hkiliccote

Ok, here is a weird one... I need to know how one would say "Please take me to Fouquet's on Champs Elysees and George V" in french to a taxi driver.

Thanks in advance...

StCirq

I'd be happy to give you the French, but I don't quite understand the question. Do you want the taxi driver to take you to two places at the same time?

indytravel

Honestly? He'd likely never understand your accent.

Write the street address down on a small piece of paper and hand it to him with a "s'il vous plait."

111op

Je crois que Fouquet's se trouve au coin de l'Avenue des Champs-Elysees et l'Avenue George V.

111op

Well maybe I should have said "a l'angle," but you see my point. It's at the intersection of the two streets, but I could be wrong.

francophile03

You'll most likely be lucky and the taxi driver will know English.

suze

Seriously, write it down on a business card and hand it to the taxi driver! Say please and thank you in French.

francophile03

Or just type up the translation and show it to the taxi driver. Yes,and please also say 'thank you' in French afterwards.

atlcity

Say it in english and it's almost a given that he will understand.

StCirq

Oh, I get it! Thanks, 111op.

Actually, I think writing it down is probably the best idea.

Eloise

I'd be surprised if you had to tell a Parisian taxi driver where Fouquet is...

Robespierre

If you say it in English it's almost a given that you will get the "scenic route."

I don't use taxis unless I know the town well enough to tell the driver if he's headed the wrong way.

nytraveler

That's interesting! I've taken taxis all over europe - literally hundreds of times - for more than 20 years - and only once had a driver try to use the long route. And that was one of the dreaded Prague Old Town cabbies (had to use him - my companion couldn;t make it back to the hotel otherwise).

By and large - I really don;t think most cabbies are trying to cheat anyone. Does this really happen to you all the time? Or are you just afraid it might?

cigalechanta

I always write it down because of poor pronunciation. Once alone in Paris, I asked the driver to take me to my hotel, not knowing the difference between rue St Honoré and fauberg St Honoré.

Robespierre

No, it doesn't happen to me all the time - once in Cambridge and once in Frankfurt were enough. I, too, have taken hundreds of taxis all over the world - and about 10% of the time, the driver takes "liberties" with the routing. Knowing the territory keeps them honest.

coccinelle

Sorry to say it happened to me twice in Rome.

atlcity

Expecting to get the scenic route if you say it in english is a load of nonsense.If you say it in english accented french do you think he won't know you're American.Get real.

harzer

Be careful when you try to get your tongue around "Fouquet". If the driver really knows English he could be sorely embarrassed by what he hears.

Fouquet = foo-kay

Harzer

Robespierre

Speaking English in France suggests that you're a rube, and more likely to get taken in. If the taxi driver hears instructions in (even accented) French, he is less likely to pull something. I've been to Europe many, many times, and this has been my experience. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but it sure seems to happen less where I speak the language.

But having the lingo is no guarantee, either. I got a lovely trip through the market square in Cambridge once, on the way from the railway station to Queen's College. (Those of you who know the town layout are probably chortling right now - with good reason.)

Christina

<<Be careful when you try to get your tongue around "Fouquet". If the driver really knows English he could be sorely embarrassed by what he hears.

Fouquet = foo-kay>>

I don't think a taxi driver is going to be sorely embarrassed by anything, but actually, I think I've heard that it is not pronounced the French way by the restaurant or in Paris due to custom. The t is pronounced as someone who didn't know French would pronounce it. From what I've read, this pronunciation dates back many years to when British things were considered chic in Paris (as if it were spelled fouquette). I don't know for sure as I've only been there once and had no reason to say it, nor did the staff.

I think taxi drivers are used to having lots of passengers who can't speak French and will always understand that you want to go to a place if you get in and show them a piece of paper with the address on it. You could just add "please" in French, if you wish. It would be a lot simpler to phrase the request in a different way then "please take me to..." if you did want to try to say it in French. If you don't know French you won't know how to pronounce this, but simplest would be just "je vais..." (I am going to...) and then give them the written address.

I don't think I agree that a taxi driver is less likely to pull something if you say some phrase badly in French and clearly can't speak it or respond to a question or know what you are saying. I don't have taxi drivers try to cheat me 10 pct of the time, however, although I know that is certainly something they may do everywhere. It has happened to me rarely, but nothing horrendous.