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Do the French in general dislike Americans? Do they find U.S. tourists to be loud, obnoxious, fat, etc.?

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Just like there a american clichés about the French, there are french clichés about Americans.

According to those, Americans are:
- fat and eating junk food every day
- loud
- self-centered polluters
- have no taste
- hegemonic warmongers
- uneducated
- shallow, materialistic, obsessed about money

I wouldn't say we dislike Americans, actually I think our people have a lot in common and friendship is easy between us. What the French really dislike is the americain government and its warmongering, and the american culture being imported massively into the country through movies, junk food, TV shows etc. We feel both fascinated and threatened by that.

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Also, my wife wants to go to Paris next year. When is the best time of year to go?

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Definitely late spring/early summer, I'd say may/june are the best months. Best weather, not too many tourists yet.

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She found a hotel called the Metropole Opera. . Is this hotel in a good location as a base for walking/sightseeing in Paris?

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Ahah, no wonder your wife picked that area, it's great for shopping. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] You've got all the big department stores with luxury clothing & accessories down Boulevard Haussman. That hotel is well located, not too far from all the main attractions, you can easily walk/bike your way throuhg Paris.

Hotel recommandations... Well, it depends a lot of your budget and wishes. Since I live here I don't know many hotels. I tend to think that unless you want a palace, the hotel isn't that important and the location is what matters most.