Holdays in France II

As I have said previously, France in general and Paris particularly, broke a lot of the old clichés about French culture.  For example - the streets were not covered in a minefield of dog poop,  Paris was unpolluted, you could drink the tap water, the locals were friendly and welcoming, eating out wasn't expensive, and most people spoke good English.
One thing I had forgotten was the smoking culture in France.  Everyone smokes.  We gave up on sitting outdoors at cafes and restaurants because of the constant clouds and billows of rank cigarette smoke from neighbouring tables.  Sadly, the teenage and 20-ish crowd also smoke constantly. 

Maybe because it was early summer and the moneyed folk had left town for vacation destinations, but the street fashion was very dull.  I had expected to see exquisite young women in Yves St Laurent, Chanel, Lacroix and Gaultier ...but no.  The default fashion was tight jeans, loose cotton tops, no makeup and a smoking cigarette.  The women looked pallid and unhealthy.  Interestingly it was the African French men and women who were more often than not impeccably dressed and groomed.
 
On returning to NZ I was reminded at how attractive our women are.  The Polynesian, Maori, Asian and European young women here look positively glowing in comparison.  On my first Saturday night shift at the wine store I must have seen about ten absolutely stunning and well groomed young women.

Other odd stuff:  shopkeepers don't like giving change.  Try to keep a stock of 1 and 2 Euro coins.  We tried to buy a 1.50 Euro bottle of water at a convenience store and the shopkeeper refused a 10 Euro note.
There is almost no free public seating outdoors (maybe it's a tacit deal with the cafe owners).  The  few places to sit down and eat or drink are small gated parks - often with gravel and no grassed areas.
Pedestrian crossings have two phases - one green light will get you to the median strip, but the lights may change to red and you're stuck in the middle till the next green.
Restaurants sell half bottles of wine at a reasonable price.
All restaurants offer a 'formule'  set menu - often three courses for about 20 Euro.  Servings are huge and we often shared one formule dinner between us.
Order a hamburger and they ask you if you'd like it medium or rare.
Occupational safety is very loosely monitored.  Construction sites merge with footpaths.  A restaurant in Lyon had a small swing door between the single  unisex toilet and the kitchen, with a box of wine glasses perched on the cistern.
Charles de Gaulle Airport has an enclosed box-like smokers' lounge which leaks cigarette smoke out into the concourse.

For all that and because of all that, we had a great time.
Au revoir France!  A bientot.


Phil runs a not for profit lifestyle including the best wine tours in New Zealand