Will I need to learn french?

[katiawt]

Is it possible, without many problems, to walk this route? :?:

 

[KiwiNomad06]

It is possible, and people do. Other pilgrims or gite owners or tourist offices will help you make reservations for gites if it is a busy time. It might be a bit lonely if you don't speak any French, as a large proportion of people walking this route are generally French- speaking.
Margaret

 

[robertt]

I think I've discussed this before with the Nomad. Even if you don't speak French, being more formal helps. Entering or leaving a shop or restaurant, saying hello and goodbye to everyone, not just staff; using formal address far more than you might in English or even Spanish; never initiating conversation without "bonjour" etc. It really is important and can make the difference far more than speaking the language.

In short, you can't go wrong with heaps of formality. Heaps of it! Suddenly, those "rude, arrogant French" become the politest people in the world, especially those of south/central France, of France Profonde.

Best

Rob

 

[Kitsambler]

While it is not mandatory for you to learn some French, it is respectful and very, very helpful. You can certainly manage the basic courtesy phrases before you begin your trip:
Hello
Goodbye
Please
Thank you
I am sorry
Excuse me
I would like ...
Please bring the bill

 

[vagabondette]

I agree, you would be well served by learning at least the basics. I created a "camino spanish" course on memrise. You could take the same vocab and create a french course if you wanted. It won't prepare you for long conversations but it'll give you the basics and those can get you pretty far... The link to the spanish one is in my sig.

 

[jastrace]

Depending on where you are starting from and how far you walk each day you will have maximum 1-2 nights in France if you start from St Jean (ie St Jean and Hunto or Orisson or Valcarlos) before you get to Roncesvalles. If you have limited time to learn a language then focus on Spanish, as most of your trip will be in Spain and this will be the most useful. There will be plenty of people who speak (even some) English for you to talk with while walking.

Ideally we would all speak the local language of the country we're in fluently before we arrived but this is not achievable for many people given the preparation time they have.

However, I also agree with comments above that it is always good to know how to speak the typical courtesies in whatever country you are in.

Cheers,

Jason.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Depending on where you are starting from and how far you walk each day you will have maximum 1-2 nights in France if you start from St Jean

Jason- this question is in the Le Puy route part of the Forum- so katiawt will have several weeks in France, all going to plan....
Margaret

 

[katiawt]

You are all right, I speak spanish that´s why I did not feel it it in other caminos...

While it is not mandatory for you to learn some French, it is respectful and very, very helpful. You can certainly manage the basic courtesy phrases before you begin your trip:
Hello
Goodbye
Please
Thank you
I am sorry
Excuse me
I would like ...
Please bring the bill

Yes, respectful. I have a hole year ahead me before I go so I can learn a lot...
Thanks

 

[newfydog]

If you can afford it, you would enjoy staying in a few chambre d'hotes, where you get often get a room in someones house and have dinner with them. It really improves the experience if you speak some French. To actually "learn French" is of course, not possible. When I worked for a French company even memos written by French employees were subjected to all sorts of grammatical disagreements.

 

[Anonymous]

Camino Spanish on Memrise? Class begins now! True, memrise will not prepare you for a solid conversation but it's still excellent and truly recommend it to anyone. Have been using it mostly for Spanish and French in the preparation of the Camino journey.