Expat shares faux pas to avoid in France or risk getting ‘dirty looks’ | Travel News | Travel

An expat living in France has warned that tourists should avoid a number of situations when visiting the country to steer clear of embarrassment and potentially being a victim of crime.

Rosie regularly posts videos to her YouTube page Not Even French showcasing her life in Paris and giving advice to visitors of the country.

In a popular video, Rosie warns those thinking about travelling to France to keep their voices down to avoid annoying the locals.

She explained: “The first thing you should not be doing here in France is speaking too loudly. If you’re in a public place, a supermarket, a queue, metro system in Paris, you definitely should use your inside voices and don’t speak too loudly.

“The French definitely have quieter, more subtle voices and they don’t come across as very loud, brash and overly excited and enthusiastic when they’re in public places at least.”

The expert warned that French people can typically be averse to tourists making too much noise in a public space, meaning those who do not keep quiet could be given a dirty look.

In particular, it is advised for visitors to avoid using loud voices when using the metro, where almost all users stay silent.

Rosie also warned that speaking loudly in cities many people visit, such as Paris and Cannes, could highlight where tourists are, making them more vulnerable to being pickpocketed.

Later in the video, Rosie suggested that families travelling to France should make sure that children are well-behaved, noting that the local parenting style is somewhat different.

She added: “The next thing you do not want to do in France is not to control your kids. In France, the approach to parenting is perhaps a little bit more structured and disciplined than what we’d be used to in the US, Australia, New Zealand and even the UK.

“As a result, you do find that kids are quite quiet and well-behaved in public. I know what you’re thinking, kids will be kids, but I’m just warning you that it could come with some pretty dirty looks.”

Finally, the expat suggested that tourists can avoid embarrassment by only beginning to eat a meal once everyone they are with has received their food.

She continued: “The next social faux pas will come in handy if you are to eat with the French or be invited around to a French home to enjoy a meal. Just note that you never start eating before every person on the table has been served and there’s a definite moment where you can tell when it’s okay to start.

“Usually that’s by the host or hostess, who will pick up their cutlery and say Bon Appetit and they’ll start making the gesture that it’s okay to start eating and that’s when you can start eating.”