For an expat blogger, it's irresistable to keep a sharp eye out for those fun little cultural differences that are so different from the States. They're pretty easy to find in France, since the French are, um, a bit special. Of course I try to catch these moments on camera. So here are a few of the "Only in France" photos I've collected over the years. Be sure to share any "Only in France" moments you've had yourself!
Dogs in restaurants, always
Farm-fresh ingredients are golden. In Cluny, a egg vending machine with local eggs! And in every little village, a small farmer selling eggs, or honey, or goat cheese.
The #MeToo movement is just now arriving, and it's going to be a hard sell. Ads like these, for a shop-vac and diving trips, are still common.
You mean…your carpenter doesn't look/dress like this?
Interesting Translations Abound
Long before the US discovered pink hair, shades of magenta, burgundy, and flaming orange were hugely popular in France, and not just among the young. You still see them a lot.
Trompe l'oeil painting on buildings are a thing here in France. 
The French have a very casual attitude toward sex (I cannot count the number of times I've seen men selling off their entire porn collection at flea markets, for all the world to see). And their reputation for l'amour of course includes fabulous lingerie!
The French stereotypes–the beret, the baguette, the bicylette, the Gauloises cigarette, the scarf, the accordion music–they're all here!
Laundry hangs cheerfully out of every window on a sunny day
Then there's the iconic French café/ brasserie
And of course the wonderful, stylish French lifestyle–joie de vivre!
In the COMMENTS:Cynthia M, your mom made FRESH coconut cake? I'm dead impressed. Maybe I will try it. Sounds like you've got some great coconut busting skills! Tom, it seems we will be getting out of "jail" on Monday, Yay! Jane talks about the catastrophe that has hit the French wine-growers: a late hard freeze (after warm March weather) that has destroyed a huge part of this year's crop. It's very sad. Natalia, Cynthia B. and Colleen, thank you for the very kind comments, as always.
Favorite READS: Going back to our wine-tasting posts, our reader Jan recommends a book called Into Wine, by Olivier Magny. I can recommend it too, it's a fun and interesting read. And our reader-in-residence Natalia has a new book for us, that will transport us to Italy: The Venice Sketchbook, by Rhys Bowen.
45 thoughts on “Only in France”
Oui! Vive la France and vive the end of our third lockdown! We wait with baited breath for restaurants to open. At the same time, should the numbers change, I will err on the side of being conservative. Despite the fact I will receive my second vaccine next week, I don’t want to take any chances. I’d rather wait and be safe. Take care and hopefully one day our lives will be back to normal. As I’ve said before, our parents made it through WW II. This pales in comparison to the sacrifice.
Oui! Vive la France and vive the end of our third lockdown! We wait with baited breath for restaurants to open. At the same time, should the numbers change, I will err on the side of being conservative. Despite the fact I will receive my second vaccine next week, I don’t want to take any chances. I’d rather wait and be safe. Take care and hopefully one day our lives will be back to normal. As I’ve said before, our parents made it through WW II. This pales in comparison to the sacrifice.
Oui! Vive la France and vive the end of our third lockdown! We wait with baited breath for restaurants to open. At the same time, should the numbers change, I will err on the side of being conservative. Despite the fact I will receive my second vaccine next week, I don’t want to take any chances. I’d rather wait and be safe. Take care and hopefully one day our lives will be back to normal. As I’ve said before, our parents made it through WW II. This pales in comparison to the sacrifice.
Loved the pictures.
The egg selling vending machine reminds me of being outside a hypermarket in Normandy where there was a very large, very modern, glass fronted machine, with lots of empty bottles on view inside.
You put your euros in the slot and in return got a litre of unpasteurised milk from a local farm.
Wouldn’t be allowed here in the UK!
Loved the pictures.
The egg selling vending machine reminds me of being outside a hypermarket in Normandy where there was a very large, very modern, glass fronted machine, with lots of empty bottles on view inside.
You put your euros in the slot and in return got a litre of unpasteurised milk from a local farm.
Wouldn’t be allowed here in the UK!
Loved the pictures.
The egg selling vending machine reminds me of being outside a hypermarket in Normandy where there was a very large, very modern, glass fronted machine, with lots of empty bottles on view inside.
You put your euros in the slot and in return got a litre of unpasteurised milk from a local farm.
Wouldn’t be allowed here in the UK!
In the 1950s in the US there were egg vending machines, I remember them (because I’m old). I’ve been in France now for 12 years and those Frenchy things are very common sights. I have had my vaccinations for quite a while now, and am absolutely ready to sit outside a cafe drinking and eating.
bonnie in provence
In the 1950s in the US there were egg vending machines, I remember them (because I’m old). I’ve been in France now for 12 years and those Frenchy things are very common sights. I have had my vaccinations for quite a while now, and am absolutely ready to sit outside a cafe drinking and eating.
bonnie in provence
In the 1950s in the US there were egg vending machines, I remember them (because I’m old). I’ve been in France now for 12 years and those Frenchy things are very common sights. I have had my vaccinations for quite a while now, and am absolutely ready to sit outside a cafe drinking and eating.
bonnie in provence
LOVE these photos! What a fun post, I enjoyed it very much. How I’d love to visit France again one day.
LOVE these photos! What a fun post, I enjoyed it very much. How I’d love to visit France again one day.
LOVE these photos! What a fun post, I enjoyed it very much. How I’d love to visit France again one day.
Loved these….thank you for the smiles and giggles. I’m hoping to return to France this autumn….covid willing.
Loved these….thank you for the smiles and giggles. I’m hoping to return to France this autumn….covid willing.
Loved these….thank you for the smiles and giggles. I’m hoping to return to France this autumn….covid willing.
I have just read The Venice Sketchbook and I can thoroughly recommend it as well.
I have just read The Venice Sketchbook and I can thoroughly recommend it as well.
I have just read The Venice Sketchbook and I can thoroughly recommend it as well.
Wonderful blog post, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to share it all with us.
Wonderful blog post, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to share it all with us.
Wonderful blog post, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to share it all with us.
Fun photos. And all so typical. I have been impressed on recent trips to see the little roadside librairies. My first was in Hauterives near le Château Idéal. And let’s not forget the espadrilles! Thanks, Lynn, as always. La France me manque.
Chris
Fun photos. And all so typical. I have been impressed on recent trips to see the little roadside librairies. My first was in Hauterives near le Château Idéal. And let’s not forget the espadrilles! Thanks, Lynn, as always. La France me manque.
Chris
Fun photos. And all so typical. I have been impressed on recent trips to see the little roadside librairies. My first was in Hauterives near le Château Idéal. And let’s not forget the espadrilles! Thanks, Lynn, as always. La France me manque.
Chris
Wonderful memories! That’s what I do love about France. So colorful and always a surprise around the corner…
Wonderful memories! That’s what I do love about France. So colorful and always a surprise around the corner…
Wonderful memories! That’s what I do love about France. So colorful and always a surprise around the corner…
Lynn, thank you for another wonderful post!
Once again, you have brought just many smiles to our day with these terrific and uplifting pictures!(you are an awesome photographer!!)
(I admit that the French outlook regarding dogs in restaurants is especially close to my heart!! I truly subscribe to “Dog is God spelled backwards!!”)
Another book to suggest:The Last Bookshop in London by Madeleine Martin.Totally a page turner!Wow! So many great books available to tempt us!
Lynn, thank you for another wonderful post!
Once again, you have brought just many smiles to our day with these terrific and uplifting pictures!(you are an awesome photographer!!)
(I admit that the French outlook regarding dogs in restaurants is especially close to my heart!! I truly subscribe to “Dog is God spelled backwards!!”)
Another book to suggest:The Last Bookshop in London by Madeleine Martin.Totally a page turner!Wow! So many great books available to tempt us!
Lynn, thank you for another wonderful post!
Once again, you have brought just many smiles to our day with these terrific and uplifting pictures!(you are an awesome photographer!!)
(I admit that the French outlook regarding dogs in restaurants is especially close to my heart!! I truly subscribe to “Dog is God spelled backwards!!”)
Another book to suggest:The Last Bookshop in London by Madeleine Martin.Totally a page turner!Wow! So many great books available to tempt us!
Lynn,
Truly enjoyed your pictures. It is true that French people have less to worry about the Puritan influence that still exist in some parts of the US, so they have less hangups with talking about sex or even sell sexy things at a vide grenier!
Actually I just got some teeshirts from “Forever 21” in the US, that are embroidered with “Oh la la!” and they were made in China!
Been vaccinated for over a month and cannot wait to go back to France. In the Summer, it will be open to tourists and then in the Fall, it will be confinement # 4 or 5 if we are not careful! French people have to travel for the Summer so we will see how this pans out!
Reading David Mc Cullough’s “The Spirit of America” Soooo good!
Lynn,
Truly enjoyed your pictures. It is true that French people have less to worry about the Puritan influence that still exist in some parts of the US, so they have less hangups with talking about sex or even sell sexy things at a vide grenier!
Actually I just got some teeshirts from “Forever 21” in the US, that are embroidered with “Oh la la!” and they were made in China!
Been vaccinated for over a month and cannot wait to go back to France. In the Summer, it will be open to tourists and then in the Fall, it will be confinement # 4 or 5 if we are not careful! French people have to travel for the Summer so we will see how this pans out!
Reading David Mc Cullough’s “The Spirit of America” Soooo good!
Lynn,
Truly enjoyed your pictures. It is true that French people have less to worry about the Puritan influence that still exist in some parts of the US, so they have less hangups with talking about sex or even sell sexy things at a vide grenier!
Actually I just got some teeshirts from “Forever 21” in the US, that are embroidered with “Oh la la!” and they were made in China!
Been vaccinated for over a month and cannot wait to go back to France. In the Summer, it will be open to tourists and then in the Fall, it will be confinement # 4 or 5 if we are not careful! French people have to travel for the Summer so we will see how this pans out!
Reading David Mc Cullough’s “The Spirit of America” Soooo good!
What fabulous magnifiques photos!!! LOVE the French and their moments. We are also Italophiles and will take a look at the Venice book. I am also sending my French moment photos after I find them! A great newsletter today, thank you for uplifting moments.
It’s the doggies in bicycle baskets I love…have to find my photos.
What fabulous magnifiques photos!!! LOVE the French and their moments. We are also Italophiles and will take a look at the Venice book. I am also sending my French moment photos after I find them! A great newsletter today, thank you for uplifting moments.
It’s the doggies in bicycle baskets I love…have to find my photos.
What fabulous magnifiques photos!!! LOVE the French and their moments. We are also Italophiles and will take a look at the Venice book. I am also sending my French moment photos after I find them! A great newsletter today, thank you for uplifting moments.
It’s the doggies in bicycle baskets I love…have to find my photos.
Well done my dear!!!
Well done my dear!!!
Well done my dear!!!
Thank you for the photos! You gave me a moment “plein de nostalgie”. A trip to France this summer seems unlikely but is not completely off the table.
Thank you for the photos! You gave me a moment “plein de nostalgie”. A trip to France this summer seems unlikely but is not completely off the table.
Thank you for the photos! You gave me a moment “plein de nostalgie”. A trip to France this summer seems unlikely but is not completely off the table.
Great and fun photos! Especially liked the joie de vivre (: It’s always fun to look back through time! Best part is we’re still making the same toasts together!
Great and fun photos! Especially liked the joie de vivre (: It’s always fun to look back through time! Best part is we’re still making the same toasts together!
Great and fun photos! Especially liked the joie de vivre (: It’s always fun to look back through time! Best part is we’re still making the same toasts together!