People heading to property in France might want to familiarise themselves with a few key phrases before making the move to the continent.
Sharron Livingston, editor of The Travel Magazine, says there is no point living up to the stereotype of an English tourist shouting at foreigners to try and make them understand.
However, it might not be necessary to become a fluent French speaker before heading to property in France.
Instead, a compromise can allow people to start making the transition from tourist to resident.
"Learn phrases like 'how much is that?', 'I want' or 'thank you' [and] 'hello'," Ms Livingston suggests. "Things like that will make the transition on holiday a lot sweeter."
She adds that a little cultural understanding can also be advantageous, to avoid offending locals.
In particular, she recommends living well within the law, to avoid having to attempt a legal discussion with a police official who does not speak any English.
