1) Where are the best places to go antiquing in France? There are many places to go antiquing in France, and each of them have something for everyone. How is that for a broad answer. Though with that said if you want to go to a market the best days to go are on early Saturday or Sunday mornings.
My favorites are the international antique fairs (in Lyon, Beziers, Avignon and Montpeillier), St Ouen, L'Isle Sur La Sorgue and the brocante in Vanves in Paris.
If you are coming to France and want to go antiquing check out this link… Antiquing in France. It shares the dates, place, and type of antique fairs in France. I use it every weekend.
photo: A corner in my house. Each item was found from a different brocante in France.
2. How long did it take you to learn French?
All along the way, that is how long it has taken me. I am a slow learner, languages do not come easily to me. There are certain French sounds I cannot master. Yes, I have an accent. A thick juicy accent that screams foreigner. I have never been treated badly because I am an American, most people do not guess I am American. I guess that is because most Americans are tall.
I learned to parlez French by living in France. When I was pregnant I learned vocabulary about my pregnancy by hanging out in the waiting room. When my children were little I listened to them converse in French at the Parc Bagatelle. When they went to school I picked up other words. When I had cancer my French improved out of fear of not knowing what was going on. Though I truly learned to speak French at the French Brocante- antique fairs it is amazing when you have passion for something how far you will go to understand everything about it. Language helps.
3) What is the main difference between French and Americans? In a nutshell and in general, I think Americans are more about "to have" and French tend to be more about "to be". Does that make sense?
More to come about everything French, and the questions you asked…. But right now I need to finish making the fig jam….. Ah to be and to have!
—————————————————————————————— Four hours later, fig jam is complete. Now where were we…………..
4) What do you miss most about home in the states now that you live in France?
When you live in a foreign country you will learn the language, learn their culture, cook their food, sing their songs and eventually laugh at their jokes. But when you first live in a foreign country you will miss the smallest things from back home the most… for me the things I missed the most where so silly I can hardly bring myself to tell you… let's just say you will miss the smallest things because it is easier to cope with than feeling your heart breaking because you aren't there fo your Mother's birthday, or your niece's birth, or your best friend's wedding, nor any of the unending list of important dates that will come every month for the rest of your life.
5) Are your children bi-lingual?
Growing up bi-lingual doesn't just happen. It takes dedication, a great deal of patience and often repeating words, over and over again. French husband speaks French to the children, and naturally I speak English to them. It makes for interesting conversatioat meal time.
Last night I helped Sacha with his English homework. He is a junior in high school. He had to recap a part of Shakespeare's and one of Brownings Sonnets. Then he had to find the similar thread between the two of them.
I felt like I spoke Greek when I twisted my brain around that one!
6) Do you go to the market and bakery everyday?
I could they are in walking distance from my home. But I don't because I would rather buy for the week. I do not go to the bakery everyday for one simple reason… I do not want to weigh a ton.
7) Do you drive? For seven years I didn't drive, I walked. When my first child was born I went on foot with a pousette (stroller) to the market, the bakery, the dentist, the post office… had baby would travel. The pousette was my means of transportation. I developed arm muscles for the first time in my life. I did most things that were close to my home.
Now that I drive I tend to go further and further away, when I could find what I need right around the corner. That is one thing about France– the villages and cities are set up in a manner where what you need is usually in walking distance from where you live. It is practical. I tend to drive around because I like the adventure and the change of pace.
Postcards from Provence. More to come in the days ahead.
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