The French people in the southern region are very welcoming, helpful, and proud of their culture and language. Manners and politeness are fundamentally important — and learning a few basic French words (such as hello, goodbye, and thank you) goes a long way in showing an attempt to speak at least a little bit of the language. We like this article, which includes important information. The book The Bonjour Effect is an excellent resource if you'd like more detailed information.