How much french do I need to know?

[FXDB]

Hello,
Not sure if this has been asked before but I'm leaving for my first camino in about a week and a half. i'll land in San Sebastian and take trains to SJPDP. I know plenty of Spanish but how much french do I need to know?

Thanks

 

[lindseh]

You'll only spend a day amd a half in France so you should be fine. you cross the border into Spain on Day One.

 

[naplesdon]

I would suggest knowing at least enough to read signs, directions and make change with your money. Everything here is bi-lingual, that being French and Euskadi.

 

[Thornley]

Every person under 30 years CAN speak English mate , even the Parisians.
If they can't then the internet is off for them one would think .
We found trouble on the Portuguese with the elderly but the young ones there were very fluent in English. Same as the french......
BUT you are in the Basque country and they sure do spell some things different.

Please and thank you take you a long way FXDB ,

Enjoy and take your time,
David

 

[JabbaPapa]

Not sure if this has been asked before but I'm leaving for my first camino in about a week and a half. i'll land in San Sebastian and take trains to SJPDP. I know plenty of Spanish but how much french do I need to know?

For the pilgrim stuff, NONE -- (well, possibly "Où est le Camino ?" "Where is the Camino")

For minimalist social activity -- bonjour, bonsoir, excusez-moi, "je ne parle pas français", "parlez-vous anglais ou espagnol ?"

For buying things -- s'il vous plaît, merci, the phrases "ceci" (this) "cela" (that) "comme ça" (of those/like that) "combien ?" (how much ?), the basic numbers, and some extremely basic cash machine interface stuff

----

For actually *walking* in France, you would need much MUCH more than that !!! :mrgreen:

 

[JabbaPapa]

Every person under 30 years CAN speak English mate , even the Parisians

This is just NOT TRUE.

English is commonly spoken in urban areas, but out in the sticks it is RARELY understood -- but the member is not walking through very much of France, so this is 99% irrelevant.

 

[Thornley]

I apologise Jabba Papa saying EVERY person under 30 speaks english.

I lived in a little village on the Camino from Le Puy for one year.
The villages are called Concots/Eslauzels , between Limongne en Quercy and Vaylats/Cahor.
Not many people there mate but please believe me if the kids wanted a job in Cahors or St. Cirq Lapopie then they had to know some english.
This part of The Lot is the sticks with only a Tabac in town now but every chance they had they tried english.
What percentage do you think Jabba Papa of young people in France between 15 and 30 who don't know the english words please or thank you ??
On many occasions on the GR 65 when lost we asked ... Do you speak any English ....a little...99%

A little hint FXBD...once you commence and the pressure point start on the feet the last problem you will have is who speaks french or for tat matter spanish.

 

[JabbaPapa]

I lived in a little village on the Camino from Le Puy for one year.
The villages are called Concots/Eslauzels , between Limongne en Quercy and Vaylats/Cahor.
Not many people there mate but please believe me if the kids wanted a job in Cahors or St. Cirq Lapopie then they had to know some english.

There are regional variations, and English is (granted) more common in the more touristy areas than the less touristy ones.

The truth lies somewhere between your comments and mine, I'd guess

 

[FXDB]

Thanks so much for the responses guys! I'm gonna make sure I at least know the basics. I just hate going to a place and expect for people to adapt to me.