New Lenox, IL, July 16

Sunday, July 16
New Lenox, IL, USA

Now that I’m home and have some time to reflect on the trip, here’s my impressions of France: More...

• Contrary to the common belief, most French people are not rude. They’re just not as talkative as Italians or as outgoing as Americans. They’re polite, but reserved. Some of the waiters could be a little abrupt, but I guess I would be too if I dealt with tourists all day long. We found that if you made the effort to say a few words in French, it made all the difference in the world. Which leads to my next observation:
  
  
• It really does pay to learn to say “Bonjour,” “Au revoir,” and a few basic phrases in French before you go. (I studied French for a year-and-a-half in high school, which was 40 years ago, but most of it came back to me. Another great tool is the Google Translate app, which will tell you the correct French word and the pronunciation.) The French really do appreciate it if you make the effort to learn some of their language, instead of just expecting them to speak yours. This should be a basic rule for any country you visit. You’re a guest in their country, so it’s just good manners to learn some of their language, besides being practical.
  
  
• French people will usually start to speak in English when they realize you’re American, especially in tourist areas, but it’s not because they don’t think you speak their language well enough. Sophie told us they do it because it gives them a chance to practice their English.
  
  
• The stereotype about French people wearing striped shirts seems to be true, but berets – not so much. We only saw a few people wearing them, mostly old men. We did see one young guy wearing one, but all of his friends were laughing at him, so they must not be in fashion anymore! (And no, there are no mimes in Paris.)
  
  
• French food is as delicious as everyone says – especially the butter, the cheese, the wine, and the bread. Bread is served with every meal, so French people buy it fresh every day; we saw lots of people on the Metro with baguettes sticking out of their handbags. The food is rich but it’s worth every calorie. I gained 4 pounds while I was there, but it was the best four pounds of my life!
  
  
• The French usually eat dinner much later than us – around 9 PM. This is partly because of the later sunset. Also, most French people don’t get home from work until about 8 PM because they take long lunch breaks, usually at home with their families.
  
  
• When you’re dining out, you won’t get your check until you specifically ask the waiter for it (“Je voudrais l’addition, s’il vous plait”). French people like to take very long, leisurely meals (an average of 2 hours), with a lot of talking and socializing. It you’ve got that much time, great – you can dine like a real Parisian! But if you’re on a schedule, like we were, make sure you ask for the check or you’ll be waiting a long time for it.
  
  
• French restaurants are not comfortable with the whole concept of “doggie bags.” If you ask for one, they’ll provide it, but they may give you a funny look. French people have been taught from childhood to eat everything on their plates, to the point where it’s considered bad manners to walk out with leftovers, so it’s just not a part of their culture. Portion sizes are also much smaller in France, so there’s usually not as much need for doggie bags. Many French chefs hate the phrase “doggie bag” (there’s no exact term for it in French), because they think it implies that their food is only fit for dogs. This attitude is changing, but it will probably take some time. A new anti-waste law went into effect in January 2016 that requires French restaurants to provide take out containers if diners request them. The government wants to reduce the 7 million tons of food thrown away each year in a country where 3.5 million people depend on free charity meals.
  
  
• Unlike Italy, tipping is not common in France across the country and there are no set rules about it. It’s not mandatory, but it’s appreciated. And when you do tip, it’s much less than what is common in the States. The tip is usually included in your total bill (service compris) but if you want to acknowledge good service with an extra tip, 5% to 10% is customary. Another option is to leave €1 to €2 for every €20 spent. Basically, if you want to tip, do it based on the level of service you received.
  
  
• Many shops and restaurants are closed in France from 1 to 3 PM. This is because of the long lunch breaks at home that I mentioned before. When they open up again, it may not be right on time, or they might even remain closed if they don’t feel like coming back in again. They don’t consider it as being lazy; it’s just the French way. They care more about the quality of life than about making money.
  
  
• Bathrooms are different in France. The toilet is always in a separate room, never in the same room as the sink and the shower. This is because of the French concept of hygiene – they believe that the place where you get rid of your bodily wastes should be separate from the place where you wash. Showers can be very small, and often there are no shelves to hold soap or other toiletries. I expected to see more bidets, but only one of our hotels on this trip had one, unlike Italy where every hotel we stayed in had one. And always carry tissue paper with you, in case there’s no toilet paper. Bathrooms in hotels and restaurants usually are adequately stocked with it, but you never know what you’ll find in public restrooms on the street, especially in small countryside villages.
  
  
• Don’t expect air conditioning in most French buildings, except in modern hotels near the airport or other buildings that cater specifically to tourists. Unlike Italy, Greece, and Spain, France is still very entrenched in standard European ways when it comes to adopting air conditioning. Part of the reason is that most of the buildings in Europe are much older than ours, and it’s expensive to renovate them with AC. Also, temperatures that we consider comfortable are too cold for many Europeans, and most of them are used to warmer room temperatures because they grew up without any AC. Then there’s also the whole environmental argument about AC being an energy guzzler. So if AC is a must for you, then try to travel to Europe in the spring or fall rather than in summer.
  
  
• The city of Paris really is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. What’s amazing is that the beauty is mostly man-made -- the uniformity in the heights, facades, and roof angles of the buildings; the way the buildings are aligned in relation to each other; and the way the major avenues lead up to ornate buildings. Almost all of the buildings are lower than 5 stories, so it’s on more of a human level. Paris has always been residential and any commerce it has is only to serve Parisians, so it has no ugly factories or skyscrapers. A very high percentage of Paris is gardens, museums, or public spaces. And of course, it was never bombed or destroyed in either World War.
  
  
• French people care deeply about beauty and aesthetics, the visual aspects of everything around them. They love life and enjoy all of its pleasures.