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If I ever knew
French word for sand I’d surely forgotten it long ago. We find a helpful assistant but make no headway. Even after playing usual charade-like game, we still cannot make ourselves understood. I sense increasing frustration all round. Then I remember first piece of useful advice. “Find another way to say same thing”. Sure enough, somewhere safely stored in my head was French word for beach, so we ask for a sack of beach. Although this brings howls of laughter from everyone within earshot – triumph for us – we get sand.
We are now prepared for our visitors but tap in bathroom has started to drip, drip and drip. Happily our DIY skills extend as far as replacing a tap washer. Back to DIY store. Sadly, not only do I not know French word for washer I cannot think of any sensible word as an alternative.
The assistant, helpful as ever, is determined not to be beaten this time by a simple thing like language but after a barrage of totally incomprehensible conversation I try second piece of advice. “Doucement, s’il vous plait” Ah, ah, relief on his face shows us that at last we have made ourselves understood. “Un moment” he says and disappears. True to his word, a moment later he is back, “Voila, deux ciment” and from his laden trolley he produces two sacks of cement!
On our next visit to DIY store we ignore useful advice and take a dictionary instead.
BA Boyle writes on PFS France (http://www.propertyforsalefrance.co.uk/) a website that helps French property owners advertise and sell, and potential buyers find, some of the finest and best cared for traditional French properties available.
