More How’s your French? Some Québec Signs

Some of us took French for years in school but it doesn’t necessarily prepare you for a visit to La Belle Province.

Here are 17 signs. I will give the translation at the end of the post.

Les réponses

the Brake Kingdom
“Thirsty” Véronique Rivest’s Wine Bar
Be careful of the steps
St. Louis dry cleaning, Cleaning after disasters (floods etc)
Shoe repair/ laundry
the Golden Potato the real taste of an authentic French fry
Closed Please come again
no parking
“the Look” Salon
Enter by these streets. Monthly fee $140
Windows Thermal windows, mirrors, made-to-measure showers, calking, screens
Cadieux (family name) upholstery
Hair-dressing With or without appointment for men
St. Louis Convenience Store Open 7 days Laundry
Exterior Siding
Bowling
Maple High School

FRENCH PROVERB

“Paris ne s’est pas fait en un jour!” ― (Paris was not made in a day!)

Miles Hearn

2 thoughts on “More How’s your French? Some Québec Signs

  1. Patricia Lund

    I used to live in this area as a teenager so had fun remembering my French. Unfortunately in the 60s and 70s the English and French did not mix very much and I remember three schools, one for English Protestants, one for English-speaking Catholics and one for the French-speaking Catholics. I learnt my French in the classroom and did not use it a lot, much to my regret years later.
    Thanks for the memories Miles.

    Reply
  2. Lisa Volkov

    Well, it’s pretty bad. I made the correct decision not to stay/live/work/go to university in Montreal! And I took it in high school, along with an extra class of it. But I didn’t use it enough, so it “died on the vine”, so to speak (or not).
    I can recognize the odd word here and there, but that’s about it. I certainly can’t speak it or read it significantly. This sure reminds me of this! It is fun, though, but a touch sad when I think of all the effort I put into my French classes. Well, I can say the same for math, with even greater assurance! One can’t be good at everything, and I don’t have an aptitude for languages. If I spoke and read Hebrew well at one time, it was because I was a child of six to 10 years old, living in Israel and going to school there. I acquired it as children do. I certainly didn’t retain it once we left and it wasn’t kept up. Now, if I can learn some bird songs–if I can wear a hearing aid(s) with a mask (I will have to tape it/them to my ear)–I guess I’ll be happy enough. Thanks, Miles!

    Reply

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