Kitty Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 What is it about French post offices? Why are the queues so long? Why don't the French get irate about waiting for so long for so little? They hammer like maniacs in their cars to get from their home to their post office, doing crazy speeds, but when they get there, stand statue-like waiting for a grumpy post mistress to (eventually) grunt at them, unsmilingly. Strange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 Cathy have sent you a PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 Our postmistress is charming and very helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted May 27, 2006 Author Share Posted May 27, 2006 Dotty - I sent you a reply. You are very kind and I was touched by your PM. Cathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jc Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 My wife was astonished that when they closed her queue before she got to the front,people in the next queue invited her in,almost at the front!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted May 27, 2006 Author Share Posted May 27, 2006 On one occasion, at my local post office, the door was shut in the face of someone trying to come in. After all, everything stops for lunch here, doesn't it! I was leaving at the same time. The person (in whose face she had shut the door) didn't speak French very well and needed advice about the cost of stamps abroad. I helped him with his query as I felt SO sorry for him. After a couple of minutes of faltering French, I discovered that he was British! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jc Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 Can be an advantage:I got to the Bank to open an account about 15 minutes before they were due to close for lunch.Result-everything sorted in that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted May 27, 2006 Author Share Posted May 27, 2006 JC - you are right. I must try that another time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 I used to use the PO in Mirande, our nearest town and service is soslow then realised there was one in a small village near us. This onehas few customers and is in danger of being closed. So try to find avillage one near you. Pat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 Cathy is absolutely right - these people are dragons (Welsh origins??!!)Whatever the opposite of charisma is, our one's got it. I remember a recent lengthy conversation with all the 6 of us in the queue as to whether Cyprus, then Portugal and finally Spain were in Europe! Seriously. All a question of the frankage to put on the envelope. Just as well I had all morning to listen to all this nonsense.Come to think of it, I reckon that she has got a touch of Welsh in her Provencal accent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PossumGirl Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 I guess I have to fall into the "pro" post office group. Everyone at ours is charming and helpful. It does sometimes take a while, but the ones that take a long time are really the people who come for the financial services; the postage stuff goes relatively quickly.They always go out of their way to help us, and have even allowed us to have packages that aren't postal packages (things from other carriers) dropped off there for us to pick up.It's always a very social place, so even if we have to wait, the time goes quickly because everyone gets busy chatting.PG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vervialle Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 I think its the same in english post offices, people never look happy in their job, I have waited half an hour in a french post office to buy a stamp whilst the lady discusses the latest gossip with five people in front of me, but thats France and how it has always been, it never bothers me as I have all the time in the world when I am in France, but I often think I would have the hump if I was in England, whilst juggling work and everything else you have to fit into a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Our Poste has a buzz-lock door, she has a look from her desk to make sure you're not a masked gunman, then she buzzes the door open for you. This was installed after the tabac had an armed hold-up.The staff are perfectly pleasant. But it's not a chatty village, so even if there are 10 people waiting, they'll wait in silence, unless they actually know each other and have something to talk about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 [quote user="Dick Smith"]Our postmistress is charming and very helpful.[/quote] We have only used the P.O. in Huelgoat twice , both times for parcels to a French friend, but never much of a queue and she is always helpful and pleasant....... unlike our P.O. in Surrey where the queue is nearly always out of the door and "some" of the staff are downright rude [:(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 I rarely complain about anyone but at the local (Uk ) post office I made an exception when a temporary supervisor decided to put in place a previously unused rule about the time she accepted parcels - she was rather rude about it and said she wasn't paid to stay beyond her allotted time, at which time I pointed out that there was no notice or warning about the new regime and that her rudeness was putting people off using that PO, thus risking the jobs of her permanent colleagues (who actually thanked me, later) I wasn't actually rude, but lets say she understood my displeasure as did the rest of the shop........[:$]I came straight home and phoned the appropriate department and complained, and did the same thing the next week when she changed the 'rule' again ! She no longer does any duties in our area, I wasn't the only person who complained and our local post office has remained open, the usual staff are friendly and helpful.The PO sent me a couple of books of stamps in apology.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opas Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 Our village la Poste is closed on mondays, this monday I had to send a letter recomandee(sp) so went to the one in the nearby town. there was a queue of about 3 peaple behind me, when I asked for recomandee, the clerk gave me the forms to fill in, is this normal or is my village postlady going above and behond her duties as she always comletes these sort of things for me.Must say that after nearly 3 years here I still cannot get used to being served whilst the cashiers speak to someother customer at the other end of the counter . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Katie Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 I am quite surprised Twinks hasnt added to this one but I will do it for her.She was at her post office the other day in a terrible rush to collect her daughter (aged 7) from school. In front of her were two elderly newcomers to the village who happened to be Brit. Twinks thought ahh bless them as they struggled with very poor french to weigh and post about 50 items. Because they were understood it seemed they thought their french was much better than it actually was and proceeded to talk about the weather with the counter staff and happily used hand gestures and smiles.Twinkles said they tugged her heartstrings as they were 'living their dream' but were oblivious to the steam coming from the ears of the locals behind living real life."Did you help them?" I asked. (She has a good heart old Twinks) but as she has said before, she avoids these sorts like the plague.Funny thing is when I move over there, there will be no avoiding 'cos I know where she lives. I have peace of mind that I will not be the cause of queues in the post office.Dordogne must be chronic for this sort of thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 [quote user="Dick Smith"]Our postmistress is charming and very helpful.[/quote]And ours is charming and helpful, too. As are the staff at the next office along at St Paterne. But they do like a chat. If we're in a hurry we go 5 mins before closing for lunch or end of day.Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 Yes, they like a chat. But in the UK the queue is out of the door and I still don't understand what the person behind the counter says... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 [quote user="Dick Smith"]in the UK the queue is out of the door and I still don't understand what the person behind the counter says...[/quote]He's probably a Geordie, then.Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 We must do something about these 'elderly newcomers' speaking badly in French and waving their hands around and holding up the q whilst living their dream....perhaps we should ban them from France altogether? Living the dream seems to be the choice only of fluent young people perhaps and anyone old and inadequate in the French Language department should be stopped at the border and turned back.......really! And you think that in the UK they would make 'them' learn English before letting them work behind the P.O. counter, whatever next?[:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 Yes, I do think that a reasonable standard of English (or French as geographically appropriate) is a good idea for a post office counter assistant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 Wey aye, man, yah ded reet.Jude has asked me to mention that she used to stand in the Roker end. But no-one's perfect.Phil (Toon Army) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWINKLE Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 [quote user="Dago"]We must do something about these 'elderly newcomers' speaking badly in French and waving their hands around and holding up the q whilst living their dream....perhaps we should ban them from France altogether? [/quote]No need to go to such extremes Dago, I would just like them banned them from sending 76 Christmas cards and expecting the postmaster to [:P] lick the stamps for them[:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWINKLE Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 [quote user="KatieKopyKat"] I am quite surprised Twinks hasnt added to this one but I will do it for her.She was at her post office the other day in a terrible rush to collect her daughter (aged 7) from school. In front of her were two elderly newcomers to the village who happened to be Brit. Twinks thought ahh bless them as they struggled with very poor french to weigh and post about 50 items. Because they were understood it seemed they thought their french was much better than it actually was and proceeded to talk about the weather with the counter staff and happily used hand gestures and smiles.Twinkles said they tugged her heartstrings as they were 'living their dream' but were oblivious to the steam coming from the ears of the locals behind living real life."Did you help them?" I asked. (She has a good heart old Twinks) but as she has said before, she avoids these sorts like the plague.Funny thing is when I move over there, there will be no avoiding 'cos I know where she lives. I have peace of mind that I will not be the cause of queues in the post office.Dordogne must be chronic for this sort of thing. [/quote]I'm sorry KKK, You know I love you, but you've just done a Daily Mail on that little story! I would like to put the record straight. I DO NOT "avoid the Brits like the plague"- the ones who are living here are very pleasant actually. I always say hello to the gang at the badminton club, they know I AM THE ONLY WELSH GIRL IN THE VILLAGE and yeah okay, I will come out with it! I've been here so long now that I'm not very confident SPEAKING english!! Believe it or not, I'm fine when I'm writing on here for example - I'm sure Mr. Smith will support me when I say that I don't make TOO many spelling mistakes. However, when I speak english now - and KKK will definately support me on this one! I struggle to find certain words, so I either invent them (a kind of melting pot of english and french) or I'll dig up an 'olde worlde' version of the word I'm looking for. It's okay with my friends and family who visit - they think it's a hoot, but I'm a bit apprehensive when speaking to 'just over here' ex-pats.Does anyone else know what I'm waffling on about? Do you remember Nelly Pledge? I was only little when I saw her on T.V. but I always think of her when I get a bit tongue tied[:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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