Like many parts of France, Provence has Christmas traditions that go back centuries. Some are well-known, like those cute little santons and the 13 desserts eaten after midnight mass. But did you know about the wheat that predicts the future? Or the lamb and shepherds in church? And how about those camels strolling through the streets?
Read all about these fun Provençal Christmas traditions in The Good Life France!
Strasbourg is known as “the Christmas capital of Europe,” with its festive mood, lights and holiday magic. The city gives you the feeling that if you were to bite into any of its buildings, they would taste like gingerbread and chocolate.
But is it the best place to experience a real French Christmas? I think not.
In Provence you’ll find festive local markets, colorful parades like the bravade calendale, and santons galore. There won’t be the crush of international tourists you’ll find in Strasbourg, and the weather will be much better than way up north.
One of my colleagues and I recently faced off, each arguing for our favorite Christmas destination. Who’s right? See what we have to say and decide for yourself!
Read all about it in Frenchly!
Christmas is coming and you might be having a hard time coming up with gift ideas. I am here to help!
The French are famously literary, but they don’t sit around reading Proust and Molière all day. They like a good page-turner as well as anyone else. So how about gifting a book that was a top seller in France, but has recently been translated into English? It would be a great gift for a France-lover, or someone who loves good books, or both!
I’ve put together a list of 11 books that covers a lot of bases.You’ll find serious reads, thrillers, inspiring tales, and even a touch of science fiction!
Read all about it in France Today!
One way to gain insight into a culture is to see what its people are reading. Topping the French charts lately has been The Arab of the Future 6, the final volume of a series that has been a massive best-seller in France. It’s a bande dessinée, or graphic novel, and has been translated into more than a dozen languages. Written and illustrated by Riad Sattouf, one of France’s top cartoonists, it tells the story of his childhood.
Sattouf’s heritage spans two very different cultures. His mother is from Brittany and his father from Syria, and they met when the father was pursuing a doctorate at the Sorbonne. Sattouf was raised in France, then Libya, then Syria, then back to France, experiencing culture shock every step of the way.
The Arab of the Future is funny, touching, enlightening, infuriating, and much more—it’s easy to see why the French love it. It tells the story of a child raised between two worlds, offering a unique look at both French and Arab societies, and is a great read in any language. For those who want to try their hand at reading in French, a bande dessinée is a great place to start, with lots of pictures to help you along, and not too many words.
Read all about it in Frenchly!
France is the land of haute cuisine, with dishes like escargot and foie gras and bouillabaisse. It’s a country with food so elegant and delicious that UNESCO has declared it part of the world’s cultural heritage. So, then, you might imagine that the French, with their refined palates, would turn up their noses at fast food. But the reality is more surprising.
After a rough start, McDonald’s has become a fixture of the French culinary landscape. It is so popular you could even say it’s about the only thing French people agree on! And while there are a lot of similarities with McDonald’s in the US, the French “McDo’s” are different (and better) in many ways.
Read all about how McDonald’s has captured French hearts in Frenchly!
My wife Val and I live part of the year in St-Rémy-de-Provence, a charming town between Marseille and Avignon. I’ve written a guidebook about the area, An Insider’s Guide to Provence, where I share some of our favorite things to see and do. This series of articles is based on my book.
The people of Provence have a deep respect for nature and for the animals that have long been integral to their rural life. And they maintain their traditions, many of which have to do with animals.
One is the transhumance, where thousands of sheep march through town, baaing all the way. Bands play as they go around the town’s ring road, accompanied by shepherds, sheepdogs, and the occasional goat. It’s like a river of sheep!
Another is the festival of St. Eloi, the patron saint of horses. On his day, plow horses are cleaned up, brushed, and wear flower and colorful harnesses. Then they are blessed by the village priest and march through town in a big procession so everyone can admire them.
And let’s not forget the course camarguaise, where little doodads are tied around a bull’s horns and brave young men have to run up and take off the doodads. It’s very exciting and surprisingly, no one gets hurt!
Read all about it in My French Life!
People dream of moving to France, but what’s it really like? Can you make friends? How does it change you?
My Frenchly colleagues Karen Karbo, Catherine Rickman, Philip Ruskin and Caitlin Shetterly have all taken the plunge. Two did it as young adults and have since returned to the US. Two others, both middle aged, moved a few years ago and see France as their permanent home. What have their experiences been like?
Read all about it in Frenchly!
A few months ago, headlines ricocheted across France: “30% of French Women Don’t Want Children” and “Nearly One Woman in Three Doesn’t Want Kids.” They were the result of a survey for Elle Magazine by France’s leading pollster.
If a third of French women is not having kids, the media surmised, then this is a demographic earthquake!
So, what’s actually going on and what will it mean for France’s future? I spoke to one of France’s leading demographic researchers and learned some surprising things about the survey (hint: the devil is in the details.)
Read all about it in Frenchly!
The Grotte Chauvet 2 is one of the wonders of France. Called “the cave of forgotten dreams,” it is the near-perfect replica of a grotto filled with paintings made more than 30,000 years ago—the oldest ever discovered. Not only is the art recreated, but the entire cave is replicated down to the smallest detail, with stalagmites and stalactites, and bear skulls scattered on the ground. Walking through it, and seeing paintings of lions and rhinos, is like stepping back in time.
And now there’s something new—tours by torchlight. Small groups are led by guides armed with torches, viewing the stunning artwork in their flickering light. Visitors can see the paintings as our ancestors did, with the works coming to life as the shadows play on the walls’ nooks and crannies.
Read all about it in Perfectly Provence!
Thousands of French families hunch over their Scrabble boards every weekend, as it’s the country’s favorite board game. But did you know that French Scrabble is different from the English-language version? And that its highest-scoring word is the name of a Scottish tipple?
And…it’s hard to believe…the French Scrabble world champion doesn’t speak French!
Read all about it in France Today!