A French couple on a mountain path

There is a certain type of French couple for whom there ought to be a generic name. This French couple — let’s call them Bernard and Eveline — are not necessarily an old and faithful married couple like the English Darby and Joan, although they are probably at least in their fifties. Their defining characteristic is that they communicate with each other almost entirely in Gallic sounds rather than in words and sentences.

I passed one such couple on the walk up to the refuge. It was their shoes I noticed. Bernard was wearing an old pair of Adidas trainers, but Eveline was struggling to keep her footing in a pair of smooth-soled elasticated cream-coloured court shoes. Bernard was being very solicitous and helping Eveline over the rocks. I was in hearing range for maybe a couple of minutes, during which time all I heard were several oh-là-là’s, a few pouf!‘s, an occasional hein?, and several other noises difficult for a foreigner to spell. They were completely self-contained, oblivious to other people, and seemed to be perfectly happy communicating by sound and inflection instead of words. I don’t think they made it as far as the refuge.