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Des vacances plus merveilleuses en France sont possibles quand on parle français !
The journey of learning anything new, putting in the hours, the practice, and progressing in a controlled environment eventually must make its way into the real-world to ensure any confidence we have gained is sound.
Over the past three years, as many TSLL riders and listeners of the podcast know, I enrolled in French language classes (12 in total) with Washington D.C.’s Alliance de Français through their online classes. Completing through FR 204 (B 1.3) in February of this year, I had met my goal and set about heading to France in March, not having been there since 2022 when upon returning home I enrolled in these classes. As a way to keep me focused, inspired and determined, I told myself to complete all 100 and 200 level classes before I could return.
My learning journey was shared in a 9-part series consisting of podcast episodes and blog posts, and you can view all of them here. Those posts/episodes include detailed grammar and vocabulary lessons and really step into the language learning process. Today’s episode is less concrete French language conversation and more about the experience of being in France having the language more comfortably accessible in my cognitive toolbox.
Whether you are in the middle of your French language journey, just beginning or well-advanced along the road of proficiency, may today’s episode convey reassurance that your investment of time and money will be worth your efforts in more ways than you might imagine possible.
Let’s take a look at how the two week trip unfolded with the French language in use.
1. Most of the vocabulary on menus is understood
Food. French food. It’s why so many of us dream of traveling to France, and for good reason. I did my best to make reservations at restaurants that were less touristy, and more local choices, in some part so that I would be encouraged to speak French. While during one dinner occasion, my friend Véronique, who speaks fluent French, did most of the talking with the waiter, I thoroughly enjoyed hearing them and could understand most of what they said.
In another occasion, when I dined at Bistrot Minim’s (view this post of the 13 places I recommended visiting to eat, enjoy, shop and stay in Paris), the waiter spoke solely in French with me, and while I spoke simply, we were able to communicate, I order as well as inquire about the menu as well as ask for the check. Progress!
And whenever I didn’t know what a term was on the menu, I did know how to ask in French, what that word was – “Qu’est-ce que [insert term]?
Hestia, a restaurant that is absolutely scrumptious and artistic all in one in their offerings, had a menu that both built my confidence, but also challenged me. Feel free to take a look at it and practice your French!
The basic interactions with waitstaff went smoothly, especially at La Rotunde, a brasserie in the 16th that is a local favorite spot for all three meals. While I indeed looked like a tourist – I showed up earlier than just about everyone for breakfast – the waitress spoke only in French to me and I responded and engaged in kind. While again, simple in its content, I was able to do something I was previously not accustomed to doing at all.
2. Practicing with the cab drivers is quite helpful!
A great opportunity to practice your French is with your cab driver. Of course, only do so if you feel comfortable, but I had some great conversations with them, and most of the time, it provided practice to share where I was from, ask for directions, ask about Paris and ideas or information about an area, so my inquiring vocabulary was given a great workout as well as my introduction phrases about what I do, etc.
3. Driving peace of mind is gained
Earlier this week during French Week, I shared how I love driving in France. And I truly do. This is now the technically third time I have driven in France, two times with my own rental car and one time Susan Herrmann Loomis let me drive her car to go brocante shopping with a fellow student in her cooking class. In all occasions, I have felt comfortable driving, and during this trip, I learned even more about the lesser known ‘rules of the road’ simply because I could read all of the signs with ease.
This sounds odd to admit, but in truth, when you don’t know the language well, there are signs that you are merely looking at the symbols, trusting your GPS that is in your car and following the other vehicles. This time however, I understood what each sign meant, and that felt amazing. Much peace of mind was gained.
Be sure to check out the post shared below that lists all of the ways in which driving in France is truly most enjoyable.
4. Locals will help you – accept the assistance!
In one occasion while in Brittany, my pronunciation of cadeau (gift) sounded more like gateau (cake). And the staff kindly let me practice saying both so I could discern and note the difference in how to say each correctly. I was smiling the entire time because following my first inquiring about wrapping what I thought I was saying ‘gift’, they asked if I wanted to put a cake in the cup, not wrap the cup as a gift. Their patience, sense of humor and kindness will always be remembered. ☺️
In another instance, I walked into a pharmacie in Paris to pick up a couple of items I had run out of in my toiletries bag, and as I was digging around in my coin purse to find the most accurate change, the shopkeeper became determined to make sure I said the number/amount correctly. She reminded me of a stern teacher who was not going to let me leave until I mastered it, and I was happy to oblige. I knew I was getting accurate and beneficial assistance, and even though the line was getting longer, she kept helping me. Eventually, I came close, I’ll just say that, but I gave it my honest best try.
5. Words will get mixed up and mispronounced – keep speaking French
The common request while sitting down at a table is for a bottle of water, or at least it is now, and the waitstaff is frequently seen with bottles being served to tables throughout the restaurant. However, it took me time to wrap my tongue around “une bouteille d’eau” (a bottle of water). It took a long time to come close to the proper pronunciation for some reason, and while some waitstaff looked at me quizzically, others would help me improve my pronunciation, and for this I was appreciative.
Determinedly, I kept asking for a bottle of water wherever I sat down for a meal, as much because I wanted to drink water as I wanted to have it become second nature to ask for it and sound as fluent as possible.
6. France felt more and more like home-away-from-home
I can remember back in 2000 during my first trip to France where I knew just about nothing of the language. Add on to the fact that it was the first time I was traveling alone, and all confidence of saying anything remotely accurate went out the window. But for that trip I continue to be deeply grateful because it gave me something to compare what I feel now when I visit.
During my trip this year, I moved around Paris with ease, knew the neighborhoods where I chose to visit and walk and in those I felt comfortable in, I would walk into the late evening without a thought because I knew my surroundings, I knew the language and where I was going. I also was comfortable dining alone and preferred it in certain occasions to just take in the city.
Shopping at the grocery markets – open-air and super marché were a breeze because my vocabulary was robust, and my knowledge of brands and the food culture much stronger.
From the pace of life, the quality of food to the natural beauty, I felt I could more fully savor it than I have ever done before and that in large part became available because I knew how to read well and communicate my needs, questions and some casual, friendly conversation.
7. As I became fatigued, my language (speaking) skills weakened
By the end of my trip, about 16 days-long, I came down with a bit of a cold. Admittedly, I had utilized every waking minute to soak up Paris as well as Brittany, and my body was asking for a break. With our TOP Tier member dinner on the penultimate night of my trip, I took most of that day to rest up to hopefully ward off the chills, and while I felt better that evening and the positive and warm energy and exchanges all night buoyed me immensely (we closed the resnstaurnt down! More about our dinner later this week.), when I did my best to speak French, it wasn’t as strong as I would have liked.
Because so much of this new-to-me language is still in my short-term memory, it does take more mental energy to recall, and when the body and mind are exhausted, that will affect recall. I tried to be gentle with myself, and am grateful to all of the women of TSLL who were there for dinner and spoke French beautifully – Dani, Mariana, Berti and Grace – for helping me out when I stumbled. They were all inspiring. Such a lovely and most memorable evening.
8. Reading the internet in French, defaulting to the French browser settings, was helpful
A simple detail, but one I wanted to note, while in France, the search engines are all in French (unless you have a VPN and select your home country), and so French language practice is everywhere I would go on the internet. I welcomed this, and it was a pleasure to have such an everyday tool set up in the language you are trying to learn. Repeatedly seeing certain terms engrained them into my memory so that I was no longer needing to look them up on Google Translate.
As with so much of language acquisition, being in situ provides the most expedient teacher, and certainly, the language skills became more and more solidified by being in France.
On the flight home, one of the flight attendants spoke entirely in French with me, and while basic responses on my part, I was delighted to have yet another chance to speak French. The assumption that I was French, or at least spoke French, occurred I discovered because there was a French title on the notebook placed on my tray table. All the more reason to have touches of France scattered about in our lives. More encouragement to learn and practice the language.
While by no means is my French as proficient as I someday hope it will be, I am now more confident that I made significant progress and most of that progress will not subside. I continue to watch French films and television programs, and would like to step into level 300 sometime next year to brush up on my skills before returning again.
May your language journey continue to flourish. And thank you for following along as I stumbled and celebrated and discovered all that I feel fortunate to have done along my own language journey. Bon courage !
SIMILAR EPISODES/POSTS YOU MIGHT ENJOY
episode #374: What I Have Learned in French Class, So Far – part Sept
Petit Plaisir
~Read my detailed review of Mona’s Eyes: A Novel by Thomas Schlesser, an international bestselling French novel that is now translated into English here. Listen to the review at the end of today’s podcast episode as well.
~Order the book, Mona’s Eyes: A novel, here.
~Learn more about TSLL’s Intro to French Cooking online video class here – the FAQs page
Explore All of the Posts Shared during TSLL’s 10th Annual French Week
To advertise on this podcast please email: ad-sales@libsyn.com
Or go to: https://advertising.libsyn.com/thesimplesophisticate
~Explore all of the episodes of The Simple Sophisticate here.
Thank you, Shannon, for your enlightening perspective on speaking French in Paris. With only two years of high school French taken 40 years ago, you have given me the courage to start taking lessons again. It is a dream of mine to one day speak conversational French in the City of Lights! Bon journee!
Shannon, I truly admire your desire and tenacity in learning the French language. I love thé way you set an attainable time goal for yourself, as well as the reward of an immersion trip to use the skill. You worked hard and invested time and money in your pursuit…I will use this as a model for creating and pursuing a new goal for myself. (I’m thinking -your French cooking course!) Well done!
Victoria,
You are very kind. Thank you. 🙂 I am confident that whatever you choose as your goal to reach, you will do it! Let curiosity and passion for what you are learning be your fuel, even during the temporary times of frustration. Growth is occurring! Without such moments, we would remain the same, and life makes available so much opportunity for us to expand, discover and savor. 🙂 Thank you for your comment and for stopping by.
Thank you for sharing, Shannon! Inspired by you and some good friends, I have started taking French classes and look forward to trying out the language next year when I visit France!
Your commitment to your French classes is commendable, Shannon! I’m impressed with the fact that not only do you set challenging, yet attainable goals, you also reward yourself on completion of those goals – something that I have difficulty remembering to do.
Shannon, what I value about you and your posts and podcasts is that you are a true way shower in ways to truly live our best and most personal lives, whether traveling or staying home.
I have a smattering of French, Italian and Spanish to stagger through, when called upon. My daughter, who lives in Spain joined me in Montmarte for a scant week; we had a good time, always trying to speak the language. It was always, with one exception in Paris, returned to us in good grace. The people are appreciative of our attempts and pace. Thank you for sharing your visits and travels. Your dedication and persistence in learning is a beacon of light and encouragement!
After moving to Bordeaux, we immediately signed up for French lessons, even though it was only once a week. We found that in everyday interactions, it became easier to interact with our regular people, and even with flawed French, they always are pleased and were willing to correct us when mistakes were made (as we requested.)
I took about 4 or so years of French in school, but that was many, many, MANY years ago. Our French teacher asked if I try to interact in French, and I told him, yes, but they’re all very simple conversations. He replied that most interactions are simple and to not let that deter me.
After 7 months here, whenever I go into the local Monoprix, the folks working there always seem happy to see me and will always say, “Bonjour, Madame!”
I know many people think the French are rude, but with one or two minor exceptions, we’ve found the people here unfailingly friendly and kind.
Bonjour Shannon,
You are an inspiration for us all! It is so hard to learn a new language and conversing in it is even harder. I appreciate your honesty and candor about your experiences and foibles. I’ve dabbled with learning french with Babble, nothing like the intensive course you have been in for the last three years. I applaud you for setting goals and rewarding yourself for your efforts. I think living in France for an extended period is the only way to really immerse yourself in the language. I know my vocabulary is that of a two year old. I heard a mother speaking to her toddler and I was able to understand. 🤣🤣🤣
I really enjoyed this post. You are such a student of yourself! Setting lofty goals and sharing your experiences, in such detail, helped me understand how one would achieve what you have. It has been several year’s since I stayed in Paris. I found that most
French shop owners and restaurant staff were polite and helpful. Thank you for also recommending cab drivers, an excellent idea!
So enjoy reading about your adventures – I dream of traveling! I am so impressed by your independent nature 💜