Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Let nothing faze you. Be firm, but don't get angry.
The French, whether they like it or not, will respond
to manners. If someone seems unkind, do not take it
personally and don't overreact. With cordiality you at
least stand a chance of an easy transaction; without
it, you do not.
Pay attention. Read some of the topics mentioned in
the Further Reading section and listen carefully to the
stories of friends who have already been through the
acclimatisation process. Pay attention to each situation
for they are not all the same. When you have doubts,
just ask a Parisian, who will no doubt be pleased
that you are making an effort to understand how
Paris works.
Read the French newspapers as much as you can
and watch the news, so you know what is current in
France and in Paris. In other words, be a resident of
your city, know what it going on.
Learn
le système D
. Parisians, too, make train
reservations and need help from clerks, and they too
get the answer “
non
”. The 'D' comes from the word
débrouiller,
meaning to manage or untangle. What it
really means is finagling any way you can—within
socially acceptable and legal parameters—to get
what you want; whether it is a connection through
a friend or by using every persuasive charm you
have to convince that office clerk to bend a rule
(that might not even be a rule at all) just a little.
In short,
séduire
or charm someone who is brusque
and unhelpful. Play on their sympathy. Rely on their
expertise. Be helpless but persistent. Don't take “
non
”
for an answer. Ply
le système D
!
Do not complain about Paris or France, even if Parisians
gripe that everything is going from bad to worse. Love
Paris every minute and let it be known that you do.
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