Differences in our French Countryside life vs the USA
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ค. 2024
- Small things in daily life that feel very different than the USA and shape our days as a family living in the French Countryside of the Dordogne.
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00:00 How Life is Different
00:50 Store Hours in France
02:36 French School Schedule
04:43 Fresh Food
05:45 Advertising & Commercials
07:14 French Countryside Events
09:29 Small Businesses
11:47 Slow Living in France
14:09 Delivery Services
About Us:
We are an American family of 3 who moved to France for an extended stay adventure in 2022.
We wanted to experience Europe as more than rushed tourists on a 10-day vacation. To dive into the culture, learn a new language, experience daily life, and truly know what it was like to work and live somewhere other than the US.
In France, we set up a business, enrolled in a middle school, found housing, and even got our cat a European passport!
While in the US preparing to leave, the information we found about staying in France for longer than a short vacation was directed at college students, young & single digital nomads, or retirees. Where was the useful information for families like us?
With a year under our belts in France, we created Baguette Bound to pass on what we have learned. We hope to make it easier and inspire other families who are interested in experiencing a long stay in France with their families. Stay tuned for more information on French culture, local travel ideas, and the logistics of moving across the world.
Contact us or follow our journey @ baguettebound.com/
#movetofrance #france #americansinfrance #expatlife #expatinfrance #expatmistakes #baguettebound #frenchcountryside #frenchcountry #frenchlife #frenchlifestyle
Hi guys I am french and it’s so lovely to hear your feedback about my country. Makes me smile and re-discover my country. Would love to have you as my neighbors 😘😘
One of the solution for delivery is to choose the delivery to be done to a partner shop near your home. Once you get the delivery mail or SMS you can go pick up your parcel at a convenient time for you, avoiding waiting at home all day long or getting the famous "avis de passage" even if you were home...
A lot of your relaxed French life comes from the fact of living in the countryside.
Life in the Paris, Marseille or Lyon areas is much more stressful and with a lot less social interaction.
the social interactions is less natural and more divided by age in big cities indeed, it will mainly come from happy hours/afterwork in bars, cultural/seasonal events and clubs activities (sports, arts, etc...)
You have no idea what you are talking about in big cities.
In Lyon all residents are invited to free events every summer from June to August for free or a minimum fee with no age limitations
Dancing balls are organized by some associations all year long
I could give you exemple of inclusive events in big cities you have no idea
It’s just the scale of the community makes it that you need to find the information that’s all and the sheer amount of events is overwhelming you have no idea
@@remy2824Yea, I have no idea of France and big cities, being French and having lived 30 years in the Paris area...
@@remy2824"a lot". A LOT. Not all.
Of course there are events in big cities, but usually you won't have many interactions with many people, because there are A LOT of people, that you don't know. You'll usually stay here for the mood, with your family or friends, but that's it. In the countryside, interactions are more frequent, because there are less people. People become close more easily, you know everyone and don't have to worry about someone looking strange who might harm you. Pickpockets and all, in a small village, are easier to notice. It's easier to have fun when you don't have to worry about other things.
No one said there are no events, but that a lot of the relaxed life they can live is due to the peacefulness of the countryside.
Same with La Poste and deliveries. It's something they don't have to worry about. In large cities, mailmen tend to just put a letter in your mailbox saying they came but no one was there (when it's false, I was at home the whole day). In the countryside it happens less often, they actually knock at your door or at least ring the bell. Because there are less people, because they know you, because it's a house with a garden so they can hide it somewhere behind the wall... This alone gives you more peace, you don't have to worry as much
@@gsbeakyes, probably due to Parisians in general & living in a much bigger city. I live in Toulouse & so many events going on that it’s hard to.choose from & people know each other in their neighborhood probably because they shop at the local stores in the neighborhood.. I’m always bumping into friends or people who live in my small residence 🌸
Two very positive things I’ve noticed about France is that they don’t have advertising that brainwashes kids about food. In the US, kids’ tv shows are full of ads for unhealthy, hyper-processed foods. They’ll also refer to kids as picky eaters, which they aren’t, naturally. I’ve never seen that in France.
Another thing I like is that French pharmacies are individually-owned & a pharmacist can own only 1 pharmacy. The result is fantastic customer service, pharmacists who actually know many of their clients & a thoughtful selection of things they sell apart from medication.
I’ll also add that the expression “Americans live to work & the French work to live” is 💯% true. I’m glad you’re enjoying the lifestyle.
And in France, it is a legal obligation for processed food and candy ads to remind people to eat fruits and vegetables daily.
There are other legal obligations such as encouraging people to walk or bike when advertising for cars; limiting your alcohol consumption in beer/wine/liquor commercials; saving energy when advertising for utility companies; or to give the translation of foreign language slogans (including English first and foremost) in French. Etc.
Both of those things, but especially the first one are entirely law driven. Advertising toward kids is taking very seriously here.
The French Health ministry is very serious about food and especially advertising it
You have no idea.
Less than 10 years ago automatic vending machines were banned in high schools and some laws have been passed locally in the métropole de Lyon to ban advertising screen in the metro and bus stands to reduce blue light
About pharmacists it’s not totally accurate : there are chains of pharmacies like Aprium or La Fayette.
But maybe they are franchisees.
Yes’ they are franchises.
There are ads in France. Less than in the US, but certainly more that from other countries. Big ads panels in suburbs have started to be more regulated in the last years.
Also if you forgot an ingredient on a Sunday, you can always go & ask your neighbors if they have it. It is perfectly fine to do here in France.
You just invite them for dinner next Sunday :)
I am french and I love watching your videos in order to improve my english understanding skills !
Thank you, I'm so glad!
When I moved to France, I didnt realize there was less advertising. I only did when I went back to the US to visit family that I noticed how it was everywhere. I grew up used to it but after living in France for a while I just can't watch TV in the US anymore because of it. In France an hour long tv show will have one commercial break, in the US it'd be 4 or 5.
Yet you always hear french people complaining about how there's too much advertising on TV or radio. That's why brands and medias cant spam them more, because it'd have a counter effect and would make french people hate them. In the US we like to make fun of the french constant complaining but it works, that's how they keep their government and big corps on their toes.
Another great video, love your channel.
You are very optimistic about the efficiency of complaining in France. Big medias don't advertize more because it's not legal
The lack of tv advertising sounds great. Here in Australia the ad breaks in tv programmes can be 4-5 an hour. Worse than that the volume increases considerably. Do they think we’ll buy more if they try to deafen us? I just hit the mute button & make a cup of tea!
@@MrMf92 yes but it's not legal because people fought not to let advertisers get unchecked
In case of advert, I zap.
Nous aimons râler oui. Mais n'est ce pas aussi ce qui, peut-être, fait aussi parti du charme français?. :)
I'm American and moved to the south of France nearly 5 years ago. I think to sum up what you said, the French are more "group" rather than "individual" minded. They eat together and bsically at the same time. Employees are encouraged to go out of the work place to eat by giving them dining checks. People seem to be more wary of each other on the road. You really feel like you are part of a community on a daily basis. picking up your baguette in the mornings, catching up with those who grow your food at the market, etc. You walk more and beause of that you run into people you know often! In the U.S. you are in a car much of the day and eat lunch at your desk. Then at the end of the day, you get a mere few moments before it's time to go to bed and face the "mill" again the next morning.
regarding the shop and restaurant times, it is not that much about group behaviour, it is also respect of teh working time for the shop and restaurant workers. the cook, needs time to get the meal ready properly and the morning is teh preparation time, the waiter has to get the room ready and cleaned after for a good service. it is all about making the things right so that everybody can enjoy it.
And for La Poste or the parties, this is public service or public organised, not by companies, and the people in charge striongly believe that all of the community deserve it, not just the oe that can afford it, I find it so much more interesting to allow everyone to participate if they wish so.
It an interesting perspective. As a Frenchman, I always feel like the French society is very focused on the individual, and the US one on communities. So it's interesting to see those difference and those perceptions.
@@LeSarthois I really think it depends on the location, in the United States as in France. I find this sense of community in regions like Provence or the French Alps (I've lived in both places). A "big" city (Annecy or Aix en Provence) where the whole region comes to shop, go out, participate in events, etc., and only small villages and medium-sized towns nearby where you can meet or easily chat with people. I also lived in Lille, and it was much more “Parisian” in the city center, and “Americanized” in the suburbs. More individual. I suppose we find the same thing in the US. Cities more focused on business, and others on a calmer way of life.
We used to have big billboards but they ve banned because of visual pollution.
@@LeSarthoisils parlaient pas des parisiens, et toi tu parles du communautarisme qu'il soit ethnique ou économique tres américain effectivement
Long story short, this is called civilized living. All the issues are not just French the same goes for almost all European countries. The USA is a money-driven circus show. Please enjoy your life here in French
Well said. And thank you.
I’m ready to pack my bags!
I have lived here in France for 24 years, born in Spain, lived in England and moved in 2000. I wonder if in the US you all take advantage of working all available hours because you have to pay for healthcare, (unless you are covered by your employer ?) there's no Sécu.
I am a french man and I enjoy so much my sundays. Great time for hiking and resting.
don't vote RN. They will destroy France if they get a chance
Yes!! We love French Sunday. I couldn't go back to living without them.
Aussi La sainte messe!
@@michaelgray5137every dimanches mornings or samedi evenings 🙏🏻✝️
I’m Franco-American & I love how my city is a whole different place on sunday.. the only people you encounter in the street in the morning are people going to get their bread & croissants for the family breakfast time.
Even from a French person perspective, these kind of comparison videos are fascinating. It's very factual, very accurate and informative about both lifestyle.
The last point about last mile delivery was hilariously accurate guys. But I guess if you're an American subscriber living in an area with a ton of package theft, knowing that in France, if you're not home, your local delivery driver won't leave your package out in the open unattended and will make it available in a secure delivery point for you to go get it at a later time can be super reassuring.
Keep'em coming guys! Another great vid!
Hello I am French, I have seen several of your videos and I find you so kind, friendly and open-minded! I hope your life in France will not disappoint you and I wish you the best! 🥰
When the package is small and does not require a signature, if you are away, the delivery person will put it in the mailbox if there is enough space (this is the case for amazon packages). If you are absent, you can ask for the package to be dropped off at a relay point, there are some in local shops near you. I live in the countryside, I know my postman and she is also very helpful
Merci! 😊
Yes, trying to receive a delivery often exasperates us, and we are home 95% of the time, but after a few years of practice, we now usually succeed on the first delivery attempt.
One thing I've noticed living in the French countryside is the congeniality. Once people who live nearby have seen us several times, they will engage us in conversation if we are passing by -- and that's with our less-than-fluent grasp of French. Our "next-door" neighbours engage us every time we are outside. If we're working, the interruptions can be a bit less welcome, but if that's the price of such conviviality, I'll gladly pay the dues.
On another point, the French take pride in what the country produces, and the French support these producers by purchasing their products. Many food products will even have packaging that identifies the individual producer. I especially like AOP products -- you know exactly what you're getting regardless of the "brand." I remember campaigns in the U.S. trying to stimulate "buying American." Such campaigns would be superfluous here -- everyone "buys French" as a matter of course. Just look at automobiles. Most of the autos are Peugeots or Citroëns. As added bonuses, costs and environmental impacts are lessened since products do not generally travel long distances.
I appreciate your comments about advertising. When I visit the U.S. and watch television, I feel quite pressed into the back of the sofa when the unending commercials blocks start and the volume suddenly cranks up. I find it very stress-inducing. And it's not just television. One is assaulted through every possible medium in an effort to get a piece of America's consumerism addiction. I personally find all those billboards polluting the scenery particularly egregious.
Lastly, life in Europe simply runs at a slower pace. Most European countries maintain productivity per capita near to U.S. standards, but European countries achieve that productivity in significantly fewer workhours per year per capita. Go figure.
La poste used to be a public company but it's still a kind of public service and many postmen postwomen have kept this nice spirit. Everything is not just about money 😊
Jason, I lived just North of Houston in Montgomery, Texas and did my undergrad in San Marcos. Cheers guys- love the videos. I think with each one we watch, my wife is warming to the idea of heading to France.
You'll be welcome !
Except for the delivery (which I totally approve). I'm glad to see you seem to have a much more relaxing life in our lovely country.
We just discovered your channel and are loving it! My husband and I are a retired educator and a retired public interest attorney living in rural northeast Texas (a tiny town outside Longview). We had been daydreaming about relocating to Spain, but after a recent trip to France and reunion with our old French foreign exchange student, France is also a top potential destination for us, so your information is so helpful!
It's a small world...I (Raina) grew up in Greenville and went to school at Trinity Valley for my associates in Nursing. Go Cardinals! Good luck with your research! Spain is absolutely lovely, but we are team 🇫🇷 to live 😁
I'm French born and raised, and I lived in the US for a few years (and loved it), and I completely agree with your list of things.
I'm so glad you're enjoying living here so much. Definitely two different experiences from France to the US and vice versa, but so enriching. 🙂
I love your content, you are living my dream. Take us to one of the fetes or concerts so we can live a little vicariously through you!
I’m not sure how I stumbled upon your video, but I’m glad I did. It's refreshing to gain an outsider's perspective on life in France and it makes me appreciate living here even more. Wishing you a wonderful life and continued openness to different cultures!
It’s nice to see that France is still connected to humanity and is less about doing business at all times.
Culture and leisure have always been developed in France more than in other countries because France is due to its temperate climate and its abundance of water with many rivers and rivers, a fertile country and rich in agriculture, its inhabitants had no difficulty in feeding themselves and were thus not obliged to work constantly to survive the difference of inhabitants of other countries whose soil was poor , so that the French who were assured of being able to feed themselves easily could devote more free time to other occupations than work. the Germans have a saying "Happy as God in France."
The fertility of its land being able to feed all its inhabitants, this explains that the French emigrate very little unlike inhabitants of other countries whose poorer soil cannot feed all the popilation like the Italians, Portuguese, Spanish, Irish, Scandinavian countries. The fertility of its land has made itthis in history have often been coveted by the neighboring countries of France from where many wars suffered by France which has been invaded many times in its history because it is not protected naturally by the sea and the oceans like the United Kingdom or United States which on the map, have had no powerful neighbors like Scotland for England or Mexico and Canada for the United States while France had to face the Middle Ages to the English whose kings of French origin had hereditary lands in France and wanted expands France,and the Holy Roman Empire then Germany or Spain with its huge colonial empire in the 16-17th century .
@@domitiusafer thanks for your interesting comment. I would add that the laws in France do protect our way of life. They keep the Sunday off as often as possible, it bans excess commercials, it promotes small businesses.
The US have a liberal economy that promotes business, the strongest, fastest wins…living behind some businesses and the environment.
Many French have a minimum of 5 weeks, but often it is around 7 to even 9 weeks off (my wife has 11 weeks off as a university lecturer researcher).
@@lepouldukerzellec1149 It depends on the profession in fact but the State in France pays its officials in days off to compensate for low salaries. Thus French officials were granted 15 days of paid leave by Napoleon III in 1853, a measure that will not be extended to all French people until 1936 by the socialist government.This French practice of remunerating employees by days off so as not to increase salaries is still ongoing with the law of 2001 establishing the 35 weekly hours of work which allowed French employers to lower salaries in France in order to meet foreign competition because minimum salaries previously calculated on the basis of 39 hours per week are now calculated on 35 hours weekly which makes them mechanically lower, people who accepted this cut because of the extra days off. No entrepreneur or politician in France wants to question the 35 hours a week as much as employers have obtained the elimination of breaks and the possibility of making it easier to work on weekendsin rotating team the employees which allows to amortize the machines which turn thus 7 days out of 7 which explains that the productivity was not affected in France by the 35 hours weekly In fact the French now have half as many days off as they had before 1789 under the former royal regime with Sundays and Catholic religious holidays because the anti-Catholic revolutionaries abolished religious holidays and the days of associated rest and Sunday rest day , Robespierre suppresses the 7-day Christian week with Sunday rest and replaces it with the 10-day week the decade..;
The Sunday rest day and the 7-day Christian week will be reinstated by Napoleon in 1802 with the Concordat signed with the Pope but the 3rd Republic will remove the Sunday rest day in 1880 so that people in France will work non-stop in France without a day of rest, except on secular holidays such as 1 May or 14 July, which is declared a national holiday. The day of rest on Sunday would not be re-established until 1906 in order to reconcile the Catholic population hostile to the implementation of the 1905 laws establishing the separation of Church and State with laïcité which is too often confused abroad with securitism.The laïcité is also a characteristic typically French poorly understood by foreigners. Republican politician Gambetta said that "French secularism is not an export article."This detachment, indifference or even contempt or mockery of the vast majority of French with respect to religions inherited from the French philosophers of the 18th century in particular from Voltaire can surprise and shock foreigners attached to religion
@@domitiusafer Very well explained. Thank you.
@@helycrisea8189If France has long benefited from the agricultural fertility of its soil that allowed it to have a population largest in Europe until"'at the beginning of the 19th century, which allowed it to have large fiscal resources and a large number of soldiers and to defeat alone several coalitions of European states enemies, some economists explain that this advantage gradually turned into a handicap at the time of the industrial revolution in the late 18th and 19th centuries .The importance of the French population meant that companies with cheap labour paid very low wages and therefore had no interest in investing in the mechanization of the industrial tool, hence a delay taken by France in the industrial revolution compared to Great Britain where the population is less numerous, Companies had to pay more for workers and invested in the mechanization of the industrial tool to reduce production costs. In addition, the higher wages in Britain than in France have allowed a consumer society to develop.Secondly, a large population unoccupied because not exclusively engaged in working to survive generates the bubbling of ideas and many revolts . Hence the political choice of the leaders so deliberate to keep low wages in France in order to occupy enough time at work to earn their living people and the refusal by Consequently, to facilitate mechanization that could give more free templs to the French to deal with politics or revolt instead of spending their time working to earn their life. The whole policy of the French governments for centuries has therefore consisted in reducing the duration of the free time of the French considered too important because of the ease to feed themselves due The soil fertility and therefore dangerous for the forest, to avoid them challenging the government in place ;Thus this explains that the demand for free time in France with particularly the reduction of working time is part of a political struggle for centuries of the population against its rulers.
Finally, the state in France having to use its resources to protect its territory from its enemy neighbors was forced to invest massively in military expenditures at the expense of The United States and Great Britain are naturally protected from land invasions by sea , and the"The United States and Great Britain , with no powerful neighbours, needed only a navy and did not need strong land armies, so they were able to invest primarily in their industry.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi, don't choose home delivery, choose a "point relais". No more stress.
that also sounds like a lovely reason to head into town - and enjoy a cup of coffee, perhaps a sweet treat, and chat with neighbors.
Merci beaucoup pour votre bonne humeur, votre positivité et votre appréciation des bonnes choses de la vie 🫶
Vous devriez vous faire livrer en point relais, comme ça, pas de problème si on n'est pas là ou bien si le livreur n'est pas très dégourdi.
en general quand tu n'est pas la il dépose de toute façon le colis dans un point relais proche, du moins c'est comme ça que ca c'est toujours passé quand j'ai commandé un coli et que je n'étais pas la a la réception, mais je suis peut-etre juste chanceux x)
The length of school days is a real problem in France. It's too long for children to concentrate all day, have extra-curricular time (artistic or sporting activity) and then review lessons in the evening.
Very true I think they do it for parents convenience!
Ça c'est de mon point de vue, et j'ai travaillé dans un collège, une bêtise.
Il y a un problème, mais ce n'est pas celui-là, c'est un problème de génération, quand j'y étais, à l'école, je faisais ce qu'il y avait à faire, parce que j'ai été éduqué dans le sens du devoir. Maintenant, quoique l'on fasse, ou demande, ce sera toujours trop pour les fainéasses. Et les encourager dans cette voie ne les aidera en rien, et c'est très nuisible pour la société entière à moyen terme.
Pour le reste on pourrait discuter des programmes pédagogiques qui de mon point de vu n'encouragent pas la créativité, ou ne cherchent pas à valoriser les points forts des élèves, mais ça prendrait des heures.
I live in a little country area, so the little 2 "super markets are opened from 8 am to 8 pm, lunch time as well , and on Sunday morning
How beautiful is your backyard?! Everything you mentioned resonated with me about the differences between France and the US and why their more deliberate and thoughtful way of living is so appealing. Weaning oneself off of 4 hour Amazon deliveries will be tough but as you point out that is manageable. Thanks for another great video!
Hi @baguettebound! My husband and I have just purchased a home in Charente aaaaaand we just got our long-stay visas approved (first time). And can I just say, as the official admin person for my family (😅), I am so grateful to have your content as a guide. There have been some differences, but your videos have helped guide me in the right direction.
Thank you so much for all your efforts!
16:43 French national here. About "La Poste".
Yes, the local postal service is amazing. Imagine USPS, but with the actual means to deliver you mail EVERY, SINGLE, MORNING.
And in the more rural areas, talk with people, get news etc ... Wonderful people.
The "other" services... Hmmm. Well. My personal advice, unless absolutely necessary, avoid.
A très bientôt 😉
Merci pour la vidéo
I'm French and I love your videos. Very interesting to see what foreigners think of France and how their adaptation is evolving.
Also living in the southwest (Toulouse area), happy to know you adopted the "chocolatine" way of life!😁
Wait for your child to discover Rugby, Apéro, Motocross, gras de canard, fête de village, Occitan and partying at farm with friends haha there true french life of countryside will appear to you xD
Nice to hear your point of view !
le service client en france c est toujours difficile , aprés vous pouvez avoir un livreur gentil qui vous appel avant ou qui revient de lui même dans la même journée mais ce n est pas une obligation de bien traiter le client comme chez les americain , c est plus une question de gentillesse individuelle.
Dear Baguette , ty Jason ,loved your " 14 = cat hors(e)" 🤣 .Respectfully
Très agréable de vous écoutez et vous entendre avec notre mode de vie. J'habilite le Sud Ouest de la France également et en tant qu'artisan, je ne le cache pas avoir des semaines longues, mais OUI le week-end est nécessaire au fonctionnement de la semaine suivante! Bonne remarque! Merci à vous et profitez bien.
Vos vidéos sont sympas.
This channel will blow up, triple down on this!!! You guys have such a natural command of the camera!
Wow, thank you for the kind encouragement!
Oui le dimanche tout les commerces sont fermés. Si vous avez besoin d'un œuf ou de farine pour finir votre gâteau, demandez à la voisine. Elle sera heureuse de vous dépanner.
Carrefour aussi sera heureux de dépanner.
Je suis dans les Yvelines , Ile de France , l'Auchan près de chez moi est ouvert 7 j/7j d'innombrables magasins de bricolage , électroménager , jardineries etc .. idem , seuls les tout petit commerces sont fermés le dimanche après midi
@@gerarddaclin542 et parfois, dans les campagnes, y a des marchés le dimanche, comme en ville.
@@padriandusk7107dimanche matin seulement
Bienvenue en France, appréciez les bons moments.
Thanks for your videos. It’s so refreshing hearing your experiences here in France & they’re spot on! I’ve been here since 1985 & just love it. I was lucky to have had a French mom & American dad so know both US & France well. Just love your video & will watch the other ones too. I watch videos on TH-cam & they caught on to my dual nationality 😉 merci!
Packages : use services such as Mondial Relay where they deliver to a local shop and you pick up the package whenever you're close or shopping by
Supermarkets are open all day. In the big cities, shops also remain open all day. 🥰🥰🥰
When I went from France to USA for work early 2000' I was so disapointed (to be polite) by constant ads during sports and movies. I was raging in front of my TV yelling "I can't beleive this !!!" 🤣🤣🤣 Love your videos, thank's.
Thos made us laugh...because we understand now being in a place without them! Allez blues!!
It's a good thing to be able to choose between "quantity" & "quality".
😂 so true trying to get a parcel delivered! Sometimes they don't even call when I'm home and I see the avis de passage in my letter box.
Delivers arent french anymore they are browns arab and african
I'm French, and your video just made me realise how lucky we are with all these tiny things you mentionned. French people are always complaining of their situation (you could add that as a negative point)...
How funny it is that American people are showing me how good it is to live in France... Thanks for that !!
6.30:There is a law in France which strictly regulates signs and advertising panels. This is why you see less of them on the side of the road. This is the reference of the law: loi du 12 juillet 2010 portant engagement national pour l'environnement (dite loi "ENE"), complétée par le décret n° 2012-118 du 30 janvier 2012 relatif à la publicité extérieure, aux enseignes et aux préenseignes.
And a very SENSIBLE French law.!! We are bombarded with enough advertising, let alone all along the roads!
Nice. We live in France and I can suscribe to all what you said😅
Bienvenue en France ! J'espère que vous trouverez votre bonheur dans notre merveilleux pays
I see your videos and can tell you are enjoying your stay in my belle France, good for you. I am from Florida but here already 22 years, the best decision of my life thanks to my French wife. Salut
Your videos are very informative! Thank you -
oh you live in Dordogne ! One of the most beautiful and country side department in France imo. There are many british buying houses over there ^^ Part of my family lives in Dordogne as well. I see you're enjoying and that's great.
for deliveries you should try Mondial Relay or Relais Colis. It's a local shop that will get your package and you then have 2 weeks to go get it.
Living in country side is amazing, in Europe I guess. I'm french and and was amazed by your video. I live in a "town" (~150k, nothing compare to the US) and it's nice too. There are great neighborhood where I am.
Great video, thanks :)
As a French, just seeing your garden calm, green and silent, with just a few little bird calls, i know you're in france, and that you're happy there :) It's deeply interesting to have another culture's point of view on French life. (And yes, delivery culture... all french people agree with you... sadly)
Hi again, it's nice to hear you about stuff I even don't notice because I'm french. If you come again to Sainte Foy la Grande, go meet me at the city hall where I work (Urbanism): I'll be pleased to meet you and practice a bit my english, while we drink a coffee :)
Thanks for your videos. It does make me smile when you talk of your village of 2900. We live in "le bourg" (translates as "the town") which has around 60 residents. And our commune isn't even one if the 50 smallest in the department!
Wow! Yes, our first year we were in a commune of around 500, and it just felt too small for the daily life we wanted (even thought it was beautiful and our neighbors were lovely). May we all find the right corner of France for us. 🥂
Never tried parcel/package relais or Lockers ("Relais Colis" or "Point Relais" or "Mondial Relay", etc... in french) for tour deliveries ?
You may have one of your local stores able to propose this kind of service . . .
It's secure, and you have more or less a week to pick-up your parcel when arrived . . . No need to be at home when it arrives ! ! !
Interesting thoughts.
What you call "a village of 29 000 people", we call it a town. A village will be more a few hundreds people. A hamlet, a few dozens.
Despite not being so prevalent like in the US, we still think there are too many ads. Fortunately not for medications or lawyers.
About the deliveries, yes, it's a problem for the customer when you're in the countryside. On another hand, you have to think about the delivery guy who need to tour all the region to be in time for his schedule, which also must be a nightmare. So the whole system should be reconsidered, but it's whole different issue.
She clearly said "29 hundred" people, not 29 thousand! It's between a big village and a very small town, isn't it?
@@st-ex8506 Oh, ok, fair enough. I have a hard time with the dozens of hundreds which we don't use often in french. :)
Yes, 2900 will be a big village, or still a small town.
@@delphzouzou4520 It's actually a little noticed difference between UK English and American English. In the UK we would be much more likely to say 'two thousand nine hundred'. Americans talk much more often in hundreds even when it's into the thousands. It can even confuse us Brits at times when they do it.
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You are so lucky 🍀
Hi, French guy here, I really appreciate your feedback and I also learn some interesting thing about the USA. I wanted to say that every thing you say feel right to me, except for Laposte. I hate it, and most of the people I know feel the same about that service. I prefer, by much, private services for my delivery. Furthermore, I think that you have the best delivery person ever and that you should cherish her 😂
Interesting to see as a French, thanks :)
The delivery thing would drive me nuts. We get tons through Amazon and Sams Club. We lived in the Czech Republic for 3 years and discovering tesco delivered groceries was a game changer.
Nice video! I lived in the two countries. One topic you could have covered is the differences between the health care systems. But that's not a "small thing in daily life", it's a huge one :)
I knew Dordogne was full of UK people, good to know there are US people too now x). Went there often on our familly castle when younger, lot of place to visit and to enjoy, lucky you
For the super market and malls the hours of opening changed around the big cities like the urban communitie of Bordeaux where you can go to an auchan in the sunday afternoon because they allow the customers to do their purchases at their self checkouts (:
I'm French welcome to your family in our country! we have a great country and like all others we have beautifull things and some others less beautifull...discover and enjoy! :)
La Poste doesn't work smoothly everywhere. You are very lucky to have a good post lady.
I used to live in Lyon and receiving packages through the post offoce was a nightmare. Often I would receive a slip informing me that I was absent and that my parcel couldn't be delivered while I was at home. Once I caught the Postal worker just after she dropped the slip and I demanded my Package and she admitted that she didn't have it and I had to wait anothe two days to reclaim it at the central office. All that changed when I moved to a smaller town where I had a great Post delivery man, who knew my name and adress without having ever seen me in person. But some of my work mates who lived in a different area had a lot of troubles.
If your postal delivery woman/man is good, take good care of her/him.
We also have a great facteur and post office. Colissimo is delivered at our usual delivery time between 11:00 and 13:00. Chronopost gives you a specific time slot for delivery + signature. Give your facteur a key to your letter box for small boxes. You should always be able to select the option "if no response, leave at the post office". You can often re-programme deliveries. Relais colis (often a supermarket or garage, or tabac) is a great option for large parcels. I use Relais colis a lot.
Le si classique avis de passage
@@elizzy8754 you don't need to leave a key to the postman/woman as the letterbox should be a certain official standard and the post has a pass for it, same for certain delivery services.
@@elizzy8754 The Introduction of Relay colis really saved my sanity. I don't know if the service is very beneficial to the shops that host them, but to me it's a life changer (well I may be overenthusiastic, but you get the drift)
La poste dans les grande ville et dans les village/petite ville c'est 2 monde diffèrent, d'expériences je dirais que dans tous les village (et petite ville de moins de 10 000 habitant) on se rapproche plus, de ce qu'ils raconte dans la vidéo :)
I cannot wait to emigrate to France! My only challenge will be breaking my amazon habit. 😅 It became so much easier to find exactly what you need versus driving all over town, searching through multiple places to find something that may only be close to what you need is the reason it became so pervasive. I look forward to going to the stores that specialize and discovering new ways of doing things. Thanks as always for your thoughtful and insightful observations!❤
France is the first market for amazon in Europe
You may grow out of your habit of ordering from Amazon..it can truly become an unconscious vice just because it exists. I’d rather take time looking through the local stores first, which are usually cheaper and/or can be of better quality than order from Amazon. Also because I’d rather give my money to the local community than to the multi-millionaire Bezos.. I can understand however that if you’re living in a small rural area, it is a convenient choice.
You’ll see that you will just don’t need it that much anymore…if you do? we still have it…
Really interesting to have to point of view of an american couple.
Personally im from Gironde and really in border to Dordogne, feelin lucky because Dordogne is for me easily one of the best departement in France, if not the best.
The Perigord Noir is something else, La Roque-Gageac, Sarlat etc.... all the medieval-age monument, prehistorian site, cavern, local food, hiking etc...
Amazing departement, pure escape.
For the delivery, if it's Colissimo, that's in fact a branch of La Poste, if you're not there, they will deliver at your post office and leave a note in your letterbox. If it's other delivery services, if I'm not sure to be home and the delivery won't fit in the letterbox, I prefer to have it deliver at a "relais colis' or at my post office. The newsagent /tobacco at 200 m of my home is a relais colis, so easy !
yep I do the same, everything post related or colissimo I take home delivery and get it dirrectly or at my post office if i'm not availlable..all other kind of delivery I do it at the closest "relai" to grab it whenever it's convinient for me.
Yeah, far better. I have tried only once to have something delivered at home, what a hassle, took at least 3 weeks of "we went to your home without notice at 10am and you weren't there" like what a surprise ! I'm in school you know, I have things to do during the day !! And when you ask for a date an hour to deliver a package they can't plan it. They tell you that they will come SOMETIME in the day. I'll never do that again (unless I have no other choice).
Regarding store hours, it's because in France they respect workers' rights. In the US corporate and small business profit is top priority. Workers are just a tool to get it. Same for advertisements, healthcare, vacation, ... Part of our government has been trying to change that, but they have been largely thwarted over the decades.
I'm so glad - it's a big part of the quality of life here, I think.
This apply to the countryside, NOT to the big cities/Suburbs.
As for delivery, there is a reason why many people use "point relais" or amazon lockers or similar stuff rather than home delivery.
Nice video and very realistic fescribed - where is it in the country side in France - how is the climat in winter?
At the french country side we like to take it easy , what we can't do today we may do it in the next few days or next month ... everybody is welcomed to come and enjoy laziness !
Am french, love the US & been there a lot :)...really enjoyed your video and glad you are enjoying your life in french countryside ... now i feel this video is as much countryside vs large city as its is France vs USA ... as you mentionned living in Paris or Lyon would be vastly different with more USA type experiences for stores & deliveries but also a lot more time pressure and less congeniality :)
Thank you for your video and your feedback. Always a pleasure to listen to you.
Hello, I'm french.I just discovered your TH-cam channel. i ignore how long you have lived in france. i wish you all welcome
@2:36 actually the school schedule is roughly as follows: 6 weeks of class then 2 week break
Except in fall and winter where « zones » overlap in rotation, to unclutter routes to vacations
love ur video, and btw la poste was a state company for a long time like edf and we loose it for private company cause of european union and corruption , so im glad u like the original french delivery company
For parcels delivered by post, the delivery day can be changed. If the parcel does not require a signature, the postman will put it in the mailbox if there is enough space like other delivery services, otherwise I think you can ask for a second pass or pick it up at the post office. Delivery to relay points is cheaper than home delivery. There are relay points everywhere, in local shops near you. You can also ask for your package to be delivered to your neighbour's house if he is present and agrees. Your videos are very interesting, open-minded and caring. Thank you🥰🥰🥰
When it comes to the post, as you did, if you can, you need to get to know your postman and build a relationship of friendship and trust. It's nicer and can be helpful if she knows your habits. At the end of the year, the postwoman comes to sell a new calendar, it's not mandatory to buy it but if you can, it's good to do it. I always give her extra money to thank her and that makes her happy. These are New Year's Eve
Frenchman here 👋I agree delivery can a pain in the a** especially when they pretend they came to your home but you know they didn't cuz you were there and nobody rang at the door 😤
When you live in countryside and have a postman (or woman) as nice and trustworthy as yours we generally give them access to our house, or at least the garden, and allow to sign the receipt for us if we aren't home so they can drop the package we were waiting for without having to be at home.
Otherwise, if we can't be home for delivery we just use "point relais" which are stores nearby who will collect packages for different people so you can stop there and collect your package on your way back home after work. It's really common and convenient. It's usually small shops like tobacco shops, they get a commission for being a drop place and it is often cheaper than a home delivery. It's a small commision for the shop owners but they'll get people stopping in their shop that'll maybe buy something from them. It's a win-win for everyone, easier job for the driver, free advertising for the shop owner and convenient for people waiting for a delivery.
13:44 "You forgot something for a recipe, you're stuck!" or.... you just ask your neighbors 🥰
Thank you for being so kind, friendly and open-minded! I wish you the best! If the package is small and does not require a signature, if you are away, the delivery person will put it in the mailbox if there is enough space (this is the case for amazon packages). If you are absent, you can ask for the package to be dropped off at a relay point, there are some in local shops near you. I live in the countryside, I know my postman and she is also very helpful.
@14:09
To answer your question Raina, Amazon uses predictive algorithms to fill and spread storages across a given territory. They have an actual strategy and software arsenal to make sure time to delivery is minimal and with the introduction of AI it is even more powerful
As for delivery services in our country I have to agree that except Amazon it is random and totally customer not friendly
A midway to the solution is to use lockers (Amazon, UPS, Mondial Relay) : there is not need to wait for the delivery van and you get a time frame to pick up your stuff to the location of your choice and as far as I know this delivery method is free or cheaper.
And the porch pirate gets it here in us , big time
The postal service is an integral part of countryside life in France. In some areas we joke about how it's a bad thing to be at the end of the postman's round because he's most likely very late and very drunk due to all the elderly people inviting them for the "apéritif" and a chat. The business-side of La Poste saw it as an opportunity and offers services of companionship for the elderly. Say your stubborn elderly mom refuses to go live in a care facility, and you live far away, you can subscribe to La Poste to get a postman to visit your relative a couple times a week and keep you notified regarding their health and autonomy.
-"Burger King isn't better in France than it is in the US", may not be entirely true ? Considering food standards are, as far as i know, slightly higher ?
Hello, thank you for another video. I was curious about Amazon France. So you order per usual and do these packages get delivered by Amazon trucks or La poste? And are these some of the deliveries you're talking about being late? Thank you. Happy Summer 🌞
I read somewhere that France is Amazon's largest market in Europe so they must be doing something right. When I am outside the US, I have my deliveries held for pickup at the local post office or delivery service hub (DHL, MBE). That way, I can retrieve it when it's convenient for me and don't need to be at home to accept delivery. I learned the hard way...so many of my orders were sent back!
Well that might have something to do with the fact that France is among the biggest countries in Europe
Your videos are always interesting and informative. Thank you for not self-embedding a sponsored ad.
I live much like you do but in a small town in the US mid-Atlantic. What I would miss in France is Amazon. What I would not miss from the US is the constant assault of advertising.
😯?? There is Amazon in France too !
@@LizzieJaneBennet I was referring to the delivery issue, not necessarily the existence of a particular vendor.
This was fascinating. I am English but used to live in France (Poitiers). I always enjoy newcomers talking about their experiences in Europe as it gives you an insight into both where they are now and where they've come from.
Compared to the US, rural life in the UK has much in common with France.
Also we don't have billboards by the road here and TV sports events are never interrupted for adverts. The BBC doesn't have commercials but even when football matches, for example, are shown on other channels you'd only ever have adverts at half time. I visited the USA a few years ago and loved it. I was shocked by the TV commercials for prescription drugs though! I can't imagine going to a doctor and asking them to prescribe something I'd seen on TV.
Re- the focussing - there is a German girl who has lived in Cincinnati for several years who does videos comparing life in the two countries and I remember her saying she was really surprised the way Americans would routinely fill their diaries meeting several different people in one day which sometimes lead to them having to rush off or even cancel. In Germany, like France (and the UK) if you're meeting a friend you would not want to place a definite leave time unless you really had to.
There are billboards by the roads in France, some of them awful
@@lioneldemun6033the law is changing in France where the amount or every billboard is being taken down.
@@helenemurard1215 not at all there are more billboards than before only they are from the Decaux® brand who has a state monopoly on electric billboards!
the life in france is more focus on "quality of life " but you are in best part of france (countryside) life in city is totally different
It's very interesting because as someone who litteraly grew up in the region (Sainte-Foy la Grande), my point of view and the way i'm looking at our local society is wayyyy more pessimistic than foreign people living there.
I agree that life in countryside is more chill than in cities, but i honestly don't see big differences about people.
I honestly don't know where does it come from, but i personally consider french as very close-minded people compare to the ones i can meet when i'm going aboard whether they come from.
Idk if there's sociology theories related to this phenomenom, but it's kinda interesting.
Delivery is not complicated in france either. We also have amazon. You can give directions on the tracking. You can ask to let the package at a certain place for example (front door, patio etc...). The deliveryman will take a picture of the package where he left it as a proof of delivery. After you do it once, the direction will stay the same for every deliveries from now on. It is not a guarantee as amazon use third party delivery companies and it changes all the time. But it worked a few times for me. Amazon also use delivery companies who have keys to open letterboxes, as long as the package is small enough, they will not bother you, just like la poste.
I always order from companies who use la poste or amazon. Otherwise it can be frustrating.
But yes, la poste is far better. There is no map tracking like amazon, but la poste always get to your house at around the same hour or the day. I know they will get to me between 12 and 13:30 everytime.
Once la poste postponed a delivery and called me to tell me a liquid damaged the package. They wanted to know if they send it back or if they deliver it to me. After i inspected the box, it just rained a bit on the exterior, nothing got damaged inside.
Olive oil and bananas in the same place ? At first I couldn't even picture it into my head 😂
But in a 'station service', it would be possible, there is often small shop there
Chain stores are regulated by how many can open for a set population accessibility, size of store, etc ... Competition is good for consumers but too much competition will lead to one or more bankruptcy and so higher unemployment rate. Which can have dramatic consequences on some small villages.
Nice to see you got used to live instead of stressing about the next job.
Though Julianna seems to have acclimated quite faster than you two ! 😁😁
Very pleasant to see you adjusted pretty well here. Even if rural and suburban American places are not comparable to the quietness of Europe places. At least you were way better prepared than townsfolk jumping out from a busy city to an environment completely opposite.
I cut the cord 20 years ago. Streaming only, no ads. I want my time back and ads are just insulting.
Back in the 1970s, many places were closed on Sundays. We've lost that sense of rest.
Can you have things you order online shipped to your local La Poste?
It is called joie de vivre!!!