Frogs are the worst tourists...

rc26 · Post by **rc26** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:34 am

I would have guessed that we pampered, spoiled tourists from the US would have been the worst. Go figure.

French tourists seen as world's worst: survey

PARIS (Reuters Life!) – French tourists are the worst in the world, coming across as bad at foreign languages, tight-fisted and arrogant, according to a survey of 4,500 hotel owners across the world.

They finish in last place in the survey carried out for internet travel agency Expedia by polling company TNS Infratest, which said French holidaymakers don't speak local languages and are seen as impolite.

"It's mainly the fact that they speak little or no English when they're abroad, and they don't speak much of the local language," Expedia Marketing Director Timothee de Roux told radio station France Info.

"The French don't go abroad very much. We're lucky enough to have a country which is magnificent in terms of its landscape and culture," he said, adding that 90 per cent of French people did their traveling at home.

"So when they're on holiday they can be a bit stressed, they're not used to things, and this can lead them to be demanding in a way which could be seen as a certain arrogance."

French tourists are also accused of generally spending less than other nationalities when abroad.

De Roux said the French, not accustomed to leaving large tips at home where a service charge is automatically levied on restaurant bills, can seem "tight-fisted" compared with other nationalities.

The Japanese ranked top of the Best Tourist survey, with the British and the Germans judged the best of the Europeans.

But French tourists received some consolation for their poor performance, finishing third after the Italians and British for dress sense while on holiday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090709/lf_ ... e_tourists

Bigshankhank · Post by **Bigshankhank** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:39 am

When I was 14 my family took a trip to Vegas. While at the pool, a french family came down, and both the mother and her teenage daughter proceeded to remove their tops. I will NOT allow anyone to defame french tourists, that image is indelibly burned into my brain as one of the happiest of my time in puberty.

rc26 · Post by **rc26** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:44 am

Bigshankhank wrote:When I was 14 my family took a trip to Vegas. While at the pool, a french family came down, and both the mother and her teenage daughter proceeded to remove their tops. I will NOT allow anyone to defame french tourists, that image is indelibly burned into my brain as one of the happiest of my time in puberty.

I used to date a young lady from France. It never failed, every time we'd be about 100 yards from the dock...off comes the bikini top. I had no issues with it...ever. We got pulled over by the water cops one time...they kindly reminded her that it was indecent exposure and that she should leave her top on.

Then there was the one time her 60 year old mother came out with us...she wanted to remove her top too. Thank god she didn't...

motorpsycho67 · Post by **motorpsycho67** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:37 am

You know, I've lived abroad and travelled quite a bit and Parisians were some of the nicest people I've encountered.

As far as Germans being the best European tourists, that's laughable. They have a deserved reputation in Europe as being loud and obnoxious. Of course, not all Germans are like that, just the drunk ones.

goose · Post by **goose** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:40 am

RC26 wrote:
Bigshankhank wrote:When I was 14 my family took a trip to Vegas.

Then there was the one time her 60 year old mother came out with us...she wanted to remove her top too. Thank god she didn't...

yeesh! two potatoes in tube socks racing towards her ankles.... dear gawd!

Moto_Myotis · Post by **Moto_Myotis** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:01 am

RC26 wrote:
Then there was the one time her 60 year old mother came out with us...she wanted to remove her top too. Thank god she didn't...

Sadly, this sounds like a typical family vacation from my childhood. Damn hippie parents!

Photo · Post by **Photo** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:19 pm

Ok, I'll be "that guy".
I've found French tourists to be reasonably polite and decent, here in the U.S. As far as travelling to France- the French are FAR more tolerant of Americans who don't speak French, than we are of the French who come here without speaking English. Listening to yet another American speaking more loudly and more slowly in English to a garcon at a restaurant is hilarious - it's just as funny when a Frenchman does it to an American. There are dorks and nice people from every country. As far as cheapness goes, most French are broke from paying so many taxes back home. Their tipping system isn't as loose as ours, either.

I'd really like to see us yankees stop harassing the French with that old schpeel, "if it weren't for us Americans, you Frogs would still be speaking German!" Since the U.S. is known for its short attention span, I would remind most yankees that we would still be a commonwealth of England, if it weren't for General Lafayette. After WWII, we were simply 'paying up' our tab on the democracy/salvation score...

Gauss · Post by **Gauss** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:36 pm

I can't say I've met too many French tourists...but as hosts I had no complaints...always polite, and in contrast to the the stereotypes, very friendly (despite my constant attempts to completely massacre their language).

I think the French wouldn't have such a bad rap if smiling at strangers was a part of their casual culture/mannerisms (or maybe it was just a Paris thing)...not having a smile "hello" returned seems to really get some people's tits in a wringer.

guitargeek · Post by **guitargeek** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:45 pm

Indeed, on several occasions I've had to remind conservative fuckheads that the statue of Liberty that they hold so dear was a gift from France, and that the French aren't cowards by any stretch of the imagination. Look at la Resistance during WWII! Among other things, those people risked everything to help get downed American pilots out of France and back into the fight!

I asked my buddy, Pierre, why there was this animosity between France and the US. He said that neither group could stand anyone more arrogant than themselves.

flounder · Post by **flounder** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:51 pm

RC26 wrote:Then there was the one time her 60 year old mother came out with us...she wanted to remove her top too. Thank god she didn't...

THAT was a word picture I didnt need to start the weekend with! Thanks a lot!!!!

Groove · Post by **Groove** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 6:54 pm

And then there are "French" Canadians..., a whole different level of self-absorbed oblivion. I see it every day.

xtian · Post by **xtian** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:01 pm

last time I went to france there were these waiters getting mad at some english speaking tourists that could not get their orders. the waiters treated them like shit making fun of them because "what do you want, these idiot canno't speak a word of french, can you imagine that, not my fault !". no need to say none of the waiters could articulate or understand a single english word either.

for the rest, there is a reason why they call it "world war II "and not "america against the rest of the world war II".
I heard there are 3 times more signs in english now in paris that there were in german during the occupation days.

roadmissile · Post by **roadmissile** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:28 pm

xtian wrote:I heard there are 3 times more signs in english now in paris that there were in german during the occupation days.

Well, when you're a fascist occupying force fighting a war on two fronts it really hurts your infrastructure budget.

FWIW I have no real experience with the French on tour, except one girl that was nicer than nice, but whenever I travel I do it with an eye toward respect, who want's to be one of those 'asshole americans' right?

/RM

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Frogs are the worst tourists...

Frogs are the worst tourists...