Tourist Season Part 3: France

Groan, here's take two on my article on France. I lost the original article as Blogger crashed on me and wiped the article - unreal. That's the first time it has ever happened. Ouch. Imagine having to write the same article twice. This article will be a bit shorter and I will beef it up when I find the time.

First Impressions: I started learning French at the ripe old age of 19 when I was doing my national service, simply because I needed some kind of mental stimulation to prevent my brain from turning into mush in the army. Thus began a life long obsession with France and the French language. I took to French like a duck to water - after all, my parents had long convinced me that I sucked at foreign languages because I wasn't as good as my sisters in Chinese. Here's a secret I will share with you: French is far easier as a second language than Chinese if your first language is English.

So when I first arrived in France as a student in 1997, it was not so much a holiday, but a non-stop immersion exercise - it was a classroom the size of a country. My first impression of France was just how huge France was - I had just gotten off a 13 hour flight from Singapore and it was immediately onto a bus for a 600 km journey to the Atlantic coast. The landscape that passed before me was extremely varied: farms with crops, farms with animals, river valleys, mountains, industrial estates, forests, small towns... The one sight that made me smile were the fields and fields of sunflowers in bloom, fields of golden yellow as far as the eye can see.

Sunflowers in the French countryside. 

Getting there: Most tourists will be flying into Paris, which is extremely well connected to virtually all corners of the world. Alternative routes include overland from other countries like Spain, Belgium and Switzerland which share a land border with France or via the Eurotunnel on the Eurostar from London (in 2 hours flat, pretty neat eh?)

Transport: Excellent - it is efficient, affordable and easy to navigate, though you would make life a lot easier for yourself if you are willing to do your homework and plan your journeys in advance. Within Paris, you have the choice of the Metro (Subway/MRT/U-Bahn/Underground), the RER (a regional train network) as well as buses - do your research as to where you wish to visit and check out the various price tariffs available.

Nice, a stunningly beautiful city on the south coast of France. 

If you are venturing out of Paris, there is a simple rule of thumb when it comes to the choice of travel. Buses are always the cheapest option but they are the slowest option too. Trains are super fast and efficient but are a lot more expensive than trains. There are internal flights too - but given that the longest domestic flights on mainland France are no more than 90 minutes, I wonder if it is worth it when the trains are so efficient? Price might be a factor - Easyjet is very active on the domestic French flights market and they often get into a price war with Air France, so you may be able to pick up some ridiculously cheap domestic flights with either Easyjet or Air France when they get into a price war and it may turn out to be cheaper to fly than get the train.

Attractions: You know my rule: watch some French films (or films set in France) if you haven't already done so, then you can decide what you would like to see. Here are some suggestions:  Amélie, Da Vinci Code, Hors de Prix (Priceless), Coco Avant Chanel (Coco Before Chanel), Nikita, Moulin Rogue, The Bourne Identity & Ultimatum, Taken, Inception and Mr Bean's Holiday. I can't read your mind as to what you like - trust me, it's best that you do your own research and figure that out for yourself.

The fact is there is no one-size-fits-all approach to deciding how one designs the perfect holiday because everyone will have their own preferences. Take something as straight forward as the Louvre - one of Paris' top attractions. It's one of the world's most popular art galleries - millions flock there every year to go look at the Mona Lisa. For some, that may be the highlight of their visit to Paris, a dream come true - for others they may be happier shopping in Galleries Lafayette than in an art gallery like the Louvre. Guess what? I can't read your mind - you have to decide what you like and if you have any questions, leave a message below okay?

If you have four or less days, then spend your time entirely in Paris as there is just too much to see and do in Paris, even in four days. If you have five days, then you can do four days in Paris + a day trip out of Paris, for example to Versailles or Mont St Michel. If you have over a week, then you can either head out to somewhere like Cote d'Azur or the Alps for a few days. Frankly, to do France justice, you need ... a year? It's such a huge country!

That's me on a roof top in Paris!

I will leave you with one personal recommendation: Tati. When one thinks about shopping in Paris, one thinks of expensive designers like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Lanvin, Chanel etc - but do you believe that all French people shop at designer boutiques? Of course no, many go to somewhere like Tati which caters for shoppers with far more modest budgets. It has been around since I was a student in Paris and there are eight Tati outlets in Paris. Do check it out if you fancy a bargain! I love Tati!

Weather: France is a country of extremes - in the summer, it can easily exceed 40 degrees in the interior as it bakes like an oven. In the winter, it can drop to -20 in the lowlands and in the Alps, it can easily drop to -40 degrees. That's a range of 80 degrees! Compare that to somewhere like Singapore, which barely experiences a range of 10 or 12 degrees in an entire year. There are broadly, three climates: Northern continental, southern Mediterranean and mountain In the North, you can experience very hot summers and cold winters - whilst one the southern coat, the weather is far more mild in the winters and snow is rare on the southern coast. So whilst it is -12 degrees in Paris or Strasbourg, it can be +12 degrees in Nice or Marseilles - that's how stark the difference is. In the mountains, the altitude keeps the climate cool in the summers and in the winter, there is a lot of snow for winter sports! If you visit France in the winter, make sure you dress appropriately.

That's me in Chamonix in a T-shirt ....

Food: Excellent. You can't go wrong - whether you choose to splash out on haute cuisine at a fancy restaurant or if you choose to have something a lot more simple in small bistro on the beach on the Atlantic coast, standards are high because French people just don't put up with bad food. You can't go wrong with the 'menu du jour' (menu of the day or set meal) which will include a starter, main course and desert for a fixed price (water is usually thrown in for free though if you want wine or juice you will have to pay for it). The only places you have to avoid are those that are catering specifically for tourists - avoid these tourist traps as the standards are usually lower than places that cater for a local clientèle. If a restaurant is full of tourists, avoid it!

You should make an effort to learn some vital words like poulet, poisson, crevette, vin, bierre, fromage, pomme de terre, pamplemousse, moules so you will know your way around a French menu. You'll be pleased to know that there are many French words related to food already widely used in English like gateau, croissant, meringue, sauté, gourmet, éclair, café, pâté, foie gras, mousse, champagne, baguette, soufflé, quiche and crepe. Then there are other words which are virtually the same in French (they may be spelt slightly differently but still easily recognizable): soupe, tarte, steak, sandwich, chocolate, orange, porc, boeuf, sauce, salade, carotte, tomate and oignon.

I love French cuisine!

France is also a great place to check out Maghreb (North African) cuisine and Vietnamese cuisine because of the immigrant communities from these countries in France. Many kebab shops are run by Maghrebs - try a grilled Merguez (a spicy sausage) sandwich. If you are craving for Asian food, look out for a traiteur Vietnamien/Asiatique/Chinois. These are canteens, rather than restaurants. Now in a restaurant, the chef cooks your dish to order so you know it's absolutely fresh. In a traiteur, it is more like a canteen. Everything is prepared before hand and placed in big containers on display - you simply pick and choose what you want and they pile it all onto a plate before heating it up in the microwave for you. It is a lot cheaper than a restaurant and the quality is just as good. The Singaporean equivalent of a traiteur Asiatique would be "economy rice" - same concept, it's just that in France, you would get a wider array of dishes at your traiteur Asiatique. I remember my favourite traiteur in Paris - they did everything from Vietnamese spring rolls to sushi to dim sum. Oooh they did this ravioli aux crevette which was like this super crispy deep fried prawn dumpling - that was my favourite.

Remember to make space for desert - the French are well-known for their indulgent, decadent and sinfully delicious deserts. The French are definitely the best cake makers in the world - just visit any Patisserie and look at the cakes there. Oh they are works of art. The only problem is to decide which to eat as you stare at all those calorie-laden sculptures of cake, pastry, chocolate, cream and fruits.

Are you ready for some desert? 

Prices: Again, as in the UK, you will get a full range of options from budget to luxury and everything in between. France is not a cheap country, but how much you spend is entirely up to you - do you shop at Lanvin or at Tati? Do you go to a Traiteur Asiatique for lunch or do you go to a posh brasserie? Do you try the local wine or do you order the champagne? Do you get the bus or do you travel by first class on the TGV? Of course, you cannot compare France with say Eastern Europe or Africa - you are in Western Europe after all, but having lived in Paris as a student, I can tell you that it is entirely possible to have a great time in France on a limited budget.

Language: French. What were you expecting?

Fact, most French people under the age of 50 speak stunningly good English. This is because for many years it has been compulsory for French students to do two foreign languages at school right up till the equivalent of A levels - le baccalauréat. Sure, it's possible to pick say Italian and German and avoid learning any English, but in practice for the vast majority of French people, one of those foreign languages would be English. In order to gain a place at a good university, they would have had to have done very well in English. At French universities, whilst French is the main language of instruction - English is still very important as a language of research as the libraries are full of English books. Knowledge is knowledge, you don't deny yourself useful information just because it is in another language and loads of French graduates probably have read loads of research material in English whilst at university.

Yes they do speak English here, really. 

Okay, granted not all French people made it to university - but that still means that practically all of them have studied English at school and have some knowledge of English. Whether they are willing to speak it with you is another issue altogether. Their attitude is this: you're in my country, you jolly well make an effort to speak my language. Note that this attitude disappears with some (but not all!) service staff: for example, if you walk into a gift shop, the shop keeper will gladly speak to you in English if it would persuade you to spend more money there. But if you are buying a train ticket at a train station, now the lady behind the counter isn't going to benefit from the sale of that ticket to you - no, she gets paid exactly the same whether you get your ticket or not, so you jolly well make an effort to speak French to her.

In restaurants, there is usually a 15% service charge added to your bill automatically, so the waiters don't have to work for their tip - hence that is why French waiters have the reputation to be rude and unwilling to speak English with you. As for staff in places like hotels - it depends. In bigger hotels in big cities, they are probably far more willing and able to speak English, but once you're in a small town, forget it. No chance. If you have to ask for directions, always pick a younger person and always approach them in French, "Excusez-moi, s'il vous plaît, parlez-vous anglais?" That should be enough, but never just stop someone and ask them, "Do you speak English?" or worse still (and I've seen this), just ask someone a question in English, assuming that they speak English. If you do that, they'll probably send you in the opposite direction, down some dark alley where you will get robbed.

English rating: It's a tough one! If it's whether the locals speak English, it's 4.5 out of 5 in Paris and other big cities, but 3.5 out of 5 in the countryside. But if it's whether they're willing to speak English with you, then it's probably 1.5 out of 5.

Beware: Do not just ignore announcements or signs just because you don't speak French. It could be something important. Say you're on a train and they make an announcement, make sure you find out what they said - ask someone to translate it for you. I remember Boxing Day 1999 - there was a huge storm on Christmas night and I was meant to travel to Lyon that day but when I got to the train station, most trains were cancelled and it was chaos! There were some signs and announcements about what desperate passengers should do if they had to travel that day or get refunds - but get this: not one piece of information was given in English (or any other language). I was okay as I was studying French at the Sorbonne - but imagine if you were a tourist who didn't speak any French at that train station trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

Safety: France is very safe, I've never ever had any concerns about my security. If you've watched the film Taken, then let me tell you: that's a Hollywood film about dumb Americans. If you've watched the film District 13, aha - well done. Such deprived neighbourhoods do exist, but they are no where near where tourists normally go. There is no way you can end up in Clichy-sous-Bois on your way from the Eiffel Tower to the Notre Dame! The usual advice about common sense applies - beware of pickpockets, take care of each other when you travel, don't leave your bags unattended.

Comparisons: France will remind you of other French speaking countries like Switzerland, Belgium and Quebec - but the landscape, architecture and feel of the cities may also remind you of other countries like Austria, Holland, Belgium and Germany. I can't think of a reason for anyone not to fall in love with France, unless the thought of having to deal with the French language is too much for you.

Do I need a guide?: No. France is reasonably tourist-friendly and there is always a tourist information office in most places for you to get help. Do plan ahead and book your travel and accommodation on the internet if possible. If you're willing to make an effort with the language, then you'll do just fine in France. As in the UK, there are always options to do local tours/excursions/day trips.

The train system in France is excellent. 

Okay, this version of the article on France was typed out in a hurry as Blogger crashed and deleted my original article. Maybe it's better - shorter, more precise? I know I can ramble sometimes... If I have left out anything of if you have any questions, do leave a comment below - merci beaucoup mes amis!

PS. For the next country, we're heading to Africa!