When Visiting France

            

Things to do when visiting France:

Buy a stack of postcards, and ask the baker, the waiter, the bus driver, the cafe owner, the lady with a poodle... to write a note for you to mail to your friends back home. In French of course.

Go to the open market, buy a baguette, some olives, a bottle of wine, some fruit and cheese. Have an impromptu picnic.

Dance on the streets.

When visiting Paris, take bus #69 from the Eiffel Tower until Pere Lachaise, and back. Every time the bus stops take a photo.

Go skinny dipping in the Mediterranean.

Collect the ordinary, the little treasures that often are disregarded.

Learn to say three words in French: MERCI-thank you, BONJOUR-hello, and OUI-yes.

Strike up a conversation...by asking for directions, even if you know your way around.

Take a paint set and paper, hike to the top of St Victorie and paint a homage to Cezanne.

Write a love letter and slip it under the mattress in a bedroom at Chateau de Chenonceau or your hotel room.

Record church bells.

Sign up for a cooking class. Or go to a grocery store and ask someone how they make a Tarte de tomate. 

Take a deck of cards and play card tricks at a cafe.

Find me at the brocante.

 

 

Comments

[Paris Flirt]

I went for a picnique on &^%$# Mont St.Victoire...
It's covered in THISTLES!
Ma derriere has yet to recover
So DON'T sit down what ever you do.
Now where so I find this light fantastic?
Is it in Paris?
Or Provence?
----------------------------------------

Hi Carol

"Skip the light fantastic," means, "To go out dancing" It is a saying from the 1920s.

[marita]

beautiful vintage cards, corey and thanks for the tips of 'what to do when in france'. however, most of the advices i've gone through already while visiting la douce france. what about a new post 'how to capture a good looking french'???? would appreciate your ideas ;)

___________________________

Hi Marita,

When you see a handsome man, go up to him and ask him out to dance.

[Di Overton]

I am off to France tomorrow and will endevour to try as many of these as possible. Being that I am only going to Paris I may be restricted. I have hiked up St Victoire before and was so exhausted when I got there I just wanted to sleep, though Cezanne choice a beautiful spot. Merci

[rochambeau]

I hand you the prettiest flower from my bouquet for all your clever ideas!

[pam aries]

Bon jour, mon ami! Merci for all the tips! oui??? As soon as I win the lottery, I will be in France! Voila!

[Lee]

Good advice. I will file it away and, come 2008, I will put it into practice.
_________________________________

Hi Lee,

...I hope you will visit me!

[Jeanne]

Fabulous my friend.
Love you
Jeanne

[Miz Booshay]

Oui, Oui,
Do as Corey says.
Plan a journey to France.

You will never regret it.

Merci, Corey.

[Penny]

Wonderful ideas -- I'm ready to pack my bags!!!

[Paris Goat cheeese]

Oh, I thought you were talking about fantastic lighting...
Or Fantastic "Lite" for cleaning stuff..?

[shabbyinthecity]

Merci Corey! I just booked a month at that Chateau :)
Okay, I lied, but I'd like to book a month...and trip all those lights!

[Darla]

I have a plane ticket and leave Tuesday but my ticket says Oregon, oops! Maybe the next one will say France (crossing fingers)

Darla

[carolyn]

You make me want to jump on a plane, boat or train right now.

[tut-tut]

I'd love to do them all!

[Terri Pollhein]

I'll copy this list and make a check list for when I get to Paris!
God bless.
Terri

[Terri Pollhein]

I'll copy this list and make a check list for when I get to Paris!
God bless.
Terri

[Julia]

Bonjour,

Oui, Oui, Oui!

Et Merci!

The tips are fantastic. I love the postcard tip and the baguette and olives. You know how to live, Corey.

[patpaulk]

My! My! Oh my!! Or, Yes! Yes! Yes!!! Love skinny dipping...

[rochelle]

there's a shop in melbourne that sells fake vintage french postcards for quite a price, i cant' wait to get my hands on the real thing!

[Sally]

Oh yes please! I'd love to do all of those one day!

Dreaming of adventures and distant shores...

[eb]

I how I love visiting you - back in my 20's I visited France many times - ahhh - those were the days - I swam off the coast of Nice with some locals and not having the "technique" smashed my ribs into the rocks - just a little cut - but I still have that lovely scar... I asked for directions in my Nebraska accented French and wound up having artichokes and a lovely evening with a handsome and very kind young Frenchman... such lovely ideas Corey - some with memories attached - a favorite was attending a wedding in Coraz (sp?), the kir (sp?) in the little cafe there and bathing in the mountain waterfalls... so love these memories and these visits to you -

and "these issues"... VH just wonders why I don't write about him... too busy at play I guess -

mais oui! - le vin, le gateau... quel plaisir!!!

xox - eb.

[My Melange]

Great ideas's! Some I have of course tried already, but will look forward to trying some new ones in Sept! I like the postcard/cafe idea..but I fear they would think I was crazy...'crazee amereecaaan"!

[cruststation]

Thanks for the tips, I'll take note and one day soon I hope to be there savouring all the sights and sounds. Love that chateau!

[Star]

Of all these, I'd take the dinner at Sanary. Blue water, good food, good company...aaahhhh! Then I'd begin tackling the rest!

[Amy]

You had me at "baguette, some olives, a bottle of wine".
If there's anything I love, it's good bread.

Not so sure about the skinny dipping though. Heh..

[somepinkflowers]

when you take bus #69
from the Eiffel Tower out to Pere Lachaise,
be sure that you know EXACTLY when the last bus returns...
(if it is a holiday the bus MAY stop running early)

or

you will be taking pictures of yourself stranded,
as you walk for blocks looking for a different bus home....

i am just saying...

:-0

(thanks to the 2 young women,
who showed me how to get home again!!)

PS-you have such wonderful ideas on how to spend time!
wonderful!
_____________________________________

Ah ha Some Pink Flowers...
You see that is the best part about a holiday abroad; getting lost, meeting people, wondering about the details, finding a different route when the one you are on doesn't go through, and the luck in it all. The adventure of the unknown!

[cheeky]

Thanks Corey, sigh . . .
I'm sitting here wishing I were in France taking that bus, writing those post cards, asking for those directions and enjoying my impromptu picnic. No, I'm here sitting in front of this sterile and still laptop. Thanks anyway, for allowing me a moment to wonder off through France and enjoy all it's charm and romance . . . . more sighing.

[simple me]

I'm writing this list down to take next time I'm heading to France ... when that will be I don't know :)

[Conni Lu]

What interesting little cards. They look very small. The idea of a French dinner anywhere sounds divine to me!

[Dana Smith]

Corey.......I leave 6/19 for Paris with my daughter...what great ideas!!!
Thank you Thank you Merci you!!!!!!!!!
Dana Smith

[Lisa Oceandreamer]

Of course I want to know if you, yourself, have done all the things on your charming list?
The one and only time I went to France I knew how to say the basics with the addition of one other phrase.... "how much is this?" LOL!
Skipping the light fantastic is always such a happy thing to do!
XOXO

[Karen]

Thanks so much for the list! The hubby is bringing me to Paris for the first time for my big 3-0 birthday and I will definitely put this on my many lists of things to do!

xokaren

[eb]

you do so inspire - and silly me... inspired... I created a flea market challenge a la Corey - its tres difficile et exotique aussi - come try?

avec tous les sentiments respecteuses

please forgive my attempt at re-igniting my French...

xox - eb.

[BMA]

I would really love to go to France. It is one place I must see before I die. What is it like to live there??? Would you recommend it?

[Rosemary]

Thanks Corey,
I will be sure to do those things when I get to France.
I can't wait!
Rosemary

[tinker]

Oh, I would love to visit France and do all of these things - especially see that chateau on the river - it is so amazing! Visiting your blog and finding so many wonderful links is like opening a magic jewelry box - a different little gem in each drawer you open...Thank you!

[Merisi's Vienna]

Temptress! :-)
I plan to spend some weeks in Italy this summer. Now you make me stare at the map, mulling over the distances, how many hundreds of miles to cover France also? I need more summer, where can I get some extra supply?

[Saint-Ange]

BONJOUR - (HELLO)
from Provence (near Sanary!)
MERCI- (THANK YOU)
for these beautiful photography
OUI- (YES)
I love your blog !
have a good day Corey
Domie (Saint-Ange)

[Belliflora]

Hi,
It's very funny for the French girl I am to look at the pictures of your little treasures ;-), in the sense that whith me, obviously they end up in the trash can. But you're right some of them are quite pretty, like Ladurée's factures. Don't you collect bottles' caps too ? But i have to say that when I saw that you paid 12 E for a café i felt pity for you, but whatever, paris will always be paris.
Have a good day !

[Belliflora]

Oh i'm sorry I confused two pages ! But your posts are nice too ;-)

[freefalling]

I really like the idea of taking a photo at every bus stop (it has given me some ideas!).
And I wish I could be comfortable going skinny dipping but I always worry about eels or tortoises or giant fish biting exposed anatomical bits!

[rel]

Corey,
That is the best travel agenda I've ever read! Seriously, I'm going to do each and every one when we get to France in September.
rel

[Laura at Blame It on Paris]

You are wonderful, Corey! These are beautiful ideas!

Good luck to Chelsea on her BAC. Or bon courage, I like the French phrase better.

[Karen Cole]

What a keeper!!

[Jenny Fillius]

2 questions.... have you run into David Sedaris or R.Crumb? AND are there still beaded flower wreaths on the head stones in the graveyards?

___________________________________
Hi Jenny
Two answers... No and sometimes.

[do]

God, Corey, it sounds like Peter Mayle's (almost a neighbour)
I don't remember Cezanne used to climb a lot on the Sainte Victoire. Mostly he painted it from the best points of view -far away, from Bibemus, st Donat or the Chemin des Roses...
As you can see it, I am becoming one of your faithfuls.
___________________________________

Hi Do

Cezanne caught his death of cold painting St Victorie at the chemin des roses. There is a vista point set up (with copies of his paintings of St Victorie,) at that place in Aix. Climbing to the top of St Victorie I think allows you to feel first hand the beauty of that mountain, and honor its name.

[do]

and what would be your tips for a french woman visiting California?
________________________________________

Visiting California:

Roller skate across the Golden Gate bridge.
Go skinny dipping at Baker Beach
Drive along the Lost Coast and put a message in a bottle.
Collect sea glass
Milk a cow
Take the Shasta dinner train
Have a snow ball fight on top of Mt Shasta.
Collect wildflowers in Grass valley.
Go to where the I BEAM use to be and dance in the streets.
Pretend you are a movie star in LA (Wear big dark glasses, a hat, and carry a coffee.)
Howl at the October moon.

[susanna]

I will do ALL those things when I go to Paris - one day. Well, I probably won't go skinny dipping in Paris -especially after reading Why French Women Don't Get Fat!

[Alison Whittington]

An excellent list -- I think I should write one up for my area. Then go follow it. Maybe I could see this place with new eyes.

[Marie-Noëlle]

When I was 18 my friend and I drove to and around England.
I was the driver - had passed my driving test 2 weeks before and had been driving in my country for a few days ... when we made for GB.
One day as we were driving back from Peebles (Scotland), we spotted a nice-looking boy on the other side of the road, itch-hiking TO Peebles...
My friend and I looked at each other, smiled to each other... we understood each other and within a few minutes (the time to turn round) we were there by the boy, asking him where he was going.
"Peebles.
- Good, that's where we're going to!"
We tried to speak our best English. He was teaching in the neighbourhood and was going back home.
I drove him to his door-step. He invited us for a cup of tea. We met his mum. We had our first English cup of tea in an English home, made by an English old, delicious lady.
We kept chatting for quite a while. She found it so "exotic" to have 2 French girls driving his son home and we found it "exotic" to be there with them...

[Catalina]

Oh Corey! I have had dinner there as well! wonderful!

I had wonderful picnics like that...and visit Chenonceau....the onlt thing I never did was to make others to write on my cards! Great idea though...

[Molly]

What a collection! I think getting up just as the street cleaners are coming through is lovely too--watching the market opening, stretching the sleep away.

[Andrea S.]

Well, when I was there a few years ago I only did a few of those things. I did use common French phrases and I did buy unusual little, often-discarded trinkets....I wish I had your list back then! Merci!

[teresa]

When we were in Europe I collected the napkins with restaurant logos on them, also sugar packets. It brought back a touch of Europe to tear open those sugar packets for my cereal or coffee when I was back at home in the U.S.