Discover the regions
of France
of France
Cultural differences
Submitted by jissou on June 10, 2004 - 6:26am.
Hello,
I am a French citizen and have been living in the USA for 7 years now.
I always find very interesting what poeple think about culture differences between our 2 countries.
Let me start with one.
Maybe it is only from my personnal experience but, as an engineer in France, it is impossible to go home at night before 7:00pm.
Try to leave at 5pm and everybody is going to think that work is not your priority...here, if I am done my work I can get home by 5...at least from time to time and without being judged...
What do you think?
Other examples that might be true or false?
Jissou.
I am a French citizen and have been living in the USA for 7 years now.
I always find very interesting what poeple think about culture differences between our 2 countries.
Let me start with one.
Maybe it is only from my personnal experience but, as an engineer in France, it is impossible to go home at night before 7:00pm.
Try to leave at 5pm and everybody is going to think that work is not your priority...here, if I am done my work I can get home by 5...at least from time to time and without being judged...
What do you think?
Other examples that might be true or false?
Jissou.
»
Les differences...
Another difference
Some differences
I think the thing I noticred most was that everything in France is smaller, like stoves, refrigerators, apartments . . .
They don't seem to have the need to own "huge" things. Perhaps space is at a premium; I'm not sure the reason, but everything is more compact.
Families tend to eat together too. In the US it's hard to find families who eat two meals a day together. Even more difficult to find in the US are Mom's who do most of their own cooking. This is the norm in France although as mother's go to work, it is slowly changing.
US restaurants seldom have seating for one or two. If you go in by yourself or as a couple, you are given a table for four (or more). In France you will be given a table for one or if you are a couple, a table for two. The tables are much closer together too because they don't talk very loud so you don't sit there listening to the conversation at the next table. It also makes Americans seem very loud when they are in a French restaurant.
Restaurants, tables and servings are smaller. Of course, so are the French. Hm, wonder why? LOL
crc95: So now you tell me that Chicago is your favorable American city only if the sun is shinning? C'mon. In any event, it is nice to see the Red Sox slapping the White Sox around this weekend.
Donerail
SalB, I'm afraid since A-F left the forum, causing donerail a lot of despair, you might be called upon to fill in his shoes
CRC
im french
Glad you enjoy Tanglewood. We have a little summer place in the Berkshires and Tanglewood is one of our favorite places to go. Have you been to Saratoga? It's nice although we do prefer Tanglewood. My husband grew up back east and his family loved Tanglewood so it was quite natural that he wanted to take me. That was 40 years ago! Did you perch Mrs. donerail on the back of your Harley?
crc95: Ok, I'll bite. Tell me what you were doing wandering around Southside Chicago at night.
Donerail
Chicago also seems to have more libraries, more theaters, more downtown universities than any US city I've been to.
My favorite building is the Merchandise Mart, I just love that massive shape. I like the Opera too.
The food ... mmm ... they got the pan pizza in Chicago, I believe it was created there.
Even the ghetto in Chicago looks nice. I heard southside Chicago is America's largest ghetto. I like to go there just walking around too. Great church services on sunday mornings.
Chicago ... my kind of town !
CRC
Click on the blue and red France.com above and when you get to the home page, click on "Airfares" on the right side of your screen. You may have to play with dates a little, but they often have great deals.
There are the other air sites too, i.e., Expedia, Orbitz and of course, the airline web sites. It really pays to check a LOT of different sites before you buy.
donerail, I'm not going to diss Boston. It's a wonderful city, but I do much prefer the Chicago Symphony to yours. I have friends in both so it's not a matter of prejudice, just sound. Do you get to many BSO concerts?
They also have a terrific ice cream shop!! Chicago is a super city. I'm surprised you had a mediocre experience there. Get a couple good guide books and check them out before you go next time. Also check the Tribune when you get there. Not only is it a great newspaper, it gives a lot of information about what's happening in the city.
Just don't go in winter!!
And thanks for your comment about Lyon. You're right, our parkings are great, they're safe, clean, and practical, I get jealous each time my car gets to stay there
CRC
CRC
Best suburban train to my opinion : the Chicago Metra. That's like another commuting planet. Cleanest, fastest, and the ticket collectors make you feel like you're on the Orient Express. By the way, I know it might sound weird, but it's through one of them that I first heard the "work to live / live to work" thing.
CRC
I take NJ Transit into NYC from my house, the Midtown Direct Line. It's late many times arriving into the city. A 30 minute car ride into Manhattan can take at least 1 hour on that infernal train. During rush hour, forget about getting near a seat. It's like being on an Indian train in India. Cramped, stinking, with people pushing non-stop.
The NYC Subway is OK in winter but that is because you don't smell the dirt and urine as much in the cold. There is no ventilation system down in those subway stations. During the summer months they are RANK! and humid! I don't take the subway in the summertime. I take the bus. It's slower, but it's air-conditioned and easier to get a seat. And you don't have to wait underground in a stinking, urine, roach infested station. Let's not forget those noisy metal wheels on the subway trains that emit a high pitched squeeeeeeeeaaaaaaal as they pull into the station. The noise is so loud I have to plug my ears!
IN tulsa, OK they have public buses to get around but these don't run everywhere and they run only during workdays. After rush hour, the buses stop running. There is no train system to get around at all.
Washington DC subways are lovely! really! Clean, organized, easy to get around.
I LOOOOOOVE the Paris metro! They're cleaning it up (finally!) and the rubber wheels make waiting for a train a civilized matter. I personally like walking through all those tunnels and stairs to get to the metro. It's great exercise for me and helps to slim my legs!
The TGV is wonderful! Words cannot express the joy and beauty of a fast moving TGV!
Today : Question #1 - public transportation.
Well, I've only been on the subway in NYC and Chicago. I also know Amtrack and Greyhound quite well.
Subway trains I've used are quite the same as in Paris. Out network may be bigger, and simpler too. But I feel the subways I rode in the US are cleaner and safer, and what I like about them is that you don't have to go through miles and miles of tunnels and escalators to reach for your line. Inner city bus lines are fine too, I rode a lot of these in many cities across the USA, and they're helpful and cheap.
Amtrack can't beat our SNCF. Well, that's because no Americans will travel with Amtrack unless they're too scared to fly. Amtrack is slooooow, late, and there are states that don't get Amtrack at all. What I like about Amtrack is that the coaches are very comfortable, and service is good. Very relaxed atmosphere. It'd better be good, since the average ride will be something like 10 hours ! Actually one of my best moments in the US happens to be an Amtrack one. I had bought a first class sleeping car ticket (not that I was rich at the time, but it was the only seat left), on the City of New Orleans between Jackson MS and Chicago IL. They fed us a great steack, and then I just had to fall asleep in my big comfy bed to the sound of Muddy Waters on my CD player, at sundown, while the train rode peacefully through the Delta. Anyway ...
I won't comment on Greyhound, because, well, it's Greyhound, and most Americans never rode on a Greyhound at all
Finally, planes and airport ... clearly a lot better in the US, you guys make it so convenient to take a plane, I love it. I hate Roissy CDG, it was probably designed by Kafka's grandson. Best place to get lost and miss your flight. Hey maybe that's what it is for ? Lyon airport is better, but too small to bear the comparison.
Well, that's about all I have to say about public transportation. Now that I'm older and richer, I just rent cars
CRC
What differences do you notice in public transportation? (Relate this to where you were in the US because it varies greatly in different regions of the US.)
What differences do you notice in eating? (a) finding good restaurants, (b) type of cuisine, (c) service, (d) general attitudes
What differences do you notice in tourist facilities? (esp. language and tourist sights touted by local areas)
How do you feel about personal safety in both countries?
That's a start. Feel free to add anything that you particularly noticed. I think the first thing I noticed in France was that they take twice as long to eat a meal as in the US. It was a big difference to us the first trip. We have grown to love it, but it was odd at first.
Example (which you set) : toilets in the US vs. toilets in France.
Toilets are usually cleaner and larger in the US. They're usually smaller in France, and often to be used by both sexes (I know this shocks some of you people
And I didn't notice any diff with the flushes
CRC
Léon Gambetta is a 19th century French republican politician. The maréchal de Saxe was one of Napoleon's favorite military commander.
Anyway I'm glad you enjoyed Lyon. From a strictly neutral point of view, I think it is France's best town.
CRC
I thought I could spot an American in France a mile away but discovered you can only spot a "certain kind" of American. We were eating in a little family restaurant outside of Belflou one stormy evening. It was populated entirely by locals . . . or so we thought. As the evening wore on, our daughter noticed a couple sitting quite near us and she said she could have sworn she heard them speaking English. We were chatting and not paying a lot of attention but did notice the quiet young couple spoke to the waitress in French. Later, everyone had left except the young couple and us. It was getting late and we decided to go upstairs since we were staying the night and assumed the waitress would like some sleep too. As we passed the table, our daughter ventured to say, "Are you staying here too?" to the young couple. We were delighted when they replied in English and discovered they were bicycling enthusiasts who had been in Bordeaux and were doing a little traveling before returning to Baltimore. They were staying and we had a pleasant talk with them and met for breakfast.
They stayed there to avoid other Americans . . . and so did we! There are lots of quiet Americans, many of whom speak adequate (to excellent) French. You don't pick them out because they blend in. They know the customs, the manners and have many of the same attitudes the French have. They usually are not first-time visitors but people who went to France and grew to love it . . . as it appears you will do.
Welcome back. Glad you enjoyed yourself in France.
I just spent a week in Lyon and I loved it!! I already miss it! I can't wait to go back next year. I agree with Billy's observations regarding Paris and Lyon. You can spot an american a mile away from their demeanor..for example...we were walking in Lyon with my boyfriend and a group of people were aproaching, I knew they were americans inmediately, they were loud and had a very arrogant attitude, Americans walk a certain way, as though they are somehow better than the rest of the world. Everything in France seems to be superior to America, even the way the toilet flushes!! I did not feel any hostility from the French, I was only frustrated because I couldn't speak the language, I understand a lot because I speak spanish, but I am working on it. I felt inlove with the name "Sexa Gambeta" one of the metro stops, but of course you know that! I hope we can keep in touch. I would love to hear from you! you can e-mail me if you like. tchow
I had a German friend once who said the first thing she noticed (in a negative way) was that the US is so big. They were going to Missouri and she said she thought they would never get there. She kept asking her new American husband if they were there yet. Good thing they weren't going to Calilfornia!
Just curious how it seems when you're crossing the pond the other way.
Thank you.
Of all the cameras I've owned, these two are the only one that have ever broken. It was the summer of the camera . . . in a bad way! However, I promise not to borrow a camera from you.
Hopefully you will get more specific questions from the originator of this thread.
And, also, don't expect me to lend you a camera
CRC
A few years ago (pre digital camera), we were in France. I love to take pictures and my camera broke. We took it to a camera shop in Narbonne and the fellow looked at it and concurred with me that it was a dead camera. He cheerfully helped me choose a new camera that I bought.
We spent a happy week in the Pyrenees taking lots of photos and the last day there in the middle of a medieval dance at Villefranche-de-Conflent, my brand new camera broke. Quelle horreur! The next morning, as we left the area, we stopped at the little camera shop in Narbonne. Having read that we would not be treated well with a problem, I didn't think I had much chance to get any recompense, but figured that I might as well try.
We found the little shop and explained the problem to the man in the shop, a different man from the one who sold us the camera, he tried fixing the camera and came to the same conclusion. This camera too was dead. He took me over to the display and pointed out all the cameras within the price range of my camera and told me to chose one. I did and he cheerfully gave it to me with profound apologies that the first one broke. He also gave me a free roll of film to go with it.
Now if that isn't excellent customer service, I don't know what is. (The second camera is still working very well.)
The moral of the story is that you can't believe everything you read about cultural differences. At least in my eyes, customer service in France is every bit as good as it is here.
ManuNice and crc95, can you give some differences you have noticed?
LVB, You have been immersed in both cultures, perhaps you can come up with social cultural differences relating to doing business?
Thanks.
As a tourist, I've noticed more formal dress in France and more formal manners in France. Unless on vacation, I've not seen many French in shorts and certainly not when they appear to be downtown on business. They don't wear baseball caps much and never in restaurants. When they enter a store, they always say hello to the proprietor and when they leave, they say thank you and good bye to the proprietor. I've noticed when people leave a room, they tend to say good bye to everyone else just as a general politeness.
Restaurants are different in France. They expect you to take a long time and to enjoy your meal. They don't interrupt you to ask if everything is okay. The assumption is that your meal is okay unless you point out a problem. They don't interrupt you to give you your check. You only get your check when you ask for it. I really like eating and not being interrupted. Many Americans think it's bad service because it's slow, especially if you don't know you have to ask for that check. The French seem to be able to take the time to enjoy themselves and their families whereas we seem to always be in a hurry to get to the next activity. I find it very relaxing but if I were there on business and trying to get something done quickly, it might be maddening. If you do business in France, you need to be adaptable and flexible. You also need to plan more time than you would here.
The French appreciate intelligence so you should be able to thoroughly defend your business plans and ideas. You should also expect a good argument. It's not quarrelsome, they just want to discuss all aspects and make sure everyone, including you, understands the situation.
Jissou
I just hope you don't kill or maim some innocent person zipping around a corner on your little motorcycle at 100 mph.
Boys will be boys!
Let's all go to Texas and watch those damn Texans speed around on the expressways at 100 mph!
we can drop crc off at the Bush ranch compound on the way!
Post new comment