"John Rowland" wrote in message
...

I'm not convinced. When I was in Paris, the woman selling tickets in the
Eiffel Tower didn't speak a word of English. At Paris's number one tourist
attraction, I thought that was very poor.

Pre my visit I thought French people either rarely spoke English or
disapproved of tourists not trying the local lingo. After a few failed
attempts I soon realised that many people in Paris (well, the tourist areas
I visited) spoke English. And not one hint of derision.

Handily, on the Metro I found that the French word for carnet is carnet :-)