Welcome to Omgili,
Omgili ( Oh My God I Love It ;) is a search engine for discussions. With Omgili you can find answers and solutions, debates, discussions, personal experiences, opinions and more... To learn more about Omgili click here.
This is a complete preview of the discussion as it was indexed by Omgili crawlers. Use this preview if the original discussion is unavailable.
Click here to view the original discussion.
 |
|
 |
|
Antibes Forum: Big problem travelling France if do not speak French? - TripAdvisor
I admired France for long time on its culture and lifestyle that I read from the magazines.
My wife and I have decided to visit France in coming June for 10 days.
We have planned to visit areas in Paris (2+1days), Mont St.
Micheal (1 day), Chamonix (1 day), Geneva (Swiss, 2 days) and Nice (2 days).
We planned to take trains for this tour.
We have booked the hotels and tickets.
Opp! My friends cameback for his 1 week travel to Neitherland and France, he told me that it is nearly impossible to have a relatively smooth journey at places other than Paris in France.
He spent almost half of his time searching for the directions, find the right trains and buses, it was no fun a all besides struggling communication problem.
I have been CDG once for transit to Copenhagen, I found most of them do speak English?
And also I did not face any resistance navigating Copenhagen nor the communication in Denmark.
They speak excellent English.
Is it true that France is entiry different from Denmark?
Is it true that I shall give up all my plans to places other than Paris bcause I do not speak French at all?
Report as inappropriatetoutou Bedoin, France
Joined: Aug 2005
Forum posts: 1,785
Travel map pins: 71 Travel maps show where members have been and are going.
Start your own!
?
More about toutou...Posted on: 22 March 2007, 5:59 Save You'll be fine.
This has been covered many many many times on this forum.
Just use the Search bar in the upper left side of the screen and type in don't speak French and you should come up with enough reading to keep you busy for a while.
Do a little homework and you will be fine.
Report as inappropriate1BCTraveler Kamloops, BC vicinity
Joined: Jun 2005
Forum posts: 5,529
Travel map pins: 0 Travel maps show where members have been and are going.
Start your own!
?
More about 1BCTraveler...Posted on: 22 March 2007, 6:53 Save What you need to do is buy a good guidebook and then take the relevant pages with you on your trip.
There is a board in every railroad station in Europe that tells you which train is on which track and the tracks are identified by signs.
I've never had to ask anyone for directions to the right track.
I speak French, but not German, and I managed very nicely in RR stations in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, without any assistance.
Just get to the station in good time so that you have the time to locate your train.
BTW, trains in Europe run on time.
If you're 3 minutes late, you've missed your train, pure and simple.
I've travelled to other parts of France than Paris, and I've heard folks who are monolingual English speakers getting on very well.
They use smiles, courtesies and phrase books, and seem to have no more trouble than I.
They are able to get out of Paris into the countryside, to the cities and small towns as they intend, without starving to death or having to sleep on park benches.
They return to Paris to fly home laden with souvenirs and gifts so they must have managed somehow to travel and do business in a way that is satisfactory to them.
You will be unable to show the good manners your mother taught you if you don't take the time and make the effort to learn a few words and phrases in French before your trip.
Nothing too taxing, just please, thank you, excuse me, good morning (afternoon, night)
good bye, etc.
When you say Parlez-vous Anglaise, you will be better received if you add s'il vous plait (please), either before or after.
I'm sure you'll have a great time, especially if you're patient.
Speaking English slowly and more loudly will not make the language barrier go away.
It just implies that you believe the person to whom you are speaking is both deaf and stupid.
Not the best aid to communication.
Point to the appropriate phrase in your phrasebook, and voila, your idea will be understood.
It's slow, but surefire.
Bon voyage.
Report as inappropriateLondonBob London, UK
Joined: Jan 2005
Forum posts: 2,481
Travel map pins: 111
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
When it comes to using English there is still an enormous difference between northern and southern Europe.
In Scandinavia, Holland and the German speaking parts of Switzerland, almost everyone speaks English and many people speak better English than is normally spoken in England.
When I spent a short time in France as a racing cyclist in the 60s it was rare to find anyone who spoke any English at all.
You spoke French or you could not survive.
There has been a big change since then and most young people speak some, occasionally excellent, English.
I still think there is a problem for anyone who has no knowledge of French.
Most British people who visit France, while certainly not speaking the language, have a rudimentary knowledge, including some vague idea of pronounciation, so they can read directions, ask basic questions and sometimes understand the answers.
I used to work with Asian students and I am often in Nice station at night waiting for the train to Villefranche.
I spend my time rescuing Japanese and Koreans who are booked on the night train to Italy but often get on the local train to Menton instead.
I also find lost souls at Nice bus station who want to go to somewhere which is not shown on the electronic departure board and haven't a clue how to do so.
People who deal with tourists almost always have rudimentary English so you should have no problem in any of the places you mention, provided you remember that firing off 100 words spoken at your normal speed may result in none of them being understood.
Travelling around could be more of a problem but don't panic, smile, don't be afraid to ask quietly for help and you will get there.
One of the many curious things about France is that, although there are native speakers of English everywhere, almost everything actually written in English is meaningless mumo jumbo, obviously written by someone who misguidedly thought they were expert in the language.
Even in Villefranche, which is gradually being taken over by English speakers, there is an enormous new sign visible from the beach which says 'Trains Station'.
While is communicates the message it really isn't English!
Report as inappropriateCaseyCKC Singapore
Joined: Oct 2005
Forum posts: 25
Travel map pins: 22 CaseyCKC...Posted on: 22 March 2007, 13:45 Save Thanks very much.
It clear some of my doubt.
I have been reading lots of travel books on France, hope it will pay off.
My only worry is the transportation as my plan seems too compact, what if I missed the train...
Opps..I know the answer..
Depart earlier.. but how much earlier...
I must admit that I faced less problem in my travel experience in european cities like Copenhagen and London than cities closer to home in Japan and Korea (where we communicate with the assist of written Chinese characters)...
Some even avoid the conversation..
But of course in very polite manner.
My business friend from France did tell me that most of the people staying in rural area do not speak English at all...
I guess I shall relax as there are many other ways of communication...
It make sense that we shall learn to speak simple French to make our trip smoother.
Last question.
Do you think I should drive for the trip or should take trains as there are far apart?
Report as inappropriatebibimbob Toronto
Joined: Mar 2005
Forum posts: 9,098
Travel map pins: 181 Travel maps show where members have been and are going.
Start your own!
142More about bibimbob...Posted on: 22 March 2007, 15:10 Save You should get a car for Mont.
St. Michel. I don't speak french.
Travelled to many french towns/cities, including driving (and getting stopped for speeding but talked out of it).
Report as inappropriateDrDebi Rochester Hills, Michigan
Joined: Jan 2005
Forum posts: 950
Travel map pins: 80 DrDebi...Posted on: 22 March 2007, 15:17 Save It's really almost easier to communicate IMHO in the more rural areas.
The pace is slower than in urban areas like Paris, and the people like in any rural area anywhere in the world are more patient.
And I don't speak a lick of French!
We get by well with a phrase book and smiles and gestures.
In the urban areas you will find English speakers most everywhere, but do at least start conversations with French.
Believe me, your slaughtering of French pronunciation will have them quickly speaking English to you!
We have found the Rick Steve's Phrase Books (we have used them in many languages) to be excellent as they always give you the pronunciation for words and phrases and hit the phrases you are most likely to need.
They are pocket-sized and thus easy to carry.
Before leaving on the trip, our whole family memorizes the "Essentials" in the language.
Numbers up to 10, perhaps 20-30 basic phrases.
Report as inappropriateIrishRovr Ohio, USA
Joined: Mar 2005
Forum posts: 8,204
Travel map pins: 2 Travel maps show where members have been and are going.
Start your own!
131More about IrishRovr...Posted on: 22 March 2007, 16:11 Save Here is a lengthy thread from the paris forum on the whole topic of how necessary it is (or is not...) to speak French: tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k94550…
A couple of thoughts on your itinerary...
I think you are making the classic mistake of many first time visitors, namely that you are trying to do far too much in too little time.
If I were you I would concentrate on Paris for 6 days, perhaps with a day trip or two, and Nice for 3-4 days.
Your suggested itinerary involves a lot of travelling — probably three half days and three more or less full days (Paris to Chamonix, Geneva to Nice and Nice to Paris) if you do the entire trip by train.
Personally I think Geneva is a fairly uninteresting city and I definitely would suggest eliminating it.
Chamonix is a long way out of the way and difficult and time consuming to get to.
Annecy is beautuiful and would be an easier stop between Paris and Nice.
If the Mont St. Michel is a "must see" on your itinerary, I would suggest a day trip with ParisVision — though it *can* be done as a DIY day trip.
Paris has mre than enough to keep you very busy for a week, Nice and the Côte d'Azur plenty to fill four or five days to capacity — with enough left over in both cases for your next ten visits.
Report as inappropriatebeachmountaingirl Latin in Florida
Joined: Mar 2007
Forum posts: 6
Travel map pins: 0 beachmountaingirl...Posted on: 23 March 2007, 8:32 Save If you are staying 2 days in Nice, make sure to go to Eze & Monaco @ 11:55am for the changing of the guard.
Eat lunch @ Chateau Eze's restaurant voted best seaside view restaurant in Europe (it ain't cheap but u only live once).
Make resos now. When in june will u all be there.
I'm going to be there Fri 6/15/07 for lunch celebrating my birthday and my parents anniversary.
Report as inappropriateboucheboy provence
Joined: Jul 2005
Forum posts: 1,001
Travel map pins: 223 Travel maps show where members have been and are going.
Start your own!
Destination Expert for Provence
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I agree with IrishRovr.
France is a large country and it taks time to travel around it.
I too would miss out on Chamonix and Geneva.
Report as inappropriateCaseyCKC Singapore
Joined: Oct 2005
Forum posts: 25
Travel map pins: 22 CaseyCKC...Posted on: 24 March 2007, 0:12 Save Thanks for reminding.
I would give up Chamonix and Geneva.
Is Nice a good place to visit as there are several advices from http://wikitravel.org/en/Nice to stay safe, avoid taxi, high car accident rate, poor beach, etc, though some other books recommend it.
How about Cannes?
I have changed my plan to
Plan A: 4 nights in Paris, 2 nights in Annecy, 2 nights in Nice/Cannes/Lyon.
Travel take up 2 days.
(Trains)
Plan B: (2+3) nights Paris, 1 nights Mont St.Micheal (Car), 2 nights Amboise/Tours.
(Car).
Could I get some advice?
There were several 'goals' initially, including seeing Alps, French Mediterranean beaches, Famous Old castles, Shopping (for My Wife), Top museums, etc.
I think more than half of it gone with either plans.
We will not visit France again for the next 10 years as we wish to see other countries like Turkey, New Zealand, South Africa, Nepal & Bhutan, Alaska, Austria, Tibet etc.
Report as inappropriate <<Return to the Antibes forum home page Pages: 1 2 Next>>
Best Antibes Travel DealsAntibes: Great Rates on Hotels Expedia.com Get the lowest price on hotels with our Best Price Guarantee
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|