French Cultural Contradictions

The character of the French has always been a subject of discussion. Often observed by foreigners and widely commented on—sometimes unflatteringly—by journalists and travelers, the French leave no one indifferent. Their many contradictions raise questions and can sometimes lead to misunderstandings among outsiders.

Having worked daily for the past ten years alongside expatriates from diverse backgrounds and nationalities, I enjoy deciphering the cultural markers of my fellow citizens with the neutrality this exercise requires.

This article aims to shed light on five French contradictions, avoiding clichés and preconceived ideas as much as possible.

1. The grumpy French vs. the French joie de vivre

The France of the ’60s feels like a distant memory, along with its Godard and Truffaut films, Jeanne Moreau and Jean-Paul Belmondo, and the admiration for the French language and way of life.

While the French art de vivre—celebrating the joy of living, carefreeness, a love of culinary pleasures, and long holidays—is widely recognized, outside observers are often surprised by the way the French perceive the future. Where is the famous joie de vivre?

From a lack of faith in the future and distrust of political leaders to skepticism about the education system and the welfare state, pessimism seems to pervade every aspect of French life. So, the French—these bon vivants—are they also incorrigible complainers on top of being pessimistic?

In an Ipsos survey from 2023, 70% of French people say they are pessimistic about the future of France.

There is, therefore, a real contradiction: individually, people seem relatively happy, or at least aspire to be, in their personal lives with family and friends. Yet, when it comes to their country’s future, they believe it is headed for disaster.

As sociologist Rémy Oudghiri explained on France Inter’s program Bonheur à la Française: Why Are the French So Pessimistic? on February 19, 2020:
"What’s difficult in France is publicly acknowledging that we are happy. There is a rather typical scene in France, especially in the mornings when people arrive at work and start chatting: they have this habit of criticizing everything, suggesting that everything is going wrong, but deep down, they are actually quite happy. It’s as if, at its core, pessimism is just a conversation topic."

Indeed, criticism is something of a national sport, and no subject is spared from fatalistic or acrimonious remarks—whether it’s politics, the country’s leaders, the economy, or even the weather. My students, whether visiting Paris or living here as expatriates, are often bewildered by the French temperament: they grumble all day long and tend to see the glass as half empty—whereas others (non-French) might see it the other way around, half full.

2. The new Parisienne vs the myth of the Parisienne

The myth of the Parisienne remained unchanged for centuries—until today, when it has even become a marketing asset used to sell dozens of books on the subject. However, the Parisienne strolling through the streets of Paris in 2021 does not necessarily correspond to the stereotype that many foreigners still hold.

In their minds, the French woman is often a Parisian: fair-skinned, thin, sexy, and chic, dressed in a trench coat, wearing red lipstick, cycling through the 6th arrondissement, her hair blowing in the wind, perched on 12-centimeter heels. This long-standing fantasy is now outdated.

Let’s take a moment to revisit the myth of the Parisienne. It originally emerged in the famous salons littéraires of the 17th century, where women stood out for their intellect and scholarship. Writers like the Marquise de Sévigné and Madame de La Fayette shone for their knowledge and avant-garde thinking. Later, French women embodied this archetype through cinema, with actresses such as Catherine Deneuve, Emmanuelle Béart, and Marion Cotillard, or in philosophy, with figures like Simone de Beauvoir and other prominent intellectuals.

But today, the Parisienne—free from the fantasy imposed upon her—is diverse. She is no longer necessarily white, nor always dressed like a model ready for the catwalk. She does not always wear a size 36. So, farewell to the femme fatale and welcome to a Parisienne from a variety of backgrounds, capable of disrupting the smooth, predictable image that has labeled her for centuries.

Two books published in 2019 and 2020 challenge the archetype of the Parisienne: The New Parisienne: The Women and Ideas Shaping Paris by Lindsay Tramuta and Joann Pai, and Je suis PAS Parisienne by Franco-British journalist Alice Pfeiffer.

3. Polite vs. Rude

It’s almost impossible to avoid mentioning the well-known tourist cliché about French rudeness, which is widely discussed across travel blogs. With 100 million tourists in 2023, negative accounts regularly fuel the press and online travel forums.

We often read that the French are arrogant, rude, and boorish. Tales of unfortunate tourists encountering brusque words, impolite behavior, or indifferent Parisian café waiters have long been a staple of foreign media and internet discussions.

This is not to deny these accounts—there is certainly some truth to them—but perhaps we should ask ourselves whether Parisians are really any less friendly or more stressed than city dwellers in other major capitals around the world.

It is true that the French are not always the most outwardly cheerful, but this is often because they reserve their smiles for their close circle of friends.

One thing is certain, however: these supposedly harsh attitudes contrast with the strong codes of politeness that still prevail in France and remain widely respected.

Some rules may have evolved over time, but courtesy and politeness in conversation remain fundamental.

No exchange begins without a bonjour—an essential prerequisite for any interaction, regardless of social class. Conversations are typically punctuated with polite expressions such as bonjour, merci, and au revoir. The use of the formal vous in French is also a mark of politeness and respect, particularly when addressing a stranger or someone significantly older.

While expressions of courtesy may seem unnecessary in a fast-paced world where efficiency often takes precedence over formal pleasantries, it is worth remembering that politeness is not merely an outdated social code. It is a way of relating to others, of living in society—a spontaneous form of kindness.

As philosopher Henri Bergson once wrote: "Politeness is the grace of the spirit.

4 : Strong tendency towards rebellion versus very high expectations of the state

French history, shaped by revolts and successive rebellions, reinforces the image of a stubborn nation, difficult to govern and resistant to established rules. Could we say that a revolutionary spirit lies within every French person? Political discussions and debates are often heated in a country where everyone has an opinion on government decisions.

Without passing judgment on their grievances, the relatively recent Gilets Jaunes crisis illustrated this defiant French character. The organization of protests—often disregarding bans or bypassing legal authorization from the prefecture—is a telling example.

The deep mistrust of political leaders among French citizens is well-documented by numerous studies, though this sentiment now extends beyond France’s borders.

Paradoxically, the French also have high expectations of the state, particularly regarding social support. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a striking example: while criticizing the government’s handling of the crisis, the French simultaneously expected the state to step in and mitigate the economic and social fallout.

According to Jean Garrigues, a French political historian, this tension “dates back to the Revolution when, after the authoritarian rule of the kings, Bonapartism emerged with the idea of a strong power supported by the people. The modern political history of France is shaped by this paradox, by this dual dynamic: on one hand, the promotion of individual autonomy and independent thought; on the other, the need for a providential leader. Emmanuel Macron benefited greatly from this during his campaign.

5. Fans of Frenglish versus the anglicism resistants

The French language is a constant source of tension between the esteemed members of the Académie Française—an austere institution that, since 1635, has been tasked with defining the French language—through the development of its dictionary and the suppression of Franglais. This effort extends to the professional world (media, new technologies, marketing) and, more broadly, to everyday language.

To reinforce the fight against anglicisms, the Toubon law was passed in 1994, officially designating French as the language of education, work, public exchanges, and services. This was nothing less than an open declaration of war on English borrowings.

The French Language Enrichment Commission regularly publishes lists of official French translations for English words that have slipped into common usage, which are recorded in the Journal Officiel. In its latest version, suggestions such as directeur de série instead of showrunner or vidéotox for deepfake are now recommended. While these alternatives rarely gain traction in everyday speech, they at least have the merit of providing some amusement.

But should we really be surprised by linguistic cross-pollination? English and French have been influencing each other for centuries. The origins of this exchange date back to the 11th century with William the Conqueror’s invasion of England, which led to an estimated third of English vocabulary being borrowed from French. Centuries later, the influence has reversed, with English flooding French corporate language with words like startup, call, and forward, among many others.

In this fierce resistance, one can’t help but see a clash between an old world—steeped in conservatism and dogmatism, clinging to the idea of a “pure” language that must be fiercely defended—and a younger, more globalized society, where the use of anglicisms reflects a desire for efficiency, precision, and simplicity. Even President Macron, in 2017, declared his ambition to make France a startup nation.

Fortunately, French remains a living language. And as with all living languages, borrowing from others is inevitable. It has always been this way throughout history—and always will be