The French have a lot of stereotypes!

The majority of stereotypes are ridiculous! I'll admit that as an American living in France, I sometimes feel embarrassed when people ask me where I'm from. When they hear me talk in French and detect my accent, they are compelled to inquire as to my nationality. "Oh, I'm American," I admit sheepishly and apologetically, because I'm well aware of all the terrible prejudices about Americans that others hold. At the same time, there are some preconceptions (both positive and negative) that might provide some insight into a country's culture and people. Since I've lived in France for more than a year, I've found it useful to think about the parallels and contrasts between being an American and being a French person. Stereotypes can sometimes assist you in better understanding the subtleties of a culture. Here are a few helpful and accurate clichés about the French that I discovered.

The French are excellent cooks!

In France, I've discovered that almost everyone can cook. They are unquestionably better cooks than the average young American. One night at my boyfriend's place, I was astounded to see a group of men in their twenties cooking, setting the table, and sitting down for a nice supper together. I'm not talking about frozen pizza or mac and cheese! They were creating actual meals that required effort and time. Food that was both tasty and well presented. The amount of passion that goes into preparing and eating meals astounded me. In France, food has a high monetary value. It's something to relish and appreciate.

The men are all very attractive!

The French males are always well-dressed. I'm not sure if it's French men or Europeans in general (I've just been to France), but there is a distinct difference in how men dress in this country. In the United States, if a man overdresses, he may be perceived as effeminate, which is a shame in our views. Move to France if you're bored of seeing men in gym shorts and t-shirts. Real pants and scarves can be found here! The males in this town have a great sense of style. Oh, my goodness!

The French consume a lot of baguettes.

Yes. To me, this is both truthful and amusing. It may appear to be the most stereotypical item on our list, yet it is correct! I once attended a gathering where one of the preparation items was to purchase 12 baguettes. The next morning, there were only two left. It's also understandable! France has some of the best bread in the world. For me, all other bread is now destroyed. Forever. It's not like this anywhere else!

Cheese

I'd always joked about wanting to take a cheese course one day. Knowing the difference between Brie and Tomme seemed fancy to me. To tell you the truth, merely living in France has been an advanced level cheese course for me. When I first met French people, I was astounded at how many different kinds of cheese they knew! My pals, for example, could pick which savory cheese would pair best with a sweet pear piece to create a distinct tasting sensation without any thought. When it came to cheese, I had to admit that I knew very little. I wasn't really a cheese enthusiast when I first arrived in France because the only three cheeses I knew were cheddar, parmesan, and mozzarella! I shudder with humiliation when I admit this terrible truth, because I now know so much more about cheese. I know everything there is to know about cheese, and I adore it! Almost as excellent as the baguettes is the cheese!

France is a lovely country with enough to see and do. These are all stereotypes that I discovered to be true, as well as aspects of the country that I find appealing. I had been dreaming about moving to France for a long time before ultimately making the decision to follow my heart and relocate here. The way of life is vastly different from that of the United States. It's unique, but it's also quite lovely. I've discovered that I get really passionate about topics that may appear mundane to French people. They've lived here their entire lives, but there are times when I feel as if I'm living in a French fairytale.