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Your English is Better Than My French: Adventures in France and Hacks for a Great Vacation
Does the prospect of navigating a French vacation seem daunting? Have past trips failed to live up to expectations? Do you value culture, history, sumptuous food and authentic experiences? If so, this is the book for you! Part travel guide, part adventure narrative, it is a joyous romp through the flavors of Paris and the French countryside. Author and psychiatrist, Eric Kirchmann, offers his unique perspectives on the French and shares his recipe for a truly extraordinary trip. Learning from past mistakes, Eric created the crème de la crème of vacations with extensive pre-planning, an understanding of cultural norms, and "un peu de français" (a little bit of language). After sharing his hacks for a great vacation (with additional resources linked at the author’s website), he takes you along on an enchanting escapade…
Forty years after meeting in junior high French class, Eric and his lovely wife Courtney finally fulfill their dream of visiting Paris. From there, they crisscross France in search of off-the-beaten-path, “hidden gem” encounters. Adventures like cycling with the Sun King, meeting the 16,000-year-old woman, and sipping Armagnac directly from the barrel with French royalty only begin to scratch the surface of this enthralling trip. Challenging widely held stereotypes of the French, the book concludes that the real joy of travel, especially in France, comes not in tourist attractions but in the people you meet along the journey.
Forty years after meeting in junior high French class, Eric and his lovely wife Courtney finally fulfill their dream of visiting Paris. From there, they crisscross France in search of off-the-beaten-path, “hidden gem” encounters. Adventures like cycling with the Sun King, meeting the 16,000-year-old woman, and sipping Armagnac directly from the barrel with French royalty only begin to scratch the surface of this enthralling trip. Challenging widely held stereotypes of the French, the book concludes that the real joy of travel, especially in France, comes not in tourist attractions but in the people you meet along the journey.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 6, 2023
22 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Eric Kirchmann
2 books5 followersEric Kirchmann, M.D. is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University with a passion for travel. He married his high school sweetheart, Courtney, whom he met in junior high French class. After raising their children, they now aim to explore the world with deep dives into the culture, history, food and people of the places they visit. With expertise in communication and human interaction, Eric brings fresh and unique observations to the world of travel writing. Author of (the yet-to-be published books) Écoutez et Répétez and All I Got Was Cheese…, Eric published Your English is Better Than My French (2023) followed by It Starts with Bonjour in 2024. Eric and Courtney live in Raleigh, NC near their three grown children and precious granddaughter.
Author website: http://erickirchmann.com
Follow me on Instagram @erickirchmann
Author website: http://erickirchmann.com
Follow me on Instagram @erickirchmann
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 28, 2023
Warning: this book will make you want to go to France immediately! A fun tale of adventure, I was left with an urgent sense of wanderlust. The food descriptions, history, and beautiful people make it definitely worth a read, regardless of your travel plans. The over arching theme is about kindness and attempting to use the language (even if it isn’t perfect). I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves European history, relatable narrators, and/or books that transport you to a far away place. I plan to send copies to travel loving relatives! Thank you to Eric for sharing your adventures with us!
January 26, 2023
I’ve recently read Eric’s book and thoroughly enjoyed it. We share a passion for travelling in France independently. As I haven’t been able to visit since 2019, this book fulfilled my armchair travel experience and more. Eric and Courtney packed lots into their 3 week trip and there are lots of great travel tips, recommendations and mouth watering food descriptions. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on the Gers region and I’m more keen to visit there next time. I definitely recommend this book for inspiration for travel and tips.
January 24, 2023
A must read if you love traveling or hearing from those that do. Has helpful travel tips that apply to novice and seasoned travelers alike. The helpful tips are in the front of the book easily accessed for review without having to search the whole text. With detailed travel experiences in different regions of France, you get a real feel for the trip with honest appraisals of the experiences. Charming stories interspersed so it reads less like a travel book and more like a fun journey. Stories, recommendations and tips apply to the average traveler so a must read if you plan any future travel to France, or hope to one day.
February 17, 2023
All these five-star reviews must be friends and relatives or people who don't know one word of French (or even how to use spell-check). I'm finished because I gave up after reading error after error in French. Words that could have been easily checked. The store is Carrefour, not Carefour; it's s'il vous plaît, not pliat; the word for right is droite, not driote and finally, most egregiously of all, you look for Carrousel du Louvre, not Carrosel de Louvre.
April 9, 2023
When I received this book to read I wasn't sure what to expect. What I got was a travel book that documented a 3 week trip to France taken by the author and his wife. It was a bit like reading a travel diary but with the snippets of historical information scattered throughout it offered more than just reading about their holiday.
Taking me to Paris, where I've been before, there were lots of familiar things to read about - the Museé D'Orsay description brought back wonderful memories for my husband and I as I read that passage aloud to him. The other parts of France were places I knew little about and the towns visited piqued my interest as places to consider seeing.
If you are interested in food and drink there are many descriptions of the meals eaten - a big part of a trip to this part of the world but maybe not something everyone can afford to indulge in as often.
The hacks listed at the beginning of the book, along with tips mentioned throughout, are proving useful as I help my daughter plan a trip through France that she's taking in the next few months so these are worthwhile things to know about. The other thing I liked about this book was that, along with the descriptions of the places visited and the interesting people met, there was mention of some of the realistic challenges of travelling such as blisters and getting tired and hungry right through to the challenge of finding a decent toilet - all things that need to be catered for to ensure a memorable holiday.
As a travel book goes this one is a fairly personal account of a trip experienced with a large number of details given but overall I enjoyed the information, the honesty and the conversational style of the narrative as I journeyed with this couple on their long planned for trip. It has got me interested in travel to parts of France I might not have previously considered and as I helped my daughter with her plans I found myself itching to make some of my own!
Taking me to Paris, where I've been before, there were lots of familiar things to read about - the Museé D'Orsay description brought back wonderful memories for my husband and I as I read that passage aloud to him. The other parts of France were places I knew little about and the towns visited piqued my interest as places to consider seeing.
If you are interested in food and drink there are many descriptions of the meals eaten - a big part of a trip to this part of the world but maybe not something everyone can afford to indulge in as often.
The hacks listed at the beginning of the book, along with tips mentioned throughout, are proving useful as I help my daughter plan a trip through France that she's taking in the next few months so these are worthwhile things to know about. The other thing I liked about this book was that, along with the descriptions of the places visited and the interesting people met, there was mention of some of the realistic challenges of travelling such as blisters and getting tired and hungry right through to the challenge of finding a decent toilet - all things that need to be catered for to ensure a memorable holiday.
As a travel book goes this one is a fairly personal account of a trip experienced with a large number of details given but overall I enjoyed the information, the honesty and the conversational style of the narrative as I journeyed with this couple on their long planned for trip. It has got me interested in travel to parts of France I might not have previously considered and as I helped my daughter with her plans I found myself itching to make some of my own!
March 13, 2023
This is a great book for folks who want to head off to France and enjoy France as the French do. Without being preachy, Eric points out some of the errors of the typical American in France and one hopes that the message sent will be message received. As a history buff, I was very impressed by the research and execution that the couple did and that they managed to find so many out of the way places. For the foodies, there is no reason to say we can't find place to eat or a particular meal to eat. Eric has all of that covered, all you have to do is make your reservation and show up! So go to France, jump in and have a good time but read this book cover to cover a couple of times before you go! Thank you, Eric, carry on.
June 4, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed Your English is Better Than My French! It’s personable and fun and interesting, while also full of helpful tips about traveling in France. I enjoyed the details shared about the history and culture of the places they visited. And don’t forget the food! It’s clear that they loved immersing themselves in the areas they visited and that definitely increased my interest of traveling to France! Absolutely recommend!
March 12, 2023
Your English is better than My French is fantastic! Whether you plan to travel there or not, the stories of Eric and Courtney Kirchmann's Parisan adventures are delightfully entertertaining. They are true explorers! The travel tips are smart and practical too. This is a highly recommended enjoyable read!
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March 17, 2025Why travel when you can read
Loved it. We've been to Paris 3 times but never ventured further than Versailles. We're probably too old now for another international trip so reading about Eric & Courtney's adventures were as good as actually going there.
Loved it. We've been to Paris 3 times but never ventured further than Versailles. We're probably too old now for another international trip so reading about Eric & Courtney's adventures were as good as actually going there.
December 9, 2025
Very much enjoyed the stories—felt like I was there with the author and his wife. Would read more of his works.
The airport scene at the end features the words “tout suit”, which should read “tout de suite”; the last line should be “nous parlons”.
The airport scene at the end features the words “tout suit”, which should read “tout de suite”; the last line should be “nous parlons”.
February 16, 2024
"A must-read for anyone planning a visit to France. Written in the first-person, author and psychiatrist Kirchmann provides readers with an unforgettable three-week adventure in exploring authentic French culture, history, cuisine, and people....As well as being a practical guide, it is also an entertaining account that anyone who loves to travel should find fascinating. Highly recommended." ― Readers' Favorite
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews