I used to be just lately requested “is there anything you find culturally different about living in France?” Hmmm, how lengthy have you ever acquired I believed to myself. As a Brit, I can let you know that after having a house in France for greater than 20 years, there’s nonetheless loads I discover that is distinctive to the French – Very French Things which are generally charming, generally humorous or generally, simply plain odd says Janine Marsh.
French Pharmacies
Pharmacies. In the UK, you’re going to get a pharmacy within the larger cities or in buying centres. In France it looks like each village has a pharmacy. I believe that it might be fully potential that France has the world’s highest focus of pharmacies per sq. mile. We have no retailers in any respect in my village however the nearest village with retailers is a number of miles away and has one small grocery store, one restaurant, one bar, two florists – reverse one another, and a pharmacy. There is at all times somewhat outdated woman sitting on a chair within the pharmacy ready for her tablets and listening to all the pieces you say whenever you converse to the pharmacist – after which sharing the juicy particulars with everybody she is aware of.
French Florists
And I discussed two florists in a village of some hundred individuals – effectively alongside having the world’s highest focus of pharmacies, I believe it is potential France additionally holds the file for florists!
French individuals love to provide bunches of flowers for birthdays, anniversaries, as banquet items, at Christmas. It’s a practice to do that and so there’s loads of want for florists.
There’s an entire tradition round selecting the best flowers and making a bouquet in France. There’s even an enormous France huge contest for one of the best florist in France, referred to as the Coupe de France.
MOF in France – what’s that each one about?
Which leads me to a different very French factor. MOFs. Not the flying winged creatures however Meilleur Ouvrier de France, generally referred to as MOF, means “best craftsman of France” and it’s a title that’s awarded to one of the best of one of the best.
The idea was created in 1924. It’s a manner of preserving and selling conventional crafts. There are about 200 classes of awards for greater than 180 professions together with pastry making and cheese making, stained glass and violin making, guide binding and boot making, hairdressing and denture making, even spectacles and boiler making. It’s form of just like the Olympics for guide trades, with medals awarded to winners.
The French study from childhood that competitors is nice. For occasion in school, youngsters are given little playing cards in the event that they do effectively, they’re referred to as bon factors, good factors, and fogeys should purchase them to provide to youngsters at house too, it is about advantage, a reward system for doing effectively, being good, working onerous. They are inspired to affix debating societies and win contests for speaking.
Animals in France
There’s even a Mademoiselle Poule and Monsieur Coq, Miss Chicken and Mr Cockerel contest – a magnificence pageant for chickens in France! You can put up a photograph of your rooster on-line and a bit about their persona, equivalent to: “My name is Flora. I had an accident, I broke my leg. Instead of eating me, my owner took me to the vet and now I am a pet with one leg! I’m good, I eat, lay eggs and I hop! I love tomatoes and sunbathing!” And individuals vote for his or her favourite rooster!
How about although a pig squealing contest for people?! Ever August enthusiastic opponents imitate the noises pigs make in entrance of crowds of followers. Happy pigs, unhappy pigs, sleeping pigs…
And there are the canine. Or extra exactly canine in eating places and retailers. French individuals like to take their canine to the restaurant with them. I’m not speaking doggy diners, I imply regular eating places.
Generally talking many eating places permit canine if they’re effectively behaved, however they don’t seem to be allowed to sit down on the furnishings, at your toes, or in your lap. Dogs aren’t allowed wherever close to the place meals is being ready or saved so some eating places which have open kitchens is not going to permit canine. But it has been fairly a shock for me to see canine sitting in eating places! And queuing up in bakeries and even in retailers and supermarkets!
Croissant label
Talking of bakeries, right here is an odd cultural factor in France – dipping your croissant in your espresso, or your tartine, which sounds posh however can be a little bit of yesterday’s baguette with butter and or jam on. Who dips bread of their espresso other than French individuals. No one I believe as a result of that is simply bizarre.
Soggy bread. Just no. And melted butter floating on the highest of the espresso. Ugh. The first time I noticed somebody in France do this, I almost fell off my chair in shock. This is the land of haute delicacies, of sous-chef, Michelin starred eating places, celebrity cooks. Dipping buttered bread in espresso. Just no.
Hello – king of the French language
And one other factor I’ve observed is how necessary social customs are. For occasion, if I used to be misplaced within the UK I’d simply say: excuse me, may you please inform me the way in which to someplace and I’d both be instructed the way in which or instructed I do not know. But in France they discover it insupportable, unimaginable, incomprehensible to not acknowledge somebody earlier than asking them a query.
I’ve acquired used to it now and I at all times say Bonjour – please may you inform me the way in which to someplace – as a result of if I do not the individual may not reply out of shock that I did not say hiya first!
Bonjour is presumably a very powerful phrase in France. It is NOT acceptable to stroll into a store, browse, then ask a query concerning the merchandise. As quickly as you stroll in, it’s best to say “Hello!” to the workers, then you possibly can browse. If it is advisable ask a query, it is best to begin with “Pardon,” to get their consideration.
Shopping in France
Which brings me to buying in France – and one other Very French Thing. You may be used to going to retailers in your house nation the place the shopper is king. Or you will have a job the place it is advisable bend over backwards to please the consumer as a result of in any other case you may get fired, after which how will you pay the mortgage, the payments, entry healthcare. In France – this isn’t an issue. The French work to stay not stay to work. The buyer is just not at all times king!
In France everyone seems to be equal within the eyes of the legislation, although in fact some could also be extra equal than others. Everyone has common healthcare and it is not straightforward to fireplace somebody.
Very French issues
And I’m going to finish on another Very French Thing. Amazing muffins, bread and pastries – nowhere else on the earth does baking just like the French. But additionally nowhere else has a battle on the title of a well-liked pastry. Pain au chocolat or chocolatine?
In the south it is chocolatine, within the north it is ache au chocolat. You say potato. I say potarto. And earlier than we go additional with the entire tomato/tomarto factor and name the entire thing off – I hope you have loved this have a look at a few of the distinctive, charming and enjoyable cultural variations that France is happy with!
Janine Marsh is the writer of a number of internationally best-selling books about France. Her newest guide How to be French – a celebration of the French life-style and artwork of residingis out now – a have a look at the French lifestyle. Find all books on her web site janinemarsh.com
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