The Quebe?ois speak a variety of French which differs enough from the standard Ile de France variety that they sound like hicks. Mostly, the French and the Quebe?ois understand each other. A former French girlfriend of mine, who was born and raised in Burgundy, moved to some frozen mining village in Quebec and despised everything about it. She told me that she thought that the Quebe?ois were annoying and ignorant. My experience was different. I spent about six months teaching English diction to a Quebe?ois with the charming name of Michel Champagne. He spoke English was such a thick accent he could not get a ship pilot's license. He was a friendly fellow who looked as though any moment he might pull a canoe paddle out of his pocket and commence to sing "Alouette, gentile Alouette". After six months he got his license and I guess he has spent the last 30 years or so piloting rich Canadians' yachts down to Florida and back.