France

[HeuristicsInc]

So let's say we have the chance to go to France, but we know not much at all about the place, and very little French. While we start to study a new language, would anybody like to suggest what we should do? I totally dig castles and wine and we will definitely be near the Pyrénées.
Thanks!
-bill

[mkilly]

Moi, j’étudie français maintenant et j’étudiais français depuis ... quatre ans, peut-être. Je crois que vous devrez regarder Le Guide Michelin et Lonely Planet (<a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/ ... ce">ici</a>). Je ne voyageais pas en France, mais j’ai voulu parler en français. Excusez-moi, s’il vous plaît. Si vous avez des questions de français, demandez de moi, s’il vous plaît, encore.

[anti-m]

So let's say we have the chance to go to France, but we know not much at all about the place, and very little French. While we start to study a new language, would anybody like to suggest what we should do? I totally dig castles and wine and we will definitely be near the Pyrénées.
Thanks!
-bill

Isn't Egg in France? Perhaps you should PM that guy.

[Tex Beaumont]

So let's say we have the chance to go to France, but we know not much at all about the place, and very little French. While we start to study a new language, would anybody like to suggest what we should do? I totally dig castles and wine and we will definitely be near the Pyrénées.
Thanks!
-bill

You don't need to learn to speak French. Just say whatever you want to say in English at twice the normal volume - then the French will understand you and go out of their way to be helpful and polite to you.

[roymond]

I've always wanted to go to southern France, but have only been through the north/central regions. A few of my favorite things I've done in France:

- Lied down upon Debussy's grave in Paris. Because, you can't do that anywhere else. Cemeteries are awesome in Paris, if you're into that sort of thing.
- Lunch at the Samaritaine. Sounds cheesy, but great view.
- Paris Museums: Musee d'Orsay, the Pompidou, Musée des Arts et Métiers
- Food. Yum
- Skiing at Val d'Isere
- Chartes cathedral, because the stained glass is as close to god as I'll get
- Food. Yummy
- When camping somewhere east of Nancy, we had a party around a fire with some drunken/stoned French kids singing Beatles songs. You had to be there...

[Billy's Little Trip]

I hear they have a great way to fry up a julienne potato. Plus they serve samichez with a little bowl of juice and they will keep asking you, "you lika da juice" and they like to kiss with tongues.
...that's all I got, good luck and send me a posta carda.

[fodroy]

You don't need to learn to speak French. Just say whatever you want to say in English at twice the normal volume - then the French will understand you and go out of their way to be helpful and polite to you.

You forget to say at half the speed.

[mkilly]

- Lied down upon Debussy's grave in Paris. Because, you can't do that anywhere else. Cemeteries are awesome in Paris, if you're into that sort of thing.

Well, he's only buried in one place, so of course you can't do it anywhere else.

[roymond]

- Lied down upon Debussy's grave in Paris. Because, you can't do that anywhere else. Cemeteries are awesome in Paris, if you're into that sort of thing.

Well, he's only buried in one place, so of course you can't do it anywhere else.

That's my point. Silly, I know, but somehow to visit with Debussy is a special thing.

[j$]

I totally dig castles and wine and we will definitely be near the Pyrénées.

Ummm, that would be the WHOLE SOUTH OF FRANCE Like someone else said, Egg is the man in the know, but Montpellier, or Perpignan are vibrant, exciting cities, within driving distance. if you're not hung up on the Pyrénées, but still want striking vistas, wine and mountains, I highly reccommend the gorges du tarn for walking, rafting, camping or just kind of going "wow!" (it's to the east of Avignon, a cracking wine region, especially for reds and roses, and about 100 km in the other direction from the Pyrénées)

[HeuristicsInc]

Yeah, Egg @ Carcassonne... I was thinking he'd see the thread, but maybe he doesn't log in here lately. I'll try PM.
Thanks to the few with good advice! Keep it coming
-bill

[Egg]

France is something else. In the south, you're not gonna get quite as many people who understand English perfectly (especially in wine country like mine). Nice and Avignon will have oodles of English speakers just because they are major tourist destinations (and that is well-deserved). I am right next to Carcassonne which is beautiful. It is an ancient medieval walled city. The way castles should be. Villages on a hill within ramparts. Not that pansy Cindarella bullshit. Also, tons of vineyards to visit. The Canal du Midi is neat if you're into engineering, boating or hydraulics, and it covers a large swath of France in the general area of the Pyrenees-Orientale (sp?). Carcassonne is one of the top tourist destinations in France. It goes 1. stuff in Paris, 2. Mont St Michel, 3. Carcassonne. And that's probably well-deserved. Also, I thought I heard they're going to change the way the tide comes in at Mont St Michel, which would make it one of your last opportunities to see the tide sweep in at the "gallop of a hundred horses" or whatever they say. I have still never seen this wonder. It is very far in the north of France though where as everything else I'm talking about is very far in the south.

I'm currently in Tampa, FL selling my wine. My parents are in France working the land. I'll be there again around harvest in September. If you are in my neck of the woods (Carcassonne), I would be delighted to host you. It might take some convincing if just my parents are there. It will be easy if I am there. It would be hard if neither of us are there. But please let me know when you think you could squeeze out a trip.

[anti-m]

I'm currently in Tampa, FL selling my wine. My parents are in France working the land. I'll be there again around harvest in September. If you are in my neck of the woods (Carcassonne), I would be delighted to host you. It might take some convincing if just my parents are there. It will be easy if I am there. It would be hard if neither of us are there. But please let me know when you think you could squeeze out a trip.

South of France? Making wine?? Any time you wanna trade lives, let me know! (I'm sure I'm romantically glossing over all the crazy hard work associated with winemaking... but man, from my cube farm that all sounds hella appealing right now!)

[Egg]

Ya, I aim for contrived romanticism couched in excessively hard (some say impossible) work whenever I can. It's pretty fun. And my wine is more than slightly popular (especially compared to my music), so that doesn't hurt.

[HeuristicsInc]

We probably won't need a place to stay, but thanks for the kind offer! We need to plan out where we'll be and when. Also, what is the wine?
-bill

[Egg]

Also, what is the wine?

I make big, bold red wines in the Cabardes region of the Languedoc. They go by the name O'Vineyards (like my last name, O'Connell), but due to the complications involved in distribution (especially in the US), they are currently only available in Florida and France. Unless you happen to be a distributor in your state. They're a lot of fun and nobody should be shy about asking me about stuff or visiting my ghetto website (first Flash experience for me) http://www.ovineyards.com

[HeuristicsInc]

stinkin' distributors. they should be banned. i especially liked the photo slideshow.
-bill

[HeuristicsInc]

Curious about possibilities of staying in a castle for a night. Has anyone done this? Expensive? Caveats? Not really very cool after all or awesome?
-bill

[Me$$iah]

You should speak to j$ or Balham or obscurity

They all live in castles

from my understanding all Englishmen do

[obscurity]

You should speak to j$ or Balham or obscurity

They all live in castles

from my understanding all Englishmen do

Actually, I did live in Dover Castle for a year.

(Dover Castle was a pub that was then converted into flats. The building was still known as Dover Castle.)