Updated by Valentina Rampazzo on December 2, 2024
French clichés: Myths debunked and truths revealed
An accordion playing, the smell of freshly-baked bread, a béret sitting sideways on the head of a man strolling in a striped long-sleeved top. It sounds all very French, all very cliché, doesn’t it? While not entirely true, stereotypes help us make sense of the world, by simplifying and generalizing ideas about a group of people. In this article, we’ll focus on French clichés: we’ll introduce them, make sense of their origins, and navigate the truths and myths around them. In a previous article, we disproved the unfortunate claim that French people are rude and explained what led to this reputation. But there are many more stereotypes about French people to tackle — some positive, some less so. Allons-y!
The French word cliché is the direct translation for ‘stereotype’. However, with time, these two words started to take on different meanings. Nowadays, when using clichés, we usually refer to an overly familiar phrase, expression, or theme. Stereotypes, on the other hand, are generalized concepts and ideas, most unfair and untrue, about a certain category of people or things.
Let’s kick off with some of the most common stereotypes of French people:
If you look at the first name of the author of this blog, then you’ll know that hyphenated names are a common occurrence in France. The title of one of the most famous French magazines, Marie-Claire, is another example of a hyphenated French name. This structure for a name used to have aristocratic roots but is now perceived as old-school and its trend is no longer in vogue.
While often true, this cliché requires some additional explanation. It’s important to know that the second part of a hyphenated name is not a middle name. Instead, it’s an integral part of the first name, as indicated by the use of the hyphen.
On the list of supposed bad habits in France, this stereotype is definitely an exaggeration. At the very least, it’s no longer as true as it used to be. To give some historical perspective, a survey from 1953 by the Société nationale d’exploitation industrielle des tabacs et allumettes (National Society for the Industrial Exploitation of Tobacco and Matches) showed that 72% of all French men were smokers. Thanks in part to various laws and campaigns since the 1970s, this figure has greatly decreased. Another survey showed that only 29.2% of the French population continues to smoke as of 2022, and this number is sure to go down as the government continues to take action to reduce smoking.
Even in a country so famous for its gastronomie, frog legs and snails are two classic French dishes you might be reluctant to try. Frog hunting isn’t prohibited in France, but as these amphibians’ population drastically decreased over the last decades, most of them are imported from Asia.
So, while frogs are much less common nowadays, snails remain a delicacy that French people enjoy on special occasions. They are usually served hot in a sauce that has flavors of garlic and butter reminiscent of garlic bread.
This is another stereotype about French people that has little actual truth. In fact, you’re unlikely to find any French people wearing a béret unless they belong to the national army, while the famous blue-and-white striped shirt (aka marinière) is a classic naval uniform in Brittany.
Style icons such as Coco Chanel, Brigitte Bardot and Jean-Paul Gauthier are probably the real reason why the béret and stripes have become synonymous with French fashion.
This stereotype tends to be less and less true. While it’s a fact that older generations may not have been exposed to much English — and therefore are generally less confident speaking the language — younger generations are usually able and ready to speak English, if only at a basic level. In fact, as a sign of this evolution, more and more English words infiltrate the French language. That being said, all French people, no matter what their age is, will appreciate you making the effort of speaking in French. Even if you know only a few words, it’s a sign of respect and reciprocity.
Outright, the answer is ‘no’! While French remains a Romance language and knowing another language from the same family helps, its grammar can be tackled by anyone interested in learning French.
English and French share the same speech particles and a lot of the French grammar rules are recognizable. Additionally:
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Maybe it’s all those famous French philosophers; maybe it’s the cafés philosophiques (philosophical cafés) where they would debate their groundbreaking ideas; or maybe it’s the illustrious Académie française they would eventually join. No matter the reason, French people do have the reputation of being intellectual. But, while you may often find them debating issues at the dining table, they also enjoy their fair share of mindless entertainment and games.
With so many world-famous maisons de haute couture, it’s easy to see why French people, and in particular French women, are said to be fashionable. This may also come from the understated, classic and simple look French people traditionally tend to favor.
Out of all the stereotypes about France, this is definitely the one that has remained a true constant to this day. Among the different kinds of French bread you may find in shops, la baguette remains by far the most common and preferred one.
Be it with jam and butter for breakfast, as a sandwich for a quick lunch on the go, or with cheese at the end of a proper meal, it’s an absolute must of French daily cuisine.
We managed to debunk some of the most common stereotypes about the French. If they’re so easy to argue, though, how come they still circulate and are so vividly evoking of the culture of the Hexagone? There are a few reasons why:
Cultural understanding and immersion are the answer to that. Only by fully embracing the French culture, you’ll be able to appreciate the nuances that stereotypes often overlook. Learning French will have a profound impact on breaking those views. Here’s how:
Cliché is the direct translation of ‘stereotype’. Nowadays, however, cliché describes rather an overfamiliar phrase, theme, or expression.
‘Braves gens, mais entêtés’ (brave but stubborn people) is how the Bretons are sometimes described. Also, they are seen as patriotic and attached to their region, taking pride in their Celtic origins and culture.
France’s territory allows for the production of fresh and diverse produce. Some of the world’s most famous wine regions, such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne are in France and their unique geography and climate contribute distinct flavors to the wines. The country also boasts over 400 officially recognized cheeses, many of which benefit from a protected status (AOC/AOP). Cheese remains a staple in many homes and is typically enjoyed in a course between the main dishes and dessert.
From gastronomy to fashion, from bad habits to intelligent discourse, our selection of the most common clichés about French people varies in nature. Some of these clichés have been highly exaggerated or are no longer as true as they used to be. Others remain as relevant today as ever. But they all contribute to the myth surrounding French people.
