Finally, travel secret revealed

You will not be treated any better than anyone else if you say the keyword because everyone says it everywhere.

On the other hand, if you do not say it, that is where the trouble can begin. :))

Phred, you seem to have taken exception to the advice given in the article. I can't say that I saw anything I disagree with. It's all advice that I wish everyone paid more attention to. Do doubt aimed at first time visitors, but applicable to all.

I wish I'd known this before my first trip to France. For months I practised riding a creaky bike dressed in a striped shirt, a dodgy beret on my head, a string of onions dangling from my neck.....you should have seen the looks.

I personally agree with the advice.

I'd go further; you should always start with a formal greeting when talking to someone you don't know. Not just Bonjour but Bonjour Madame - even when talking to a 17-year-old in a convenience store. This is rule one of polite conversation, and the French are very big on being polite.

If you want full credit, end your conversation with "Thank you, Goodbye" - it doesn't even need to be in French. A good conversation ends with this. Not including this as you close the conversation is awkward.

Brad

I believe CNN is giving good advice. It’s been my experience that trying to speak the local language is a great way to connect with locals. I also have noticed that it is a cultural thing to greet the proprietor with a “bonjour” in Paris. Locals always say “bonjour” while some visitors do and some don’t. Those that don’t risk not getting good service.

The point is that anyone who travels to France should have figured this out by the second day. Of course. It is no secret.

It is good advice of course-- whenever we have a friend going to France for the first time we tell them how important it is.

JoLui nails it -- you won't get good customer service if you do, but you sure as heck will get bad service if you don't

What is important to know is that the vast majority of French people believe that even Americans have this same "protocol" at home.

So you're supposed to follow it, even if you do it in English and say "hello" instead of "bonjour"

If you don't follow it there are two possible explanations:

-You are a rude person

-You are in a bad mood

For example, when I go to the bakery, here is the minimum basic dialogue:

The baker: - Bonjour

Me: - Bonjour, je voudrais 3 croissants s'il vous plait. (Hello, I would like 3 croissants please)

The baker gives me the croissants and tells me the price, I pay

If I pay by credit card, he/she asks: "ticket"? to know if I want to keep the payment receipt

Me: - Non (I never keep receipts)

I take the croissants and say: - Merci, bonne journée. Au revoir (thank you, have a good day, goodbye)

Also, don't be surprised, in a place in the countryside like where I live and where people are not in a hurry and stressed like in Paris, even if there are a lot of customers waiting it can happens that dialogue continues with additional comments about the weather, local news, health, or activities the customer has planned for the day.

If you didn't say "bonjour" and you look annoyed because of the wait, you can expect that the baker will treat you with disdain and give you the oldest croissants.

The article gives very good advice, so I’m not sure what the sarcasm is about. Different country, different culture and customs. Isn’t that what travel is all about?
And for those who can’t comprehend the importance of saying “bonjour” in France. Think of it this way: an American not saying bonjour when entering a shop, boulangerie etc in France is just as rude as a Frenchman not tipping his waiter at least 15-20% in the USA.

The advice is spot on, so I am not sure why it is being mocked.

I would think that saying hello to the person(s) you’re about to buy food or drinks from is a good idea everywhere in the world. But that’s probably me being a crazy European….

Bonjour, je voudrais 3 croissants s'il vous plait.

"Je voudrais..." is what I was taught. However, on many food-ordering occasions (bakery, restaurant, etc.) I have heard "Je prends..." ("I take..."). I've heard this enough to realize that it seems to be an acceptable way to order/request something, but was wondering if it is considered less formal, or perhaps less polite?

People on the forum are aware and sensitive to this custom. My observation is that 90% of American tourists are not. It's not what we are used to in much of the US, where shop workers and restaurant staff are treated like "The Help". It appears that in many European countries, workers expect to be treated as human beings first. Yes, this article is addressing the tourists who dont know these kinds of things.

Not just "bonjour", wherever I travel, I make sure I learn the seven key words and phrases:

• Hello
• Please
• Thank You
• Yes
• No
• Where is ...
• Do you speak English?

There is nothing worse than (sorry but I have to say it, but it is typically) Americans who barge up to people and assume they speak English and their job is to help them find something.

I have heard "I take...". I've heard this enough to realize that it
seems to be an acceptable way to order/request something,

Yes you can also say "Je vais prendre", literally in English "I will take" (but not Je prends !). "Je vais prendre" corresponds to "I'll have" in English.

As in English it is less formal than "Je voudrais" (I would like), and it is often in a context of choice between several propositions, for example choosing one dish among several in a restaurant menu or between a croissant with butter or without butter at the bakery.

Americans do not instinctively say hello at any and all social encounters. You may think you do, and you probably do it often, but it is not as automatic for us as it is for a Frenchman. Many visitors incorrectly assume that you must use bonjour and a host of other plaisanteries in French. Memorizing a couple of French words is not required and no one will really notice (unless you really are a fluent speaker with an English accent, that will be noticed). There is no requirement to speak a word of French in France. The critical element is the greeting, always start any interaction with: hello, bonjour, or conichiwa. It does not make a lot of difference; the French will understand that the anticipation of a greeting has been met with any of these words.

And while I am at it, please do not stand on the left side of an escalator. Parisians, of all socioeconomic backgrounds, stand on the right and allow others to pass on the left. Tourists are always blocking the escalators.

JoLui--thank you for the explanation and clarification. Much appreciated!

Tocard, further to the tourists who block the escalators...when they finally get to the top, they come to a dead stop. And stay there.

But don't worry, in Dordogne or throughout the southwest you can stand in the middle of a farmer's market aisle and obstruct the passage, it's a local habit, no one will blame you, except perhaps a Parisian in a hurry ... :))

Tocard, that is the rule anywhere there is a Metro/Underground/Subway system. For those looking to blend in, it’s one of the quickest ways to be identified as a tourist.

In Tokyo, stand left, pass right.

Great investigative journalism ! Only a thousand youtube videos on France giving the same advice

Great investigative journalism ! Only a thousand youtube videos on France giving the same advice

Well, until the advice actually sinks in with the majority of those tourists it is aimed at, repetition is obviously necessary.

Ding Ding Ding

I would think that saying hello to the person(s) you’re about to buy food or drinks from is a good idea everywhere in the world.

Think how cheerful America would be if we all greeted each other by simply saying “Good Morning.”

What interests me is not how many of our US clients fail to say bonjour before every interaction, but how many of our Australian clients also fail to say bonjour. Especially considering it is literally "g'day".

For the record, my routine is:

Bonjour! look confused for a second

Alors... Ah... Can't remember if what I want is spelled with an "e" at the end or not

Deux baguette s'il vous plaît. Just so I don't offend the grammar police.

I then ensure I said merci, bon journée, au revoir first, thus avoiding trying to remember if it's vous le même, or également if responding...

The baker: - Bonjour

Me: - Bonjour, je voudrais 3 croissants s'il vous plait. (Hello, I would like 3 croissants please)

The baker gives me the croissants and tells me the price, I pay

JoLui, we love France and those who live there!

Your exchange reminded me of the wonderful week we spent in Loches. Each morning I'd walk to the Boulangerie to buy croissants for breakfast. They spoke no English. My french is very rusty, though I knew enough to offer a cheerful "bonjour!" each morning. I use the pointing method of ordering, although I could eke out "deux" or "quatre". I was clueless when I was told the price, so I'd just hand them a 10 euro bill and accept whatever change I got. After I visited a couple of mornings, I got a nod of recognition.

One of my dreams is to live in a small French village like Loches and not need a car. Our grandson was living in Loches at the time (long story) before moving to Tours to attend the university. He was there on a Studies Abroad program. He was dating a girl from Loches and we visited her family and her grandmother. After dinner, we sat in the living room and they got in a spirited conversation. At first they would interpret for us, but soon they left us on the side of the road. My wife and I realized that our grandson was thinking in French, he had become that fluent.

Here in the US I very often reply to a greeting from a clerk, waiter or other service person with I'm fine, thank you. How are you? I enjoy the look on their faces as the reply back, I'm fine. Thank you for asking.

When I travel I try to do the same. However, sometimes I'm not sure if they just told me their dog died this morning.

And here I thought we tipped so we wouldn't have to be polite. : )

Germans would think you were rude for asking such a personal question.

My wife is from Montreal and so is totally bilingual. I am spoiled whenever we travel in France. I once worked in Quebec during the '70s, but still lag behind her linguistic proficiency.
Saying 'Bonjour' as suggested above is very good advice, but we try to apply the same idea whichever country that we may visiting.

Essential phrases:
Please
Thank you
Yes/No
Which way is the train station?
We are sure that is a fascinating sexual custom, but no thanks, we'd rather just watch.

I am done. The end.