Sunday, November 27, 2016

Dreaming of France -- What do you love about France?


Thank you for joining this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it.

This morning, as I drove my college son back to college, because he had missed his bus, he asked me why his father and I hate the U.S.
"We don't hate the U.S.," I hastily said, and he knew that already.
We don't want to move to France because we are unhappy with the United States, we want to move to France because we love it.
Mostly, people could say, "Of course, you love France. You've only been there on vacation."
But I did spend three months in France working as an au pair, so I have some experience working in France.
While there, traveling from Corsica to Bourges, we spent a few days in Aix en Provence. A relative we were staying with, took me to the main street of Aix -- the Cours Mirabeau, and while we explored shops along this street, I had a strange tugging at my heartstrings, as if this was the place I belonged.
I've felt that every time we traveled there.
Here's a plaza in Aix en Provence
We also appreciate the culture in France -- the importance of long, slow meals. The emphasis put on education and music and art. The value of spending time with family and friends.
Enjoying dinner at a Moroccan restaurant with friends in Aix en Provence. 

A musical interlude by our friends' children. 
 And all of these things draw us to France without even talking about the food and wine.

Without even considering the beauty of the diverse scenery throughout France and the glory of the history.
We biked across the Pont du Gard, a Roman-built aqueduct in southern France. 

We realize how fortunate we are to live in the United States, to have been able to raise our family here, to earn a good living that may allow us to move to France in the coming year.
What do you love about France?

Thanks for playing along with Dreaming of France. Please leave your name and blog address in Mr. Linky below, and leave a comment letting me know what  you think about my love affair with France, or your own passion for the country and its people and cultures. Also consider visiting the blogs of others who play along so we can all share the love.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Like you, I've always been a francophile. I think it started with a Madeline book when I was little. But there's so much to love. France is just so beautiful: the countryside, the architecture, the fashion, the food. They insist on quality, for what one eats and drinks, for service (what some consider haughty but you have to admit it's impeccable), for schools, for health care. They take pride in their work--even the minimum-wage-earning clerk at a shop or receptionist at an office. At the same time, most people, even the very successful, tend to work to live and not live to work. They take vacations. They eat dinner with the family.

our life in france said...

I have loved france from the first time on came, it felt like coming home, turns out my paternal ancestors were french, ....

Paulita said...

Francetaste and Roz, It sounds like you have a similar connection to France like I do. Did anyone back home accusing you of hating your native land when you move to France?
Thanks for playing along and leaving a comment.

Philippe F. said...

Pour moi il est facile et normal d' aimer mon pays car je suis français ( de Lyon )! Je suis toujours étonné de votre amour inconditionnel pour ce pays qui essaye de conserver son art de vivre pour profiter pleinement de la vie comme le dit si bien Francetaste. Je pense que vous , Paulita, comme beaucoup de français, recherchez une vie plus simple où les petits plaisirs de la vie procurent ces instants de bonheur qui récompensent nos vies de travail. La vie est trop courte pour ne pas en profiter !// It is easy and normal for me to love this country because I am french ( from Lyon )! I am always amazed by your unconditional love affair with France which tries to keep its lifestyle to completely take advantage of life like Frantaste says it so well. I think that you, Paulita as many french people, look for a simple life where the small pleasures of life get these moments of happiness which reward our working lives.Life is too short to not take advantage of it! As you are dreaming of France, Paulita, I propose this lyric by Claire Denamur (" Dreamers ")from the movie "L'hermine":https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2i5kh62UHU

Just Me said...

((This is in no way directed at your family. ))

Gosh you certainly don't need to explain to anyone why you want to live in France but I love the fact that you have more than enough reasons, experiences and knowledge. Americans move across the country (might as well be another country) for jobs or spouses everyday. No one questions it. They even think there's something wrong with you if you don't want to do it. Listen, if I woke up tomorrow and decided to move to a city totally unknown to me, I'm doing it. After 50 plus years of life, we've earned "just because".

ICS Cyber Security said...

Well the topic you choose really unique and information is ultimate you gave us. I completely enjoyed the post and hoping more post from you soon.

paris to zurich

Paulita said...

Philippe, Thanks for the song lyrics. Sounds perfect for Dreaming of France.
Just Me, Yes, you're right that we're a mobile society for work and we should be able to embrace that for joy as well. I hope you'll wake up one morning and decide to visit me in France.
Aeldra, I look forward to reading your post Paris to Zurich.

Cockadoodle Doo or Cocorico?

 We stood in the middle of the road, having walked together 13 miles that day and Claudine grasped my forearm. "Mais non! It doesn'...