Bastille Quote by Stephanie Perkins
““Here is everything I know about France: Madeline and Amelie and Moulin Rouge. The Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, although I have no idea what the function of either actually is. Napoleon, Marie Antoinette, and a lot of kings named Louis. I'm not sure what they did either, but I think it has something to do with the French Revolution, which has something to do with Bastille Day. The art museum is called the Louvre and it's shaped like a pyramid and the Mona Lisa lives there along with that statue of the women missing her arms. And there are cafes and bistros or whatever they call them on every street corner. And mimes. The food is supposed to be good, and the people drink a lot of wine and smoke a lot of cigarettes. I've heard they don't like Americans, and they don't like white sneakers.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Author interview, 2021
A superficial, stereotypical snapshot of French culture focusing on iconic symbols and clichés.
In simple terms: France reduced to famous landmarks and habits.
Key Takeaway
Look beyond clichés to understand a culture.
Themes
culture
stereotypes
travel
perception
identity
Mood
curious
critical
lighthearted
Type
observational
humorous
When to use this quote
- planning a trip to France
- teaching a French class
- writing a travel blog
- debating cultural stereotypes
Key Concepts
cultural reductionism
media influence
tourism
Questions to Reflect On
- What deeper aspects of French life are missing?
- How do stereotypes shape travel expectations?
A Different Perspective
Stereotypes can reinforce misunderstandings and ignore diversity.
![“Most of the crew were staying in Monaco. But my family and I were actually staying in Nice because I had my whole family there and we wanted a little more space and to stay in a hotel. The truth is we were asleep [when the attack Bastille Day terror happened] and woke up the next morning to it and…” quote by Jamie Dornan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4e3/jamie-dornan-5782_bastille_most-of-the-crew-were-staying-in-monaco_2585396.jpg)
![“I was in New York 9/11. Mark's [Wahlberg] from Boston, flew there immediately after. I was in Nice Bastille Day when the truck drove through and killed all these people. It's the new reality, unfortunately. The idea of trying to explore how we process this kind of event, how we survive…” quote by Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/185/peter-berg-14447_bastille_i-was-in-new-york-9-11-mark-s-wahlberg-f_2093673.jpg)
![“[My wife] liked to collect old encyclopedias from second-hand bookstores, and at one point we had eight of them. When I wrote my first historical novel---back in 1980, before I was online---I used them often as a research tool. For instance, I learned that the Bastille was either 90 feet high or…” quote by Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/75d/robert-anton-wilson-1198_bastille_my-wife-liked-to-collect-old-encyclopedi_864543.jpg)
