French WC's
 

I'll be travelling to France next month for the first time and I heard the hotel bathrooms (toilets) are very unusual in the way they operate. Any tips so I don't embarrass myself? <BR><BR>Thanks

Can you inform us as to what peculiarities you've heard about? I've been to France several times and the toilets are no different than at home.

Sausage Maker:<BR><BR>Relax and look forward to your trip! Nothing to worry about, at least not for WCs in hotels.<BR><BR>There are some out-of-fashion ones around in cafes and restaurants. But I suggest, we better don't start indicating *where* they can be found.

After my first trip abroad and encountering a restroom that I could not figure out, I bought a book called "Going Abroad". My husband laughed at me...until he looked through it and it helped explain it all, LOL!

There are probably atleast 25 different types of French toilets, as you'll soon discover. Just be very creative when you begin your search for the flusher. It may be a button on the top or the side of the toilet, it may be a button on the wall behind the toilet,it maybe be a pedal on the floor, it may be a chain you have to pull, it may be a handle to pull, or it may look just like your very own toilet back home.<BR><BR>And it's not out of the realm of possibility that you will encounter a "Turkish" toilet. I've never understood what the fuss is all about with these, unless they are dirty, and in fact they are becoming popular again in some European countries as they are supposed to be easier to sanitize.<BR><BR>Always make sure you know where the light switch is when you enter a French bathroom. Many lights are timed (to save electricity, which is expensive in France), and you can easily be caught in the dark.<BR><BR>Bonne chance!

Reminds me of our standing rule about WCs: whoever goes in first is responsible for the details when she returns to the group "push button light just above the tp holder, pull up the knob on the top of the tank to flush" or the dreaded "hole in floor, chain about 12 inches above your head on the right, watch your feet".<BR><BR>Every toilet is an adventure; many of our experiences with them have reduced us to fits of laughter.<BR><BR>The one terlet experience that still makes me shake my head in amazement is the "toilet concierge" who shows you to your stall (usually found in train stations or other places with huge ladies' rooms). For men, I think, the strange experience is the toilet concierge who does her floor mopping while they are using the urinals. <BR><BR>

Makin, I don't see how you are going to embarrass yourself in your hotel bathroom unless you invite the maid in to watch. (tip: practice first)

You will be ok in French hotel rooms - they are quit civilised. You have to be aware in SOME bars, cafes etc.; they can be a hole in the floor jobs. Your dignity is only covered by 'saloon bar' type doors.

Visited the WC in a cafe, down the stairs. Yup, one of the 'turkish' kind, but shiny/clean. Problem was when I shut the door, it was pitch-black. No way I was going to maneuver that in the dark! After several open/closings of the door, looking for a switch or pull-string, I finally saw a faded sign on the outside of the door that told me to lock the door THEN the light will come on. <BR>And all the various ways to flush are indeed very crafty.

Was in France in 1999 and didn't have any trouble with the toilets. We did stay at a B&B in which our toilet plugged into the wall - the toilet contained some sort of shredder. Encountered the same type of "shredder toilet" in Garmish, Germany.