Travel Tips

Paris and Northern France

Many Americans are intimidated by going to France. We tend to see the French as snooty and anti-American, which is just not true. Yes, the French are opinionated, but they are also very pleasant and accommodating.

[If you haven't read our general Europe Tips yet, that would probably be the best place to start.]

The French “Attitude” - The French people can be opinionated, especially when it comes to their national pride or their food (which is a matter of national pride). We have always found, however, that they are misunderstood. It’s true that they sometimes look to be in a hurry and will give you a sideways glance if you’re in their way, but when conversing with the French, we have had almost all good experiences with charming, agreeable people.

Food and Wine - Overall, French food and wine is excellent. If you are thinking of French food as very fancy though, you will be surprised. Yes, there are very fancy (and very expensive) restaurants, but most of the eateries you will encounter serve hearty, home style food that is delicious. One word of warning though; the French like meat much rarer than Americans. You only have three choices for doneness; rare, medium, and well. What they call well is what we consider medium, their medium is our rare, and their rare is what we consider “still alive.”

French wine is just as good as their food and just as surprising. Many places have a house wine that is inexpensive and very good. There are many French varieties to try and we recommend trying as many as you can.

Climate - The climate in northern France is very temperate. It is warm but not overly hot in the summer and cool but not cold in the winter. Winters tend to be grayer and rainier, but there are plenty of moments of sun too.

How to Dress - The French usually dress nicely. Athletic sneakers are rarely seen and in Paris it is very common to see men in full suits no matter their profession. With an abundance of tourists, you won’t be the only one if you decide to wear a tee shirt and sneakers, but if you would like to fit in a nice pair of shoes and a sweater or collared shirt would do the trick.

The Paris Subway - Paris’ subway system (called the Metropolitain or Metro for short) is, in short, fabulous. It is fairly clean, very easy to use, and has stations everywhere. While in Paris, we always use the Metro to get around and we encourage you to do the same. If you travel with Great Explorations Tours, we will supply you with maps and some helpful hints to riding the metro so that you can get more comfortable with the City of Light.

Language

The language issue gets its own special section because it is one of the primary concerns for travelers that don’t speak French. In the cities we visit on this tour the language will very rarely be a problem. Many of the French speak good to great English, especially the younger generation. This does not mean that you should rely on that though. For one thing, many people consider it rude for you to walk up to them assuming that they speak English. You do not need much French to make it seem like you are trying. Often saying hello and asking if they speak English in French is enough to get them on your side, but if you would like to try more they are usually very patient while you try and will even help you along.

Here are some words and phrases that you may find useful:

• Yes - Oui (wee)
• No - Non (no)
• Please - S'il Vous Plait (see voo play)
• Thank You - Merci (mair-SEE)
• Hello - Bonjour (bon-JOOR) - Even though this technically means good day, it is used as a general greeting.
• Good Evening - Bonsoir (bon-SWAH)
• Goodbye - Au Revoir (ah ray-VWAH)
• Excuse Me - Excusez-moi (ex-SKOOZ-eh mwah)
• Do you speak English? - Parlez-vous l'anglais? (par-lay voo ahn-GLAY) - Very helpful to know

Go Back to Travel Tips Main Page