I’ve decided Thursdays will be my days to write about our France preparations and share anything practical we’ve learned. Updates this week: We bought our plane tickets — whoo hoo! And we’ve been piling up a stack of books about France and French culture.
One thing I’ve read is that snacking is not really done in France, and that meals are a bigger deal than they are here — at some fast-food restaurants there are even cloth napkins! Also, apparently it’s custom to eat with a knife in your right hand and a fork in your left. I tried it tonight and I need practice. : )
photo via The Nature of Order
Plane Tickets:
We were terrified when we saw how much tickets were on the airline sites and even at places like Orbitz and Travelocity (remember, we have to multiply everything by 8 people). But then we tried Kayak.com. From what I can tell, they don’t actually sell tickets, but they showed us where to find the bargain prices. We ended up finding tickets for a flight on Air Canada and bought them through a site called Airfare.com. I feel great about the price we paid and I’m excited to fly Air Canada. I’ve never flown with them before, but they were voted Best Airline in North America, so I expect great things.
We will by flying from Denver to Montreal, then overnight from Montreal to Paris. We leave on February 1st.
Another note: we bought one-way tickets, but we noticed that for some flights/dates roundtrip tickets were cheaper than one way options. So in some cases, it might be wise to buy a roundtrip ticket and then just not use the return flight.
Books About France:
All I wanted for Christmas was books about France and Ben Blair happily obliged. He ordered a bunch of books to include in our France Kits and we have been devouring them. Much of what we found is focused on Paris — especially the kid options — which is fine with me. I adore Paris! I’ll list what we have so far, but I hope you’ll add any other titles you’d recommend in the comments.
Sixty Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong
This is where I read about how eating is viewed in France. Also in this book: Did you know that stores in France can only hold sales/markdowns twice a year at designated times? It’s a 300 year old tradition that’s run by the police. So interesting!
The Discovery of France
Graham Robb biked around the entire country and researched as he went. I haven’t started this one yet, but I can’t wait.
Parisians
This is also by Graham Robb. What a great writer! This volume is full of historical short stories about Paris. I love it.
DK France – Eyewitness Travel Guides
This is a practical travel guide. It’s packed with so much information. Fun to browse.
Daytrips France
This is another practical one. It describes 48 things places you can visit within a day’s travel from Paris. Makes me want to start exploring asap.
A Year in Provence
My brother-in-law, Mark, gave us this as soon as he heard we were thinking about moving. It will make you want to buy a house in the South of France.
This is Paris
I’ve posted about these wonderful books by M. Lasek before and was glad to have an excuse to add the Paris one to our collection.
Adele & Simon
This was recommended by several readers and I can see why. It’s so charming! Adele and Simon spend the afternoon touring around Paris after school and silly Simon drops something everywhere they go.
Paris Hide-and-Seek
Ben Blair bought this one for the kids when he visited our home-to-be in France a few weeks ago. Adorable. It’s like a Where’s Waldo but the little characters are hiding all around the city. I could only find a link to this on the UK Amazon site.
What else would you recommend? I especially love books that talk about manners and culture.
We actually use cloth napkins at ALL meals. The washing is a bit of a downside, but never purchasing paper napkins is heavenly and environmentally friendly. My kids are old pros.
Just wanted to second what Barb said. It’s a lot easier to eat with the fork facing down, and then use it to either spear the food, or use the knife to push food onto the back of it. I actually prefer eating european style when I think about it. I think it feels more proper for sit down meals, so I feel kind of elegant, even if we’re just eating casserole! It’s also lots faster for eating meat, since you aren’t constantly picking up your knife to cut it and then switching hands again. I think you’ll like it once you get practiced!
It took me about a month to master the silverware switch. It is nice because it forces you to eat slower and when you come back to America you look so elegant when you eat!
This is so cool!! I’m so excited for Thursdays :).
I love how you are trying to learn so much about the French culture before you get there, it will make your experience so much better!
I grew up in Chile and over there we eat everything with a fork/knife (including burgers and pizza), now when I go back I have to remind myself to be “polite” and not eat with my hands like we do here :).
You are so brave, good luck with your adventure!
A year in Provence is precisely the reason I want to live in southern France. Great book!
First of all, let me say that you are my hero and I hope that I can get my family to live in France someday… you know, once I’m married and have a family. I tutor a couple of French kids in English and used to work at an international school; it’s been an incredible experience.
About French snacking. French people have a snack (le goûter) at 4 in the afternoon, but it’s certainly not taken to the extreme that American snacking sometimes does. There is a French blog (http://www.legouter.fr/) all about French people reminiscing over childhood snacks.
Have a wonderful time in France!
Have you read The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery? It takes a bit to get into, but once you’re in, you can’t put it down. It’s VERY French, very Parisian.
I’m not sure if somebody already recommended this book, but I just love it and I’m sure you and the kids will as well. Consider buying it, please. There’s so much to laugh about. I’ve checked, and it seems the English title is “Nicholas”,(in French: “Le petit Nicolas”) anyway it’s by Goscinny and Sempe, about a little French boy and his adventures at school and home. Very funny! (For adultes as well, very tongue- in- cheek). And, of course, if you mention Goscinny it’s just a tiny step to “Asterix the Gaul” (comic books, in case you don’t know, but probably you do). The whole series is filled with historical knowledge, Latin and typical French behaviour. So good!
Its too bad that you won’t be able to spend more time in Montreal. Its a wonderful place to visit;) We are hoping to go back sometime soon as we have friends there…
We were also taught to use our left to eat and right to cut…it was hard when we were kids, but it made us feel so grown up:)
I know many people are recommending flying over trains, but I would actually suggest the opposite – much less hassle with checking in, you can take on your own food (and wine!) and you arrive in the middle of the city rather than the outskirts needing a train/bus/taxi to get where you are going. And that is before you think about the environmental impact.
I write about costs here: http://nobeatenpath.com/?p=919 and would also recommend you check out the excellent ‘Man in seat 61’ blog and website: http://www.seat61.com. Remember, the flight might look cheap, but then add in the cost of excess luggage (or just luggage on some budget flights), meals, and getting from the airport to a centre of civilization, and that cheap flight is not looking so cheap any more.
I discover your fantastic blog (but my english is not really good).
Welcome in France, i’m from Paris.
Enjoy !!!!
“Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris. Totally different than everything else you are reading. He is a hilarious, best-selling writer who bought (?) a house in the Normany region, spent time there and in Paris, and took a French class while there.
I was living in Paris in 2003, read it there, and laughed out loud (which I never do) the whole time I was reading it. Omigosh is it funny. But maybe read it after you’ve been there a bit and can appreciate all the crazy, funny things about French culture and its limitations for Americans used to a different lifestyle and language. Good luck!
Wow sounds so exciting! I’m English and we eat with a knife and fork in that way, how else do you do it? The other way round? I love France, I go there at least once or twice a year (usually the South though). I’m going to Paris for four days in February and I’m so excited. I’m sure you’ll have an amazing year. xx
so excited for you. my eurpoean friends think it’s funny that i, an stateswoman eat that way. my dad does too, and his father did as well. i’m guessing his parents from sweden did as well. we pass along so much at the table:) i love that!!!!!
These are a few of my favorite books about life in France. We spent our honeymoon in Paris and the opportunity to live in France for a year would be a dream come true! Please eat as much as possible while you are there.
On Rue Tatin by Susan Loomis
Words in a French Life by Kristin Espinasse
A Pig in Provence by Gorgeanne Brennan
Linnea in Monet’s Garden by Christna Bjork
Can’t wait to read about the Blairs adventures in France! If I may, I would like to recommend a book by good friends of ours, she is an American who moved to Paris in the late 60’s and never came back and he is a Frenchman through and through. The book is “Insiders’ French” and it is an excellent guide to colloquial expressions that are used every day and not taught in other books, together with excellent insights into French culture. It is available on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Insiders-French-Dictionary-Eleanor-Levieux/dp/0226475034/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
I am sure you will have a wonderful time in France!
Hi Gabrielle,
Marie de Paris is a lovely little book for kids about a little girl living in Paris; it is part of a series with characters in different cities.
http://www.eveiletjeux.com/Produit-300344/livre-marie-de-paris.htm
This is Paris is also good. My son really loves recognizing places that he passes all of the time in the book. He was less interested in it before he made those connections though.
And Le ballon rouge…both the film and the book adapation (the text of which is not really all that amazing, but kids seem to love the story and the pictures of Montmartre are lovely).
Right now nothing much for grownups is coming to mind other than Julia Child’s Life in France. And
And you are right about snacking. Except that all children have a snack immediately after school at 4:30 and this snack is very sugary (in fact the idea of savory food at “gouter” seems to be very strange). In general the times at which it is appropriate to eat various foods are quite circumscribed.
Good luck with your preparations!
Jennifer
Oh, and this is not strictly speaking about books *about* France, but it just came to mind while reading to my children this morning. I try to introduce characters in a particular language (english/french) and then only buy books in that language for that character. So, for example, my kids know the mouse as Mimi la souris, not Maisy mouse. Instead of Noddy, they know Oui-Oui. They read a lot of Barbapapa, which I have actually not seen in English, but which definitely exists in a bunch of other languages. Once they know a character in french they only think about that book in french. Other characters, like Charlie & Lola they know in English. Part of this came about because *I* did not know of these characters in English and learned about them while living in France only to discover on visits home that they go by a different name entirely. Anyway this helps cut down on requests for me to read it “in English”, which definitely started cropping up once my older son started to be more conscious of bilingualism and who speaks what languages (we have an anglophone home, but a french babysitter and a bilingual school). Jennifer
oh, and Clothilde’s Edible Adventures in Paris and her blog http://chocolateandzucchini.com/ talk a lot about manners related to food and food culture in France.
And one thing that I will never be able to get the hang of, that my husband, his family, and all French do, is use a spoon with jam (on toast for example) instead of a knife…don’t they see that a knife would be more spread-friendly?!
The comment from Penny is true. In Austria, they told me that if you leave one hand in your lap at the table then the question what that hand is doing…
I second the David Sedaris book and Almost French!
You should also definitely invest or figure out the skype/ooma situation now. It’s great to have a US phone number.
Also, don’t forget to pack US snack foods and toiletries. When I am back home, I always stock up on Mac n’ cheese for the kids (the continental and UK versions do not taste like the American versions), peanut/almond butter (if you are committed to a particular brand), hydrocortisone (by prescription only), antifungal and antibiotic ointment ( generally find non available or strangely expensive), liquid children’s medication (the French similar to the Belgians give suppositories), and simple things like press and seal and good ziploc freezer bags. I am sure others will have some wonderful suggestions. If you will be living on a budget I would suggest not buying anything clothes-wise until the sales in July!
If you plan to travel in the summer, for example, South of France, look now for a house rental (www.vbro.com or http://www.abritel.fr). If you want to go at a cheaper time – try May or September – though this may be difficult with the kids in school.
Dear Gabrielle, this experience will be so great for you and your kids…I’ve been living abroad for 8 years and it has been such an enrichment for us as a family. I asure you they will learn a lot about people, culture, ways of thinking so different from those they’re use to know…they will grow as human beings (and that’s what we as parents want!).
I hope for you all the best, and don’t panic at the beginning, it takes a while to get use to the people. But once you learn how to appreciate what you’re living, you will enjoy a lot!
Best wishes, and a Happy New year for you and your beautiful family!
Carmen.
I’ve completely switched to that way of eating. My guess is that you will too. It is actually easier and it slows you down. Pizza is also eaten that way, not in slices with hands, but cut bite by bite with a fork and knife. Sometimes even special serrated knives are provided.
I studied in France, then went back for a year after I graduated. I recommend the “Rough Guide” travel book series – a little different than the aimed-at-partying-college-students guides. Also, be sure to check out the SNCF discount programs (the French Railway system). For example, you can buy the “Carte 12-25” if you are ages 12-25. Then you get half off your railroad tickets all the time. They have other programs for kids too – totally worth the initial investment… I made my money back in the first trip.
okay, me again had to take my daughter to the bathroom. We’re in Morocco on a holiday. I read through most of the comment, but must apologize if this is a repeat. I second the rec for Almost French. I’ve read almost all the books in that genre and found hers the most insightful. Also, What makes the French so French. It gets a bit too historical, but is worth having a look through. Check it out from the library, you prob don’t need to own it. Also like David Lebovitzs’, Sweet Life in Paris. I’m kinda off of this Paris/French culture shock genre.
Here is a list of childrens books about France/Paris compiled by myself and a few readers:
http://sycamorestirrings.blogspot.com/2010/03/reading-about-paris.html
My all time FAV book for kids is:
http://www.amazon.com/This-Paris/dp/0789310635/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268462907&sr=1-1
The illustrations are so great and the text (mostly) is simple.
You will learn the most by observing. Watch, watch, watch.
Snacking is not common except for the 4:00 gouter (taste) Living in Lux I’ve learned quite a bit about France as Lux has many of it’s social customs.
You are so well connected you’ll have a fab experience and learn quickly. Off to dinner. Happy New Year!
You never cease to amaze us (your readers), with your continuous sources of inspiration. I’m so excited for you guys, I feel like I’m going too :)! I told my husband: Design Mom and her family are moving to France, like I was talking about my family, he said, but didn’t they just moved to Denver, (like gossiping, lol) but he absolutely loved the idea!
I grew up using the forks the European way in the Dominican Republic – but it was always such a battle for me! As soon as we moved to the US, I dropped it altogether, there was no need. Funny thing is whenever I’m abroad, back in DR or in Europe, I unconsciously revert to using them the European way, go figure!
Anyway, please keep us updated about the adventure!
When using a knife and fork this way, it is also important to have the tines facing down.
There are also specific ways to signal you have finished your meal. The handles of your knife and fork should be placed at the 4:00 position on the rim of your plate (with the tips in the center of the plate). This is especially important when eating in restaurants that cater to an older patrons. The waiters may not clear your setting otherwise!
My favorite place in the whole world. Paris stole my heart years ago, and now I share it with my family. I have always taken my son with us everywhere since he was little and Paris was the hardest for him food wise when he was small and just wanted “plain” food. Everything came with a sauce whether he wanted one or not. Not so easy when he was 7, much easier, and even appreciated at 15!
I found if you ask the front desk where they eat, you get a simpler, tastier and much cheaper meal.
I am fascinated with the knife/fork thing! I’m Canadian and have always eaten with my fork in my left hand, knife in my right, fork pointing downwards. I’m having trouble conceiving of a different way to do it.. just opposite?
No book suggestions from me, but I’m loving following your family’s journey here.
Also, I am astonished that Air Canada was voted best airline in North America. That makes me terrified for the state of the rest of the airlines. I hope that you have a wonderful experience with them, but they are habitually reviled up here. The best I expect form them is mediocre, and it’s often worse than that.
Etiquette issues kept me nervous at meal times for a while when I moved to Germany, now almost a decade ago (yikes!). Two-handed eating, with the fork in the left and the knife in the right, was new to me and took some practice, but now i prefer it over the “American” method. And now, when i see an American with one hand in their lap (what are they up to down there?) and the tendancy to lean over towards the table (sit up straight!), constantly switching utensils back and forth…well it just looks awful to me.
Also important to learn: waiting until everyone has been served to start eating, and beginning by wishing everyone ‘bon/guten appetit’. (<– Actually, why isn't that more the standard in the US? Perhaps my friends and family were the minority, but I feel now it really is more polite.)
As for books: Paris to the Moon, an excellent memoir written by a writer for the New Yorker about the years he spent in Paris with his wife and young son. Wonderful book.
I can’t help how giddy it makes me feel seeing all of these wonderful ladies so excited to share with you what they know. You will most certainly feel supported in your adventurous endeavor by just sitting down to your computer…love it:)
So Americans eat with fork in their right hand and knife in the left? That makes no sense XD I’ve never been in America, so I didn’t know. Funny thing that even Wikipedia states otherwise :o
Why are you going to France, when visiting Europe? :( France is sooo stock (well-worn? I’m not sure how to say this in English, sorry. I mean everybody goes there when they’re in Europe.) I’m new to this blog (hello :D), so I don’t know, but I hope you speak French – as far as I know, you won’t be able to speak English there ;)
If I were you I would go to England, Austria, Italy or somewhere in the Centre/Eastern Europe – although this last recommendation is because I’m Polish ;)
oh, wait. I just read back. So you’re MOVING to France! Sorry :)
I hope it will be wonderful for you. Good luck!
(I’m quite suprised, to be honest, as I can’t imagine me moving to another country while I don’t have my own family, and you with 6 children… good luck :D)
wow… so many great comments Gabrielle! What a list of books! My comment is about websites for airfare. My family is moving to Zimbabwe. For international airfare I LOVE the site http://www.vayama.com I think Kayak is best for domestic fares. I am the oldest of six kids and I always thank my parents for giving me the priceless gift of siblings. Kudos to you and Ben Blair for giving your children that gift as well!
Viva la France! (that might not be the exact phrase but you get the picture!)
For French novels, try anything by Anna Gavalda – she’s an incredible writer and many of her books have been translated into English.
Best of luck with your move. I came to France for a “one-year stay”. That was 12 years ago, and I’m still here.
I love, The Cook and the Gardner by Amanda Hesser and of course My Life in France is Amazing.
France – beautiful place – my friends just moved to the suburbs of Paris with their 2 kids.
It’s common in most places apart from the US to eat with the fork in the left and the knive in the right – but it’ll really not matter if you don’t. Markets in France are the prefect place to buy amazing food – I’ve got some ideas on my blog in the Paris tabs. As for design – you will have a ball hunting it all down!
OK now I’m curious, I thought I might find an answer in the comments… I’m Australian and we also eat the Euro way fork in left, knife in right hand…how do Americans eat?
They don’t eat more. They just have more courses. Typically a French Lunch (it you are ever invited to one) can last 6 hours! So be prepared :-) It will start with a cocktail, appetizer, main course with veggies, cheese, dessert then coffee. These types of lunches are not every day or every week. For some old traditional families (like mine) it is a daily lunch and sometimes even dinner! I usually skip a few of these courses because I would def gain 50lbs…their metabolisms are just naturally better than ours! But if you are invited over I would partake in everything just a taste :-)
They also eat with the fork and knife in the opposite hands. And I find it actually better to eat like this!
No rec’s on books but look at my website’s blog roll and you will find plenty of American’s living in France type Blog’s which will guide you through living in France. Better to have day to day experiences than a book that is edited and not the Real France. Also I hate generalizing the French because I hate it when they generalize me being an American :-)
Happy Researching!
If I can, I’ll just put an end to the confusion as to how Americans eat with a knife and fork. Assuming a right-handed individual, she cuts whatever needs to be cut with the knife in her right hand and fork in her left. Then she puts down the knife and moves the fork to her right hand to spear and eat the food. Having read the comments it does seem silly, inefficient, and inelegant that we eat this way.
And now I’m going to be aware of it always. That, and having my left hand in my lap. :)
You are so brave to travel to France with 7 kids. Good luck! We( my husband and 2 kids) just came back from Spain after spending Christmas with my in-laws. It’s true in Spain as well that most people don’t snack between meals and lunch is the big meal of the day rather than dinner which is very different from the US. On the weekends lunch can be as long as 3 hours!
Have fun.
Shereen
I have to make a correction, I didn’t read all the entries on your blog and I now see you are moving to France for a year! wow that’s awesome and even braver than just traveling overseas with 7 kids. Good luck!
You are an inspiration to us all that think little everyday things are hard. :)
Wait- do people in America not normally have the knife in their right hand and fork in the left? The table is set with knives to the right and forks to the left… I, and my entire family, use the knife in the right and fork in the left. It would never have occurred to me that someone would do it differently. Why do people pick up the knife and switch it to the other hand? This revelation has blown my mind.
we like chopsticks! I mean, anything you do is going to stand out as American, not much you can do about it except to be humble and polite instead of the opposite. Anyway, check out frenchsabbatical.wordpress.com because these guys have been in Nantes for 6 mos. I know them is why I read it. You can learn the essentials of: how to get a cell phone- ooma sounds like a very good idea; and paying for your visa with stamps (yes!) and other goodnesses. I don’t know how much you can prepare; intensive French course would be a better use of time IMO, especially since you don’t know anyone there to translate. My daughter was an exchange student in Rennes and she had to be fluent in French to be accepted. I would pop your older kids into regular French School if they let you. They will pick up the language pretty fast.
First of all…so jealous that you’re going to France. Hope it’s wonderful. Secondly, I love reading French Women Don’t Get Fat. It’s sort of a diet book, but also talks much about the culture. I’ve read it several times and find myself indulging in the French mindset every time.
French Women don’t get fat is a fab read, I agree. I thought of something additional today, my kids went to German school on Saturdays so they could speak and feel comfortable when visiting my MIL and other relatives in Austria and Switzerland, and I also bought this really great program on dvd called Muzzy. you can find it used on eBay or here is a link to the site. You would get a lot of mileage out of this for the kids! http://www.early-advantage.com/muzzytrialoptin.aspx. ALso my 12 y/o is studying French right now, and I found this site today that I had not seen before- it’s got audio! I think it’s great: http://www.speakfrench.co.uk/
I’m so excited for your trip! Wow. A couple recommendations from our last visit–Paris Plage in the summer–they make a strip of beach with sand and umbrellas and cafes right on the Seine. Delightful. And Parc Asterix! If they’re not already, your kids should become Asterix fans, and this is a wonderful theme park, we had a great time. Not a touristy place, either, mostly all locals.
Bon Voyage!
Almost French is a great book by an Aussie who follows her Parisian boyfriend to France. It talks about her transition and how she slowly started to feel French. Love that book.