Day 873 (Wednesday) 30^th October 2019

It was lovely and sunny again this morning and I enjoyed my morning coffee on the balcony. Huw gave me a lift to Beaulieu and we were surprised to see quite a few people on the beach and six people swimming in the sea. It’s lovely and warm but I don’t think it’s swimming weather.

I spent an hour with 14-year-old Sarah and we worked on her school project called ‘Time Capsule’ and we had a lot of fun planning it. She has to choose some items to seal up in a box that shouldn’t be opened until she is 24. We chose various items of clothing, jewellery and she wrote a letter to herself. She is normally really shy and quiet but she became quite animated today. After an hour it was her mother’s turn and we had a nice chat about singing. We went out on the balcony and I was amazed to see the size of the pool they have access to.

Their enormous cat was happily sitting in her box on the balcony

I was lucky with the bus today and was soon back in Villefranche but it had clouded over by the time I got home – boo!

Here is the last part of the article on food in France

Other places to eat in France

Due to the good quality and variety of eating experiences offered in traditional restaurants, France has less in the way of international cuisine than some other countries; but with the globalisation of taste and culture, this is changing quite fast.
Self-service restaurants in France: Les "self":  Self-service restaurants are known in France as cafeterias or as just "selfs". They can be found in motorway service areas, some big stations, city centres, and in most large superstores on the outskirts of town. They provide food of reasonable quality, but for logistical and price reasons use more processed food than independent restaurants do.
Diners.

American-style diners are not part of the traditional French dining out environment; but they do exist. The most popular chain, with outlets in car-friendly suburban locations (near shopping centres or hotel zones) is the distinctly American-themed Buffalo Grill, where the waiters will even ask you what kind of dressing you want with your side salad.

Buffalo Grill is cheap and cheerful, a kind of Franco-American steak house. Another chain is "Courtepaille" (short straw), which has been around since the 1960s. Their restaurants are mostly located beside main roads; some are on motorway service areas. The original Courtepaille restaurants had thatched roofs; newer ones have grey metal roofs.

Cafés, bistros, brasseries: these are all traditionally drinking establishments, but like pubs in the UK, they have increasingly turned to serving sandwiches and light (and in some cases even substantial) meals, notably at midday. Fast food has invaded France at a pace (though nothing like the pace of some other countries), and there are McDonald's all over the place. The local French (well, actually it's Belgian) chain of hamburger and fast-food outlets is called Quick.  

There are plenty of other independent fast-food outlets, sometimes with weird pseudo-English names such as "Big-Ban", "Royal Fast Food" "Mister Good Fast" or "Le Fast Fast" (fast food for those on a diet?)

Pizzerias can be found in virtually all French towns, and also along main roads, though they tend to be independent establishments, rather than chains, though there are some chains. The French prefer traditional Italian-style pizzas, on a thin crust, and it is not common to find deep-pan pizzas. Good pizza restaurants operate on the same model as traditional French restaurants, offering three-course meals, where the main course is a pizza.  It is very unusual to find pizzerias offering different size pizzas. 

Italian restaurants:

Many pizzerias double up as Italian pasta restaurants

Chinese restaurants in France.

Chinese restaurants are now common in French towns - though often they are actually Vietnamese restaurants. The food is of course oriental, but do not expect to find just the same choice on the menu as in an English or American Chinese restaurant in France. Chinese restaurants are catering mainly for French customers, and this is reflected in the menu, particularly in the special three-course lunch or dinner menus.  Chinese restaurants often offer good value for money, particularly with their set menus at lunchtime.

Indian restaurants:

These are not as common in France as in the UK. As with Chinese restaurants, French Indian restaurants reflect French standards and habits, often paying considerable attention to presentation, and providing an Indian variety of nouvelle cuisine.

Algerian Moroccan and Tunisian restaurants  

These are quite common, on account of the links between France and North Africa. While many are quite basic restaurants, catering for France's North African community, others, more up-market, are sophisticated and offer a fine eating-out experience.

Food from other nations:

In big towns and cities, many other types of ethnic food restaurants can be found, but elsewhere, apart from pizzerias and the occasional oriental restaurants, the eating is mostly "à la française".

Vegetarian food: 

While being one of Europe's big producers of fruit and vegetables, France is not a good place for vegetarian eating. On account of the generally good quality of food and catering, and the use of fresh products, vegetarianism never really took off in France. French vegetarians become outsiders in great French social events, such as family meals and evenings at the restaurant. Nevertheless, there are now vegetarian restaurants in many French towns (if you can find them), notably in university towns.

At home in France - eating "en famille" family meals

Meals are still an integral part of family life in France, and the dining table is perhaps the most important piece of furniture in a French home. The French do not generally go in for pre-processed pre-conditioned ready-made food, but prefer to make meals from the raw materials - fresh meat and vegetables, and home made desserts. A traditional "family meal", such as Sunday lunch, or a meal to which guests are invited, can last two to four hours, or even longer in the country. 
During the week, many people will eat a three-course meal at home every evening; though if all concerned - or most of them - get a full three-course meal at lunchtime in the works canteen, in a restaurant, or at the school cantine (and, yes, a proper balanced-diet 3-course meal is standard fare in French school canteens), then the evening meal may often be lighter, a hot snack or pasta or something similar, followed by yoghurt or a dairy desert and fruit. The French eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, and a bowl of green salad may well be provided at every meal.  Outdoor barbecues are very popular in suburban and rural France during the warm months.

Useful tips. Here are a few points that are useful to know if you are dining out, or inviting French visitors for a meal.

The French always eat bread with a meal, and the breadbasket is an essential element on any table.

If there is a cheese course and a dessert, the cheese course always comes first; at least three different cheeses will usually be served. Cheese is eaten with bread, not with biscuits.

Don't confuse salt and pepper pots. In France, the salt pot has several holes, and the pepper pot just one. Alternatively, there may be coarse sea salt, considered of finer quality than ordinary salt, and pepper from a pepper mill.