help with restaurant reservations in paris they say they only speak french, i speak english and spanish
Mar 7th, 2009, 09:52 AM
#23
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You absolutely will need reservations in advance for L'Ami Jean. I would recommend having your hotel make them for you. Being a bit obsessive about this sort of thing myself, I would book a month in advance for that restaurant, and any other "name" restaurants, especially if you plan to dine at the normal dinner hours. L'Ami Jean has received tons of press since I last at there. Better book to far ahead than take a chance of being turned down.
Sometimes they will ask you to reconfirm the week before. Ask your hotel to do this for you; remind the hotel at that time to do so.
For some places you might snag a table by phoning the night before, or the day of. But I would not count on doing so, especially in June.
On one of my most recent trips to Paris, I left a few nights open until I arrived in the city. By doing that, I was unable to dine at a couple of places I had hoped to try. You have to figure that if you are interested a particular place, there is a good chance that many locals and tourists may be interested, too.
Sometimes they will ask you to reconfirm the week before. Ask your hotel to do this for you; remind the hotel at that time to do so.
For some places you might snag a table by phoning the night before, or the day of. But I would not count on doing so, especially in June.
On one of my most recent trips to Paris, I left a few nights open until I arrived in the city. By doing that, I was unable to dine at a couple of places I had hoped to try. You have to figure that if you are interested a particular place, there is a good chance that many locals and tourists may be interested, too.
Mar 7th, 2009, 10:32 AM
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I cannot imagine going to the trouble of calling France to make a dinner reservation. We either do it online or have the hotel concierge do it. (ANd I can manage that much French - just too much trouble for dinner reservations - esp 2 months out.) You're really overthinking this.
Mar 17th, 2009, 08:48 PM
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I am ok with saying the occasional words like bonjour, bonsoir, au revoir, yes, no, excuse me, sorry, please. The rest just escapes me. (any websites that has audio pronounciations?) Making restaurant reservations even in broken French? Impossible!
I know everyone advises that it is good to learn a bit of French. How would this apply to an Asian, since it would only be natural for anyone in Europe to assume i do not speak their language?
Now, wouldn't Parisians be amused when they see a Chinese trying to say "Parlez vouz Anglais?" or "Sorry I don't speak French" in French!
I know everyone advises that it is good to learn a bit of French. How would this apply to an Asian, since it would only be natural for anyone in Europe to assume i do not speak their language?
Now, wouldn't Parisians be amused when they see a Chinese trying to say "Parlez vouz Anglais?" or "Sorry I don't speak French" in French!
Mar 17th, 2009, 11:16 PM
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Not really. You forget that lots of Asians live in Europe. So plenty of Asians speak French. I can't see why you think people would find it funny if you try as a tourist - what does race have to do with it?
Mar 17th, 2009, 11:59 PM
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I would definitely try.
It is part of the experience, just find it amusing to be telling people I do not speak French, in French!
It would be helpful of coz to hear all the pronounciations, rather than just reading it off the books, like parlay voo ongleh.
AND race has nothing to do with this.
It is part of the experience, just find it amusing to be telling people I do not speak French, in French!
It would be helpful of coz to hear all the pronounciations, rather than just reading it off the books, like parlay voo ongleh.
AND race has nothing to do with this.
Mar 18th, 2009, 12:53 AM
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Mar 18th, 2009, 10:37 AM
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For those who have posted interest about learning French, I downloaded a full set (113) of Podcasts off iTunes by Radio Lingua Network for free. It's 3-4 minute lessons and they suggest listening to one new one per day then reviewing old ones as you go along. I can say honestly that I feel comfortable with the 20 or so phrases I've learned so far and I feel as that even though I haven't finished much of the set those 20 phrases will be very helpful during my travels. Hope this helps others!
Mar 18th, 2009, 10:57 AM
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<i>Now, wouldn't Parisians be amused when they see a Chinese trying to say "Parlez vouz Anglais?" or "Sorry I don't speak French" in French!</i>
That happened to me. I was a student traveling by train to Berlin. At the East German border, an official came by offering magazines. I said in German (I speak limited tourist German but with a decent accent) that I could not read German. He accepted it. When passport control came by, I showed my American passport and they straightened out as if a ramrod had been shoved up their ... But they relaxed when the first official came by and said that I understood German.
That happened to me. I was a student traveling by train to Berlin. At the East German border, an official came by offering magazines. I said in German (I speak limited tourist German but with a decent accent) that I could not read German. He accepted it. When passport control came by, I showed my American passport and they straightened out as if a ramrod had been shoved up their ... But they relaxed when the first official came by and said that I understood German.
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