Busting the Paris 'Bad Service' Myth

We’ve all heard the theory that suggests all Parisians are rude and offer appalling service standards to visitors. But, as with all theories, often the truth is somewhat different to the reality and in many cases you may be very pleasantly surprised in the French capital!

A Working Capital City

It’s sometimes overlooked that Paris does not exist simply to serve as a tourist destination. It’s not a theme park but rather a major political and economic centre and, of course, the capital of France. What this means is that this city is busy for about 11 months of the year with things other than tourism. It’s an incredible fact that over 18% of the entire population of France lives in the relatively small area occupied by Paris.

While on the subject of amazing facts, the Paris transport systems carry over four million people every weekday. Many of the people on the streets, trains or in restaurants are therefore in a hurry and are under their own capital city pressures, just like those living in Sydney, London or Washington DC. Very few capitals in the western world are known for their relaxed and laid-back ambience and Paris is no different.

The word to the wise is that if you’re visiting for the first time, don’t expect the same relaxed vibe that you might find in some of the smaller French cities. If every passer-by in the street doesn't greet you with a 'bonjour' or people try to queue-jump on the Metro that's not some special Parisian arrogance – that's human nature!

Tourism

Paris and London jostle for the position of the most popular tourist destination on the planet, and the sheer number of visitors means that Paris actually makes a huge effort to cater for international visitors to the city. The local and national authorities have invested heavily in training for people working in the tourist industry, and they are concerned about the city’s reputation for rudeness in service.

It appears to be working as, these days, many people report that the politeness and service received in Paris is as good as, or even better than, most other capital cities around the world. On the whole, French people take the subject of service excellence very seriously and they are, usually, unfailingly polite.

Culture

Keep in mind, however, that cultural differences can also play a role; what you find to be ‘rude’ might just be polite formality in French culture. For example, don’t expect the waiter or shop assistant to try and pretend that they’re your best friend, as is commonly the case in the USA and also increasingly in the UK. In fact, to many French people and other Europeans visiting the USA, service standards can appear to be insincere, syrupy and overly familiar in a very presumptuous way.

Parisian service can appear to be slightly ‘stand-offish’ and formal, but that's the traditional French way of doing things. The person you’re dealing with isn’t your inferior or a servant and they will expect to maintain their own dignity and receive at least a modicum of respect from their clientele.

August

If you like things to be quieter and less hectic, think about visiting Paris in August. Many of the locals leave the city for the best part of the entire month, heading usually to the coast. Businesses close, the pace is slower and you'll find the streets, shops and transport systems a little easier to manage.

Getting There

Paris is serviced by several airports and there are also excellent road and rail links from all over Europe. Most international flights will land at Charles de Gaulle Airport and it's not hard to pick up an excellent airport shuttle service to your city centre accommodation. It's also possible to take public transport from CDG airport in to the centre of the city, but most people find the airport shuttle service faster and, ultimately, far more convenient and comfortable.

Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct. If you’re looking for an airport shuttle service, Shuttle Direct provide pre-booked shuttles to major destinations all over Europe. Wherever you travel, Shuttle Direct can make sure that you don’t miss your car on your holiday abroad.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.