It is interesting to note that although the Paris Metro began its operation s in July 1900, this ‘ revised and updated ‘fourth edition of The Continong, which bears the date of 1906, omits to mention the existence of the famous rapid transportation system. This is bizarre, especially when under the heading ‘ Buses and Trams ‘ Mr Anar de la Grenouillere, complains about the extreme slowness of these old methods of transport which the Metro was partially designed to replace.
Phrases of politeness and greeting
‘ …never answer oui nor non along to a question; that’s English, but always add@ Monsieur, Madame, or Mademoiselle; that’s French.
…use the words Monsieur, Madame, Mademoiselle freely; sallow your insular pride, and do in France as the French do. Take of your hat to men as well as to ladies, when you meet them or come up to speak to them. If you have been introduced to a person, lady or gentleman, older than yourself, take off your hat first, when you meet him or her. Contrary to what is the custom in England, never wait for a lady to bow to you before taking your hat off to her.
When you are going to pay a call put your gloves on. When you are asked ti dinner, keep them on after being shown into the drawing- room until you go into the dining-.room. Don’t excuse yourself for wearing gloves when you are shaking hands. It is not only permissible but customary to shake hands with gloves on . Fashion has decreed it. The reason is this: in France gloves are not merely put on to prevent than hands from getting dirty, as seems to be the case in England, but they are part of the dress, i. e an ornament. Never wear soiled gloves when you are in Sunday attire…
Post-Offices.
When you get into a Post-Office in Paris, or in any other large French town, the first thing you notice is the foulness of the air. So, take a long breath before you go in…there are not nearly enough Post-Offices on Paris, and the result is that at certain hours of the day they are crowded beyond endurance. Moral:::::::: NEVER go to a Post-Office to buy a stamp, go to a Tobacconist’s…
N.B. Most Post-Offices are provided with a Cabine telephonique publique.
Letter boxes.
‘…There are a few pillar-boxes after the English style in Paris, but these have been painted a dark green colour, so they are not very conspicuous. They also sometimes have advertisements posted at the top of them; hence the pillar-box lloks like an ordinary pillar and not a receptacle for letters…
Tobacconists
…To most Frenchmen, English baccy tastes like hay, and is only fit for…Englishmen…
The sign of a tobacconist, in villages and small towns, is a small red cask, painted over with pipes and playing-cards. It is hung up at the entrance of the shop, often a grocer’s shop, with the usual display of cigar-cases and pipes, of the churchwarden description, ion the window.
In Paris, a tobacco-shop…is easily recognised by the red lamp outside. Red is also the favourite colour of Police Stations…Do not confuse these establishments.
There is, in Paris, a tobacco-shop, which I’m afraid …I must recommend—free of charge—to foreigners , and that is La Civette. It is on Place du Theatre Francais, opposite the omnibus station. It is considered the best place in Paris for tobacco and cigars, native and foreign…
French matches enjoy a world-wide reputation for badness. Bu you can’t possibly realise how bad they are, especially the sulphur ones ( i.e. those which won’t light , whether you rub them gently or roughly on the box) until you have tried them. So buy a box of these for fun—not for light; but for fear of using bad language, only do so when you are in good temper, by no means otherwise. Remember that a box of a thousand only costs 6d in London and does not take much room in a great-coat pocket…
N.B. 1. –The number of matches in a box of Swedish matches ( 12 boxes for three-halfpence in England) has just been raised ( Sept. 1894) from 50 to 60…
Hairdressers.
The sign of a hairdresser in France is not a pole, as in England, but a copper shaving dish, hanging outside the shop.
You must no expect a French hairdresser to cut your hair in ten minutes. Unlike his English brother he is an artist, he is a Professor of Coiffure and he must be allowed a good half-hour for his work. If you want to have your beard cut as well, you must allow three quarters of an hour….Like his English confrere, he will probably draw your attention to the weather, and inform you that there has been a ‘ fine shower after the rain’…
Buses and Trams.
There are 85 lines of Omnibuses and Tramways in Paris. As a means of conveyance, ‘buses and trams are safe and comfortable enough, but extremely slow, and there are not nearly enough of them.
‘Buses and trams stop at certain stations, called Bureaux des Omnibus. These are very useful places when it is raining. On the busiest lines, it is safe to go in and ask for a number, naming the direction of the ‘bus you wan to take ( Buy a map of the tram and ‘bus lines ). An official with an O on his cap, will give you a number. Look out for the next ‘bus, follow the other passengers, and if your number is called out, get in.
…if your ‘ bus or tram does not take you the place where you want to go, but crosses another line which will suit you, say, on paying your fare: “ Correspondance”. If you are inside or on the plate-forme, it is given to you free of charge, if outside, on payment of 15 centimes extra.
You must alight at the proper station for changing lines, go to the O man again on the Bureau, get another number, wait for the proper ‘bus, and give up your correspondance ticket to the conductor when asked for it.
This beautiful and simple arrangement of long an short stoppages allows you to crawl about in Paris at an average rate of one miles an hour…
To be continued
R. M. Healey