Day 3034 (Sunday) 28th September 2025

This is Menton

and this is Eze Village looking at Saint-Jean Cap-Ferrat.

 

Last night Huw had to take the extension out of the table after having dinner with his brother and family and Badger knows the noises and was soon helping him.

Huw is lying on the floor on his back and this is Badger’s little game.

These are the photos from the parade yesterday.

This is Rue Obscure

and this is the square petanque.

 

It was another lovely day but quite cool out of the sun. We went to Le Phare and had a beer with Pat and Chadwick and then we went to Elliott’s and Bobbie’s for lunch.

There was a cruise ship in the bay again and town was packed, we even had to wait for a table in Bobbie’s.

Here are some more weird French traditions and customs…

French breakfast never involves eggs or savoury food

Eggs, bacon, and omeletes for breakfast? Non, non, non, mon ami.

These are savoury food items eaten for lunch or dinner. Breakfast in France is strictly continental: bread, confiture, Nutella, yogurt, coffee, even cereal, etc.

Eggs are always sunny side up in France.

When it comes to fried eggs, there’s no official word like “over medium eggs” or “over easy eggs” in the French language. Many French people aren’t even aware that it’s normal to order eggs cooked on both sides in other countries. 

That’s because fried eggs are almost always served sunny side up and are usually a component of another meal for lunch or dinner. Such as on Crêpe bretonne, or on a croque monsieur. 

You can order a pizza with a sunny-side-up egg in France.

Forget pepperoni pizza in France. It’s just not a thing. However, ordering a “Pizza jambon oeuf,” Ham and egg pizza, is completely normal. It’s just assumed that the egg will be sunny side up. 

Omelettes are usually for lunch and dinner in France, not breakfast.

As I mentioned, a French breakfast traditionally consists of simple and light fare, such as a croissant or a baguette with butter and jam, accompanied by coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

Omelettes are more commonly eaten for lunch or dinner. 

That being said, modern French breakfasts have become more diverse and international, and it’s not uncommon to find omelettes or other egg dishes for breakfast on the menu at French cafes and restaurants in areas that attract tourists. 

You can buy horse meat at a horse butcher shop: “Boucheries chevalines.”

Eating horse meat is not common in some parts of the world, so it may surprise you that there are French butcher shops that specialise in selling horse meat. They’re called Boucheries chevalines.

Horse meat has a long history and is still part of France’s culinary traditions. It is typically consumed in a variety of dishes, such as sausages and stews, and even raw in dishes like tartare.

Horse meat consumption in France has been controversial at times. In the 1970s, there was a huge scandal when it was discovered that some butchers were selling horse meat labelled as beef. The public was outraged, which led to changes in labelling laws. Also, some animal rights activists have protested against the practice of eating horse meat and the poor conditions in which horses are raised and slaughtered.

Despite these controversies, many French people continue to enjoy horse meat as a part of their diet, and boucheries chevalines can still be found in many parts of the country.

Pièce Montée: the French wedding cake that’s not a cake

 

Foreigners who attend a French wedding, baptism or important festive event might be a little surprised when there’s a huge multi-tiered architectural masterpiece made of small confectionaries instead of a cake for dessert.

This highly anticipated dessert is a giant croquembouche called une pièce montée (mounted piece).

You can drink coffee or hot chocolate from a bowl in the morning.

Don’t freak out if you ever get invited to someone’s home, and they pour you a cup of tea, hot chocolate, or coffee in a bowl. Savour this French tradition.

There’s a whole day dedicated to eating crêpes

February 2nd in France is called la chandeleur, and it’s customary to eat crêpes on this day.

You can order a beer at the movie theatre and at fast food places like McDonald’s.

McDonald’s in France has a different menu than in other countries. While McDonald’s in many countries only serves soft drinks and other non-alcoholic beverages, it’s legal for fast food restaurants to sell beer.

This goes back to the French culture of enjoying wine or beer with meals, even in fast-food restaurants. 

Drinking beer in a fast food chain such as McDonald’s has become a popular choice for those looking to enjoy a quick meal and a drink.

McDonald’s is much more popular in France than you think.

Unusual Potato chip flavours are plentiful.

Every country has unique potato chip flavours that try to replicate the tastes and recipes of the local cuisine. In France, you’ll find interesting flavours such as camembert, blue cheese, roasted chicken, oysters and more.

Dinner starts late and finishes late in France.

Dinner is typically eaten later in France than in many other countries, and it’s not uncommon for French people to sit down to eat at 8 or 9 p.m. Most restaurants don’t even start serving dinner until after 7:30 PM, so it’s not unusual to finish your meal after 9 or 10 PM.

There are several reasons why dinner is eaten later in France:

Work Schedule: Many French people work until 6 or 7 PM, which means they may not have time to prepare and eat dinner until later in the evening.

Tradition: Eating later in the evening is a long-standing tradition in France for French families to gather around the dinner table to share a meal and catch up on the day’s events.

Socialising: Eating dinner later in the evening allows people to socialise with friends and family for longer periods. In France, dinner is often seen as a time for conversation, wine, and relaxation.

Climate: In the warmer months, the heat of the day often means that people prefer to eat later in the evening when the temperature has cooled down.

So, while eating dinner later in the evening may seem unusual to some visitors, it is a long-standing tradition in France that reflects the country’s culture, lifestyle, and history.