When in France, Do as the French Do [Paperback]

Ross Steele (Author)

Book Description

Series: When In... Do as the Locals Do | Publication Date: June 28, 2002

Never feel like a stranger in France again!

When should you mention a person's family name in a greeting? Should you pay immediately when you are served in a café? Wearing what item of clothing will instantly reveal you as a tourist? All these answers and more can be found in When in France, Do As the French Do, a fun and intriguing book that teaches you about France's culture, language, and people.

It features 120 intriguing multiple-choice questions that are cross-referenced to fascinating articles on pop culture, customs, behavior, history, consumer trends, literature, tourist sights, business, language, and more. Also included are key terms and useful expressions, informative charts, and websites for further reference.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Finesse your way around France

When you travel to France, keep the cultural faux pas back home where they belong and guarantee yourself a gaffe-free visit to the Gallic landmarks and cities. Whether you want to blend in while in Boulogne, assimilate in Alsace, or pass for a native in Paris, When in France, Do as the French Do makes it simple. A crash course in France's contemporary customs and rich cultural heritage, this handy guide is sure to prevent embarrassing blunders and enrich your travel experience.

Packed with more than 170 articles, this Francophile's dream covers a broad range of topics, including customs, food and drink, language, travel, arts and pop culture, politics, business, entertainment, home life, history, and education. You'll find authoritative answers to questions such as:

• When should you mention a person's family name in a greeting?
• Where was Napoleon Bonaparte first buried?
• How should you attract the waiter's attention in a restaurant?
• Why is traffic stopped on Friday nights on certain routes in Paris?
• What is the French equivalent of the Oscars?
• When did France join the European Economic Community?

With light-hearted quizzes, hundreds of cool Internet addresses, and up-to-date insights into all aspects of French culture, this entertaining and informative reference will delight everyone from students and tourists to armchair travelers and trivia buffs.

About the Author

Ross Steele is a professor of French at the University of Sydney. He is a world-renowned expert on France and recipient of the Légion d'honneur.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (June 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0844225525
• ISBN-13: 978-0844225524
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,948 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction, June 21, 2003

By 

saliero (NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When in France, Do as the French Do (Paperback)

Useful for people planning to live in, do business in, or merely visit France. Or even an armchair traveller interested in customs and mores elsewhere.

Steele gets it right. Many of his comments are also revealed in some of the best books about living in France such as Sarah Turnbull's 'Almost French' and Adam Gropnik's 'From PAris to the Moon'.

Steele has sections on a whole range of subjects: arts, business, daily life, food and drink, identity, language, philosophy, politics, and more.

Discover the answer to questions such as: when should you mention a person's family name in greeting? how should you attract a waiter's attention? where was Napoleon Bonaparte first buried? what French fast food chains are there? why don't French people smile as much as Americans? when in a meeting do you hand over a business card?

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Cultural understanding, May 30, 2008

By 

N. Teeter "Amazon Fan" (Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: When in France, Do as the French Do (Paperback)

This book provided a cultural understanding. I work for a French-owned company, and after reading the book, had an expanded appreciation for the way the French see things. I also can understand why Americans may see the French as unfriendly and/or rude. I recommend the book to people who want to increase their knowledge of French culture, history and norms.

20 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed--not for the regular vacationer, February 16, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: When in France, Do as the French Do (Paperback)

I wanted this book because my husband and I are planning a week's vacation to Paris. I found this book pretty much useless for our purposes. The book is arranged in one-page primers on various subjects. The vast majority of the subjects are about French history or music or whatnot. There is some information about business etiquette that could potentially be useful for the business traveler.

But I find the title to be a misnomer. It isn't a book about doing things the French way. There are very few cues on how to avoid faux pas. This is not a useful book for the average traveler, and I'm sorry I bought it. I've considered returning it, but am not sure the $9 I paid for it is worth the hassle of packing it up, sending it off, etc etc.