French for Professionals

Are you at a total loss for how to act when speaking with a French person? Here’s a tip for the complete beginner: Wait for locals to take the lead.
Should you faire la bise (kiss on both cheeks) or just shake their hand? They’re a little older than you, but not by much. Should you refer to them as vous or tu?
When in doubt, wait to see what the native does before making a huge cultural decision. For example, if they say, “Tu parles bien le français” (“You speak French well”), you’re probably in the clear to use the tu form.
However, if you want to be sure you’re not offending someone, simply ask them, “Je pourrais vous tutoyer?” (“May I use tu with you?”). French people would rather be asked than have a foreigner assume they don’t mind being addressed informally.

Elegance is when the inside is as beautiful as the outside.