Guide to Business Travel Etiquette – France

France is the biggest country in Western Europe, slightly smaller sized than Texas. France is involving the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterranean Sea bordering Italy and Spain. 58 million men and women reside in France, about four.five million of them foreigners.

Language

French is the key language spoken in France. If you strategy to travel to France, it is strongly advisable that you study the basics of the language. Your work will be noticed and appreciated. If you can not speak French, begin by saying. “Please excuse me for bothering you, but I do not speak French” – “Excusez-moi, s’il vous plait, de vous deranger, mais je ne parle pas francais.”

Enterprise Dress

The French are pretty conscientious of their look and view dress as a reflection of social status and good results. For the reason that of this, be positive to put on nicely-tailored, stylish clothing. Dark, conservative clothing is most appropriate – prevent vibrant colors or flashy accessories.

Company Hours

Most organizations in France operate from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, with a lunch hour lasting up to two hours. A lot of executives or those in senior positions will stay at the workplace till 7:00 or eight:00 pm.

Holidays

There are 11 public holidays in France. In 2007, they are:

January 1st – New Year’s Day

April 9th – Easter Monday

May well 1st – Labour Day

May perhaps 8th- 1945 Victory Day

May 17th – Ascension

May 28th – Whit Monday

July 14th – Bastile Day

August 15th – Assumption

November 1st – All Saints’ Day

November 11th – Remembrance Day

December 25th – Christmas Day

Most French staff get 5 weeks of holiday and a lot of will take up to three weeks of this in July or August.

Conversations and Behavior

The most crucial aspect of French behavior is the emphasis on courtesy and formality. When meeting 불란서여행기 , it is customary to shake their hand. But, handshakes in France are light and fast – a robust handshake is deemed aggressive. Excellent posture is critical to the French – so be positive to stand up straight.

Do not address a organization associate by their initially name unless invited to do so. The simple courtesy title for ladies is ‘Madame’ and is ‘Monsieur’ for men. ‘Mademoiselle’ is considered old-fashioned and should really be avoided.

In some cases, the French will introduce themselves employing the final name followed by their first name. This can be confusing if they both sound like first names. It is fine to ask for clarification if required.

When engaging in conversation stay clear of subjects associated to person political views or other private matters. Stick to subjects such as sports, art, music and meals. Be ready to go over your personal countries history and political technique.

There are many typical gestures and behaviors that are regarded offensive in France. Be positive to stay clear of the following:

– Chewing gum in public

– Putting your hand in your pockets when in public

– Slapping an open palm over a closed fist

– Snapping fingers

– The OK symbol (forming a circle with the thumb and forefinger) actually signifies zero or useless in France. Use the thumbs up rather.


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