jld Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 I just felt the need to say that, lol. What do you love about France? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyFL Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Crepes, cafes, coq au vin.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Lavendar fields Weird art by the highway to keep you alert Quiche Museums Beautiful churches and chateauxs Cheese Tatrine Spinach pie Chocolate croissants Crepes Wine Flower markets Just to name a few things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 I've only been there once, so I'm not sure it's fair for me to reply, but one of the things I really loved was that if you're out & about and hungry, it's quicker and easier to stop for a crepe made right in front of you than for "fast" food that might have been made 10 hours ago and sitting since then! Not so here in CA {sigh}. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jld Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 Yeah, I guess this whole thread could just be about food!:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 yummo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 I had a dream last night that dh took a job in France! Must be the expat thread combined with looking for foreign languages for the kids!!! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saw Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 The bakery up the street where the lady who runs the place sells us fresh bread every morning and lets dds practice their French on her. The boys' soccer team dd 12 plays on that has not once made a negative comment about her being the only girl. The school ds 4 attends. Great music instruction. The wonderful woman who made a special class for dds and me to learn cartonnage, when we could not join the regular class, because she saw that we were keen to learn. My really really helpful French teacher who will make phone calls for me when I'm out of my depth. Eclairs Marrons glace. Actually, marron anything. Skating at the Eiffel Tower ice rink. I will not comment about the strikes or public transport since this is about what I like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 The bread The cheese The coffee The French way of taking time to do something and taking time to visit and appreciate things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 I miss walking in France. I walked everywhere- to the grocery store, to the movie theatre, to school. I also love the marché aux fleurs, the croissants aux amandes, the wine, the cheese, my friend Véronique who lives in Annecy, and my friend Nathalie who lives in Clermont-Ferrand. I love being able to hop on a train and spend a day in another city. I love seeing buildings from the middles ages right next to a 1950's apartment building. That settles it. As soon as I win the lottery, I'm buying a vacation home in France. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josie Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 butterscotch eclairs -- YUM orange crepes while looking at the Eiffel Tower baguettes and strawberries while walking in a quaint town in the morning sleeping in a train at night and waking up in a wonderful new town vinyards fondue châteaux Parisian restaurants Gare du Nord French country Mediterranean Sea etc.! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 total Francophile, here. What's not to love? Cheese wine toile lavender simplicity and elegance are not a dichotomy French General :p potager gardens the language chateaux small portions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 The breadThe cheese The coffee The French way of taking time to do something and taking time to visit and appreciate things and the wine, of course... :D:D:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 (edited) Oh my, where do I start? The crepe stand by the Tuileries garden where they slap a delicious slab of chocolate right into the middle of a hot crepe. Heaven!! Eating lunch outside everyday after buying a baguette and some cheese at a local market. The Musee d'Orsay. The Eiffel Tower. Monmartre. The outdoor cafes. The book shops. The elegant, effortless way the French women seem to dress and look like they spent a million dollars. I never could quite master that look. :lol: La Fete du Muguet. To this day when I smell lily of the valley, I feel a wave of nostalgia. La Marseillaise. Les pommes frites. Le Quartier Latin. La Sorbonne. Art history classes taught in France and in French. Sigh....I REALLY miss that country!! Edited February 11, 2011 by DianeW88 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Right - cafes and potagers a more graceful mix of old and new than we sometimes manage here in New England Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyNellen Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Well, my husband (a die-hard German) would answer, "that it's across the ocean." :lol: I love the food! The bread, the wine, the creamy desserts. Yummo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jld Posted February 12, 2011 Author Share Posted February 12, 2011 I'm buying a vacation home in France. This is the dream that never quite dies in me, either, even as I contemplate the rest of our free money going to college tuition for our five children, who refuse to study in France, where it could be much cheaper for us.:glare: Dh may get transferred back to France someday, though, so we might be, you know, forced to buy something.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaniceO Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 The sandwiches from the stops along the highway that have ham, cheese, and butter! Those were so delicious! I loved France! We went there twice: once to Paris and Normandy and the second time to Marseilles and that area. We drove up both times from Italy and I am so glad we did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pqr Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 (edited) French waiters :-) Edited February 12, 2011 by pqr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karenciavo Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 I love France for giving us John Calvin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 We took our then 4 yos to Paris for family vacation a couple years ago and the thing I appreciated most was playgrounds at every single major sightseeing location. Living in another city that is frequented by sightseers where there is NOTHING like that, it was a huge boon to us. Also, the carousels! So many carousels. And amazing puppet shows. Clearly, traveling with my kids gave me a funny French experience, but a very good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 I don't know how to describe it exactly, but something about the light and the atmosphere of France is different from any other place I've been. Once I visited France I knew why Monet had to paint a dozen different versions of the same view - there's just something about the way the light changes, and the whole atmosphere has a romance to it. Aussi les crepes sont fantastiques! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morningxmorning Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 I miss sidewalk vendors selling pretty scarves for 3 for 5 euros. I miss eating all the bread, butter, and cheese I wanted and not gaining a pound because I walked everywhere. I miss sitting in a cafe for hours on end and never feeling pressured to leave if it got crowded. I miss wine, champagne, cremant and an afternoon kir royale (or two.) Eating lunch at the Rodin museum, and a Sephora on every corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 The bakery up the street where the lady who runs the place sells us fresh bread every morning and lets dds practice their French on her. The boys' soccer team dd 12 plays on that has not once made a negative comment about her being the only girl. The school ds 4 attends. Great music instruction. The wonderful woman who made a special class for dds and me to learn cartonnage, when we could not join the regular class, because she saw that we were keen to learn. My really really helpful French teacher who will make phone calls for me when I'm out of my depth. Eclairs Marrons glace. Actually, marron anything. Skating at the Eiffel Tower ice rink. I will not comment about the strikes or public transport since this is about what I like! You guys have me green with envy! I've never been to France but am hoping to in the next few years (can you say - 25th wedding anniversary? I'm hoping, hoping, hoping!). Also, saw, what is cartonnage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jld Posted February 12, 2011 Author Share Posted February 12, 2011 butterscotch eclairs -- YUM.! Where did you find those? You don't mean the coffee ones, do you? This is serious, you know.:D We had some milk chocolate ones at Cacao et Chocolat, and they were delicious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jld Posted February 12, 2011 Author Share Posted February 12, 2011 You guys have me green with envy! I've never been to France but am hoping to in the next few years (can you say - 25th wedding anniversary? I'm hoping, hoping, hoping!). Also, saw, what is cartonnage? You've got to go. It's the most visited country in the world for a reason, my dear. Dd thinks cartonnage is a sort of craft made from cardboard. Hopefully the poster will tell us more . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jld Posted February 12, 2011 Author Share Posted February 12, 2011 I miss afternoon kir royale (or two.) . In the afternoon? I always waited until the evening . . .:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jld Posted February 12, 2011 Author Share Posted February 12, 2011 French General :p What's this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 I can't wait to go later this year. :D Just love reading everyone's responses. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jld Posted February 12, 2011 Author Share Posted February 12, 2011 I miss walking in France. I walked everywhere- to the grocery store, to the movie theatre, to school. Dd and I miss that, too. I loved walking ten minutes to the train, and 45 minutes later, getting out at Gare du Nord, ready to shop, or sightsee, or just go eat.:D I loved walking everywhere for our daily needs: shopping, going to the post office, visiting friends, going to the doctor, visiting the library. So simple and such good exercise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jld Posted February 12, 2011 Author Share Posted February 12, 2011 I will not comment about public transport since this is about what I like! What do you not like about public transport? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 What's not to love? Well, okay, a few things,but not much. We live 45 minutes from Strasbourg and I have been known to go there for lunch. There is a crepe restaurant called Crepe Mili on a tiny little side street behind the cathedral that has the BEST gallettes (savory crepes). My favorite is Provencal, which is filled with cheese, tomatoes and herbs de Provence and is sheer heaven. I also adore the many, many parks in every city. They're all so pretty and well kept. We drove the Champagne road, and it is gorgeous. Normandy is stunning too. My favorite town there was Bayeux. I could easily live in Bayeux part of every year. What else? Oh, does the fact that Johnny Depp lives there a good prtion of the year count? Because that's a reason to love France in my book! :D We were in Ville Franche last year (in the south, between Monte Carlo and Cannes), which is only about a 40 minute train ride from where he lives (Plan de la Tour). I seriously thought about hopping that train. I know Johnny would have welcomed me with open arms. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 This is the dream that never quite dies in me, either, even as I contemplate the rest of our free money going to college tuition for our five children, who refuse to study in France, where it could be much cheaper for us.:glare: Dh may get transferred back to France someday, though, so we might be, you know, forced to buy something.:D DH and I were actually looking at real estate listings in the small village we stayed at last April. Fortunately, we pulled ourselves back from the brink . . . this time. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pqr Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 (edited) Of course there is also this about France: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/8317497/Nicolas-Sarkozy-declares-multiculturalism-had-failed.html It seems that there is now great interest in protecting "French Culture" but given drives against using words derived from English in modern French and their insistence on maintaining language, wine and food this may simply be a natural extension of past behavior. Edited February 12, 2011 by pqr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Of course there is also this about France: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/8317497/Nicolas-Sarkozy-declares-multiculturalism-had-failed.html It seems that there is now great interest in protecting "French Culture" but given drives against using words derived from English in modern French and their insistence on maintaining language, wine and food this may simply be a natural extension of past behavior. You. Must you? more things I love- http://www.bonpoint.com http://citronille.fr/index.php and my fave French blogs arbrealaine.wordpress.com/ fredemickadeletc.canalblog.com/ ittybittyblog.canalblog.com French panties and bras :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 You. Must you? :bigear: Why not? From the article: "We have been too concerned about the identity of the person who was arriving and not enough about the identity of the country that was receiving him," Sarkozy loves France too and wants people integrating. Seems like it's right on topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I love this article and thought to share. Not so much about France, but French women. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I've never been there, but I dream of going someday. Love reading these posts! Dreaming is good for now.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I love this article and thought to share. Not so much about France, but French women. That's very nice that Ms. Olivier admires French women so much and certainly, there is something to be said for aging gracefully~something I aspire to do, but it's too bad she couldn't express her admiration without having to insult American women at the same time. From the article: "All this reminds me of what Edith Wharton once wrote: "The French woman is in nearly all respects, as different as possible from the average American woman. The French woman is more grown-up. Compared with the women of France the average American woman is still in kindergarten." Ouch. That's quite a jab. But let's be honest: Wharton was onto something, wasn't she? Don't French grown-ups seem like... grown-ups?" :confused: :lol: Um...no, I'm being honest and I don't think American women are in kindergarten whilst French women are grown ups. And considering that Wharton lived at the turn of the century when the history of brave, enduring American women who had pioneered their way through the west should have been fresh in everyone's mind is...disappointing...childish...maybe even kindergartener...ish, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 What don't I love is a better question. Because I can't think of anything! I'm dying to go to France! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Taize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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