mc_squared Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Parisians are 'rude and smelly' - say their own tourist chiefs Last updated at 19:02pm on 9th July 2007 Comments The Eiffel Tower, Paris. In a recent poll, the French Capital came 3rd out of 60 for attractiveness, but only 52nd for friendliness Parisians have been told they are rude AND smelly - by their own tourism chiefs. Tourist officials in Paris have told the city's notoriously grumpy waiters, shopkeepers and taxi drivers that their bad manners and poor personal hygiene are driving visitors away. This week the Paris tourist office launched a major campaign urging all the city's residents to make tourists feel more welcome in the city. Hundreds of thousands of brochures containing a "charter" of commitments to be helpful and polite are being handed out to Parisiens and tourists in English and in French. The charter tells locals, "I will take the time to give information to visitors". And it urges them to, "make use of my foreign-language skills to reply to visitors in their own language". But it also tells tourists, "I will experience the Parisien lifestyle" and "I will take advantage of my stay to try French products". As part of the drive to make visitors feel more welcome, tourist board staff will be sent to the city's most-visited sites in orange and white T-shirts bearing the slogan "Paris est vous", meaning Paris is Yours. A recent global survey ranked Paris as the world's third most attractive city behind Sydney and London, but it came only 52nd out of 60 for friendliness. Japanese psychologists have identified what they call "Paris Syndrome", when polite Japanese tourists suffer mental breakdown at the shock of being treated rudely by Parisian locals. On average, up to 12 Japanese tourists a year fall victim to it, mainly women in their 30s whose high expectations of their first dream trip abraod are shattered by Parisien arrogance. The Japanese embassy has a 24-hour hotline for those suffering from severe culture shock, and provides hospital treatment for anyone in need. Paris tourist office chairman Jean-Claude Lesourd said: "We have been trying very hard for a number of years to improve the welcome that Parisians offer to visitors. "And things are getting better. More and more Parisians can answer questions in English, for example. The old stereotype of people only speaking French is no longer true." He added: "We have made particular efforts with the city's taxi drivers with workshops to teach them subjects ranging from English speaking to hygiene and how to smile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FixYougirl Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Parisians Parisian people are not specially welcoming. If a tourist gets lost in the city, people are unable to answer him in English or their English is too poor. Besides, they're always in a hurry and don't have time to help them. I'm a Parisian born and i admit they're not helpful. As for they smelliness, I can't say they have less hygiene than any other country. In the summer and in the metro, during rush hour, it may happen people stink, specially males but it's not commonplace and when i go abroad in this period of the year, it's the same. I personnally can't stand when a person reeks off and in case it happens, i move to an other compartment to breeze a fresher air. :laugh3: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc_squared Posted July 9, 2007 Author Share Posted July 9, 2007 Parisian people are not specially welcoming. If a tourist gets lost in the city, people are unable to answer him in English or their English is too poor. Besides, they're always in a hurry and don't have time to help them. I'm a Parisian born and i admit they're not helpful. As for they smelliness, I can't say they have less hygiene than any other country. In the summer and in the metro, during rush hour, it may happen people stink, specially males but it's not commonplace and when i go abroad in this period of the year, it's the same. I personnally can't stand when a person reeks off and in case it happens, i move to an other compartment to breeze a fresher air. :laugh3: Thanks for your contribution, and for not kicking up a stink!!:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RICK8 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Oh this might have after effects..:lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc_squared Posted July 10, 2007 Author Share Posted July 10, 2007 Oh this might have after effects..:lol: O dour!!:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RICK8 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Oh lord,it smells bad!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColdMike Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 :laugh3: I couldn't agree more with you Patricia! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc_squared Posted July 10, 2007 Author Share Posted July 10, 2007 Parisian people are not specially welcoming. If a tourist gets lost in the city, people are unable to answer him in English or their English is too poor. Besides, they're always in a hurry and don't have time to help them. I'm a Parisian born and i admit they're not helpful. As for they smelliness, I can't say they have less hygiene than any other country. In the summer and in the metro, during rush hour, it may happen people stink, specially males but it's not commonplace and when i go abroad in this period of the year, it's the same. I personnally can't stand when a person reeks off and in case it happens, i move to an other compartment to breeze a fresher air. :laugh3: Actually, by that description, it doesn't sound any different to London!!:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilien88 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 I live quite far from Paris, but I went there 2 times : it's my favorite city, with the nicest monuments, and with the famous romantism in the air... You just have to go to the Défense, Louvre, Montmartre, Champs-Elysées, to see the real beauty of this fantastic melting pot. And, to conclude, people is not rude in Paris, maybe in big and famous restaurants or hotels, but everywhere else, people is normal, but they don't speak the best English... anyway, we're French, so that's normal to be bad in English! :laugh3: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc_squared Posted July 10, 2007 Author Share Posted July 10, 2007 I live quite far from Paris, but I went there 2 times : it's my favorite city, with the nicest monuments, and with the famous romantism in the air... You just have to go to the Défense, Louvre, Montmartre, Champs-Elysées, to see the real beauty of this fantastic melting pot. And, to conclude, people is not rude in Paris, maybe in big and famous restaurants or hotels, but everywhere else, people is normal, but they don't speak the best English... anyway, we're French, so that's normal to be bad in English! :laugh3: Vraiment?:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilien88 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Vraiment?:rolleyes: yes, you disagree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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