Here is a list of our TOP 50.
100 seemed too long to attempt and we'd be guaranteed to see our subscriber list decline if we tried it.
1. Love the bread.
2. Love the butter.
3. Hate how much bread and butter we are eating.
4. Love the white wine from Burgundy, the rosé from Provence and the red from Bordeaux.
5. Love love love the beer, it is everywhere, it is cheap, it is cold, it is not uncommon to have one at 11am in a café, God bless you France.
6. Hate that the bathroom scales over here seem to add GST.
7. Hate that everything, other than restaurants, close for 2 hours over lunch.
8. Love that the French, and us, have an exceptionally long lunch, why not - everything is closed!
9. Love that it is ok to BYO croissant into a café, or Pizza into a bar for that matter.
6. Hate that the bathroom scales over here seem to add GST.
7. Hate that everything, other than restaurants, close for 2 hours over lunch.
8. Love that the French, and us, have an exceptionally long lunch, why not - everything is closed!
9. Love that it is ok to BYO croissant into a café, or Pizza into a bar for that matter.
10. Love that they love food so much, it is their favourite thing to plan, shop for, prepare, cook, eat, discuss, repeat.
11. Hate that waiters are so nonchalant, they are more likely to spend their time chatting to friends in the café, fellow waiters, maybe admiring the view, or simply dodging eye contact while completing menial tasks rather than attending to customers.
12. Love that said waiters are 100% ok with a 0€ tip.
13. Love that restaurants only take one sitting for lunch and one sitting for dinner. Who would want to turn tables and double their takings.... ?!
11. Hate that waiters are so nonchalant, they are more likely to spend their time chatting to friends in the café, fellow waiters, maybe admiring the view, or simply dodging eye contact while completing menial tasks rather than attending to customers.
12. Love that said waiters are 100% ok with a 0€ tip.
13. Love that restaurants only take one sitting for lunch and one sitting for dinner. Who would want to turn tables and double their takings.... ?!
14. Love that every café in every town that has the spot nearest the fountain is called Café de la Fontaine.
15. Love the notion of Plat du Jour, whatever the chef decides to cook on the day - always seasonal, always fresh, it is the cheapest dish you'll find on the menu and typically delicious.
15. Love the notion of Plat du Jour, whatever the chef decides to cook on the day - always seasonal, always fresh, it is the cheapest dish you'll find on the menu and typically delicious.
16. Love the near-cliché moments, we hear voila and bon appétit at every meal.
17. Love the Ice Cream, aka "Ime", from Elliot.
17. Love the Ice Cream, aka "Ime", from Elliot.
18. Love the lavender.
19. Hate the bees in the lavender.
20. Hate the wasps. Alison was ambushed and done got herself bit right on the arm.
19. Hate the bees in the lavender.
21. Love the shutters on every house, they look good and are extremely functional! I need them at home!
22. Hate the Mistral winds, we've copped them in both autumn (felt like arctic winter) and now summer. They do send you crazy.
22. Hate the Mistral winds, we've copped them in both autumn (felt like arctic winter) and now summer. They do send you crazy.
23. Love strolling through the markets every other day.
24. Love the fruit, it tastes like fruit.
25. Hate the villages who's markets have chased the wrong sort of tourist dollar and stock fake NY hats and fidget spinners.
26. Love hearing Elliot say Au-voir when we leave a shop.
24. Love the fruit, it tastes like fruit.
26. Love hearing Elliot say Au-voir when we leave a shop.
27. Hate that everyone in France smokes, especially hate it when it is next to children.
28. Hate, but laugh, that a lot of the younger generation 'vape'.
29. Love the language, it is beautiful, even the most boring of sentences are somewhat poetic.
30. Hate however that we've only learnt un petit peu more French in 100 days, although the lessons are happening!
28. Hate, but laugh, that a lot of the younger generation 'vape'.
29. Love the language, it is beautiful, even the most boring of sentences are somewhat poetic.
30. Hate however that we've only learnt un petit peu more French in 100 days, although the lessons are happening!
31. Hate the rationale behind their numbers... 98 for example... quatre-vingt-dix-huit. Literally 'four twenties, ten and eight'.
32. Love that the sun here sends you brown, not pink.
33. Hate however, that sunscreen costs around $22 a bottle.
34. Love the freeways, 130 is the most common speed limit, and it seems the French prefer to consider it a minimum speed.
35. Love the respect shown for lane choices on the freeway, seriously impressive. The M5 could learn a thing or two.
36. Hate the tolls, 3 lanes open to 24 toll booths, stop and collect a ticket, 24 booths merge back to 3 lanes. However many kilometres later, repeat sequence to pay for your journey. Average toll circa 12€, or $17.50!
37. Love that the French drive a Renault, Citroen or Peugeot. Nothing else.
38. Hate the traffic in July, even compared to June, it is bad! I'm dreading August.
39. Love the book A Year In Provence - and love reading it while in Provence!
40. Love Aix-en-Provence and Saint Remy de Provence.
41. Hate Cavaillon. Peter Mayle was right when he called it the 'Chicago of Provence'.
42. Love the children's park in Salon de Provence. It's probably the only decent playground in France.
43. Hate the public toilet situation, would be better if we were all in nappies i think.
33. Hate however, that sunscreen costs around $22 a bottle.
34. Love the freeways, 130 is the most common speed limit, and it seems the French prefer to consider it a minimum speed.
35. Love the respect shown for lane choices on the freeway, seriously impressive. The M5 could learn a thing or two.
36. Hate the tolls, 3 lanes open to 24 toll booths, stop and collect a ticket, 24 booths merge back to 3 lanes. However many kilometres later, repeat sequence to pay for your journey. Average toll circa 12€, or $17.50!
37. Love that the French drive a Renault, Citroen or Peugeot. Nothing else.
38. Hate the traffic in July, even compared to June, it is bad! I'm dreading August.
39. Love the book A Year In Provence - and love reading it while in Provence!
40. Love Aix-en-Provence and Saint Remy de Provence.
41. Hate Cavaillon. Peter Mayle was right when he called it the 'Chicago of Provence'.
42. Love the children's park in Salon de Provence. It's probably the only decent playground in France.
43. Hate the public toilet situation, would be better if we were all in nappies i think.
44. Hate that so many towns just close down entirely on a Sunday, and some on a Monday too.
45. Love the way the French greet each other, 3 kisses before you can start your conversation.
46. Love that we are living in a village of 150 people, and that the Mayor lives across the road.
45. Love the way the French greet each other, 3 kisses before you can start your conversation.
46. Love that we are living in a village of 150 people, and that the Mayor lives across the road.
47. Hate that only two of the ten nearest towns to us have an ATM.
48. Love that we are writing a blog and that some of you are reading it! (we hope)...
49. Love that we have about 170 days still to go, but hate that we only have about 170 days to go.
50. Love more than anything else that Elliot is smiling so much each and every day - more than we have ever seen before :)
S & A
48. Love that we are writing a blog and that some of you are reading it! (we hope)...
49. Love that we have about 170 days still to go, but hate that we only have about 170 days to go.
50. Love more than anything else that Elliot is smiling so much each and every day - more than we have ever seen before :)
S & A
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51. I hate that I'm not there!!!
Hi guys, I am absolutely loving your blog! It's such a nice escape for us pasty white Sydneysiders sitting in a cold office under fluorescent lights. I can almost taste that croissant, smell that lavender and feel that sun! Keep enjoying every moment of this incredible adventure. Vive la France!
Santé! Annabelle xx
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