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I heartily agree. My epiphany moment was years ago, when I was in the stereotypical mindset that French are rude. Then I learned that it was I who was being rude when I walked into a store and simply placed an order or asked for an item. My failure to say good day and engage on a human level with the person behind the counter or the cash register was received as extreme rudeness and responded to in kind. It has made all the difference, just another unintended cultural faux pas that is so easy to fix.
In my experience, totally undeserved. As it happens, there have been recent articles in the press commenting on the fact that even the Parisians have got nicer over recent years. My French is not great, but travelling in France this has never been a problem and there have nearly always been French people able and willing to speak English. Even when they couldn´t speak English, French people were courteous and helpful.(not necessarily deserved, but the stereotype is there) that they dont’ like English speakers,
And mine too. Totally undeserved. One hears it so often, including from people who have never set foot in France. Anyone can have a bad experience anywhere but it would be great if this stereotype were put to bed, at least on this forum where it is regularly repeated. These days I spend a lot of time in France, but my first extended time was walking the Le Puy Way solo in 2014. I was apprehensive about communication. Like many others, I had just a few words of French - I'd describe them as courtesy words - but I did my best. Few of my French hosts and fellow walkers were comfortable with English but they were kind and helpful, and seemed to appreciate my efforts and those of other walkers who could not or barely speak French.In my experience, totally undeserved. As it happens, there have been recent articles in the press commenting on the fact that even the Parisians have got nicer over recent years. My French is not great, but travelling in France this has never been a problem and there have nearly always been French people able and willing to speak English. Even when they couldn´t speak English, French people were courteous and helpful.
Gosh, that's not an angle I'd considered - or would be concerned about. The French people I know - like other nationalities - can draw a distinction between political issues within and between countries and day to day courtesy and communication to pilgrims and others.So if you went today you might be looked at a bit less favourably if you spoke Spanish than English. That said, between now and August things could calm down between Spain and France but some fight with England could arise (maybe something post-Brexit) and people in France could be more displeased if you speak English than Spanish.
It is hard for me to refrain from commenting on the stereotypes aired in previous posts and on some of the opinions that are obviously based on what one believes to know from the news while not living in the countryI think I’m most worried about not understanding train announcements and missing a stop.
Cambo-Les-Bains is a stop on the regional train from Bayonne to SJPP. SJPP itself is the terminal of this train line, the train stops there before it turns back to Bayonne. Usually the train is full of backpack carrying pilgrims who get off the train in SJPP.I’m planning my Camino in August, planning to start at SJPDP. I’ll arrive a few days earlier and plan to stay 2-3 days prior to starting the Camino, so I’m planning a little side trip to Cambo-Les-Bains (just 30 km away, and easy train ride if I understand correctly).
There is no hostility between the people living on the two sides of the Pyrenees. In Spain, the historical issue is about the question of how the power between regional and national administration is shared and organised. The same issue does not exist in France. People often misunderstand linguistic issues (within Europe). It is not about the language that someone speaks and it rarely exists on the personal level. Although you will always hear anecdotes that may give you such a wrong impression. As a general rule, when people communicate on the private personal or commercial level they try to find the language that both sides know best.As I understand it, they are also part of the Basque Country, they speak Euskera (of which I know nothing), but given the Basque history, I dont’ know how they feel about the Spanish.
Not true, I am not sure of what reputation you're speaking of.Greetings!
I’m planning my Camino in August, planning to start at SJPDP. I’ll arrive a few days earlier and plan to stay 2-3 days prior to starting the Camino, so I’m planning a little side trip to Cambo-Les-Bains (just 30 km away, and easy train ride if I understand correctly).
I’m a native Spanish speaker and speak English fluently, but…no French. Despite the common Latin origin, for the life of me I couldn’t make sense of French spelling or pronunciation, other than recognizing a word here and there.
I’m not worried about getting by on SJPDP, since they have visitors from all over the globe, but if I go outside that area, would it be better to speak in English or Spanish? French have the reputation (not necessarily deserved, but the stereotype is there) that they dont’ like English speakers, but that being said, I have no idea on whether I can get by in Spanish. As I understand it, they are also part of the Basque Country, they speak Euskera (of which I know nothing), but given the Basque history, I dont’ know how they feel about the Spanish.
I’ll try to learn the basic phrases, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to understand things like train announcements, etc.
I’m sure many of you are experienced travelers that have dealt with the similar issues, so know i should be fine, but any pointers will be appreciated.
Thanks!
On the French side of the Pyrenees, you are in FRANCE. The French people speak French. I recommend that you obtain at least a Berlitz phrase book and maybe a CD (burn it to files to carry on your smartphone.) Alternatively, there are many, many online choices to learn basic tourist phrases and languages. You still have time to use Duolingo, coim , Babbel.com, etc. to pick some phrases up.Greetings!
I’m planning my Camino in August, planning to start at SJPDP. I’ll arrive a few days earlier and plan to stay 2-3 days prior to starting the Camino, so I’m planning a little side trip to Cambo-Les-Bains (just 30 km away, and easy train ride if I understand correctly).
I’m a native Spanish speaker and speak English fluently, but…no French. Despite the common Latin origin, for the life of me I couldn’t make sense of French spelling or pronunciation, other than recognizing a word here and there.
I’m not worried about getting by on SJPDP, since they have visitors from all over the globe, but if I go outside that area, would it be better to speak in English or Spanish? French have the reputation (not necessarily deserved, but the stereotype is there) that they dont’ like English speakers, but that being said, I have no idea on whether I can get by in Spanish. As I understand it, they are also part of the Basque Country, they speak Euskera (of which I know nothing), but given the Basque history, I dont’ know how they feel about the Spanish.
I’ll try to learn the basic phrases, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to understand things like train announcements, etc.
I’m sure many of you are experienced travelers that have dealt with the similar issues, so know i should be fine, but any pointers will be appreciated.
Thanks!
Which is why there is that saying: "When in Rome...."I have intermediate French, so this has never been a problem for me.
In pilgrim accommodation in Bourges, the Frenchman in charge made the following comment to me - in English:
Q> What do you call a person who speaks 3 languages?
A> Trilingual.
Q> What do you call a person wo speaks 2 languages?
A> Bilingual.
Q> What do you call a person who speaks 1 language?
A> French.
And this has been my experience in rural France - mostly but not entirely. Swap the final answer to Spanish and that was my experience on the Mozarabe and VdlP in 2008, again not entirely, but mostly.
And really, why should it be any different? What proportion of the population in the town where I live speak French or Spanish?
If you are going to spend any amount of time in France or Spain, off the beaten track, and not as part of a tour group, well ...
“ca va?” (With a soft c) basically means “what’s up?” (One does not generally expect an answer) and it is one of five non-food things i know in FrenchAh! Merci Beaucop per las respondez! ( I just made that up with the very little I know, pardon my misspellings!)
Cava? I thought that was a Spanish wine, is that another way of saying “bonjour”?
I think I’m most worried about not understanding train announcements and missing a stop.
I ran into a little language difficulty in Barcelona, as the train ticket machines were only in Catalan, not even Spanish, so I needed to ask a passerby in Spanish to help me out. I remember the train announcements were in Catalan and Spanish so I was fine with that. But France has always felt very foreign to me.
It’s been a long time since I’ve traveled internationally, so I’m trying to update my understanding of navigating communications.
I remember once on a flight from Rio to Santiago (Chile, not Spain), the announcements were in Portuguese and English, which I thought was odd since they were servicing a Spanish speaking city.
So this is why I try not to make assumptions about languages.
Thank you very much for your helpful responses!
Haha. We had a similar thing in Quebec. Being English, with at that time only a little French, we approached a guide who asked us which language we would like I e the tour in. We answered that we were happy to try in French. However he told us that he could understand our English better than our FrenchSometimes speaking French is not enough! On my first Camino Frances, I met a man from France, being from Quebec I naturally started to speak to him in French, but our French is a bit different than European French. After a few seconds, he told me rather pompously sorry Monsieur I can't understand your accent. I simply replied to him, that he was the one with an accent. He was left speechless and I simply walked away. Usually, French pilgrim are quite happy to speak to people from Quebec, calling us their little cousins from Canada.
ACTUALLY, a version of this exists along the Caminos. "What do you call a pilgrim who only speaks one language . . . an American."Which is why there is that saying: "When in Rome...."
Now.... how to say that in Italian?
Not only in France: VERY important in Spain to be polite, beyond more common (un)politeness in many countriesThe important thing is to be polite and offer a greeting when you first enter an establishment.
The typical answer to Ça va ? is Ça va.“ca va?” (With a soft c) basically means “what’s up?” (One does not generally expect an answer) and it is one of five non-food things i know in French
You forgot wafflesCan we PLEASE stop the stereotyping that I read here in certain posts.
The world can use more finesse, subtlety and certainly less generalities.
Sabs aka a Belgian which means more than chocolates, frites and beers.
We say that about Australians !I have intermediate French, so this has never been a problem for me.
In pilgrim accommodation in Bourges, the Frenchman in charge made the following comment to me - in English:
Q> What do you call a person who speaks 3 languages?
A> Trilingual.
Q> What do you call a person wo speaks 2 languages?
A> Bilingual.
Q> What do you call a person who speaks 1 language?
A> French.
And this has been my experience in rural France - mostly but not entirely. Swap the final answer to Spanish and that was my experience on the Mozarabe and VdlP in 2008, again not entirely, but mostly.
And really, why should it be any different? What proportion of the population in the town where I live speak French or Spanish?
If you are going to spend any amount of time in France or Spain, off the beaten track, and not as part of a tour group, well ...
But I normally only use it in an informal setting. Otherwise I use "Comment allez-vous ? "The typical answer to Ça va ? is Ça va.
Gaufre?Can we PLEASE stop the stereotyping that I read here in certain posts.
The world can use more finesse, subtlety and certainly less generalities.
Sabs aka a Belgian which means more than chocolates, frites and beers.
We bought our house in a Welsh-language hotspot in south-west Wales from a couple who had lived there all their lives and spoke Welsh as a first language whenever possible. They told us that on a visit to Anglesey they had to switch to English because the north and south versions of Welsh were so different as to be almost incomprehensible. That has changed a lot in recent years with modern communications but it is amazing how much difference a hundred miles of hilly country can make to a language or dialect.Haha. We had a similar thing in Quebec. Being English, with at that time only a little French, we approached a guide who asked us which language we would like I e the tour in. We answered that we were happy to try in French. However he told us that he could understand our English better than our French
On the Camino, that would nearly always be overly formal -- exceptions withstanding, especially in situations where some particular formality might be de rigueur.But I normally only use it in an informal setting. Otherwise I use "Comment allez-vous ? "
On the Camino, that would nearly always be overly formal -- exceptions withstanding, especially in situations where some particular formality might be de rigueur.
You might vouvoie someone but still use ça va ... which is really more neutral than informal. It is very common to use ça va between complete strangers.
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