Hubby and I are planning a future trip to Gaspe' area.
We toured Newfoundland and came back via Labrador/Quebec 389...taking us down the opposite side of the saint Lawrence on Quebec route 138.
It was quite quaint and a farming area, way more hilly in spots that I thought it would be...some day we would like to visit that side more slowly.
Okay, my point here is this...bring a phrase book with you and please make an attempt to speak French even if it is just a key word. Example: we wanted to get breakfast at a very small but crowded breakfast place. So the menu was all in French (of course)...there was no English menu. This was going to be fun, interesting, and an experience. I've passed through France in my young travel years and had only a few words of long forgotten French. The waitress of course knew no English (more fun). I didn't begin talking to her in English assuming she knew English. I asked her politey in French if she spoke English. No. I then proceeded to point to things on the menu that I could make out (I knew my pronunciation would be way off).
We "talked" back and forth and I got my order in. Hubby? He wimped out and held up two fingers. He never orders the same as me! We ate
we had tea. WE enjoyed ourselves and she came over and asked "Good?"
"Wi". We tipped her well for her efforts and patience.
Make the effort to speak and they will be more than willing to work with you. Meet them on their ground. Anyone we talked to was helpful
and pleasant. I will most definetly bring a phrase book when we travel through there and I look forward to it.
Oh, La Remy (on route 138) has a wonderful mill/bakery with fresh breads (Fromag bread was WONDERFUL..hubby didn't get but a slice of it) if you ever go to the north side of st. Lawrence. It is near BAie St. Paul. Boulangerie/Bakery and Mill of St. Remy.
Boulangerie de la Remy
