Are Americans Still Welcome in France? What’s Happening on the Ground
There’s a lot of anxiety right now about traveling to France as an American. I get it. The headlines are not subtle.
But the picture on the ground is more complicated than what you’re reading.
French People Are Annoyed at Washington
French public approval of the U.S. fell to 25% in 2025. That’s down from 65% in 2010, and it’s the lowest it’s been in a long time.
A solid majority of French people say they support boycotting American companies.
So yes, the politics are real.
What doesn’t follow from that is hostility toward American tourists walking around Paris.
A French woman running a concierge company in Paris and working with international clients every day describes the current mood toward Americans as “poor you” rather than anything confrontational.
French people, she says, are far more likely to direct frustration at American political leadership than at the person standing in front of them at a café.
That tracks with what travelers are reporting.
What You’ll Likely Experience
Seasoned travelers who spent weeks in France in 2025 overwhelmingly came back saying the same thing. Helpful locals. Warm interactions. No scenes.
Will you get the occasional pointed comment? Possibly. An American person based in Paris describes one uncomfortable run-in at a market. Some travelers have had strangers bring up Trump unprompted, especially in spots where the news was playing.
Those moments happen. They are not the average day.
The thing that keeps coming up in traveler reports is that French people draw a clear line between Americans and American foreign policy.
That’s not new. It was true during the Iraq War years too, and it’s held up again now.
American Tourism to France Is Not Collapsing
It might surprise you to know that Americans spent 9% more in France in 2025 than the year before. U.S. arrivals have not dropped in any meaningful way.
The European Travel Commission said in early 2026 that arrival data shows no indication that political events have affected U.S. travel to Europe.
The interesting flip is the other direction. The number of French people traveling to the U.S. dropped 7% in 2025, part of a broader European pullback from American tourism.
French tour operators are reporting a sharp drop in interest in U.S. travel. The boycott energy is pointed at going to America, not at welcoming Americans.
Your Money Goes Less Far Now
This one you will feel. The dollar lost roughly 12% against the euro across 2025. A trip that cost you $5,000 two years ago is closer to $5,600 now for the same itinerary.
Americans who are still going are adjusting by spending up. Air France-KLM is reporting a rise in premium bookings as economy seats soften.
If the budget is tight, this is worth factoring in before you book.
The Stuff That Still Matters
Say bonjour first. Every time, every interaction. It’s the single biggest thing that separates tourists French people enjoy from tourists they don’t.
It takes one second and it changes everything.
Keep the political conversation light if it comes up. “It’s been a strange few years” works fine as a deflection. You don’t owe anyone a debate, and starting one won’t end well.
French people have always been more formal with strangers than Americans tend to expect. That directness reads as cold to a lot of visitors, but it isn’t.
It’s just the pace of interaction there, and once you adjust to it, you’ll stop misreading it as a slight.
The One Honest Caveat
If you are visibly, loudly American in a way that signals you’re not paying attention to where you are, that has always created friction in France.
That’s not new and it’s not political. It was true in 2010 too.
The good news is the fix is easy. Learn five words of French. Slow down. Don’t assume the staff speaks English before giving them a chance to respond. You’ll have a completely different trip.
A 2026 survey from Les Frenchies Travel found that French locals say they prefer American tourists to many other nationalities.
The enthusiasm Americans bring, their curiosity, and their willingness to spend make them genuinely welcome guests.