10 Things To KNOW about CULTURE Differences in Paris

As a French person, I really appreciate the respect of our culture that you show in this very accurate video. 😊

I just got home from Paris and a lot of my confidence came from watching all your videos. Paris blew me away for sure, but what really struck me was the character of Parisians. I was prepared for curt behaviour and armed myself w/a handful of french phrases like "do you speak english?" And voila, the moment I say this, I always get help or the answers I need. Whether it's in a Monop supermarket, cafe in Le Marais, even a random french lady in Opera Garnier, they were all friendly and willing to help, especially w/ taking my picture(I was solo travelling). If they did not speak English, they would find a colleague to converse with me. I realize, Paris is just like everywhere else, you can't expect them to respond to a language they don't speak. It does not mean they don't want to help. I did not think I would say this but the French are among the most helpful and friendliest people I have met.

In my experience, "Merci" and "S'il vous plait" are also essential ❤

Shops in France used to be on the ground floor of houses. Going into a shop was essentially going into a person's home, and just like you would expect someone to say hello if they came into your house, French people said "Bon jour" when they entered a shop because they were entering the proprietor's home. Shops are now typically in commercial buildings, not homes, but the tradition of greeting the shopkeeper when you enter a business remains. And just like you would say goodbye when you leave someone's house, saying "Au revoir" when you leave a store is considered good manners.

Being nice is the same in every language 😊. And it works!

I was accompanying through Spain a couple who knew absolutely no Spanish. I taught them that, needing a toilet, they should enter a bar and say "Servicios, por favor." I had them repeat the phrase after me many times. Finally the moment came, and it was serious, so the lady ran into the bar, crying, "Cerveza, por favor!" Sometimes you just can't win!

My first trip to Europe was to Paris. I was solo, spoke a little college French, and I stayed in a friend’s apartment. So I lived like a Parisienne for 10 days. Everything you say is 100% spot-on. After a few days, it was easy to figure out who wasn’t French, and to tell you the truth, I caught a little attitude and started looking down my nose at loud Americans and boisterous Germans. I became French pretty quickly by living there. That trip to Paris was one of the highlights of my life.

I live in Paris for 30 years now and must say that the French are not more rude than others. Yes, stressed big city people can be but that's the same everywhere (NYC, etc.), isn't it? ;-) Check out the much more relaxed rest of this beautiful country if your time allows!

I was very blessed to spend a month in Paris environs (Le Vésinet, near Versailles) in the 1980s as an exchange for having hosted the daughter of a French executive for a month in Kalamazoo, Michigan where I was living at the time. I was given a WING of their lovely chateau and enjoyed dining with the family nightly. What a treasured time. At that time, I spoke just a bit more French than I do now, and one of the favorite phrases I learned was "jeter un coup d'œil" when shopping in the city. So many smiles when I would say it, to the best of my ability, and that plus "bonjour" seemed to communicate the respect I truly felt. Respect was graciously extended to me and I had so much joy being there and being welcomed.

I just got home from a 9-day trip in Paris. First of all let me say there were no bed bugs, no riots, nothing was shut down due to bomb threats, not that any of that stuff never happens. It just didn't happen when I was there. I found the Parisian people to be very polite and helpful if I first attempted their language. Then they were happy to help me out in English if they spoke it. Thanks to Colleen and Antoine for all your great travel tips and information!

As an American who has travel many times to France, this video is excellent. I have always found the French people very welcoming, very polite and have patience with language or lack of. Paris is special, elegant and a trip you won’t forget. Viva la France😊

Another video of excellent advice! I wish all newbies to France would watch your series. Regarding manners, formality -- Another thing that I advise people -- do not touch items in a small shop without permission. I once watched a young American couple make this faux pas in a fromagerie in the Marais. They were in front of me, blocking the narrow entrance, so I couldn't get their attention, but I anticipated problems. They didn't greet the owner, then proceeded to pick up and sniff cheeses. He told them in French not to do that, but they didn't understand. He finally lightly tapped the woman's hand away from a cheese. The couple scurried off in humiliation! The shop owner and I proceeded to have a wonderful time, with him giving me samples of cheese to try before I purchased.

Cultural differences are so exciting to experience. I'm English and live in Manchester. Last year an American friend from Florida visited. I arranged for us to meet some friends in Liverpool for lunch. We walked 10 minutes from my house to a tram stop. Took a tram into the centre of Manchester to a train station (15 mins). We got a train to the centre of Liverpool (35 mins). We walked to our restaurant (5 mins). We had a booking for 01:30 pm. We didn't leave the restaurant till 05:00 pm. We went on to another bar. At about 10:00 pm we did the same journey in reverse. The following day my friend told me the whole day had blown her away. The walking, the public transport, the sitting for four hours in a restaurant and even the walk from the tram stop in the dark late at night were all things totally outside her cultural experience.

I live in France, not Paris but have been there. They don't worry about what other people wear, so wear what you like! I love classic fashions but love colourful dresses, as well as neutrals. Just be yourselves and enjoy yourselves

Thrilled with the call out to the Coneheads reference.

I've been a couple of times in Paris (sadly just got a couple of days each time) but the experience was awesome, Parisians were kind and offered help when we were in a bit of a problem (specially in the second trip when I traveled with a small group). Most of the people I interacted spoke English (even one or two that spoke Spanish, I'm from Mexico), that and my very poor French helped me having a great time. I'm eager to go a third time for a longer time.

As a parisian I can say quite accurate video ! Especially in shops this kind of behaviour for us is basic politeness and i think it's one of the reason (not the only one ofc sometime our waiters are just as..oles) that parisians people can sound rude to foreigners especially americans. Just one little detail : Taxis are legally oblige to accept the card but with foreigners they sometime say that they can't etc because they know that foreigners have most of the time cash on them.

Pharmacy tip is very good. I developed an issue on our trip last year and this tip saved me. Went into the pharmacy and the pharmacist was super helpful and prescribed a treatment that cured my malady.

French are very sweet !! I used to know some French in my life & had a French boyfriend, too ! They're very caring !! 💜🥁🐉🎤🎶💞

I've been to Paris, lived in the USA 2 years long ago, living 10 years in Spain now. Given all that said, I have to admit your video was very accurate, respectful and nice. Really enjoyed it, you're a very nice american couple.