Perception?

[Finistere]

Hi everybody, What are your perceptions of France? Is it beret wearing, striped shirt, selling onions from a bike or is it something else? All views appreciated and I won't take offence, this is tongue in cheek not serious. Kit

[Liam]

Great wines, cheeses, ancient castles, vineyards, farm land, crowded busy cities, out door cafe's, quaint villages....and of course baguettes!

[Jock Scot]

We were in Northern France a few weeks ago and then stayed with our French friends in Normandy and have been regular visitors over the years, although I cannot say that I know France as a whole.

I have never seen a striped(hooped) shirt, bike riding, beret wearing Frenchman with a string of onions around his neck, not even in the 1950's. They appear to be just as scarce as kilts in the Highlands of Scotland! We try to avoid large cities, but have done Paris on occasion.

So rural France is a beautiful place, they look after the countryside well and wearing my farming hat, the farming is impressive. The French roads are first rate and they show huge respect for the Allies efforts in WW1 & WW2. The food is gorgeous, but perhaps on the basic side in rural areas and my impression is that the French rural community are very much like the Highlanders, they keep themselves to themselves, but are polite and helpful if required. I recognise quite easily the same look on French faces as I see in Scotland, the faintly amused, with a tinge of not totally comprehending why anyone should visit the area and a vague acceptance that the tourists are part of their lives whether they like it or not!

The one thing that stands out and really impresses us, they know how to drink! I don't mean binge drinking either. Drinking is a social affair and whilst there is no shortage of wine, cider, calvados to hand, the French can make a super lunch last most of an afternoon without everyone falling under the table, pie-eyed!

We could easily live in Normandy. Well, I suppose we used to a long time ago.

[Finistere]

We were in Northern France a few weeks ago and then stayed with our French friends in Normandy and have been regular visitors over the years, although I cannot say that I know France as a whole.

I have never seen a striped(hooped) shirt, bike riding, beret wearing Frenchman with a strinzg of onions around his neck, not even in the 1950's. They appear to be just as scarce as kilts in the Highlands of Scotland! We try to avoid large cities, but have done Paris on occasion.

So rural France is a beautiful place, they look after the countryside well and wearing my farming hat, the farming is impressive. The French roads are first rate and they show huge respect for the Allies efforts in WW1 & WW2. The food is gorgeous, but perhaps on the basic side in rural areas and my impression is that the French rural community are very much like the Highlanders, they keep themselves to themselves, but are polite and helpful if required. I recognise quite easily the same look on French faces asright thppe in Scotland, the faintly amused, with a tinge of not totally comprehending why anyone should visit the area and a vague acceptance that the tourists are part of their lives whether they like it or not!

The one thing that stands out and really impresses us, they know how to drink! I don't mean binge drinking either. Drinking is a social affair and whilst there is no shortage of wine, cider, calvados to hand, the French can make a super lunch last most of an afternoon without everyone falling under the table, pie-eyed!

We could easily live in Normandy. Well, I suppose we used to a long time ago.

Thanks Jock Scot for the reply, I live in rural area and your right they tend to keep themselves to themselves, the only time we really have a good chin wag is on the "Fete des Voisins" Neighbours party, we all bring food and drink, its a lovely custom. Kit

[Peter Crowe]

Hi everybody, What are your perceptions of France? Is it beret wearing, striped shirt, selling onions from a bike or is it something else? All views appreciated and I won't take offence, this is tongue in cheek not serious. Kit

My experience of visiting France is limited to Bordeaux when I was a small boy in 1970, travelling to Switzerland through eastern France with an overnight stop at an hotel about an hour south of Paris with the Scouts at age 15 in 1981, and a week's break in Paris in February 2000 with my wife. I have French relations by marriage and Franco-Scottish and Franco-English second cousins. I also have French friends with whom I studied at the University of Glasgow.

My impression of France is much like a lot of Scots, a place I regard with affection which has a culture with which I find links to my own. For example I was brought up within the Church of Scotland which owes much of it's reformed tradition to a Frenchman (Jean Cauvin/John Calvin), I studied for an MA Honours and LLM degree at an Ancient Scottish University and can see the influence of French civilisation on Scotland's traditions of philosophy and law (Duns Scotus, John Major/Mair, George Buchanan and David Hume all spent significant time either at the University of Paris or frequenting Parisian salons, and in law terms like Advocate/Avocat etc.).

In short I regard France as a major centre of western civilisation in thought, manners, gastronomy, fine arts, fine wines, brandies and aperitifs, and like central and northern Italy in joyous good living. Purely a coincidence but the French language form of my name is the same as a famous French dramatist from Normandy, Pierre Corneille.

[Finistere]

My experience of visiting France is limited to Bordeaux when I was a small boy in 1970, travelling to Switzerland through eastern France with an overnight stop at an hotel about an hour south of Paris with the Scouts at age 15 in 1981, and a week's break in Paris in February 2000 with my wife. I have French relations by marriage and Franco-Scottish and Franco-English second cousins. I also have French friends with whom I studied at the University of Glasgow.

My impression of France is much like a lot of Scots, a place I regard with affection which has a culture with which I find links to my own. For example I was brought up within the Church of Scotland which owes much of it's reformed tradition to a Frenchman (Jean Cauvin/John Calvin), I studied for an MA Honours and LLM degree at an Ancient Scottish University and can see the influence of French civilisation on Scotland's traditions of philosophy and law (Duns Scotus, John Major/Mair, George Buchanan and David Hume all spent significant time either at the University of Paris or frequenting Parisian salons, and in law terms like Advocate/Avocat etc.).

In short I regard France as a major centre of western civilisation in thought, manners, gastronomy, fine wines, brandies and aperitifs, and like central and northern Italy in joyous good living.

Thank you for your reply, Yes there are numerous connections between France and Scotland that go back hundreds of years and maybe even earlier. Kit

[cessna152towser]

I have visited France many times, Calais, Lille, Paris, Orleans, Bordeaux, Agen, Dinard, Chamonix, Evian, Annecy etc.
My experiences are generally positive although as with all large cities you need to have your wits about you in Paris. I once had a suitcase snatched by an Arab in Paris and another time I missed the TGV train on which I had a reservation and had to travel on a different service which necessitated standing in the end vestibule all the way from Paris to Dijon.
I really do like the French people whom I have generally found very friendly. Generally I enjoy French foods though I have never tried frog's legs or escargots.
It does help that I speak the language, having taken French as my second language at school and later studied French Law in French Language as a post-graduate subject at Institut Francais in Edinburgh.
I was very active in town twinning during the nineteen seventies, eighties and nineties, Paisley with Villefranche, Hawick with Bailleul and Jedburgh with Malestroit. I was legal officer/manager of my local Town Hall for some years and my opposite number, Jean Andre, Le Greffier de l'Hotel de Ville, Bailleul, was a regular guest in my house. I also co-hosted a group of French lawyers from Montargis.
I've done the Paris to Versailles road run from the Eiffel Tower to the Palace of Versailles and found the French joggers very friendly.
My impressions of France are generally very favourable. One of the most impressive memories was climbing up Le Dune de Pilat near Arcachon. Fond memories too of spectating at impromptu Boules games in the Bois de Boulogne.
I was last in France in July 2014 when I spent a few hours in Charles de Gaulle Airport en route to Germany, but planning a return visit to Mont St. Michael in July 2016.
The only place I have seen "Onion Johnny" with his bicycle, beret and onions is here in Scotland, and even then I haven't seen an Onion Johnny for several years now. I assume they only dress up like this to advertise their French produce as I have never seen anyone dressed like this in Hawick. Perhaps they no longer come to Scotland to sell their onions.

[Finistere]

I have visited France many times, Calais, Lille, Paris, Orleans, Bordeaux, Agen, Dinard, Chamonix, Evian, Annecy etc.
My experiences are generally positive although as with all large cities you need to have your wits about you in Paris. I once had a suitcase snatched by an Arab in Paris and another time I missed the TGV train on which I had a reservation and had to travel on a different service which necessitated standing in the end vestibule all the way from Paris to Dijon.
I really do like the French people whom I have generally found very friendly. Generally I enjoy French foods though I have never tried frog's legs or escargots.
It does help that I speak the language, having taken French as my second language at school and later studied French Law in French Language as a post-graduate subject at Institut Francais in Edinburgh.
I was very active in town twinning during the nineteen seventies, eighties and nineties, Paisley with Villefranche, Hawick with Bailleul and Jedburgh with Malestroit. I was legal officer/manager of my local Town Hall for some years and my opposite number, Jean Andre, Le Greffier de l'Hotel de Ville, Bailleul, was a regular guest in my house. I also co-hosted a group of French lawyers from Montargis.
I've done the Paris to Versailles road run from the Eiffel Tower to the Palace of Versailles and found the French joggers very friendly.
My impressions of France are generally very favourable. One of the most impressive memories was climbing up Le Dune de Pilat near Arcachon. Fond memories too of spectating at impromptu Boules games in the Bois de Boulogne.
I was last in France in July 2014 when I spent a few hours in Charles de Gaulle Airport en route to Germany, but planning a return visit to Mont St. Michael in July 2016.
The only place I have seen "Onion Johnny" with his bicycle, beret and onions is here in Scotland, and even then I haven't seen an Onion Johnny for several years now. I assume they only dress up like this to advertise their French produce as I have never seen anyone dressed like this in Hawick. Perhaps they no longer come to Scotland to sell their onions.

Thank you for your reply, I remember as a young boy seeing the onion sellers in Wales and they were Bretons so communication was possible, both having a common language origin, I think the Breton fishermen would drop them off in different places, then catch some fish and come back for them a few days later, I've noted the number of places you've been too in France, what's wrong with Bretagne? just kidding. Kit