Maaaybe it is the travellers from each area that are rude.
A discussion with our coworkers from France led us to…the French said Americans in France were rude while the Americans said the same of the French. We all agreed that all the members of our group were pretty nice folks.
We concluded it was those that travelled were the rude ones.
Having had mostly luck to travel a large part of the world I was able to observe many travelers. Most travelers are in fact respectful and humble when in a new country. Unfortunately Americans tend to be the ones who are the easiest to pick out. Not all Americans of course but enough that Americans traveling abroad as entitled and obnoxious is a valid stereotype. Be aware of that when you travel anywhere and try not to be “those” people and you will win a lot of good will and appreciation.
I agree that Americans are pretty easy to spot in Europe. Been there many times. Germany especially. I considered it a compliment when I was addressed in German by a passerby on the street or entering a restaurant rather than in English. Apparently I didn’t look like an American, Brit or Canadian.
You used to be able to spot American tourists by their tennis shoes. Europeans didn’t wear tennis shoes. The Brits picked up this habit as well so it isn’t as easy to spot as it once was.
Many years ago, on my first night in Paris, I remembered that a visitor should make his best attempt to speak in French, rather than insisting that the natives should speak English. So, in my best recollection of HS French (from 15 years previously) I proceeded to order dinner for my friend and myself.
The obnoxious waiter then corrected most of my pronunciations. And, this did not take place in a “snooty”, expensive restaurant.
Trust me… his attitude was “rewarded” appropriately when it came time for the tip. 
However, I don’t hold all Parisians responsible for that obnoxious waiter’s attitude. Most of the French people whom I encountered on that trip and on a subsequent trip were reasonably friendly, and they did not correct my pronunciations.
I found the French folks outside of Paris were more friendly and tolerant of my HS French.
Yes, definitely.
Similarly, folks in upstate NY tend to be much more friendly than the folks who live in NYC.
I think that urban life–no matter which urban area–tends to make people less friendly.
Our German tour director said it is because we don’t wear our hair on our collars like the Europeans. Then it’s the tennis shoes (or sneakers for you folks in the east).
We remember the rude ones, no matter how many reasonable people we meet.
I went to NW Quebec a long time ago for a vacation. We were at a bar on the lake, and I ordered the beer in French. We eventually needed additional service, and I asked in French if we could speak English. They happily complied and were my best pals all night. I guessed that French was their first language and acknowledged It. That’s all they wanted.
With our German tour director, we were always able to smell him, well before he came into sight.
I swear that this guy didn’t bathe for the 10 days that he accompanied us through Hungary, The Czech Republic, Austria, and Germany.
Possibly you bathe too much
Once each day is too much for you?
Are you related to Peter, our tour guide?
VT , I think you are proving the statement ( Most of us are not as amusing as we think we are ) .
Unless you work on the farm or in the coal mine there is little reason to bathe more than every other day or even a couple of times week. Many of our skin problems are a direct result of over bathing.
I was visiting Quebec on vacation probably 16 or so years ago and had an almost identical experience. I wasn’t even offended when the waiter told me that my French was pretty good for an American 
Now 16 years later…it’s mostly non-existent for speaking, but I can still mostly translate it in my head when I hear it.
I wonder if George is going to need to take French lessons to make it through that emissions test.
You must have been on the Circle Tours. Ours was very good.
I had a French nanny for a little while and she taught me the only French I know. “Do you speak French?” She didn’t teach me how to spell it though.
Parlez vous Français? One of the few bits I recall of high school French almost fifty years ago. 
Une grande bier, sil vous plait!
Merci. Ou et le toilette?
The important stuff. I can order a beer, offer thanks, and ask for the toilet in 4 languages
Yeah, that’s it. I would have spelled it phonetically. How do you spell Quadelia now? That was her name.
Back to cars. I’ve never had a French car but the neighbor girl did.