Really and truly ...french



One of the really fascinating aspects of life in France is that once you make the effort and can speak French, which fortunately, we can, you may very quicky become....really and truly...French! Having the language is not only useful in a rural region like ours, but essential. We have had to re-register cars , sort out income-tax affairs, register for our Carte Vitale and our Mutuelle and have become involved in local associations and motor racing events, etc., etc. If we had not sufficient French, I know this would have been quite difficult.


Although we live in the countryside, our local Doctor is fluent in many tongues and, our Dentist speaks good English. However, these are the exceptions in this particular area! A recent stay at a near-by hospital emphasised the need to be able to communicate in the staff's mother tongue and as afterwards, I required daily injections and physiotherapy, my familiarity with the language made me almost enjoy the process!


I have of course, found that quite a lot of French people comprehend and speak some english, but naturally they prefer to communicate in their own language. This was borne out last week when we attended a "Pot au Feu".


The generall banter and chatter was in French (and occasionally in Patois) but when one of ur noeighbours realized that we did not quite understand some of the comments, she translated them for us in quite good english!


http://www.welcome2brittany.com Enjoy your life in France: we do!

I’ve been here many years and can communicate pretty well in all aspects - impots, RSI, re-registering cars, buying houses, renovating, getting married, working etc, one thing did floor me though - giving birth! “What did he say?” I asked my husband - reply - “he said ‘PUSH’” :slight_smile: