French woman, just asked me to help her
I find it rather interesting that a person native to France asks a foreigner about fitting behavior in her own country. But it is by no means surprising, since in your own country you unconsciously adapt to prevailing rules, and in France this is especially so in my experience. They can tell straight away that there is a blundering American - but to say what he should do differently is another matter. In fact I suspect they prefer that he is easily recognised as such. And knowledge of English has increased tremendously in France over the past 30 years or so.