Just back from France

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

and England. Spent two nights in London, three in Paris, and two in Normandy.

Great vacation. Things I discovered:

[ul]
[li]My high school French slowly came back to me, and I was able to actually make myself understood.[/li][li]The French are not snotty at all to Americans (even in Paris). Everyone was very friendly (even when we were being a bit overly demanding). It helps if you speak French, but if you ask nicely if someone speaks English, they will jump at the chance to practice (especially if they’re under 30).[/li][li]There is no such thing as bad French food.[/li][li]French food isn’t fattening – I lost five pounds. Of course, I was walking over 6 miles a day (sometimes 9), but a croissant and tea for breakfast was more than enough.[/li][li]London is designed for tourists – souvenir shops are all over – while Paris is designed for the Friend.[/li][li]Take the Batteau Mouche tour of Paris.[/li][li]The artists on Montmartre will try to hustle you, especially for silhouettes, but their prices are negotiable. They wanted 20 euros ($30). I offered $10 US and they took it – and I realized later I could have offered $5.[/li][li]London’s Underground is better kept up than the Paris Metro (I love subways)[/li][li]The Normandy beaches are still awe-inspiring.[/li][li]The American cemetery at Omaha Beach is a must. They have a new visitor’s center that gives a great overview of the invasion.[/li][li]Every village in Normandy seems to have a museum covering the invasion.[/li][li]Honfleur is one of the prettiest towns I’ve seen (but then, most of the small French towns are nice competition). Best to go in October, when the crowds have left.[/li][li]Paris is just like it’s portrayed in movies: the streets lined with cafes, and the stores a combination of bakeries, beauty parlors, and fashion stores. Though not every window has a view of the Eiffel Tower.[/li][li]French roads are very well marked; you need someone to follow a map, but at every intersection (or roundabout, which were very common), the signs are very clear.[/li][li]Don’t try to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace on a beautiful Sunday morning. Big crowds.[/li][li]Many English pubs, despite having individual names, are run by the same management company.[/li][li]English breakfasts are all protein; French breakfasts are all carbs.[/li][li]At many London crosswalks, they paint “Look Right ---->” to make sure you see the cars.[/li][li]The French don’t serve butter with their bread. You don’t miss it.[/li][li]Snails are pretty good. Much like whelk (or other seafood).[/li][li]Most French restaurants offer multicourse meals: an entree (the appetizer), a plat (main course), and dessert. One price. Some offer deals for the first two or last two.[/li][li]For dessert, try the floating island – a meringue in creme anglais (liquid custard) and fruit.[/li][li]Harrod’s in London is a must. Amazing store.[/li][li]The Musee d’Orsee is the place to visit if you like French Impressionism. If you have the time, visit by room number, which goes chronologically through the movement.[/li][li]It’s hard to find cheap souvenirs in France.[/li][li]I was going to get a beret until I realized I never saw anyone wearing one. I got a nice hat with a brim instead; people thought I was French.[/li][li]In London, visit the St. James Park. Beautiful, and something of a bird sanctuary. The pelicans let you almost touch them.[/li][li]“Jardins” in Paris are more like parks than gardens.[/li][li]Watch out for scams in Paris. One guy pretended to find a ring at my feet and asked it if was mine. I said “no,” but he seemed to want to try to sell it to me. I told him “no” and he left.[/li][li]There was a guy dressed as a hunchback just outside Notre Dame.[/li][li]Every French village has an elaborate stone church.[/li][li]If you can fly Air France, do so. The meals are terrific – with champagne, wine, and brandy even in economy class.[/li][li]French computer keyboards are weird. If you touch type, you’ll use the “q” for “a.” On the top row, you shift for numbers and type symbols unshifted, and there are two symbols; I couldn’t figure out how to get some of them and had to use ASCII codes.[/li][/ul]

Enough for now.

2

I speak maybe 5 words of French yet I have walked around Paris for days at a time by myself and never had any problems. No one was mean to me either. I was just really quiet and humble and anyone I needed to talked to just switched to English on their own. The people are even friendlier in the countryside. I LOVE French food no matter how exotic. I wish it didn’t take so much skill to make.

3

Maybe it was different in the late 1980’s, but when I was in Paris every man, woman and child there was exceptionally rude.

4

You must, absolutely must, greet people with bonjour (or bonsoir). You miss that and yeah, you are going to get rude right back at you.

Not that you were doing that, but it’s one thing I noticed in France.

5

My mother would just walk up and ask if people spoke English. If they did, they happily switched.

I could speak enough French to get by (especially by the end), but I can’t think of anyone who was rude to us for speaking English.

6

Things were a little different when DeGaulle was a political force, Vietnam (which France lost once) was going on and before English became the default language across Europe. Now Americans are customers, not an occupying power intent on confronting the Soviets to the exclusion of all local interests. The European Union, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall look like factors to me. There is slight chance now that some crazy American will turn Europe into a smoking crater.

In the old days you could expect to get the cold shoulder in Paris (but not outside the city) if you didn’t at least try to speak French (and the old fashion brush off almost any place in Germany outside the garrison neighborhoods if you didn’t speak German). Fortunately Mrs G spoke fluent French (albeit with a Belgian accent) and my German was passable. For the last ten years or so all that old 1960s and 1970s stand-offishness seems to be gone. Lately the only place we’ve received surly treatment on language issues is Quebec.

While we are at it, be warned that there are still some people in Upper Austria who resent the outcome of WWII…

7

Your description of Paris reminded me of this. Any similarities?

8

I love that one, it’s probably my favorite from that movie.

9

I agree with almost everything except for Harrod’s. We had high tea there and it was an absolute ripoff. One scone per person and don’t ask for seconds. The rest was utterly pedestrian.

10

Quite a few – our hotel was right on the edge of the 14th Arrondisement.

(I noticed she’s speaking French with a decidedly American accent.)

11

I agree with everything in the OP, including the gold ring guy . . . except I’ve never been to Normandy. On your next trip to France, head for the south . . . especially Provence and the Riviera.

And by the way, I have ***never ***encountered a rude French person. The only rude people are American and German and Russian tourists.

12

AltGr (right alt)+key

13

My experience in France was fine except for the language. No matter how rudimentary their English skills, it seemed like people were very adamant about communicating in English only, like it was acceptable for them to mangle my native language and for me to struggle to understand them but not acceptable for me to use my five years of American academic French with a so-so but very understandable accent for simple transactions which would’ve been infinitely easier on everyone involved conducted in even rudimentary French.

14

You know if I didn’t have family here I think I would just move to France.