Tag: France

Faith at Assisi, a bit of hope

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Europe, Trips and travel2 Comments

Last Monday we returned to Assisi. We went down the stairs in the Basilica of Saint Francis to the chapel of his tomb. Two priests were there, quietly available, they handed out prayer slips to those who wanted to submit a prayer, or they just acknowledged your presence with an encouraging nod. I sat in a pew midway back and pondered what I saw. As I sat there, other people came in and also sat quietly, some with heads bowed, some looking at the sarcophagus where St Francis laid.

No one seemed to care about theology nor denomination, no one cared about politics, no one cared about Protestant or Roman Catholicism. This was just a place for each person to feel and express their faith and to seek some comfort or a bit of hope in their lives.

What I realize, is that for most of Christianity’s history, most followers just expressed their faith, seeking grace, mercy, and hope. Their leaders may have been corrupt. The scholars debated non-essential questions of theology, and sadly, the politically inclined used the church for their own objectives. But the person in the pew recited the Our Father, said a rosary, verbalized their faith through the Creed, and tried to live life as best they could.

Jesus prayed for unity, while Paul feared that wolves would come in to distort and divide the church. True to his fears the church has a history of division, distortion, and even evil. Yet through it all the faithful have continued to express their faith.

The Apostles left us documents to refer to, the early councils combined the essentials of the faith into easily memorable creeds, churches displayed icons and cut-glass images to teach and remind us of the Biblical stories, and a liturgy was developed that repeated the heart of the Gospel week after week.

Each week the liturgy proclaimed “the Lord’s death until he comes.” Even corrupt clergy proclaimed the message each week as they recited the liturgy of the Mass, and the faithful responded. Paul said in Philippians that some preach out of selfishness, even with a desire to do damage, yet he was thankful that even then Jesus was proclaimed.

Jesus said that the gates of death would not prevail against the church, and for centuries people have distorted the message and attacked the church, still, this week, there were people sitting in a basilica expressing their faith. The human-tainted side of the church may be a sad demonstration of the selfishness of humanity, yet the hearts of many common people, the kind of people that Jesus has always sought, still express their faith.

We have visited so many cathedrals, basilicas, and churches during our travels. Fortunately here in Europe the doors are often open so we can go in. The architecture is amazing and there is wonderful art. Some are magnificent places like Chartres or Assisi, some quite simple like the Église Notre-Dame-sur-l’Eau in Domfront, yet each draws people to sit for a bit and take it in, I call that faith, and it gives me hope.

Some Things About France I Would Miss

On By Terry ChristophersonIn France3 Comments

If we ever left France and returned to the USA, which would not be a bad thing since we love the PNW, there would be things I would miss. Here are just a few that come to mind.

When we first moved to France we spent a lot of time visiting châteaux and old churches in the area. However, after seeing a bunch of châteaux they do tend to all look alike. After a few months we just quit looking for new ones to visit. We do still visit churches whenever we can, but that is for more than the architecture, there is a spiritual element going on there. Yet I would miss living in a country where views like this, the citadel of Carcassonne, are the norm, not the exception.

We drive through village after village, each one is postcard-worthy, but, here in France it is the normal ambiance, the terroir of the place, and I love it. I would miss living in a place where old buildings are a common site, not torn down to “put up a parking lot.” (Joni MItchell)

Being the foodies that we are we love the outdoor eating scene, with city squares filled with restaurants, each with an outdoor eating space. In the USA many restaurants do have outside seating, but it is hard to find a place with ten restaurants within a 200’ x 100’ square like we found in Arles. This view is along the Sorgue river in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue – there are five restaurants in this photo. Most of the river in the city is lined with wonderful places to eat and enjoy friends.

In France, and much of Europe, eating outside is just the way you eat out, unless the weather is so inclement that it is impossible. I have had coffee, wine, and food many times in the winter months, sitting outside, and no one thinks it strange. I would miss living in a place where al fresco is the first choice, not an afterthought.

As often as I write about my morning coffee and sketches it is quite easy to understand how I would miss that. Starbucks just isn’t the same as something like this.

Then there is the cheese, oh my! Not only is the variety mind boggling, the prices are unbelievable. Here are some of my favorites, and just a few at that. None of these is over 4€ here. Most would not be readily available in Seattle or Portland unless it was a specialty shop with specialty shop prices.

There is more than food and history I would miss, how could you not miss a country where in the park you can’t ride a bike, play soccer, or walk your dog, but there is an urinal close at hand. Such facilities are the norm in this country, no one thinks a thing about it.

For years we loved visiting France and Europe, as a place to travel for les vacances it is wonderful. Now that we have lived here, it is the everyday environment that becomes more appreciated.

An Appetite for Arles

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Food and drink, Restaurants4 Comments

After five days in Arles I can confidently say that the food here does not disappoint. Well, except for the one time I ordered a small steak cooked saignant, which in the US would be considered bloody rare, thus the name. As is common here, once they hear my accent, she said, in English, “medium”, I replied, “non, saignant”. It came with just a touch of pink, medium-rare at best by US standards. Thanks to the multitude of folks here from the UK, who tend to like their meat cooked well done, the restaurants often try to compensate, c’est la France.

Our first meal was at Bistrot de Pitchounet, located in a restaurant filled square in the heart of old town.

I chatted with the lady in the photo, not only does she work there, but her father is the owner. All of the staff were wonderful, and the food was just as good. I started with a bit of smoked herring, so different than the smoked herring in Norway. This had a much stronger smoke flavor and I liked it better than what I had in Tromsø a few months ago.

My main was tuna steak, just lightly seared, bien sûr.

Saturday we ate at Gaudina, a small place on a narrow street with service and amazing food. For my entree I had roasted eggplant with olive oil, almonds, tomatoes, and parsley.

My main was grilled octopus. As I have said before octopus must be prepared perfectly or it ends up rubbery, when done right the outside is charred a bit and the inside is moist, this was perfect. The sauce had a bit of spice and it was served on the black rice that is ubiquitous to this region. I have no idea what the crispy, golden accompaniment was, but it was delightful.

Yesterday I had a wonderful wood fired pizza at Bistro Arlésien. How can you go wrong with a wood fired pizza? They are one of my all time favorites. This one had ham, anchovies, olives, onions, and cheese with a light tomato sauce. I don’t think anyplace in Naples could do better.

Today, we went back to Le Pitchounet, this time I was able to chat a bit with Nikola, the lady in the photo. We started with oysters, the third time this week we have had them. One of the servers told us about the part of the oyster that they call “the foot”. It is the dime-sized, round disk that is usually left connected to the shell after the rest of the oyster is eaten. I have never thought about eating it. He cut it out with a knife so I could taste it. His description was that it was like a sea scallop, and he was right. Why have I never heard of this? We lived and ate oysters for years in one of the top oyster regions of the world, Puget Sound, Washington, USA. Well now we know.

For my main I had a tartare of tuna and salmon. It was interesting that they brought me a bottle of Tabasco, which did in fact work quite well.

Eating is one of the main reasons we travel. This week the food in Arles has resulted in a totally enjoyable time. The Roman remains, sights of Vincent Van Gogh, and a huge market day are just icing on the cake – well, ok, the olive oil on everything, we don’t eat much cake.

Eating Our Way South

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Food and drink, France, Trips and travel5 Comments

We left Normandie last Wednesday for our long anticipated road-trip to the South of France. Any trip is just an excuse for some good food, and so far our expectations are not disappointed.

Our first stop was Montmorillon, to visit friends and to explore a town we felt we had missed in April when we were there but everything was closed. Well, it is September and there still are not a lot of things open, I get the feeling that is the kind of place it is. We arrived about 15H00 after a four hour drive. Our only food was pre-made sandwiches from an aire, the brilliant French amenity on the A routes, that have gas and food.

When we got to Montmorillon we were hungry. Of course, since it is a small village in France, nothing was open. Even the places that were serving beverages had closed their kitchens until at least 17H00 or 19H00. After a lot of walking, we discovered a bar that had food, Le Commerce. The rather nice man on duty pointed out what was available from the menu. We both ordered the chicken in some kind of sauce, with frites, and salad.

Mine didn’t taste bad, just not good, nor did Tricia’s. I felt like mine had an odd flavor and really ate only a few bites. We found better food later. When we told our friends, who we had come to visit, where we ate they reacted pretty negatively, we assured them we would not die, and so far we were right.

We started the next day with breakfast at our BnB.

Thanks to Tricia for the photo.

Then we we drove to Saint Savin, about 20 minutes from Montmorillon. It is home to an amazing church and abbey. The restaurant Le Carafus is actually built into the abbey. This turned out to be one of those places that ranks among the best meals ever.

The entree was fois gras, aubergine, and a shiitake mushroom purée. We shared one serving, but certainly could have each had one just fine.

As is often the case on a hot day, I had the steak tartar. This was easily one of the best ever, seasoned just right, and presented beautifully. It came with frites – bien sur. Tricia took the photo and I note that the fries are more in focus than my plate. Personally I think it just an example of Freudian-Slip-Photography as she really likes frites.

One afternoon we stopped at Salon De The. I had a peach milkshake, French style, not Baskin & Robbins. I also had carrot cake which was about as moist as I have ever had. We sat outside on the terrace, with the ancient church looming overhead. I know Jesus used bread and wine, and I get the symbolism, but this cake and shake was quite a celebration.

Our next stop was Carcassonne, to visit one of the largest walled cities in Europe, and what a place it is. Cassoulet is the regional food. Carcassonne, along with Toulouse, and Castelnaudary argue viciously over what is the proper mix of ingredients – lamb and sausage always playing star roles – but the real star is the creamy white beans. Most say that the dish was invented in Castelnaudary.

After another day with a bit of driving we were hungry, and since our hotel was across the street from the Castle we headed there for food. Of course it was mid-afternoon again so we had limited choice, yet found a place open and they had cassoulet. How can you go wrong with sausage and lamb?

We rarely go out for dinner in the evening, we prefer an elegant lunch, then we have cheese and wine for dinner, with baguette. But, we stumbled across Chez Christine, thankfully Tricia was game to have a dinner out, even though we had already had a decent lunch. I am so glad we did.

Smoked trout, with a cucumber sauce, and salmon eggs for an entree. Then I had the most delicious and tender lamb along with thin slices of roasted aubergine. Of course i finished it of with un café. Tricia had pasta with more morels than both of us could eat.

Last night I had a burger, yep a burger. The first one I had in France a year ago was quite a disappointment, then I had a couple from Buffalo Grill that were passable by American standards, but this one was great. It had Camembert cheese, how could you go wrong. I picked it up and ate it with my hands, American style – the French eat their burgers with a knife and fork, somehow it just does not seem right.

So our trip is off to a good start. We are in Arles now, sitting on the terrace of our BnB. We stopped to have lunch with a friend in Olonzac along the way. We got there early enough to catch the market, so we are quite stocked up on cheese, olives, fruit, and other necessities.

I hope you are enjoying fall, and taking some time to wander and eat.

Rustic Realities

On By Terry ChristophersonIn France8 Comments

We moved to Normandie from a modern townhouse-condo in Harbour Pointe, Mukilteo, Washington. It was complete with walking paths, yard maintenance, and a two car garage. Now we live in very rural France. It has been quite a change, and we have enjoyed it. Yet, the reality of our rustic life is ever present.

This is the entry into our little village, after driving 0.40 miles from the narrow main road through a dairy farm. Chez nous is the one in the center.

The buildings here are over 230 years old. Though I am not sure of all of the details, the names of the buildings do shed some light on the village’s past. Ours is the Quincaillerie or Hardware Store: others are the post, the school, the bakery, the wine cellar. So it appears this was a tiny village that served the surrounding farms at sometime in its past. Though there have been many upgrades over the years, its rustic heredity still shines through.

We like to watch the British show “A Place In The Sun”. It is about Brits who want to buy a place in France, Spain, Greece, or Portugal. Often the clients look at inexpensive properties, thinking of doing the renovations. These properties are plentiful in France. It is quite easy to find homes for 50,000€, BUT they can be quite derelict, needing a lot of work. Tricia and I comment often about how we hope they know what they are getting themselves in for.

As I write this a contractor is working on the roof. It has been in a bad state of repair since before we moved here, almost eighteen months ago. They started the work a few weeks ago by erecting the scaffolding, then they left. A few weeks later they returned to remove the old roofing, then they left again.

A week or so later they came back for a couple of days and worked on the waterproof fabric and slats. (For readers unfamiliar with this type of construction, just know that it is quite different from what I knew in the US.) Then of course they left, for a couple more weeks. While we waited, there were, bien sûr, torrential rainstorms. Finally, today they are doing a bit of work, we will see how far they go. From what I hear, and read in books written by others, this is just c’est normal here in France.

We have other rustic reminders, such as our stove. It is pretty much like you might find in an RV – called a caravan by our Brit friends. Every month or so we have to take our empty butane tank to the Intermarché and exchange it for a full one. The oven pretty much is either hot or not so hot, so we adjust cooking times and watch things like a hawk; simmering is really tricky.

Hot water and showers are always exciting. The hot water heater, which is more accurately called a boiler in British English, because the water gets almost boiling hot, does not have a temperature setting, it is just hot. You must be careful when turning on the water as you can get burned.

Then to add to the excitement, we have really old pipes that are calcified. So while taking a shower, with the water nicely adjusted, the cold water will stop, and only scalding hot water comes out, yes, even if you move the handle all the way to the cold. So with head covered in shampoo, you step aside and wait for the cold to return, then rinse quickly. This is caused because someone in an adjoining unit turns their water on. We have been waiting for almost a year for this to get fixed. We are not sure what the hold up is, or what the solution is.

We have other reminders of our rustic life, like waiting for the cows to be transferred from one field to another, just as we pull off the road, or of chickens crossing the road; both of which are quite entertaining. Of course all of these critters add their own aroma to the air at times.

We have so enjoyed living here, and all of the quirks are just enhancements to what our friend Shirley calls, Notre grande aventure. We do get away to Paris and other cities often, just to remind us that there is civilization out there, yet we are so thankful to have experienced a side of life that many dream of but never get the opportunity to actually embrace.

Birthday in Honfleur

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Food and drink, On the road, Trips and travel6 Comments

Last Friday, 18 August, was my birthday – don’t even think of asking how old. We planned a trip to Honfleur. This was a dual-purposed journey – celebrate another trip around the sun and a dentist appointment in neighboring La Havre. Before you send sympathy comments regarding a dentist visit and joyeux anniversaire, remember that we are foodies and teeth are tools of the trade, so it was all good.

The dentist was on Monday, just before we drove home. Our dentist spoke some English, and we some French, so it went quite well. We both really like her. The dental office and procedure was similar, yet different, than in the US – it seemed more casual, which I liked. She repaired a filling of mine, part of which fell out while we were in Reykjavik. No anesthetic was needed. Now to the important stuff.

Honfleur is a port town on the mouth of the Seine. The heart of the city is built around a small harbor. It is a city for food folks, especially if you like seafood as much as we do.

Friday we ate lunch, our main meal of the day, at Restaurant Le Sainte Catherine. Tricia, ever alert for things I like, spotted grilled sardines on the chalkboard, so the search was over. Sitting at a table next to the harbor was a bonus. Sadly, I was so in a rush to eat them I did not take a photo.

One friend already commented that sardines did not seem like a very good birthday meal. If your only exposure to this wonderful fish is the small, flat cans that you see in most grocery stores, I can understand. As an aside, seafood in those cans is quite different in Europe. There are stores that specialize in canned seafood, and it is all amazing.

Sardines are plentiful in any poissonnerie here in France. They are between six and eight inches long, sold cleaned, with the head on. The most common preparation is grilling, until the skin is browned, and best when over charcoal. To eat you cut across at the tail, then peel the top half toward the head, leaving the bones behind. Then the bones and head are easily discarded, leaving you with a delightful fillet. Here is a stock photo from the internet of how the sardines look.

On Saturday we visited Sainte Catherine’s church, the largest wooden church in Europe, and composer Erik Satie’s museum. Watch Tricia’s blogs for a post in the near future about this eccentric fellow.

Churches and museums work up quite an appetite, so it was time for lunch. We found a table right on a pedestrian street at Homme De Bois. We shared raw oysters for an entree. Langoustines, along with lobster, are never high on my list, but I decided to give the langoustines a go, and it was well worth it.

Sunday we wandered through a couple of parks, then headed for lunch back near the water – Cote Resto. After another plate of oysters, I had grilled octopus. Octopus is a delicate thing to cook just right, you want it charred, but if it is cooked too long it gets rubbery. This one was perfect.

Yesterday we drove home, about a two-hour drive. For lunch, we stopped at one of our favorite French amenities, the aire de repos. These wayside stops are placed every 20-40 kilometers on the Autoroutes, so you do not have to leave the toll road for gas, food, or a break. Since it is France, coffee is available either from machines (yes plural, lots of machines) or from a counter complete with enough baked items to make many boulangeries proud. But our choice is usually a packaged chicken salad sandwich, and if we are feeling decadent a bag of chips. It is a simple fare, but quite enjoyable as we head out down the 130k/hour Autoroute for home.

It was a memorable weekend. Fortunately the dentist found a small cavity, so we will get to go back for a day or so at the end of October. Oh darn.

Bonjour – So Much More Than Hello

On By Terry ChristophersonIn France6 Comments

Last week Tricia and I were walking near the lake in the park at Ceaucé. We turned a corner and just ahead there was a group of four or five kids, between six and twelve years old. They were doing what kids do, calling out to the small black sheep behind the fence. As we approached and were passing them, they all, each one, said, “Bonjour Messieurs-dames.” Yes, for all you grammar checkers, that I keep so busy, it IS all run together as one word. It is a common shorthand for “Bonjour Monsieur, Bonjour Madame,” We hear it often when Tricia and I are out and about.

Photo from Tricia

In France when you enter someone’s space “Bonjour!” is expected. Bonjour, is so much more than hello, which would be “salute,” which is far to casual for the first contact with a person. We have been in a restaurant when the hostess is seating someone and they pass near our table, they offer a “bonjour” as a recognition of entering our space, which we return to acknowledge them. When entering a shop a “bonjour” is offered, and a return bonjour is expected. Unaware visitors often wonder why they are not receiving the “service” they want, well it is because they have ignored one of the most basic of social niceties in France, the bonjour. It is considered rude to not offer a bonjour.

These children already knew and practiced the social custom, with perfection. In France, a child is taught how to behave in the society they live in. They learn this along with other French norms of talking quietly in restaurants and waiting patiently in lines.

One of the things I like about Europe is the sense of community. Certainly that includes the concept that a person’s individual desires may need to be toned down a bit in order to serve the community. That sense of community also includes common curtesies that show respect for others.

I remember, in my seminar days, doing seminars that included a section on etiquette – I also remember being asked why it mattered. The answer: our manners show our respect for others, they show our understanding and awareness of our community.

David Brooks wrote a recent article for “The Atlantic” titled, “How America Got Mean.” He wrote, The most important story about why Americans have become sad and alienated and rude, I believe, is also the simplest: We inhabit a society in which people are no longer trained in how to treat others with kindness and consideration.

The French respect their culture and tradition, they pass it down to their children. Recently there were some protests and uprisings in a few cities, over an issue that made the protests logical and somewhat justified. Macron, the Prime Minister, appealed to the parents to talk to their teens. My point here is not to endorse or condem the protests, but the expectation that parents are to pass on the decorum that is expected in the French society.

These days when we watch the news in the USA we are saddened by the lack of civility. The Senate uses words like, “The Gentleman, or Gentellady,” yet it is only empty words, in the next breath they viciously attack each other with childish names and accusations.

There was a time in our culture when people with differing positions were respectful to each other. Republican President Ronald Reagan and Democratic Speaker Tip O’Neil would get together regularly, and informally, to chat about issues over a glass of Scotch. They agreed on few issues in those days, but they handled it with decorum.

With all of its imperfections, I appreciate the civility that many cultures practice. We saw it in Japan and we see it in France. We may disagree, yet we still owe each other the decency of being joint members of our community.

La Baguette and Family Secrets

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Food and drink, France4 Comments

We have been hiding a family secret since July of 2007 – 16 years. Now, living in France, it is time to come clean. We – Alexis, Tricia, et moi – visited Paris, along with my dad and stepmother in 2007. Tricia had a great idea for a Christmas card photo for that year.

My dad took this photo. The three of us in a perfect stereotypical French pose – baguettes and the Eiffel Tower. Note carefully the three baguettes, specifically the paper around them. Note that Alexis’s is different. (Also notice her Pichard looking red bag.)

We bought the baguettes on the way to the Tower. Like many French people would do, Alexis broke off le crouton or le quignon (depending on which part of France you are in) and began to eat. It is the first end of the baguette and considered a delicacy.

She ate the first bite, then a second, and a third, and … Well by the time we got ready for the photo-shoot she only had about six inches of the Baguette left. I understand completely, yesterday I bought a baguette, which I proceeded to eat, with Tricia’s help, until it was about half gone.

So when we finally were ready to take the photo, Alexis had to hold her mostly empty bag, with just the remaining tip protruding, not a whole baguette, as the picture portrays. So now you know the whole story.

In France there are four essentials for living: Une baguette, du vin, du fromage, et un café – bread, wine, cheese, and coffee.

In a small village like Ceaucé, our nearest village, you can always find a baguette in the early morning. If the boulangerie is closed, there will be a sign in front of the small convenience store that they have bread. Yesterday they were both closed, so the sign was in front of the charcuterie. A charcuterie is a meat and sausage market, but behind the counter was a large bundle of baguettes. They only cost 1.05€, regulated by a government that believes essentials should be protected. She handed me my baguette, which, in true French fashion, had no wrapping of any sort, just a delightfully crusty baguette. Folks in the USA would cringe, but the French think we are too fussy about such things.

Wine in France is also quite affordable, a nice Cote de Rhône will cost around 4€, it would be $15-20 in the US. I get wonderful Camembert rounds, from right here in Normandie, for 2-4€. So for under 10€ a person can eat quite well, with room left over for un café at a local café.

My friend Shirley, will most likely tell me I left out croissants, but for the French, croissants are more of treat than an essential, but like Shirley I could easily add them to the list. And the French do adore their croissants.

One of the concepts that I like about France is that the essentials for quality of life are quite simple. That is a lesson I hope to keep from our time here in France. Tricia likes the statement La vie est belle, and I think the simpler you make it the better it is, thank you France for the education.

I like Europe – A Lot

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Europe, France3 Comments

I like Europe. I particularly like France. Since moving to France over sixteen months ago, we have had the opportunity to visit twelve European countries, a few of them we had already visited at least once before we moved here – that is more than I ever dreamed I would get to see. If you take all of our European travel over the years we have been to fourteen countries in Europe.

The first conclusion is that I really like Europe, or at least Western Europe. The next conclusion is that I like France the best. With all of its paperwork, penchant for complaining, and unpredictability, it is still my favorite.

Just a week ago we drove back from spending time with Tricia’s sister in eastern France and Switzerland. Tricia was taking a nap as we cruised along the A11 at 130K. My thoughts pondered, what is it about Europe that I like so much?

When I visualize most anyplace in Europe it is cafes, cathedrals and castles, and a communal mindset that comes to mind.

One of the most striking features of Europe, and of course France, is the plethora of cafes and restaurants, most of which have outdoor seating. Al fresco, or en plien air, is the norm here. In Europe, the first choice is sitting outdoors for coffee, eating, and hanging out. The time of the year makes little difference. In the dead of winter, folks sit outside with un cafe or a glass of wine chatting with their friends.

Thanks to Tricia for photo

The cafe culture, which France is famous for, is more about people than what is consumed. People watching is an ubiquitous pastime here. In most cafes, the chairs face the street so you can watch the people parading by. There is no rush at a cafe, and you will never have a server indicating that they need the table – a 2€ un café entitles you to sit at the table for as long as you like. The cafe scene, just hanging out over a cafe, is something that most of the population takes part in regardless of status or age – cafes, en plien air cafes, are in the very fabric of peoples lives and outlook on life. It is a time to slow down to experience la joie de vivre. I like it a lot.

Another striking feature in Europe are the buildings, especially the churches, chateaus, and castles. Every city or, in a large city, like Paris, neighborhood, has a central area with an old church. Usually the weekly market is nearby, often a castle on a hill overlooks the whole scene.

St Julien’s
Ceaucé church
Chateau de Domfront

It is quite clear that this is an old culture which people are quite keen to embrace. One of my favorite scenes from the movie LA Story is when Steve Martin is giving a tour of the city and he says with incredulity, “Some of these houses are twenty years old!” We live in a house that is over 230 years old and we are surrounded by houses just as old. A twenty minute drive from here we can eat at a restaurant that sits in the shadow of Chateau de Domfront, over 1000 years old.

Joni Mitchell got it right when she sang, “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” In the US we tear down buildings. In Europe they update the building while valuing its history. In Europe, there is a connection to history which gives a different perspective on the future than if society is just focused on the next new thing.

The communal attitude of Europe and France stands out as well – public transportation and healthcare are two of the best examples. Trains and subways make it quite easy for many folks to never own or really need a car. Bicycles are common all over Europe, as are motor scooters. What is rare are large SUVs and trucks.

Healthcare is seen as a public necessity, not something connected with a job or only for the well-off financially. Yes, it has its frustrations, to expect otherwise would not be realistic. It is comforting to know that the societies of Europe are willing to pay a bit more in tax for the benefit of the community.

Individualism is quite acceptable here, and there is acceptance of live and let live. There is less of the attitude that has grown so divisive in the US where one group feels the need to intrude on the lives of other people’s lifestyles, lifestyles that most often have nothing to do with them. The US claims a separation of church and state, yet the church today wants to impose its beliefs on everyone. France is officially secular, which does not mean anti-religion. What it does mean is that you are allowed to practice your religion and just let me practice mine. (Sadly, recently this is being tested by far-right groups wanting to oppress some races and religions.)

Europe is not perfect, and like a good Frenchman I can complain with the best of them about the bureaucracy, the frequent waiting, or that we still have 3G phone service half the time. Yet, I like it here. There are a few places I know in the US that are close, like the part of Portland where our friends live, and a few pockets in Seattle, so if/when we return to the US we will need to seek out such a place. But, in the meantime, I will enjoy France.

Next week I will explore why I like France the best.

A Week of Food and Friends

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Food and drink, France5 Comments

Tricia and I are foodies; we talk about food, we plan our next meals while eating, and we both read food blogs. When we travel, seeking out a good place for lunch is as important to us as visiting some iconic sight. Thankfully, our friends Tim and Lisa enjoy good food as well, so their time with us has included varied venues, both geographically and culinarily. Thank you Tricia for most of these photos.

Not all of our meals were in restaurants. Sandwiches, or paninis, which of course are the same thing, but panini sounds more exotic, were a mainstay. Lisa with her comfortable stalwart of sliced turkey, Tricia with tomatoes and sliced goat cheese. Tim and I had sardine salad with spices, onions, and pickles. One day we had grain bowls, a welcome vegetarian break from meat-heavy French cooking.

Sundays were at home, since open restaurants on Sundays in France are not common in the rural areas. Sunday Lunch is a revered tradition in France which I suppose contributes to the restaurants being closed. We cooked breaded chicken one Sunday, braised lamb and mash the second.

We visited a number of restaurants, Saint Julien’s twice. We went with Tim on his first day here. Last Tuesday all four of us went.

Menu du jour at Saint Julian’s

We had Indian food in Mayanne. We even went to the Buffalo Grill to have American-style hamburgers. One night our neighbors invited us over for the UK version of chili, which is not Tex-mex at all, yet was quite good.

Last Wednesday we went to Au Point Nommé  in Saint-Fraimbault. Tricia and I went there in March of 2020 when we were here to check out La Thebauderie, it was good to go back. We sat in the sun and enjoyed the meal.

On Thursday we took a long drive to Granville, a historic town and the location of one of our favorite restaurants in Normandie, La Citidel. The lunch was a gift to us all from Lisa’s mom who lives in far away Southern California. We enjoyed every moment, sitting outside under an awning that gave some of the photos an orange tint. Thank you so much Anne.

Apéros and oysters for a perfect start to a meal by the sea.

Tricia had scallops, what an amazing presentation. Tim and I had seafood towers.

Friday we took them to our favorite place nearby, which I have written about before, Auberge du la Source – wonderful, c’est normal.

It has been a good time. Thursday we all head for Chartres to visit the famed cathedral. Of course, as iconic and historic as the Gothic church is, Tricia and I will be in search of good food.