France.......but where are the French?????

[Just smiffy]

Neither, we speak school girl/boy French although not quite sure why as the language has no value outside France, they are rude and arrogant. We have also spent a lot of time in France so not just an isolated view but based on personal experience. It would be interesting to hear other opinions.

It depends on who there talking to I suppose....

 

[WillH]

Yes Larby, on the Municipal, nice site and handy for the town.

 

[pandas]

To be quite honest, your level of arrogance is staggering . I wonder if the French pick up on it when they meet you and so treat you accordingly.

Are you French - sounds like you do not like a personal point of view

 

[Camdoon]

The French are I expect touring other countries than France as the facility’s on most camp sites we have visited over the years are so poor in comparison to Italy, Germany, Austria and so on. Unclean, warning notices everywhere, unloved and could not care a dam is our opinion. Lots of others will have different experiences of course but the French are very much a backward nation.

Every village had (had to have?) a campsite and like the UK their local authorities do not have any cash to run them so they are either being left to rot or being taken on by commercial enterprises.
Most under 40 are keen to learn English but basic French takes you a long way.
They also use oodles of EU money to subsidise their farmers and communities along with having obscure rules for their bakeries - backward - different - vive le difference.

 

[gus-lopez]

through France from Dieppe to Basel Switzerland I didnt see a light on in a house, a pedestrian, and very few cars, but it was late at night.

8pm ,they all disappear. Never seen any different.

Something we often notice is just how many small towns and villages have fabulous leisure facilities for the community... guess they simply know how to utilise EU funding for these opportunities.

Yes amazing some of them. Many have country walks & dog areas next to them also. one I always use I've never seen another soul.

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[Stealaway]

Seriously though, am I the only one who finds these sleepy little quiet villages mind numbingly boring?

It's hard to believe anyone lives there. You don't even see any kids out playing. The towns simply shut around 12 o'clock and open for bread again around 4 and that's it. They mostly seem to have a very laid back (boring?) frugal lives. The times they really wind me up is at supermarket checkouts. It always seem to be a social occasion that take hours and most still write cheques for their groceries.

We must learn to slow down I think.

 

[quilkin]

It would be good if more people learnt to appreciate other nation's cultures (as did the OP in this thread) and not just go on about the differences they find annoying (as others have done).

 

[pappajohn]

If you'd been occupied by the Romans, the Frank's and the Nazi's you'd stay indoors and pretend not to be there too.

 

[tribalbrit]

We have visited France for many years and yes some people are rude but most in our experience are polite and helpful, No different to here really.
We have traveled there in August and believe me the sites are buzzing with French motor homes and caravans, we have joined in many a party with them even though our grasp of the language is limited.
We did on one occasion a few years ago come across a young 17/18 year old waitress that blatantly refused to understand our pigeon French although I'm sure she would have been taught English in school. We did not blame her for our poor french nor expect her to speak to us in our language but feel she could have been more helpful.
Generally we love France and the French people on the whole. Don't forget there are many many arseholes over here too.

 

[nicholsong]

If there aren't any French around I might need to give France another try


Seriously though, am I the only one who finds these sleepy little quiet villages mind numbingly boring?

You can't even get a beer except in one of those betting shop come Tabac places where a load of grumpy old Frenchmen sit around drinking beer and watching horse racing on the telly.

The only people who go to France looking for beer are 'grumpy old welshmen'. Good beer is found in Belgium, Germany, Czech Rep. and Poland. As for Brain's and Wem Ales, you can keep it.

France is for sophisticated drinkers of wine. Remind me, how are the palates trained on wine in the Principality?

You really have to get out more Chris - sorry, forgot you are still working, and moaning about it.




[Probably get a Writ served by Monday]

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[Larby]

You really have to get out more Chris - sorry, forgot you are still working, and moaning about it.
[Probably get a Writ served by Monday]

and to be awkward he'll issue it in Welsh !

 

[Pete5996]

I like a good discussion about the French.

I will say I found them friendly in Brittany and in the South.

As you get down towards Toulouse they lose their miserableness in my experience.

Perhaps those up North are miserable because of the dodgy weather?

Blimey, that's the nicest comment I've ever see from you regarding our neighbours! A sign that they are quietly winning you over, perhaps...?

 

[Chris]

Blimey, that's the nicest comment I've ever see from you regarding our neighbours! A sign that they are quietly winning you over, perhaps...?

I wouldn’t go that far

 

[Chris]

The only people who go to France looking for beer are 'grumpy old welshmen'. Good beer is found in Belgium, Germany, Czech Rep. and Poland. As for Brain's and Wem Ales, you can keep it.

France is for sophisticated drinkers of wine. Remind me, how are the palates trained on wine in the Principality?

You really have to get out more Chris - sorry, forgot you are still working, and moaning about it.




[Probably get a Writ served by Monday]

I doubt anyone goes to France looking for nice beer.

I don’t even like the wine and think it’s hugely overrated.

I do like their omelettes though, strangely.

 

[gus-lopez]

It always seem to be a social occasion that take hours and most still write cheques for their groceries.

yes fascinating isn't it? at least in some places they have a cheque printer.

I don’t even like the wine and think it’s hugely overrated.

Any wine is hugely over rated.

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[JJ]

Seriously though, am I the only one who finds these sleepy little quiet villages mind numbingly boring?

Cripes young Chris... you better avoid Quinta Majay.

Those French villages are a hive of activity compared to here.

I believe some of them have street lights!


JJ

 

[JJ]

I do like their omelettes though, strangely

I like their women...


JJ

 

[denisejoe]

Have found most of the villages are slowly dying 5 years ago almost every village had a Boulanger ladies hairdresser and flower shop and bar. Found a lot now have no bakers or florist and a few no bar.
Never had any problems in the bars how many in U.K. when someone walks in do they shake everybody’s hand had it many times, also invited to a party on an aire where the drinks were champagne and the food fresh oysters.

 

[The Lord Squid]

I doubt anyone goes to France looking for nice beer.

I do. Loads of French breweries brew US-influenced IPA. Which I like.

 

[klaatu]

Yes, there's increasingly better beer in France these days from micro breweries. And some of the wine isn't bad, I think they've had to swallow their pride and realise that the new world was doing it better - some catching up to do.

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[yodeli]

I think I usually have a good sense of humour but honestly some comments are going too far and I feel upset. Not going to read this thread anymore. I wonder how you would react if some cheeky French on a French forum with only one constant english member (and you are that person) were putting all the Brits in the same basket giving them names .... don't forget , each person is different, and as someone said there are arseholes everywhere. Thanks . Goodnight all !

 

[The Lord Squid]

Yes, there's increasingly better beer in France these days from m

I'll be in Angoulême in September and will give here a try

Accueil | Brasserie La Débauche

Créée en 2013 à Angoulême, La Débauche fait preuve de créativité et d'exigence dans l'élaboration de bières artisanales.

www.brasserie-ladebauche.com

 

[Chris]

I think I usually have a good sense of humour but honestly some comments are going too far and I feel upset. Not going to read this thread anymore. I wonder how you would react if some cheeky French on a French forum with only one constant english member (and you are that person) were putting all the Brits in the same basket giving them names .... don't forget , each person is different, and as someone said there are arseholes everywhere. Thanks . Goodnight all !

Apologies if I have upset you Frankie

I still don’t like the beer though.

 

[dixieland]

I live in Gascony and am from Herefordshire near Wales. To sum the situation up I say that Herefordshire is 25 years behind London, Wales is 25 years behind Herefordshire and Gascony is 25 years behind Wales. Love it and don't want to catch up.
Jim

 

[SteveRallye]

We love France I would say its like America for it scenery and diversity.We have not had chance to tour in summer lately but going down thru mid France ie Limoges Montaban Tolouse to Narbonne way last December it was 17/18 deg and the scenery around Montaban was stunning Autumn colours. My brother lives near to Limoges and he and his wife love it.

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[Allanm]

Neither, we speak school girl/boy French although not quite sure why as the language has no value outside France, they are rude and arrogant. We have also spent a lot of time in France so not just an isolated view but based on personal experience. It would be interesting to hear other opinions.

The French don’t suffer fools and tend to speak their mind.
Perhaps you just rub them all up the wrong way.
We’ve been travelling around France for over 35 years and now live here.
You may find the French a little indifferent in large towns and parts of the south, but rude and arrogant, they are not.

 

[Reallyretired]

I know little of Northern France as the sun tends to be further south. I also avoid large towns so the French I come across are rural. Last time we were over we had a long chat with a farmer who had a little aire on his farm (free) and we got on very well in spite of language problems. He invited us for dinner, in spite of knowing us for less than an hour, which we declined as ours was in the oven. Probably just as well as his wife would probably have thrown a wobbly.

The only problem I find with their beer is the tiny glasses they serve it in, they don't realise beer comes in pints. If they must be metric they should have it in litres.

French wine great, but Spanish is cheaper.

 

[keithchesterfield2]

It's like music to my ears to hear people deride the French experience.

Joy upon joy - less people to clog up the Aires and the already quiet roads, shorter queues for my baguette and croissant in the morning, more choice of table for evening meals, less hassle on the way back at Pet Passport and Check-in, more tables outside bars and cafés to relax and people watch without the moaning of Brits and less chance of having to discuss the weather with UK Motorhome owners.

Around twenty years visiting France, and other European countries, and having 'bad' experiences of our overseas neighbours are few and far between.

If you don't like the French and their country then don't go there – more pleasure for us who do go …..

 

[denisejoe]

The only problem I find with their beer is the tiny glasses they serve it in, they don't realise beer comes in pints. If they must be metric they should have it in litres.

Couldn’t afford a pint average €3 for a 25 cl about £6.50 a pint and dearer for stronger beer I blame Macron

 

[Jo662]

If there aren't any French around I might need to give France another try


Seriously though, am I the only one who finds these sleepy little quiet villages mind numbingly boring?

You can't even get a beer except in one of those betting shop come Tabac places where a load of grumpy old Frenchmen sit around drinking beer and watching horse racing on the telly.

Thats where we used to head when I was touring France with my mates on motorcycles,we called them dragon bars,very entertaining

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