Say Fromage!!!

I think they must have suggested the same thing to New Yorkers.

Once known for being somewhat surly and for their harsh opinions, our last two trips to New York have shown a generous, helpful, and friendly side towards us tourists that practically made the trip as memorable as anything we did or saw while there.

I say, if it works for New Yorkers, it certainly is worth a try elsewhere.

Hmm. I'd hate to see France adopt that fake corporate-enforced "happy" American attitude that you get in our retail stores. Just like I don't feel the need for my local grocery clerk to smile and tell me to have a nice day (which they do anyway, because they have to), I don't need random Parisians smiling at me.

It's really nice to make someone smile genuinely, but what's the point if there's no real sentiment behind it?

I don't go to Paris for the fake smiles,, I don't even go for the real ones( but they are always nice!). I go for the food, art, history and all around beauty of some areas.. but.. I know though that some people need the "Hi I'm Bob and I'm your waiter tonight" sort of coddling. I don't.

I really don't think Parisians smiling or not will make much difference in tourism though,, I think the sucky economy is the issue, people just can't AFFORD to go overseas as much.. regardless of where..
We went to Hawaii this year ,, and the hotel staff there told us occupancy was way down for them too.
They smile alot in Hawaii.

Just back from France (night of 7/11), and I thought I'd wait until that old canard of Parisiens being rude popped up again before I posted my experience. Sure enough, in less than 48 hours there it is; so here's our story. We had to retrieve our bags from left-luggage at the Gare de Lyon before making our way to our hotel at CDG. If you don't know this station, it's immense, on 3 levels, and confusing. After some minutes of fruitless wandering, my husband made a foray down another stairway, while I propped my weary body against a wall, head in hand. A woman came up and asked if I was okay. When I explained our problem, she offered to escort us. Though she had a train to catch, she spent 10-15 minutes walking us through, asking employees for help, and getting us where we need to be. (kind Parisien #1)
Our next adventure was riding the RER. Line B to CDG is actually two lines. It splits some way out of the city, with only one branch going to the airport. We were on the wrong one. As soon as we diverged from the unified track, a man who saw our luggage, came up, asked if we were headed to CDG, told us we were on the wrong train and explained what we had to do. (kind Parisien #2) BTW, we weren't the only ones in our car to have made the same mistake.
The suburban stations we were dealing with had no escalators; and I've lost count of how many people came up and offered help as we, a couple in our 70's, struggled up and down the stairs with our bags and with lifting them onto the trains from the platforms. (kind Parisiens #3-maybe 10)
I didn't notice if any of these wonderful people, who went out of their way to assist us, was smiling. However, their genuine kindness was far more important.

Intersting article but I don't have any issues with either the Parisiens or the French in general. Au contraire, I traveled there for 3 weeks with my 85 year old Mother and found everyone most kind and accommodating. She was forever being offered a seat, taxi drivers were really nice to her as she was slow in getting out, etc.etc. The French have far more respect for older people than we do in the US. They are far more formal than we are and not "in your face". None of that phony have a nice day bit!