The French get a bad rap. Although they do not gush, like some Americans, they are unfailingly polite and (with one exception, Miss High-Heeled Strappy Sandals) helpful. It is amazing to sit in a restaurant or cafe and to be able to talk in low tones and be able to hear everyone in our party, because we are not competing with canned music and loud conversations.
Another major difference is in their use of cell phones. I have yet to hear even one side of a cell phone conversation. Do you think their cell phones are somehow different than ours? That people using them can speak in a normal tone of voice and be heard by their party on the other end? While they do speak on their phones in the Metro stations, when they enter the train, they immediately end their conversations. How civilized.
In general, the French seem much more attuned to their fellow human beings rather than being focused on themselves. A group of teenagers boarded the train from Chartres and sat behind us. They managed to laugh and have a good time without disturbing any other passengers on the train. How refreshing.
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