Getting Started

Things I have learned about France so far:

To open a bank account, one must have a passport and a facture, a bill or invoice. This could be an electricity bill, the lease you signed for your appartment, anything official that has your address on it. The lady who helped me actually set up an account before I had my lease (I still don't have it as a matter of fact) but she wasn't supposed to so I can't use my account until I bring it in to her. So if you're planning to follow in my footsteps, find somewhere to live as soon as possible. You also need a bank account to sign up for a cell phone (portable) plan so until you have an address, you're effectively without bank account and phone number. (Unless you've brought a foreign cell phone of course).

When you enter a store or restaurant, say Bonjour/Bonsoir Madame/Monsieur to the person working there. When you leave you say Au revoir/Bonne journée/Bonne soirée. Generally, the greeting changes from jour to soir at around 4pm or when it starts to get a bit dim. I'll have to see if the change happens later as the days get longer.

Je vous en prie is the equivalent of you're welcome. I'm not sure what the literal translation is though. Coffee of any sort is served with a glass of water (une verre d'eau) and tea is served with sugar, but no milk. When you are finished your meal, you say Je suis terminée. I'm pretty sure you don't say Je suis fini because it means you're dead (I am finished).

In general, I have also found that people who speak some English are more impatient with my imperfect French. In contrast, Lyonnais who speak no English, are much more understanding and patient with my attemps in French, perhaps because I am doing what they cannot, however unsuccessfully.

Lyon has a bicycle rental system called Velo'v which you can find all over the city. From what I've seen, even in this unclement January weather, the system is quite widely used. One sees all sorts of people cruising by on the distinctive red and black Velo'v bikes.