bluzmama

I just got back from France on Thursday. I studied the French language CD's in the car and tried my new found "skills" upon my arrival. I found that upon utterly "Bonjour, Madame/Monsieur" they would immediately respond in English. I met a lady cab driver who did not speak English but did speak Spanish. We conversed partly in French and partly in my high school Spanish. In Paris, nearly every service person spoke English and even in Normandy and Brittany, we were able to make ourselves understood.

The french were also very polite and kind to my friend and I. I look forward to my next visit. Hopefully my language skills will have improved by then.

KL467

I had no problems as long as I was in more touristy places like Paris, Normandy, and the South of France. As long as I TRIED, they seemed fine with speaking English. English is not spoken as much in the smaller towns, though.

JeanneB

I did what you might call a "self-immersion" course in French. Multiple audio programs, books, websites, dictionaries, tourist words, etc. When we got there I was actually able to "converse", never failing to apologize for my poor efforts. They were very gracious.

My favorite incident happened in Galleries Lafayette. We were in the food gallery and had questions about some item. A long discussion ensued, in which I struggled to be understood.

When it was over I felt a tap on my shoulder, turned to see a lovely old lady. Slightly hunched on her cane, glowing white hair, clad in black--including the black lace mantilla---the proverbial French grande dame. She pointed her finger and I thought "Uh Oh". In very slow English, she said: "We like that you try to speak our French!". A smile of encouragement and she was gone.

So don't believe the stories of their preferring English if you can't speak their lovely language perfectly. They're human and they appreciate even small efforts.