Thanks guys - I will bookmark these - but they all seem to be "clubs" and I'm really looking more for lounge/bar type places where one doesn't need to try and squeeze up on strangers on a crowded dance floor but can instead just enjoy casual conversation Any ideas on that one?
Also remember that younger French people all tend to speak a fair bit of English, so as long as the crowd is on the younger side, it should be a fun mix of me trying to speak to them in French and them practicing English. It would be boring if I didn't get to practice my French
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 14,918
Paris is where you find the younger kids who speak English a bit. Our here in the provinces, Lyon included, they really don't know English at all. They get a rudimentary education in school, and they struggle to make out the words in the latest MTV videos from the US, but that's about it. Unlike northern Europe, all the TV shows and movies are translated into French. So they never really learn English well unless they have very specialized education and maybe spend a year in an English speaking country.
But if you know a bit of French you can give it a try and yes it can be fun.
...Also remember that younger French people all tend to speak a fair bit of English.....it should be a fun mix of me trying to speak to them in French and them practicing English......
Good luck with that one.
From the tone of your initial posts I certainly had the impression that you wanted "in" places. If you can exactly express what you need in english I'm not sure how you'll accomplish that in french.
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 14,918
Quote:
Originally Posted by tfjim
GThere's an interesting mix of places there. One that caught my eye was Ayers Rock, an aussie themed bar. Might find some friendly folk there?
I used to go to a popular Aussie themed bar in Paris in the 5th, and I don't think I ever heard a word of English spoken there. But it was always fun and packed around 10pm.
Paris is where you find the younger kids who speak English a bit. Our here in the provinces, Lyon included, they really don't know English at all. They get a rudimentary education in school, and they struggle to make out the words in the latest MTV videos from the US, but that's about it. Unlike northern Europe, all the TV shows and movies are translated into French. So they never really learn English well unless they have very specialized education and maybe spend a year in an English speaking country.
But if you know a bit of French you can give it a try and yes it can be fun.
Interesting. When I was in Nice in 2006, all the young people spoke French. Between that experience in Paris, Nice, and Cannes, I just assumed English had become pervasive.
Believe me, I will not be disappointed if the people my age don't speak more than rudimentary English as one of my main goals is to improve my French and immersion is certainly the best way!
Worst case, I'll head to the nightlife area and peek my head in places until I see something that fits the bill. I can't imagine anything more fun than finding a seat at the bar and trying my best French out on whomever sits next to me
Sorry if I've not been clear on what I was looking for. A simple "area" that is good for bars more than clubs would probably be all the help I need - I can walk around from there.
I have two days in Paris and then three in Lyon so I guess I'll have two days to practice with people that can assist my French and then 3 to see how far that got me ;-) But to me, this is what travel is all about
...When I was in Nice in 2006, all the young people spoke French....
I would hope so!
Quote:
...one of my main goals is to improve my French and immersion is certainly the best way!...
Well, I'm not sure of your particular demographic, but if by reading the comments posted on Lyon2night is any indicator the french we know from our high school language course is not being spoken there by the jeunesse. To wit:
"serieux on s'en tape...
y'aura plus de mineur au wood basta...
si on le fait c'est parce qu'on sait qu'on a pas bcp de mineur et que les majeurs sont de retour...
ya fallu 2ans apres ma 1ere tentative carte d'iddentité obligatoire mais on va y arriver ...
apres ouaip y'aura des gens a poil pour les show gogo et chimpundale hihihih
le retour des show erotik/porno comme au SPACE
apres ca plai tant mieux, ca plait pas, rien ne vous empeche d'aller chez la concurence retrouver les mineurs ...."
Just to update - there were basically two areas to go out for the bar scene in Lyon. 1) up around Hotel De Ville (walk up the hill and to your left). Ayer's Rock is the aussie bar which becomes more of a club as the night goes on. The party was going srtong into the wee hours on a Weds...... The other option is the main drag in Vieux Lyon. There were four or five bars to choose from. Certainly the club scene exists as well - but this is what I found as far as the "bar scene".
Any ideas on that one? 
