Speaking a bit of the lingo goes a long way
If you're a French teacher leading a French trip, you can skip past this bit as you'll be trying to get your group to use French as much as possible.
For all other groups though, we cannot stress enough how important it is to try and speak a bit of French in France. Honestly, it goes such a long way and the assumption that everyone speaks English does not go down well at all (even if many French people do speak very good English).
ALWAYS say ‘bonjour’ when you enter a shop
Not acknowledging the shopkeeper with a cheery 'bonjour' is literally the height of rudeness in France - so make sure your group understand this rule before you go into any shops during your trip.
Of course, in the late afternoon/evening, you can swap this for a 'bonsoir'.
And for extra points, add a ‘madame’ if greeting a lady, or a ‘monsieur’ in the case of a man.
And you absolutely, definitely should remember to say ‘merci, au revoir’ as you leave.
All of this is common sense, really, and isn't that different from the UK (it's just even more important in France).
But only say it once...
There is one quirk to remember with ‘bonjour’...never say it to someone you’ve already said it to that day.
This implies that you’ve forgotten you’ve seen them - and that's pretty insulting in French culture. You can get around this with a ‘rebonjour’ (basically, 'hello again').
Food and drink
Table manners
We all know how important food is in France and you're definitely going to want to enjoy a few meals with your group during your trip. So, make sure your group are aware of these basics of French table manners.
The first one is to keep both hands above the table at all times (and keep elbows, mobiles and all other personal effects off the table).
Avoid talking too loudly and making wild gestures. And don’t speak with your mouth open. Eating out in France is a dignified affair.
Don’t add salt before tasting your food – it implies you don’t trust the chef. Once you've tasted it though, feel free to season as you prefer.
Want to wow the French with your table manners? Fold lettuce on your fork, rather than cutting it (this could be a great challenge for any students who aren't thrilled about the thought of a salad).
Now, this one should just be for the teachers - but if you don’t want any more wine, make sure you leave a little bit in the glass (un fond de vin) so it's clear you don’t want any more.
You'll likely need to ask for your bill at the end of the meal, as your waiter/waitress is unlikely to bring it automatically (the French would find this really rude).
Want coffee? Order it after your dessert. Generally, only wine and water are drunk with a meal.
What about tipping? The great news is there's no pressure to tip in restaurants in France (but if the service is exceptional, a couple of euros will be gratefully received by the waiting staff).
Observe the traditions around bread and cheese
If you've been to France before, you know how important bread and cheese are in French culture. Make sure your group are aware that:
- Bread should be broken rather than cut or bitten directly into.
- You may not get a separate plate for bread (that’s what the table’s for, so don’t try and balance it on the side of your dinner plate)
- You can use your bread to guide food onto your fork.
- You shouldn't butter your bread (this is reserved for breakfast).
- And finally, there are very specific ways to cut the many different types of cheese – make sure you stick to them unless you want to horrify the French...
Staying with host families
If you'll be staying with host families, a really nice thing for students to consider doing is bringing a little gift to thank the families for hosting them.
In our experience, delicacies/gifts related to your local area are usually the best received – after all, many host families take in foreign students because they’re interested in learning more about other cultures.
For more detailed advice and guidance on staying with host families, see our ultimate guide.
Out and about with your school group in France
The kissing
We couldn’t write about etiquette in France without addressing that one element of French culture that strikes fear into the heart of any Brit – the kissing.
If you’re meeting someone for the first time in France, they may go for a handshake. But there is a chance that they'll want to faire la bise (kiss you on one or both of your cheeks).
This could come as a bit of a shock to your students if you don't prepare them beforehand.
The key thing to tell them is not to panic. Lips don't generally make contact with the cheek - in fact, it’s often more of a cheek bump accompanied by the sound effect of a kiss (‘mwah!’).
The number of ‘kisses’ varies depending on the region you’re in, but two is the standard, and you usually start on the right.
Generally, though, in our experience, the best advice is just to relax and take your lead from the French person - that way you avoid any awkwardness caused by going the wrong way.
It’s actually a really lovely, warm way to greet people and nothing to worry about - as long as you're prepared for it.
Ready to start planning your next French adventure?
Whether you're ready to get stuck in and want a quote, or you just want to chat about the options available for your trip, we're always really pleased to help - so, just get in touch.
