Culture Differences Between Netherland and France

The Dutch frontier is just at few hours from Paris and yet the majority of French people are not aware with the Dutch culture. I came to Netherland with lot of cliché, like windmill, tulips, cheese, drugs and prostitution. But now I live here and I understood that this country is not limited to these things.

First French people and Dutch person have a significant similarity: We are European. We are a part of a same community, we have some rules and right in common. It is easy to travel between these two countries because of this fact. Beyond our cliché a trip in Netherland can be enriching I think, because we are so close but our cultures are so different.

To illustrate my words I can say that the first remarkable similarity is the Dutch’s open-mindedness about a lot of things. We know the flexibility about prostitution or drugs for example, but it’s not only about that. There are numerous more interesting subjects, like the opening to the world. Indeed the large part of Dutch people speaks English even in Enschede which is not the largest town. Dutch can work and travel everywhere in the world, they can welcome and integrate foreign people like us, what is not the case in France. France is a country much more withdrawn on it and the language is not the only point. For example I was so surprised when I saw typical houses with big windows without shutters or curtains. In France we are so curious about people’s life here it’s not the case, nobody look through the windows both literally and figuratively.

Moreover there are some cultural differences in the daily life. For example in France eat is really important we made usually big dishes for each meal. In Netherland people doesn’t attached so much importance to food. Furthermore Dutch respect people and also environment. They move principally by bike, in France is very rare. There are also some similitudes for example sport, Dutch people are sporty like in France. They like football and it has so much importance...