More Chinese haters of France. In this case, it’s a taxi driver that is refusing Frenchmen and dogs. What about French women? French children? Are they turning away French poodles? Bichon Frisés? The noyve.

I don’t think France cares too much if she’s hated but don’t you wonder why China is picking on France specifically - when there have been boycotts all along the world path of the Olympic torch? What about England? What about the U.S.? Japan? They tried to trample the Olympic torch, too.

And, and, and, what did dogs do to deserve that? Can’t we all just get along?

Apparemment non.

I know these Chinese guys didn’t mean for this to be funny and for all intents and purposes it isn’t funny, but still…

They just don’t GET it.

Hey, and Napoleon’s a pervert!

Related: Olympic Torch

Seen near Bordeaux, France

Tags: france, bordeaux, simply+market, strange+english, french, supermarkets

This parking lot sign has two messages. In French, you simply pay for parking at the machine before getting into your car. The English version is different. It starts out nicely and politely with the “Could you…” No question mark at the end though, but anyway. THEN! Lucky Anglophones, it gets even better for you. You see, if you speak English, when you come back to the parking lot, you get to PICK a car. Don’t want to get into your own car? TAKE another.

As most people expected, Reporters without Borders did manage to get some attention during today’s Olympic torch relay in Paris protesting against China’s inhumane treatment of the people of Tibet. There was so much disruption everywhere that the last leg of the Paris torch relay was canceled.

Related: Photos from Paris Bloggers, Olympic Torch

Definitely, don’t take your horse across this bridge.

We wondered if people walking down rue de la Sagesse (Street of Wisdom) in Perigeux realize there are words of wisdom at their disposal right under their noses.
To be more accurate, the words are right under their feet as they stroll down this tiny ruelle. If you see this statue of a very plump woman (actually, her face looks a lot like Jar Jar Banks with shorter ears from Star Wars), then you can take a walk down wisdom lane.
This was the only street in Perigeux that had these cute tiles.

Liberté = Freedom
Sagesse = Wisdom
Paroles en l’air = Idle Talk
Tout est Poésie = Everything is poetry
Nu comme un vers = Nude like a verse (which is more poetic than using the real saying of nu comme un ver / nude as a worm )
A vous de jouer = Your turn / It’s up to you.

Good thing we stumbled up them. The tile messages give you something to think about. (especially worms) So now we’re wiser. Maybe.

tags: france travel dordogne perigeux perigord hotels in dordogne

What is behind door number………..zzzZAPPP! (photo taken at the Palais des papes, Avignon, France)

I guess it makes sense to say “happy hours,” afterall.
(photo taken in Amiens, France)

Un sourire, c’est gratuit! / A smile is free!

Climb up the steps (Montée Chazaux) toward the Basilique de Fourvière in Vieux Lyon (Lyon’s Old Town) and just before you reach the top of the stairs, you’ll see this funny collaborative graffiti on your left.

Taking a photo of this wall earlier today made me smile.

france lyon graffiti art free smiles

They need more of these messages in France. LOTS more.

Him: You know what they need in France?

Me: What?

Him: Those awesome signs in the U.S. on trucks that say, ‘How am I driving?’ with a number to call and report dangerous truck drivers.

Me: That could be interesting if they had that in France.

Him: I’d be the FIRST to call.

That doesn’t quite roll off the tongue like “The Barber of Seville.” Anyway. While taking a walk through one of our favorite medieval villages, Autun, in Burgundy, we came across a shop window that read, “messieurs, messieurs“. (men, men) A barbershop in France! Well, SORT of a barbershop. Probably as close to a barbershop as one could get in France. Where was the barbershop pole?

Why did it look like time stopped inside the shop sometime in the 70s to become a movie set with Quentin Tarantino directing? Nevermind. Look in the display window and what do you see?

Blood splattered everywhere. Barber Shop! Then it must be so.

You see, in France, places like this attract attention because normally during that stroll down the street of French shops, you will see something to this effect: a hair salon, a lingerie shop, a shoe shop (rinse and repeat SEVERAL times over and over and over again). Ok. Once in a while a tabac, clothes store or souvenir shop will be thrown in for good measure but in general it’s the hair salon, lingerie place and shoe store or combination thereof. So, when you see a place like Mr. Barjot’s barbershop, it stands out.

Though he didn’t appear insane at all, the name: “Barjot” actually means “crazy” in French slang (Verlan), taking the inverse of jobard (crazy). He and his client were kind enough to pose for a photo. Thanks, barber (and barber’s client) of Autun!

It occurred to me that barbers might originally have been French, since “barbe” means beard (or boring: la barbe!) in French and barbers back in the day shaved beards. However. Despite being a barbershop, Mr. Barjot doesn’t do barbes.

Links: Everything you ever wanted to know about barbers but were too bored to ask

As many have mentioned before, the “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France” (The Most Beautiful Villages in France) should be on the To-Visit List. However, off the beaten track, apparently, and not to be missed are also Les Plus beaux Panneaux de France. These are the most beautiful signs and village names in France according to a kooky blog called Le Voyage de Jénorme. Some very funny signs, indeed.

Les Plus beaux Panneaux de France

Drink Wine and Live Happily

This photo deserved a post even though it’s a short one. I like how it looks like someone felt this message was so important they framed a brown paper bag with printed letters. Appropriately blurry, I thought.

Tags: france, wine, messages, drink+wine, live+happy

We saw this sarcastic sign not long ago, and a photo was in order. My rough translation: Last week, by enormous chance, we learned that even today, there are still people who throw trash on the ground!

Tags: travel, france, french, signs, pollution, environment, trash

Not to be confused with La Fête de Mai (Festival of May), A tradition from the Perigord, La Fête des Mais is a whole ‘nother thing altogether. After having seen many of these dead pine tree branches, with a French flag and a sign that said “honoring –someone–” throughout the Perigord, I had to ask what it was all about. Most of these signs said “Honoring the Owner” as in an owner of a business, but apparently, this tradition is basically applied to anyone, whether it is a person celebrating a birthday, an elected official, an owner of a new business or just about anyone else celebrating something important.

La Fête des Mai translates as the festival of the Mai trees, a tradition that goes way back when Mai trees were sacred and symbolized youth and fertility and was connected with the ancient goddess of nature, Maïa, from Greek and Roman mythology. Much later, other elements were added: a flag for victory and pride, and the sign specifying the honoree.

I happened to take a photo of one of the more quirky ones that had a strange picture of a claymation-like cowboy or something holding a gun and sporting a cowboy hat - next to a thought bubble with lots o’ dollar symbols. I guess the owner is a dollar-hungry, trigger-happy Texan…

Since when are écoles (schools) and kids dangerous? This sign was good for a chuckle anyway. Somehow we got a feeling they felt that “Attention” wouldn’t fit in the allotted space on the upper portion of the sign. Too many letters!

Tags: france, travel, french, signs, danger, ecole, schools

This would be my post entry:

Tags: france, french, puns, carnival+of+the+puns, play+on+words

As a true pastry pig, I can either smell or spot a boulangerie/patisserie from miles away. Once spotted, I make a quick beeline to the place, and fix my eyes on the display window until I get closer and closer. In this case, I walked around a corner and saw this apricot pear tarte, which was beautiful, if not different than what we usually see. Then, I looked up and saw their adorable iron bakery sign. It is just so sweet, sincere and perfect - and, doesn’t need any translation.

Tags: travel, france, boulangerie, french, bakery, pastries, iron+signs

Does this sign, tourisme seulement (tourism only), mean that only tourists can use that parking lot? We are always so baffled when we see this sign.

Maybe it’s more weathered and actually not as old as it seems. I love old signs like these in French, anyway, and wanted to post about it.

It says, “During breaks, Coca Cola quenches the best.”

[related: Old Pepsi Sign]

The part-time temp employment agency, Adia, launched a very eye opening and much needed awareness campaign encouraging employers to set aside their biases against people with physical differences, and instead, to adopt a more tolerant, compassionate and intelligent attitude. I hope prospective employers will see these ads, learn from them, then act accordingly.

Click on photo to enlarge.

Translation:

(in large letters): This girl can not do anything
(in smaller letters): without passion. It wasn’t what you thought when looking at her, was it? However, at Adia, we can always offer her part- time jobs that meet the standard of her expectations and her strengths.
(tag line): Do not rely on appearances, rely on abilities.

This is the other poster ad from Adia I saw advocating tolerance showing a pregnant woman.

Click on photo to enlarge.

Translation:

(in large letters): This woman is (dead) weight.
(in smaller letters): a heavyweight of knowledge. With Adia, she lives her life according to her own rules, deciding her own schedule and availability. Today, she chooses to carry the weight of an ambitious project that will lead to a unique experience. Tomorrow, she’ll be able to count on us to find her a balance between her professional life and her family life.
(tag line): Do not rely on appearances, rely on abilities.

Last year, Adia collaborated with France’s state unemployment office, ANPE, and began a program to help disadvantaged youth having difficulty entering the French workforce. The barriers to entry for this group are colossal because of intolerance and problems linked to racism. Adia’s work is admirable and their mission to embrace the attitude of being as socially responsible as possible and to protect human rights, is not only brave but also crucially necessary.

Tags: travel, france, french, signs, artisan, butcher, humor

Translation: Do you love nature? Come take care of me at (website).

I DO love nature yet somehow that ad doesn’t motivate me to go to the website…