I just SO hate the check in at CDG
Jan 19, 2020, 12:59 pm
#31
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,179
How shocking that many Brits just plain dislike the French.
Who would have thought?
Anecdote - took two young teens to France for their first trip. 10 days, rural France and Paris. On the way back, they asked me why so many of their friends and friends'parents had cautioned them about the French being despicably rude when they found them very outgoing and friendly. The obvious answer was "ridiculous stereotypes based on people who think their ways should be accepted by people everywhere, a prescription for being poorly treated overseas." (Yes, I taught them basic French etiquette before we left.)
Oh and we all preferred CDG to LHR. By a mile..
Who would have thought?
Anecdote - took two young teens to France for their first trip. 10 days, rural France and Paris. On the way back, they asked me why so many of their friends and friends'parents had cautioned them about the French being despicably rude when they found them very outgoing and friendly. The obvious answer was "ridiculous stereotypes based on people who think their ways should be accepted by people everywhere, a prescription for being poorly treated overseas." (Yes, I taught them basic French etiquette before we left.)
Oh and we all preferred CDG to LHR. By a mile..
Jan 19, 2020, 1:31 pm
#33
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
Not sure if it's the French sense of humor given the "colorful" English/French relations, but can't imagine this location would have been BA's first choice. Funnily enough; last year, I flew out of T1 the first time on EI. My first time to T1 and when I couldn't spot the green EI signage I thought to myself, "ok, must be downstairs like BA." And, voila! There it was when I took the escalator down on the restaurant level.
Jan 19, 2020, 3:48 pm
#36
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,179
Jan 19, 2020, 4:22 pm
#38
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Bombay
Programs: EC Blue, EB Silver, FB Gold
Posts: 551
I’ve always found French people to be perfectly courteous. Don’t forget that in English there are a lot of please, thank you and how are yous that are part of speech but mean nothing. Try answering anything but “fine” to the last question and most English speakers will go mute.
One thing CDG does have that LHR doesn’t: natives speaking a second language. Luckily there are are a fair number of non-Brits able to help out.
One thing CDG does have that LHR doesn’t: natives speaking a second language. Luckily there are are a fair number of non-Brits able to help out.
Jan 19, 2020, 5:25 pm
#39
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: ZRH
Programs: QRPC
Posts: 228
It is nothing but ridiculous to deny that English is the global language. Has absolutely nothing to do with England nowadays, it's just a fact. If you're working in any job where you have contact with tourists or foreigners, you should be okay with speaking English to them. Works everywhere in the world except for France/Romandy/Quebec.
Jan 19, 2020, 6:20 pm
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 17,455
It is nothing but ridiculous to deny that English is the global language. Has absolutely nothing to do with England nowadays, it's just a fact. If you're working in any job where you have contact with tourists or foreigners, you should be okay with speaking English to them. Works everywhere in the world except for France/Romandy/Quebec.
There are many places - in Europe - where English is barely spoken, and if you haven't invested the time to at least learn 20 basic phrases, you're going to have difficulty.
The way I look at it, travelers are fundamentally operating on the goodwill and patience of the residents. This means knowing how to act so that you yourself are not perceived by your hosts as being rude. You can see how this is surely a certain way to receive rude treatment in return.
I find France no different. Just learn some simple phrases, and understand what being civil and polite means to the French (not exactly the same as in England or the US) and enjoy France.
I will say if you are viewed as rude, the French can "out-rude" almost anyone.
Jan 19, 2020, 11:35 pm
#41
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: Confirmed
Posts: 1,091
It’s probably not an attitude problem. When your English is over simplified, it sounds direct and that is often considered rude by a fluent speaker. This has been discussed elsewhere.
- put your bag here.
- please place your luggage here.
- go away.
- is there anything else I can do for you, sir?
- passport?
- may I have your passport please?
- put your bag here.
- please place your luggage here.
- go away.
- is there anything else I can do for you, sir?
- passport?
- may I have your passport please?
Jan 20, 2020, 2:02 am
#42
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Bloomsbury
Programs: BA Silver, AF Ivory
Posts: 2,203
A fascinating thread. For five years I was split between Paris and London, so was a regular through ORY, CDG and the Eurostar. With moderate to medium French, I never felt any "attitude", bit did see it on occasion to , erm... less experienced tourists.
Cultural differences and all that....
I do miss Paris sometimes
Cultural differences and all that....
I do miss Paris sometimes
Jan 20, 2020, 2:12 am
#43
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,610
"souvenez-vous DE trois lettres" svp.
CDG isn't great, but as Brel put it in one of the greatest songs ever about airports (and mortality and loss), it's not the worst airport in Paris: "Nom de Dieu c'est triste, Orly le Dimanche, avec ou sans Becaud"
CDG isn't great, but as Brel put it in one of the greatest songs ever about airports (and mortality and loss), it's not the worst airport in Paris: "Nom de Dieu c'est triste, Orly le Dimanche, avec ou sans Becaud"
Last edited by bisonrav; Jan 20, 2020 at 2:20 am
Jan 20, 2020, 2:27 am
#44
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: ZRH
Programs: QRPC
Posts: 228
If the answer is anything else but English, you are either in a partly french speaking country or your answer is not correct.
I have yet to find a place in Europe where you cannot get around with English. The only place which I don't feel very enthusiastic to travel to is France because many people there make you feel uncomfortable when you don't speak the language perfectly even-though they would be able to speak English without a problem. I do have basic knowledge in French because we learn it in elementary school here, but if you start to speak French in France, chances are high that your dialog partner will not do anything to make sure you'll understand what he said. Even when you ask him/her to speak slowly, they will most probably just continue to talk just as fast and use fancy words like before.
The other things you said are undisputed, obviously it is nice etiquette to learn basic words, phrases when you go to a place.
Jan 20, 2020, 2:32 am
#45
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,237
Well then we agree to disagree I guess. If you are anywhere in the world and you don't speak the local language. What is the language you will have the most success in being able to communicate (other than the language of love, lol) ?
If the answer is anything else but English, you are either in a partly french speaking country or your answer is not correct.
If the answer is anything else but English, you are either in a partly french speaking country or your answer is not correct.