There are many myths that are told about the French people that are told in the US and a lot of people think this stuff is true… when it’s actually not. So I’m going to clear some of these up here in hopes that I can help those Americans who just don’t like the French (why is that again…?) Many of these myths have some sort of reasoning behind them and some are just plain silly. It is important to debunk these myths because they can be hurtful toward French people. The French are very proud of their heritage for many reasons and it is important for everyone to respect cultural differences. There is actually a joke when Americans go to Italy that they should watch out for being pick pocketed and when Italians go to America, they should watch that they don't get murdered. This goes to show how silly some of our myths might appear to someone in the country that the myth pertains to.

While there are many people in France who do smoke, not everyone in France smokes. Many young people do not smoke. There is also a public smoking ban in France that is currently in affect which makes smoking in public illegal. So anyone who does not like to be around cigarette smoke is free to visit France without bringing home lung cancer.

What? Hygiene is practiced in France… just as it is in the US. The average French person bathes or showers at least once a day just as people do in the United States. France isn't a third world country, it's just different!

This depends where you're going. If you're visiting large cities like Marseille, Paris, Lyon, etc, then chances are you'll be able to get by just speaking English. If you're going off the beaten path to explore small towns and villages, then knowing some French is helpful. Of course, those fluent in French will have it easier, but it's not impossible to travel around France knowing no French.

I’m pretty sure that the French are able to separate the American people from the administration that runs the US. The French are against the war in Iraq… but then again I am too. I’ve not really had any problems with any French people hating me.

As one of the most popular French myths, this myth was probably spread by some guy seeing the one French woman who hadn’t shaved in a week because I’ve not yet seen a woman with hairy armpits in France. I’m sure that there is some women in France who don’t shave their armpits, but as with that there are probably an equal percentage of women in the US who don’t shave their armpits.

Untrue. In my experiences in France, I have found the French to be among the most helpful and friendly people I’ve encountered. There are some cultural differences that Americans should understand before calling a French person rude. With a little education for the situation, you can find yourself getting along with the French just fine. There are of course some rude people in France. That’s a fact of life. There are rude people everywhere. This to me is one of the most interesting French myths, because I find many Americans rude!