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LA BELLE VIE

La Belle Vie: Why France’s lunchtime is sacred and other French values

From the importance of lunchtime to overrated tourist attractions and French values, this week's La Belle Vie newsletter offers you an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking and living like a French person.

La Belle Vie: Why France's lunchtime is sacred and other French values
Meals are displayed before lunchtime at the canteen of the "Pierre Fanlac" secondary school in Belves on September 13, 2019. (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP)

La Belle Vie is our regular look at the real culture of France – from language to cuisine, manners to films. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to your newsletter preferences in “My account”.

Most people who have spent time in France know that lunchtime is sacred – with most French workers making sure to take a proper break to have a meal in the middle of the day, rather than grabbing a sandwich on the go.

The reverence for lunch is a time-old tradition. French people learn to value the mid-day break as children – they either go home for a proper lunch with family, or they stay at school and enjoy a multi-course meal.

So, you might not be surprised to learn that a simple PB&J probably would not fly as a lunch in French schools.

Are packed lunches really banned in French schools?

I initially moved to France as an English teacher, and lunchtime was one of my first culture shocks.

I was amazed that kids were allowed to leave school grounds during lunchtime (this was not allowed in my home state of Maryland). I was equally impressed by the quality of the meals; no rectangular, cardboard-tasting pizza slices in sight.

Aussie-in-France Sam Goff had a similar first impression when she sent her kids to French state school.

Do French kids get the best school lunches in the world?

The impression that French people spend a lot of time at the table is backed by statistics. The OECD found that the average French person racks up two hours and 13 minutes per day (including weekdays) of time at the breakfast/lunch/dinner table, which was higher than Italians, Greeks and Spaniards.

Unsurprisingly, Brits and Americans also spend a lot less time than the French do enjoying meals.

Long lunch and leisurely dinner: Why the French spend twice as long eating as Americans

It is easy to stereotype French values as ‘cheese, wine and pastries’, but they are deeper than that. If you apply for citizenship here, you will likely be asked to name la devise (the country’s motto): liberté, égalité, fraternité

But the true French values – those that foreigners are expected to abide by – are outlined in the country’s constitution.

Explained: What are ‘French values’?

One clear French value is secularism (laïcité). France approaches the separation of church and state in a unique way that can sometimes be difficult for foreigners to comprehend. 

There are also a lot of seeming contradictions – for example, most of the country’s public holidays are Catholic in origin. The reason these have stuck around might have something else to say about a not-so-official French value – an appreciation for time off.

Reader question: Why does secular France have so many Catholic holidays?

With their many vacation days and bank holidays, the French are known to travel around their own country. In fact, domestic tourism makes up the majority of the country’s tourism-related profits. 

But the French know to avoid certain spots. Last week, we asked readers which places they would recommend staying away from, as well as the places that they would recommend visiting instead.

What are the most overrated tourist attractions in France?

Member comments

  1. I think that what sealed my Naturalisation interview was when I was asked for a traditional French dish & I answered “Boeuf Echalotte” – she was so surprised, & even her colleague in the next ‘box’ poked her head round so see who was this knowledgeable foreigner! So I told them that Echalotte was ‘en promo’ at Auchan that week & they should get down there asap.

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LA BELLE VIE

La Belle Vie: Why the French eat snails and idioms to sound like a local

From idioms to learn to sound more French to why French people eat snails and readers' least favourite French dishes, this week's La Belle Vie newsletter offers you an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking and living like a French person.

La Belle Vie: Why the French eat snails and idioms to sound like a local

La Belle Vie is our regular look at the real culture of France – from language to cuisine, manners to films. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to your newsletter preferences in “My account”.

I have a specific ritual in place when family and friends come to visit me in Paris – I always take them to a ‘Bouillon’ restaurant.

Bouillons are restaurants from the late 19th century and early 20th century that were known for cooking inexpensive traditional French plates. They were sort of akin to dining halls and catered to the working class. These days, there are several Bouillons in Paris, including the Bouillon Chartier Montparnasse, which first opened in 1903.

Revealed: The hot French dining trend that is traditional, cheap and delicious

In my opinion, they are a great way to introduce people to the French classics – from œufs mayonnaise to bœuf bourguignon and plenty of ‘gratins‘ – at an affordable price.

And of course – escargots are on the menu, and I always encourage my friends and family not to turn up their noses, but instead to taste the delicacy in its delicious butter-garlic sauce.

Don’t ask Google, ask us: Why do the French eat snails?

Les escargots are quintessentially French, but interestingly enough they have long been considered ‘impossible to breed’.

But recently a Japanese man took it upon himself to crack the code to farming escargots, and after four decades of trial and error, he now calls himself the ‘only person in the world’ to have discovered the secret to farming snails.

Japanese man, 76, discovers secret to farming French snails

While I wouldn’t eat snails every day, I have come to really enjoy them, so I was delighted when only 13 percent of our readers ranked them the ‘worst food in France’.

The winner – with over 34 percent of the vote – was the stinky sausage andouillette. Of course, andouillette fans say if you get past the smell, the sausage itself is delicious. I count myself among those who struggle to get past the smell.

Readers reveal: What are the worst foods in France?

While they may be classics, I have never been offered andouillette or snails at a French person’s home. Perhaps my sample size is not representative of the whole of the country, but I get the impression that these foods are more common in restaurants than as everyday dishes.

As such, you’ll have no issue avoiding them if you want to, but it will be difficult to avoid meat and cheese altogether in France. 

The country has become more vegetarian friendly in the last few years, and many stores now offer meatless burger patties and even vegan cheese. In my personal experience, there still remains a bit of confusion between pescetarianism and vegetarianism. 

‘Call the restaurant’: Your tips for being vegetarian or vegan in France

Those concerned about animal welfare may be turned off by some of France’s favourite idioms, namely the expression avoir d’autres chats à fouetter (to have other cats to whip). 

Don’t worry, this shouldn’t be taken literally. It’s just the French equivalent of ‘having other fish to fry’.

Fat mornings and whipping cats: 10 idioms to help you sound more French

And finally, this edition of the Belle Vie newsletter is coming out in a unique moment in French history, as the country gears up to vote in snap parliamentary elections following a startling victory by the far right in the European elections.

As the next few weeks unfold, you may want to review our helpful vocabulary guide to follow along. 

10 essential French phrases to help you understand France’s snap election

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