13 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid on Your Trip to France

[Destinations]( [Collections]( [Hotels]( [13 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid on Your Trip to France]( [13 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid on Your Trip to France]( With its rich culture, delicious cuisine, diverse cities, stunning countryside, and stellar shopping, France is an amazing vacation destination — provided you can avoid the faux pas that will put you on the wrong side of the locals. One minute, you’re enjoying a glass of vino along the Champs-Élysées; the next, you’re staring slack-jawed at the check that would cover an entire meal back home – congratulations, you’ve made your first error. Read on for 13 rookie mistakes to avoid on your first (or fifth) trip to France. [Oyster Bullet] 1. Drinking and Eating in Tourist Traps in France Places like Paris, Bordeaux, and Nice pump up the tourist prices for everything from hotels to food and drink. If you want to burn through your spending money as quickly as possible, a few glasses of wine on a trendy terrace overlooking a busy boulevard should start things off nicely. With that in mind, eat and drink off the typical tourist trails to save on extortionate prices and enjoy places much more representative of the country. Bonus foodie tip: In France, bread is not cut but torn, so do like the locals and put the knife down. [Oyster Bullet] 2. Avoiding Public Transport in France Public transportation is generally comfortable, convenient, and affordable in France, so use it whenever possible. Metro systems are easy to navigate, and buses are a great way to see the cities without paying high taxi fares. [Oyster Bullet] 3. Failing to Learn the French Timetables The French have a distinctly European timetable that differs from the open-around-the-clock culture of the U.S., so you’ll need to tune in to it. For example, don’t try and get anything done on a Sunday afternoon when everything shuts down, and expect to find most restaurants, grocery stores, bars, and cafes closed in the middle of the afternoon for a couple of hours. The latter can make finding a place to eat lunch between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. particularly difficult in some areas of France. This tip especially applies to regional areas of the country, where not paying attention to the opening hours could make you miss out on the one brasserie or boulangerie in town. [13 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid on Your Trip to France]( [Oyster Bullet] 4. Calling Your French Waiter ‘Garcon’ Whether in a restaurant or a bar, you’ll likely need to get your server’s attention, but these innocuous interactions can be the most awkward. Never call the waiter ‘garcon’ (the literal translation is ‘boy,’ and it can come across as patronizing and slightly insulting). A polite ‘bonjour’ is the correct way to grab someone’s attention in a restaurant and most other places. [Oyster Bullet] 5. Not Greeting Your Shopkeeper With a ‘Bonjour’ If you find yourself in a shop receiving scowls from the shopkeeper, chances are you’re paying for not greeting them with a bonjour on arrival. The French can be fairly formal, and entering a shop without saying hello is considered very rude. So, announce yourself. Oh, and say goodbye, too. [Oyster Bullet] 6. Expecting to Find a Fast Pace of Life in France If you’re traveling to France from the U.S., then you’re about to experience a culture that runs at a much slower pace. Relax, be patient, and tune in to the Gallic way. The French like to savor the moment and take their time, especially at restaurants and cafés. Waiters typically keep their distance, let you fill your own glasses, and almost always wait for you to ask for the bill. And don’t even try eating on the go in France — it’s uncommon. 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