Back in my 20’s I was backpacking through Europe and had heard that Parisians were generally friendly to American tourists, but the one thing I was told was to start every conversation at least attempting to speak French. I did so, and everyone I spoke to either started speaking English or politely referred me to someone who did. There was only one incident I had there. I was ordering dinner in a restaurant and I asked the waiter what wine he recommended with the meal I’d ordered. This is a fairly common thing to do in America, but this poor waiter looked at me like I had just transformed into a 4th-dimensional kaleidoscopic entity before his very eyes. I mean, he totally froze, eyes wide, jaw slack. I immediately felt so bad that I just ordered the first red wine I saw on the list and the relief on his face was palpable, but he still looked shaken.
I think French people are just so familiar with wine that they can’t comprehend people who aren’t. If you ever visit France, do some basic research just so you don’t freak them out.
Not French, but grew up in a tourist-y area in Europe. I actually didn’t mind the American tourists - they often didn’t know much about things outside of America, but they were generally really nice about it and eager to learn.
The worst tourists were always the ones from my own country who were over for the summer. Almost always an absolute menace lol.
I also live in a very tourist-y area, but in the States, and without question the worst tourists are other Americans. I think when you’re visiting another country, there’s a certain amount of humility and respect that kicks in, because you know you’re not on your own turf. When you’re just visiting another part of your own country, that pressure doesn’t kick in and it can leave you behaving like a bit of an entitled ass.
Back in my 20’s I was backpacking through Europe and had heard that Parisians were generally friendly to American tourists, but the one thing I was told was to start every conversation at least attempting to speak French. I did so, and everyone I spoke to either started speaking English or politely referred me to someone who did. There was only one incident I had there. I was ordering dinner in a restaurant and I asked the waiter what wine he recommended with the meal I’d ordered. This is a fairly common thing to do in America, but this poor waiter looked at me like I had just transformed into a 4th-dimensional kaleidoscopic entity before his very eyes. I mean, he totally froze, eyes wide, jaw slack. I immediately felt so bad that I just ordered the first red wine I saw on the list and the relief on his face was palpable, but he still looked shaken.
I think French people are just so familiar with wine that they can’t comprehend people who aren’t. If you ever visit France, do some basic research just so you don’t freak them out.
Not French, but grew up in a tourist-y area in Europe. I actually didn’t mind the American tourists - they often didn’t know much about things outside of America, but they were generally really nice about it and eager to learn.
The worst tourists were always the ones from my own country who were over for the summer. Almost always an absolute menace lol.
I also live in a very tourist-y area, but in the States, and without question the worst tourists are other Americans. I think when you’re visiting another country, there’s a certain amount of humility and respect that kicks in, because you know you’re not on your own turf. When you’re just visiting another part of your own country, that pressure doesn’t kick in and it can leave you behaving like a bit of an entitled ass.