Are you an experienced traveler? Or you plan to travel the world soon? Or it’s your dream to do so?
Did you know that, as a traveller, speaking French is a huuuuuuge advantage?
I mean, speaking languages is awesome for travelling, but what can French, specifically, do for you and your wanderlust?
Let’s see, shall we?
More countries to visit
More countries to love 
I hope you didn’t think French was only spoken in France and Quebec.. Right?
Because there’s TONS of French speaking countries, on about every continents.
Belgium, Cameroon, Haiti, Monaco, Guadeloupe, Mayotte, French Polynesia,…
Each obviously comes with its own culture, traditions, points of interest, cities, people,… And each is a new adventure for you to have! Even more so if you already speak the language.
I have a bunch of article on French speaking countries, if you want to dig deeper:
More authentic experiences in those countries
Or rather an authentic baguette bakery 🥖
You’re going to tell me:
“Cool, but if I don’t speak French I can travel there too”
Alright smarty pants! Of course you can.
But it depends what kind of travel you want to experience.
I mean, do you really want to stay on the touristic path, doomed to only scratch the surface, and collect countries like they’re pins?
I bet that if you have the wanderlust, you’re in it for the experience, the connections, the friendships, and the memories.
Am I right?
Then speaking a minimum of French (because you don’t need to be fluent either) is going to enable you to all of that.
Even if communication is not impossible, it is limited when you don’t speak the local language.
And, in fact, in France, you won’t get a good experience if you don’t at least try to speak French.
More on that on The struggled of not speaking French in France
A great way to get into languages if you are a native English speaker
I know I know, not my best GIF idea
Did you know that French is one of the easiest language to learn for English speakers?
I’m not even kidding.
Partly due to a certain William and the 20 to 40% of English words being of French origins…
So if learning French is easy for you, imagine what learning only Travel French is like.
Super duper easy.
That is, if you know where to go to learn…
Plus, you might not know that, but once you have learned a second language, it’s easier to learn some more.
That’s how some people can speak 9, 10, or 11 languages.
When you are learning a second language, you are also learning about the mechanisms of language learning:
- techniques,
- tools,
- things to know,
- how to avoid translation,…
More technically, you are also building more complex connections between words, and concepts within your brain.
Those connexions enable you to understand your own language better as well.
And finally, of course, the more words you know, the higher the chances of finding words that ressemble each others.
A way to make unforgettable memories
You won’t forget these ones, no matter what.
The first time I went abroad with my parents we toured the Republic of Ireland (I’m being precise because I currently live in Northern Ireland, which is not the Republic).
And I vividly remember speaking English with the little old lady of the B&B. She told me that left handed people are more creative because their hand is closer to their hearts.
How cute is that?
If I had spoken French with her. She wouldn’t have told me that. And I wouldn’t have this wonderful memory.
And it would be a shame. Because she was a sweet old lady.
Well, in France, getting those types of memories, connections, are going to be hard if you don’t speak French.
Because most French people don’t speak English.
See! There’s plenty of reasons to learn French for Travel.
Speaking French for travel will enable you to make amazing memories, in plenty of different countries all over the world.
Plus, it would really be a shame to not learn French when you can easily and quickly learn a few sentences and get started.
