Chapter IV. And not superfluous for travelers (The final decision is: does the Frenchman really have no reason?) But no, however, why doesn’t the Frenchman have reason, I asked myself, looking at the four new passengers, the French, who had just entered our carriage .

What if I had walked up to her then and hugged her? What if I supported it? In my early childhood I talked with several guys who severely bullied a local lesbian, who, by the way, was the cutest girl. As a child, I was once present when she was insulted.

France (the official name is the French Republic) annually attracts a huge number of tourists, so many are interested in where France is located and its capital - Paris.

Location of France

This state is primarily located on the European continent, in Western Europe, although France also has islands. France borders on Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium in the northeast, Monaco and Italy in the southeast, Switzerland in the east, Andorra and Spain in the southwest.

The geographical location is very advantageous from an economic point of view, since the country is washed by two seas: the Mediterranean and the North. In addition, France has direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. It is washed by the Bay of Biscay, and the English Channel separates it from Great Britain.

In addition to the mainland, this state has an island composition, which includes the island of Corsica located in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as other departments and dependent territories (French Polynesia).

Mainland France is mountainous and the beauty of the surrounding nature is simply breathtaking. The Alps mountains run along the border of Switzerland, Italy and France. The highest point in the French Republic is the well-known Mont Blanc, which reaches a height of 4807 meters.

Due to its unique location, France has an unstable climate throughout its territory. For example, the southern coast has a subtropical climate. On the eastern side it is already moderately continental, but is mainly observed to be marine.

For prevention and general development - if you are going to travel to France or meet the French, it’s nice to be a prepared person :) I am against labeling people based on any characteristics, but at the same time, there are small and large national characteristics among the residents of each a single country. This is what makes us different, this is the thrill of learning something or someone new. At the same time, positive and negative qualities are expressed equally in all people on this planet. Just if verbally, then in different languages. So, according to my personal observations, the French...

They love to eat outdoors.

The obvious change in scenery in Paris from gloomy to sunny spring made me remember this habit in the first place. All the parks, embankments, benches and squares where you can sit down somewhere become more and more lively every weekend. Last weekend on the Place des Vosges people even sat in the middle of the idle fountains, just to bask in the sun somewhere. Everyone has either a sandwich, or a panini, or a full-fledged lunch box in their hands.

Dress inappropriately for the weather.

And it appears to be airborne. Ballet flats in February, sandals in November, a thin raincoat and a tent scarf in December... And so on and so forth. Both adults and children - sometimes it is cold to look at their bare necks, ankles and short sleeves. The most surprising thing is that often this is not a pose, but a completely conscious choice. What’s even more surprising is, oh, and here you are, at the end of February, somewhere along the Grands Boulevards in short trousers and sneakers, and for some reason you don’t get winded anywhere.

They talk a lot about politics.

And they have their own special opinion about everything. It’s not customary here to say: “Oh, I don’t understand politics” - they do, one is better than the other. Of course, sometimes (almost always) discussions about government boil down to how everyone is doing everything wrong and “this country is going straight to hell,” but all this is said with a very serious face.

Even more talk about food.

About food - while eating. Remember what, where and when , where, how and what was prepared, what they cook at home, where they buy it , which market is fresh, which cheese/butcher shop is better to shop at. This drives an unprepared person a little crazy at first. But then nothing - you get involved. If you don’t want to support these deep discussions, nod thoughtfully and smack your lips. This will be considered an expressed opinion - it has been verified more than once.

Polite hypocrites.

The good manners of the French are visible from a mile away - here it is customary to greet, apologize and wish a good day to everyone, always, under any circumstances. They will ask you for forgiveness for stepping on someone’s foot in the subway - automatically, because children literally absorb this habit with their mother’s milk. That's the way it is. But this barrel of honey has its own fly in the ointment - no matter how polite a person is when looking into your eyes, behind your back he can say the most unpleasant things. Colleagues and neighbors are the closest and most striking example of this.

Quite a lot of people judge others and consider themselves better than others.

Of course, you can come to terms with this if you understand that you want to live in this country - there are not many options other than accepting the locals with all their troubles. The fact remains that the French love to gossip and are very fond of judging other people (for their decisions, lifestyle and appearance). “Other people” can be both scandalous celebrities from TV screens and close relatives. In addition, the French as a nation often place themselves above others. It’s snobbery or arrogance – call it what you want. They are proud of their history and rich culture, and therefore extremely proud of their origins.

They wear shoes indoors.

Behind this comes a whole cart of similar everyday habits, unsettling people like me - who do not go further than the corridor in sneakers, and if they do, then only in sterile clean sneakers. In the same way, it’s difficult for me to afford something like this in someone else’s house, but the French don’t seem to care - they don’t seem to pay attention to the fact that guests in their houses are trampling around in shoes.

They eat on the subway.

They grab their sandwiches with their bare hands and chew with pleasure while other people's coats, backpacks and umbrellas hang over them. Many people manage to read a book and turn pages with one hand. Whether it’s the costs of living in a big city and the resulting habit of saving time when traveling, or just absolute indifference as to where and what is appropriate to do, I have no idea. One way or another, this habit is already a classic.

They don't bother about hygiene.

Which is logical if you add the two previous points together. Add here small children, who are allowed to touch everything and climb everywhere, and the same carefree parents who easily sit on the asphalt and often do not wash their hands before eating. I'm used to seeing things like this, but I'm unlikely to ever start doing the same.

Conservatives in everything.

It’s not for nothing that the Old World is called “old” - traditions are remembered and preserved here, because there really is something to preserve. This applies to national holidays (including religious ones, even though France is a much more secular country), as well as small and large everyday traditions. Many of them (well, naturally) are related to food :) What is pleasantly impressive is that the French mentality masterfully combines old-fashioned and progressive views, depending on certain topics.

In general, the French are very cheerful and cheerful guys - they cannot be different, because they know a lot about pleasure and know how to enjoy life. Yes, they often , sometimes irritate with their melancholy, and sometimes it seems that they are spoiled and spoiled. But this is only at the beginning, when both the country and the people are still new to you. Over time, the habit of comparing fades into the background, and you focus more on what you can they have. Much more productive activity :)

And How. Those of you who speak French and who have traveled with the French have probably encountered the following. Or not?

The French, you know, share two concepts: holidays and travel, and not just separated, because in any language these are different things. However, these things do not overlap at all. What am I talking about? About the fact that for a Frenchman traveling means, well, if not working, then certainly not resting. They even use the word “do” when traveling. They, telling each other about where they have already been, will always say: “ I made Argentina or Egypt." And moreover, “doing Egypt” does not mean settling into an All inclusive hotel in Sharm El Sheikh and drinking a cocktail. “Doing Egypt” means going to Cairo, Alexandria, sailing along the Nile, and visiting the main (and often all) attractions of each city on the list. . This is why the French love guidebooks so much. To be honest, I have not studied the sales statistics of guidebooks regarding France, but I can assume that the difference should be significant. Before going anywhere, they actually buy guidebooks, study them and make a “to-do” list. In all seriousness.

Where do the French vacation? I haven't met any French people coming to Thailand for "sunbathe and swim"(as we like), they will most likely be with backpacks, and they will have a clearly developed plan of where to go and what to visit.

And in this regard, there may well not be room even for a Thai massage. Most of them, when flying to Thailand, will definitely come to Chiang Mai for a couple of days, then definitely to Laos (where would we be without Luang Prabang, beloved by the French), and upon arriving in Vietnam, they will definitely not hang out in any five-star hotel for 7 or 14 days. And they will leave from morning to evening (even without changing hotels) for visits all day. Moreover, for this they are ready to wake up at 7 and 6 am at least every day of the trip.

Well, yes, there are exceptions that only confirm the rule. But still. Whether with my family or friends, I hear the same thing: “I made California-Arizona-Nevada” or “I haven’t made Peru yet” or “Make Bolivia, you’ll like it.” Well, that is, in their understanding, you still need to rest after ) But impressions for the year ahead. By the way, although I make fun of them in this text, I myself equally love “doing” and “relaxing,” and ideally for me it is to combine both concepts in one trip. Well, if it doesn’t work out, I’m ready to split the trips according to their destination. However, even if the trip was supposed to be a rest, I would still go somewhere, as I recently described myself to a friend: “I’m like a cat who, before resting, must “mark the territory”.” Are you or are you “resting”?

France is a country that has almost everything. So those who come in most cases do not want to leave anywhere outside this country. However, the French are mostly travelers. So for most of them, vacation and relaxation are always associated with going somewhere. Where do the French most often decide to go? Let's talk about this, as well as about what a French vacation generally looks like and how the preparation for it goes.

Preparing for a holiday in French

As for preparation, it begins long before the vacation itself. Most often within a few months. The French in general are accustomed to booking everything they can, including cafes and hotels, in advance, because in France this is a completely standard format. As for thinking through your future vacation, it begins almost a year in advance. Different options are compared to choose the one that will suit all the parameters at once. By the way, what parameters are the most important for a Frenchman?

Firstly, naturally, the Frenchman would like to have a good rest. For this reason, he carefully selects the most interesting vacation options. However, for everyone who comes to live in France, the concept of an interesting holiday is different. For some, an interesting vacation includes climbing to inaccessible peaks and diving to great depths, while others will be quite happy if they just lie on the beach.

Secondly, for a Frenchman it is also important that the holiday is not too expensive. Not only because of the lack of a large amount of finances, but the Frenchman simply believes that an expensive vacation is not the best vacation. The French frown upon those who spend too much money on anything, and being known as a spender in France is much worse than being known as a stingy person. Therefore, a Frenchman will not immediately agree to the first option for a paradise holiday that comes his way; he will look for the same thing, but cheaper, or will try to get all sorts of discounts. All this will ultimately allow you to get the ideal price-quality ratio - at least the best of all possible options. And in this case, the Frenchman will definitely be pleased. Preparing for a holiday trip in advance is one of the most “French” features that characterize this nation to the maximum extent.

Holidays in your home country

In fact, a Frenchman doesn’t even have to go anywhere to enjoy his vacation. Because France itself is a wonderful country, including for holidays. Many French people will choose one of the following options so that they can not only live in France, but also to relax on the territory of France itself - and get a lot of pleasure from it.

• Holidays at the dacha. If a Frenchman doesn’t have a dacha, it doesn’t matter, in this country the rental of real estate of this type is very developed. Rent a house in France outside the city is a good option to live in nature and breathe fresh air. In terms of beauty, the countryside in France is extremely well maintained, for example, you can rent a villa and see the lavender fields in France, or go to the highlands. All this will allow you to have fun and not even have to travel too far.
• Holidays on the Cote d'Azur. The Cote d'Azur is a part of France where millions of tourists come every year. Because this is truly one of the best places on the planet, and it is also located in France. For this reason, Parisians don't even have to travel far to enjoy the best holiday experience. Renting a villa on the Cote d'Azur means getting a lot of pleasure. These include yacht trips, sea fishing in France, and a large number of additional opportunities. Experienced tourists who have something to compare with usually say that it’s better to take a week holidays on the Cote d'Azur in France than two weeks somewhere else where you might not have as much fun.
• If you are traveling to France with children, be sure to show them the Cote d'Azur. This is such a wonderful place that you simply cannot forget. And if you are going on a honeymoon or if you decide to get married in France and then relax alone with beautiful nature and with each other, then also come to the Cote d'Azur, this place is always full of romance. In any case, the Cote d'Azur is one of the best places on the planet, and if you come here, you definitely won’t regret it.

Due to the international situation in France, the level of popularity of domestic tourism has sharply increased over the past two years. The French in this sense are very happy people - even without leaving their country, they can have a wonderful rest, since they have access to the sea, and to the best in the world - the Mediterranean. And this means warm, with plenty of white sand and clear water, as well as interesting flora and fauna inhabiting its depths. Holidays in France can thus be extremely interesting.

Holidays in Monaco

Monaco is an expensive holiday destination, but an elite one. Almost every Frenchman has vacationed in Monaco at least once in his life, especially since this mini-state is located close to France, and you won’t need to obtain a large number of documents to enter Monaco. There is nothing difficult about being able to enter Monaco.

In Monaco you can visit the magnificent princely palace, as well as a large number of other interesting places. This is the capital of world cinema, and also hosts the legendary Formula 1 races. So there are a lot of reasons to come to Monaco at least once a year. This is the capital of gambling, and the casino in Monaco is where many come from all over the world to gamble and have fun.

Plus to all this, there is a warm sea here, and the French also like it in Monaco. If you have never been to Monaco, then you can get a visa to Monaco and visit this wonderful little country, the memories of which will forever remain in your heart. And among the French, this principality is also very popular, because it is located nearby and provides a large number of opportunities for everyone who comes here.

Holidays in Corsica

Corsica is one of the islands in France, although it has a somewhat special status. Corsica has almost everything that can attract a tourist, including, again, the sea, as well as mountains, a lot of greenery and a variety of flora and fauna. For this reason, it makes sense for almost everyone who makes a decision to come to Corsica. At the same time, a holiday in Corsica is not too expensive, and this, as already mentioned, is the most important factor for the French, for whom it is important not only to have a good rest, but also to save money.

Special mention must be made of the unique Mediterranean cuisine, the dishes of which you can try and enjoy here to your heart’s content. These are not only all kinds of dishes from sea creatures, but also other dishes, including national French ones, and the most exotic ones that can be found in the world. So visiting Corsica may be the best holiday option for you and your whole family. Coming here means making the right choice and getting the maximum amount of positive emotions, as well as significantly expanding your horizons and getting acquainted with many phenomena, people, species and dishes that you did not know before. The French visit Corsica for the most part every few years, and some every year.

Holidays in Tunisia

This is also a popular destination for the French. And, by the way, it’s quite inexpensive. Tunisia is a small country in northern Africa, so prices there are quite low. It is popular with middle class French people. If a Frenchman doesn’t have a lot of money, he still won’t deny himself a vacation and will go to Tunisia. This holiday destination has a large number of advantages:

• presence of the sea. Almost all the French and those who come love to relax by the sea.
• opportunity to see the Sahara Desert. For those interested, special tours through the desert are even organized, although, of course, this is more like an extreme vacation.
• the opportunity to see a lot of exotic things. Starting from the appearance of the local residents, which, of course, is very different from the French type, and ending with the abundance of exotic dishes that you will not be able to see or taste anywhere else. Although France has recently been undergoing a real boom in migration, including from African countries, so seeing a black person on the street for the average Frenchman is not at all a reason for culture shock, and African culture is increasingly penetrating the life and consciousness of the French, which further contributes to the popularity of a destination such as Tunisia.

Holidays in Morocco

Morocco is also a country located in northern Africa. Today, the place attracts more affluent French people than those who go to Tunisia, but less affluent than those who go to Monaco. True, even very wealthy French people like to come to Morocco. Here you can see an excellent attitude towards tourists, because the residents of the country understand that it is tourists who bring the most income to both the state and themselves. You will receive all services at the highest level, and still not for such a lot of money as in Europe. Here you can easily find hotels with a large number of stars, which is very important for those who are accustomed to everything elite. Also in Morocco, for example, the game of golf is developed, and if you come here, you will definitely be offered this type of entertainment. So this is one of the best options to come to. If you have just recently arrived to live in France, then in the next few years you will visit Morocco, this will allow you to experience the contrast of cultures, as well as enrich your knowledge of the world around you, because what you can see in Africa is strikingly different from what you which most citizens from the CIS countries have already become accustomed to in Europe, where they decided to come for permanent residence.

As for the popularity of Tunisia and Morocco specifically, this is due to historical trends, for example, the fact that Tunisia was at one time a French colony, and the French dynasties had a lot in common with the king of Morocco, including direct blood kinship. This also influences trends in the modern world; a large number of French people choose these countries.

Where to relax in France for a foreigner

If you have just arrived live in France, then there is no point in rushing to go abroad to relax. As you can see, in France it is quite possible to find wonderful places to enjoy your vacation. Although if you are drawn abroad, then you may well travel around Europe, because if you have received a Schengen visa to come to France, then with it you can go to any country in Europe, so your possibilities in the field of recreation become practically limitless.

If you want to feel exactly the European flavor, then the best city, of course, will be Paris. This city contains so many interesting things that you will have enough opportunities to relax in it for a long time. This includes the world-famous Eiffel Tower, hundreds of narrow French streets, a huge number of cafes and restaurants, boutiques and museums. There is something for everyone in Paris that will interest them. Getting acquainted with France, of course, is worth starting with Paris.

If you want to see exactly the French flavor, then Paris is not a good choice for you, because all the consequences of globalization are observed there, people of all nationalities from all over the world are represented there. The best way to explore France is to go to a small provincial town, such as Menton. There you will be able to see French life as it is and enjoy immersing yourself in the life of the French, in their daily leisurely life, which is so different from the frantic pace of life in many other countries.

If you want something exotic, then your choice is the Cote d'Azur. On the Cote d'Azur you can not only swim in the sea and sunbathe on the best beach in the world, but also go sea fishing, which provides an experience that simply cannot be compared with anything else. You can also ride a yacht on the sea or even make a long sea voyage, dive to the bottom of the sea with scuba diving or using a bathyscaphe.

Thus, France provides a large number of opportunities for recreation, and if you would like to, then this is definitely the right choice that a modern citizen who wants to live in a cultural country can make.