A Lady In France

Vlog #3 Dining in France

This vlog was a labor of frustration. I recorded it earlier today, and then spent the rest of the afternoon trying to figure out how to fix a video where the audio and video are not synced. I never did get it to work, so I had to re-record it when my hair was flat and my makeup tired. Can you believe the indignity?

Anyway, here is another vlog – and this one much more practical than scolding your kids in French.  It contains cultural tips for dining in France, and some of the vocabulary you’ll need.

café de la jatte04

Here is the vocabulary covered:

Table water – use carafe d’eau

House wine – use verre de vin (wine sold by the glass)

Coffee with milk – un café au lait, un café crème, or une grande crème

The menu – la carte

The fixed price menu – le menu or la formule or le prix fixe

The bill – l’addition

Where are the bathrooms – ou sont les toilettes?

And remember! Don’t ask for a doggie bag! One thing I forgot to mention in the video, if you’re getting takeaway specifically (like pizza or sushi) it’s called à emporter.

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Comments

  1. Eli@coachdaddy says

    It figures doggie bags would be an American thing. I guess at one point it really was for a dog? Now it’s for lunch tomorrow.

    My last conversation with a Frenchman was terse. My fault. Christmas Eve, 5:05 p.m., presents to buy. I’d just gotten off a shift at the restaurant, and rushed through the mall to finish my list.

    “Fron-say. Fron-say!” the man said to me as I passed wearing a French football shirt. “Parlay voo Fron-say??” He was so excited.

    “Dude,” I said. “It’s just a shirt. I’m American!”

    I know… I’m not proud.

    I’d treat him to un café au lait, if I knew where he was now.

    p.s. This is the first of your vlogs I’ve seen. I smiled the whole time!
    Eli@coachdaddy recently posted…Guest Post: Amy, of Long Drive Journey, on the Lessons of DadMy Profile

  3. Kerstin @ Auer Life says

    I love listening to you talking French. I used to be completely fluent, but pretty much lost it since I don’t use it… It’s coming back in Canada, but let’s face it: Canadian French is not even close to French… love your vlogs!
    Kerstin @ Auer Life recently posted…Rare Bird – a reviewMy Profile

  5. Alison says

    I remember you telling me about the doggie bag! Thank goodness I asked you first before I asked the waitress.

    I had lunch at a cafe I stumbled on while wandering Paris on my own, and gave a fairly generous tip (I think it was 5 Euros?). Did not realize it wasn’t customary, which explains why the waiter was so pleasantly surprised. 🙂

    Love your tips!!
    Alison recently posted…Through The Lens Thursday #37: BlackMy Profile

  6. Amina says

    I just love your vlog!

    It’s true that in France it’s not usual to ask for doggy bag, but fortunately things begin to change and doggy bag begin to take over.

    I think crisis help on this way, because a French man create a box called “trop bon pour gaspiller”,and the good news is that the customers can refer to the website trop Bon pour gaspiller that references the partners restaurant.
    Here it is : http://www.tropbonpourgaspiller.com

    Jennie more Vlog please 😉

  8. Andrea says

    Love hearing your voice, Jennie! I tend to mumble when I try to speak French because I have no confidence, so it was great hearing how it should be said. 🙂
    Andrea recently posted…RememberingMy Profile

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