Parisians warm to U.S. visitors

We’ve just returned from Paris and wanted to put in a word for the state of Franco-American relations.

Despite the negative portrait of the French government in American media, her people were warm and welcoming toward our family everywhere we went.

We had many pleasant encounters with Parisians. Our hotel director presented us with a fruit basket and gifts on the Fourth of July to commemorate American Independence Day. Several strangers helped us find our way when we were lost on the Metro. Many greeted us warmly and were patient with our attempts to speak French. At no time did we experience any hostility toward us because we were Americans.

The graciousness of the French people made us ashamed of our own country’s “freedom fries” reaction to them.

Traveling to Paris reminded us that we can rise above oversimplification and pettiness. True friends remain friends despite their differences.

We only hope that we Americans are as welcoming and as gracious toward our French visitors here in the United States as they have been to us.

The Alvarez Family

Cerritos

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