Bienvenue a Paris? Non, monsieur.
Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008 by Jon Clements
How does a city with a reputation for rudeness change its image?
The rudeness of Paris and its inhabitants is legendary, though I confess to have experienced none of it when last there. In fact, we got hugged to death in a restaurant by the staff. So, is the Parisian glumness nothing more than an urban myth cooked up by non-French speaking Brits and Americans?
Well, the Paris tourist board seems to think there’s a problem, having launched the Paris Greeter scheme, which provides local volunteers who are not only “enthusiastic and friendly” but show visitors the “the true Paris, the way Parisians live it and love it.”
So far, so good. But Parisian, Agnes Poirier, writing in the Guardian was less than impressed when trying to obtain the services of a Paris Greeter. After weeks, she’d heard nothing apart from an email saying the search was on for a suitable greeter. She says: “I knew it: the friendly Parisian is a myth - even an association whose sole aim is to greet foreigners can’t manage to muster up a single volunteer. It must be a joke: the Parisian greeter who cannot be bothered to greet.”
Such is her personal commitment to making up for Paris’ Gallic shoulder shrugging in the direction of visitors, she has offered to give a personal tour herself, accompanied by a photographer to record the whole thing.
Now that’s what you call a welcome. A bientot.
