The French
and their dogs are very close. At one
B&B (chambres d'hote) we were served breakfast with 2 small snuffling
bulldogs around our feet – not an experience that
we particularly enjoyed. The same
establishment featured a pet donkey which was kept in the front garden which
was the loudest creature I have heard in a long time – particularly when it
wakes you up early! Not to speak of the
loud church bells rung every morning without fail.
We found it
quite difficult to get used to the notion that you couldn't shop between 12 and
2 because almost every shop closes down for lunch – and all the staff head off
to local restaurants for a full cooked meal.
Almost all
supermarkets are also closed on Sundays.
This is pretty much inconceivable to us since all supermarkets here open
7 days a week – and are at their busiest on the weekends.
Many petrol
stations were found in the car parks of supermarkets – and many of them were
card operated so it didn't matter if the supermarket was open or not. But only Total and Intermarche seemed to
accept our mastercard – Casino and Hyper U would not.
Many things
were different but really nice – like being greeted in shops not by 'Can I help
you' but by 'Bonjour, Madame'. And you
need to know that it is important to say 'Bonjour' back. And when you leave a shop you need to say
thanks (Merci) or Au Revoir (Goodbye) otherwise you are being rude in French
eyes.
Some people
say the French are not nice to foreigners – I have only once experienced this. My experience is that if you use your basic
French you will be treated well.
You do find
yourself shaking hands and air kissing a whole lot in France – kind of fun –
even if not very protective against germs.
Very interesting. I've never been to France, but I can certainly appreciate the laid back lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteWe have a menagerie of pets, but no donkeys. Now I want a really loud donkey! ;-) -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
ReplyDeleteI would certainly love that life.
ReplyDelete