What Is French Life Famous For?
Oct 31, 2009 Writing and Speaking
The British often imagine they understand France and the French. There’s a long history of big and small animosities between the two nations and France is physically the closest country to us, so of course we know all about French life. But even with all the stereotypically detracting remarks you hear about the French, their country remains the most visited in the world. And the British continue to move there to live out their French dream.
So, what is French life famous (or infamous) for?
From the school canteen to the highest Michelin starred restaurant, food and cooking are of paramount importance in France. From an early age, children are expected to, and usually do, eat proper three course lunches; yes, fast food has arrived in France, but the majority of the population still try to eat balanced good quality tasty meals. Modest restaurants offer good value lunches to office workers and artisans. Most people do stop to eat and rest at lunchtime, and say it’s essential to their health and well-being.
With less overweight and the associated health problems, the French are a good example of how to eat. To eat a full meal at lunchtime with several small courses is better for us. We then have the rest of the day to use the energy and a lighter evening meal allows us to avoid going to bed with a full stomach.
And then there’s French bread. A treat for many British people, it’s now widely available in the U.K. where it never quite seems to taste the same. The legislation on bread production in France prohibits preservative ingredients so that delicious baguette will quickly grow stale. This creates the need for one or two bakings every day, a readily available supply of animal food and a wonderful smell as you pass the boulangerie! There are also regional breads which make an interesting local experience.
With that bread we will sometimes eat cheese, of which there are over four hundred types in France. So I think that some parts of well-known derogatory epithets should be taken as complimentary! There are few people who don’t enjoy at least one of the varieties.
The most famous French produce is probably wine. We tend to think that we need some knowledge (and some money!) in order to appreciate French wine. It’s true that many French people do tend to know quite a lot about the topic and they do buy for their own personal cellar. However, many just buy from the local supermarket and don’t spend a great deal, but still take the subject seriously.
Many of us believe that France is made up of protesting farmers, fishermen and transport workers. This is because world television tends to concentrate on the negative aspects of news rather than on a country’s more positive events. It might be more realistic to show the fantastic products.
The French eat and drink in a healthy and enjoyable way; but what else do they do for pleasure while putting up with all those strikes and demonstrations?
The Arts are prominent in French life. Theatre, painting, sculpture, design and many other art forms all have a place in towns and villages all over the country. Literature and cinema are particularly well served and many tiny villages will have their own libraries and film showings, which are managed by teams of local volunteers. The Cannes Festival is the world famous symbol of the French involvement with film.
French people also have reputations for being very well dressed and wonderful lovers!
Quite a contradictory set of icons for this nation! But one thing is sure, people from all over the world keep returning to visit and to benefit from many aspects of the French life. Could the complaints arise from envy?
French Life and the joys of living in France have been featured in magazine articles the world over. To get a first hand account of Living in France take a look at Amanda Lawrence’s new blog at www.frenchvie.com. Lots of real life stories and anecdotes from the Quercy. It takes you right there – you’ll never want to leave. Remember to leave a comment and subscribe to her French Vie newsletter.
Tags: France, french, French Food, French Holidays, French Life, French Living, French Recipes, French Wine, Holidays, Life in France, vacations, Writing and Speaking
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.