French Fix Without Flying

Vivian · ‎03-11-2010

I just returned from my second trip to Québec City. After last year's trip, my husband and I decided to return, this time with good friends. We had a fabulous time, enjoying North American French culture. The food was as good as I've had in France. We were welcomed by everyone. I speak French and made every effort to understand the Québécois accent. They appreciated my efforts. After returning to a couple of restaurants, they gave us free wine, telling us they appreciated our fidelité. If you don't want to get on a plane to Europe and you live in the northeast, go to Québec City. You will experience French culture North American style.

Krimpette · ‎03-09-2010

Many, many, many years ago, my sister spent a summer studying at Laval Univeristy in Quebec City. I went to visit her with my parents. We stopped at a restaurant for lunch. None of us spoke French, sadly. It ended up being the first time in my life that I ever had rare roast beef! (Evidently, that's what I unknowlingly ordered!).

Beyond that, we saw several of the incredible sights of that beautiful city. I too countless pictures. Back then, you took your film to be developed. As luck would have it, the drugstore lost all my pictures!!! I was devastated. However, a month or two later, they were finally located and I was able to relive those wonderful memories.

An absolutely incredible city that I hope to visit again one day. I've never been to France, but I sure felt like I was there while in Quebec City!!!

(@VF: Thanks for the memories!)

libbyannE · ‎10-27-2010

@Vivian Florimond wrote:
I just returned from my second trip to Québec City. After last year's trip, my husband and I decided to return, this time with good friends. We had a fabulous time, enjoying North American French culture. The food was as good as I've had in France. We were welcomed by everyone. I speak French and made every effort to understand the Québécois accent. They appreciated my efforts. After returning to a couple of restaurants, they gave us free wine, telling us they appreciated our fidelité. If you don't want to get on a plane to Europe and you live in the northeast, go to Québec City. You will experience French culture North American style.

You are so right. Great city. To your point about people appreciating when your attempt to speak and understand the language, on one of our trips to Europe we were in Cologne Germany and I was doing my best to speak my college German in one of the shops. I got along fine and wanted to keep working on my German, even though most people we ran into supposed English. At the end, after I paid for something, the shop clerk asked me if I was from England? I said no, I'm from America, why do you ask? She said something very telling – Americans, she said, "never try to speak our language, so I assumed you were not American."

SANNA · ‎04-23-2010

Oh Quebec City is fantastic!!!!! The crepes on Rue de St Jean!!!!!!

I do not speak French, but I always start my greetings in French ( and so I do in any country I visit) and they switch to English.

I also have to say that it is not Americans fault, it is an issue with being from a huge country. I was born and raised in Russia, I am the US citizen for many years already and I can say that in Russia it is exactly similar situation,locals do not speak other languages unless they have a special interest. Same with China.

Only recently people from former USSR and China started to learn English in search of jobs.

Europeans travel from place to place in order to make a living and that is why they speak other languages more freely.

Money is always the bottom line.

But anyways, love love France !!!!

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

Quebec is a lovely city, I only visited once, years ago with a bunch of college friends. I would have to fly so if I have to get on a plane, I'd just as soon go Paris for my french fix.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

My first husband spoke french fairly well - he thought. We lived for a while in Paris and in Mersailles and he had no trouble with his french. However , we went to the Olympics in Montreal and he had a very hard time being understood. He once asked where the restrooms were and the waitress brought him a roll of toilet paper. I guess between their North American adaptation of French and his cockney accent there was just no communication.