From time.com:

“Call it the law that just won’t die. Six months after France’s ruling Conservatives voted to gut the nation’s famous 35-hour work week, anecdotal evidence suggests most companies are sticking with it. French corporations and smaller firms furiously denounced the Socialist’s 1998 work-week reduction, and last year’s law change allows employers to force staff to work longer hours. But most bosses appear to have stuck with the shorter week, to avoid disputes with leisure-loving employees, and, it seems, as a useful tool in dealing with the growing economic downturn.

It’s a classic example of what the French call a pétard mouillé — or soggy firecracker that fails to explode. Few of the expected changes to the 35-hour week have materialized since France’s Conservative government passed a measure in July designed to make it easier for bosses to force their employees to work more. The move retained the 35-hour week as the nominal legal reference to undercut union protest, but then rendered it nonsensical by giving employers a free hand to set far longer work requirements. So far, however, bosses haven’t seen fit to…” continue reading

When we first moved to France in 2002, I was a big snacker, as many Americans are. It was part of life and when I began searching for French snacks in Nice, it was a huge disappointment. In fact, I remember blogging about how we were able to find potato chips but only “au parfum paprika,” and other so-called different parfums, which in fact all tasted exactly like BBQ potato chips. Not knocking those, but I wanted different things to munch on, some variety in textures and flavors, artificial flavors and ingredients notwithstanding.

In the U.S., we’re used to variety, so much of it, that’s it’s hard to decide what to snack on. Having choices is good. It’s great for someone who must have a full spectrum of junk food, whether it’s good for zee health or not. Wasn’t I relieved to find Roasted Chicken Flavored Chips in France? Anyway. Another thing I’m used to, as an American, is volume. Gimme some tortilla chips, not just individual lunch bag sizes, but JUMBO, heaps of mega amounts of genetically modified corn substances and oils pressed together in the shape of triangles. Throw some in the oven with cheese and add salsa, guac, black beans, jalapenos, sour cream, onions and more cheese and voila: yummy nachos. I can eat an entire pan in one go, whereas in France, this portion would be served to at least 10 people.

On the sweet side of junk, I also needed volume. An example: I was very much a M&Ms with peanuts kind of person. Gobs and gobs and gobs of them, I would munch all day if I could.

During the early years in France, the biggest bag of M&Ms with peanuts held approximately 15.3 M&Ms with peanuts. PFFFF! I was like, “don’t make me laugh, France. I could eat 100 bags of those itty bitty things. Gimme more!” Where was the humungous bag to fill my ginormous American belly???

Recently, we saw some XL bags of M&Ms in Auchan. My sweetie noticed them and squealed XL! So, yeah, it was pretty big for French standards considering these didn’t even exist a few years ago. I was mildly impressed, but this French EEKSelle was a mere 500 grams (about 1 pound). Frenchies would probably say, “Ouah. Enorme!”(wow. enormous!) while ogling the outrageousness of its packaging. I say, “PFFF! That’s a Barbie portion.”

Last month while shopping at Costco in L.A., we saw some bags of M&Ms. Each weighed 1587.6 grams (3 pounds and 8 ounces)! Now, THAT’S what I’m talkin’ ’bout! To be honest, even I was shocked at the magnitude of the bag. But! In the back of my mind, I was thinking, “I bet there’s one that’s EVEN bigger!” I’m so American. I’ve probably watched way too many episodes of The Simpsons. (You know what episode, I’m talking about.)

We bought several. Not for me because these days I don’t eat as much junk (remember junk food is BAD for you!), but rather, for a few of our French friends who we know are ravenous M&M addicts. They were all shocked and happy with their supersized gifts, exactly what we were hoping.

But just afterward, it all made me a little worried. I hoped those M&Ms last a while and aren’t eaten right away…

While I complained about the dinkiness in size of M&Ms bags and other snacks, and the lack of variety in France, I was, at the same time, relieved that I would not have the challenge of resisting eating these as well as other junk in grand quantities. Like many people, I can’t eat just 1, or 10 or even 15. The French were known to be bafflingly skinny for many reasons, but namely because of a lack of junk foods and specifically a lack of large quantities of junk foods, or food in general – with the exception of meat at BBQs.

Sadly, times are changing in France. We found these M&Ms in the store the other day. They were size “Maxi” (whose name would obviously NOT work in the U.S.). The maxi bag is 1000 grams, just over 2 pounds. France, you surprise me sometimes. So, it’s big but there’s still a difference of about 587.6 grams, about 1.2 pounds, to catch up with their American counterpart. But 2.2 pounds is fairly large for previous French standards.

I know! This is what I was hoping for, but not really.

M&Ms is just one example but there are thousands of products that can also apply here to the obvious conclusion: an increase in product sizes will lead to an increase in consumption, which leads to obesity. This happened in the U.S. which is partly why one third of Americans are obese.

Obesity is rising already in France but I’m afraid it will only increase exponentially with the supersizing of portions and with the imports of industrial foods. In 2002, when we first moved to France 9.4% of the French population was obese. Just four years later, that percentage increased to 12.4%. That’s nearly 8 million obese people in 2006. I don’t know more current stats on obesity in France but I’m fairly positive that it’s more than 12.4%.

tags: france, french, obesity, m&ms

Pretty cool news: Beginning April 4, visitors under 25 years old, as well as professors, will be admitted into the French National museums and monuments for free. This includes Paris’ Louvre and the Musee d’Orsay. The normal admission fee for adults at the Louvre, for example, is around €9 ($12). [ via]

tags: france, french, free

From time.com:

“In addition to their more admirable accomplishments, the French are generally considered the world champions of public protesting. Whether it’s transport workers striking against tightened pension regimes, fishermen outraged by high operating costs, students battling education reform or even lawyers picketing over court closures, it seems scarcely a week goes by without some section of France’s population taking to the streets. Given that, it should come as little surprise that one boisterous French group is planning a protest rally on the evening of Dec. 31 — and demanding that the world refuse to shed 2008 to make way for a troublesome-looking New Year.

“We’re saying no to the tyranny of time, no to the merciless onslaught of the calendar, and yes to staying put in 2008,” says a man who identifies himself as Marie-Gabriel, a militant member of the Fonacon group, which is organizing its fourth annual anti–New Year protest under the slogan “2009 Stays In Its Shell.” “Last year we warned a mocking world that 2008 would be horrible compared to 2007, and we were right. This time everyone acknowledges 2009 will be terrible, so now is the moment to unite together and refuse this new, rotten year!”

As seriously bleak as 2009 is expected to be, a call to mount barricades and bar the New Year’s arrival sounds like a gag even in strike-happy France. That’s because Fonacon’s protest is decidedly…” continue reading

tags: france, french, new year

Whenever I ask French people to name some French Christmas songs, the response is always, “Petit Papa Noël.”

“What else!???” I ask.

Silence.

There MUST be more than that, right?! Until I find out and let you know about them, here’s a silly version of Petit Papa Noël with ukeleles performed by the French group, The Unlimited Ukelele Orchestra. Fun.

Click on the image or here to watch it.

tags: france, french, Petit Papa Noël, french christmas songs, ukelele

Some people choose Nutella, others, like my in-laws, prefer to spread Buttella on their tartines / toast. Appetizing!

tags: france, french, nuttella, buttella

From timesonline.uk:

“Eliete Gomes Ricardo cooks, scrubs and irons. She will also shine your shoes, pop out for a bottle of champagne in an emergency and buy a bouquet of flowers for your wife if you have forgotten your wedding anniversary. She might also save the French economy.

Mrs Gomes Ricardo, for instance, is among ten or so gouvernantes employed by Axeo to help the well heeled with the travails of daily life. Like her 19th-century counterparts, she ensures that her customers are dressed, fed and spotless. Unlike them, she goes to work in….”

Continue reading

tags: france, french, economy, french maid wine

Thought you’d enjoy this bit of French zizi (penis) trivia:

From bild.de:

“Sacre bleu – it’s not only their baguettes that are the longest! French men have the lengthiest and thickest penises in the EU, according to a new study.

And their traditional British rivals across the English Channel will be spluttering into their tea to discover that their pride and joy comes in 23rd place at 13.32cm (5.2 inches) long and 11.32cm (4.5 inches) around – only ahead of Ireland and Greece!” [source]

Related: 205 ways to say penis in French

tags: france, french, longest penises, europe

It’s Cyber Monday! Regrettably, France doesn’t have a Cyber Monday (POURQUOI!?) but just in case you didn’t know about it, it’s like Black Friday, but without the angst and panicked flooded crowds pushing-shoving-stampeding to get the best sale deals of the year. Cyber Monday is an online shopping day with many internet merchants offering free shipping with those hard-to-beat sales – a much calmer shopping experience.

From wikipedia:
The term Cyber Monday refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday, the ceremonial kick-off of the holiday online shopping season in the United States between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. Whereas Black Friday is associated with traditional brick-and-mortar stores, “Cyber Monday” symbolizes a busy day for online retailers. The premise was that consumers would return to their offices after the Black Friday weekend, making purchases online that they were not able to make in stores. Although that idea has not survived the test of time, Cyber Monday has evolved into a significant marketing event, sponsored by the National Retail Federation’s Shop.org division, in which online retailers offer low prices and promotions.

It’s one of the best ways and days to shop for holiday gifts without the hassle.

tags: cyber monday

Apparently parents haven’t been too concerned about kids’ safety on the internet because I’m afraid some unpleasant things have been taking place in France, and Europe in general. I don’t know the specifics and we probably don’t really WANT to know what’s been going on, but the government is on to something and has produced some public service announcements called ““Où est Arthur ? La sécurité des enfants et des adolescents sur internet”” (Where is Arthur? Childrens’ and Teenagers’ Safety on the Internet). The spots have been translated in 12 European languages and will be airing on TV and radio during Christmas time.

This PSA, created by Le ministre du travail, des relations sociales, de la famille et de la solidarité, should be a frightening reminder to parents that there are lots and lots and LOTS of scary and CRAZY people out there that can easily get into contact with their kids. Beware, please! Click on the photo above or here to watch the video.

tags: france, french, internet safety, french psa

[Merci Martin!]

Previous dialogues: Dialogue entre Barack Obama et Nicolas Sarkozy, Dialogue entre Sarah Palin et Nicolas Sarkozy, Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Anne Sinclair, Francois Hollande and Maxime Bono, The Dalai Lama and Carla Bruni, Michael Phelps and Alain Bernard, Sarkozy and Qaddafi, Laurent Voulzy and Alain Souchon, Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy, Johnny Hallyday and Sylvie Vartan, Tom Hanks and Jean Reno, Daniel Balavoine and Francois Mitterrand, Florent Pagny, Zidane and Xavier Darcos

tags: france, french, air france, air france pilots, strike, la grève

Contact Air France if you have a flight scheduled this weekend.

From ap:

“Air France warned on Wednesday of significant disruptions to flights during a four-day French pilots strike set to start Friday.

Air France said it expected nearly half of its 833 scheduled mid- and long-range flights Friday to be canceled, and possibly more long-distance flights later.”

tags: france, french, strike, air france, grève, travel

From iht:

“Misshapen fruit and vegetables won a reprieve on Wednesday from the European Union as it scrapped rules banning overly curved, extra knobbly or oddly shaped produce from supermarket shelves.

For 10 other types of fruit and vegetables, including apples, citrus, peaches, pears, strawberries and tomatoes, shape standards will …”

Continue reading

tags: europe, france, vegetables, misshaped, eat your veggies

From japantimes:

“This year’s first shipment of Beaujolais Nouveau arrived Friday at Narita and other airports in Japan, with worldwide sales of the French wine set to kick off Nov. 20.

Japan, one of the first nations able to taste the fresh, young red, which is traditionally drunk at midnight, is expected to import only 6.48 million bottles this year, down 20 percent, according to Asahi Breweries Ltd., a major importer and distributor of the wine.

This year’s batch has a good combination of ample fruitiness and moderate acidity, partially due to the sunny and cool weather the Beaujolais region received in September, the company said.

“Although pricey bottles, including those from select farms, tended to be a topic of conversation until last year, reasonably priced standard bottles may gain popularity again this year, partly because of an economic downturn,” a company official said.

On Thursday, Aeon Co. said it will offer this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau at a discount, thanks to cost-cutting efforts and a strong yen.

Aeon said its “special” Beaujolais Nouveau will hit store shelves in 750-ml plastic bottles instead of glass, and priced at ¥1,780, undercutting the average market price of ¥2,000 to ¥3,000.

Aeon said the discount was made possible by an arrangement that allows it to purchase the young wine directly from the winemakers.

Aeon said it will not accept advance orders for the wine and it will be available only through its 255 Jusco supermarkets in Honshu and Shikoku, it said.

But advance orders will be allowed for other imported Beaujolais Nouveau products, and the company will give out discount tickets worth ¥100 each for those.”

[via]

Related: Beaujolais Nouveau Wines to be in Plastic Bottles Because it’s Good for the Environment???, Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais Nouveau – November 17

tags: france, french, beaujolais nouveau, japan

Still in a state of hazy happiness about the election results, I just want to scream and I will find it difficult to focus on any work today. We will HAVE to celebrate with our friends; no question about it. They will simply have to cut work, like us.

I’m particularly proud of my district, where I cast my ballot. DC had the highest percentage of Obama supporters: 93%. This is the last place I called “home” in the U.S. six years ago before embarking on my new encounters of the French kind.

Since leaving the U.S., we’ve been fortunate to be able to spend about 6-8 weeks a year in the U.S., but each time we went to visit, I had overwhelmingly conflicting feelings upon arrival: on one hand, I was ecstatic to see family and friends but on the other, there was always a lingering sense of shame and disappointment about what the country had turned into in the last decade or so and particularly, in the last eight years of the Bush administration. The country seemed to be falling apart at the seams and a high sense of morality and honesty was loudly absent. I hated this latter feeling. Pathological greed became the status quo, the environment and the food chain continued to be poisoned and people in need of attention were clearly ignored.

Despite this steep downward spiral to the bowels of American hell (ok, I exaggerate a little), the French who I met always kept a positive perspective on the U.S. I don’t know how but they did, and they seemed to express an undying optimism for “America.” I wondered. Are we talking about the same place? Then, I heard the French expression, “C’est L’Amérique!” and thought, oh, ok, you get it and it IS a terrible mess to you.

“Oh no! “C’est L’Amérique!” is positive. It is more of a declaration of hope and accomplishment. You know, The American Dream.”

“Whoa, really??? In the U.S. ‘That’s America’ usually has a more negative connotation. If you find some outlandish event or backward thinking anomaly somewhere, you might hear with a sigh, “That’s America.”

Happily, it has a completely different meaning in France. The French never gave up on Americans! C’est L’Amérique! And today their expression is even more meaningful.

tags: france, french, french expressions, C’est L’Amérique, obama

Val de Reuil, located just south of Rouen has expressed their Obama love with this hard-to-miss billboard. I thought that was kind of cool.

tags: france, french, obama, val de reuil, yes we can, french billboards

The Cafe de la grande bourse is probably one the best placed cafes in Nimes, one that offers a good view of the colosseum and a main side walk, perfect for people watching. It had been a while since I was in Nimes, and it looks like over the last 5 years or so, they’ve cleaned things up tremendously, and it’s now a nicer place for walking and sightseeing.

tags: france, cafe, nimes, colosseum, arena

This spot for a new Dominos pizza was on the other night, and it made me realize that it’s so France specific. You wouldn’t find the French La Savoyarde pizza (topped with light Crème fraîche, Mozzarella, smoked fatty bacon, potatoes and a very strong smelling Reblochon cheese) in the U.S. just like you wouldn’t find the very American Bacon Cheeseburger Feast Pizza in France.

I suppose you wouldn’t find the “Orientale” in the U.S. either, which is topped with some veggies and “double merguez.” See the French Dominos Pizza List versus the American Pizza List.

Another silly bit of trivia I found was that you can order Côtes de Provence Rosé, an AOC wine, at any of the 136 Dominos in France. Yeah, there are THAT many in France!

tags: france, french, dominos france, la savoyarde, pizza

Over several years now, a strange thing has happened in France: the coffee started to suck. Yes, there were cafes that served terrible coffee forever, but for the most part in the early 2000s, it was still flavorful, very drinkable sludge espresso. It was French coffee, the coffee that I expected to have each time I came to France. I liked it, and the quality was very consistent from cafe to cafe. So when we moved to France six years ago, I was happy to be able to live the cafe experience, meeting people, hanging out, watching passers-by and sipping tasty coffee as often as I pleased. I used to always be surprised that I wouldn’t get the shakes if I had a double shot. However, soon afterward, I began not really enjoying my cuppa because of a declining quality, and in some cases, I developed a strange rash from drinking some brands of coffee, not to mention, getting the shakes (which I get when I drink American coffee). Slowly and surely, I reduced my consumption of coffee, and today, I don’t drink any coffee, whatsoever.

I miss it but I can’t seem to find anything I like. Apparently, I am not alone.

More and more people have stopped going to cafes, which has forced many cafes to close. In fact, since the beginning of this year, 610 cafes in France have closed their doors to the public forever. They just couldn’t make it. Many of these cafes had been in business for many generations.

Why did this happen? Expert have found many reasons that have played a contributing role, but for me, ultimately two were responsible, and it’s specifically these reasons that acted as the final coups de grace:

1.) The Case of the Free Coffee Machines – In the early 2000s, thousands of cafes were offered “free machines” for their establishments. “Free” is not entirely accurate and this “free” had heavy strings attached. In exchange for the free machines, the cafes were obliged to use coffee supplied by the company that offered the free machines. Guess what? That coffee is CRAP, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out which company offered the free machines. (see appropriately numbered, number 2 below)

2.) Good coffee companies were bought by evil corporations – There is no doubt in my mind that corporate mergers brought quality down in coffee; it happened right before my very eyes and taste buds.

There are other factors why cafes have shut down.

3.) People stopped going to cafes. Why? The coffee sucked! Also #4 below.

4.) Weak Purchasing Power – Crazy inflation occurred when France turned to the euro. Prices went up but salaries did not. That said, even with less money to dedicate to little luxuries, I feel that people would still frequent cafes if the coffee was good.

5.) The popularity of home coffee makers using capsules – I hate these with a passion, and I hate that they have become so popular. I don’t care what they taste like because I find them to be very unfriendly to the environment. So wasteful. Why oh WHY did George Cluny agree to do those “What Else” spots? Doesn’t he CARE? Having said that, I think people in general were looking for alternatives to find more tasty coffees since they couldn’t find them at the cafes.

6.) The Smoking Ban – Since smoking is no longer allowed in cafes, that has hurt businesses in a big way.

Related: Dirty Secrets of a Paris Cafe Waiter, What happens when Europeans watch too much American TV, Bamboo Coffee Filters,

tags: france, french, coffee, cafes, end of a french tradition

According to an advice author French women don’t sleep alone because they have a knack for attracting men. Apparently, American women don’t have this knack. Um. Ok.

From topnews:

French women have “an effortless gift for attracting men” that American ladies lack and need to learn, says author Jamie Cat Callan, in her forthcoming advice book.

In her “ French Women Don’t Sleep Alone”, which is due to hit the shelves in March, the writer tries to guide American ladies to learn from their French rivals who have a natural flair of pulling men.

“French women don”t listen to Dr. Phil”s advice,” the New York Post quoted Callan, as saying in the book.

It said: “They don”t worry about the care and feeding of their boyfriends . . . American women are trying too hard – and the results have been grim.

“On the contrary, French women”s love lives are romantic, sensual, playful, complicated, intense and positively epic.”

tags: france, books, french, French Women Don’t Sleep Alone

From bbcnews:

“…They are angry that the law does not allow them to use more modern hair-removal techniques on their clients.

On Monday hundreds of beauty workers – estheticiennes – demonstrated outside the health ministry in Paris to demand that the industry’s governing regulations be brought up to date.

They accuse dermatologists and other professional groups of waging a turf war to keep out new competition.

“French beauticians are the only ones in Europe…..” Continue reading

tags: france, french, beauticians, protest, hair removal

The dish, Moules Frites (mussels and fries), is practically an institution in France, which should be reason enough to sample some while you’re here, best eaten near the sea of course. These are from a brasserie called Le Belvedere in the southern seaside town, Saintes-Maries de la Mer, which is considered the capital of the Camargue.

We had a nice view of the beach and sea, sitting outside in the warmth of the provencale sun, munching on our moules and perfectly fried fries. (The restaurant had friendly service and reasonable prices, too.) What a great way to forget about the global financial deterioration spreading quickly around world…

Le Belvedere
21 Avenue de la plage
13460 Saintes-Maries de la mer France
Tèl : 04.90.97.92.87

tags: france, french, camargues, Saintes-Maries de la Mer, moules frites, Le Belvedere , beach

From iht:

“The French have always found American elections amusing, in a horror movie sort of way. They grumpily regard the American president as in some unfortunate sense also their own, but they see the campaign through their own cultural lens.

These two surprises, one after the other, have refreshed clichés retailed under President George W. Bush, confirming the deeply held belief of the French that the United States remains the frontier, led by impenetrably smug and incurious upstarts who have little history, experience or….” Read the rest

tags: france, french, view of america by the french

We heart Apple season (well I guess we heart all seasons) where we live and this wheelbarrow is about the third one of apples we’ve harvested in the last month or so – from only one tree. By the way, if we didn’t live here in the countryside I probably wouldn’t even be familiar with the French word for wheelbarrow, which is une brouette, just in case you were wondering. My city dwelling family members in the U.S. tease me about this to no end (because I used to be such a die-hard city person), and they sometimes tell people that I am a farmer now. I’m not but I’m actually fine with that.

So many people just leave their apples to drop off and rot on the ground, I mean hundreds upon hundreds of precious, yummy pesticide-free apples, which makes no sense to me but whatever. We can never have enough apples; bring ‘em on, we say.

So far, I’ve only made pectin (with the greener ones), apple compote, and lots of apple (plus other fruit and veggie) juice, but I really would like to try to make some chaussons aux pommes (French apple turnovers) and some tartes aux pommes (apple tarts/pies). You know, do something French with these apples, since they’re French afterall. Maybe I’ll try making something this weekend if I’m not too lazy.

tags: france, french, apples

From Timesonline:

“France may be home to some of the world’s finest wines but it could be about to join the tiny club of Muslim states that forbid their promotion on the internet.

Winemakers and other players in the drinks industry are fighting to avert a ban on advertising, sales and even vineyard websites that has been looming ever since a court ruled that the internet should be included in France’s strict laws regarding alcohol advertising.

The Heineken beer company was forced by the ruling last February to block French access to its corporate site. Since then, some of the biggest drinks brands have shut out French visitors for fear of prosecution. “Today in France, the sight of a bottle of wine has become as offensive as a picture of war or pornography,” said Daniel Lorson, a spokesman for CIVC, the industry body of champagne producers.

The industry complains that it is being demonised and that an internet ban would penalise hugely one of the glories of the French economy and the national heritage. A click from France on Courvoisier cognac, for example, elicits the message: “Sorry, the regulations of your country do not authorise us to give you access to our site.”
Web users from France are even banned from dropping in on Orlando wines in South Australia, because they are owned by France’s Pernod Ricard drinks group. The site does, however, welcome visitors from Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

Even the…. Read the article

tags: french, internet ban on advertising alcohol, strange