Côte d’Ivoire· hard
demander la route
“to ask for the road”
Meaning
to politely take your leave from someone
Explanation
A courteous way of signalling you're about to leave, asking your host's blessing before heading off.
Example
Il est déjà tard, je vais demander la route.
It's already late, I'd better be on my way.
Origin
A calque from Baoulé, a language spoken in Côte d'Ivoire, where the phrase literally means 'give me the road'. The custom is to ask your host's permission and blessing before leaving, and the phrase is well established in Mali too.
Where
Côte d’Ivoire
Mali
Source
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