My language skills are appalling historically – I was absolutely lousy at modern languages at school (although I've learnt quite a bit of German in recent years). But I've managed to pick up and even remember quite a lot. I can do restaurants and bars quite comfortably now.

But we've actually had free drinks, in France, from managers of bars and restaurants. I sometimes wonder what's going on – it's a well-known story that in Paris in particular, staff etc tend to be rude. But we really haven't found that. Just one example: there's a wonderful little local brasserie near where we like to stay in Paris (very near the Eiffel Tower). We've been on every visit – twice on one longer stay. The last time we were in the city, in late May, we arrived on a Friday night in time for dinner, got there and, were given lovely seats outside, welcomed and, after dinner, given free cognac. It was a free aperitif on another occasion.

When shopping in Galeries Lafayette, I took some things to the till – the man serving me added a couple of keyrings as a little gift.

It happens like that. So I tend to be quite skeptical about these stories, about what people expectations are or what they themselves do.

i went to perpignan with no real knowledge of the french language apart form the basics - hello,please,thank you etc and i made sure i always used those wherever i could, and we had a french phrasebook, and i often pulled it out to look for a word or phrase and the french people were very patient with me and smiled etc - although one or two i came across seemed a bit attitudal with the english people.

like i always say to people,if you try and speak their language they will appreciate it more than if you dont bother !

Thats basically the same experiance I have had. For example, me and a mate of mine the first time we went in I think 2006 found that the people in the market place in Canet were very friendly and seemed to be very pleased that we were at least attempting to speak the little French we knew. But on the other hand we found some staff in shops a bit rude. For example, a mate of mine was really struggling to try and order an ice cream from one little shop but was still trying in the little French he knew, and the employee just got really annoyed and fustrated with him. I just pointed at what I wanted afterwards, and we never went back

At least they know you're English.

I was in Brittany a few years ago buying some prints in an art gallery where the owner was multi-lingual, some young kids in front of me were messing about with a postcard stand and he said something to them then started to serve me, I said something to him in French and he replied a bit annoyed in a language that I didn't quite catch, I replied in French that I was sorry but hadn't understood what he said as I was English.

He looked embarrassed and then told me in English that he thought the kids were mine and that he thought I was Italian from my French accent.

I still don't quite understand how that one happened.

No it isnt

quarter litre: 250ml
Pint: 568ml
half pint: 284ml

therefore half pint > quarter litre.

hth

Something I remember well from a visit to Paris where out of the 8 of us on the trip, we had very little knowledge of the language between us, found a cafe down a street away from any of the busy areas.

The Barman (owner perhaps) did his best to greet us in English (which was limited to Hello, Thankyou ect) and we tried to communicate with a bit of french, which was hilarious, we were fine ordering a round of beers and some chips, but getting something to go with the chips proved a bigger challenge for everyone, With the bar man trying to explain something and us apologising profusely for not understanding, he ran back into the bar and returned from the kitchen with a big box of Spiced Sausages.

Didn't cost an arm and a leg either, and probably better than some of the tat we'd seen on offer in the main tourist areas.

What I really meant was that the glass LOOKED bigger than a standard British half pint because it was of a tall "lay-dees" stylee.

It certainly fooled the fekkwits anyway.

Of course in parts of t' North (continentally speaking) you can get 330ml glasses as well …

I lived in the south of France for three months, twenty years ago and beer was expensive then. Lets be honest lager drinkers ought to be ripped off for their lack of taste. The French actually manage to produce a quite nice alcoholic drink out of grape juice, and you won't mind spending £6 for a pint of it !!