French Onion JohnniesThese beret-wearing, onion-laden cyclists arrived in the UK every summer to peddle their wares. They came from the area around Roscoff, Brittany in northern France (pictured below). Since the Onion Johnnies were the only contact that many Brits had with a Frenchman, they naturally assumed that all Frenchmen wore berets. Today, Onion Johnnies are practically non-existent, and those in the UK who have a hankering for the pink Roscoff onion can order it online. The French stereotypeEven though the Onion Johnnies with their berets and bikes are no longer a part of the British landscape, their image lives on in the French stereotype.

Source: The Local November 26, 2019 14:35 UTC