10 Things Americans Won’t Understand in France
Americans come to France in droves, unprepared for the cultural differences existing over here. Our countries were founded under freedom, have similar colored flags, and we both love French wine, so what could be shocking? Here are 10 things that Americans have to get used to when in France so that you can avoid the culture shock.
Hours of Operation
Store hours in France are frustrating. Most establishments are not open 7 days a week and often close early in the evening. Likewise don’t expect to go shopping, banking, or errand running around lunch time because a locked door will greet you. The French take their breaks very seriously. Fifteen minutes before closing means not getting inside.
Luckily some French stores have started extending their hours of operation, especially around touristy areas. Many Americans don’t shop at Walmart at 3AM but it’s comforting to know we have the liberty to do so. We take this for granted in the States.
Food
The French will drench snails in garlicky butter yet call peanut butter or pumpkin pie “disgusting.” A whopping 89% of Americans and Canadians eat peanut butter, the other 11% have food allergies or are just plain weird. Well in France, there are no Reeses cups, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, peanut butter ice cream, peanut butter beer, peanut butter cheesecakes nor PB brownies. If that doesn’t make you cancel your flight to Paris CDG, I’m not sure what will.
“S’mores, what are s’mores?”
What are s’mores?” they said.
They looked at me as though I had 3 heads. I peered over the mountain’s edge to see if jumping from this height would kill me and magically take me back to the States.
What else about “food” would bug Americans in France? After living here a total of 2 years:
- Burger King is regarded as the 2nd coming of Christ by French adolescents. They rave about eating it. Seriously?
- Although known for culinary excellence, chocolate cake or brownies that taste better than those made in the United States don’t exist. Disappointing.
- No free refills. This one is self-explanatory, please fix this France.
- Genetically modified foods haven’t killed me yet. No, I won’t pay an extra 3€ for organic tomatoes.
- The bread is addictive. What is it laced with?
To be fair, I believe that when you come to France, you should eat as the French do. Otherwise, you should have just stayed in the States. Am I eating significantly better food here than I was at home? Eh – sometimes. I miss mom’s home cooking though. My mom should come to France.
Driving
Driving in France is different: laughably high fuel prices, narrow city streets and manual transmissions will make you lament every single moment of operating a vehicle here. There are roundabouts everywhere, which is strange at first. There is also a weird desire for every hatchback vehicle on the market.
I find hatchback cars ugly, sorry, not my style.
The lack of pickups doesn’t bother me, but Texans may cry on the inside. Ford pickup trucks exist but always seem out-of-place.So is everything horrible in France? No, the speed limit on the highways hits 82mph. Which is great.
Halftime Score: France: 1, USA: 12.
When talking about distances, the French find driving more than 2 hours or commuting more than an hour a day as unbearable. In the U.S, if we had to drive 4 hours to get somewhere, it’s not a problem. I drove 12 hours straight from D.C to Miami, solo, and it was enjoyable.
The process required to obtain a driver’s license is much more intensive than in the States too. My driver’s test lasted 5 minutes and consisted of me parallel parking and recounting how to use my windshield wipers. In France you have to pay thousands of euros and follow a determined amount of driving lessons to get your permit. The driving age is 18.
Driving truly is a privilege in France.
Numbers
Americans who have never been to France need to watch out.
French numbers… ugh.
We write dates out as Day/Month/Year in France instead of the Month/Day/Year format. Sometimes I try to enter my date of birth when purchasing things online and then realize I’m using the wrong format because there’s no 23rd month. Luckily I can catch my mistake, but if you were born on a low number day then you must remain vigilant. When filling out administrative documents in pen, this can make you rage.
But dates aren’t the only difference. In France a COMMA is used in place of the decimal point. So the number 2,345.24 will actually be written as 2.345,24. I kid you not. I kid you not.
The 24 hour clock is prevalent in France. Some Americans may have a hard time adjusting from 7PM to 19h00. In France, cooking is done by weight instead of volume, so converting 100g of X ingredient into cups becomes a hassle. Recipes are also written in such a head-spinning manner.
The metric system (like most of the world) is used here. When I tell people I ran 10 miles, they think it was a 10 km stroll. No, it was over 16 km of intense, heart-pounding action. When the weather forecaster says it’s 13ºC outside, I can’t decide if I need to wear gloves or not. The struggle is real – growing up using Fahrenheit means 13º sounds COLD.
Apéritif / Goûter
In France there’s a special time of day when you sit down and drink alcohol with the occasional salty accompaniment. Time stops and you just chat with Friends. Goûter is considered an afternoon snack.
I wish these were a thing in the United States. Come on guys, let’s make this a thing.
Television
French TV compared to its American counterpart is similar because the French just steal all of our TV shows and dub over them. But where are the differences?
There are practically no commercial breaks in France. Wooohooo! You can watch an entire two-hour movie on a normal French channel without intermittent brainwashing in-between. That’s great. However something you’ll find bizarre is that shows are scheduled at crazy times. You have programs starting at 11:15, 3:20, or 6:45. In the United States we’re accustomed to shows being placed into one or more 30-minute time slots. This is a minor point because you shouldn’t be mindlessly watching TV when in France on vacation. I live here, that’s the difference. Go outside and enjoy what the country has to offer!
The Bureaucracy
Signing up for simple services or dealing with the government requires copious amounts of paperwork, stacks of files and after form of hell and torture. It’s almost like going to the DMV, running around several different windows then finding out you have to come back the next day because they close at 5 and you forgot form 11407C. Is this want rampant socialism does to a country?
Things move slowly in France. The French even know this and have gotten used to it. Applying for government programs can take MONTHS, so apply as soon as you can.
Tipping your Waiter / Waitress
Ah, the cliché. I had to mention this one, sorry. In France, we usually don’t tip our servers. I’ve seen large parties dine for an hour and not leave one cent on the table. To be fair, I like the pressure of not having to tip. Why must customers front a server’s salary as opposed to the establishment who hired them?
Nudity
Walking through the streets of Lyon, I did a double take after seeing the huge banner plastered across an eyeglass store. A topless man and woman sat in bed wearing awesome spectacles with a catchy slogan overhead. You’ll find “men’s” magazines in train stations or street kiosks, and stores advertising see-through lingerie in the heart of big cities.
I’m not a prude American. I plan on having a career in health care, so seeing the human body on display doesn’t bother me. But this stuff still catches me off guard. Bare breasts or buttocks on a TV film at 8PM would make some Americans go bonkers. Ironic how we react to nudity with such vigor considering we’re the porn capital of the world. Parents try to hard to safe guard a child’s “innocence,” yet early exposure to the human body makes nudity less of a big deal.
Stop being so prude, America and let it all free!
Friendship
In the U.S, when you meet a new person or operate a business transaction we have grins plastered on our faces from cheek to cheek. Whether or not Americans have devalued smiles for over two centuries is not my point, the point is that in France if you smile like a loony to new people then they’ll take you for one. Likewise, friendship in France is not as superficial as it is in the States. Part of me enjoys when a cashier smiles and asks me “how are you?” yet another part of me realizes that we should strive for genuine smiles and friendships that mean something.
By the way, “how are you?” doesn’t actually mean tell me about your horrible day – it’s just a way Americans open a conversation.
Conclusion
That’s my list of 10 things Americans won’t understand in France. Do you have anything to add to the list? Lemme know in the comments below!
Even if you never visit France, an article like this makes you realize what you take for granted as normal or “the way it is” and realize thinks could (and perhaps should) be different.
Yes it doesn’t matter if you EAP commas for decimals when writing numbers, but try cooking with ingredients measured in weight rather than volume and you’ll never look back. Does the metric system and 24 hour clock make more sense? Of course they do, but it’s not enough to tilt at windmills.
We might debate the Isom of short, sporadic store hours but perhaps it’s a testament to how much they value the LIFE part of a work/life balance.
French food alone is worth 25 points. It’s all about the prep, at least when you dine in a non-fast-food establishment. I’ve never eaten so well as in France yet was able to maintain/or/lose weight each séjour. It is there i came to appreciate fish, prepared with care and flavor. Prior to that, I knew of only deep batter-fried haddock in the U.S.
And although I love Smucker’s Goober Grape, I never missed pb&j with all the other choices of food available. And last I checked, French ketchup is flavored as to force you to avoid its use.
I don’t understand why Americans think roundabouts are weird? Maybe it’s because I’m from MA and they’re super common here and I LOVE them! Because sometimes when you’re confused about which exit to take, you can just keep going around. I’ve driven in other parts of the country where they’re less common and if you took the wrong exit, especially on a highway, it can take 20-30min to reroute your way back!
There’s actually a lot of roundabouts in Southeastern PA.. I think we should add more.
Roundabouts are evil and stupid.
Driving. The passenger seat in a car, which we call “riding shotgun”, is regarded by the French as “la place de morte”. Curious French law that gives everyone the right-of-way. So a car entering the road you’re on from your right can (and does) dart out into traffic with no warning. Doesn’t matter if you’re travelling 80 kph and they’re coming out of an alley.
The other thing I noticed was that French drivers won’t make eye contact. Ever. So you’re not only guessing at their intentions but – for survival’s sake – you start becoming a little psycho yourself. Then escalation begins.
The difficulty of getting a French driver license does pay off in practice. One way is in how, while we Americans measure off a distance or buffer of a foot or two of space between vehicles, the French have it down to centimeters. This threatening use of intimidation can (and does) lead to timidity or naked aggression. But for God’s sake, if you have an accident you’d better work it out between you before the flics show up.
I will be everlastingly grateful that my French wife chose to go into labor at 3:30 am. I’d practiced the route a dozen times, very hazardous traffic and two traffic circles. At 3:45 am, the streets were deserted.
Informative information for everyone thanks for sharing.
That’s a funny list!
Just one thing:
Apperitif and gouter are not the same thing.
Gouter is around 4pm, generally sweet snakcs (Bread, butter and jam, or bread, butter and chocolate, for example).
Apperitif is before the evening meal, so it’d be more like 6/7pm. It isn’t a daily thing, and more a special occasion, like when you eat out, or have guest for food.
Both worthy of having in your life of course, but very different.
It’s funny because I can see this list in reverse, like the opening hours of the stores shocked me when I went over to the US haha!
Before going to France I got a book and read about culture and behavior. Even an article like this can be very helpful. I spent four months in Rambouillet and people smiled at me all the time, but they did so in Paris as well. It may be that my face is really hilarious. But if you behave well, the French will, even if they don’t smile, laugh at you behind their stodgy expressions. Americans smile and smile and smile (“and may still be a villain”) but they can turn on a dime to whines and moans.
Went to France on vacation last May. Had to wait in line for a little over an hour for stamps to send four postcards back to the U.S. I chalked it up as part of the Paris experience; my friend, however, was furious and used to time to vent about French inefficiency. Two people, same experience, different points of view.
Funny thing about post offices anywhere in the world.
A worthless and boring article!
Filled with the usual American stuff and tons of self-entitlement!
Why bother coming to France or to Europe?
(eyeroll)
It’s a fun and playful article written in a tongue-in-cheek sort of manner, Jade.
“Why bother coming to France or to Europe?”
I’ve been visiting/living in France every year since 2009. Nowhere in this article does it say to not travel and not to keep an open mind. Please, take that at face value.
I had NO IDEA that france was so different. I will have to get used to it if I want to go to france. I am learning French so that was good to know. Bonne nuit et au revoir!
I LIVED IN FRANCE FOR 6 YEARS, 1972 TO 1978. The first expression I learned was to pull my face. It is like shrugging your shoulders here (I think). The second thing I remember is going to a library and the librarian on entering asked to have and hold my precious Passport until I was leaving. I was furious and expressed it to the poor man who simply said “I am only doing my job”. Afterwards I apologized for my rude behavior, because I realized that I cannot impose my American ways on the French. So be it.
Well, I’m an old lady and I still drive a stick shift. In Canada. I dislike automatics. So when I rent a car in Europe or Britain (even on the wrong side of the road!) I’m just fine
Actually, I’ve a number of unusually good experiences in France. Once, I was going from Orly to DeGaulle and had only 20 minutes to catch my flight when I finally arrived at DeGaulle. They opened a check-in counter specially for me, and when I commented that the security line was very long, I was told to just say, “Excusez-moi. Mon avion départ en dix minutes” and everyone let me pass. I ran to the gate, and the flight attendants were waiting for me. My luggage didn’t make it, and the next day, they delivered it to my apartment in NY.
At a Metro information booth, the woman helped me with my pronunciation of the ô of l’ôpera, and similarly with a saleslady in the Lafayette department store when buying a gift: “Non, monsieur, la rôbe.” as she formed her lips into an oval.
And finally, right you are: Don’t go smiling at people with whom one is dealing.
I’m British so the French way of life is probably far less of a culture shock to me, but it’s part of the experience I think. I remember being in USA and tasting “grits” for the first time, I loved them much more than porridge oats and brought a few boxes home. Now if I had never visited the USA I would have missed out. Culture shocks can only be good 😊
I wouldn’t have a problem with getting rid of free refills, especially with soda. It’s not healthy and it’s one of the reasons why we have so many health and obesity problems as a country :)
And also, if you want a refill of coffee, this is a sign that the coffee is not nearly strong enough.
“But dates aren’t the only difference. In France a COMMA is used in place of the decimal point. So the number 2,345.24 will actually be written as 2.345,24. I kid you not. I kid you not.”
In fact we dont use . at all, we would just write it 2345,24
“There are roundabouts everywhere, which is strange at first. ”
Never heard a joke about “le gang des ronds-points” ? :D
Otherwise, as a French, i have nothing to correct in your article or else it’s just nitpicking.
Maybe the tip thing. From where i came from (Alsace) we have to tip the waiter / waitress if we think that he/she has done is job correctly (and no more less). So yes we left a tip most of the time but young generation stop doing that with the same logic as you. I still do it because i was raised that way but i don’t see it as a big deal if you don’t let one.
In relation to this, in the US if you are at the restaurant (big or small) it is common that the waiter / waitress – or even the boss – comes to you and asks how your meal (even if you still eating) or if you need something else. And they can come 2 or 3 times. In France they let you eat and maybe – but it’s not so frequent – they could asking how was your meal and that’s it ! Doing more may sound like being intrusive and rude.
Generally in the US when you go in a restaurant or a shop, the customers is like the king. Staff do it everything for you. It’s very “commercial” if you understand what i mean.
In France… it’s not. Or not as much, anyway. You and the staff are on the same plan and each one have to be polite and respectfull. If you act as an ass (or seems to be one), we kick you or if we can’t, we are going to be rude with you. And that’s likely why americans see us as rude people. It’s just… différent way of communicate and serving people. And btw, on supermarket you have to pack yourself your shopping. No one is paid for doing it (minimum wage is too high for this kinds of job), so be faster. I knew many american being stressed with that :)
Sorry for the mistakes.
Cher Thomas, à mon avis, vous avez raison. Americans often expect to be treated like kings — here in the U.S., the expression “The customer is always right” is frequently heard. Sadly, I think, because of this, many Americans have forgotten how to be humble and polite. Thank you for your insightful comment.
Wow, that is quite a culture shock for many. A lot of people are used to going to stores even though it’s 15 minutes before closing and expect to be served. Breaks are really much relished in France. As for nudity, probably goes with the territory. They are so comfortable with their own skin that it’s okay to go and bare it all out in the open and not be judged. Freedom takes a different meaning in France.