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I said, "Thank you" to the customs official on arrival, and he replied, "This is France. Speak French." That was the only "hostile" reaction I have ever received in three pilgrimages in France, so do not be sensitive about your French skills. On the Le Puy route, you will never be far from a translator when you really need one. There is not a lot of English spoken, but there is help if you are patient. Most of the time, you can get away with a smile and hand signals. On the Tours route, you will find even less English, so you need some of the basic phrases.how much French one has to know before entering the Tours route (or the route from Le Puy)? Are there any difficult dialects, and what is the normal speed of the spoken language?
Debinq said:David forgot to mention ... whatever you do, don't say 'tu' or use 'toi' when speaking to a stranger; the polite form vous/votre is absolutely de rigeur
and while on matters dear to the French
I recently stayed with a French friend in Paris, 70 years old, who remarked about how much this has changed in his life. When he was young, some kids had to address their parents as vous. Now it is much more informal, and in a casual situations, such hiking on the Chemins, or running marathons (the guy is 70, but an animal) total strangers far younger than him start right off with tu-toi.
I prefer the safe side, and use vous with my teacher, because if I use tu all the time, it is inevitable that I'll use it with a policeman, a restaurant proprietor, or some place when it is still inappropriate!
Any Spanish speakers out there who can comment on the modern state of tu-usted?
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