Belgians/Swiss: what language do you use when meeting people from different linguistic communities?

[Tooting Carmen]

As for me. My French-learning has got a boost from working in the Netherlands ironically. I noticed a lot of ignorance there about Francophone culture to the point they managed to offend even me with it lol. Doesn't mean the Netherlands are a Francophobe country, but the colleagues I had had a complete lack of interest in everything French, even their cuisine, which ended up annoying me. And they were always negative about Romance-speaking countries in general actually it really gets annoying.

I believe if you send a Walloon to a French environment badmouthing everything Germanic they also start to get annoyed after months of such nonsense. That's what happened to me there.

Actually, according to the Eurobarometer survey, around a third of Dutch people speak at least intermediate French - far better than most other countries.

[Dandelion]

Actually, according to the Eurobarometer survey, around a third of Dutch people speak at least intermediate French - far better than most other countries.

Well, when I was in Tilburg (coffeeshop, I admit), there were also Francophone Belgian clients. I noticed someone from security conversing in French with one of them. He just learned it and got quite decent at it without any burden of aversion caused by history or politics.

They exist too.

[Dandelion]

I remember working for a French company in Antwerp. Some higher up managers from France always greeted us in Dutch, before switching to French with their colleagues. I think French open-mindedness toward foreign language-learning increased or more -observing.

Also commercially it's visible. The Auchan (French supermarket chain) in Roncq has brochures in Dutch next to French, despite being in Northern France at the border with Belgium (West Flanders province).

Correction. Roncq belonged to Romance Flanders, historically and was French-speaking (Picard dialect). Though I'm no expert about the linguistic evolution of the region.

Either way, they have one of the largest hypermarkets of France strategically placed near the border and popular among Belgians.

[Tooting Carmen]

Correction. Roncq belonged to Romance Flanders, historically and was French-speaking (Picard dialect). Though I'm no expert about the linguistic evolution of the region.

Either way, they have one of the largest hypermarkets of France strategically placed near the border and popular among Belgians.

Border areas fascinate me.