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From: eom@rti-sel.UUCP (Estelle Mabry)
Newsgroups: net.travel
Subject: Re: paris, france
Message-ID: <551@rti-sel.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 20-Nov-85 18:00:27 EST
Article-I.D.: rti-sel.551
Posted: Wed Nov 20 18:00:27 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 23-Nov-85 01:19:22 EST
References: <874@ihlpa.UUCP>
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Organization: Research Triangle Institute, NC
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> Next July i will be traveling to paaris france.
> Can anyone tell me what type of clothes to take
> (or not take), and anything else i may pack to
> make my stay (11 days) easier?
> Any other comments or helps would appreciated too.
> Also, i don't speak french, are menus, etc. in
> english, or should i pick up a french/english
> book and start trying to stagger through some
> phrase book?
> I was at a club med in cancuun last year, and a lot
> of the employees were french, and if you didn't speak
> french (fluently) they wouldn't give you the time of day.
> Should i also expect this in paris (if not more so?).
> 
> ann christian
> ihlpa!tramp


Francophile that I am, I'll stand up for the French.  I spent two weeks in
Paris last May and had an absolutely marvelous time.  I speak restaurant
French impeccably (I know what most dishes are, how they are prepared, etc.)
while my every day French allows me to check into hotels, ask directions, deal
with shopping, etc.  It certainly won't support a philosophical discussion!

I found English spoken in many places--all hotels I stayed in, many
restaurants, many shops (especially the big ones).  However, I found that my
attempts at communicating in French were appreciated.

You must remember that Paris in May will be filled with tourists from around
the world--not just American tourists.  I think this is one reason the French
get testy with tourists.  I was in a restaurant in Paris where the waiter was
horribly rude to some French tourisits but not to us--maybe he was just in a
bad mood.  

I'll be glad to send you names and addresses of wonderful inexpensive to
moderately expensive hotels and restaurants.  I'll also provide you lists of
what is not to be missed that you might if no one tells you to go.  Let me
know.

			Estelle Mabry