Space Bluesman
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Here are my elementary recommendations. I live in France and lived in United States.
Show your money when in a luxury shop and you'll have a nice welcome. Don't do it everywhere else.
Don't show sizable amounts of cash in popular stores (never more than a hundred of Euros in small currencies). Not that odds to be robbed are that high, but it hurts French feelings. French are badly paid and treated at work in most cases, nowadays. And most of them are craving for money.
Never loudly criticize socialism and greens. Just avoid the subject.
Be prepared for unexpected strikes while using any mean of transportation.
If ever you find a job, then wonder why.
Avoid conversations about George Bush and Iraq, and be evasive. Shift to other topics.
Never ask a cab driver to bring you to bar or a night club where there are easy going girls (or, it might cost a lot for very little in change, in the end).
Beware in the subway. Once there, watch your pockets and don't let your backpack on your back. Keep it in sight. Hide your camera if it is an expensive one.
Always keep a one Euro coin in your pocket or you'll find yourself unable to use a cart when going to supermarkets.
Plastic bags are not free in French supermarkets and there are no paper bags. Do not expect employees are going to fill your bag at the cashier. There are no such services in France but in many Asian stores, in revenge.
Big feets, beware! It's very hard to find a pair of shoes in France beyond 12.5. Exceptions are to be found with Timberland shoes, some sports shoes, and luxury shoes whose price goes over $100. Bring you shoes with you, if you size more than 12.5.
If you have a car, then beware of the “gendarmes couchés” which are to be unexpectedly found in many small towns. Those are purposefully built road bumps aiming at compelling you to slow down. You may easily break something on your car when rolling on it as low as 20 MPH, and no claims will be receivable! There are numerous unexpected police and gendarmerie routine controls on French roads when compared to the U.S.; and there are numerous automatic radars with on roads.
It is impossible to find cigarettes after 9 PM. Hard, if not impossible, to find a store still open after 7 PM (but some supermarkets stay open until 10 PM). No stores open past 10 PM, anyways. Beware! All French stores, but very few little groceries and some bakeries on morning, are close on Sunday (!?!). There are few liquor stores. They close at 7 PM and they don’t sale cigarettes. Cigarettes are to be found in some cafés and nowhere else.
Things you won't find or are hard to find: American style bacon, big turkeys, peanut butter (available in certain supermarkets, but not everywhere), hot-dog buns, American wines (beware, good French wine are very expensive, but strong alcohols are cheaper, in revenge).
Particularly expensive goods and services (or more to much more expensive than in U.S.): French restaurants (Asian restaurants are much less expensive), cafés and bars downtown in big cities, shoes and clothing, gas), cigarettes,
Possible little disappointments: pizzas are thin and of passable quality (the elementary Domino’s are much better in most cases); shopkeepers, waiters and waitresses and service personnel are often impolite and rude; labor union strikes in means of transportation; many French don’t like Americans (not that they really have a personal grudge against Americans, but French media repeatedly tell them American are wrong, uneducated, and stupid); affordable French wines (5 to 10 Euros) are just crap (you’ll be happier with Spanish or South-American imported wines for such range of prices); European cars are very small and not very comfortable; too many people looking sad or stressed (it may gives you the blues); streets much too narrow for fluid traffic; you’ll pay a lot for a tiny cup of café, and much more for a normal one with cream!
Happy discoveries: huge choice of chocolates in supermarkets; very good bakeries; huge choice of good cheeses; good meals and wines in good restaurants (but it will be very, very expensive!); some nice castles and museums to visit.
I forgot some things, doubtless; but you'll be well prepared with all this.
Have a good trip! |
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