I thought you might enjoy Val and I sharing our perspectives on something quite unique: the French bathroom.

Val

You know that Keith and I have been living part-time in France for quite some time.  I enjoy the differences in the lifestyle between the US and France.  Each has its strengths and weaknesses, but I try to focus on and enjoy the great sides of each culture.

And then, there is bathroom design.

A while ago we were in the lovely town of Rennes, sitting in the warm sunshine, on a charming cafe terrace, surrounded by half-timbered houses.  Before moving on to explore the town, Keith suggested we follow the age-old advice: never pass up an opportunity to visit the facilities.

Keith went first, carrying out his husbandly duties to check them out to make sure they met, well, my standards.  He reported that they passed muster and indicated that all I needed to do was walk inside and go down the stairs to find the bathroom.

Following his advice, when I made it down the narrow staircase I found myself in a very small space.  Sinks on the right, a urinoir on the left (I think it is pretty clear what this French word means) and an enclosed bathroom straight ahead, as had been described.

But what had NOT been described was that there was a man on said left… in process.

Not knowing what to do, I rushed past him, mumbling pardon monsieur, moving into the bathroom and locking the door as quickly as I could.

Wow, that was awkward!

I am looking forward to the day when urinoir doors become fashionable in France.

Keith

Take a look at this photo of our hotel room bathroom from a recent trip. It looks nice, right? But something is missing.

Look hard and you will notice…there is no shower curtain.

We find this all the time in France, a shower without a door or a curtain. Which means that when we use it, we get water everywhere. It’s a mess.

So why don’t the French use shower curtains, that’s what I want to know. Do they have special hydraulics that cause the water to bend in non-splashy ways? Do they contort themselves like circus performers, so the water only bounces back into the shower? Do their bodies absorb water in a way that causes it not to splash?

Maybe it’s like the way French people can eat croissants without getting crumbs all over. Or the way they instinctively know how to tie their scarves.

It’s a mystery.