You'll find what you like.
Reinaert
Thank you very much.
What is the mass tourism has done, that people know very well about some exotic places in the southern oceans and seas but so many beautiful places there are in Europe.
Of Cote d'Azur, among others places, I noticed Antibes, but and when I'm at sea like to go around, and recommendations are usually a better solution than the sites and brochures, especially your proposal for Arles is interesting, if Van Gogh was there it must be like to have had good reasons.
I simply love France - the people over there are so perfectly well dressed and behave so incredibly nice and well-mannered that it is always a pleasure for me to go back. Not just to train my French, but also to become even more acquainted with the culture, the arts, the people and the French way of living and of dealing with life and certain situations.
Amerikanska
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Greetings and Salutations. I am an American who has been living and working in Sweden for the past year as my handle here suggests. I discovered this forum when searching for information on Napoleon (more on that elsewhere). Anyways, I have recently had the honor and privilege of working in Versailles for the past month as part of my duties with my organisation here in Sweden.
Prior to my arrival in Versailles, I spent a weeks New Years vacation with the family of a colleague in Provence in the hills of Allauch near Marseilles, with visits to Marseilles and Avignon during the week. After that my colleague and I left to Versailles to work their with our collaborators during the month of January. On weekends I was more or less on my own, so I took a trip one weekend to Normandy and visited Bayeux, the Omaha Beach Memorial (I am an American after all), and Le Mont Saint Michel. Two other weekends I spent exploring Paris and Versailles, and during my last weekend, I took a trip to Luxembourg City, which of course, is not France, and despite its proximity, it felt quite different to me from France.
Wednesday night were spent at the Louvre, and other excursions into Paris during other weeknights as well. During the past summer, I also spent a week in Tours for a professional meeting.
So that said, from an outsiders perspective, I feel that I have a fairly good impression of what France is or can be.
I was quite surprised when reading this thread to see comments about Paris being a nasty city or Parisians being rude or arrogant. I have heard these comments about Parisians before, but I generally did not find that to be the case. I have also heard this about New Yorkers, but when I visited NYC, I was completely underwhelmed by the presence of rudeness that I found there. But I cannot speak for everyone, only myself. After several visits and excursions into Paris, I did not have one bad experience as far as rudeness or arrogance are concerned.
One particular Saturday, when I was exploring Paris, I happened upon a strike/protest march being organized by the educators near the Luxembourg Gardens. What a thoroughly French thing to see, no? It almost brought a tear to my eye. Only if Americans cared so much to get fired up and protest their government with regular efficacy. Well, we did see the Tea Party movement unfold recently, but in my life time that is an aberration and it remains to be seen if it will be a lasting thing.
Another thing I find interesting is the American view of the French. These are only my impressions, so take it for what it is, I cannot speak to what percentage of Americans feel one way or another.....but there is certainly a strong Francophilic ripple in America. Paris is viewed as the world's most romantic city, French, as a foreign language is still generally taught in the high schools, and that means something, no?, and the French film industry has its fans. But then there is the mentioned general negativity there, this is true, we see the French as arrogant, whiny snobs who wont/dont speak English, and go on strike far more frequent than is reasonable.
But I wonder something, for all those who have such negative views of France and the French, I wonder how many of them have ever visited France? I could be wrong but I would guess that that number is quite small. Actually, I would posit that, after nearly a year in Sweden and six weeks total in France, that France feels more like the USA than it does Sweden, that is to say, the people, and culturally speaking the differences between France and USA, seem to be less than the differences between France and Sweden. That is not to say there were no differences. That is certainly not true....but, it was almost like going home......well, except for the language thing.
Needless to say, for what it's worth, France has won over another ambassador of good will.
Well done, France!
Prior to my arrival in Versailles, I spent a weeks New Years vacation with the family of a colleague in Provence in the hills of Allauch near Marseilles, with visits to Marseilles and Avignon during the week. After that my colleague and I left to Versailles to work their with our collaborators during the month of January. On weekends I was more or less on my own, so I took a trip one weekend to Normandy and visited Bayeux, the Omaha Beach Memorial (I am an American after all), and Le Mont Saint Michel. Two other weekends I spent exploring Paris and Versailles, and during my last weekend, I took a trip to Luxembourg City, which of course, is not France, and despite its proximity, it felt quite different to me from France.
Wednesday night were spent at the Louvre, and other excursions into Paris during other weeknights as well. During the past summer, I also spent a week in Tours for a professional meeting.
So that said, from an outsiders perspective, I feel that I have a fairly good impression of what France is or can be.
I was quite surprised when reading this thread to see comments about Paris being a nasty city or Parisians being rude or arrogant. I have heard these comments about Parisians before, but I generally did not find that to be the case. I have also heard this about New Yorkers, but when I visited NYC, I was completely underwhelmed by the presence of rudeness that I found there. But I cannot speak for everyone, only myself. After several visits and excursions into Paris, I did not have one bad experience as far as rudeness or arrogance are concerned.
One particular Saturday, when I was exploring Paris, I happened upon a strike/protest march being organized by the educators near the Luxembourg Gardens. What a thoroughly French thing to see, no? It almost brought a tear to my eye. Only if Americans cared so much to get fired up and protest their government with regular efficacy. Well, we did see the Tea Party movement unfold recently, but in my life time that is an aberration and it remains to be seen if it will be a lasting thing.
Another thing I find interesting is the American view of the French. These are only my impressions, so take it for what it is, I cannot speak to what percentage of Americans feel one way or another.....but there is certainly a strong Francophilic ripple in America. Paris is viewed as the world's most romantic city, French, as a foreign language is still generally taught in the high schools, and that means something, no?, and the French film industry has its fans. But then there is the mentioned general negativity there, this is true, we see the French as arrogant, whiny snobs who wont/dont speak English, and go on strike far more frequent than is reasonable.
But I wonder something, for all those who have such negative views of France and the French, I wonder how many of them have ever visited France? I could be wrong but I would guess that that number is quite small. Actually, I would posit that, after nearly a year in Sweden and six weeks total in France, that France feels more like the USA than it does Sweden, that is to say, the people, and culturally speaking the differences between France and USA, seem to be less than the differences between France and Sweden. That is not to say there were no differences. That is certainly not true....but, it was almost like going home......well, except for the language thing.
Needless to say, for what it's worth, France has won over another ambassador of good will.
Well done, France!
julia90
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France is an european power, behind Germany.
It's very statalistic (also italy), but the public money are better managed than in italy, that's why italy couldn't ever work if it was statalized more or as france, because we are usually more disonhest.
it's good that recently (with berlusconi) italy was destatalized, it means more productivity (privatization) and less lazy, inefficient, unproductive, and "magna-magna" (=inuseful waste of money to pay public workers) public workers
It's very statalistic (also italy), but the public money are better managed than in italy, that's why italy couldn't ever work if it was statalized more or as france, because we are usually more disonhest.
it's good that recently (with berlusconi) italy was destatalized, it means more productivity (privatization) and less lazy, inefficient, unproductive, and "magna-magna" (=inuseful waste of money to pay public workers) public workers