Is it apéro time yet?

An assortment of things that I find particularly endearing about France

Photo by Aleksandra Dementeva on Unsplash

Dear readers,

I know you’ve been on pins and needles wondering—did she or didn’t she? Well, I didn’t get the much-coveted Chloe sneakers because I am between sizes and there is no way in hell that I’m buying shoes that cost more than our monthly car payment unless they fit perfectly. And even then, I’m sure I’d have buyer’s remorse.

Anyway, scroll down for an assortment of things that I find particularly endearing about France and if you feel moved, please comment or hit the little like (heart) button at the very bottom. Merci!

xo

Sacha 

P.S. New here? Check out the stories behind A Good Vintage here and here. You can also access the full archive and check out some of my favorite French things here.

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We just spent 10 days in Tours, the largest city in the central Loire Valley. Even though it’s only a little over an hour from Paris, it felt worlds away. I enjoyed the slower pace and felt less pressure to do and see everything, or to look a certain way. The highlights included meeting a group of expats in Amboise, buying delicious goodies at Les Halles, visiting Château de Villandry and its stunning gardens, and walking along the Loire river.

After six weeks away, I am feeling pangs of loneliness more acutely now, which is to be expected. I miss seeing friends and family, intimate conversations, and the ease of being in a place where I speak the language and know how things are done. And yet…there are still so many things that I adore about France. Here are a few:

Ridiculously beautiful gardens and public spaces
It’s not just the stunning château gardens of the Loire Valley that make my heart sing. It’s all of the public gardens and lovingly cared-for green spaces dotted throughout villages and cities, charming hidden courtyards, and private homes and terraces festooned with flowers and greenery.

Politesse
I was raised on a steady diet of good manners and a healthy fear of adults. So it may come as no surprise that I very much appreciate France’s “politesse” — politeness — saying “bonjour” and “merci” and “au revoir” before, during, and after every encounter. It makes everyday interactions — from buying a baguette at the boulangerie to visiting the market to taking the train — much more pleasant.

Villes et Villages Fleuris de France
Driving around the countryside, you will often encounter a sign when you enter a village or town that has one to four flowers on it. This means it has been awarded a Villes et Villages Fleuris de France label, a special award given to a town or village based on criteria such as environmental biodiversity, green spaces, accessible parks and gardens, and natural beauty. How great is that?

Kvetching
Karen Karbo, one of the teachers at the writing workshop I attended in Paris, writes about her adventures moving to Collioure from the U.S. I binge-read her posts after the workshop which is a good thing because it’s so uncool to fan-girl your teacher in person. One post in particular hit home. In it, she writes, “If you are a complainer by nature, especially if you find kvetching entertaining, the French are your people.” C’est moi! I was born complaining and came out of my mother’s womb red, irritated, and screaming at the top of my lungs. I also married a world-class kvetcher; we’re two Larry Davids in a pod.

The best part of eating out at restaurants when I was a kid wasn’t the food so much as the post-mortem in the car driving home. My mother would usually kick things off: “I think the piece of chicken they gave me was smaller than the one they gave that man at the table next to us.” This would then lead to a dissection of every misstep the restaurant had made, from the waiter who cleared dishes too soon to the overly sweet dessert to the din that made it difficult to hear. 

The good news is that in France, this type of complaining, especially when it comes to food and restaurants is par for the course. We went to a little restaurant adjacent to a chateau the other day and the owner tried to seat us in Siberia, near the garbage cans on the far side of a pretty terrace. I wasn’t having it and asked if we could be seated at a two-top closer to the entrance. He said “non!” and claimed it was reserved. Uh, sure.

We went back and forth a few times and eventually, he relented and seated us at a much nicer table by a group of elderly French women. I could tell he wasn’t pleased, but you know what? I don’t give a fuck. I was polite and used my best French when asking for a different table, so if he didn’t like it, he can go suck a lemon. I think Jason was secretly impressed, and you know what, I think the owner was too.

Baguette stamps
Do they smell like baguettes? Well, no but they are adorable and I had to have them.

Croissants & baguettes
They do bread so freakin’ well here and it makes me wonder why it’s so difficult to get a good croissant or baguette in DC. On most mornings, we go to the nearest boulangerie for a fresh baguette de tradition Française which is darker in color and has a more robust crust than a baguette ordinaire. It usually costs about 1.20 euros, which is a tiny price to pay for so much enjoyment.

Like baguettes, I prefer croissants warm with demi-sel (salted) butter and jam. I know it’s ridiculous to add more butter to a croissant but what can I say? The stomach wants what the stomach wants. 

I compare every croissant to my two favorites from the past decade: One is the pain au chocolat from Du Pain et Des Idees and the other is a croissant beurre from the breakfast buffet at Relais Christine. I liked the one at Relais Christine so much that I interrogated the server about where they came from and he said they are specially made for them, which I’m not sure I believe. Their croissants were larger than the ones from most boulangeries and were burnished with a deep caramel hue. Each bite was crisp, buttery perfection. But can I justify staying at a five-star hotel just for the croissants? I don’t think so.

French dogs
This will not come as a surprise to anyone who knows me, but I am completely obsessed with French dogs. I’m not sure why they are so well-behaved or why so many wander around off-leash, but I am constantly oohing and aaahing at them, which I know is a dead giveaway that I am American. I don’t care. I can’t get enough of these wonderful creatures. It makes me miss our dearly departed pup, Polly, and yearn for more furbabies. We’re already discussing how many rescue dogs and cats we will have when we move here. Maybe we will open a cat cafe? Who knows…

L’apéro
An excuse for inexpensive yet delicious rosé, cheese, and good conversation? Count me in! L’apéro is the sweet spot between the end of the day and dinner when you gather with friends and relax over drinks and snacks. Sort of like happy hour in the U.S. but replace the Miller and Budweiser, chicken wings, and obnoxious bar antics with lively conversation, an aperitif or nice wine, savory snacks, charcuterie, and fromage.

This list could go on and on….working to live not living to work, month-long holidays, shopping at markets, moody French cinema, beauty products and skincare, le jazz, an appreciation of women of a certain age, pastries, stunning architecture, and a fascinating history. What else would you add? Comment below!