Excellent question, George! Thank you for writing to me :-)
Here are the ones I’m familiar with and even though I haven’t needed to use the other common acronyms, I thought they might be helpful when reading books or websites:
BCBG bon chic bon genre = Preppy
BD Bande Dessinée = comics/comic book
BP boîte postale = post office box (P.O. Box)
CB carte bleue, carte bancaire = credit/ debit card
CIE compagnie = company (Co.)
CV curriculum vitae = résumé
DAB distributeur automatique de billets = ATM (automated teller machine)
ÉU États-Unis = United States (U.S.)
Go giga octet = GB (gigabyte)
h Heure = o’clock
HT hors taxe = subtotal excluding tax/ tax not included
Mo mega octet = MB (megabyte)
ONG organisation non gouvernementale = NGO (non-government organization)
ONU Organisation des Nations unies = UN (United Nations)
OVNI Objet volant non identifié = UFO (unidentified flying object)
PDG président-directeur général = CEO (chief executive officer)
PIB produit intérieur brut = GDP (gross domestic product)
PME Petite ou Moyenne Entreprise = Small or Medium sized Enterprise (SME)
RATP Régie autonome des transports parisiens = Paris public transportation authority (métro and bus)
rdc rez-de-chaussée = ground floor/1st floor
RER Réseau express régional = high speed train service between Paris and the suburbs
RF la République française = The French Republic
rdv rendez-vous = date, meeting
SA société anonyme = Joint-stock company; similar to Inc. (incorporated)
Are you heading to Paris for a special occasion but don’t have the budget to buy something fabulous and fashionable to wear on your special day?
Don’t despair!
I can’t guarantee you’ll find clothing to fit, but I can offer some suggestions:
rent something before you leave home and head to Paris; depending on the length of your stay, this might be a cost-effective solution if you’re only going for a few days
check out the Plus Size stores in Paris – ONLINE – and look for the “sales” (called “SOLDES” in French); you may find something suitable so contact the store via email or social, and start a conversation. You’ll be able to book and pay online – but I’d rather pay a small deposit until I could try something on in my hotel room or their store in Paris. Sign up for the Newsletters for each site so you’ll know when the Sales are on.
More suggestions and articles about clothing rental in Paris:
09/29/20 by Paris-Travel | Website | Comments Off on What’s On In Paris October November December 2020
Wondering what’s on in Paris over the next 3 months of 2020?
Wonderful events happen at this time of year, from wine making, to chocolate to the Pitfork Festival — and much more!
Due to the unexpected nature of COVID-19, I highly recommend visiting the websites for each event to make sure it is ON before you attend. Each website will update with their own Coronavirus Updates, so please do pay attention.
October 2020
Nuit Blanche / White Night
Location? Locations throughout Paris
Date? Saturday 3rd October, 2020 / from 7 p.m. to early morning
“Annual artistic event dedicated to contemporary art, Nuit Blanche has been organized by the city of Paris, every first Saturday of October since 2002.
Following the first metropolitan edition 2019, Nuit Blanche is this year co-organized with the Metropolis of Greater Paris, for an edition that spans the entire metropolitan territory.
For one night (from 7 p.m. to early morning), contemporary creation in all its forms is honored in the city, in public spaces, in prestigious monuments and buildings that are little known or inaccessible in normal times.
Wondering what to do/arrange/pack for your trip? Here is my …
Checklist for Paris France – to get you started :-)
Are you planning a trip to Paris? People ask, “What do I need?” “What should I take with me?”
The video is 1:58 mins long, and the transcript is below:
Here is a list of some of the things I like to recommend:
two to four months ahead of time — organise your airport bus pick-up, flight paid for, and accommodation arranged
important documents to think about: passport validity with a long expiry date, arrange an Entry Visa if required for your country
one to two months ahead — arrange for your mail to be held at the post office, organise pet boarding and French lessons
list your clothing to take, and another list of small items like smart phone and camera, plugs and cables, voltage converters if required
if you’re taking a laptop or ipad — take USB plugs, power cords, battery charger, back-up drive — and leave a full back-up AT HOME for your return – just in case :-)
if you need medical stuff, take prescriptions for eye glasses and medications with you, buy extra meds to take with you just in case
other stuff — a French phrase book, mini Paris pocket street directory (called Plan de Paris, it’s red)
Has this Checklist for Paris France helped?
Please do let me know if you have any questions or feel like a chat.
When I moved to France many, many moons ago, I had a couple of words and phrases Id remembered from lessons at school when I was 12 years old – not necessarily grammatically correct:
Bonjour! (Hello!)
Bonsoir! (Good evening!)
Bon nuit!) (Good night – when going to bed)
Je m’appelle Teena et je suis Australienne. (My name is Teena and I’m Australian.)
Je ne parle pas bien français. (I don’t speak French very well.)
Je voudrais … (I would like …)
Il n’y a pas des nouages au ciel. (There are no clouds in the sky.)
Not a whole lot be able to speak with a French person :-)
So I signed up for a one month French Class with a Vietnamese tutor (who was lovely).
There were about 20 adult students from many different countries, and we were NOT allowed to speak any language other than French in the classroom.
At the end of the month I could order coffee or cocktails, buy grroceries, and ask questions – I was thrilled!
These days it’s possible to learn French at home in your pyjamas/pajamas, in a few minutes a day.
DUOLINGO
I signed up with Duolingo a few years ago, and every day I do my 5 minute French lesson to keep French alive in my brain when I’m no longer living in Paris.
I play French music when I’m in my car (a little purple Ford KA whom I lovingly call Purple Piaf!).
I can pretend I’m in Paris every time and it’s truly delightful :D
What about you? Do you have favourite French songs or songs about Paris?
Let me know – I’d love to hear what they are xo
EDITH PIAF
‘Sous le Ciel de Paris’ – Edith Piaf
EARTHA KITT
‘Under the Bridges of Paris’ – Eartha Kitt
CHARLES AZNAVOUR
“La Boheme”
JOSEPHINE BAKER
‘J’ai Deux Amours’ – Josephine Baker
and I must also include a couple of my other favourite French songs from Edith Piaf:
“No, Je ne regrette rien”
“La Vie En Rose”
Have a spectacular day, wherever you are in the world!
May these French songs help you to daydream about the City of Love and Light, and help us to start planning our next visit when COVID-19 and the Coronavirus have gone and are far behind us xox