One thing that I found out about French people concerning body language is the frequency that people smile. I think it is more true in Paris, but French people are less likely to smile if they don’t actually mean it. They’re not being rude, they’re just being real, but it might come off to tourists as being unfriendly. People in positions of customer service (cashiers, secretaries, receptionists) who would typically be friendly to most people in the US, would not make as much of an effort to smile in France. This is important to know so that you don’t feel as though these people are being unfriendly, and so you can realize that getting smiles out of people is more valuable.
French culture is also much slower-paced than life is in the US. Whereas in the US we live in a more monochronic environment, the French have more polychronic tendencies. For example, meals tend to be longer in France, with less of a focus on fitting your meals around the rest of your schedule, but rather enjoying them as part of your daily routine. Children at school often have a much longer break for lunch during the day then we do in the US. This completely changes the values that people have for time—both how it is spent and how it is wasted.
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