Reflections on Living in France

We are almost 3 months into this adventure so it seems like a good time to reflect on some of the pleasant and no-so-pleasant realities of living in France.

Good wine is everywhere and it’s cheap!  We feel like we’re splurging if we pay more than $10, and often we can find a really nice bottle for under $7! Even on restaurant cartes du vins, prices seldom exceed $20.  We’re happy!!  And, speaking of restaurants, we’re getting used to the fact that no tips are expected.  The bill is service compris and waitstaff are thrilled if you leave a few euros in acknowledgement of an extraordinary experience.

It is easy to have Foie Gras every day! We’re learning, with pleasure, to differentiate between frais, entier, block, mi-cuit, paté, mousse and parfait…and haven’t yet found one we don’t love.  We’ve found wonderful mi-cuit (half-cooked) in the Narbonne market and have served it with sautéed apples, onion confit and, last night we had it served to us in a restaurant accompanied by a confiture du thé.  Yum!

Every boulangerie sells baguettes, but they’re not all the same.  We found the most consistent quality in Paris.  Elsewhere, some have crunchy crusts while some are more chewy (my preference); some are more dense while others are airier inside…bigger ‘holes,’ less bread (again, this is what I look for).  And, have I talked about the butter?!  We are spoiled forever by this demi-sel raw milk butter with actual salt crystals in it.  Have to figure out how to bring some home!

Many French take their primary meal at mid-day and EVERYTHING shuts down (except cafés and restaurants) from noon to 2 or 3pm. Children go home from school and work stops! and everyone, from bankers to construction workers, sits down to eat and have a glass or two of wine.  Most businesses close on Sunday and Monday; and restaurants close after the mid-day meal Sunday until Wednesday.  We’ve learned to plan for home-cooked meals Sunday through Tuesday and, if we eat out, make reservations for other nights, since many places (outside of Paris) are small and can’t take you without a reservation.

Who knew that I’d have to learn my ABCs all over again?!  While French uses the same letters as English, they pronounce them differently, which I found out while trying to spell out my email address over the phone. K_A_T_H_Y = kah_ah_tay_ahsh_eegrek.  You get the idea.  But, on the positive side, I never have to spell my last name when I make a restaurant reservation…everyone can spell Sabatier, and no-one mispronounces it!  Numbers are a similar challenge. Fortunately, most shopkeepers are patient when I ask them to repeat the amount due, or they just hand me a cash register tape when I look at them blankly. I’ve started to count my reps at the gym in French as a way of practicing, but my ear is not trained yet…

I always think of French women as glamorous and well-groomed.  And they are.  So why is it impossible to find a pedicure anywhere? There are plenty of hair salons – I’ve had my hair cut twice and been happy with the result – and a few lovely nail salons, but they only do fingernails.  I’ve asked women who live here and they just shrug.  Guess I’ll have to wait until we’re back in the States for painted toes!

One final thing that I miss is radio, specifically Public Radio. At home, Morning Edition played while I showered and dressed in the morning and All Things Considered kept me company while I made dinner.  Here, the radio speaks in French, of course, and even the music stations we find in the car are elusive. I do have an NPR News app on my iPad and I’m getting used to taking it into the kitchen with me.

Rick knew he would miss TV, so he planned ahead.  Most of our accommodations include TV, but we’re lucky if we have access to more than one English news channel.  Rick has found tricks to allow us to watch US television on my laptop. He moved his Direct TV box to his daughter Ginny’s basement and installed a Slingbox there that allows him to control the DVR from here! So the Redskins and the Terps games are recorded, along with the PBS NewsHour and several favorite series (Blue Bloods, Madam Secretary, Black List).  It’s almost like being at home, but the screen is much smaller…