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Changes in the French way of life
By Keith Redfern
France is changing. Not in any way the average French person would admit to, but it is changing and in a variety of ways. Its language is being infiltrated by English, and despite all the efforts of the Academie Francaise, new English language words can be heard most days on the radio and tv. This is ironic if one considers French history. For many years large areas of present day France were British ruled, but eventually the French regained control and have taken pride in their Frenchness - their language, their way of life, their attitude to food and wine and sex. But now there are tens of thousands of British living in France, importing British foods, making their own bread rather than using the local boulangerie, and speaking their own language, many not bothering to learn anymore than a smattering of the native tongue. With English becoming the lingua franca of business, airlines, international politics, medicine and other areas of life, it is creeping into French life more quickly than many realise or would like to accept. The French now buy fast foods and pre-packed foods that were unheard of twenty years ago. They have lost their franc to the euro. No longer do French cars have yellow headlights. It is not now necessary to give way always to traffic from the right. One may not now smoke in a French bar or restaurant. So much is different from the traditionally appreciated French way of life, yet essentially, it remains unchanged. Food is still the predominant topic of conversation, and a healthy length of time is always allowed for the degustation and digestion of any meal. The French still demonstrate en masse before even beginning to talk about an issue. Philosophy is still taught in schools. Music and the arts are still venerated. They still laugh and make fun of each other in a healthy way. They still drink inordinate amounts of wine and coffee. Dogs are still treated like cattle in India. Driving is still a pleasure except in large towns. And the French are still, for the most part, polite - kissing or shaking hands when greeting, and not ashamed to show their feelings. Yes, much is different and constantly changing, but deep down France is still France, and all the better for it. |
Morning Coffee in a small French town
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For the life of me I can't figure out why a British person would move to France and then import British food and make bread at home.  What's the point of moving to France if not for the food and the bread one buys at the boulangerie?
 | | nick Mar 7, 2009 10:11 | |
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
I agree with you entirely about the British food. There are many British people, living in France, who depend on British food which is imported at great expense and is rarely a patch its French equivalent. So why are they living in France? I really cannot imagine.
However, on the point of the traditional boulangerie, they do vary, and for people living in remote villages a bread maker is a must anyway - but the best flour and yeast to use in them is French. So it is possible to make french bread at home. But not baguettes - at least I have never managed to make one successfully.
Agreed the French bread and food in general are so much better then in Britain. That would be one of the main reasons I would move to France lol.
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