Appendix - France 2014 - page 1530

Detours in France offers self-drive itinerary packages, hotel bookings, and guided tours
of any region in France—ask for helpful Sarah (tel. [phone], www.detours-in-
france.com , [e-mail] ). Paris Webservices focuses on Paris-specific
assistance (12 Rue de l'Exposition, Mo: Ecole Militaire, RER: Pont de l'Alma, tel.
01 53 62 02 29, www.pariswebservices.com , [e-mail] , helpful
Gérard).
In France, your best first stop in a new city is generally the tourist information of-
fice—abbreviatedas TI inthisbook—exceptinParis,wheretheyaren'tverynecessary.In
the rest of France you'll find TIs are well organized, with English-speaking staff. They're
good places to get a city map and information on public transit (including bus and train
schedules), walking tours, special events, and nightlife. Many TIs have information on the
entire country or at least the region, so try to pick up maps for destinations you'll be visit-
ing later in your trip. If you're arriving in town after the TI closes, call ahead or pick up a
map in a neighboring town. Towns with a lot of tourism generally have English-speaking
guides available for private hire (about $140 for a 2-hour guided town walk).
The French call TIs by different names. Office de Tourisme and Bureau de Tourisme
areusedincities; Syndicatd'Initiative or InformationTouristique areusedinsmalltowns.
Also look for Accueil signs in airports and at popular sights. These are information booths
staffed with seasonal helpers who provide tourists with limited, though generally suffi-
cient, information. Smaller TIs often close from 12:00 to 14:00 and all day on Sundays.
While TIs are eager to book you a room, use their room-finding service only as a last
resort.Theyareunabletogivehardopinionsontherelativevalueofoneplaceoveranoth-
er. The accommodations stakes are too high to go potluck through the TI. Even if there's
no “fee,” you'll save yourself and your host money by going direct with the listings in this
book.
Communicating
Hurdling the Language Barrier and That French Attitude
You've probably heard that the French are “mean and cold and refuse to speak English.”
This is an out-of-date preconception left over from the days of Charles de Gaulle. Be reas-
onable in your expectations: French waiters are paid to be efficient, not chatty. And postal
clerks are every bit as speedy, cheery, and multilingual as ours are back home.
The biggest error most Americans make when traveling in France is trying to do
too much with limited time. This approach is a mistake in the bustling north, and a vir-
tual sin in the laid-back south. Hurried, impatient travelers who miss the subtle pleas-
ures of people-watching from a sun-dappled café often misinterpret French attitudes. By