Does the old-school image of the average Frenchman with his beret screwed on his head, baguette and bottle of red wine in hand still apply? Let's take a look at the most redundant clichés about Frenchies!
1. The French are lazy
Overall, according to others, the French are still on strike. We won't put all the blame on the SNCF, though: Frenchies have rights, and they like to assert them! History shows us that the indomitable Gauls already had a tendency to sequester their bosses, and often seemed on the verge of revolt. We're not on strike ALL the time - no, sometimes we're on vacation too...
2. The French are cra-cra
The cliché persists: French is dirty, filthy. Hygiene? We wash our hands of it. In fact, some people refer to the use of deodorant as a "French shower". It's true that we sometimes wake up in the morning with dry eyeballs, but that doesn't have to stop at France's borders. Some people even wonder about our physical functioning. As if having armpits that smell of camembert were something genetic and inherent to our nationality. So either the foreigners who describe us are acting in bad faith, or we have to face the facts: we're turning our friends away!
3. The French are romantic, gallant and thoughtful
The reputation of Paris as the world capital of luxury, fashion and lovers seems to rub off on all French people. The French are said to be romantic, gallant and thoughtful, and more to the point: the reputation of the "French lover" or "French kiss" is well established. As for French women, they're considered coquettish, tasteful but as easy to open as a flower in the morning dew (if that's not a nice way of putting it)... . .
4. The French are perceived as arrogant, chauvinistic and grouchy.
"Maudits Français" as the Québécois say. Abroad, it is said that the French are eternally dissatisfied, and constantly feel the need to compare other people's countries with their own.
5. The French are cultured and refined
We are seen as cultured, refined and aesthete, thanks in part to the reputation of our museums, artists and other intellectuals. Finally, our gourmet side is emphasized. The reputation of our gastronomy is well established. In fact, since 2010, French gastronomy has been listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It's said that the French live to eat, while elsewhere we eat to live. This epicureanism is intriguing, and has given rise to the expression "French paradox" to explain why our lifespan is slightly longer than that of our neighbors, despite our frequent excesses.
From article: https://fr.petitsfrenchies.com/francais-monde-cliches-stereotypes/
