CdnJen

My mother in law is deathly allergic to shellfish. We're going to be in France for over two weeks with her soon. We speak very minimal French but want to make an effort in restaurants. We have considered having a card printed that's been translated, exlpaining the situation, to hand to wait staff when we arrive to eat. Do you think this will be received well?

LoveItaly

Hello CdnJen, I have passed on a thought I received from someone (can't remember who it was) as I have food allergies also.

Type up more than one card that is translated in to French.

Take them to Kinko's and have them laminated. Take more than one in case one gets misplaced.

Other travellers have posted back here on Fodor's this worked very well for them. I have never been to France but imagine it is like the experiences I have had in Italy as the restaurants do not want to serve you something that will make you deathly ill.

Best wishes to you.

Robespierre

If you don't feel like typing and laminating, go here:

<b>http://www.selectwisely.com</b>

ellenem

Since you will be making prepared cards, it pays to be very specific. Don't write just &quot;shellfish,&quot; but also list specifics, such as lobster, clams, shrimp, mussels, whatever.

I've found that sometimes different people have different ideas about what a general word like shellfish might mean.

peteram

Most restaurants have staff that speak some english, especially in the northern parts of France, watch out for moules &amp; frites in south. Good steaks are hard to get, mostly entrecote cooked bien cuit, best steak is listed as 'chateaubriand', u must take the courses if hungry.Card idea sounds a bit iffy, French people love their eating out and will help visitors. France is fantastic - go south to Languedoc (almost as good as Ireland)

Christina

sure, I think it's a good idea, after all, if you are deathly allergic, you have to be careful. I think that one should be fairly easy to handle if you avoid ordering anything from the seafood/shellfish side of the menu. I assume she isn't going to order fish, either, at least not anything in a platter or combined--I wouldn't risk it, as they have lots of &quot;fruits de mer&quot; seafood platter things with a variety of things on them. I think the general word for shellfish should be okay (crustaces), but I would cover all bases if this is a serious matter/no reason not to mention specific kinds, also.

Robespierre

Does <i>crustaces</i> include oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, and the like? These aren't crustaceans, which lobster and shrimp are.

I, too, recommend spelling out the dangerous foods, because even in English &quot;shellfish&quot; can mean both arthropods and molluscs.

uhoh_busted

&quot;good steaks are hard to get&quot; ???? I had the best steak of my life in the Dordogne...filet de beouf Limosine (if I recall correctly)

We have also had fantastic lamb dishes (if you think you don't like lamb, you might reconsider after having it in France).

And of course there is always wonderful chicken. It should be easy for your MIL to avoid shellfish. It has also been our experience that there is usually someone (staff) in the restaurant who speaks English exceptionally well.

moldyhotelsaregross

I've also seen some on this board reporting that they added something to the effect of &quot;Will need immediate medical assistance if XX product(s) is/are eaten. Please call for an ambulance.&quot;

sandi

I too am allergic to shellfish, any fish, the smell of fish - anything to do with fish. Have been know to feel faint watching others eat certain fish/seafood. I won't eat in a fish only restaurant (even if they have one chicken or beef item of the menu) because of the smell of fish. Can't even touch a dish that has fish juice/residue on it without getting a rash on my hands. Okay, maybe a bit much (but that's allergies)... and better alive and breathing then not; I've been living with this since childhood.

That said, I've been to France and other non-English speaking countries any number of times and never, ever has there been a problem or issue in just not ordering fish or shellfish. Stay away from that side of the menu. Nor has it ever been a problem making it understood to wait-staff and even chefs that you don't want fish or shellfish. And stay away from soups and salads that may contain fish liquid or those wonderful hairy looking anchovies. Ugh!

I've never needed a card anywhere and don't believe you will. I'm still breathing!

xavsan

hello CdnJen,

That's a great idea especially if you don't speak the language, I am allergic to nuts and for me thank my boyfriend is french and he always asks if there nuts on desserts and such, they have always been nice enough to go over the menu with me and tell me my choices, have a great time in La belle France!!

Robespierre

Um, if you don't know the language, how do you know which side of the menu to avoid?

cls2paris

Hi - I am allergic to shellfish also and I when I last traveled to Italy I had a card made up that said that in Italian. I did some research on allergy sites and found the appropriate language. I had to show it to only one waiter but I'm glad I had it just in case I wasn't reading the menu properly.
The basically said:
I am allergic to shellfish - shrimp, prawns, lobster, crab.... I cannot eat shellfish or food that is prepared in the same pan as shellfish. If I eat shellfish - shrimp, prawns, lobster, crab - I will need medical attention and I may die in restaurant. The second part just says: I need medical attention. Please call an ambulance and say I am in analphlactic (sp) shock.

cls2paris

I should say that you would want the card printed in French, not Italian!

Will you post the French text you find for this on the thread? I'm going to France next year and will need to get help writing one in French.

Thanks, and have a fun trip!

Christina

Robespierre, I would think if you are going to potentially get very ill or die from something, one might go to the trouble of learning just a couple words that head the various sections of a menu (for meat, fish, etc.). If one doesn't want to bother doing that, I guess they wouldn't know except perhaps they could even ask the waiter what the headings means, how about that? A lot of restairants in common central areas will have menus in English, also. I really don't think this is impossible to know what the sections of the menu are. If it were, one obviously could not even order anything or have dinner.

Robespierre

Duh.