The Holiday French.

[V8Granite]

So I just got back from 10 days in Europe.

Monday we picked up a motorhome in Kent, then travelled through the night, a stop in the morning, a long lunch and arrived 10km outside of Venice at 18:00 on Tuesday. It was 1400km of smooth autoroutes and some great scenery in parts, mainly it was just to get there as quick as possible though.
So 2 nights at a site just outside of Venice.
First night were mainly Dutch Polish and Italians, all friendly and lovely, chatted to a few at the bar etc and had a really nice time.
Second night, after we had spent the day in Venice (it rocks, you should go) a large French contingent turned up. The next morning the toilets were rank and faces like a slapped arse were rife. I thought ok, probably just a mardy group.

From there to a place called Onno in Italy, a bit tight for a camper but absolutely stunning. It was run by a group of hippies and was massively friendly and relaxed. More Dutch and quite a few Germans and Italians. Great place, friendly and smiley etc. really enjoyed it. Went to Bellagio for the day (stunning, far nicer than Como) and took a boat to Como for dinner. So 2 nights here and really enjoyable.

From there we went to Churwalden in Switzerland to go on one of the Toboggans, great fun, lovely site but grumpy twat French couple to the left of us who loved a good grumpy stare and a group of French cyclists who I think assumed they had purchased the entire site. Met a lovely family in a Defender who had been all in ver the world.

From there to Luxembourg, went to Notre-Dame and had a look around the city. Ate some posh pastries and good food etc. at Notre Dame I had to grab a guy who thought putting his hand on Maxwells chest and pushing him aside to get through the door was acceptable, luckily his English was good enough to understand I wasn’t pleased. Then 30 minutes later another French guy banging on the toilet door my son was using had to be told to fuck off to another toilet.
A nice lad who was doing guided tours for free board and lodgings, not a bad gig through the summer holidays to be paid to live in Luxembourg. Gorgeous city and free public transport was awesome.

A drive back through France on daylight now, terrible service station toilet condition (who stole all the toilet seats in French services ?), plus 1 comically rude petrol station attendant meant we couldn’t wait to leave France.
Sadly our last stop at a place just away from the ferry terminal was more of the same.

So, I’ve never had an issue going to Europe before so why were the French sticking out like sore thumbs everywhere this time ?

Dave!

[Mito Man]

Hence the many various phrases essentially saying "France is a lovely place, just a shame about the French people" and it couldn't be more true. I've always found them difficult, but they seem to behave well when they're visiting London oddly enough. Must be some weird anti tourism complex they all suffer from.

[Gavster]

Not sure our toilets are much better tbh

[GG.]

I've just come back from Asia so my definition of "clean" is anything that doesn't actually have sh*t smeared on the seat (actual experience from this visit unfortunately...)

[tim]

in 23 years of driving through France multiple times a year I've literally never come across this stereotypical view of the French. Not once.

[dinny_g]

I've had 2 - on my very first and very last trip.

Very first - Snooty Waiter was ignoring us, not bringing us our bill etc to the point we were thinking about just walk-in off (curbside table). My friend put his wallet on the table which had the Irish Flag and the guy does a cartoon double take and apologies profusely, give us a bottle of wine etc. He thought we were English

Last time - after 2 weeks of trying my best with Phasebook French (I learned German) which was greeted universally with patience and help , an 18 or 19 year old in a McDonalds in Reims did the whole "I no understand" because my pronunciation of "Moyen" wasn't' phonetically perfect. Funny she understood the C-bomb when I uttered it at her as I left.

I've mostly found the French to be lovely people but you do have to at least try to make an effort

[Carlos]

in 23 years of driving through France multiple times a year I've literally never come across this stereotypical view of the French. Not once.

Do you speak the voulez vous coucher avec moi?

I got the impression it's an insult if you don't try a bit of french , after that they'll speak better English than me

[Swervin_Mervin]

in 23 years of driving through France multiple times a year I've literally never come across this stereotypical view of the French. Not once.

I have, occasionally, found them to be wilfully obtuse. I have family there who've also acknowledged the behaviour. One minor one that does stick out was a waitress in Puy that refused to accept my pronunciation of Mâcon Villages when ordering a bottle in a restaurant. We were staying in Lyon at a place where the concierge (I think, or manager) was someone that used to post on the evo boards.

It was only when we went for a drink with the evo chap that he said she was just being a twat - he lived in Mâcon and was married to someone from there and I was pronouncing it correctly.

But I'm fairly sage about these things - you get twats everywhere and the proportion tends to increase by population density, hence cities tend to be worse for it than rural spots.

[240PP]

in 23 years of driving through France multiple times a year I've literally never come across this stereotypical view of the French. Not once.

Ever tried queueing for a French ski lift?

[Swervin_Mervin]

in 23 years of driving through France multiple times a year I've literally never come across this stereotypical view of the French. Not once.

I have, occasionally, found them to be wilfully obtuse. I have family there who've also acknowledged the behaviour. One minor one that does stick out was a waitress in Puy that refused to accept my pronunciation of Mâcon Villages when ordering a bottle in a restaurant. We were staying in Lyon at a place where the concierge (I think, or manager) was someone that used to post on the evo boards.

It was only when we went for a drink with the evo chap that he said she was just being a twat - he lived in Mâcon and was married to someone from there and I was pronouncing it correctly.

But I'm fairly sage about these things - you get twats everywhere and the proportion tends to increase by population density, hence cities tend to be worse for it than rural spots.

In fact, this has just reminded me of someone not understanding me over here. A lakeside restaurant in Rochdale (classy) and I tried ordering a chorizo dish. She didn't get it at all - after 4 goes of me saying "choh-ree-tho" I gave up and pointed - "Oh. Yer mean cher-ritz-oh" (in broad Rochdale accent). Smile and nod, smile and nod.

[GG.]

in 23 years of driving through France multiple times a year I've literally never come across this stereotypical view of the French. Not once.

I have, occasionally, found them to be wilfully obtuse. I have family there who've also acknowledged the behaviour. One minor one that does stick out was a waitress in Puy that refused to accept my pronunciation of Mâcon Villages when ordering a bottle in a restaurant. We were staying in Lyon at a place where the concierge (I think, or manager) was someone that used to post on the evo boards.

It was only when we went for a drink with the evo chap that he said she was just being a twat - he lived in Mâcon and was married to someone from there and I was pronouncing it correctly.

But I'm fairly sage about these things - you get twats everywhere and the proportion tends to increase by population density, hence cities tend to be worse for it than rural spots.

In fact, this has just reminded me of someone not understanding me over here. A lakeside restaurant in Rochdale (classy) and I tried ordering a chorizo dish. She didn't get it at all - after 4 goes of me saying "choh-ree-tho" I gave up and pointed - "Oh. Yer mean cher-ritz-oh" (in broad Rochdale accent). Smile and nod, smile and nod.

I once went to a (reasonably nice) hotel in the Lake District and may parents ordered some wine - the waitress repeated back "one bottle of the rio-jeh". I think I was only perhaps 10 or 11 but even by that age I knew that wasn't right

Anyway - the "Ree-oker" people commonly call it in the UK is still only about half way right.

[Marv]

in 23 years of driving through France multiple times a year I've literally never come across this stereotypical view of the French. Not once.

From about 2009 to 2019 I regularly took trips around France in my car and like you, I never found the stereotype of rudeness to be true of the French - they've always been friendly and welcoming to me! I'm back there for a motorcycle trip in September, so I'll see if anything has changed...

The one time I did experience the French being a little rude was actually in Japan when I was on the Shinkansen...a French family got on the train, took up most of the carriage and were very loud...which in Japan isn't the done thing

[Shlergen]

Generally they are arrogant, Parisian's especially. That said I've worked with some lovely people so they are not all tarred with the same brush, just most.

[Barry]

My experience with the French is they are friendly if you make the effort with them, and at least attempt to follow local customs. I found to my cost in Troyes one trip, we sat down at a cafe without letting the maitre de show us. The staff completely ignored us until we just got up and left.

Turn up and act like a rude Ingleesh and they'll make the same effort back, ie very little.

I'm back over there next month too, Bol d'or bound, which shows a whole different side to the French (bikers at least) who *really* know how to party hard for three days, during a 24hr motorcycle race

[Mito Man]

My favourite interaction with an angry French man happened whilst queueing beside his car at the peage. I can't remember what I did to piss him off, but he started swearing at me then chucked coins at me through my open window. Made almost €4 off him!

[Gavin]

We used to spend time in France most years, when I was a kid. One of the first things my mum taught us was "je suis ecossaise" but only ever after trying to ask for un glace or whatever.

Given the anti foreigner policies we have had for the last umpteen years, I cannot imagine we are all that popular abroad, although it does seem to be the English that people just don't like, welsh, Irish and Scots all seem to be far more tolerable.

My Mum was a languages teacher though, and we all spoke passable French when we were wee so I know when I was about 6 we went to Tunisia and the waiters thought we were French as that was their preferred language, so that was what we spoke to them. We were a few days in and one overheard us blathering and was surprised. I guess as others have said, if you have a go at least, you will be far more happily received, and no matter what you do, some folks will just be arses.

[Jobbo]

I’ve only ever found Parisians rude. The problem is they all holiday around now so get everywhere and block the autoroutes from Paris to the nice French seaside towns.

[IanF]

I was in Châteauroux a couple of months ago. Everyone was friendly except a pretty French girl who refused to understand my mate’s French! His accent wasn’t that bad! She was very angry with the world (threw her iPhone across the bar, shouted at other guests and bollocked some bloke for being late to work).. I quite liked it!

[Wilspeed]

From there to Luxembourg, went to Notre-Dame and had a look around the city. Ate some posh pastries and good food etc. at Notre Dame I had to grab a guy who thought putting his hand on Maxwells chest and pushing him aside to get through the door was acceptable, luckily his English was good enough to understand I wasn’t pleased. Then 30 minutes later another French guy banging on the toilet door my son was using had to be told to fuck off to another toilet.
A nice lad who was doing guided tours for free board and lodgings, not a bad gig through the summer holidays to be paid to live in Luxembourg. Gorgeous city and free public transport was awesome.

I'm glad you liked it. It's not Venice, but we try our best. It's not always easy to keep the French out, mind.

[V8Granite]

We had breakfast at Urban and then straight for pastries at Laduree before finishing off with a few Battin Fruitees.

Really enjoyed Luxembourg.

Dave!