As any traveler will tell you, visiting a new country is always an opportunity to enjoy a radically different cultural experience! This is the case for French tourists visiting Ireland: they will experience an island with its own codes, culture and traditions. If you’re a French traveller and you’re curious to know what you’re going to be eaten with, here’s a glimpse of what’s in store! And let me warn you: it’s all going to work out just fine!
A traditional Irish breakfast in Ireland – Shutterstock
First things first! In France, you’re probably used to a sweet breakfast, with viennoiseries, toast, jam, buttered bread and cereals…
In Ireland, it’s a different story! Also, Irish breakfast is considered an almost sacred meal… which is so hearty, it could make you skip lunch!
Far from the French croissant, it’s made up of a combination of sweet and savory ingredients: eggs, black pudding, sausages, bacon, beans with tomato, porridge, orange marmalade toast… There’s plenty to choose from!
A little rich, it won’t be your diet’s best friend, but it will introduce you to Irish generosity and conviviality.
Enjoy it at your hotel, B&B or Irish pub! Don’t hesitate to overcome your preconceptions: to try it is to adopt it!
An Irish musician in an Irish pub – © Sunshower Shots
In France, there’s a certain segment of the population that likes to go to bars. A chance to shake hands with the buddy next door, chat and have a drink before heading home.
In Ireland, it’s almost the same… Except that the bar in question is an Irish pub, a much warmer establishment than the traditional French-style bar. For it’s here, in the pub, that music is played, danced and sung. A place where you can also eat (depending on whether the establishment has a kitchen), while watching a Gaelic sports match! A haven for lovers of literature, the Irish pub is the perfect place to read a good book while enjoying a roaring peat fire in the fireplace!
It’s a pleasant, cosy place, and one of Ireland’s almost sacred social institutions. It’s the epitome of Irish culture and hospitality: a must-see!
A sign in Irish Gaelic – © nordmann
Of course, in France, we speak French… But in Ireland, there is not one… but two official languages! The vast majority of Irish people speak English, but Gaelic, an ancient and traditional language, is still spoken in some parts of the island.
Better still, some older-generation Irish (a minority) have no hesitation in refusing to speak English (a kind of anti-English protest).
In any case, you’ll soon discover just how much English and Gaelic coexist in Ireland. Starting with road signs: destinations are constantly listed under both names! A golden opportunity to learn a language that’s centuries old!
Ordering is compulsory at the counter in an Irish pub in Ireland – © James Fennell
This paragraph may not please everyone, but France is known as a country of grumblers. In France, we like to grumble, thunder and show our discontent. Paris is famous for this: it’s not uncommon to hear that Parisians aren’t the friendliest or smiliest of people… and even have a certain talent for pulling a three-foot-long head off! (not that we’re making generalizations here).
It’s all the fault of an ever-faster-paced society, with its technologies, smartphones and often stressful everyday life.
Admittedly, this state of mind is less common in the provinces, but it’s a fact that French can sometimes be difficult to access… Suspicious, it takes time for him to reveal himself… So you have to scratch the surface a little before you discover her true heart! It’s only afterwards that the Frenchman reveals himself to be a pleasant, warm and bubbly person! Unforgettable people!
For the Irish, it’s quite a different story! Very sociable, even in big cities like Dublin, you’ll always find a kind, smiling Irishman ready to help and show you the way. Even in the pub, a stranger will easily strike up a conversation with you, just for the fun of it!
Friendly, with a taste for “real” relationships, Irish people are extremely sociable and hospitable, never hesitating to make contact at first sight, without being heavy-handed or insistent.
But beware: the Irish are very warm-hearted, yet profoundly modest. The conversation will be charming, but it shouldn’t go too far either, at the risk of making them feel uncomfortable!
A Celtic cross at Glasnevin in Ireland – © Peter Krocka
In France, secularism is a fundamental principle, separating the state from religious organizations. Although Catholicism has also historically been the dominant religion, France has long adopted a strictly secular approach to the management of public affairs. This translates into a clear separation between church and state, and a more visible religious diversity, including Islam, Protestantism, Judaism and other faiths.
In Ireland, it’s different: historically, Ireland is a deeply Catholic country, although the religious landscape has changed in recent years. As a result, a large majority of Irish people are still churchgoers, and society’s relationship with the church is still very close.
Catholicism has shaped many aspects of Irish social and political life.
However, the country is experiencing growing secularization, with a decline in religious practice and an increase in identification with other religions or no religion at all.
In Ireland, religious practice, though declining, remains more widespread than in France, where secularization is more pronounced.
A sheep on a road in Connemara, Ireland – © Roberto Medeiros
Two countries, two very different ways of holding the steering wheel – or holding it firmly while praying for your life!
French roads are renowned for their quality (and their expensive tolls, naturally!). In Ireland, be prepared for narrower, winding roads, sometimes lined with indifferent sheep. If you think driving in France is an elegant dance, in Ireland it’s more like a balancing act!
Because in Ireland, people drive on the left, a tradition inherited from their British neighbors. This may seem a tall order for the French, who are used to driving on the right. Imagine the surprise of a Frenchman arriving in Ireland, desperately looking for the gearbox with his right hand, only to find that it’s on the left!
In France, drivers are known for their… shall we say, “dynamic” style. The Irish, on the other hand, seem to take things more calmly (except when it comes to finding a pub before closing time). If you honk your horn in Ireland as you do in France, expect a few puzzled looks!
A plug adaptor for Ireland – © Shawn Hempelll
If you’re going to Ireland, don’t forget your power adapter! Because in France and Ireland, the catch is very different!
In France, sockets are made up of two round holes and a rod for grounding. In Ireland, on the other hand, they look like something out of a sci-fi movie, with three rectangular pins. A real challenge for the French tourist who discovers he can’t charge his phone!
French plugs supply 230V at a frequency of 50 Hz, which is fairly standard in Europe. In Ireland, it’s the same, but try plugging in your French hairdryer without an adapter in Ireland, and you might end up with a hairstyle worthy of an 80s rock concert.
And don’t forget to invest in a plug adapter for Ireland. They are readily available on the market at prices starting at €15. Trust us, it’ll save your life!
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