This happens here in the USA. One woman thought moving to New York City would be like the TV shows and movies, NO ONE should base life decisions on what is, by definition, fake. A TV show or movie would not be fun to watch if it were realistic. She mentioned one specific TV show which (it starts with the S word in case YT would not like that) surprised me because people don't particularly act ethically in that show yet she was both using this for her model and expecting it to actually be like that IRL. Personally, I think big city living is over-rated the world over. One can visit a big city for the museums, etc but living there would never appeal to me. Oddly, most big city residents never go to the stuff that is unique about a big city in a positive like the museums but DO go to the stuff in big cities that is shallow or destructive.
I remember my first visit to Paris when I was 13 years old. My dad was a visiting professor at the medical university, and while he was in meetings, I was free to shop and explore along the Champs-Élysées. So there I was, this very young American girl, with braces on her teeth, who spoke only a tiny bit of French that I had learned in middle school. I will never forget how wonderful the people were! Perhaps they loved that I was such a young girl making an effort to speak their language, but I will never forget their warmth and kindness.❤
We have visited France for many years staying for two months at a time, we are senior citizens. We have found the French mostly like any other country which has been mostly good, the language barrier has never been a problem especially with the younger generation. We will return again in 2025.
American Expat living in Paris 5th for 5 years during which period I have never found but kindness, openness, and friendliness from the Parisians. I start every interaction with bonjour or bonsoir..and I never speak English and always try my broken-ass French. But get used to industrial strikes, demonstrations, and everyone always complaining about how bad things are.. c'est tout..😊
It's funny because I'm French (I've been living in Spain for 10 years) and I went to Paris 2 weeks ago. I was so scared of Parisians before going. I was scared people would be rude and unhelpful. During my two day trip, everyone was very nice, polite and helpful!
I am an American who has lived in France, in the countryside of the Southwest near Toulouse, for going on three years. I love the Occitanie region, it's beautiful with many medieval villages, farms, orchards, vineyards, and the people are very nice. I really enjoy the French countryside, the French country lifestyle, visiting all of the little villages and farmer's markets. I had no problem getting a bank account and a driver's license. I also have an English speaking doctor, dentist, and veterinarian for my dog. One thing that I tell other Americans that have only been to Paris is this. "Thinking that Paris represents all of France and all of the French people is like thinking that New York City represents all of America and all Americans."
@@perthfanny3017 moi ça me va 😂 ne venez pas les gars. Je sais qu'on a un revenu sur le tourisme mais quand je suis en ligne avec des étrangers sur tchat roulette jleur dis venez pas c pourri ici 😂 . Laisse les croire qu'on est surcôtés , ceux qui nous connaissent vraiment sont ceux sur qui on compte. Les autres sont juste à la recherche de sensations pour faire leurs tiktoks de merdde 😂😂
I learned French in high school, and have visited Paris France once. I was able to leverage my limited training in order to check into my hotel and order food. I enjoyed my visit and look forward to returning. The sentiment that Americans don't like the French is hopefully a small percentage. I enjoyed my visit to Paris. Additionally, my co-worker, who is from France, had a great sense of American humor, and understood it. Also, this individual was extremely savvy in understanding our company's benefits and making sure employees where getting the most out of the benefits (pay, vacation, health care, vacation pay, etc.) , where my American co-workers where so oblivious to these things. He was also very detailed. I appreciated him for the unique skills he brought to the job.
I'm an American who has been living in northeast France with her French husband and three adult children for the past 30 years. Still cursed/blessed with an accent, which is the starting point of a daily conversation on where I'm from, their last vacation in the USA, etc... The more I've learned to navigate my world here, the better it gets. In any case, I feel more at home here than in the States.
I traveled alone in France and one experience I remember and cherish is when fellow lavarie patrons helped me with a broken dryer because I didn’t speak enough french to call the help line! Granted, it would affect them all when it was their turn to dry their clothes, but they were kind and patient and gracious when they saw I was getting flustered and confused (cell service was also out for Americans in Europe, so I had no way to open a translate app. I was stuck with what I remembered). This was in Bordeaux. I will never forget them ❤
As a French person who has travelled a lot I have noticed that there is one thing that Americans and French people have in common: Both are generally friendly and open with foreigners... in their respective countries..., but as soon as they are abroad they tend to be often a bit arrogant and pretentious, thinking that coming from a superior country or culture the world must adapt to them rather than the other way around. When you have this kind of attitude you can only be received with distrust by the person in front of you and in return you will retain a feeling of rudeness from the locals. Basic psychology.
There was (maybe still is) a non stop flight between Seattle and CDG. It's 10 hrs. But what is so fun is that if you want to spend a weekend in Paris, you can leave Seattle Friday Afternoon, and arrive in CDG at 8am Sat. You can then spend two days in Paris, and get on your return flight Monday around noon, chase the sun back, and arrive Monday in Seattle also at the same time as you left.
And for someone who doesn't care about carbon footprints or preserving the planet. (I'm not saying never to fly, but making such a long trip for only two days, it's not a good idea! Also, Paris deserves better)
@@marinakiV It is going to take much more then not flying as much to preserve the planet. Globally everyone needs to be on the same page. Why impose on that person for enjoying themselves traveling?
I'm a retired American expat who moved to Aix-en-Provence 8 years ago. I love France; the people, food, culture, history, and the countryside. Truthfully, I don't want live anywhere else. When I go back to the US every 2 years to see my kids, I can't wait to leave.
I'm a semiretired American expat living in or near Paris for 16 years. I agree with how you feel about the US. And Lucile, I appreciate how much thought you're putting into this. I would add, if you come to France expecting your American (or Japanese or Brazilian or whatever) values and culture to translate here, it won't serve you well at all. It's simplistic, but there is much truth in the saying " when in Rome, do as the Roman's do".
That is wonderful ! I enjoy visiting France and my Daughters Study French very seriously . But please do not vote in the U.S. anymore . I do not want the government control that France has.
Do you know of any online communities where Americans can learn about French culture and some language perhaps? I am from Chicago but hope to retire in France. I need to overcome the feeling that it's such a big task😊
I’m a true L.A. guy, born in the U.S., VERY American. I’ve been to France 3 times, from Nice to Paris to Bordeaux. I’ve ALWAYS had a wonderful time!! I try to speak a bit of French (4 years of classes when I was in school years ago), and I’ve found the French people (AND Parisians!) to be very nice, and accommodating. However, I know other Americans who’ve gone to Paris, and French towns, who have hated the experience……..but those people are VERY American, meaning they don’t try to speak French, they dress like they’re still in Montana, or Illinois, they won’t try French foods, and don’t understand why the French aren’t more like them!! (Ugly American syndrome). ….It’s all about you’re ATTITUDE, and accepting a different culture!!! 🤷🏼♂️😎🥂
It is not just Americans who can behave that way. If you understand other languages, you will hear the same thing from peoples visiting the US too. I know of Chinese visitors who will only go to Chinese restaurants while visiting America, speak very broken English to the point of sounding rude (sadly, they probably did not realize it). I have also encountered someone insisting on finding a Mexican restaurant in the middle of Nicosia, Cyprus because he was confused about Mediterranean culture vs. Hispanic culture. There will be cultural boors from all over the world, and you just hope not to have to deal with them.
From LA, one time I met a guy from Minnesota in Vienna who was freaked out by seeing all the Turkish immigrant women with head coverings. Like al Qaeda was outside the hotel. And this was before 09/11.
@ …….I know people in Montana who won’t eat ANY vegetables (except potatoes). Seriously, NO veggies, ever! Not even a salad!! They call vegetables “scary stuff”. (That’s why they’re called Flyover States I guess! 🤷🏼♂️😂).
I'm so impressed by how thoughtful and 'deep' your videos are. I'm a retired film teacher and visited Paris once a long time ago. I mostly know French culture through French films which I love, through reading etc. I like your metaphor of the iceberg with so much about the deep culture below the surface. Two of my favorite films are based on the memoirs of Marcel Pagnol: 'My Father's Glory' and 'My Mother's Castle' (1990). And a few days ago I discovered there is a new film that is a remake of part of the same memoir: The Time of Secrets (2022, available on Amazon Prime in the US). Of course, the stories are set in the early 20th century before WWI and they bring to life paintings by Renoir. But they show the class system, the importance of education and religion which are still a part of the 'deep' culture. Thanks again for your wonderful videos which are so illuminating!
Yes some of it’s still true like the class,system, although the criteria have changed. But religion, no : it’s difficult to imagine for an American but france is one of the most de-christanized country in Europe, and therefore in the world. Also, even among the families that still practice -5% of the population-, it’s viewed as rude and embarrassing to flaunt your religion openly : faith has become a totally [rivate matter, and people talking openly about it are viewed as hypocritical and ultimately pharisians.
I have to admit, that as someone who has limited French language skills, and does not live there but has visited Paris, Northern France (Arras, Cambrais, Albert area) and Eastern France (Strasbourg), I have only ever had good and friendly interactions with all the French people I have met, and have made some good friends.
Canadian living in the USA here, despite having grown up watching US television and sharing similar culture and language it is still a culture shock. Every culture has its differences and ways of doing things. I lived in Greece for a few years and had to learn a new way of interacting with people. You go with an open mind, and try to remember they were there before you arrived. Adapt and assimilate.
Canadian who has lived in the states for years. you can get "reshocked". Just moved to the Bay area for work. NOT a hint of Xmas. IKEA has no Xmas decorations, not one.. looking at the clientele, i could see why. Some houses have decorations but at work, Christmas is considered "personal day off" . i am 61. One thing the English and the French Canadians agreed on when i was young was the whole week off between Christmas and New Year was off. It was a Canadian culture until the mid 1990s when lots of new Canadians to be were invited.
If you don't actually appreciate the breadth and depth of French culture or have any of your own, the French will pick it up and treat you accordingly. A revers, if you have manners and kindess, they will also pick it up and you will be treated with great kindness and civilisation. Vive la France!
Jamaican American who considers Paris my second home, after NYC. I loveeeee Paris, because of the walkability, the friendliness of the locals and the food OMG. I’ve heard loads of stories about negative experiences that people have had, but I’ve never experienced it myself.
I am Kenyan and I visit Paris at least once every year. I love Paris and I would not mind living there. Nowhere is perfect even back home in Kenya it is not perfect but I believe in being flexible and enjoying the moment while living in a place.
My parents lived in Paris for over a year before moving to the US back in '65. It was very hard to settle in Paris, but despite the setbacks they never spoke negatively about France. I grew up listening to my dad speak positively about French culture vs. American. He was a music composer and was very knowledgeable about French influence in music. Growing up I heard the music from French composers like Debussy, Ravel, Chabrier, Milhaud, and so many others. My own personal experience with the French, living here in NYC, has been good. In high school I had a French friend, who's father owned a French restaurant here in NYC. I think my success with the French is I never try to impose anything on them whether it's my language, culture or whatever. I listen and let them talk. Personally, I'm very interested in French history and I advise everyone visiting France to try to learn more about their history. When you educate yourself about a country's history, in this case France, you open your mind more and appreciate the experience better. Anyway, thanks for the wonderful video.
As an Englishman visiting France i noticed you always get a hearty ''Bonjour!'' and it's rude not to respond even though the French aren't into small talk generally as much as Anglo-American people are....
Back in 2018, I went to La Rochelle on the coast of Bay of Biscay. There were delays with my work and ended up spending 3 weeks instead of 3 days. What a wonderful place with the nicest people you could imagine. Had a blast. I was a real ding dong that only got by with bon jour and merci and it worked.
Just discovered your delightful channel yesterday, Lucile! I look forward to exploring the world with your past videos. Please share more of the layers of the French iceberg with us! Merci beaucoup!
Lucile, the French girl, so sweet and petite, Moved back to France, where life is a treat. But oh, the surprises she had to explain, To those who found France a bit of a pain. "Bonjour," she said, "is a must every day, And don't you dare rush, take time to say. The shops close at noon, for a leisurely lunch, And Sundays are quiet, no shopping to crunch. The bread is divine, but don't ask for toast, And tipping's a no-no, it's not like the coast. The language, oh dear, can be quite a test, But try your best, and you'll be impressed. The bureaucracy's slow, and the queues never end, But patience, my friend, is a virtue to tend. The wine flows like water, the cheese is a dream, But watch out for strikes, they're more common than cream. So if you can handle these quirks with a smile, France will enchant you, mile after mile. Lucile's little tips, with a wink and a cheer, Make living in France a joy, never fear!" ❤❤❤
I've never been to Paris before and I've heard good things instead of the bad things there! It's the city of love ❤and it has great things that other people will enjoy! I love and enjoy watching your content throughout these pass few months Lucile & keep up the great work! I wish you and your family Merry Christmas 🎁🎄🎁and Happy Holidays from London, England! 🎅🎄☃✨
I found French people tend to keep childhood friends or at most university friends and don't really make new friends as adults as they don't need them. Anglosphere people tend to make friends all their lives and have a lot more "light" social friendships, whereas the French tend to either have deep friendships or kind of formal social acquaintances, and not the types of friends in the middle where you are close but not super deep. (I know this is also very hard for french moving to America, as they think they are closer to people than they actually are due to American "friendliness") The most i found I could hope for was being accepted into my boyfriend's social group, but I knew if we ever broke up, those people would never talk to me again, which was true. I also found foreign males could make French friends with men and women a lot easier than foreign females. Also platonic male/female friendships are kind of rare in France, if you are a foreign woman, almost all your friends will need to be female, and that can be hard.
Just out of curiosity (not disputing at all), why do you think foreign males could more easily make friends with French men and women compared with foreign females? Do you think perhaps that French women were more guarded about letting foreign women into their friend groups than French men were letting foreign men into their friend groups?
The world has friends. The Anglo-Saxon world has interests. It is absolutely impossible to be friend with a US born citizen for example. They just do not understand the concept of friendship.
My former boss (a Frenchman) used to say that Americans are like peaches whereas French are like coconuts. A peach is soft and sweet on the outside but has a hard inner stone that you will never get through; a coconut has a hard outer shell, but once you get inside, it’s soft and sweet.
There are huge differences between big cities and country towns or villages. Between the Northern part, more Germanic and the South, more Latin. Between the West, Celtic and maritime, and the East, industrial and mountainous. And some regions are not sure they are even French.
Loving anything is fundamentally an act of faith. You have to decide more or less at the outset that you are going to like someone/someplace/something and then take the disappointments in stride. Results-oriented open-mindedness has its function in life but love and happiness are not really among them. If you let results and experiences dictate how you feel about a place, you will always end up at a somewhat moderate "I didn't love it but I didn't hate it" conclusion. Which is fine if that's what you want. But if you want to be happy, affirmatively positively happy, about a place, you pretty much have to go in determinedly prejudiced in its favor. That's just the way the human mind works.
This is the most interesting segment on your channel so far for myself. I got a great deal out of it, especially reagrding work culture differences between France and the USA. Thanks!!!
You made excellent points and it’s so good of you to educate people this way. What you said is true for moving anywhere. Even when I moved from eastern Canada to western Canada there was cultural shock. My first trip to France I didn’t know about the importance of greetings. Learning about that made my other trips so much better. It also helped in Mexico, where it’s the same. You’re considered extremely rude if you skip greetings.
An american friend of mine and me went to Saumur in the Loire region in France, a couple years ago. A local elderly man spotted us and invited us to his place and showed us arround and he was very friendly and nice. It was a great experience. Many people in France are actually very welcoming.
I feel like a lot of Americans don't understand how crucial the language factor is, if you're thinking about moving to another country. The error a lot of people make is, visit the country on vacation, go to all of the fun touristy areas where the majority of workers, tour guide folks, etc. speak English, and then come back thinking they can move there and get by with just English. Certainly not the case! Thank you as always for another insightful video! Can't wait to see the content that 2025 will bring! I definitely need to check out that footwear brand☺☺
Some people (in a strange way related to English as a first language) seem to think that all languages sound like loud English with a reduced vocabulary in an aggressive tone with some waving of the hands on top...
@@NOYB123-e7mI don't think that's what she was talking about. It's more that some (by no means all) Americans seem to believe that the country they move to is obliged to provide all government and commercial services to them in English just because they are American, and then they act entitled and insulted when they find out that people in those countries are not going to pamper them by catering to their exceptionalism for ever.
@@NOYB123-e7m No, I'm not misunderstanding her. I'm half-British, half French. I live in Germany and have worked in Spain. As a Brit, I say that British exceptionalism is bad, but as a Brit who has been on the receiving end of American exceptionalism, I say that the US version is worse.
I loved my visit to Paris 20 years ago. I used “French for Dummies” to get a head start on the language. I can’t wait to come back and visit the smaller towns. I am retired now and would like to spend some quality time.
I 'm Français living in Australia (since 1982) and when I go back to Fr for "holidays" or other things, I have that quick "honeymoon" for a week ( ho the pastry shops😛) then all what I dislike in France (particularily the BUREAUCRATIE) begins to weigh on my shoulders... In some places in bad weather I feel totally depressed because it brings back old memories. The worst part is that it is for me like another country. Apart from visiting chateaux and eating good old gatronomie, I feel I have no more business in France.. I love your videos
Castles and pastries, that's already a thing!!! It's true the weather plays a lot about a good experience in france, you better have "inside" hobbies when you live in france.
I never lived in France, but I lived in Belgium for several years. Your observances about France also apply to Belgium. It took a while, but once I "got it" I learned, not to suppress my American self, but to blend Belgium cultural norms with my own to create a sort of hybrid. I mean, it was impossible for me to hide the fact that I spoke French like the proverbial "vache espanol" so I just embraced my differences. Belgians are also a bit distant at first, but they do appreciate you when you genuinely try to adapt. Once you have them as friends though, it's amazing and they seem a bit proud of having Americans in their inner circle. Great job Lucile!
I'm an American and lived in Toulouse, Bordeaux, Dordogne, Paris, Provence and Many other cities. I love France and the people are wonderful and have a great sense of humor. The children are very respectful.
I’ve visited Paris, Reims, Strasbourg, Nice, Lyon, Arles, Avignon, Provence region, Vienne, Perouges, and multiple other small towns. I have loved every minute in France. I would love to move there but am doubtful of my ability to improve upon my basic French enough to be fluent. So I’m planning to move to Spain upon retirement, as I can speak Spanish a little better, with trips to France and Italy. Best of both worlds. 😃
I lived in France for 18 years and loved it. I go back as often as possible and feel at home. One can belong to more than one culture! It's interesting, it's fun and is creative!
When I visited France, outside of Paris, I found the people to be very nice. I think Parisians come off as being rude because they’re just from a big city. Big city people in America can be rude. My hardest thing would be learning the language. I’m not very good at that. I tried my whole life to learn Spanish. I know a lot of words, but I just can’t put it together in sentences. Maybe if I was immersed in a new country for six months or a year I gradually pick it up. After I retire, I will try that.
True, instead of visiting Paris every single tourist should go on a quest "Find a polite French". I actually visited Nice, not Paris, and the French are rude not just to the guests, they are rude to each other.
Lucile, thanks for this video. Can't imagine folks are moving to a place and trying to make it into the place they moved FROM. Ugh vive la différence! FUN Fact: Old skool New Orleans we. wouldn't dare walk into a place and not "speak" "Hello, Good Morning, How u doin?or somethin!. It is considered "il-Mannered", disrespectful and makes people say "Who raised you?" Culturally you represent your parents and in NOLA we wouldn't dare disgrace our family name like that.Not all of the US is the same. Can't image moving to a place without studying the deep history of it. 💝💝💝
I used to stay in France during my school breaks in college with minimal understanding of the language and I never went through culture shock and if anything I just absorbed everything I could. Even 20 years later French culture is the one I relate to the most outside of my own.
merci for your videos, Lucile! I am totally in love with France since my first visit last February. There are, of course, a lot of things that confused me, but there are so many things to love about the country and its people. It is definitely so enriching to hear your side of things as a true French. 💞
Great vid Lucile. For me learning another language, you know you are progressing when you can understand subtle jokes.. BTW you have this whole Eva Green vibe going on Bravo!
Bravo! This isn't just about travel, it's anthropology. "The study of humans". Universal laws of human nature are here. Thank you for sharing your intelligent, questioning curious mind. I learn a lot. You are a bright light in the world. Subscribed❤.
I love Paris I’m a city guy (NYC) don’t ever think you don’t fit in ,I think New York and Paris are one and the same . I’m 66 and retired I will be back in the spring.
Thank you for an honest and realistic view of this subject. Anyone who has gone to France will immediately identify with these situations. I am an independent traveler and enjoy going to Europe alone. However, your video reminded me if you are an American maybe a tour really makes sense. You can enjoy all the wonderful things about a city like Paris without the challenging aspects of visiting by yourself. I understand as a tourist I am a visitor in another country. If I go alone, I must adapt and this is usually the best part of the experience. In France, I recognize it might just be a bridge too far.
Ex-Manhattanite prepping for a move to Nice. I expect strikes, foolishness and people who want to be left alone. Same as NYC. As I'm retired I don't need to worry about the daily grind, which is a relief. Wait until you have to figure out water heaters in Singapore, lol. I can deal with anything at this point. The package thing will irritate me but I'm sure I will figure it out. I'm looking forward to a more relaxed way of life and the ability to travel the area more easily.
The US has different cultures. If you are in New York City. You say hello. They look at you and say, “What!”. People in the south are friendly. Most non cities are very friendly in the US.
I lived in Paris for 10 years and never, ever, regretted it. Now I live in Mexico and I am happy here, too. I would not return to Paris but just because of the COLD! ❄️🌧️🥶
People in California address people with “hello” where I lived for 30 years. NY is less likely to do so. Montana and other Midwest cities are friendlier too. When relocating back to NY area people tend to think I’m weird for being more open and friendly 🤷🏼♀️. My opinion and experiences
My dear Lucile, you mentioned that it is hard to make friends in France.....well I am born and raised in Germany and I live in Gascony now since 1999..... my children are born here my wife is french and is is the friendliest place on earth.....I would not want to live somewhere else...... I just have a friend from Sweden here (I spent 3 years there) and he confirmed to me that: It is a difference from night to day here in the South-West compared with Sweden..... You should go to Northern -Europe and than come back to France..... People are were warm, open and welcoming here....but you are absolutely right: Someone has to speak french if he wants to live here !
Visited Paris twice already and about to go there in 2 weeks - the Parisians have been the BEST! So welcoming and willing to help...IF you try and speak French (which makes a whole bunch of sense).
I also 10000% can confirm the point you made about learning French. I traveled to Paris this past summer, and was feeling quite anxious about all of the stereotypes about Parisians being snotty and rude (I found this to be powerful even having been to Paris once before and having seen first hand that it's mostly not true). My experience was completely different than the stereotypes- nearly everyone I met was incredibly kind, welcoming, and helpful, and I believe that it was largely due to my practice speaking. The aunt I was traveling with said she noticed that people treated me differently than they did her (as someone who doesn't speak French at all). So many people offered to help me practice and learn new words, and it was such a joy to be able to have that experience.
I think the expectation thing is big. I think part of the problem is that explaining some of the "people" or "everyday culture" (or below the surface on the iceberg) things is that people from all countries tend to take things personally and try to "moralize" differences. Which then leads to people either denying the differences or bashing the other culture. At least this is what I feel like a lot of American expats do. I'm from the Midwest US and studied in Romania. It was a while ago, and to your point in terms of differences in culture, I thought that meant language, music, food, etc., not how people interact with strangers. And the only thing I was told was not to be an obnoxious American. So when people in Romania didn't act like Midwestern Americans (small talk, friendly to strangers, etc.) I thought it was because they knew I was American and were treating me differently. Luckily Romanian students explained what was going on. And I loved Romania. But a lot of Americans feel like they have to either say there are no differences or paint the picture that the Romanian (or insert other country) way of doing things is better. I'm not sure if it goes the opposite way, but I've noticed when watching RUclips videos about culture shock they tend to be come across as "Americans just don't understand the superior way that (insert European country) people do things. Once they understand they will realize it is better" or "the difference doesn't really exist, if there is a difference it's because you are the problem". Both of these just keep the false expectations thing alive. I feel like I was lucky that I studied abroad before RUclips videos on culture shock were a big thing. I was totally unprepared yes. But I also was allowed to process things and especially differences in my own time. I love Midwestern culture and I love Romania. I was upset at first because I thought Romanians were treating me differently because I was American. But I would have also been upset if I thought the only reason Romanians were treating me differently was because I wasn't being "respectful enough" or they would act like Midwesterners if I "acted correctly". Because it just wouldn't be the case. I also think I wouldn't have adapted as quickly if I was told that the way Romanians act towards strangers was superior to my own. I would have naturally been defensive. But just learning that is how it is, and not trying to justify or over analyze the culture made it easier to adopt and appreciate.
Something that is deep in French culture is the fact that communication is very context dependent contrary to German or Anglo-Saxon culture. The latter will try to explain their assumptions more and the French tend to react that they are being treated like little kids.
Love France and the French. Have several French friends and acquaintances. Been there 4 times, the first three to the south, Nice, Montpelier, Ardèche, Toulouse, Pau, Bordeaux. Always heard some negative things about Paris and Parisians. Never believed it. Was in Paris for two weeks this year. Absolutely loved it, especially Montmartre, where we stayed. Great town and people. Was treated like royalty.
For anyone, living in any country in the world, Job One is to learn the local language. We Americans expect that as a matter of course from immigrants to our country, and then we fail to realize that people in other countries quite naturally expect us Americans to do that when living in their country.
Thank you so much for this video . I am moving to Paris next year . This video was very interesting and informative. I have been very worry about how would I adjust . Thank you so much for this video !! .
The main culture shock to me in France was seeing how low the average person's spice tolerance is. It took a good deal of effort to find restaurants that served anything approaching heat. That isn't to say French cuisine is bland, it isn't, but sometimes I do crave some heat which wasn't so common there.
@@Goodmorning1221- I have been visiting Paris regularly for over sixty years, and in all that time I have been the victim of an attempted mugging just once. Attempted because it was a really feeble effort that at 157 cm and 53 kg I was able to fight off successfully. I fear that all the "how to protect yourself" videos are making people paranoid about travel.
I guess I had a head start in that my Breton born mother Married her G.I. Boyfriend and followed him to Long Island, NY when the war was over. As a suburban housewife living barely 40 miles from Manhattan, she and her other warbride girlfriends help shape our small village because their baby boomer children, my friends & classmates, all grew up with a semi-Franco/ American culture. So all throughout the 60's,70's, 80's, and 90's I was always visiting France every few Years and my Uncles, Aunts & Cousins were reciprocating. After being divorced in 1998 with no children and fulfilling a 30 year career, I decided to move to France in 2000 where after hanging out with cousins for a while, I met my future wife in Amiens in the Somme. What I know about France is that the more North I was geographically the less people said they had problems understanding my accent. I have traveled in every region of the Hexagon except Corsica. I like it all except I don't like thick urban areas where people have to live on top of one another or are packed in high rises like caged pets in a pet store. I don't like Paris despite all the tourist attractions and the high brow culture because I tend to back away from large heavily infiltrated cities with huge foreign born or exclave cultures that don't reflect the true culture of the nation but prefer to endure while living the thug life with arrogant pride. What did President Sarkosy say he would do to reverse this trend but never succeeded... "Nettoyer au Kärcher"? Cities like Marseilles, Lille and Lyon, like Paris are these types of cities and I have had first hand experiences with these kinds of people in American urban centers having spent a lot of years working in New York City, Newark, N.J. and Buffalo, NY. Living at the outer limits of Amiens' jurisdiction is just about as urban as I want to get. There's still daily bus service, a lot of Boulangeries, Restaurants, shopping malls and highway access to get me out of the city in less than 2 minutes. The fact that I'm less than 700 meters from the famous 15th Century Citadel (as depicted in the 3 Musketeers) 1.5 KM from St. Leu, Notre Dame d'Amiens, 3 KM from Jules Verne's residence, turned museum and 10 KM's from where the Red Baron was shot down in WW1 is sufficient urban culture for me.
Just an fyi, every shower in all countries seems to work differently. I always check how to work the shower before I need it so I can avoid the naked phone all to hotel or b&b staff.
Regarding "Hello.": French people, such as the clerk at the hotel or the ticket seller at the train station or the fellow manning the newspaper kiosk, think that Americans are rude because they do not begin the encounter with a gracious "Comment allez-vous?" The American, however, approaches the encounter with a concern to get straight to the point in order not to waste the other person's time, or the time of the person who is waiting in line behind the American. It's a different sense of courtesy.
I feel like France is a beautiful country to travel to but not exactly the best place to live. As a Canadian, I noticed this by observing that there’s a lot more French people moving to Canada than Canadians moving to France for a multitude of reasons.
This Canadian left Canada 30 years ago and l appreciate life more here. I live on the ltalian border, am trilingual and find that life is 100% better here. As you say, l am the minority as it is usually the other way around.
I've traveled a lot and what I learned is that every place is just a place you can go to. You will get used to any place if you stay long enough. The best way is to find reasons that matter to you for staying there. The pros must outweigh the cons.
The French have their own idea of politeness 😄 For example in Germany it is not mandatory to start a conversation by saying hello. You just start talking. But you must not leave without saying Bye. That would be rude. In France it's the other way round.
I loved my experience in the South of France but I was only there for five weeks. The tranportation system and food were awesome. You can travel around France quite easily. However, the fact that the French do not pick up their dog poo got frustrating. You have to always make sure you are not stepping in poo.
This is such a fun channel! I can't imagine why anyone would move to France without bothering to learn the French language! I'd love to visit France one day as it's such a fascinating and historically rich land. I studied the language through high school and college but native speakers are a bit too fast for me to always understand fully. FWIW, in America we're used to lots of accents and if you can speak passable English even if heavily accented you'll be accepted by most people.
I have been to Paris twice (just as a tourist) and never encountered rudeness at all. Admittedly I am quite reserved so I would not approach someone for conversation unless they seemed open to it but regardless, everyone was very pleasant and helpful 🤷♀
I haven't been to France but lived in another European country for several years. It took a while to get used to restaurants because complete strangers would enter and say Hello to all people nearby as they sat down. I had to learn to do that as well, otherwise I would seem not rude but a little unfriendly.
American…lived in Paris for 3 yrs in ‘80s…wonderful. Now here for 18 yrs since 2007. Now in Brittany after several yrs in Charente and in the south. Funny how this nice young woman makes a big deal of things that really aren’t mysterious or difficult…yes some things are different but you get used to it. I Love living in France…I’ ll never go back to the US!
As a American, America gives me culture shock. Whenever I'm in France, I'm made to feel at home. Many of the French customs sit better with my personality type. Except the shower doors, I prefer an American shower door 😅😅
I am an American who grew up very close to a family whose mother was French and her husband American. He was fine. Open and friendly , but she was a snob from the slums of Paris. Their French friends were the same superficial fashion snob types . Paris has some beautiful buildings and parks, for sure , but i definitely did not enjoy the people. I love my America because of the kindness and openness of people. True though, French food is great!
People may underestimate the depth and breadth of behavior and attitudes encompassed by culture. We take in culture from the moment we're born -- it includes nearly instinctual behaviors like how close we stand and how we face each other, when we raise our voices, when we perceive hostile or insulting behaviors from others, etc. The amount of psychological distance and formal "honor" we give to teachers or supervisors is culturally influenced. How quickly we move from conflict to violence is a part of culture. Culture can even determine how much literal explanation you might need (versus picking up on nonverbal clues) in order to understand a task. In fact, a large share of what goes into socialization is absorbing and wielding the norms of one's culture so that we function well in that culture. So, no American should assume that French culture is "like" ours. Same with British culture, Thai culture, Senegalese culture, etc. And the same goes for people encountering Americans.
It always amazes me how many people would hope to move and live in another country and not prepare to learn or speak the language there. For any culture, if you cannot speak their language, you will be missing out on the actual interaction. So much goes on in daily life that you cannot comprehend without the most basic understanding of the language. Plus, it can also save your life in an urgent situation if you can tell someone exactly what has happened. It is one thing to order a sandwich in French, but a whole different matter if you had a fall and need to tell the responder that you cannot feel your toes anymore. I was once travelling in Asia and got very sick. When I got to Japan, I quickly asked to see a doctor and since I could describe the symptoms exactly in Japanese, he prescribed the correct medication plus more instructions on how to look after myself. Good job with your videos that cover realities, not just the fun things!
I hope you understand not everyone can gain fluency even after years of trying. And you are assuming a 60 year old American retiree will devote energy to doing that rather than enjoying their passions after 40 years of work.
@@vmoses1979 honestly, for a language like french, you can do 20mn of duolingo a day, just to get the very basics, in a few months you'll have good basics, and you'll recognize patterns around you, then your french will progress effortlessly PS: I realize my message may seem rude: this is not a "you MUST learn french" message, just a tip if you don't have so much time, duolingo makes it easy and fun, and you'll learn enough to get by, which will make your stay much easier
Hi, I love your videos. I live in CO in the US, and I love mountain sports. Chamonix is a MECCA for that, obviously. I'm not interested in moving to Paris, as I've lived in most of the big American cities. I love your Iceberg analogy, and I totally get it. What do you think of an American moving to Chamonix that's an experienced mountain single man living in the mountains of CO. Do you think I would face the same challenges you express in your videos, or would I be able to fit in a little easier. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you very much!
I was in Paris just at this May, before Olympic games. And it's funny how this city looks familiar after my Odesa, Ukraine. Especially by design of buildings of Central Odesa and French Boulevard of Odesa. But moreover, many of Paris features are matchable with Odesa. Depressive districts of Paris aren't so afraid after Odesa's Duke park or Jolio-Curie street. About people I can also admit that not to much Odesa-people speaks English (except 30 and less), but foreigner must know that not everybody Odesa local speaks Ukrainian by different reasons, one of which is "people are rude". And the main problem of Odesa and little bit Paris too, that people not even try to dig deeper in culture and history of the cities. Most people really thinking that attractiveness just fallen from skies on their places. In the end, maybe I wrong about full similarity of Paris and Odesa, I felt enough comfortable in Paris, which wish for everyone. ❤
I lived in France for several years. I loved it. I'm retired American now and am trying to figure out how to get back. The US is,, comparatively speaking, a brutal place to live now.
funny, im french raised in france and from my 18 i always traveled, but always come back in france especialy in south west best place in the world with chill vibes great food, fresh air ect , many tourist come in south west for the life style , Paris a big cities are not representative of Franc since few years anymore. Now im in Canada, oh lord i miss the food quality so much lol
Fantastic video Lucille. Yes, our visits to france has raised so many variables. Paris was wonderful, the people were so welcoming on the whole. Saint Malo was a challenge and an interaction nearly come to bliws. Colioure was beautiful but the locals were reluctant to interact with Brits. Ouistreham is wonderful and have visited many times. Canne is challenging tho. Of course I can say the same of uk, London, Cornwall, lake district are sooo different. Love France and French people, well most of them😊😊😊😊❤
Lauren Bacall wrote in her autobiography that she loved Paris - And going to London after Paris took some getting used to - but she ended up loving London as much as Paris. As for Sir Laurence Olivier, in his memoirs he wrote that he couled never decide which city he found the most beautiful, speaking of Paris and St-Petersburg (Russia) Having travelled to both cities, I agree with Sir Olivier, cannot make a choice. Cannot wait to discover London, soon I hope
Great video. You touch on many differences between both countries. I am French and I have lived in the US (California) for many years. I would have a difficult time adjusting to living in France again on a permanent basis. I love to visit and be a tourist. I can enjoy the best the country can offer. Living in France would require too much of an adjustment and frustration with many aspects of French life i.e the bureaucracy, the customer service, the weird hours, the banking system ( the bank employee calling me to give information on a deposit in my checking account - where the money came from and the “coordonnées” of the sender). No MLS to make it convenient to buy a house or an apartment. France is a beautiful country and has a lot to offer but I am always glad to come “home” after a visit.
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It should be noted that there is plenty of good food available in the USA.
This happens here in the USA. One woman thought moving to New York City would be like the TV shows and movies, NO ONE should base life decisions on what is, by definition, fake. A TV show or movie would not be fun to watch if it were realistic. She mentioned one specific TV show which (it starts with the S word in case YT would not like that) surprised me because people don't particularly act ethically in that show yet she was both using this for her model and expecting it to actually be like that IRL. Personally, I think big city living is over-rated the world over. One can visit a big city for the museums, etc but living there would never appeal to me. Oddly, most big city residents never go to the stuff that is unique about a big city in a positive like the museums but DO go to the stuff in big cities that is shallow or destructive.
In the USA, saying something like hello is more the norm outside the huge cities.
These look wonderful for walking!
I remember my first visit to Paris when I was 13 years old. My dad was a visiting professor at the medical university, and while he was in meetings, I was free to shop and explore along the Champs-Élysées. So there I was, this very young American girl, with braces on her teeth, who spoke only a tiny bit of French that I had learned in middle school. I will never forget how wonderful the people were! Perhaps they loved that I was such a young girl making an effort to speak their language, but I will never forget their warmth and kindness.❤
Such a sweet story! Thank you for sharing it here :)
Yes, it's great to be on holiday!
We have visited France for many years staying for two months at a time, we are senior citizens. We have found the French mostly like any other country which has been mostly good, the language barrier has never been a problem especially with the younger generation. We will return again in 2025.
@@kelrogers8480 Even better to be on holidays and have large means.
Yeah, try it now in hardcore mode: foreign grown up male. We’re not “chic”
American Expat living in Paris 5th for 5 years during which period I have never found but kindness, openness, and friendliness from the Parisians. I start every interaction with bonjour or bonsoir..and I never speak English and always try my broken-ass French. But get used to industrial strikes, demonstrations, and everyone always complaining about how bad things are.. c'est tout..😊
the comment in the video come from a danish guy lol
It's funny because I'm French (I've been living in Spain for 10 years) and I went to Paris 2 weeks ago. I was so scared of Parisians before going. I was scared people would be rude and unhelpful. During my two day trip, everyone was very nice, polite and helpful!
You’re a legal immigrant from
America, proof that it can work!
😂❤👍...C'est tout 😁...
I am an American who has lived in France, in the countryside of the Southwest near Toulouse, for going on three years. I love the Occitanie region, it's beautiful with many medieval villages, farms, orchards, vineyards, and the people are very nice. I really enjoy the French countryside, the French country lifestyle, visiting all of the little villages and farmer's markets. I had no problem getting a bank account and a driver's license. I also have an English speaking doctor, dentist, and veterinarian for my dog. One thing that I tell other Americans that have only been to Paris is this. "Thinking that Paris represents all of France and all of the French people is like thinking that New York City represents all of America and all Americans."
Happy to read that you like my region, I grew up in Toulouse! :)
French here. How true.
Thank you for that. I am SO sick of hearing/reading that "France is overrated" 🤦
i hate it when French people in France try to speak Engish when in France. Why do they deny their culture?
@@perthfanny3017 moi ça me va 😂 ne venez pas les gars. Je sais qu'on a un revenu sur le tourisme mais quand je suis en ligne avec des étrangers sur tchat roulette jleur dis venez pas c pourri ici 😂 . Laisse les croire qu'on est surcôtés , ceux qui nous connaissent vraiment sont ceux sur qui on compte. Les autres sont juste à la recherche de sensations pour faire leurs tiktoks de merdde 😂😂
I learned French in high school, and have visited Paris France once. I was able to leverage my limited training in order to check into my hotel and order food. I enjoyed my visit and look forward to returning. The sentiment that Americans don't like the French is hopefully a small percentage. I enjoyed my visit to Paris. Additionally, my co-worker, who is from France, had a great sense of American humor, and understood it. Also, this individual was extremely savvy in understanding our company's benefits and making sure employees where getting the most out of the benefits (pay, vacation, health care, vacation pay, etc.) , where my American co-workers where so oblivious to these things. He was also very detailed. I appreciated him for the unique skills he brought to the job.
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I'm an American who has been living in northeast France with her French husband and three adult children for the past 30 years. Still cursed/blessed with an accent, which is the starting point of a daily conversation on where I'm from, their last vacation in the USA, etc...
The more I've learned to navigate my world here, the better it gets. In any case, I feel more at home here than in the States.
I traveled alone in France and one experience I remember and cherish is when fellow lavarie patrons helped me with a broken dryer because I didn’t speak enough french to call the help line! Granted, it would affect them all when it was their turn to dry their clothes, but they were kind and patient and gracious when they saw I was getting flustered and confused (cell service was also out for Americans in Europe, so I had no way to open a translate app. I was stuck with what I remembered). This was in Bordeaux. I will never forget them ❤
This is so sweet!! I love when kind strangers help you when you're in a different country!!
As a French person who has travelled a lot I have noticed that there is one thing that Americans and French people have in common:
Both are generally friendly and open with foreigners... in their respective countries..., but as soon as they are abroad they tend to be often a bit arrogant and pretentious, thinking that coming from a superior country or culture the world must adapt to them rather than the other way around.
When you have this kind of attitude you can only be received with distrust by the person in front of you and in return you will retain a feeling of rudeness from the locals. Basic psychology.
There was (maybe still is) a non stop flight between Seattle and CDG. It's 10 hrs. But what is so fun is that if you want to spend a weekend in Paris, you can leave Seattle Friday Afternoon, and arrive in CDG at 8am Sat. You can then spend two days in Paris, and get on your return flight Monday around noon, chase the sun back, and arrive Monday in Seattle also at the same time as you left.
Huh - good for a 20 year old who doesn't suffer jet lag and has huge amounts of energy.
And for someone who doesn't care about carbon footprints or preserving the planet. (I'm not saying never to fly, but making such a long trip for only two days, it's not a good idea!
Also, Paris deserves better)
@@marinakiV It is going to take much more then not flying as much to preserve the planet. Globally everyone needs to be on the same page. Why impose on that person for enjoying themselves traveling?
@@vmoses1979 All depends on how you take care of yourself. Age shouldn't be a deterrent.
I'm a retired American expat who moved to Aix-en-Provence 8 years ago. I love France; the people, food, culture, history, and the countryside. Truthfully, I don't want live anywhere else. When I go back to the US every 2 years to see my kids, I can't wait to leave.
Love reading this! Thanks for watching!!
I'm a semiretired American expat living in or near Paris for 16 years. I agree with how you feel about the US. And Lucile, I appreciate how much thought you're putting into this. I would add, if you come to France expecting your American (or Japanese or Brazilian or whatever) values and culture to translate here, it won't serve you well at all. It's simplistic, but there is much truth in the saying " when in Rome, do as the Roman's do".
You left your kids to move to another country but go back now and then to visit them? Someone give this guy a dad-of-the-year trophy..
That is wonderful !
I enjoy visiting France and my Daughters
Study French very seriously .
But please do not vote in the U.S. anymore .
I do not want the government control that France has.
Do you know of any online communities where Americans can learn about French culture and some language perhaps? I am from Chicago but hope to retire in France. I need to overcome the feeling that it's such a big task😊
I’m a true L.A. guy, born in the U.S., VERY American. I’ve been to France 3 times, from Nice to Paris to Bordeaux. I’ve ALWAYS had a wonderful time!! I try to speak a bit of French (4 years of classes when I was in school years ago), and I’ve found the French people (AND Parisians!) to be very nice, and accommodating. However, I know other Americans who’ve gone to Paris, and French towns, who have hated the experience……..but those people are VERY American, meaning they don’t try to speak French, they dress like they’re still in Montana, or Illinois, they won’t try French foods, and don’t understand why the French aren’t more like them!! (Ugly American syndrome). ….It’s all about you’re ATTITUDE, and accepting a different culture!!! 🤷🏼♂️😎🥂
I agree with you here, you can't fight cultural differences, you have to embrace them!
It is not just Americans who can behave that way. If you understand other languages, you will hear the same thing from peoples visiting the US too. I know of Chinese visitors who will only go to Chinese restaurants while visiting America, speak very broken English to the point of sounding rude (sadly, they probably did not realize it). I have also encountered someone insisting on finding a Mexican restaurant in the middle of Nicosia, Cyprus because he was confused about Mediterranean culture vs. Hispanic culture. There will be cultural boors from all over the world, and you just hope not to have to deal with them.
From LA, one time I met a guy from Minnesota in Vienna who was freaked out by seeing all the Turkish immigrant women with head coverings. Like al Qaeda was outside the hotel. And this was before 09/11.
@ …….I know people in Montana who won’t eat ANY vegetables (except potatoes). Seriously, NO veggies, ever! Not even a salad!! They call vegetables “scary stuff”. (That’s why they’re called Flyover States I guess! 🤷🏼♂️😂).
@@eddieg6436 Why eat salads when you can have moose and bear???LOL! 😂🐻
I'm so impressed by how thoughtful and 'deep' your videos are. I'm a retired film teacher and visited Paris once a long time ago. I mostly know French culture through French films which I love, through reading etc. I like your metaphor of the iceberg with so much about the deep culture below the surface. Two of my favorite films are based on the memoirs of Marcel Pagnol: 'My Father's Glory' and 'My Mother's Castle' (1990). And a few days ago I discovered there is a new film that is a remake of part of the same memoir: The Time of Secrets (2022, available on Amazon Prime in the US). Of course, the stories are set in the early 20th century before WWI and they bring to life paintings by Renoir. But they show the class system, the importance of education and religion which are still a part of the 'deep' culture. Thanks again for your wonderful videos which are so illuminating!
Yes some of it’s still true like the class,system, although the criteria have changed.
But religion, no : it’s difficult to imagine for an American but france is one of the most de-christanized country in Europe, and therefore in the world.
Also, even among the families that still practice -5% of the population-, it’s viewed as rude and embarrassing to flaunt your religion openly : faith has become a totally [rivate matter, and people talking openly about it are viewed as hypocritical and ultimately pharisians.
I have to admit, that as someone who has limited French language skills, and does not live there but has visited Paris, Northern France (Arras, Cambrais, Albert area) and Eastern France (Strasbourg), I have only ever had good and friendly interactions with all the French people I have met, and have made some good friends.
👍
Canadian living in the USA here, despite having grown up watching US television and sharing similar culture and language it is still a culture shock. Every culture has its differences and ways of doing things. I lived in Greece for a few years and had to learn a new way of interacting with people. You go with an open mind, and try to remember they were there before you arrived. Adapt and assimilate.
Canadian who has lived in the states for years. you can get "reshocked". Just moved to the Bay area for work. NOT a hint of Xmas. IKEA has no Xmas decorations, not one.. looking at the clientele, i could see why. Some houses have decorations but at work, Christmas is considered "personal day off" . i am 61. One thing the English and the French Canadians agreed on when i was young was the whole week off between Christmas and New Year was off. It was a Canadian culture until the mid 1990s when lots of new Canadians to be were invited.
Yep. I'm an American who moved to small town Ontario to live with my Canadian spouse. I had a lot of culture shock.
@@alexwyler4570 What is the Bay area ?
@@alexwyler4570Not taking that week off for 20+ yrs hasn't been an issue for me, but I am still annoyed by it.
It is the part of Northern California near San Francisco.
If you don't actually appreciate the breadth and depth of French culture or have any of your own, the French will pick it up and treat you accordingly. A revers, if you have manners and kindess, they will also pick it up and you will be treated with great kindness and civilisation. Vive la France!
Exactement 👍...
Moi, j'adore la France et les français. Les français sont vraiment polis et sympathiques.
Jamaican American who considers Paris my second home, after NYC. I loveeeee Paris, because of the walkability, the friendliness of the locals and the food OMG. I’ve heard loads of stories about negative experiences that people have had, but I’ve never experienced it myself.
I am Kenyan and I visit Paris at least once every year. I love Paris and I would not mind living there. Nowhere is perfect even back home in Kenya it is not perfect but I believe in being flexible and enjoying the moment while living in a place.
My parents lived in Paris for over a year before moving to the US back in '65. It was very hard to settle in Paris, but despite the setbacks they never spoke negatively about France. I grew up listening to my dad speak positively about French culture vs. American. He was a music composer and was very knowledgeable about French influence in music. Growing up I heard the music from French composers like Debussy, Ravel, Chabrier, Milhaud, and so many others. My own personal experience with the French, living here in NYC, has been good. In high school I had a French friend, who's father owned a French restaurant here in NYC. I think my success with the French is I never try to impose anything on them whether it's my language, culture or whatever. I listen and let them talk. Personally, I'm very interested in French history and I advise everyone visiting France to try to learn more about their history. When you educate yourself about a country's history, in this case France, you open your mind more and appreciate the experience better. Anyway, thanks for the wonderful video.
As an Englishman visiting France i noticed you always get a hearty ''Bonjour!'' and it's rude not to respond even though the French aren't into small talk generally as much as Anglo-American people are....
Back in 2018, I went to La Rochelle on the coast of Bay of Biscay. There were delays with my work and ended up spending 3 weeks instead of 3 days. What a wonderful place with the nicest people you could imagine. Had a blast. I was a real ding dong that only got by with bon jour and merci and it worked.
I moved to Paris 4 years ago and don't regret it a bit. Magnificent city with energetic and friendly....yes friendly people.
Wait, are you sure it wasn't Montreal ?
Did you know French beforehand and if not, how long did you take to learn it beyond Bonjour?
As Greek I think that Greece and France share a lot in common when it comes to lifestyle and what they consider important...
Greeks can speak better English (which is why they rank much higher in the EFI (English proficiency Ranking of the world))...
Je suis complètement d'accord avec vous.
@@christianterraes8334 🇬🇷❤🇫🇷 Mon frère Français..
As a french i also loved greece🤍
Just discovered your delightful channel yesterday, Lucile! I look forward to exploring the world with your past videos.
Please share more of the layers of the French iceberg with us! Merci beaucoup!
Lucile, the French girl, so sweet and petite, Moved back to France, where life is a treat. But oh, the surprises she had to explain, To those who found France a bit of a pain.
"Bonjour," she said, "is a must every day, And don't you dare rush, take time to say. The shops close at noon, for a leisurely lunch, And Sundays are quiet, no shopping to crunch.
The bread is divine, but don't ask for toast, And tipping's a no-no, it's not like the coast. The language, oh dear, can be quite a test, But try your best, and you'll be impressed.
The bureaucracy's slow, and the queues never end, But patience, my friend, is a virtue to tend. The wine flows like water, the cheese is a dream, But watch out for strikes, they're more common than cream.
So if you can handle these quirks with a smile, France will enchant you, mile after mile. Lucile's little tips, with a wink and a cheer, Make living in France a joy, never fear!" ❤❤❤
A+, good job.
A solid 18 out of 20 grade
@@talathits1 "A solid 18 out of 20 grade" well, let's not get carried away, quand même
Tipping is not a no-no at all. Tipping is very much appreciated though not anticipated. If you want to get treated very well, tip.
I've never been to Paris before and I've heard good things instead of the bad things there! It's the city of love ❤and it has great things that other people will enjoy! I love and enjoy watching your content throughout these pass few months Lucile & keep up the great work! I wish you and your family Merry Christmas 🎁🎄🎁and Happy Holidays from London, England! 🎅🎄☃✨
I found French people tend to keep childhood friends or at most university friends and don't really make new friends as adults as they don't need them. Anglosphere people tend to make friends all their lives and have a lot more "light" social friendships, whereas the French tend to either have deep friendships or kind of formal social acquaintances, and not the types of friends in the middle where you are close but not super deep. (I know this is also very hard for french moving to America, as they think they are closer to people than they actually are due to American "friendliness") The most i found I could hope for was being accepted into my boyfriend's social group, but I knew if we ever broke up, those people would never talk to me again, which was true. I also found foreign males could make French friends with men and women a lot easier than foreign females. Also platonic male/female friendships are kind of rare in France, if you are a foreign woman, almost all your friends will need to be female, and that can be hard.
Very interesting comment!
very true
Just out of curiosity (not disputing at all), why do you think foreign males could more easily make friends with French men and women compared with foreign females? Do you think perhaps that French women were more guarded about letting foreign women into their friend groups than French men were letting foreign men into their friend groups?
The world has friends. The Anglo-Saxon world has interests. It is absolutely impossible to be friend with a US born citizen for example. They just do not understand the concept of friendship.
My former boss (a Frenchman) used to say that Americans are like peaches whereas French are like coconuts. A peach is soft and sweet on the outside but has a hard inner stone that you will never get through; a coconut has a hard outer shell, but once you get inside, it’s soft and sweet.
Joyeuse Fêtes Lucile. Merci Beaucoup 🙌
Merci ! Joyeuses fêtes à toi aussi :)
Mexican here! I think it would be incredible if you talked about culture in every french region.
It's French culture everywhere 😂
There are huge differences between big cities and country towns or villages. Between the Northern part, more Germanic and the South, more Latin. Between the West, Celtic and maritime, and the East, industrial and mountainous. And some regions are not sure they are even French.
I love watching your videos, you are super intelligent and really insightful on your observations.
Loving anything is fundamentally an act of faith. You have to decide more or less at the outset that you are going to like someone/someplace/something and then take the disappointments in stride. Results-oriented open-mindedness has its function in life but love and happiness are not really among them. If you let results and experiences dictate how you feel about a place, you will always end up at a somewhat moderate "I didn't love it but I didn't hate it" conclusion. Which is fine if that's what you want. But if you want to be happy, affirmatively positively happy, about a place, you pretty much have to go in determinedly prejudiced in its favor. That's just the way the human mind works.
Great video 👍 Also in the french speaking of Switzerland "Bonjour"is also important 😊
This is the most interesting segment on your channel so far for myself. I got a great deal out of it, especially reagrding work culture differences between France and the USA. Thanks!!!
You made excellent points and it’s so good of you to educate people this way. What you said is true for moving anywhere. Even when I moved from eastern Canada to western Canada there was cultural shock. My first trip to France I didn’t know about the importance of greetings. Learning about that made my other trips so much better. It also helped in Mexico, where it’s the same. You’re considered extremely rude if you skip greetings.
An american friend of mine and me went to Saumur in the Loire region in France, a couple years ago. A local elderly man spotted us and invited us to his place and showed us arround and he was very friendly and nice. It was a great experience. Many people in France are actually very welcoming.
I feel like a lot of Americans don't understand how crucial the language factor is, if you're thinking about moving to another country. The error a lot of people make is, visit the country on vacation, go to all of the fun touristy areas where the majority of workers, tour guide folks, etc. speak English, and then come back thinking they can move there and get by with just English. Certainly not the case! Thank you as always for another insightful video! Can't wait to see the content that 2025 will bring! I definitely need to check out that footwear brand☺☺
Some people (in a strange way related to English as a first language) seem to think that all languages sound like loud English with a reduced vocabulary in an aggressive tone with some waving of the hands on top...
@@uweinhamburg😂
@@NOYB123-e7mI don't think that's what she was talking about. It's more that some (by no means all) Americans seem to believe that the country they move to is obliged to provide all government and commercial services to them in English just because they are American, and then they act entitled and insulted when they find out that people in those countries are not going to pamper them by catering to their exceptionalism for ever.
@@NOYB123-e7m No, I'm not misunderstanding her. I'm half-British, half French. I live in Germany and have worked in Spain.
As a Brit, I say that British exceptionalism is bad, but as a Brit who has been on the receiving end of American exceptionalism, I say that the US version is worse.
I gave up on BNP Paribas and opened a Revolut account. It was ridiculous.
I loved my visit to Paris 20 years ago. I used “French for Dummies” to get a head start on the language. I can’t wait to come back and visit the smaller towns. I am retired now and would like to spend some quality time.
Absolutely spot on ... Spent time in Megeve and Aix Les Bains ... Beautiful people and culture
I 'm Français living in Australia (since 1982) and when I go back to Fr for "holidays" or other things, I have that quick "honeymoon" for a week ( ho the pastry shops😛) then all what I dislike in France (particularily the BUREAUCRATIE) begins to weigh on my shoulders... In some places in bad weather I feel totally depressed because it brings back old memories. The worst part is that it is for me like another country. Apart from visiting chateaux and eating good old gatronomie, I feel I have no more business in France.. I love your videos
Castles and pastries, that's already a thing!!! It's true the weather plays a lot about a good experience in france, you better have "inside" hobbies when you live in france.
I never lived in France, but I lived in Belgium for several years. Your observances about France also apply to Belgium. It took a while, but once I "got it" I learned, not to suppress my American self, but to blend Belgium cultural norms with my own to create a sort of hybrid. I mean, it was impossible for me to hide the fact that I spoke French like the proverbial "vache espanol" so I just embraced my differences. Belgians are also a bit distant at first, but they do appreciate you when you genuinely try to adapt. Once you have them as friends though, it's amazing and they seem a bit proud of having Americans in their inner circle. Great job Lucile!
Best tours by Lucy! You are always wonderful
I'm an American and lived in Toulouse, Bordeaux, Dordogne, Paris, Provence and Many other cities. I love France and the people are wonderful and have a great sense of humor. The children are very respectful.
I’ve visited Paris, Reims, Strasbourg, Nice, Lyon, Arles, Avignon, Provence region, Vienne, Perouges, and multiple other small towns. I have loved every minute in France. I would love to move there but am doubtful of my ability to improve upon my basic French enough to be fluent. So I’m planning to move to Spain upon retirement, as I can speak Spanish a little better, with trips to France and Italy. Best of both worlds. 😃
0p
True immersion never fails: you can only improve. Just be truly immersed in the language and the daily culture.
I lived in France for 18 years and loved it. I go back as often as possible and feel at home.
One can belong to more than one culture! It's interesting, it's fun and is creative!
When I visited France, outside of Paris, I found the people to be very nice. I think Parisians come off as being rude because they’re just from a big city. Big city people in America can be rude. My hardest thing would be learning the language. I’m not very good at that. I tried my whole life to learn Spanish. I know a lot of words, but I just can’t put it together in sentences. Maybe if I was immersed in a new country for six months or a year I gradually pick it up. After I retire, I will try that.
True, instead of visiting Paris every single tourist should go on a quest "Find a polite French". I actually visited Nice, not Paris, and the French are rude not just to the guests, they are rude to each other.
Lucile, thanks for this video. Can't imagine folks are moving to a place and trying to make it into the place they moved FROM. Ugh vive la différence! FUN Fact: Old skool New Orleans we. wouldn't dare walk into a place and not "speak" "Hello, Good Morning, How u doin?or somethin!. It is considered "il-Mannered", disrespectful and makes people say "Who raised you?" Culturally you represent your parents and in NOLA we wouldn't dare disgrace our family name like that.Not all of the US is the same.
Can't image moving to a place without studying the deep history of it. 💝💝💝
I used to stay in France during my school breaks in college with minimal understanding of the language and I never went through culture shock and if anything I just absorbed everything I could. Even 20 years later French culture is the one I relate to the most outside of my own.
This is such a smart and nuanced explanation of cultural exchange and (mis)communication; I adore this video ❤
merci for your videos, Lucile! I am totally in love with France since my first visit last February. There are, of course, a lot of things that confused me, but there are so many things to love about the country and its people. It is definitely so enriching to hear your side of things as a true French. 💞
At 6:25, that clothes drying rack. Perfect for my (near) future RV/Toy-Hauler travels in the US.
Great vid Lucile. For me learning another language, you know you are progressing when you can understand subtle jokes.. BTW you have this whole Eva Green vibe going on
Bravo!
Bravo! This isn't just about travel, it's anthropology. "The study of humans". Universal laws of human nature are here. Thank you for sharing your intelligent, questioning curious mind. I learn a lot. You are a bright light in the world. Subscribed❤.
I love Paris I’m a city guy (NYC) don’t ever think you don’t fit in ,I think New York and Paris are one and the same . I’m 66 and retired I will be back in the spring.
Thank you for an honest and realistic view of this subject. Anyone who has gone to France will immediately identify with these situations.
I am an independent traveler and enjoy going to Europe alone. However, your video reminded me if you are an American maybe a tour really makes sense. You can enjoy all the wonderful things about a city like Paris without the challenging aspects of visiting by yourself.
I understand as a tourist I am a visitor in another country. If I go alone, I must adapt and this is usually the best part of the experience. In France, I recognize it might just be a bridge too far.
Ex-Manhattanite prepping for a move to Nice. I expect strikes, foolishness and people who want to be left alone. Same as NYC. As I'm retired I don't need to worry about the daily grind, which is a relief. Wait until you have to figure out water heaters in Singapore, lol. I can deal with anything at this point. The package thing will irritate me but I'm sure I will figure it out. I'm looking forward to a more relaxed way of life and the ability to travel the area more easily.
The US has different cultures. If you are in New York City. You say hello. They look at you and say, “What!”. People in the south are friendly. Most non cities are very friendly in the US.
I lived in Paris for 10 years and never, ever, regretted it. Now I live in Mexico and I am happy here, too. I would not return to Paris but just because of the COLD! ❄️🌧️🥶
Videos like these promote peace and understanding
Hello! I have been enjoying your channel quite a lot, I have learned a lot so far! Thank you.
People in California address people with “hello” where I lived for 30 years. NY is less likely to do so. Montana and other Midwest cities are friendlier too. When relocating back to NY area people tend to think I’m weird for being more open and friendly 🤷🏼♀️. My opinion and experiences
I would never move to France, but come visiting frequently, this to keep up the romance.
Paris is the best place I’ve been to, by far. 🔝🤗
My dear Lucile, you mentioned that it is hard to make friends in France.....well I am born and raised in Germany and I live in Gascony now since 1999..... my children are born here my wife is french and is is the friendliest place on earth.....I would not want to live somewhere else...... I just have a friend from Sweden here (I spent 3 years there) and he confirmed to me that: It is a difference from night to day here in the South-West compared with Sweden..... You should go to Northern -Europe and than come back to France..... People are were warm, open and welcoming here....but you are absolutely right: Someone has to speak french if he wants to live here !
@@SylvainCastelanelli I could not agree more. Thank you for your comment ! Absolutely right.
Visited Paris twice already and about to go there in 2 weeks - the Parisians have been the BEST! So welcoming and willing to help...IF you try and speak French (which makes a whole bunch of sense).
I also 10000% can confirm the point you made about learning French. I traveled to Paris this past summer, and was feeling quite anxious about all of the stereotypes about Parisians being snotty and rude (I found this to be powerful even having been to Paris once before and having seen first hand that it's mostly not true). My experience was completely different than the stereotypes- nearly everyone I met was incredibly kind, welcoming, and helpful, and I believe that it was largely due to my practice speaking. The aunt I was traveling with said she noticed that people treated me differently than they did her (as someone who doesn't speak French at all). So many people offered to help me practice and learn new words, and it was such a joy to be able to have that experience.
I was just like the tourists who hated Paris and left, but when I gave France gave a second chance and went to Lille I was amazed!
I think the expectation thing is big. I think part of the problem is that explaining some of the "people" or "everyday culture" (or below the surface on the iceberg) things is that people from all countries tend to take things personally and try to "moralize" differences. Which then leads to people either denying the differences or bashing the other culture. At least this is what I feel like a lot of American expats do. I'm from the Midwest US and studied in Romania. It was a while ago, and to your point in terms of differences in culture, I thought that meant language, music, food, etc., not how people interact with strangers. And the only thing I was told was not to be an obnoxious American. So when people in Romania didn't act like Midwestern Americans (small talk, friendly to strangers, etc.) I thought it was because they knew I was American and were treating me differently. Luckily Romanian students explained what was going on. And I loved Romania. But a lot of Americans feel like they have to either say there are no differences or paint the picture that the Romanian (or insert other country) way of doing things is better. I'm not sure if it goes the opposite way, but I've noticed when watching RUclips videos about culture shock they tend to be come across as "Americans just don't understand the superior way that (insert European country) people do things. Once they understand they will realize it is better" or "the difference doesn't really exist, if there is a difference it's because you are the problem". Both of these just keep the false expectations thing alive.
I feel like I was lucky that I studied abroad before RUclips videos on culture shock were a big thing. I was totally unprepared yes. But I also was allowed to process things and especially differences in my own time. I love Midwestern culture and I love Romania. I was upset at first because I thought Romanians were treating me differently because I was American. But I would have also been upset if I thought the only reason Romanians were treating me differently was because I wasn't being "respectful enough" or they would act like Midwesterners if I "acted correctly". Because it just wouldn't be the case. I also think I wouldn't have adapted as quickly if I was told that the way Romanians act towards strangers was superior to my own. I would have naturally been defensive. But just learning that is how it is, and not trying to justify or over analyze the culture made it easier to adopt and appreciate.
We visited London and Paris in June and LOVED Paris. 😍
Something that is deep in French culture is the fact that communication is very context dependent contrary to German or Anglo-Saxon culture.
The latter will try to explain their assumptions more and the French tend to react that they are being treated like little kids.
Such a great video! 🌟
Have a happy holidays Lucile
Love France and the French. Have several French friends and acquaintances. Been there 4 times, the first three to the south, Nice, Montpelier, Ardèche, Toulouse, Pau, Bordeaux. Always heard some negative things about Paris and Parisians. Never believed it. Was in Paris for two weeks this year. Absolutely loved it, especially Montmartre, where we stayed. Great town and people. Was treated like royalty.
For anyone, living in any country in the world, Job One is to learn the local language.
We Americans expect that as a matter of course from immigrants to our country, and then we fail to realize that people in other countries quite naturally expect us Americans to do that when living in their country.
Thank you so much for this video . I am moving to Paris next year . This video was very interesting and informative. I have been very worry about how would I adjust . Thank you so much for this video !! .
As we say here in the US, The grass is always greener on the other side : ) Great video always!!!
The main culture shock to me in France was seeing how low the average person's spice tolerance is. It took a good deal of effort to find restaurants that served anything approaching heat. That isn't to say French cuisine is bland, it isn't, but sometimes I do crave some heat which wasn't so common there.
The real struggle of living in France is resisting eating pastries every meal 😆
It's quite tough!
TOO TRUE! Though you do offset them a bit by walking so much.
Or resisting assault.
@@Goodmorning1221- I have been visiting Paris regularly for over sixty years, and in all that time I have been the victim of an attempted mugging just once. Attempted because it was a really feeble effort that at 157 cm and 53 kg I was able to fight off successfully.
I fear that all the "how to protect yourself" videos are making people paranoid about travel.
I guess I had a head start in that my Breton born mother Married her G.I. Boyfriend and followed him to Long Island, NY when the war was over.
As a suburban housewife living barely 40 miles from Manhattan, she and her other warbride girlfriends help shape our small village because their baby boomer children, my friends & classmates, all grew up with a semi-Franco/ American culture.
So all throughout the 60's,70's, 80's, and 90's I was always visiting France every few Years and my Uncles, Aunts & Cousins were reciprocating.
After being divorced in 1998 with no children and fulfilling a 30 year career, I decided to move to France in 2000 where after hanging out with cousins for a while, I met my future wife in Amiens in the Somme.
What I know about France is that the more North I was geographically the less people said they had problems understanding my accent. I have traveled in every region of the Hexagon except Corsica.
I like it all except I don't like thick urban areas where people have to live on top of one another or are packed in high rises like caged pets in a pet store.
I don't like Paris despite all the tourist attractions and the high brow culture because I tend to back away from large heavily infiltrated cities with huge foreign born or exclave cultures that don't reflect the true culture of the nation but prefer to endure while living the thug life with arrogant pride. What did President Sarkosy say he would do to reverse this trend but never succeeded... "Nettoyer au Kärcher"?
Cities like Marseilles, Lille and Lyon, like Paris are these types of cities and I have had first hand experiences with these kinds of people in American urban centers having spent a lot of years working in New York City, Newark, N.J. and Buffalo, NY.
Living at the outer limits of Amiens' jurisdiction is just about as urban as I want to get. There's still daily bus service, a lot of Boulangeries, Restaurants, shopping malls and highway access to get me out of the city in less than 2 minutes. The fact that I'm less than 700 meters from the famous 15th Century Citadel (as depicted in the 3 Musketeers) 1.5 KM from St. Leu, Notre Dame d'Amiens, 3 KM from Jules Verne's residence, turned museum and 10 KM's from where the Red Baron was shot down in WW1 is sufficient urban culture for me.
J'ai jamais haï le fait de vivre en France .
C'est littéralement le plus beau pays que j'aie jamais visté .
Just an fyi, every shower in all countries seems to work differently. I always check how to work the shower before I need it so I can avoid the naked phone all to hotel or b&b staff.
Regarding "Hello.": French people, such as the clerk at the hotel or the ticket seller at the train station or the fellow manning the newspaper kiosk, think that Americans are rude because they do not begin the encounter with a gracious "Comment allez-vous?" The American, however, approaches the encounter with a concern to get straight to the point in order not to waste the other person's time, or the time of the person who is waiting in line behind the American. It's a different sense of courtesy.
I feel like France is a beautiful country to travel to but not exactly the best place to live. As a Canadian, I noticed this by observing that there’s a lot more French people moving to Canada than Canadians moving to France for a multitude of reasons.
This Canadian left Canada 30 years ago and l appreciate life more here. I live on the ltalian border, am trilingual and find that life is 100% better here. As you say, l am the minority as it is usually the other way around.
Good to you🤣
@@philippedombinou8589Good FOR you.
I've traveled a lot and what I learned is that every place is just a place you can go to. You will get used to any place if you stay long enough.
The best way is to find reasons that matter to you for staying there. The pros must outweigh the cons.
The French have their own idea of politeness 😄
For example in Germany it is not mandatory to start a conversation by saying hello. You just start talking. But you must not leave without saying Bye. That would be rude.
In France it's the other way round.
In New Jersey, you start a conversation with, “Hey, whadda you looking at?”
I loved my experience in the South of France but I was only there for five weeks. The tranportation system and food were awesome. You can travel around France quite easily. However, the fact that the French do not pick up their dog poo got frustrating. You have to always make sure you are not stepping in poo.
This is such a fun channel! I can't imagine why anyone would move to France without bothering to learn the French language! I'd love to visit France one day as it's such a fascinating and historically rich land. I studied the language through high school and college but native speakers are a bit too fast for me to always understand fully. FWIW, in America we're used to lots of accents and if you can speak passable English even if heavily accented you'll be accepted by most people.
I have been to Paris twice (just as a tourist) and never encountered rudeness at all. Admittedly I am quite reserved so I would not approach someone for conversation unless they seemed open to it but regardless, everyone was very pleasant and helpful 🤷♀
I haven't been to France but lived in another European country for several years. It took a while to get used to restaurants because complete strangers would enter and say Hello to all people nearby as they sat down. I had to learn to do that as well, otherwise I would seem not rude but a little unfriendly.
American…lived in Paris for 3 yrs in ‘80s…wonderful.
Now here for 18 yrs since 2007. Now in Brittany after several yrs in Charente and in the south. Funny how this nice young woman makes a big deal of things that really aren’t mysterious or difficult…yes some things are different but you get used to it. I Love living in France…I’ ll never go back to the US!
As a American, America gives me culture shock. Whenever I'm in France, I'm made to feel at home. Many of the French customs sit better with my personality type. Except the shower doors, I prefer an American shower door 😅😅
I am an American who grew up very close to a family whose mother was French and her husband American. He was fine. Open and friendly , but she was a snob from the slums of Paris. Their French friends were the same superficial fashion snob types . Paris has some beautiful buildings and parks, for sure , but i definitely did not enjoy the people. I love my America because of the kindness and openness of people. True though, French food is great!
Posh and shallow people don't exist in New-York, sure...
8:22 My local post office where i live (little town) in Switzerland is closed at 12 pm on saturday but open Monday-Friday till 6 pm.
People may underestimate the depth and breadth of behavior and attitudes encompassed by culture. We take in culture from the moment we're born -- it includes nearly instinctual behaviors like how close we stand and how we face each other, when we raise our voices, when we perceive hostile or insulting behaviors from others, etc. The amount of psychological distance and formal "honor" we give to teachers or supervisors is culturally influenced. How quickly we move from conflict to violence is a part of culture. Culture can even determine how much literal explanation you might need (versus picking up on nonverbal clues) in order to understand a task. In fact, a large share of what goes into socialization is absorbing and wielding the norms of one's culture so that we function well in that culture. So, no American should assume that French culture is "like" ours. Same with British culture, Thai culture, Senegalese culture, etc. And the same goes for people encountering Americans.
It always amazes me how many people would hope to move and live in another country and not prepare to learn or speak the language there. For any culture, if you cannot speak their language, you will be missing out on the actual interaction. So much goes on in daily life that you cannot comprehend without the most basic understanding of the language. Plus, it can also save your life in an urgent situation if you can tell someone exactly what has happened. It is one thing to order a sandwich in French, but a whole different matter if you had a fall and need to tell the responder that you cannot feel your toes anymore. I was once travelling in Asia and got very sick. When I got to Japan, I quickly asked to see a doctor and since I could describe the symptoms exactly in Japanese, he prescribed the correct medication plus more instructions on how to look after myself. Good job with your videos that cover realities, not just the fun things!
I hope you understand not everyone can gain fluency even after years of trying. And you are assuming a 60 year old American retiree will devote energy to doing that rather than enjoying their passions after 40 years of work.
@@vmoses1979 honestly, for a language like french, you can do 20mn of duolingo a day, just to get the very basics, in a few months you'll have good basics, and you'll recognize patterns around you, then your french will progress effortlessly
PS: I realize my message may seem rude: this is not a "you MUST learn french" message, just a tip if you don't have so much time, duolingo makes it easy and fun, and you'll learn enough to get by, which will make your stay much easier
@@vmoses1979 That's when you hear ol' guys hollering around in some foreign country louder and louder in English. Good luck with that.
Hi, I love your videos. I live in CO in the US, and I love mountain sports. Chamonix is a MECCA for that, obviously. I'm not interested in moving to Paris, as I've lived in most of the big American cities. I love your Iceberg analogy, and I totally get it. What do you think of an American moving to Chamonix that's an experienced mountain single man living in the mountains of CO. Do you think I would face the same challenges you express in your videos, or would I be able to fit in a little easier.
I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you very much!
I was in Paris just at this May, before Olympic games. And it's funny how this city looks familiar after my Odesa, Ukraine. Especially by design of buildings of Central Odesa and French Boulevard of Odesa. But moreover, many of Paris features are matchable with Odesa. Depressive districts of Paris aren't so afraid after Odesa's Duke park or Jolio-Curie street.
About people I can also admit that not to much Odesa-people speaks English (except 30 and less), but foreigner must know that not everybody Odesa local speaks Ukrainian by different reasons, one of which is "people are rude". And the main problem of Odesa and little bit Paris too, that people not even try to dig deeper in culture and history of the cities. Most people really thinking that attractiveness just fallen from skies on their places.
In the end, maybe I wrong about full similarity of Paris and Odesa, I felt enough comfortable in Paris, which wish for everyone. ❤
I lived in France for several years. I loved it. I'm retired American now and am trying to figure out how to get back. The US is,, comparatively speaking, a brutal place to live now.
funny, im french raised in france and from my 18 i always traveled, but always come back in france especialy in south west best place in the world with chill vibes great food, fresh air ect , many tourist come in south west for the life style , Paris a big cities are not representative of Franc since few years anymore. Now im in Canada, oh lord i miss the food quality so much lol
Fantastic video Lucille. Yes, our visits to france has raised so many variables. Paris was wonderful, the people were so welcoming on the whole. Saint Malo was a challenge and an interaction nearly come to bliws. Colioure was beautiful but the locals were reluctant to interact with Brits. Ouistreham is wonderful and have visited many times. Canne is challenging tho. Of course I can say the same of uk, London, Cornwall, lake district are sooo different. Love France and French people, well most of them😊😊😊😊❤
Lauren Bacall wrote in her autobiography that she loved Paris - And going to London after Paris took some getting used to - but she ended up loving London as much as Paris.
As for Sir Laurence Olivier, in his memoirs he wrote that he couled never decide which city he found the most beautiful, speaking of Paris and St-Petersburg (Russia) Having travelled to both cities, I agree with Sir Olivier, cannot make a choice.
Cannot wait to discover London, soon I hope
Great video. You touch on many differences between both countries. I am French and I have lived in the US (California) for many years. I would have a difficult time adjusting to living in France again on a permanent basis. I love to visit and be a tourist. I can enjoy the best the country can offer. Living in France would require too much of an adjustment and frustration with many aspects of French life i.e the bureaucracy, the customer service, the weird hours, the banking system ( the bank employee calling me to give information on a deposit in my checking account - where the money came from and the “coordonnées” of the sender). No MLS to make it convenient to buy a house or an apartment.
France is a beautiful country and has a lot to offer but I am always glad to come “home” after a visit.