How do American people see french people and France?

[ABH-french]

Hi, I'm french and I was wondering what reputation has french people in USA.

In France people say that french are considered as romantic and mostly horny guys. I'm very curious about it. Don't hesitate to share any opinion. Even if it's offending I wouldn't feel offensed.

Thank you!

[Brontosaurus]

Obviously individual feelings differ greatly. No person from the US thinks all of these things or to the same degree, but I would say that US culture typically depicts French men as suave romantics who steal our women, but who lack many traits considered masculine in this part of the world.

The latter is reinforced by the notion that we somehow "saved your asses" in the World Wars of the 20th Century when you supposedly let the Germans walk all over you.

French women are unfortunately often stereotyped as dirty and cold, with self-confidence often mistaken for arrogance. The fact that they couple with French men is often perceived as a lack of appreciation for our notions of masculinity. Because French women seem to never get fat no matter what they eat or how little they work out, women in the US are sometimes resentful.

In more recent times, France's decision not to support American military involvement in Iraq caused resentment, and led to political grandstanding, such as trying to rename the fried potatoes we call "French fries" as "freedom fries" (it never caught on, but I'm sure some restaurants in Washington, D.C. still use the latter).

That said, it's far from all bad. People from the US have a love affair with Paris. French winemaking, fashion, and appreciation for the visual arts are extremely admired by many from the US. The French, especially men, are generally regarded to have exceptional taste in these areas.

[ABH-french]

Thank you very much for your complete answer.

? 1,2 : I'm very surprised to hear that the WWII let such a reflection through ages.

? 3 : Hahaha! French people too find French arrogant and cold.

? 4 : About Iraq, everyone in France thinks that Chirac took the right decision. The typical opinion in France is that the US Army occupied Iraq because Bush only wanted its oil.

? 5 : What you said in your last paragraph confirm what I've already heard everywhere. ;)

[John83]

I am from the Northeastern part of the US. Here the perceptions are, on the positive side, that the French are romantic, culturally literate, and have a great sense of style. On the negative side, there is a perception that the French are arrogant and cold. A more superficial one is that they smoke excessively. From my own travels there, I think that last one seems to be true.

[ABH-french]

Yes, they smoke excessively...

[RosaliaVanderbilt]

Well, I'm not French, but I'm Canadian and speak French fluently. Whenever I've been in the USA and have been speaking French with my friends, we've always gotten the weirdest looks. I think they see French people as very artsy and liberal and too European.

[RosaliaVanderbilt]

Mais je any peux pas dire pour les francophones de la France, parce que les Canadiens parlent presque comme un dialecte different du francais.

[ABH-french]

C'est vrai que le Canade a un accent vraiment fort. D'ailleurs en France on se moque souvent de l'accent des Canadiens. Certains le font m?chamment d'autre pas du tout. En g?n?ral ce n'est pas m?chant, c'est comme quand un Parisien rigole de l'accent du Sud ou q'un Sudiste rigolait de l'accent du Nord.

Les fran?ais trouvent leur accent anglais horribles... Un fran?ais qui apprend ? bien parler anglais apprendra ? bien prononcer pour maquer son origine fran?aise.

[RosaliaVanderbilt]

Je le trouve mechant! :P Mais on est fier de nos accents. Je deteste comment on peut pas utiliser les accents dans les dialogues de GAG, votre message etait vraiment juste des points d'interrogation... Qeulle region de la France?

[ABH-french]

( Les ' ? ' sont dus ? l'utilisation de caract?res sp?ciaux (' e accent aigus ' et ' c c?dille ' et 'a accent grave')... :/ )

I was born in Reunion Island which isn't located in the metropolitan France. But I lived about my whole life in Africa until one year ago. Currently I study in Rouen, northwestern France.

[RosaliaVanderbilt]

Yeah it's super annoying! And that's really cool. I have a couple of friends from Bordeaux.

[ABH-french]

Well, I haven't been in Bordeaux yet. I've got some friends there too, like roughly everyone in France. We all know someone who lives somewhere and who knows someone who lives swh...

I've been told that it's a great town.

[RosaliaVanderbilt]

Small world I guess. I wouldn't know, but I hope to visit someday!

[Lafemmedeschats]

Je parle fran?ais aussi! Mais pas Quebec quoi.

[Lafemmedeschats]

People of Paris were rude when I went to France but everywhere else people were very kind just more reserved than Americans.

[pooper89]

Just that they're french.

I don't know if you saw the movie Taken. That may have impacted it some.

[t987t987]

From the country boy side of America ...

We think french guys are a bunch of p******. Probably wrong but that is what we think. And French girls think they are better then everyone.

French fries are good until you hit you thirties

French toast is awesome..always

French kissing well. ... again always good because it leads to sex

The french people are passive and really haven't invented anything.

And old french men date 14 ye old french girls.

My thoughts as fast as I could type. Lol

[ABH-french]

"The french people are passive and really haven't invented anything."

I agree that french can be regarded as 'passive' but French invented many things. The French education system is surely one of the hardest in the world, especially for sciences. Many great scientists are French but because of the 'brain storming' of the USA, their invention are regarded as American. Well, there's no competition but I think that it's good to know.

[ladsin]

Well we all know a country boy can survive... thanks for that hank! XP

[ladsin]

Most American guys I know think the french are p****** or f**s... just being honest with you. Although the women typically love them (primarly for their accent) I met this one really cool french guy though I think his name was baptiste really cool guy and got all the girls he wanted. So I personally think it is dependent on the person but you were asking for the majority of us I presume

[Hamburgers]

American girls drop their panties for any European accent.

[ABH-french]

I have the feelings that American men are a bit jealous of European men.

[ladsin]

none that I know of

[ABH-french]

Good to know. ;) Thanks for your answer.

[yawst]

I have a celebrity crush on the french model Morgane Dubled but I'm surprised most french women don't look like her.

[BethanyRainbow]

I loooooove french people and the French culture

[Anonymous]

Frnech people tend to be really feminine

[Hamburgers]

See them as pus**es.