 | Paris Parlez-Vous Anglais? Reviews | 1 - 10 of 20 |  |
Whilst standing in a queue for my train ticket back to CDG airport I was approached by a young chap, "parlez vous Anglaise"? he told me I was in the wrong queue and he would show me how to get my ticket from a machine. I had done this on the way into Paris so I knew it was ok to do this. I had no change so he proceeded to insert a "credit card" then passed me the tickets and I gave him 15euro. The tickets got us through the barrier so I thought nothing more of it until the inspector got on the train. He had given me cheap day tickets not the ones I really needed and we were fined 20 euros each!!!Not a good end to an otherwise fantastic holiday. BEWARE some people are there just to con you. Leave a Comment
|
Visiting Paris?
Read reviews about Paris Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
If you happen to walk in front of the Vuitton main shop 22, avenue Montaigne (or its temporary relay 38 avenue George V), you may be approached by Asian tourists(?) (generally a couple or two young women) asking "Do you speak English ? Can you help us ?"
If you say yes, they will take you on the other side of the street (or around the corner), present you with a large amount of cash and show you a page of a Louis Vuitton catalog.
They will then ask you to go enter the shop and to buy them one or two bags, explaining that LV would only sell one or two item(s) to a customer and that they really need to bring this present home .
It is not really a scam but a bit of a grey zone: it happens that the LV products are highly in favour in their country where the official store sells them a higher price than in Paris (and if they are bought in France the VAT can be claimed back at customs by private buyers).
A "traffic" has thus been organized (buy in France, resell in xxx at an intermediate price), in order to reduce this, LV has limited the number of items private people are allowed to buy.
In order to go around the restriction, some (and it has become an organised activity) have taken to ask other tourists to purchase the so-conveted bags for them (in order to be still able to supply their buyers home at a 'good price)'.
It is not absolutely illegal (they pay the bags, it's not 'dirty' money (the bags are pre-purchased by the final buyers), i never heard about the police called (after them telling YOU stole the money).
So why do they only ask tourists ? Because they are less likely to call the police ? Perhaps, but more likely because no respectable Parisian would be caught dead with a Vuitton bag (they are considered ugly, pretentious ("nouveau riche") and vulgar and LV shop assistants know this.
At any rate, better not tempt the devil and say politely NO. Leave a Comment
|
 | |  |
Although most Parisians we encountered spoke English quite well, I think it is polite to ask (Parlez vous Anglais?) before rambling on in English. I think it is also polite to learn a few words in French so that you can say hello, goodbye, excuse me, etc.
One of the places we encountered someone who did not speak English was at the SNCF train ticket counter at Gare d'Est, I would highly recommend checking with the information desk first if you do not know which train you want and then writing down your destination, the time and date of the train (remember month and date are reversed from the US) and which class you want (1st or 2nd). This is actually a good tip for any foreign country where English is not the first language as this happens often at train stations in my experience. Leave a Comment
|
I actually thought, that since I'm speaking three languages fluently, among them "the close to-french"-italian language, I would actually be able to make myself understood in Paris.
Nothing could have been more wrong...
In one way I guess I should be thankful that the people in Paris just speaks one language, since it forced me to remember the few french words I learned in school a long time ago, but on the other hand it made me quite scared, that so many french people just couldn't stand the fact that there actually exists people who doesn't speak they beloved language fluently...
Fortunately, that was the only bad thing in Paris. Leave a Comment
|
 Smile! by gandara
There's also "s'il vous plaît" ("seel voo play") and "merci" ("mare see").
But it all starts with a cheerful "Bonjour !" ("bon joor", with eye-contact), and ends with a no less cheerfull "au revoir" ("owe ruh-voo-are").
This is especially aimed at American (sorry!) travelers: _please_ use these phrases. The French never have enough of them, and they're essential if you want to improve your battered (sorry!) reputation.
Don't take it for granted that the whole world speaks English. Respect the local customs and politeness. Make the effort of saying hello, thank you, and good-bye in French. And if you have to use English, first ask the person if he/she speaks the language...
If you've been doing this for ever and this tip hasn't taught you anything new, give yourselves a big pat in the back: you can be proud of yourself.
|
Visiting Paris?
Read reviews about Paris Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
It's a real problem sometimes to explain what you need in the shop or in the street. It's better to speak bad French than to speak excellent English I'm sure. Leave a Comment
|
If you really have to ask any questions from a Parisian, please DO NOT let your first question be "Parlez vous Anglais? (do you speak English?)". They might be easily offended and immediately clam up!
I'd suggest greeting in french first, and try asking your question in french from your guide book. If you cannot make yourself understood, then you can ask if they can speak/understand english.
I wish you good luck in trying!!
|
If they know you don't speak French... even if they speak English.... they will overcharge you for things. Leave a Comment
|
I speak limited French but tried hard to ask politelty and correctly for train tickets only to find the vendor seriously unhelpful and very rude. Finally a kindly French man helped me purchase my tickets only to have the Vendor be very rude to him for helping me. Customer service with a serious snarl. Leave a Comment
|
 :-)))) by matcrazy1
Parisienes have bad opinion not to speak any foreign languages and not to be very sympathetic for tourists.
Hmm... I can't agree at all, I met many very sympathetic people on a street who were very usuful giving me info although their knowledge of English was as poor as mine, but enough to communicate.
So DO NOT BELIEVE that they can't speak English and that they are unfriendly. Who did say it?
. Leave a Comment
|
 | 1 | 2 |  |
More Paris Tips Overview
| Hotels and Accommodations
Tips: 2,053 - Photos: 1,652 | Things To Do
Tips: 10,143 - Photos: 17,336 | Nightlife
Tips: 873 - Photos: 806 | Transportation
Tips: 1,634 - Photos: 1,380 | Restaurants
Tips: 2,625 - Photos: 2,535 | Shopping
Tips: 827 - Photos: 938 | Off the Beaten Path
Tips: 1,804 - Photos: 2,722 | Tourist Traps
Tips: 502 - Photos: 330 | Warnings or Dangers
Tips: 812 - Photos: 408 | Local Customs
Tips: 833 - Photos: 736 | Packing Lists
Tips: 274 - Photos: 157 | Sports Travel
Tips: 110 - Photos: 130 | General Tips
Tips: 2,457 - Photos: 2,445 | Flights
Tips: 110 - Photos: 0 |
 |
|
More Paris Travel Deals Paris 35€ per night
Cool hotels, hostels, apartments Always 35€/night. Always central Holiday Inn Paris
Book your hotel in France here. Official site. Low rates guaranteed Crowne Plaza Hotels Paris
Very comfortable accommodation near Eiffel Tower, Montmartre & Shopping Sponsored Links
- Eiffel Villa Garibaldi Paris
48 Blvd Garibaldi 15 Arr., Paris - Princesse Isabelle Hotel
72 rue Jean-Jaures La Défense 11, Paris - Comfort Hotel Mouffetard-Latin
56, rue Mouffetard 5th Arr., Paris - Brittany Hotel
3 et 5 rue Saint-Lazare 9th Arr., Paris - Hotel del la Porte Doree
273 ave Daumesnil 12 Arr., Paris - Les Chansonniers
113, boulevard de Menilmontant 11th Arr., Paris - Millennium Opera Paris
12 boulevard Haussmann, Paris - VICTOR MASSE
32 rue Victor Masse 9th Arr., Paris - Hotel Daguerre
94 Rue Daguerre 14 Arr., Paris - Madison Hotel
143 Boulevard St Germain, Paris - Batignolles Villiers Hotel Paris
11 rue Des Batignolles 17th Arr., Paris - Grand Hotel de Paris
72 Boulevard De Strasbourg 10th Arr., Paris - LA RESERVE PARIS
10 Place du Trocadéro, Paris - Arcantis Hotel - Frochot
3, rue Frochot 9th Arr., Paris - La Tremoille
14, rue de la Tremoille 08 Arr., Paris
|
