Use the magic phrase when asking directions in French. This is "Ou se trouve?" which means "Where does one find?" It's applicable in most any direction-asking situation and is easy to say and remember. It's pronounced "oo say troove." For example, you would ask, "Ou se trouve le Louvre?" to ask how to find the Louvre.
Learn the basic useful French nouns. For instance, if you know you want to find places to eat, learn how to say different types of restaurants. If you want to shop, learn the names of different types of stores. Learn the French names of the tourist attractions you plan to see. If you're looking for the town center, ask for "le centre ville."
Practice saying useful phrases. You also want to be able to recognize phrases others might use when talking to you. Some verbs you should know are: "traversez " (to cross), "tournez" (to turn), "montez" (to go up or climb) and "suivez" (to follow). For example, someone telling you to cross the street would say, "Traversez le rue."
Learn prepositional phrases that help describe where buildings or sites are located. Common phrases are: "en face de" (across from), "a cote de" (next to), "entre le" (between the...), "sur la gauche" (on the left) and "sur la droite" (on the right). To say, "to the right" or "to the left," you'd say "a droite" or "a gauche." "Tout droit" (straight ahead), "loin de" (far from) and "pres de" (near) are also common phrases.
Listen to common directional phrases. Either purchase a CD or DVD with beginning French, or visit educational websites with recordings of spoken French directions. Listen to the phrase or word, then repeat it out loud and listen to the same phrase once more. Pause the recording if necessary--speaking the words aloud helps you remember the phrases.
