10 Clichés about the French people

 1. The French are lazy

With an average of 40.5 hours work week, the Frenchs, alongside the Italians, Irish, Latvians, Lithuanians, and Romanians, belong to the group of "laziest" workers in Europe. And if we add this on top of the strikes, the RTT (work time reduction), and the paid vacations, we get one of the biggest clichés about the French: they are real slackers! However, in reality, French workers are among the most productive in Europe and it is in Finland that the work rate is the lowest (in Europe) with "only" 1,670 hours per year...

2. The French always wear a beret

We don't really know who invented the beret but we do know that it has been particularly popular in the Pyrenees since the Middle Ages. Worn flat, tilted to one side, forward or backward, it has long been worn by men and women of all ages but became rare after the Second World War. Today, probably only the military, some painters of Montmartre, and the participants of the "férias" of the southwest of France are seen with this hat. 

3. The French always walk around with a baguette under their arm

France is undoubtedly the country of great bread quality, but in terms of consumption, the Bulgarians (95 kg/person) and the Germans (85 kg/person) eat the most bread in Europe every year. The French, on the other hand, are small players with their 58 kg/person per year.

4. The French are rude

Any tourist (or even a Parisian) who has ever sat at the terrace of a café in Paris knows a thing or two about French people's attitude. However, one should not forget that the French are also the most romantic! Or is it also a cliché?

5. The French wear a sailor suit

No, not all French people have closets overflowing with all kinds of sailors! However, they are quite proud of this little accessory, once exclusive to only the military, which was later brought to the rank of a real fashion accessory by Coco Channel, Brigitte Bardot, Mime Marceau, and, of course, Jean-Paul Gautier. After all, the sailor suit is a small part of France's national identity! 

6. The French only drink red wine

If France is still the first wine-producing country in the world, the French are not the biggest consumers! Indeed, it is the Americans who consume the most wine (all types combined) while it is the Chinese who consume the reddest wine. 

7. The French are fervent followers of the "French kiss"

The origin of this expression comes from the United States and which would lead most to believe that languorous kisses are commonplace in France, but one thing is sure: the French love to kiss each other! One, two, three, or even four, they are indeed not stingy with kisses when it comes to greeting each other!

 

8. The French are addicted to cheese

So it's true, with 26.3 kg per year/inhabitant, the French are the biggest consumers of cheese in the world. But France is also the country that produces the most different cheeses: camembert, roquefort, comté, brie, tome, goat cheese... There is something for everyone!

 

9. The French drive a 2CV (French car)

While the Italians drive in a yogurt pot, the French drive in a 2CV... At least, this is a persistent cliché in American movies when it comes to France. However, even if it must be admitted that the "Deudeuche" marked its time and became a myth of the French car, Citroën stopped producing it in 1990. There are still about 100,000 2CVs in circulation today.

 

10. The French are big fans of frog legs

This cliché is so strong that the English still call them "Frogs". Although it is true that France imports between 3,000 and 4,000 tons of frogs' legs per year, this dish is not very common on the tables of the country. It is rather in the region of Lyon as well as in the south of Burgundy that they appreciate this meat often served with garlic and parsley.

And you, have you ever heard another cliché about France and the French?

Here are some more clichés from France: https://youtu.be/OCIAyHEFTrQ

Source: https://www.govoyages.com/blog/cliches-sur-les-francais/