Signs

1. Entrée

   Entrance

   Usage

   Displayed at the entrance of buildings, stations, and facilities; signs show it as "ENTRÉE". On a price list the same word means the admission fee, and on a restaurant menu it means the starter — tell them apart by where it is posted

2. Sortie

   Exit

   Usage

   Displayed at the exit of buildings, stations, and facilities; signs show it as "SORTIE"

3. Sortie de secours

   Emergency Exit

   Usage

   Emergency exit sign, shown with a green pictogram; escape routes are sometimes labelled "ISSUE DE SECOURS"

4. Ouvert

   Open (door sign)

   Usage

   The flip sign on a shop door reading "OUVERT"; if it shows, the shop is open

5. Fermé

   Closed (door sign)

   Usage

   The "FERMÉ" flip sign on a shop door; a long annual break is posted as "FERMETURE ANNUELLE"

6. Ouvert au public

   Open to the Public

   Usage

   Appears on opening-hours notices at town halls, banks, and post offices ("ouvert au public de 9h à 17h") — more formal than the door's "OUVERT" sign

7. Fermé temporairement

   Temporarily Closed

   Usage

   French has no exact equivalent of Japanese "junbichuu" — this is the closest. Shops on a break often post "DE RETOUR DANS 10 MINUTES" or "FERMETURE EXCEPTIONNELLE" instead

8. Hommes

   Men

   Usage

   Marks the men's entrance, typically a restroom; often written "MESSIEURS"

9. Femmes

   Women

   Usage

   Marks the women's entrance, typically a restroom; often written "DAMES"

10. Défense d'entrer

    No Entry

    Usage

    Posted on doors or areas restricted to authorized people; "ACCÈS INTERDIT", "PRIVÉ", and "RÉSERVÉ AU PERSONNEL" carry the same meaning

11. Défense de fumer

    No Smoking

    Usage

    No-smoking sign posted indoors, in restaurants, and on transport; "INTERDIT DE FUMER" and "ESPACE NON-FUMEUR" mean the same

12. Espace fumeurs

    Smoking Area

    Usage

    Marks a designated smoking area, e.g. at airports and stations; also written "ZONE FUMEURS"

13. Escalier

    Stairs

    Usage

    Directional sign for stairs in stations and buildings, also posted as "ESCALIERS"; an escalator is "ESCALATOR" or "ESCALIER MÉCANIQUE"

14. Poussez

    Push

    Usage

    The "POUSSEZ" sign on a door, meaning push to open

15. Tirez

    Pull

    Usage

    The "TIREZ" sign on a door, meaning pull to open

16. Travaux

    Under Construction

    Usage

    Posted at construction sites and closed-off passages; road signs use the single word "TRAVAUX", notices say "TRAVAUX EN COURS"

17. Hors service

    Out of Order

    Usage

    Posted on broken lifts, ticket machines, or restroom stalls; sometimes written "EN PANNE"

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