Working as a tour guide
Interested in becoming a tour guide? Here are some essential phrases…
Conversation on a guided tour
Tour Guide: Hello everyone. Welcome to this TopTours guided tour.
Tourist: Where does the tour go?
Tour Guide: The route takes us past famous landmarks, including the restored clocktower, the cathedral - which dates back to Norman times - the castle and dungeon, the historic dockyard and the remains of the Roman wall. As an optional extra, we can visit the stately home of Benfield Towers.
Tourist: Can we go up the clocktower?
Tour Guide: Of course! It has 179 steps, and you can see all the sights from up there.
Tourist: Are the entrance charges for the attractions included in our tickets?
Tour Guide: All the city venues are included, but you pay a supplement for Benfield. It has spectacular grounds with a maze.
Tourist: Do you offer any other city tours?
Tour Guide: Yes I’d recommend the river cruise. You get headsets and you can listen to a commentary. Or, if you dare, you could meet by the clocktower at nine tonight.
Tourist: What for?
Tour Guide: The Top Tours Ghost Trail. A mysterious figure shows you the city's haunted spots and tells you their dark secrets.
Tourist: What sort of mysterious figure?
Tour Guide: A cloaked figure in a hood ... Well, it's me really; so I’ll wave when I see you.
Conversation
Vocabulary and idioms
tour guide = guide touristique
guided tour = visite guidée
route ici, = itinéraire
famous landmark = point de repère célèbre
restored clocktower = clocher restauré
it dates back to Norman times = ça remonte à l'époque normande
dungeon = donjon
historie dockyard = chantier naval historique
remains of the Roman wall = vestiges des murs romains
optional extra = option
stately home = manoir ancestral (ouvert au public)
sights ici, = attractions
entrance = charge prix d'entrée
venue = lieu (de visite, spectacle, etc)
grounds ici, = parc
maze = labyrinthe
river cruise = croisière sur un fleuve
headset = casque (écouteurs)
commentary = commentaire
haunted spots = lieux hantés
cloaked = figure forme en grande cape
hood ici, = cagoule
wave ici, = faire signe de la main
More sightseeing idioms
admission charge = prix d'entrée
ancestral home = château ancestral
bridge = pont
car park = parking
concessions = prix réduits (pour étudiants, enfants, etc)
English Heritage (GB) = organisme de protection du patrimoine historique
exhibition = exposition
free entry = entrée gratuite
giftshop = boutique de cadeaux
guidebook = guide touristique
heritage = héritage/patrimoine
keep = donjon
listed building (GB) = monument classé/historique
National Trust (GB) = Caisse nationale des monuments historiques et des sites
national heritage = patrimoine national
opening times = heures d'ouverture
please don't touch the exhibits = prière de ne pas toucher les pieces exposées
renovated = restauré
ruined/in ruins = en ruines
stay = séjour/visite
he is in London for a short stay = il est à Londres pour une courte visite
teashop/tearoom = salon de thé
timetable = horaire
tip = pourboire
trip = voyage/excursion
to take a trip to New York = aller (en voyage) à New York
to do some sightseeing/to see the sights = faire du tourisme
tower = tour
turret = tourelle