[WastingMyTime89]

Paris is fine for tourists. People just expect to be treated with politeness and decency which is not how Americans generally behave with staff.

Just say hi, please, thank you, ask people if they speak English or show a minimum of contrition when talking directly in English to show you realise it would be nicer to speak the language of the land, everything will be fine.

It’s puzzling to me why people expect things to go well visiting France without studying what’s considered polit and what’s not. It’s the capital of a country. It’s not Disneyland.

[throwaway5959]

My wife and I were plenty polite, like I said many of our interactions with everyday people were fine. It was some of the workers in restaurants and hotels that were rude. There was also the pickpocket at the train station impersonating a station worker (thankfully we ignored them and the attendant in the booth told them to go away).

It’s OK though. It’s your city. We’re happy to visit elsewhere and I’m sure you’re happy we’re not there, silly Americans that we are.

[29083011397778]

While I'm sure you knew to say please and thank you, and at least try to use their language, you also can't really deny some of your countrymen have given you a poor reputation. It's come to the point that your reputation is so bad, the common advice is to impersonate Canadians.

Were the Parisiens wrong to be rude? Probably. Could they have simply learned from other Americans that being rude is the default? I would assume so. I'm not saying it's your fault, just that it can be easier to assume the next Americans will be as loud and obnoxious as the last ones.

[missedthecue]

There is a difference I think between getting a lesser or more reserved level of friendliness and getting outright rudeness and hostility.

[ekianjo]

The service is awful in Paris. You dont need to be offended by that fact.

Only parisians can get used to it.

[WastingMyTime89]

Seriously service is very much fine in Paris. Most people are very nice. It’s always Americans complaining about it. I witness it everyday. Most American tourist expects service to be nice for no reason, is unpleasant, goes to the wrong person and then is surprised people are rude.

Stop acting like you are owed something. It’s all going to get better.

[jen20]

Even provincial French people I know complain about Parisiens being rude and unhelpful. Personally I’ve never had an issue as an English person who learned metropolitan French at school. Montreal though… wow.

[ekianjo]

> Stop acting like you are owed something. It’s all going to get better.

Why do you assume I am American or something? Travel just anywhere on Earth and you will be better served than in Paris.

[shakow]

> The service is awful in Paris.

It really depends where you end up.

The popular and/or well situated places tend to not give a shit, because what will you do? You're just one of a thousand customers waiting to get there, so screw you.

More standard places however, tend to be like any other places I witnessed in Europe, i.e. filled with run-of-the-mill merchants happy to get business.

Which explain the difference of experience between Parisians and tourists: the latter are (rightfully) shocked by prices and service in the shitty tourist trap on rue de Rivoli or Montmartre, which absolutely does not reflect the experience of the former in the little Georgian restaurant or their favorite bistro three streets down their flat.