We’ve noticed here in Brittany, that when you are invited for an aperitif or a diner at a certain time, there is suddently a vaccum of one hour, between the time you arrive and the time things start ! I just wonder, if next time we are invited at 7:00 pm, we should politly arrive at 8:00 ish !? It has happened to us more than 10 times now, if not more ! And I’m sure our clocks work !
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I thought the French norm was to turn up 15-20 minutes later than invited.
Not that I get invited anywhere 
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Sorry to hear that Mate, meet me at the Roundabout Cafe in Questembert, bring yer wallet wi’ yer, 
I was taught, better 10mins late, than 10 early, that was me Mams norm, when I was a kid!
But hoppin’ from one foot to the other for an hour, waiting to be invited to sit down, let alone offered a drink, is, just a bit ‘off’!
Having invited folk for dinner, having to ring, more than an hour after the appointed time, to check if they’ve forgotten, dinner being ruined is off too, no second invite!
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Around here the time invited is the time expected.
If an invitation says 8 I will take it as you must arrive by 8.30 and that is what I expect people to understand when I invite them, there’s nothing worse than somebody turning up at 8 on the dot except when they turn up at a quarter to… aaaaarrrrgh
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Yes Vero, a quarter to is perfect, but an hour or more is a bit much !
Sorry I meant a quater past is perfect !
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10-15 late, perfect, an hour, or so, late, Nooooo!
Mind You, we are in the ‘bundoo’, so depends a bit, who is late, if it’s our Farmer Friends, ‘as ‘ad trubble wit’ milkin’ or summat, thats ok!
Ah I see that you have no interest in inviting me, just my wallet 
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People do laugh nicely at us for always being on time, but it does sort of depend on the invite. For a mid-week lunch or tea we will arrive maybe 5-10 minutes after the time invited for, and normally will sit about an chat for maybe 15 minutes before anything actually happens. Evening meals, especially Fri or Sat we’d add on another 5 minutes or so. And Sunday lunch wouldn’t arrive until at least half an hour after…or if invited for “midi” we 'd interpret that as 1pm on a Sunday and not expect anything to happen for a while.
Unless of course the invitation is to a restaurant when we would arrive bang on time…
And taking of time, why can’t performances in France start on time? Drives us mad and is highly unprofessional.
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pdf writes "Not that I get invited anywhere’…
Berlina and Peter Goble would be honoured, delighted and highly chuffed to welcome Paul Flinders and any number of others he would like to accompany him on (specify your preferred date) at (specify your preferred time) for drinks, conversation, food (specify your preferred presentation e.g snacks, light meal, buffet, gourmand dinner or anything else you fancy, or “surprise me”) ;
We shall be happy to suit your convenience, dear Paul, we are so looking forward to seeing you and enjoying your company any time you can make it.
This is an open invitation, it will never wear out so long as we can both totter about, light the oven and uncork a bottle.
A bientôt, Paul ! 
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Thankfully I was only referring to France which is not terribly surprising as we don’t really know anyone - nodding terms with the neighbours but that’s it. I’d invite them for diner but my French is not really up to it and they speak less English than I do French.
Peter - Thank-you for your kind, noble and generous offer. You are a bit out of our patch, in fact it is a pity that the SF regulars are widely dispersed across France as a meet-up would be a great idea. Bill has suggested a beer in a mutually convenient location which I will probably take him up on when I am next over. Anyone else in 56? I know Helen is but even Josselin is quite far from us.
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I don’t mind driving to a mutually convenient place for a natter with yous and bill…and maybe something to eat…(I’ve never eaten out yet…lol…) x 
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Let’s work on that 
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Did try to get a picnic type meet up at a mutually convenient (as possible) rendezvous, organized on The United in B’y, N’y, F’e, forums last year, the idea mainly met with a massive show of disinterest, maybe getting a bit late now?
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Some two years ago I was holding a special birthday party for 60 or so guests. The printed invitation said “1400 for 1430”. The Brits and most of the French arrived on time. However two French arrived more than 2 hours late and were surprised when we were on the cheese course. They went hungry. Mind you two Brits came a full day late! If I am going to a French house I always ask what time we are eating. Most who invite me know me now and use British time.
I do get a bit riled when we have invited several lots of French friends for dinner and they all arrive at different times!
Bad manners when maybe two couples are there and you are waiting for the others before you can serve apperos.
Now solved by saying well that’s the time, we will allow the ‘Berrichone 15 minutes’ and after that then we will have started without you… It works !
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Our regulars are Farmers, hard to get ‘peeved’ when we can see She has just finished the milking
Ha ha, that ones easy Bill, you just give a time after you know the milkings been done 