[.ca] Savoir-Flair: 211 Tips for Enjoying France and the French (ISBN 0964668432)

Paris isn't as scary as Polly says...:
Just spent "April in Paris - 2004" -- Polly's book did help me understand some etiquette points: saying "Bonjour", asking "parle-vouz anglais" instead of assuming people should speak English (even though for the most part, almost EVERYONE I in Paris did), but I think SHE buys into the French Mystique and really DOES think that the French are superior to all other nationalities. It all comes down to, if a person is a rude, boorish person, they're going to be rude - no matter what their country. Polly excuses bad behaviour by dismissing it as "french". (rather insulting to NICE Fench people, don't you think?) As one reviewer pointed out, Polly can be rather condescending. I felt TOTALLY intimidated by her constant glowing praises on how Parisiennes dress: she says no one but students and tourists wear blue jeans -- TOTALLY WRONG! I saw almost 65% of the "fashionable" women with jeans -- granted, they were also wearing stiletto boots and make-up! My best tips are: dress nicely, neatly. I feel you will be treated better (but, hey, that happens here, too! -- try walking into Nordstrom dressed as a slob); greet people in their native language, they'll appreciate it, and, please for all our sake, be a good ambassador for OUR country. Except for one snot-nosed sales-chick, almost everyone in Paris was not only polite, but "bend-over-backwards" friendly. I'd recommend this book, but don't let it intimidate you. I would also recommend a crash course in conversational French -- THAT will really help your trip be more enjoyable.

A splendid book:
My family just returned from a two-week visit to France. While I had studied French throughout my pre-college years, I was a bit uncertain of my ability to communicate, and bought Savoir Flair! feeling that it would be help me to understand French culture better, thereby improving the quality of my interactions with the French. It certainly did. I can't praise this book highly enough! It was much more useful than the phrasebooks and dictionaries I brought along, because it helped me understand what makes the French tick. Thanks to its insights on how French culture works, and what individual French persons expect in a variety of situations, we could not have had a better experience.I knew what to say and how to say it to get a positive, helpful response. Thanks to the book, we even managed to bring on board our plane over 250 lbs. of French floor tiles we bought on our last day in Paris - without any trouble by officialdom over weight or size! The advice worked like a charm in each and every instance -- and even earned me the respect of my usually prickly adult children who depended upon me to translate on their behalf. Truly, this book was a joy.

A "MUST READ" IF YOU ARE GOING TO FRANCE:
I just got back from Paris, and I am so glad I read "Savoir Flair!" and "French or Foe." These two books prepared me for my trip and helped to make it even more pleasurable. I loved Paris! In fact, I loved it so much, I'm going back in August, so two trips in a matter of three months! The people of France were nothing but welcoming. Everyone was so nice. The French people went out of their way to be kind to me. I know for a fact that because of reading these books, I knew what to expect and how to handle myself in their environment. Everyone should read Polly Platt's books and take a few French lessons before they go to France, if they want to get the most out of their time there. I am now going to reread these books before I go again. I have purchased many books about France, but these were by far the most helpful.

Tips for Enjoying Paris:
I bought this book with high hopes and found it enjoyable. The writing is fun and whets your appetite for your trip to France. However, just about every chapter in the book is specifically geared toward Paris. There are all kinds of wonderful tips about place to go and things to see - in Paris. I'm not going to Paris. Perhaps Ms. Platt's tips on behavior are probably applicable all over France, but perhaps not. I mean, do you go about things in the same way in Seattle as you do in New York? In a book subtitled "211 Tips for Enjoying France and the French", I expected more information about the rest of the country. Change the subtitle to "211 Tips for Enjoying Paris and the Parisians" and I'd give it 5 stars.

TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TRIP, READ POLLY PLATT'S BOOKS!:
I just got back from Paris, and I am so glad I read "Savoir Flair!" and "French or Foe." These two books prepared me for my trip and helped to make it even more pleasurable. I loved Paris! In fact, I loved it so much, I'm going back in August, so two trips in a matter of three months! The people of France were nothing but welcoming. Everyone was so nice. The French people went out of their way to be kind to me. I know for a fact that because of reading these books, I knew what to expect and how to handle myself in their environment. Everyone should read Polly Platt's books and take a few French lessons before they go to France, if they want to get the most out of their time there. I am now going to reread these books before I go again. I have purchased many books about France, but these were by far the most helpful.