Everyday Etiquette: France

Meeting People

In general the French prefer to be introduced to strangers, if at all possible wait for a third party introduction when meeting someone new. When speaking with someone it is common to use their title plus their family name (Madame Brown) until given permission to do otherwise.

Personal compliments and comments on physical appearance (I love your dress) are not appropriate as they are considered overly personal.

The exchange of business cards is a common practice when first meeting someone

Physical Greetings

When greeting someone a handshake accompanied by a “Pleased to meet you” is appropriate. When departing be sure to shake everyone’s hand, a general group wave as is often done in the United States is not looked on favorably.

An “air kiss” is an appropriate greeting once you have established a relationship with someone.

Physical Space

The French are comfortable with standing slightly closer to one another than Americans do.

Eye Contact

Intense direct eye contact is common, looking away is a sign of disinterest and/or that you are behaving rude.

Good Topics of Discussion

Politics, issues of controversy, current events, soccer, arts and anything that results in a good debate.

Bad Topics of Discussion

Avoid the common American question of “what do you do?” as it is considered rude and too personal. Also avoid commenting on specific “French” things unless you are an expert on the topic.

Communication Style

Moments of silence in France are rare once a conversation gets rolling. Initially upon meeting the French are politely restrained but once they get to know you they can be loud and highly animated.

The French are a combination of the logical North and the passionate South and as a result they are often able to process and explain their points quite logically, however when an issue arises of which they are passionate about a highly dramatic outburst can occur.

Waiting in Line

In general the French are not fantastic about waiting in line. A friendship with the banker at a bank might allow you to bypass the line altogether.

Walking

France is a country of walkers; the majority of errands are done on foot.

Shopping

Customer service is not as “in your face” as it is in the United States. Generally a salesclerk will ignore you until eye contact is made signaling service is required. A person who is dressed nicely will get more respect and better treatment than a person who is dressed in sweats and a t-shirt.

When shopping at the grocery store be aware that if you touch the fruits or vegetables—you buy them.

Public Transportation

When on the bus or train it is polite to give up your seat for the elderly, handicapped, pregnant women and parents with children.

Casual conversations with strangers on public transportation is not common or overly welcome.

Tipping

The tip is generally already included in the price at a restaurant. A standard tip for a taxi driver is 10 percent. Bellmen usually receive 1 Euro per bag.

Appropriate Dress

The French are very thoughtful in their style of dress and value taste and quality. What one chooses to wear in the morning is always very well thought out. In general the French dress more formally than Americans do.

Women are very concerned with their skin (facials begin at a young age) and hairstyles. Accessories are a must and unique color combining is common.

Meal Time

Breakfast is typically from 7 to 9 AM.

A traditional French Breakfast is a cup of coffee along with a croissant.

Lunch is typically from 12 to 2 PM

Traditionally lunch is the largest meal of the day and can be quite elaborate. Nowadays a typical lunch is often sandwiches or salads, and meat and vegetable plates. Desert, wine and coffee almost always accompany the meal.

Dinner is typically from 7:30 to 8:30 PM.

Dinner consists of an appetizer, soup, a main course, dessert, coffee and chocolates. Wine is carefully selected and always served.

Table Manners

The French do not switch their knife and fork as people do in the States. The fork remains in the left hand and the knife in the right hand. Almost everything in France is eaten with a knife and fork.

Placing your utensils down on your plate signifies to wait staff that you are finished.

When not in use keep your hands in your lap and pass dishes to the left.

Who Pays?

In general the person who did the inviting is the person that pays.

Punctuality

Arriving “fashionably late” (15-20 minutes) is acceptable.

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About Pune

The Queen of Deccan, Cultural Capital of Maharashtra, Oxford of the East, this is Pune for you. Formerly known as Punavadi or Poona, it has always remained at the helm of affairs in Maharashtra. The city of Marathas, it is still known for its valor and courage. The cradle of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Pune still invoke the same feelings of nationalism and bravery in mind.

Travel to Pune

Pune, one of the most important cities of Maharashtra is connected to other parts of India as well as world through rail road and air. All the major airlines operate flights to/from Pune to various national and international destinations. Pune International Airport at Lohegaon is Pune air connecting point to the outer world. Rail and Bus service is also available to all the parts of India through Pune.

Pune Travel Destination

Being the cultural hub of Maharashtra, Pune is home to a large number of places of interest. Pune travel destinations include

• Shanivar Vada – Once a splendid edifice of Maratha times, it was built by Peshwa Bajirao. This seven storied structure was destroyed by fire and now just the ruins exist.

• Osho Ashram – Established by Osho Rajneesh, it is the headquarters of Osho movement in India.

• Shinde Chhatri – An architectural wonder, it is located at a small distance from race course in Pune.

• Pataleshwar Cave temple – Carved out of a single stone, this cave temple is located at the heart of Pune city.

Other places worth a dekko in Pune are Parvati Hill, Sars Baug, Bund Garden, Vishrambaug Garden, Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, and Tribal Museum. Get Pune map to know more about the places of interest in Pune, its road, rail network.

Pune Hotels

There are a large number of hotels in Pune to cater to accommodation needs of the travelers to the city. Whether you are looking for 5 star hotels to enjoy your vacation in the lap of luxury or want to go for budget hotels in Pune, you will find every type of it. Hotel Le Meridien, Hotel Royal Orchid, Sun n Sand, Hotel Gordon House, Taj Pune, Hotel The Pride Pune are some of the most popular 5 star hotels in Pune. Whereas Hotel Baron Lakside Resort, Hotel Alankar, Kapila Hotel, Ketan Hotel, Parkview Hotel

Pune Education

Pune is literally dotted with educational institutes. You will find all types of schools, colleges, universities and educational institutes – formal and non formal – in the city of Pune. It is due to this large number of educational institutes that Pune earned the sobriquet of Oxford of the East. Students from far off South East Asia and other cities of India come to Pune in search of good education opportunities. Bharathi Vidyapeeth, Deccan College of Post Graduate and Research Institute, Dr D Y Patil University, Symbiosis International University, Symbiosis Center for Distance Learning, and Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics are some of the well renowned universities of Pune.

Pune Economy

Pune economy contributes a major chunk of revenue to the economy of Maharashtra. Automobile industry of India is concentrated in Pune that’s why it is also referred to as the Automobile City of India. The city is also home to some of the largest software industries such as Wipro, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Kanbay Software. Recently BPO industry has also shown a lot of growth in Pune.

With all these qualities to offer, Pune is definitely a city worth a visit atleast once in a lifetime.

Going to the United States is a very exciting trip. There is so much to do, and so much to see, that it can be a little overwhelming. Follow these five steps in order to better research your trip and make traveling a breeze.
1. Research, Research, Research With so much information on the web, any traveler knows that the first step to any successful trip is doing one’s homework. Use the sites listed below, Google maps, and travel forums and blogs to discuss personalized tips for your intended region. Be sure to know travel times and distances. These travel forums are filled with people who’ve been there before. Ask for their help. Experience is invaluable when it comes to travel.
2. Be Respectful When asking for help online, be respectful of other people’s country. You do not want to mix politics with travel advice. This is not the time to express an opinion. Just ask for help and go about your business.
3. Do Sitewide Searches Using Google is a no brainer, however most do not know of the ‘site:’ function. This powerful operator allows you to search through single websites. So if you have a travel forum or blog and you are looking for an answer regarding ‘Houston Texas’, just Google the following
site:examplesite.com Houston, Texas
Make sure to leave a space after the website you want to search.
4. Be Specific When you do ask a question, be specific as possible. How much will something cost? Will it be hot, or cold? Where can I get a good burrito? How long should I stay? The more specific you are, the better someone can help you.
5. Check Out The Following Sites
hostels.com
amtrak.com
tsa.gov
roomsaver.com
biddingfortravel.com