Enjoy a battle of wits and lunch

French business people are in a class of their own: influences from Northern Europe combine with Latin infusions to give them a unique approach to communication and business. The first obstacle during negotiations in France is likely to be language. When doing business there, you cannot assume English will be spoken. True, English has become the language of communication among the employees of international companies based in Paris and younger business people especially those in start-ups. But traditional industries and the older generation still tend to work in French.