This Trip Changed My Idea About French People

My recent participation in the UTMB in Chamonix significantly altered my perspective on French culture and its people.

It is easy to visit a country as a tourist and assume you understand its culture, but you are usually only observing the surface. To genuinely understand a location, you have to engage with the community directly, whether by working there or participating in local events.

The Tourist Perspective vs. Practical Reality

Prior to this trip, my view of France was based on standard visits and professional interactions. Living in Hong Kong, I have worked with many French expatriates, and my direct experience with France consisted of running the Paris Marathon, visiting museums, and spending time near the Swiss border. My impression was neutral and largely aligned with typical views of Southern Europe: good food, pleasant weather, and a relaxed lifestyle. It was a standard, tourist-level understanding.

Discovering the Alpine Culture in Chamonix

Chamonix presented an entirely different environment. It is a town that effectively balances a quiet local lifestyle with an intense, outdoor-driven culture. Buying equipment, interacting with local residents, and navigating the logistics of the race forced me to step outside the standard visitor experience.

French runners made up the largest demographic in the race. During the final 20 kilometers, I spent considerable time talking with several of them. We discussed practical realities: career challenges, personal lives, and the immediate physical frustrations of the ultramarathon. At times, our values and perspectives on work and life were so aligned that I felt as though I was speaking with a peer from my own background rather than a foreign counterpart. The hikers we encountered in the Alps shared this same easy-going, highly athletic, and grounded demeanor.

A Shift in Long-Term Planning

This experience proved that the French demographic is far more diversified than the standard corporate or tourist stereotypes suggest. I had never previously considered living in France. However, after experiencing the specific lifestyle in Alpine towns like Chamonix—as well as Courmayeur over the border in Italy—I am now entirely open to the idea of relocating to such an environment for a few years to enjoy a different pace of life.

If you are evaluating European destinations, I highly recommend spending time in these mountain communities to experience a very different side of the local culture.

Thank you for reading.