Foreigners Sit Together and other Paris, France Local Custom Tips

It's happened to me personally and I've read alot of times it's happened to other Americans and other foreigners: We foreigners will be seated in one dining room apart from the French.

I really don't know why this occurs, but could be the restaurant staff thinks we have more in common being non-French? I haven't had any problem with this custom in cafes, brasseries, and many restaurants, just certain ones. I won't generalize and say it happens all the time but it can and may happen to you.

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Paris is a dog-loving city! I'm glad because I love dogs! But...the love of dogs is carried to the pinnacle: dogs are accepted anywhere. Therefore, you may be taken aback initially when you see a huge shepherd mix enter a restaurant or a store. It's fine, that's the Parisian custom and everyone is agreeable with it.

It's really interesting to see all sizes of dogs welcomed into a cafe or a restaurant as well. Doggie even has his or her own seat if he/she is tiny enough to fit on one. No one thinks it's out of the ordinary at all.

And when you go on walks you will see throughout the city-especially in early evening-lots of people walking their dogs. The special thing that I noticed is that the dogs, for the most part, are really well-behaved. Yes, one or two who meet in the streets while walking may have a territorial urge to get in a fight with the other. But that's pretty rare.

The merde (uh, this is the uncensored word meaning 'dog poop') problem is not as problematic as it was some years ago. There are teams of green-suited city workers employed to clean the sidewalks and drains from the poop. However, you still need to watch your step to be sure there's nothing bad underfoot.

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Americans are accustomed to packing up their remaining restaurant meals and taking them home in a 'doggie bag'. Please don't ask to bring home any leftover food while in Paris. It's just not a custom there.

There are stories also about guests whose hotel offers buffet breakfasts. The guests would take extra food and bag them to eat for lunch so they will not need to purchase any food. Taking food from your hotel's dining room is a huge no-no also.

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Everyday you will notice that the Parisians go shopping for food at the neighborhood shops and/or street markets. For example, at the rue Mouffetard and rue Buci street markets, they are busy from morning until closing time. Locals hurriedly check out each produce stall and shop in the hopes of buying some fresh food to take home for dinner and/or supper.

If the Parisians don't have the time (due to working in offices) to drop by the markets then they make do with the shops that open later than the street markets. Around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, quite a few people leave work and head to the shops to buy the night's meal: boulangerie, fromagerie, bucherie, and of course the best shop of all, the patisserie. When you pass these shops you will notice huge lines. It seems to me that the patisseries garner the most lines. ;)

And there are times when the supermarkets are overflowing as well. It could be that on a given Monday night around 7 p.m. you will find huge lines at the neighborhood Monoprix! The Lafayette Gourmet is busy from the afternoons! Everyone waiting in line looks so tired (well, of course, they've just come from the office) and disgusted as they've got their shopping carts filled and they just want to check out and leave! But the cashiers, who sit down on the jobs, take it nice and slow no matter how long the lines get!

This is one slice of Parisian life that is so different than what we Americans know, and if you decide to do some food shopping as well, go earlier in the day to save time.

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It's not really considered a formal sport but I noticed alot of Parisians jogging around Paris on my last visit in December 2004. Along the Seine, in the gardens, and even in the neigborhood streets, jogging seems to be catching on here.

So if you are a jogger don't hesitate to jog in Paris. You will be just like a local.

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Je parle le francais un petit (I speak a little French)
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You don't need to know fluent French in order to get around in Paris. I think not knowing French scares alot of tourists but this intimidation is unfounded really.

I believe it's because the French are very proud of their language and really they do not visit other countries and expect the natives to speak French to them. Therefore, they expect visitors to reciprocate.

Believe it or not, a simple "Bonjour madame" or a "Bonsoir monsieur" will be appreciated and you will find that the Parisians open up more to you. Be sure to say these greetings when entering any store, hotel, restaurant, anywhere. It is a matter of politesse too. The French are very formal and polite so they expect that you should be polite as well.

Do not ever launch into any conversation in English immediately. Instead politely ask "Bonjour madame/monsieur, parle vous Anglais?". Most times the person does know English but if not will be glad to help you out in any way he/she can. But not if you are rude and expect him/her to speak English to you immediately-you might receive a chilly reaction!

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Tipping can be a bit tricky in Paris for tourists. That's because there is nothing called "tipping" in Paris. It is called "service". And service is included usually in your hotel rate and in your restaurant prices.

In regards to restaurants, if the service is included the menu will have clearly written on it "Service compris" meaning that service is included and it's usually 15% of the tab. But local custom is that if you are very satisfied with your waiter's service then you may leave a few spare change in addition.

The tricky part is when a patron asks the waiter if the tip is included in the total and the waiter will say "no". That's because it's true, there is no tip so he will say "no". Then upon hearing that the patron will leave a tip of 15%.
Recall that the service of 15% is included already in the total so the service plus additional tip will have come up to 30%!

So don't ask if the "tip" is included-ask instead if "service" is included. If yes, then no need to leave anything unless you are very happy and satisified with your server; in that case leave some loose change or so in addition.

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One of the pure joys of shopping for anything-except for baguettes-in Paris is the art of how your purchases are presented to you.

When you go to the patisserie or to the chocolatier, your purchases are presented in a nicely wrapped bag or box. At Laduree, for example, when you purchase pastries en masse, the clerks place them neatly in their signature celadon-colored box and place them in their signature celadon-colored shopping bag. Macarons are boxed in tiny celadon-colored boxes.

If you go to a chocolatier, no matter if you buy a few pieces of chocolates, your purchases will be placed in a signature bag and may be even tied up wih ribbon.

This is so unlike the US where your purchases are just thrown into a bag and given to you. Shopping is fun in Paris!

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Part of the absolute charm of being in Paris is the custom of enjoying an aperitif. You will see all Parisians doing this and you should take their cue and do the same.

Two types of aperitif are kir and pastis. Kir is made with a mixture of white wine and creme of cassis which is a black currant liqueur. It is pure heaven. To spike it champagne is added and then it's called a kir royal.

Pastis is an aniseed flavored drink. It's served alongside a glass of water and you mix them together. Usually it's about a 1:5 ratio (one part pastis to 5 parts water). The mixture will look milky hence it's nickname 'the milk of Provence'. Due to aniseed it is licorice flavored.

So order up one of the above and savor it slowly. It leads to the upcoming meal which is eaten slowly and itself savored. No rush at all when you're dining in Paris.

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It probably had not occurred to many here that there is a cheese course that's served in between the entree and the dessert. The cheese plate is considered to be one of the highlights of a multi-course meal. At Le Tastevin we had brie. It was wonderful: ripe, very creamy.

The Parisians shop for their cheese as much as they shop for their bread and meats. Therefore, there are many fromageries (cheese shops) located in the city. One famous fromagerie is called Androuet. I got to visit the location on the rue Mouffetard last December. It was very crowded most likely for the holiday season. Many types of cheese abound!

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Website: http://www.androuet.com/shops/mouffetard/
Other Contact: 134, rue Mouffetard - 75005