Two brits four wheels

October 2009

We have spent two months living in France and interacting with many French people so here are our impressions of the French and French ways.

I have been visiting La France since a child courtesy of my family and school. Then many visits as an adult to Paris, Britanny, Normandy and later Nice, Carcassonne and so on. Now, on this visit I have some observations to share:

• Driving: the French are known for having an appalling driving style and I agree with this largely but not wholly. On the national roads going down from the north of France to Bordeaux and beyond I was impressed with how drivers would maintain a safe distance behind, overtake in safe places, drive past, leave a big gap and signal to pull back in. ‘Great’ I thought ‘these people drive well’. Then, then, on our second entry into France in the south this seems to have changed. Perhaps the abundance of single carriageway roads promotes a more risky driving: habitual crossing over the white lines to suit a more relaxed driving style, overtaking in very risky places just to get by, speeding, tailgating, impatience it is all there in abundance..
• Shopping and getting things done: outlets may open at 8.30 or 9.00 am then are likely to close around 12.00 or 12.30 and re-open at between 2.00pm and 3.30pm and close a little later – perhaps. Mondays are fairly dormant in France. There are great choices for many things except vegetarian food. Like the Iberian peninsular, vegetarian diets are not so well catered for.
• Smoking: France has a smoking ban in force and we only saw this violated once at St Hilaire in an auberge in the mountains, where I joked with the owner, in French, ‘Well, there are no police around here then of course’. A fair proportion of folk smoke but not so many that it is a big issue for us as it was in Spain.
• Families and groups: the French are much, much more sociable than us Brits. One of the best gains for me on this trip is my renewed intimacy with people and I have reacquainted myself with the joy of being with many and varied people – I love it. So, if you are a sociable person then France is a good place to be.
• Food: one of the aspects of visiting France that I have always like is the ingredients used for cooking. Everything just seems to be that much more tasty and fresh than in the UK. But…now this is where I am going to go against the conditioned thinking on both ides of Le Manche: French food, on the whole is not superior to what you would eat in England! Here is my argument: many, many restaurants you visit in France produce well-cooked but relatively simple dishes that are not beyond any home cook who takes a little more interest in what they prepare. Furthermore the dishes available are fairly repeatable throughout the regions. We have eaten in brasseries, bars, restaurants and very expensive restaurants and not been amazed by any fayre to-date. In my opinion the average UK gastro pub will turn out far, far more interesting food and food choices that most typical food outlets in France. In addition the British, through their approach to colonisation and leaving colonies to retain their differences (example citizens of ex-French colonies will speak French as their first language not so for ex-British colonies are not mandated to speak British). I this way the British have perhaps been more open to embracing the foreign influences. The range of food available in the UK is much broader: Indian, Chinese, Thai, Tex-Mex, American, French, Italian and of course some traditional English. Yet (in the same way as the British were hypnotised into the merits of eating potatoes, apples and drinking milk) the French masses have clearly been sold the idea that their food is the best and that English food is very poor – without evening having any direct experience on which to make this comparison. Shame.
• Attitude: I have found two types of French people: the ones that are chatty, warm and embracing (literally) and those who have no interest whatsoever in being pleasant. Whether the latter reserve this for Les Anglais I do not know. When I was first visiting France as a child it felt like the latter were in the majority, now, thankfully, 95% plus of people fall into the first category. I sense none of the old Franco-Anglo animosity, seldom get the Gaelic shrug and feigned ignorance as you bash out your best school-French or other such nonsense. The French like to say ‘Bonjour’ even if you are a stranger, shake your hand in the morning and even, for some of our new friends, will give you the quintessential double cheek kiss. In contrast the majority of British I have met on this trip (and there are very few) are cold, un-engaging and disinterested in creating a temporary relationship of kindred spirits in their motorhomes or otherwise. Vive la France!
• Respect for the environment: there is an awful lot of countryside and forested areas in France. On the whole it is well cared for and I have not notice littering and general abuse in the areas I have visited.
• Languages: on the whole the French love to practice their English language, help us l’estrangers learn French.