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Back, Part 2

Posted by (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) on

4) Rue Cler area in general - loved it...there were quite a few tourists but the area was very homey and it was nice to come back after a long day walking and have convenient, not crazy expensive places to eat. I would agree with anyone who says that if you really really want to get away from tourists, stay elsewhere, but it really worked for us. Had a nice chat with the man in the cheese shop (not the Fromagerie, think it was called Fermette or something) about how my French accent (Quebecois I'm told, and is logical) is the same as what the French had several hundred years ago...made me laugh...and the Religieuses (as far as I can tell, just a round eclair with a smaller one stuck on top with icing) from the bakery were amazing

5) I will admit frustration though with very abrupt 'Non' when asking people if they spoke English (for hubby's benefit, I speak French)...and not random people in the street, people at information desks and the security guard at the Eurostar line at Gare du Nord which was full of travellers who didn't speak French(that guy had a bit of attitude--we got a dirty look and a 'Non, je parle FRANCAIS)...but in general, people were helpful and willing to speak a little slower than I asked and seemed appreciative of any effort to speak French--often, I would ask a question in French and the waiter/cashier etc would answer in English to make things easier on me.

Overall, a wonderful trip!!!

Posted by
11507 posts

Sounds like a good trip. I would be tempted to say back to snotty " non, je parle FRANCAIS" people, " oh what a shame you ONLY speak one language,, I speak serveral" ..LOL therefore making my disgust at their narrow mindedness known in as condesending a tone as possible.. Of course your hubby couldn't do that , but you can,, next time, and of course there will be a next time, no ?? LOL

Posted by
14948 posts

AKF....you found the secret to speaking English in Paris....you attempt to speak French. Just trying will get the other person to start speaking English if they can. All they want is for you to try.

The best one was in Monaco. I wanted to find out where to get a specific bus. I saw a local police offer and asked in my bad French. He said to me in English: "Where do ya wanna go buddy?" (and with a slight Brooklyn accent.)

Posted by
191 posts

Frank--yes, it did get a lot of people speaking English and my hubby appreciated it, but often I would continue in French--I like to practise! And in many cases, my French was far better than their English, but I know they only did it to try to help me out--kind of hard to complain.

And did I mention the "Religieuses au chocolat"? Wow.

Posted by
365 posts

AKF, there's something you need to understand...when you ask Frenchmen if they speak English, they more often than not interpret the question to be whether or not they speak English fluently. So naturally they answer "non" because otherwise they can expect you to rattle off a bunch of rapid-fire English they can't understand. Whenever I get a "non" to that question, I ask, "Petit peu?" with my thumb and index finger about a quarter inch apart. I usually get a shrug and the end result is I find that this person knows enough English to answer simple questions. And in any event as other posters have noted, once they hear me butchering their beautiful language they do their best to employ their limited English skills in order to avoid further violences upon their native tongue.

Posted by
191 posts

Hi Neil,

I hear what you're saying and for the most part when we asked, we got a grin, a shrug and an "I try". There were a few (who mostly I think hated their jobs) and said "Non" in a very standoffish snotty 'why are you asking me this you dumb American' kind of way. But they were, admittedly, very few. And I hear people here with the same attitude and impatience, I just don't do it myself.

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