French Visitors to England

[DZ]

One of the most surprising (and nice) things for me as a foreigner was encountering the endearing habit of the British people of apologizing to others even if it is the other party who stepped on their toes/bumped into them in the first place!

[Le Grand]

Liked your phrase Gluestick ....."the late great Victor Borge"

Truly an entertainer and a brilliant Concert pianist.

[YCCMB]

[quote user="Frenchie"]

 

Where is Camembert ?

[/quote]

Usually next to the Brie.

[Nicos]

They should avoid buying Brie and Camembert in the UK as well as fruit ( esp peaches, nectarines,melons ) or they'll be in for a shock due to lack of flavour/ripeness.

The shops don't generally close at lunchtimes, but most do at 5pm.

Fill up the car with petrol whilst still in France.

Try and avoid rush hour traffic unless they are comfortable with Parisienne driving.

I hope they enjoy themselves......[:)]

[Frenchie]

[quote user="You can call me Betty"][quote user="Frenchie"]

 

Where is Camembert ?

[/quote]

Usually next to the Brie.

[/quote]

I lived in London for a year.. after 6 months, I dreamt about camembert, but couldn't find one. I went to Harrod's and bought half one for an amazing price...  lol......  but what a treat !!!!! [;-)] [:D]

[Tourangelle]

But you also have to tell them HOW to order food in a pub in England.  My (French) husband was delighted when he found out, he had previously been all around Ireland with his brother and they had seen people eating in pubs and had no idea how to order and inadequate English to find out. 

Tell them to stand queues for buses and so on, unless they want to be tutted at.

[lacote0_0]

Also per Hoffnung, in the particulars sent out by an English hotel:

"A French widow in every bedroom, affording delightful prospects".

[Frenchie]

[:)]   [:-))]  [Www]

[Russethouse]

24 hour supermarkets !

[Pierre ZFP]

All shops (nearly) open on a Sunday and Public Holidays.

[Frenchie]

It often rains.. ( ready to be stoned   .. LOL)  [;-)]

[Chrissie]

When plugging in something like a hairdrier, you usually have to click the little switch at the side of the plug down. (And different plugs of course!)

Light switches will often be set at shoulder height rather than waist height.

Chrissie (81)

[Gine]

You best warn them about the lack of shutters in the UK.

This has put my friends off the UK for ever - they just can't understand how people can live without shutters.  They find it very very strange.  Odder than driving on the wrong side of the road even.

[Frenchie]

[quote user="Gine"]

You best warn them about the lack of shutters in the UK.

This has put my friends off the UK for ever - they just can't understand how people can live without shutters.  They find it very very strange.  Odder than driving on the wrong side of the road even.

[/quote]

OH YES, I had forgotten that.. [:-))]  I ve always found it so strange and disturbing, because the daylight wakes me up too early..

Can someone explain why there are no shutters in England??

 

[Gine]

I can't give you an adequate explanation - at least not one thats ever been accepted in my bit of France !

I reckon its because the UK a)does not have enough sun , b) does not get cold enough to need them.

I have always thought that that is what they are for ie heat out and cold out.

However, it seems they are valued for the "light-keeping-out-ability" as you mention above but above all its security.  How cananyone possibly leave a shuterless house is beyond them as naturally the burglers are waiting to pounce the instant the place is empty......

I havn't got shutters in Andorra either - but thats fine with the French as there is no crime in Andorra.........Not sure what we do about the sun and cold though

[Tourangelle]

It is hardly as though the UK were unique in the "no shutter" thing, I don't remember seeing any in Canada, for example or in Poland.You do seem to find them in all mediterranean countries.

[cooperlola]

Because windows open outwards in the UK?  And why's that? - makes them a b*gger to clean in comparison with the French system.

[Clair]

Is it to do with the heat?

I never use the shutters here unless it's hot and I want to keep the inside cool.

At night, I pull the curtains (brought over from the UK!)

In the UK, lined curtains are used in the way shutters are here. Some Victorian or Edwardian houses have indoor shutters too.

[Pearly Spencer]

I think that in London your friends will need to buy a ticket from a machine before boarding a bus, they would save money by buying a one or two day travel card.

regards

Pearly

[Ford Anglia]

Pearly: who ARE you? I remember a song about you but don't know any more........[8-)]

 

[Loiseau]

Double-decker buses (the children will love riding upstairs, in the front!):

English policemen.

Anything ceremonial in London: Changing the Guard, the motionless horsemen at Horse-Guards

The children will go into hysterics at the sight of "Pet shop", "Pet food" etc signs. [;-)]
Oh, and "Soft Verges" notices always crease up the French !  [;-)] [;-)]

Some recent guests of mine exclaimed ecstatically at the newness, cleanliness and graffiti-free quality of the suburban trains from Waterloo.  [:)]

 

Angela

[Tresco]

[quote user="Hoddy"]

My French neighbourrs with ten-year-old twins will be visiting England in August.

Does anyone have any suggestions about the little everyday things of life which they might find different or surprising ?

I've already told them they won't need to weigh their fruit in the supermarket.

Hoddy

[/quote]

They might not have to weigh their fruit and veg in the supermarket. Weirdly, in some small fruit/veg shops they may have to.

The speed at which meals tend to be eaten might come as a surprise.

Regarding the children, please warn your friends that people in England don't greet unknown children with kisses when they're introduced to them. I don't know whether the absence of kisses is misconstrued as unfriendliness or bad manners, but French children have mentioned that 'difference' to me.

Are they town or country people? Where will they be going?

 

[Pierre ZFP]

Not all underground train lines connect to Mornington Cresent

[Chauffour]

[quote user="Tresco"]

 

The speed at which meals tend to be eaten might come as a surprise.

[/quote]

 

the sofas where meals tend to be eaten might come as a even bigger surprise [geek]

[Hoddy]

Thanks for everyone's helpful suggestions. They are country people and they will be staying in a llittle village in north-west Leicestershire.  A day out in London is planned.

Hoddy