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On the whole I think France is pretty good, they are relaxed about pretty much everything, and take life at a slow pace. The French are normally more than willing to help foreigners and in some areas more than others nothing is too much trouble - just have to show you're trying your best at French, even if you totally suck. Got a few piccies here, just to show some of the varying cultures there. Being on the border of Germany, Switzerland, Italy e.t.c. it has a strong variation wherever you go. Here are a few pics from a couple of years ago:
OK, this one was actually in Italy (Aosta) but they have wonderful little back streets, always clean with small cafes and restaurants.
Down some of these allies places that sometimes locals go to, but unfortunately there are quite a few in the more popular areas which are touristy (as you can see in this photo).
Shutters, essential for siestas, keep the room cool, and the light of the day out. Loads of types and particularly great on privately owned chateaux with sash windows - particularly when it's slightly delapidated. This is in Toulouse.
Food = Perfect (and at really good prices.... sometimes). Drink = A good wine, brilliant, a bad wine - well bad. A winery in Eguisheim, Alsace.
and a vineyard in Burgundy
On an italian border down in the Alps you get mountains, quite a contrast to the flat fields of Brittany or the perfect cycling country (although some love the mountains) in the Loire valley.
Colmar in Alsace. A wonderful town, heavily influenced by Germany (of course that area hopped in an out of German control over the centuries)... with a place called little venice, restaurant's terraces over the river. I did have a better shot, can't find it now.
Finally, Alsace again. On the top of some mountains near Colmar, ruins. This is one of 'Les Trois Chateaux'.
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My main complaint about France is everywhere looks shut, alright they have midday closing, get into work about 11 (after strolling or cycling to the Boulangerie at , open about 4 in the afternoon again (and usefully so people can go after work open chemists e.t.c. after work) and then close at 5. Some of the places are just annoyingly delapidated, some chateaux are really attractive like that, but when it's down a highstreet it just annoys me.
But it's easy to get to, so if someone gave me some money, told me to buy a holiday cottage, I'd go there.
The Germans however were very patient about us driving up a pedestrian and tram only road for about two miles!
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Anyone else got snaps of French culture?
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Originally Posted by Matt1eD
i was particularly interested in these two taken of Alsace,
