There are plenty of stereotypes about France and French people in general, but here are some of the things I noticed about this wonderful country and its people.
The People
The general stereotype of French people is not very flattering. Frogs legs and snails tend to describe the people as well as their daily cuisine sometimes, but I think that’s very unfair. While Parisians are traditionally the most unfriendly, the Parisians I met were for the most part really nice people, and easy to get along with.
The age-old problem of French immersion is one of the main problems with the Erasmus programme as a whole, especially for English speakers. At times the Erasmus community is alienated from the French student body purely due to language barriers and unwillingness to embrace the unknown on both sides. I found that taking smaller tutorial-like classes, in which I was one of the only foreign students, really helped in getting to know the French students and becoming a part of the class, rather than just the foreign part-timer that nobody knew. The groups which organised the events for Erasmus students were run predominantly by French people, showing that they do have an interest in meeting people from elsewhere, and I honestly think that with a bit of effort language-wise, it is very easy to make some great friends in France. I noticed too that French students in France are the exact same as Irish students in Ireland in some ways. They can be very welcoming, but if no effort is made then they will naturally stay with their classmates. That’s why having a good basis of French before going and also being prepared to leave your comfort zone in the language really, really helps. I would highly recommend finding an apartment with French speakers too, as it is too easy to stick with the Anglophones all the time and not embrace the French for the really great people they are. I am glad to say that I have some fantastic French friends after my time there, which I will definitely be back soon to visit.
The Food
The French are known worldwide for their excellent cuisine, and despite living on a tight student budget, I sampled some of the local and national delights a few times during the year. The €2,50 bottles of wine that were so much part of the experience may not have been the best quality wine in the world, but it felt very French to us, by the end of the night at least. However, a friend’s Parisian roommate was personally insulted when he spotted a plastic 1,5L bottle of wine on the table, costing a sum total of about 1€, and refused to associate himself with us for the rest of the evening. He was equally as offended and quite hurt when he saw us later opening a different bottle of wine in an extremely blasphemous way which went against his Parisian values and upbringing. On a positive note, my experiences of the local Tartiflette and Raclette dishes were amazing, and despite not being the biggest cheese fan, I had some good experiences in that regard. The French enjoy their baguettes and boulangeries in general, however I couldn’t find a decent replacement for Irish white bread. At Christmas I was welcomed home by a glass of nice cold milk and a slice or two of Brennan’s bread and I couldn’t have been happier. I also missed my chicken fillet and breakfast rolls, examples of typical Dublin cuisine that no-one else understands.
One thing I had noticed about France several years back but that hit home again this year was the surprising lack of overweight people. For a nation that eats so much bread, you would think they’d be piling on the pounds. To my surprise, I realised there were only about three McDonalds in the entire city, compared to three within 200 metres in Dublin, there were no massive counters full of sweets and chocolate bars in newsagents, and they didn’t tend to stuff themselves at meal times either. Fair play France, something we could all learn from I think.
Drinks wise, the French were a revelation. The wine was of course an ever present necessity, but the drinking habits in bars were quite different. I was recently dared to ask a barman in Dublin for a half pint of beer with some added peach syrup, and the look of confusion on his face was quite a sight to behold. In France, it’s not even the girls or the not-so-tough guys that would order those, but big groups of hefty mecs coming in together to have a few scoops, demi-pêches all round s’il vous plait, merci et bonne soirée. Working briefly as a barman in France I realised that it is quite different to Ireland, as you come across things you’ve never tasted and never even heard of every night of the week. The French seemed to love their apéritif drinks like Pastis and Ricard, and even the orangey flavoured Picon which you add to your beer, again for better flavour. There was also this bottle of green liquor called Get (pronounced Jet) which I had never seen before in my life, but was a big hit with the jeunes and even the not so jeunes. Apart from the endless slagging from those who are not French, you can order what you like in France and nobody will judge you. So if you really want that cranberry juice with a hint of lime, go for it ! Your manliness shall not be questioned and your self-esteem shall remain intact.
The Revolution
French people love their Revolution, and never stop talking about it. While I did go to Sciences Po, a Political Science university and therefore should have expected political polemics about the foundations of modern democracy etc, they would bring it up constantly and at any given moment. Fair play and all, but it might be interesting for them to take a more world view of things, especially on universally relevant topics. I’ve realised that France, while not quite as noticeable as the US, is a country that is quite centred on itself, something I am not at all used to, growing up in Celtic Tiger Ireland, where we depended on other countries and our large number of exports kept the economy going. I’m not saying it is a negative thing, but noticeable all the same. Our history, being controlled for years and fighting for independence also lends itself to that difference, and while socially we lagged behind everyone else for years, economically we relied on Britain and, since 1973, on Europe for our livelihoods. France, being the home to one of the most influential revolutions the world has ever seen, and being relatively powerful in the grand scheme of things for years, is a very proud nation, from their involvement in the wars (which fortunately gave us a few days off during the year) to their current social system and employment laws, they stick to their ways and are delighted about being French. I do admire that, as the notion of “being French” is more important to them than individual sub-cultures or religion, and it works quite well most of the time.
Also, La Marseillaise is now officially my favourite of all national anthems. While the lyrics are incredibly gory and bloodthirsty, its rousing nature is an absolute pleasure to behold, especially at a France Vs Ireland rugby game where you’re the one Irish guy in a sea of French people, trying not to feel awkward. The best way to avoid the awkwardness, I found, is to just start belting it out with them.
I had the privilege of attending a speech given by the President of France, François Hollande, in January, when he gave his Voeux à la Jeunesse, addressing the French youth. Being a massive deal for me to be invited, I suited up, but going out the door, I was quite self-conscious of my lack of shoe polish and the slight crease in my shirt. However, when I got there, I found that I was the only young person, out of several hundred that had worn a suit for the occasion. A few were in shirts and one or two had ties as well, but the vast majority of students and young people there were dressed as if they were going to the cinema, including the twelve young people up on stage speaking directly to him. One guy was in a full Adidas tracksuit, looking like he was just back from either the gym or vandalising someone’s car. Now I understand that they are young people and they have to be young, but when the President of your country comes to speak to you, the very least you should do is put on a shirt and trousers. Some people mistook me for security near the end, allowing me to get quite near the guy and shake his hand, so wearing the suit definitely paid off.
All in all, I have to say that France is a fantastic country, and that if you ever get the opportunity to spend some time there, or even to learn French, do it. If you respect the people by trying your best to use your French, they will most likely respect you back, and even if the odd few speak back in English, don’t back down, keep speaking French whenever possible. Eat baguettes and drink wine to your heart’s content, and amusez-vous bien!
