True, every big city have criminals, but only in Paris do you see the Metros and popular tourist destination populated with hordes of scumbags and lowlife criminals out to pickpocket or scam people or cause a nuisance to the public. And worse, the police knows about these people and yet do nothing to clear them out, and so does the city government. So the problem fester and so does the crime rate that comes along. Do you deny this? I heard the government even provide welfare for these people. Perhaps in the name of Human Rights? Even the locals I've talked to knows about this situation and complain about it bitterly because it's their tax money that subsidies this.

I didn't behave badly, and to be honest also, I think it's presumptuous of you or anybody to say so without evidence. I was trying to be nice to everyone, including greeting in Bonjour. What I got was at best indifference and at worst, like I was intruding or bothering them with something when what I want to do is just to place my meal order or ask some questions about something I want to buy. It's just really not welcoming. I can go into details but it's pointless since I am not going to change opinions here. That said, there are some exceptions, but few and far between.

Perhaps I was really unlucky. In any way, this discussion is mot, I am not coming back. All of us are shaped by our experience and perhaps there are many nice friendly French people out there but I didnt encounter them. There are far better places for me to spend my $$$ without putting up with sour long faces everywhere and getting stress up at the risk of being a victim of crime.