Ten very normal things to do in France that will make you feel lighter
Parades, the chocolatine, witch trials, plus more time in the Basque Country.
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Recently on Substack,
’s Eric Beall wrote Ten Things to Experience in Italy Before You Die, which covers a to-do list that has absolutely nothing to do with any of the places that are overly plagued by tourism. It was refreshing to read!The truth is that Italy is not really filled with tourists, not even at the height of the season. The problem is that all of the visitors have gathered in the same eight places, sometimes even the same sandwich shop, at the same time. Towns like Urbino, Ravenna, Narnia, or Agrigento are full of art and history and yet still offer the kind of sightseeing experience one sees in turn of the century picture books, where the lone writer or artist wanders in quiet solitude, scribbling in his or her journal. The beaches of the Adriatic have the same beach beds and umbrellas as the ones in Positano, minus the stairs—and at least some of the hot, sweaty Americans.
His first to-do recommendation? To watch some children kick a soccer ball against a 15th century wall. In my eyes, the indicator that someone is an observant and powerful writer is their ability use few words to pinpoint a much larger cultural movement. His list felt, to me, the opposite of lazy writing. We can formulate a rich, imaginative picture of what Italian culture is like by reading his short description of something that seems perhaps insignificant. “Children kicking a soccer ball against a 15th century wall” tells us so much about the quotidian life of Italians—way more than a line telling us to visit Trevi Fountain. We learn: how kids choose to pass their time; the perceived freedom of children; the presence of physical activity; the vernacular architecture; the use and sharing of public spaces; and the energetic liveliness of a particular place.
Eric’s writing had me thinking about my own list of tiny, but quintessentially French things to do here in France that will outweigh waiting two hours in line to ascend the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower is grand and wonderful—I do love her—but you will learn more about French culture if you ask for a chocolatine while in Paris.
The simple list!
Do the cliché thing and follow your nose to a boulangerie. Ask for a chocolatine. Even if you’re outside of the southwestern region of France, stick to your chocolatine guns. Feign innocence when anyone tries to correct your vocabulary here.* This is when you’ll see the true passion of French people.
*Most of France calls them a pain au chocolat and it’s a pretty intense rivalry.
See how long it will take you to accidentally run into a parade or some sort of celebration.
Admire how many types of door knockers, shutter stops, and intricate-shaped gates you can find. This world is full of texture and antiqued variety!
Hyper concentrate on any animal noises you may be hearing. Keep in mind that their sounds of speech are different than their American counterparts. A rooster, for example, yells COCO-RI-CO in France, instead of cock-a-doodle-do.
Walk around while remembering that you carry a secret: nobody else knows that you aren’t French. Until, maybe, you:
Cheerfully and respectfully say “bonjour” or “bonsoir” to every person you pass on the sidewalk. Your accent will give away your secret from point #5.
Notice the style of French people. What clothes envelope their bodies? What kind of footwear are they sporting? What is their level of hair/makeup/general presentation? Does it match the cultural stereotypes that you’ve formed? I’ve noticed that French people in general are way more “natural” than Americans in many ways, and that their style can be more subdued. In my overall experience, French people are often not as glamorous as Americans imagine them. We’re all just people, after all!
Give a 2 euro coin to a bus driver and take it to a random stop. Don’t forget to say “au revoir, merci” as you’re getting off of the bus. It’s such a small and cute thing that everyone does in order to acknowledge the humanity of others.
Take note of street names that are often named after very complex French people. Which one do you want to make your best friend? I am randomly deciding to befriend Marguerite Long, and I’m thrilled after finding out that she was an internationally-known pianist.
Find some hydrotherapy. France is known for its thermal water healing programs, and in general, there is a surprising amount of water that you can come into contact with all over—even in cities. Beaches, rivières, bays, streams throughout the mountains, fountains, etc.
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A week in the Basque Country
My husband (still crazy to write that word!) and I ran away to the Basque Country again this week to celebrate his birthday and to spend time with his family. I worked remotely as usual during the week, but tried my absolute hardest to maximize our beach time afterward. It all went by way too quickly!
We ate dessert on four separate occasions in one day. We had a sunset beach picnic. We went to an 80s-themed party, but everyone was dressed like it was the disco era of the ‘70s. We took part in a spontaneous Basque sing-a-long at a restaurant one night. My favorite was Saturday’s unexpected tour around the mountains—with paella and gateau Basque in Bera, visited some mini Basque horses, explored an old witch town, and stumbled upon a festival in Sare. Formidable !! Here are some shots from the week.
The Spanish town of Zugarramurdi is devastatingly quaint and beautiful, but it holds a dark history. My in-laws told us all about the town and its Basque witch trials (the longest trial in history) while walking us around the spots. As I was listening to the stories, the thought was stuck in my head: I’m 100% certain that I would have been tried as a witch in those days.
Then off to Sare, which held a completely different mood! A surprise festival instead of witch caves!
I remember Jb telling me about a parade-type event that he saw as a kid that had massive sheep with even bigger bells attached to them. He described the sound ringing and being absolutely elated. He couldn’t remember what they were called or the context. We were so surprised to see the sheep people when we arrived in Sare’s center. They weren’t real sheep after all, just wonderful costumes! The sheep people—known as the Joaldunak—are: “dressed in sheepskins and tall pointy hats with massive cowbells hung on their backs, these men, and now women, march between the towns of Zubieta and Ituren in Nafarroa. Other revelers dress in outlandish costumes, representing the evil spirits they all want to drive away.” Usually they come out in February, but in this occasion, they were the starting runners in a race for children. I’m still trying to research and soak up all of the cultural nuances of this. I’m constantly learning while living here! What I can report is that as a complete outsider who was experiencing this for the first time, it felt so energizing to be hearing the deep-ringing, borderline aggressive bells, to see the folklore costumes, and to watch little kids race—all with a beautifully historic backdrop. I loved every second!
It was a breath of fresh air to see that women are allowed to be Joalduns now—especially after hearing about women being murdered for suspicious witch behavior in the 1600s. This lady made me feel stronger:
More photographic details from the week:
Naturally, I spend a lot of time daydreaming about what it would be like to live in the Basque Country. It’s something we’re really weighing the pro and cons of at the moment. If it happens, I think you’ll be seeing more waterfront adventures, tiny Basque houses/horses, more parades, and lots of newly-discovered reading spots.
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“Rentrée scolaire” is in full force here—French vacations are ending and school/work are back in action this week. Lots of movement and planning. I FEEL IT. Good luck, bonne chance !!
Kelsey Rose
"The truth is that Italy is not really filled with tourists, not even at the height of the season. The problem is that all of the visitors have gathered in the same eight places, sometimes even the same sandwich shop, at the same time." amen! Loved this 🥐
Such a nice post, I loved that original Italian version and was thinking all the way through reading it about what the French version would be, as I live in Paris. I totally agree with point 7 too, as a Brit I think Brits and Americans have got the wrong end of the stick about French style – it’s not about glamour at all, it’s chic and understated and to look like you have tried is the worst of sartorial crimes. If you want glamour, you want Italy! I had to laugh at point 5 though, they definitely know you’re not French!