I was listening to the World Service and heard a discussion about France having more visitors than any other country, but that they only spend half the amount of money than visitors to the USA.
The Head of Tourism in the Ile-de-France thinks that they can improve on this by getting more visitors to spend more time in Paris and by having a new museum.
It never occurred to him that perhaps people would spend more if shops were open more often and the general level of service and welcome were improved.
How can most of us who live outside Paris, stand a chance to see tourism improve if this is the official thinking?
Hi Kathrin, I am about 5 km from centre ville Moissac. I have been sending visitors to the Moulin for river view rooms, but having a nice gite nearby would be a great option for those who wish to stay in a more rustic setting. If you could PM me me the details of your gite I might be able to refer some business.
I am sure that you will have many takers Jo.
France itself needs to become more flexible if it wants to end its economic stagnation.
It loses its brightest young people overseas and will need to change if it wants to attract its own talent to work here.
great discussion Jane.
I'm not a tourist here, so I don't use holiday services generally but I live 25k from the nearest large town. My e-bike is my main form of transport. I have to take food and drink with me, which is sometimes great, because it's so cheap & I adore picnicing but here is often upsetting if I need to carry equipment in the basket (less space) and if it's bad weather. If I can't stop it's quite painful because I am also disabled.
I understand and totally appreciate the arguments about the French culture of not providing a cheap 24hr/day service industry on the back of what has to be described as slave labour (the USA versus the French? - sorry America, but you lose. capitalism is sooooooo stupidly wrong in every way possible, it's just privately owned communism)
If I'd been near enough to protest, I'd have been to a MacDo too, Veronique. When they decide to sell off 80% of their restos and replant all the millions of hectares of the rainforest they've destroyed, I'll buy a cup of tea from them as a reward...otherwise..rather starve.
But.... there has to be some criticism of French opening hours culture which really stifles it's own people's experiences and cultural development. It makes life harder for everyone and why? just to avoid being flexible? We, as humans, not as French or American, can't all eat at lunchtime, and we can't all visit a museum when it isn't a public holiday.
Our piscine shuts in the holidays...so when do we get to use it? Certainly not when we're having a day off.
Yesterday, I considered a rest on a 25k run, to meet a friend for coffee somewhere, but at 16h, there was nothing open so I had to continue for 10k to the town, and she had to wait an hour for me, despite it being so silly. Also, how much CO2 are we making by having FOUR rush hours per day? and how many deaths on the roads extra, caused by people rushing to and from work? Long lunches are great, but people won't ever stop driving around like loonies, unless they can't spare the time.
Changing opening hours doesn't have to mean forcing the workers to do it for free...if done carefully, it only means being flexible and allowing some of them to start and finish at different times. I don't see what the problem is.
My solution is to start a mobile breakfast wagon,(I won't be working in the afternoon) so I'll soon see if any French people want breakfast at 7am or 11am and when we take it to festivals, we'll see if French people want coffee at 16h or a full-english at 15h!
It never ceases to amaze me that you can have a tourist business and then close it down for your annual holiday when the majority of your potential customers are passing your closed shop etc.
France continues to descend into economic stagnation and you cannot rely on the trains to get you where you want and nothing is done to improve the state of affairs for small business and to remove the ridiculous system of dividing businesses into such strict categories and the contingent extra rules that go with this state of affairs.
It takes two hours for lunch because restaurants tend to be family affairs and it costs too much to employ extra staff!
great, thanks. Will let my dancing friends know!
it's a dance hall. Three pistes all airconditioned. When I drove past this morning it was advertising Tea Dances with orchestra on Saturdays around three o'clock It's on the main road near Villeneuve de Duras.
:-D
Why fight windmills
I get your point....but
Training depends on who is training you.
As I said the problems are coming from the top.
If you pay one well chosen person to do a job well you can forget about employ 2 other
people who really do not want to be there working.
Everything comes from higher knowledge.
An intelligent and open minded Marie makes for a happy and healthy community.
Balance...BALANCE JUST LIKE A GOOD BALLERINA.
Not everyone is good at leadership but there are so many hopefuls.
Smiles are good.
Hope you use them Norman.
Barbara, it has always been a problem that supermarkets shave costs wherever they can and don't invest in staff training - do you know why? The whole point of Supermarkets was that was not supposed to be necessary - the shelves supplied the goods and the packaging (supposedly) provided the information for the purchase. The other side was to screw down the suppliers unmercifully to get prices down whilst still holding profits. Again do you know why?
Because us lot demand lower prices all the time! We shop for lower prices all the time, we WANT the convenience of mass choice, and not waiting around to be served (yes I do know the cash registers are a pain but even that is being addressed no).
Training costs money and for what ultimately? Yes, a smile costs very little, but sometimes working a till or working as waiter or waitress for hours on a basic wage with aching back and or feet isn't conducive to that. People in service are humans too, with concerns and worries, we should never forget that. Offering a smile I have found usually gets one in return.
yep !
Carol, we can discuss until we're blus in the face. I'm the last person here to say that everything's wonderful in France, it isn't, neither is it in the UK, the US, Germany or elsewhere. Germany is seen as THE economic model to follow but at grass roots level their policies have caused huge poverty and hardship for many, as for the US with cities like Detroit going bankrupt, it's not really so wonderful there either. No where is perfect and I think we're all aware that France really isn't the place for you and that you've had some unfortunate experiences here although expecting a home counties life in the Dordogne was a non starter. I agree with a lot of the comment about Hollande - he really is a huge disappointment and was only voted in because we'd all had enough of Sarkozy. The country needs it's own Mrs T to get to grips with the reforms necessary, notably with pensions. But then again, would it still be France...! As for the health system, there are good and bad examples of both, the UK normally comes well down the league table whilst France is up there at the top. But the French system costs far more so you would expect that. Family and friends are horrified at the idea of not being able to choose your surgeon or specialist in the UK. As soon as something is "different" then it often becomes difficult to accept. As for less hours in the UK, I'd have to do just the same whilst I pay off the business loans there, in 6 years time they'll be sorted and I'll be able to use the same amount to fund two salariés and take things a little easier, if France hasn't imploded in the meantime that is...!
and has had higher productivity rates than UKPlc for donkey's years.
Well Norman as a person who has began a buisness here in order to stay here in France and
make our daily bread I am saying that we need more people like us who take a few risks.
Why because....AS I hve said before we need a more procative current surging through the
country. Offering opportunity to others and helping to make France just a little more exciting.
We do not need Sainsbury 24 hour shops and we do not need Old street or Knightsbridge night clubs in the country side. But please do not mention the suberbs again....I am not an Essex girl but I know a few.
But the training in supermarkets seems to be shallow.
Especially at the management end.
Not my thought if the person at the fish counter does not check the produce.
Recently opened restaurant not far from us....cooking acceptable.....AND that is
appreciated due to the lack of edible treats. So become a regular. But the other day as I approached the owner/WAITRESS FOR availabilty to eat she just waived her arms to say no and said complete.
Always friendly at the table but this did not look like good customer service to me.
Maybe in winter time.....if she is open she could be pleased to see us as the tourists will not
be around.
Apart from anything else we send clients there.
Create a good product and tune into it.
I have never been taught marketing or PR but I do feel if you have
to do or if you desire to do something do it to the best of your ability regardless
of how much money you make or you do not.
not sure anyone is affraid of cometition, Jane. I've worked in many engineering industries here in mechanic valley where most compete for international business. Blanc Aero supply aeronautical fixings to boeing proving that they're a world leader and if the Americans come to France to source products I think that says a lot about competition...!
David, yes it's a problem with the system. No controllers here when the Tour came through though. In fact that's the first time I've heard of them controlling during a stage - perhaps they were tipped off or someone had an axe to grind. If the bar was fined 12.000€ then they were doing something wrong. Given the high charges sociales and impôts I pay on my business, I'm all for those who cheat being caught and paying their contribution.
Jane, you are quite correct, as you may have noticed I am rabid on defending France against what I feel are unwarranted attacks.
However, as I have often reiterated I could not and would not put my hand on my heart and ever recommend anyone opening a business here. Number One reason is the total blinding bureaucracy, and I think even our French friends agree with this. Number Two reason are the Tax and Social Charges which are very high (only Luxembourg in Europe is higher). Number Three is/are the hardline Unions and they are also the worst possible publicists for France and jobs with their penchant for trashing factories is blasted gleefully around the world by competitive countries,and finally Number Four reason (replicated in others I agree) is currently at least having what can only be described as an anti-enterprise government, with quite appallingly economically illiterate Ministers, and led by the dangerous Mountebank (I use that misspelling of his name deliberately!)
It is not the people who are anti-enterprise, far from it, but some I know just say what is the point in putting in extra hours only to have it taken away by higher taxes all the time. That is standard frustration, and ultimately common sense.
For real?
Carrine America is a different place and for different people.It is about tenderised steaks and
lots of golden bangles. Exageration but .....it is nothing like France.
France can be for campers.....all sorts....but it has sophistication, glamour and beauty.
But lets save it. We need more competition. Higher standards in Hotels AND RESTAURANTS AND Norman maybe it is good if shops open longer hours they need to earn a little more.
Maybe if they brighten up their stock and use their imaginations.
I say this because I WANT France to remain a winner. It is glorious and needs to remain so.
There is nothing new about raids for illegal workers....IT has happened in top London restaurants
and hotels. Restaurants try to get cheaper labour. They try every thing to stay in buisness. It is the hardest buisness to be in.
AND I know.But I worked it out...eventually.
I have worked with and known some of the most important chefs in UK and the money is not
made operating the restaurant ....It comes from TV APPEARANCES , adverts, and such.But funny
enough you can make a living running a really good restaurant.....but it will not make you rich.
I agree with you Tony. Alot more people go to America for the expensive theme parks, gambling in Las Vegas and shopping in New York. Most visitors to France are Europeans who drive there and l camping