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 Jeff Steiner's Americans in France.
Resource for people that would like to live or travel in France.
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NewsletterDecember 2003
With this letter I'm starting something new: a list of interesting facts learned in the last month about France.
What have I learned lately?
- There are 36 living French WWI veterans, all over 100 years old.
- The popular French word for bicycle, velo comes from velocyped. The name of an early French bike without pedals.
- Land rent is traditionally paid on Nov. 11th, Armistice Day.
- The first French Autoroute the A-13 St Cloud-Orgeval, opened in 1946.
- French Police Officers patrol in pairs because French culture dictates there is safety in numbers. A person issued a ticket by two officers is not likely to become argumentative. At least that's the theory!
- Saying "je ne suis pas d'accord" "I disagree" ends the discussion. Unlike English, with different levels of disagreement, French conversation stops with I disagree.
- The Mcdonald's, that Jose Bove crashed his tractor into, located in St. Malo, continues to experience increased sales. The anti-globalization protest site is drawing many customers. People want to see where Bove drove the tractor into Mcdonald's.
- Parisian Mayor Bertrand Delanoe converted part of the official mayor's residence into a daycare center.
- The best time to pick wild mushrooms is September and October. The mushrooms taste wonderful, the flavors distinctive and superb. Unlike any eaten before, try them.
Holidays
The French holiday season is underway. In Dijon, my hometown, the streets are festive with Christmas decorations. Store clerks ask if you want your purchase gift-wrapped. In France you might bag the groceries but your presents are gift wrapped for free!
Chocolate, a French holiday specialty is well stocked in the supermarkets. The specialty is sold mostly in boxes of 10 to 20 chocolates per box. There are many flavors to choose nuts, various fruits and alcohol. The one item I'd really wanted to buy, turkey, as of this writing is unavailable. But we were able to find sweet potatoes!
Burgundy
Visiting Burgundy off and on for the last several years I really never saw much except the area where my in-laws live, Southern Burgundy. The nearest town to the farm is Tournus. With us now living in Dijon we're able to get out and see more of the countryside. The land is mostly filled with grazing cattle and small villages. The pastoral scene appears unchanged by the passing ages. Although France is changing with fewer people working in agriculture, France is still rural at heart. All French people have a link to the land. Either a second home in the countryside or a relative that farms. If you visit Burgundy you'll see what I mean.See you next month.
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