British Courtesy

[K6-III]

So long as you use any language other than English, the French treat you wonderfully.

Both Russian and French got us great treatment. You speak to English and things get awry...

Given that I'm considering moving to Toulouse if the opportunity arrives, I have no issue with the French...

[Evildead666]

He he, been living here for quite a while now, and haven't really noticed.
If you speak English, you're in for a hard time. If you speak English, and are also perfectly fluent in french, then its fine...cos they can't speak English for their lives...

And yes, Paris is worse than the rest of France. The Parisians are hated throughout France, for always being in a hurry, talking too fast, being too stressful, and wanting to live somewhere cramped, where the pollution and traffic jams are inevitable...

Not my cup of tea Paris, i'm actually 40km from the center, and its fine countryside here...

[KvHagedorn]

I have heard that among older people in the area of the Somme, the attitude toward the English is somewhat better. One farmer still digs one up from time to time, or so he says.

[DukeP]

Lol.

Cruel, but actually right.

I also find that the south of france (whic btw, had its own indepedence advocates) is much more willing to comunicate. Unfortunately they are often much worse at it! But a goodwill goes a long wy.



~~DUkeP~~

[Fred H]

I just returned from Paris, yesterday. No problems with the courtesy there.
The only problem is that too many people speaking French in Paris.

This picture is not from the British Embassy anyway…

[Fat Tone]

LOL maybe it was put up in response to this incident

[Umfriend]

or an American want coffee before his dessert and he is considered ignorant.

Aye. Once me and my wife wanted to have the dessert and coffee served at the same time, which we asked for in French.

This was completely incomprehensible fto them. They got as far as to prepare dessert and coffee at the same time, but they left the coffee on the bar to bring to us as soon as we would have finished the dessert......

In my limited experience, Parisiens are far worse than the french in more rural areas (have not been to many larger cities though). Funnily enough, I have some very good experiences with parisiens in France outside of Paris...

[Fred H]

Ohhh, pardon!

They were Belgians...

At this time it was short of coffee.

Fred H

[KvHagedorn]

You Brits could have solved this problem quite easily by not having gotten caught up in WW1, certainly not taking the side of those who seem to have such eternal contempt for you. The whole affair would have been over very quickly, and Hitler would never have been able to rise to power. Damn Edward Grey and his Francophilia.

[KvHagedorn]

BTW, what do they do to someone who doesn't drink coffee? Guillotine them? Maybe they would just send out this guy..

[Byock]

Ahhh, the french. Monty Python said it all.

[thop]

I've been to france a few times and found out that they are a bit stubborn about the language thing. They won't speak any other language with you but french, no matter what (except in EuroDisney Paris ). However if you speak french, even just barely try, they become very friendly

[Fred H]

I found a lot of different restaurants in Paris.
Italian restaurants and they become friendly when I started with “Bon giorno…”
In a Greek restaurant I can’t say a word, maybe “Hierete Kiros…” (I’m not sure if it’s right) but they are friendly when one just speaks English.
In a Thai restaurant is better to start with English.
However, I didn’t find any British restaurant in Paris.
But we are now OT. This thread is set up as “British courtesy”
Should we talk about German courtesy too (I have some experience about Berliner courtesy )?
What about Scandinavian courtesy? What about American courtesy?
And finally, how is the EU courtesy? It is something new this days

Fred H

[Brian Ellis]

EU courtesy? When the President of a state kicks the EU firmly in the teeth, just one week before accession? What courtesy?

[Fred H]

Does somebody believe in an EU with the same law, same language, same culture, same money,
understanding of each other and, to keep us to this thread, the same courtesy over all you go?
Welcome to the circus, new countries. I too voted for it for a few years ago. I shoud not complain, but I do.
LMAO

Fred