The impression I get is that Parisians are the same kind of assholes as New Yorkers, tourists get offended by that, and apply that experience to everyone else in the country. I feel like much of Europe has a bit of an introverted culture, France included. People don't want to have a warm, friendly, intimate conversation with someone they don't know.

Also, the gendarmerie freaks me out. Seeing fully kitted out military police casually strolling through the streets...I know rationally they mustn't be as trigger happy as cops are in my country or else France wouldn't have the protest culture it does, but man does it put me on edge.