Travel Tips—Select Cultural Topics

 Language

• The French expect you to attempt to speak their language, as you are visiting their country.  And they will very rarely use their English, even if they can speak good English.
• A Frenchman who read the above comment added:  "Actually, very few French can read English, even fewer can understand it when talked, particularly from people living south of the Mason-Dixon line!  Therefore, don't wait a Frenchman/woman to answer in English when addressed in this tongue, not because he dislike or despise you, but simply put because he/she really doesn't feel comfortable, if not ridiculous, when speaking it."
• He adds, "One solution is to ask:  "Bonjour Monsieur, Madame, parlez-vous un peu l'Anglais?  If this man/woman actually knows some English, he will try to help, because you have asked for and...because French are mostly incompetent liers!"
• Therefore, if you have the time and resources, take a French for travelers course at your local county college, adult high school, Berlitz school, etc.
• If this can’t be done, at least buy a small travel dictionary, learn a few key phrases (see below), and check out the French for Travelers books at your library or bookstore.

Culture and Cultural Differences

• If this is your first or second time going to France, spend a few hours learning the culture before you go.  Things aren't always done the same way that they are in the U.S.

• I highly recommend the book Savoir Flair!  211 Tips for Enjoying France and the French by Polly Platt.  (ISBN 0-9646684-1-6)  Polly was a New York journalist who move to Paris in 1967.  The book is fun, light reading and full of good tips that will make your trip LESS STRESSFUL.  It has has useful chapters on enjoying shopping, hotels, restaurants, motoring around France, and many more. Differences such as customer service expectations are discussed in an entertaining and very helpful manner.

The Five Magic French Phrases  (Excerpts from Savoir Flair Tip No. 36)

• bonjour, monsieur; bonjour, madame; bonjour, mademoiselle--Good Day

• merci--Thank You

• s'il vous plait--Please

• excusez-moi--Excuse me

• bonsoir, monsier; bonsoir madame; bonsoir mademoisselle--Good Evening

• au revoir, monsier; au revoir madam; au revoir mademoisselle--Goodbye

• "With these words, and only these words, you can dress like Batman and walk down the sidewalk on your hands and French people will love you....Eve Francois, assistant buyer at the W.H.Smith bookstore in Paris:  "I see many Americans coming to buy books, and it is really shocking for us that they so often don't say hello, even in English, before they ask a question or give a book to the cashier."  Ellen Sugarman, of Miami, an investigative reporter and author was refused service when she asked for a Herald Tribune at a sidewalk kiosk in Paris without saying hello first."

• In my nine trips to France, I must agree with Polly that these five words will make up for a very poor ability to speak French!!!

French versus American Customer Service

• Polly Platt suggests that the French have grown up with a different cultural setting than "the customer is always right" that pervades modern American marketing.  She suggests:
• French employees selling wares are used to "certain codes" to trigger good customer service
• Foreign tourists don't always know these codes
• Therefore, employees don't always give them good customer service.

• She recommends that customers not just barge in aggressively.  Rather, say hello (see above), be pleasant and relaxed.  Treat the vendor as if you're in his/her home, not just a place of business.

• Also, don't expect to be waited on immediately, even if no other customers are present, and don't look cross if this happens.

Building Long-Term Relationships in France Makes a Difference

• Relationships in France (and most of Europe) are built over several years--not just one visit.  One of Polly Platt's "211 Tips for Enjoying France and the French" in her book, Savoir Flair, suggests that, if you visit the same vendor time and time again you will be noticed and remembered--even years later.  On a 2005 trip to France, the value of building a long-term relationship proved to be true.  Here's the story:
• Over the last three to four years I have stayed at the Hotel du commerce in Aubreville on my annual trip to the Meuse-Argonne.  The owners, Mr. et Mme. Labrosse have always been good hosts, but they have only spoken French to me, and MY VERY limited French has prevented us from truly building a relationship.
• That summer I led a six-person tour that spent two nights at the hotel.  One of the tour participants had become very sick before we arrived at the hotel on Friday.  As her situation worsened, our hosts called a local French physician and the pharmacy in the next town over.  At their request, the physician made a house call and the pharmacist re-opened his store--all at dinner time on Friday night.
• On Saturday, the last night in Aubreville, three of us were having a drink after dinner.  Mr. Labrosse came out on the terrace and offered each of us a shot of Liqueur de Mirabelle, a local specialty, compliments of the house.  That was a magic moment for me.
• My French is still terrible and that makes communication hard, but the phrase "a l'annee prochaine" (until next year) has become a code word for our relationship.

 Holidays/Closed Days/Lunch Breaks

• Bear in mind that most museums, shops, and banks are CLOSED ON MONDAY and on public holidays in France.

• Many businesses close from 1200-1400 for lunch.

• Also, the bakeries and butcher shops, etc. in small towns are only open for a short while on Sunday morning.

• One Frenchmen indicates that the National Museums (Douaumont and Vaux) are open every day except Tuesday, although they might be open Tuesdays during the Summer season.

• He adds that private Museums (Fleury Memorial) is probably closed on Monday.

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