Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Master
is also good. The
Rick Steves' French Phrase Book & Dictionary,
with a menu
decoder, works well for most travelers.
RestaurantsarealmostalwaysabettervalueinthecountrysidethaninParis.Ifyou're
driving, look for red-and-blue
Relais Routier
decals on main roads outside cities, indic-
ating that the place is recommended by the truckers' union. These truck-stop cafés offer
inexpensive and hearty fare.
Many French people think “vegetarian” means “no red meat” or “not much meat.” If
you'reastrictvegetarian, beveryspecific: Tellyourserverwhatyoudon'teat—anditcan
be helpful to clarify what you do eat. Write it out on a card and keep it handy. Think of
your meal (as the French do) as if it's a finely crafted creation by a trained artist. The chef
knows what goes well together, and substitutions are considered an insult to his training.
Picky eaters should just take it or leave it. However, French restaurants are willing to ac-
commodate genuine dietary restrictions and other special concerns, or at least point you to
an appropriate choice on the menu. These phrases can help:
Je suis végétarien
(zhuh swee
vay-zhay-tah-ree-an). A female is a
végétarienne
(vay-zhay-tah-ree-ehn). For the follow-
ing,fillintheblankwiththefoodyouneedtoavoid:
“Jenepeuxpasmangerde
_______”
(zhuh nuh puh pah mahn-zhay duh) means “I cannot eat _______.” “
Je suis allergique à
_______” (zhuh sweez ah-lehr-zheek ah) means “I am allergic to _______.”
Water:
The French are willing to pay for bottled water with their meal (
eau minérale;
oh
mee-nay-rahl) because they prefer the taste over tap water. Badoit is my favorite carbon-
ated water (
l'eau gazeuse;
loh gah-zuhz). To get a free pitcher of tap water, ask for
une
carafe d'eau
(oon kah-rahf doh). Otherwise, you may unwittingly buy bottled water.
Coffee and Tea:
See the “Coffee and Tea Lingo” sidebar, earlier.
Wine and Beer:
Wines are often listed in a separate
carte des vins.
House wine at
thebarisgenerallycheapandgood(about€3-5/glass).Atarestaurant,abottleorcarafeof
house wine costs €8-18. To order inexpensive wine at a restaurant, ask for table wine (
un
vin du pays;
uhn van duh pay) in a pitcher (
un pichet;
uhn pee-shay—only available when
seated and when ordering food), rather than a bottle. Note, though, that finer restaurants
usually offer only bottles of wine.
If all you want is a glass of wine, ask for
un verre de vin rouge
for red wine or
blanc
for white wine (uhn vehr duh van roozh/blahn). A half-carafe of wine is
un demi-pichet
(uhn duh-mee pee-shay); a quarter-carafe (ideal for one) is
un quart
(uhn kar).