 |
|
|
|
|
Thursday, July 29, 2010
|
|
|
|
Eiffel Tower, Orsay, Monet's Home and Gardens, Versailles, Arc de Triomphe, Seine River Cruise, Mona Lisa, Orangerie, Rodin, and More
EAT PRAY LOVE - See the Movie then Visit TravelingProfessor.com
You may not be able to take a year off to fulfill your dreams but we can all do a week in Paris
Paris With the Traveling Professor in September/October - Click HERE
|
|
|
Feb
5
Written by:
TravelingProfessor
Friday, February 05, 2010
When I first went to Paris over 10 years ago, I was terrified as soon as I got through passport control at Orly (yes, we arrived at Orly instead of CDG back then) airport. I didn’t know how to find the train station, I couldn’t order a cup of coffee, and I was afraid to say anything to anyone.
Years later it is quite different. A couple of years ago I can recall walking down the streets of Paris, overhearing the conversations of others. When I returned to New York City a day later, as I walked down 5th Avenue, I realized that more people speak English on some of the streets of Paris than they do in New York City.
You probably already know all the French you need to know in order to have a successful trip to Paris. On top of that, I think more Parisians are speaking English nowadays. Perhaps it is because of tourism from the U.S. Easy access to Paris via the chunnel has probably increased visits by the Brits. English has spread worldwide since almost 80% of Internet content is in English. Entertainment media (i.e., movies) enjoyed by Europeans are primarily produced in English too (by the way, which country are most movies made in? Answer at the bottom). Parisians are movie lovers and I do notice a lot of movies are shown V.O. (version originale), or in other words, not translated into French.
Last month we traveled to Paris with a group of 17 people. Some of them knew no French at all. Some were very intimidated by having to communicate with our Parisian hosts. I prepped my group by telling them you only need to know a few French phrases:
Bonjour – Good day
Bonsoir – Good evening
Merci – Thank you
Some other good phrases to know are:
Pardon – excuse me
Oui – Yes
Non - No
It is extremely important that whenever a conversation is initiated in Paris that you make eye contact, speak slowly and sincerely, and greet the person you are dealing with. It makes all of the difference in the world. Without exception, no one in our group of 17 had a single problem in dealing with the French. Once that protocol of a sincere greeting and direct eye contact was established, we were all able to work things out and get what we needed. There was no uncomfortableness at all with our French friends. We found them to be polite, hospitable, gracious, regardless of any “language barrier” that there may have been.
As the week wore on, many people on the trip did pick up some French phrases. I wouldn’t say it was a “gab-fest” between the visitors and the French hosts, but it was nice to be able to see them laughing and joking together.
One thing that any visitor might have trouble with is reading a French menu. That task is a challenge even for some of my “fluent-in-French” American friends. I strongly suggest that you bring with you to Paris a copy of “Eating and Drinking in Paris” by Andy Herbach. Not only does he have some good restaurant recommendations, the real strength of the book comes in his French Menu Reader. It translates almost anything you can find on any French menu. In other words, you better know what “Langue de Veau Sauce Gribiche” is before you order it.
**More movies are produced in India than anywhere else, including Hollywood.
Tags:
4 comment(s) so far...
Re: How Much French Do You Really Need to Know to Visit Paris?
Great information as usual professor. Based on your recommendation of "Eating and Drinking in Paris" I now have the book and will bring it with us.
Maria
By maria on
Saturday, February 06, 2010
|
Re: How Much French Do You Really Need to Know to Visit Paris?
Even after 6 years of "school" French, I still find the speed of the French when speaking very intimidating. One of my favorite phrases now is "lentement, s'il vous plait" , said slowly and with a smile. (slowly, please) It usually invokes a laugh and a definite slowing of the beautiful French language...or even a switch to English!
By Sue on
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
|
Re: How Much French Do You Really Need to Know to Visit Paris?
I tried to bone up on my 8 years of French instruction in high school/college, but I've been speaking mostly Spanish (in additon to my native English of course) in the past decades...I found myself saying, "Merci, Señor!"--it would make my daughter cringe! During our week in Paris in August, we met just 2 people who spoke no English--a salesperson at Galleries Laffayette (and we got by with pointing), and a cab driver (who knew where our hotel was). They start teaching English in elementary school there!
By BB on
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
|
Re: How Much French Do You Really Need to Know to Visit Paris?
Very helpfull as my wife and I will be traveling to Paris for the first time this October and are tryimg to know enough to be polite and welcomeing and we also have picked up your "Easting and Drinking in Paris".
By dseipenko on
Sunday, March 07, 2010
|
|
|
Seeking a bit of timeshare relief can be very easy if you find the right people to help you. If you have tried to sell a timeshare in the past, you know that the resale market is dead and the only way to cancel a timeshare is through the right people.
|
 |
| Don't Like Traveling Solo? Join Our Group to Paris In September/October 2010 - Only 5 Spots Left
|
|
|
|
|
Small group travel to Paris is easy with the Traveling Professor, especially if you have never gone before. I take care of all the details for you. Included with the trip:
- Transportation passes - metro/bus/train. All of your travel in Paris is covered.
- VIP, unlimited admission to over 60 great attractions including the Louvre, Orsay, Versailles, Pantheon, Arc de Triomphe, Orangerie, Conciergerie, Cluny, Rodin Museum and Gardens, Napoleon's Tomb, Army Museum, Sainte-Chapelle, and much more.
- Hotel arrangement in a clean, comfortable, quiet hotel in a central location.
- Daily travel itineraries
- Guided tours
- Restaurant recommendations
- Welcome Dinner - Get to know your traveling companions
- Trip to Versailles including transportation and VIP admission
- Personalized, individual travel consultations
- Trip to Giverny - home of Monet. Train (no tour busses on this trip) and admission INCLUDED
- Other optional trips - Brussels, Champagne houses of Reims, Normandy Invasion Beaches, and more.
September/October is a beautiful time to visit Paris - perhaps the nicest time of year.
In order for you to take advantage of the lowest possible airfare from your city, the group meets in Paris and starts the tour there.
I am with you for the entire trip, acting as your personal concierge.
And the best part - it only costs $1,495 (double occupancy). This is one of the top Paris travel deals you will find anywhere. Book by August 1 and take $100 off the price!
Note: If you are interested in this trip, contact me at: info@travelingprofessor.com.
For more details, click HERE.
To register and get your free copy of The Traveling Professor's Guide to Paris, click HERE |
|
|
| Italy Video Blog - A Tour of Florence
|
|
|
|
|
Florence, know as "Firenze" in Italy, is a fascinating city. It is unique in its abundance of artwork, religious significance, wonderful markets, and great food. Please enjoy this Italy video blogpost and enjoy a short tour of the city of Florence, Italy.
|
|
|
| What's Inside the TravelingProfessor.Com
|
|
|
|
|
TravelingProfessor.com is one of the most popular Paris travel websites on the web. If you travel to Paris (or just wish you could travel to Paris), take a look at the features on the TravelingProfessor.Com:
To register, click HERE
| Free Travel to Paris Guide Book |
Paris Deals & Bargains
|
| Travel Itineraries |
Paris Travel Tips |
| Paris Hotels |
Paris Restaurants |
| Paris Photos |
Ask the Professor a Question About Paris
|
Paris Budget Hotels
|
Paris Classified Ads
|
To register and get your free copy of The Traveling Professor's Guide to Paris, click HERE |
|
|
| The Traveling Professor's Guide to Paris
|
|
|
|
|
 TravelingProfessor.Com is one of the most popular Paris travel websites on the web and now "The Traveling Professor's Guide to Paris" has already become one of the top-selling Paris travel guides on the market:
- Over 30 restaurant selections for every taste and budget
- 20 great hotel recommendations
- Descriptions of museums, monuments and attractions
- Daily travel itineraries
- Recommendations on side trips from Paris
- Save money and time without sacrificing luxury or comfort
- Hundreds of links to the most current Paris travel information
- Paris Travel Deals
This compact guide is written for the Paris traveler by a Paris traveler. You may purchase many travel guide books for your trip to Paris, but "The Traveling Professor's Guide to Paris" is the one that you will use.
For more information on the paperback version of "The Traveling Professor's Guide to Paris", click here
For more information on the Kindle version of "The Traveling Professor's Guide to Paris", click here
|
|
If you are visiting Paris for the first time, a time share rental is the perfect lodging option – time shares are more spacious than comparable hotels but similar in price. And after you've visited the City of Lights once, you just may consider purchasing a time share resale so that you can own vacation property in the world's most romantic city!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|