Bonjour
Hope you had a good week.
Lat week I was in lovely Toulouse (where I met a Minotaur – a mythical beast that’s half man/half bull) and enchanting Montpellier (where I met the Mayor) checking out the best things to do to share with you. I have to tell you – I really love my job!
I came back to a chorus of tweets and chirps from my ten little chicks who are living in the house having been abandoned by mum Arya. I can watch them for absolutely hours, they are very sweet and very active (you can see them running about here on Instagram). They’re almost at the age where I’ll be able to figure out which ones are boys or girls and then give them names!
Summer officially arrived this week in France, and after a horribly wet start to June almost everywhere, the forecast is looking much better for the next few weeks.
When I’m travelling, I’m lucky enough to try out lots of restaurants from Michelin star to the cafés the locals love. But when I’m home I’m most likely to head for a café called Friterie Francky in the front garden of a house in the neighbouring tiny village of Manninghem-Au-Mont. It’s the equivalent of “Cheers” – the bar in the TV series where everyone knows your name. You can tell if it’s open as orange lights flash on the gate posts and there are stacks of cars parked up outside.
As you go through the gate there’s a terrace with tables and chairs, colourful umbrellas, lights in the trees and flowers everywhere. 80’s disco music fills the air. Everyone in the terrace area says bonjour, shakes hands with you or kisses you on the cheek, sometimes it can take a while before you get to place your order. When I do make it into the café, Francky stops cooking and hops round from the kitchen to plant kisses (two in this area). His partner Arnaud comes around from the counter, more kisses, then I shake hands with everyone in the shop or swap kisses. There are two dining areas inside and when you get to them, there are more bonjours, kisses and handshakes. Then the “bon apps” starts (the French quite often shorten bon appetit to bon app!). When it’s time to leave we start again with the au revoirs, kisses and handshakes.
I fall in love with almost every place I visit in France but, there’s no place like home…
Wishing you a very bon weekend,
Bisous from France
Janine
Editor
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