When comparing our lives here in the south of France to our lives in San Francisco & New York, it's no surprise that there are many major differences, but sometimes it's the little differences that we notice.
Maybe it's just the town where we live (Pézenas, in the Hérault, Languedoc-Rousillon), but it's very common to hear people whistling as they walk down the street. I can't remember the last time I heard anyone in the U.S. whistle. Maybe it's just easier to hear when there isn't constant noise from traffic, & I'm sure the sound bounces off the old stone buildings, but I don't think that's the reason. I think it's just that whistling is a forgotten art in the U.S. (& likely elsewhere as well). Hearing someone whistling a tune as they go about their daily activities brings a smile to my face.
French kids seem to have a different approach to playing -- they actually interact with one another, run, kick a soccer ball, laugh, etc. American kids seem glued to their TV/computer/video games/electronic devices or are reliant on organized activities & have lost the art of pure play. It's quite common to see very young (3 or 4 years old) children riding a 2-wheel bike without training wheels. I can't imagine an American parent even thinking of allowing that. In fact, I'm sure they don't even make 2-wheel bikes that small in the States. It's pretty rare to see anyone -- adult or child -- wearing a helmet while riding a bike, & there are definitely no laws requiring them.
Speaking of youngsters, most American parents wean their tykes off the pacifiers (dummy or soother to you Brits) at a fairly young age -- not here. Seeing a child of around 5 or 6 with a Nuk in his mouth would be considered strange in the US, but not in France. I wonder what it does to the way their front teeth come in.
......and then there's the dog poo. Sigh...... I cannot fathom why people who are otherwise clean, sometimes fastidious, allow their pooches to leave little "gifts" whenever & wherever they please. Hasn't anyone heard of picking up after their dog? The worst was when I was leaving the house one day, & just as I was about to put my foot down I noticed (just in time!) that some pooch had left a gift for us, smack-dab at the bottom of our front step. Ugh!! If you're not going to clean up, please do not allow Fifi or Fido to poop right in someone's doorway. People around here probably think I'm rude or highly introverted because when I walk I generally look down hoping to spot every pile of poop before my foot finds it. A friend sent me this image & it's so true!
Vive la différence?
What little differences have you noticed?
One thing I've learned after living in France for over 2 1/2 years is that things here can be inconsistent, especially when it comes to the French bureaucracy. As an American, it is necessary for me to register with the government to obtain a Carte de Séjour -- a residence permit. My first permit was issued in early 2012, not long after we arrived in France. If you wish, you can read the blog post about getting my first Carte de Séjour: Titre de Séjour -- I'm Official!
My first card was due to expire in April 2013, so in January it was time to start gathering the paperwork I'd need for the renewal. In France, each préfecture -- the administrative office for a region -- does things a bit differently. Here in the Hérault, one makes appointments online, which is a great means of avoiding having to queue up early & stand for hours, hoping to see the right person before the office closes for the day. From the stories I've heard from people living in other parts of France, this is a huge advantage.
Once the appointment was set it was time to get my dossier together, so I went in search of the correct document checklist. The préfecture's website has nearly 50 different checklists, & that's just in the étrangers (foreigners) section of the site. I went through the list repeatedly, & finally narrowed it down to a small handful, but I still wasn't sure which was correct, so I asked a friend who understands French better than I do & who has had more experience with the infamous French bureaucracy, & she was not sure either. Between us, we made our best guess. I had nearly 1 month to get my paperwork in order.
The appointment was set for the day before we left for a holiday in Morocco, so the days leading up to the appointment were hectic. One thing I learned was that one should bring absolutely every piece of paper that could even remotely relate to the process, just in case the fonctionnaire deems it necessary, so every meeting at the préfecture means hauling multiple folders.
When my name was called, Chris & I went in to the small office with the woman who would -- hopefully -- approve the renewal of my card for another year. It turns out I had printed the incorrect checklist, but instead of sending me home with a scolding, she simply went into her computer & used the online version of the list & entered all my information directly. So far, so good. She started coughing, so I offered her a mint for her throat, she accepted with a smile, & then she happily went along, entering my information. In France, small courtesies can go a long way.
In under 30 minutes we were done, keeping fingers crossed that all would be okay. If there was any document we had not provided, or something that needed to be translated, they would let us know by mail (using the stamped, self addressed envelope I provided, saving the government a few centimes). We were very lucky this time because the next notification I received was that my card was ready to be picked up when the old one expired, & I didn't have to pay for it. The card usually costs more than 100€, & this was a pleasant surprise. The only glitch was that I went to pick up the card on the exact day my old card expired, but the new one wasn't ready until after that date, so I had to make a 2nd trip to pick it up.
Fast forward to 2014.....As before, I made my appointment & printed off a checklist, gathered all the necessary documentation, & headed to Béziers for my appointment. This time we were greeted by a grumpy fonctionnaire & I could feel my palms getting sweaty & my heart racing because I was suddenly sure this was not going to go well. He seemed a bit perplexed because I don't fit into the typical immigrant status (American spouse of a citizen of the EU). He was so difficult to understand, both because of his strong regional accent & the fact that he mumbled, & I worried that he would think I was either an complete idiot or had absolutely no understanding of French (not that my French language skills are brilliant, mind you). He asked for something that wasn't on the checklist, but I came prepared & was able to give him what he needed.
About halfway through the appointment one of his colleagues came in to ask a question, the answer to which neither was really sure. They seemed to be making fun of another immigrant's situation, which really made me nervous, thinking what power this guy held over me, an immigrant in his country. Yikes!
At the end of the meeting we left & both of us were sure something would go wrong, but there was nothing to do but wait to see what news we would get in the mail. This time the news was even better -- no fee for the card, & it didn't have to be renewed for 3 years, in 2017! I have heard so many horror stories about dealing with the French bureaucracy, but I have to say that I have been pleasantly surprised each & every time, other than one slightly grumpy guy.
After a long -- 2 years -- hiatus, we're blogging again, this time with a focus on food. There are some foods in France that we assumed were the same as in the U.S., but that's not always the case.
For example, celery in France is not generally eaten raw; instead, it's used in soups & stews. Taking a bite of raw French celery, we were surprised to find out how tough & bitter it usually is. When cooked in soups & stews, the flavor & texture become milder, so it's fine in those cases, but if we want some crudités for a snack, celery is out. On the positive side, if we want to buy only 1 stalk, that's easily done.
Carrots were another surprise. The majority of carrots we find are rather fat & also have a bitter taste when eaten raw, but they are fine in soups & stews. At the market I search for the skinniest carrots I can find, which can take some digging. We occasionally see bags of miniature carrots (which are ubiquitous in the U.S., but unusual here) but have yet to buy them. Aside from their high cost, we worry that they will still have the same bitterness as the large carrots, but in a smaller format.
Most potatoes in the U.S. have a relatively high starch content; not so with most potatoes in France. They are either waxy (like new red potatoes) or watery when cooked. We made our favorite potato salad recipe but it wasn't quite right because it really needed the starchiness of Idaho potatoes. From time to time we find bintje potatoes at the weekly market or buy a bag of specialty potatoes at the grocery store, but mostly we don't eat baked potatoes or make American potato recipes. When we want convenience foods, there are several yummy frozen potato preparations -- duchesse, noisettes, mashed potatoes, etc.
Corn on the cob is something we really miss. While driving across certain parts of France we've seen huge fields of corn, bit it's rarely seen in the grocery stores, & I've never seen it at our weekly market. It turns out that the fields of corn were a different strain of the veggie, destined to become animal feed. On the occasions when we see corn on the cob at the store, it's imported (usually from Africa), of inconsistent quality, & expensive enough to be considered a treat. It's easy to find canned corn (Green Giant is definitely the best brand), so we know the French eat corn, but usually in salads. Actually, corn has only been considered edible within the past 40 years or so; before that, it was used almost exclusively as animal food.
We won't even write about French beef because it's been covered over & over again by many ex-pats.
Canned, condensed soups are not sold here. Soups are either in cartons or jars (not condensed), or are dry soup mixes. A common soup in the in the south of France is soupe de poissons (fish soup), & several variations can be found in any grocery. But -- no clam chowder, so we'll definitely make sure to eat some the next time we're in the States.
On the plus side, duck breast, rabbit & pheasant are easily found & not considered delicacies. Chicken here actually tastes like chicken used to taste in the U.S. because it's not overbred & force fed. We can buy different kinds of chicken -- yellow (corn-fed) chickens, chickens for stewing, for roasting, etc., as well as coquelets (about the size of a Cornish game hen). Eggs are so much better here -- they have taste & are fresh, unlike in the States where they sometimes sit in refrigerators for 6 months before they get to the supermarkets. Here, they are not even in the refrigerated section of the store. All eggs here have brown shells, not white.
It's quite common to see meats in small packages in the grocery store -- a single pork chop or chicken breast cutlet. Not everything is super-sized, which is great when there are only 2 of us.
Then there is the wine....We live in the Languedoc, the world's largest vineyard, so we are surrounded by wine. Walk or drive nearly anywhere around Pézenas & you will see vineyards. Wine is not considered a luxury here & wine snobbery is not as prevalent. Many local residents buy their wine "en vrac" (in bulk). Simply bring your plastic jug (5 or 10 liters) & have it filled at the tanks. Our local wine cooperative (here's a link to their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/lescaves.moliere.1) sells 4 varieties of everyday bulk wines at great prices -- around 1.20€ per liter (white, dry rosé, merlot, red table wine). Their bottled wines are quite good as well. They are certainly not the only caveau in the area that sells wines this way; it's the norm around here.
Little by little we are getting used to the differences & are embracing them, but right now we are craving a dinner of American steak, corn on the cob & baked potato.
Life has been moving along here in Pézenas. Spring has finally arrived, & we are glad to be rid of the freezing winter weather. The trees are no longer bare, & the grapevines are now fully covered in beautiful green leaves, making the countryside beautiful. The shops here in town have re-opened for the season, & the town has come alive. Tourist season is kicking into high gear & there is much more life and energy in Pézenas.
Also, we have found our new home and are getting ready to move. This wasn't as easy as you might think. We had decided to rent rather than buy, giving us more flexibility if we want to move at some point in the future. The real estate market here is suffering from some of the same challenges as in the U.S. & we did not want to be stuck with a house we could not sell in the future. Renting seemed to be the best option for us. Well, it would be if we had income here in France. Our income is all from the U.S. In a nutshell, because of rental laws, it is very difficult to evict a tenant, and landlords carry certain insurance, which they cannot get if the tenant does not earn an income from a French employer. We spoke with several rental agencies; one told us it was impossible to rent, & another wanted us to put down an additional deposit equivalent to one year's rent. This was getting expensive & difficult. We also looked into renting directly from owners, but the few places we looked at were pretty awful.
Then, through a friend, we found a great apartment here in Pézenas. Our friend knows a couple from New Zealand who live in the building, & they had faced the same problem, but the owner decided to take a chance & rent to them. He opted to simply not take out the insurance -- such a simple solution, but one that puts a landlord at risk.
After looking at their apartment (theirs is 3 bedrooms/2 baths, ours is 2 bedrooms/1 bath, but with a similar layout), we decided to look into it. We spoke with the owner, sent him our financial information (proof of income, etc.) & he agreed to rent to us if we like the apartment. We then made an appointment with the agency to view the apartment & decided it suited our needs perfectly. After a few more phone calls & visits to the agency and the apartment, we signed the lease & will be moving sometime during the first week of June, as soon as our household goods arrive at the port & clear customs.
The building has a long history -- the first parts of the building were built in the 14th century, with later additions over the following century. It was fully renovated 2 years ago, with lots of attention to detail. It's bright & cheery & gets lots of sunlight. It's in the old part of Pézenas, full of charm, winding streest, & great shops. We look out onto a small plaza, see rooftops, the church steeple, & the hills beyond that. There is a glassblower's shop across the plaza, & he sometimes moves his work outside the shop, so we get a free show from the window. There is a great little café/bistro downstairs & around the side of the building, & a number of other cafés & restaurants just a few steps from our front door. It's the best neighborhood in Pézenas. The only downside is that we have to walk up 2 flights of stairs, but I like to think of it as getting daily exercise. In our current house, everything is spread over 3 floors, & some days we go up & down 20 times, so it's really not much different.
Because apartments in France rarely come fully equipped, we went shopping for a fridge & oven (there is an electric cooktop installed already). We also bought a TV & a DVD player. We need some lamps as well. Appliances here are much more expensive than in the States. One thing the apartment has that is unusual is closets. We have a big closet in each bedroom, & a fair amount of cupboards in the kitchen.
The Internet service package we started last November (which we'll be moving to the apartment) includes TV, but as our current house has satellite TV, we never activated it. Yesterday we picked up the converter box for the TV, & when the TV is delivered (along with the fridge), they will install it. Can't wait! I just hope we can move the main Internet equipment & phone ourselves without any problems.
We're busy notifying everyone about our new address, but also needed to notify La Poste, and request mail forwarding service. In France, it is not free. We paid 23€ (about $30) for 6 months of forwarding. The U.S. may be the only country that offers this service for free. On the other hand, we notified our French bank of the move, & we do not have to pay to get new checks printed.
Next on our agenda is telling the local police the date the movers will be here (for traffic control & permitting), & to find out if the same situation applies to delivery of the fridge, etc.
Well, that's it for now.
This is a post from Holly:
Yesterday was a big day for me.....I picked up my titre de séjour. I learned so much about the process from other Americans who have gone through it -- mostly that no 2 people have the same experience -- & I wanted to share my experience here, in the hopes that it will help someone else.
A little background: I am a U.S. citizen, & my husband has dual U.S.-Irish -- hence EU -- citizenship. Before leaving the States I went to the French consulate in San Francisco to submit my long-stay visa application. A couple of steps into the process (fingerprinting, photo, payment), they reviewed my application & noticed that my husband has Irish citizenship & I was told that because of a recent change in the French laws, I did not need the visa. I was elated, but repeatedly asked the guy for confirmation. He must have thought I was crazy, but I wanted to be absolutely sure. He asked a colleague & confirmed, gave me a refund, & handed most of my paperwork back to me. In hindsight I realized I should have asked him for a letter (in French, of course) stating that I had applied, but they determined that I did not need the visa. Lesson learned: Get it in writing!
So, I happily went about the rest of my preparations for the move to France.
Upon arrival here I went to the mairie in Pézenas, registered my arrival & picked up the paperwork for the titre de séjour. They questioned my lack of visa, but when I told them what I had been told at the consulate, they shrugged & said OK. Here's where having a letter from the consulate would have come in handy.
When I submitted my titre application at the mairie (a very friendly, patient & helpful mairie by the way), she again commented on my lack of long-say visa, & again shrugged when I told her what I was told in SF. She said that it was up to the sous-préfecture, & we should wait to see what they say. By the way, someone had told me that the sous-préfecture in Béziers was tough & not helpful, but I did not find this to be the case.
Then, about a month later, I got a notice to appear at the mairie. When I showed up, I was told 2 things:
1) I needed to pay 110€ (in timbres fiscaux) for the visa, even though the consulate told me I didn't need it. Actually, they were letting me off easy here, as by this time, I had exceeded the 3-month legal stay for a non-EU citizen (though as the spouse of an Irish citizen, I'm sure I had a bit more leeway). I did not have to submit visa paperwork, just the payment.
2) I needed to get my fiscal/income/tax documents translated by an official translator. They did not need translations of birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc. I'm glad I didn't spend the money unnecessarily here. Note: I decided not to get any documents translated into French before my first submission. One thing I learned from others is that there is absolutely NO consistency in this requirement, so I decided to pay only for the translations I was told I needed.
A few days later I went back to the mairie with the newly translated documents & the payment. She reviewed everything & said that because I did not convert the dollar amounts into euros, she is not sure that the sous-préfecture would accept the paperwork, but suggested that she send it on anyway, as one never knows.
Then, 2 days ago, just 2 months after I started the process, I got the great news in the mail. My titre was ready! All I needed to do was bring 230€ in timbres fiscaux & my passport, show up at the sous-préfecture, & the card is mine. Yippee!!
I had read so many stories of struggles,uncooperative bureaucrats, etc., so I was prepared for a nightmare. In reality, everyone was helpful & patient, & it all went smoothly & took less time than I expected. I don't know whether having a spouse who has EU citizenship made it any easier, or whether I was just lucky, but I'm certainly not complaining.
Now, of course, I have to start working my way over other bureaucratic hurdles, but today I am breathing a big sigh of relief.
As you might imagine, life in a village in Languedoc is not the same as life in the San Francisco Bay Area. Here are just a few of the differences we've noticed so far, with more to come in future posts.
When we make errors in our French (an all-too-frequent occurrence), we are gently corrected in a way that does not embarrass us. For instance, when in a boulangerie to buy a loaf of bread, I asked for un baguette & the boulanger repeated our request correctly -- une baguette, as though she were confirming our order, rather than correcting us. The same thing happens when we mangle our pronunciation of a French word. We have yet to run into a situation when they snickered or pretended not to know what we were saying.
Speaking of stores, when entering a store one is always greeted -- "Bonjour monsieur" or "Bon soir madame", not only by the staff, but usually by the other patrons as well. When leaving, it's the same thing: "Bon soirée" or "Bon journée."
The polite greetings, however, do not always translate to what Americans would call customer service. For example, we went to the local Carrefour (large grocery on the edge of Pézenas) recently & wanted to purchase an item we saw in the sale flyer. We looked where we thought it would be & didn't find it so we went to the customer service counter to ask where we could find it. The young woman there looked at the ad, shrugged & then asked a colleague. The 2 of them pointed vaguely in the direction I had already looked, but I went there again, in case I missed it the first time. When I didn't see it there, I returned to the counter & was given yet another shrug but no further assistance. Keep in mind that the Carrefour is a rather large store & there are many items. The good news is that I eventually found it myself.
Driving here is different. One-way streets & signs indicating "no left turn" seem to be mere suggestions. Drivers will often tailgate, sometimes honking the horn, & will pass at the earliest opportunity, only to drive even more slowly than you were in the first place. If you are going to need to change lanes to exit it's a good idea to do so long before you have the need, as drivers here are not always generous in allowing you to move in front of them. They, of course, will cut in front of you without giving it a second thought. One evening, on our way back from a couple of days in Provence a driver tailgated dangerously & swerved around our car at the last second, nearly pushing us off the narrow country road. Defensive driving is the rule. On the positive side, when someone parks in the middle of the street, people don't seem to get upset -- they merely back up & find an alternate route.
The concept of forming an orderly line (queue if you are British) is hit or miss here. When boarding a bus it becomes a free-for-all, with everyone bunched up at the door, trying to be the first to board, and absolutely no consideration for the elderly or infirm waiting to board. Nobody pushes or shoves or argues & everyone gets on the bus. If boarding a bus or train that is already fairly full, people "of a certain age" or frequently offered seats, more often than in the US. At the grocery yesterday the line for one of the cashiers came from 2 separate directions simultaneously. We guess it all worked out, but we never saw the entire thing because when another cashier opened we made a mad dash & were out of the store shortly after that. We have to say, though, that everyone seems calm & takes it all in stride.
We're not sure whether prostitution is illegal here. There is one road we travel frequently that has many prostitutes standing or sitting along the side of the road, waiting for business. It is out in the open so we wonder what the law is here. In the States, one generally only sees prostitutes in really bad neighborhoods -- & only when the police feel like allowing it. Here, it seems like a part of everyday life & it's taken in stride. Attitudes toward sex & bodies are definitely different in France than in the US.
Speaking of bodies, it's not unusual to see a man urinating in a parking lot or against the side of a building. It's viewed as a natural act, & not something to hide. I'm a bit ambivalent about this.
Shopping malls: Just as in the US, at malls here you'll find "mall rats" -- teens hanging out. Of course, the malls have the usual mix of stores, cafés, cinemas, etc. One thing we've seen at malls here that we've not seen in the US is farm animals. A couple of months ago we were in a mall & heard strange sounds, so we walked down the hallway & around the corner to see what caused the noises. We were surprised to see 100 or so cages of large birds -- every sort of chicken/rooster imaginable, some of which were quite bizarre-looking, as well as some pheasant, geese, peacocks, etc. They were apparently for sale, but it had also become an attraction for local school groups. Too bad we didn't have our camera with us that day.
Then, yesterday, we were in a different mall & saw a crowd gathered around a small fenced-in area containing farm animals....sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits, a squealing pig, etc. It was a sort of a petting zoo, & the timing of the display was probably to coincide with the school holiday & the children were really enjoying it. To be honest, having always lived in major metropolitan areas in the US, we're not entirely sure these displays are uniquely French, or whether similar things can be found in small towns & rural areas in the US.
Holidays & fêtes: There seems to be an endless calendar of holidays & fêtes here, some religious, some national, some specific to a town or village, & the majority of them seem to have a specific food or pastry associated with them. There is a cake for Christmas (bûche de Nöel), a different one for Epiphany (galette du roi -- similar to New Orleans Mardi Gras king cake) with a favor/charm baked inside. The person who gets the piece of cake with the charm inside is declared king & wears a paper crown. One interesting trivia fact is that the galette served to the President of France does not contain a favor because since the revolution of 1870 the French constitution states that nobody living in the Elysée Palace will wear a crown. There is a different pastry for St. Blaise (the local patron saint), & crêpes are served for Candlemas. Beignets -- similar to donuts, but without the hole -- are the pastry eaten at Mardi Gras. Foie gras seems to be the favorite food for all celebratory occasions, & oysters (along with lots of other shellfish) are de rigeur for New Year's.
Today was a big day for me (Holly) because I submitted my paperwork for my titre de séjour (residence permit). The dossier (file) was dropped of at the mairie (city hall) who reviewed the contents to ensure everything necessary was included & will send it on the the sous-préfecture in Béziers for processing. Now the waiting begins....Waiting to either receive my titre or find out what else I need to submit. I'm sure there will be something. We've read a lot about the process & have found that many things are inconsistent. For instance, so far nobody has asked to have documents (birth certificate, etc.) translated into French by an officially certified translator, but the paperwork has not yet reached the sous-préfecture. At some point they will no doubt let me know how much I need to pay for the titre; time will tell. Our fingers are crossed. By the way, if all follows what we've read, the process will have to be repeated yearly, at least until I am granted a 10-year titre. Update: Just got a call from the mairie & they said that they think my titre won't be granted yet because we only have a 7-month rental contract while we are looking for our permanent residence, but it's up to the sous-préfecture to decide. She made a note on my paperwork stating that we are searching for our new/permanent home.
ANOTHER UPDATE: It's 2 weeks since I submitted my paperwork & today I received a letter from the mairie, asking me to appear in person. There is no mention of a specific date or reason, nor did they request additional paperwork (the section asking for additional documentation was crossed out), so my guess is that they either have a question, or will ask me to provide official translations of several of the English-language documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.) submitted with my application. This isn't a huge problem, but it will cost a fair amount of money. I heard about one person who was called back to the mairie because his signature on the application wasn't exactly within the black lines, & he had to sign a new form. Fingers & toes are crossed that it's nothing more drastic than that, because my mind is swimming with scenarios...They won't process the paperwork until we have proof of our permanent address, & this will delay things for several additional months.....They want some sort of paperwork/documentation that I am unable to provide....They reject my application outright........They want me to pass a French language proficiency test.....I could go on, but I'm starting to scare myself.
YET ANOTHER UPDATE:
Just got back from the mairie regarding my carte de sejour, & here's where I stand:
1) I need to get translations for my US financial/bank/income information -- but not for my birth certificate, etc. Am busy researching official translators.
2) It appears that either the French Consulate in San Francisco was wrong, or the sous-prefecture in Beziers has a different opinion, but it turns out I DO need a long-stay visa after all, at a cost of 110€. In hindsight, I wish I had asked the guy at the consulate to give me something in writing saying that I did not need a visa because my husband has EU citizenship.
Once I get those things taken care of, they will review my application. The woman at the mairie was patient, helpful, & sympathetic.
Next on the bureaucratic agenda are: completing the car registration process (still driving with California license plates) & health insurance.
We're having a cold spell here. It's noon & according to weather.com the temperature is only 31°F, but with wind chill it feels like 19°F. This is not normal for the south of France & we wish it would get warmer. Brrrrr.....
Some good news:
We've written in an earlier post about the abundance of dog poo here, which seems to appear out of nowhere & multiply with alarming rapidity & which seems to escape the daily street cleaning machine. This morning we saw a guy with a broom sweeping up the poop. Of course, it had little effect on what's been driven over or stepped on, but at least the newer "packages" were removed. Also, the major construction project on the street around the corner from our house seems to be nearing completion. Much of the heavy equipment is gone & it looks nearly ready to pave. Once it's done, walking on Rue Anatole France won't resemble an obstacle course that is dangerous, difficult to navigate, noisy & makes your shoes dirty.
We finally arrived in Pézenas, our home town for the winter. The first 2 nights we spent at a B&B where we received the warmest welcome from Robert & Isa, our hosts, who went out of their way more than once to help us. It was Sunday evening & we found that dining choices were pretty limited, a preview of things to come. We ate at a Breton restaurant in the cellar of a 14th century building. The salads were some of the best we've ever had, but the galettes (buckwheat crêpes) went mostly uneaten. Wine was inexpensive & good. Portions in France have changed radically over the last 20 years and, sadly, are imitating the American "more is better" style.
On Tuesday we got the key to our house & went to look at it before bringing our luggage, etc. From the outside it is essentially a tower, 3 vertical floors, one room per floor. It was built around 1640 at the height of the Religious Wars when houses were built both for comfort & defendability. Like most houses in the area it has a beautiful wrought iron balcony.
We came inside & found that the ground floor is decorated nicely with a large wood table & chairs, a small sofa & a corner kitchenette. There isn't quite enough room to cook gourmet food, & the stove/oven are not great. There is a washing machine (no dryer); we used it once but gave up using it because the spin cycle does not work & the clothing comes out clean but dripping wet. There is a laundromat within walking distance, but it is very expensive.
Up the first flight of winding stairs is the living room, shower room & WC. Again, it's tastefully furnished, but don't look too closely at the Ikea quality. On the top floor (again up a winding staircase) is a large, sunny bedroom overlooking the roofs of Pézenas.
There are, however, a few "interesting" features here. There is air in the pipes so every time the toilet flushes it sounds very much like the beginning of the Kirk Douglas movie, "The Vikings", when the ships come into the fjord & someone blows on a 10-foot horn trumpet to signal their arrival. It seriously can be heard blocks away.
The shower leaves something to be desired as it has a starburst shower head that only drips; the hand-held shower nozzle works, but feebly. The room that has the shower & sink is barely large enough for one person. Aaahhh.....We are growing fond of it.
Our television is interesting in that the Irish owner of the house bought Sky TV & we can have our choice of English-language news channels which all have the identical news feed, except for RTV, the Moscow-based English language Russian news station. The have a very different take on news events & we wish everyone could see this.
One thing that didn't make us happy when we first got here was the weather. It rained every day for the first 3 weeks. We were told it was not normal, but it was still depressing & made it difficult for us to walk around town or do anything. Luckily, things have gotten better, weather-wise.
We are only 2 short blocks from the small shops in town & the weekly Saturday market, which is famous in this area. There is a large (bigger than most Safeways) grocery on the edge of town, about a 7-10 minute walk, & there are some other groceries, etc. in that direction as well.
The food in a French grocery store is generally of a quality hugely better than what you'd find in US groceries, unless you tend to buy your food in gourmet shops. This is nice & it makes us happy. If we want pheasant or duck or lamb, or any other thing that's considered a delicacy in America, it's available at every-day prices.
One not-so-great thing we discovered is that Pézenas must be the dog poo capital of France, if not the western world. Those of us who remember New York City before the pooper scooper law will have a small understanding of what we mean. New Yorkers, however, always made sure their dogs pooped in the gutter; not here. To be fair, in much of the town there aren't really sidewalks wider than a few inches so there aren't really curbs. The locals feel that leaving a gift of poop in front of your door is a nice gesture. We've learned to look down when we walk & wipe our shoes well when coming into the house. To be fair, most houses have shoe scrapers on the outside -- not ours. The Piscenois seem to really love dogs, because it looks like nearly everyone here has one.
Our laptop battery ran out of juice shortly after we arrived in Pézenas, & our small 220/110 converter blew, so we were without a computer. This was a disaster so we quickly bought a new laptop. The challenge is that the keyboard is different & the commands, etc. are all in French.
Also, our Rosetta Stone language software is loaded on our US laptop & the discs are in storage in the Bay Area, at least until our furniture & household goods arrive this spring. This means we have fallen behind in learning French, but it's amazing how many things we've managed to accomplish. We arranged for Internet & phone to be installed, we bought a new cell phone, we opened a bank account, got car insurance, mandatory rental insurance & are getting our health insurance. There are still many bureaucratic hoops to jump through, but we're taking them one at a time.
We discovered that public transportation in Pézenas is limited. There is no train station & there are only a few bus routes here. This was more important to us between the time we returned the rental car & when we picked up our car at Le Havre.....More about that in a future post. Meanwhile, here are a few photos of Pézenas that we took shortly before Christmas.
