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Rude Parisians? Not with Paris Greeter
We all know that Parisians have a reputation for being smug and snooty. Want to order a coffee? Better pronounce café au lait with an impeccable French accent or you can forget about good service. But stereotypes are just that: stereotypes. And not all Parisians have a propensity to rudeness, at least not those part of Paris Greeter.Created by a group of locals intent on showing the good side of the Parisian nature, Paris Greeter is a service that provides the traveler with free tours in nine different languages. Groups of up to six are led by true Parisians that have a love for their city and a love for sharing it with foreigners; the organization's French name, Parisien d'un jour, Parisien toujours is very fitting.
These aren't trained tour guides working for big companies, they're just regular locals that want to give their city a good name. In the words of one of the volunteers, "I've always heard my American friends say things like, 'Paris is wonderful - except for the Parisians. And I always wanted to do something about it."
[Via World Hum]
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Filed under: Arts and Culture, Europe, France
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Emland Oct 8th 2008 8:20AM
I got to visit Paris for 1.5 days in March 2006. I was all prepared for the legendary Paris rudeness.
Didn't find any.
From the waitress who gave us impeccable directions, to the hotel clerk who told us the best place to eat nearby, to the cab driver - they were all polite, helpful and friendly.
The only place we had trouble was the Louvre. Don't try to cat nap off your jet lag while pretending to admire a piece of art - the docents don't approve. I was told in no uncertain terms "There is no sleeping in the Louvre!"
S the B Oct 8th 2008 9:09AM
Excellant idea!
Maris Oct 8th 2008 10:09AM
I visited Paris for the first time, in the 70's, after college graduation. All of the Parisians I met were patient with my "broken" French which was exactly the opposite of what my friends and I expected. We were treated so nicely in restaurants, hotels, and by the locals that Paris became my favorite city. Paris and New York City (my home) have in common the false impression of being rude cities -- so not true! That being said, the Paris Greeter is a wonderful idea.
Mum42 Oct 8th 2008 10:33AM
I so agree with these posts. I did my best in Paris in 2000 to converse, and was met with smiles. The taxi drivers were the BEST, if you just TRIED! I ended up sitting in the front seat of a Merces Benz Taxi with a driver who gave me a fair exchange of French/English tour of the city.
John Oct 8th 2008 11:15AM
In 1991, I was travelling in Paris with my wife, three young children and almost no knowledge of the French language. Our train to the airport made an unexpected stop. The announcement in French was completely unintelligible to us. Another passenger, standing on the platform, recognized our predicament, came into the train, explained through hand gestures that our train was out of service and then waited with us on the platform to ensure that we boarded the right train to continue our trip.
I'm sure there have been New Yorkers who were as helpful, but one Frenchman did us a courtesy that we seek often to repay.