“France is surprising – and sometimes downright odd!” – Janine Marsh

Ever since I first bought my little farmhouse in France 21 years ago, I’ve been studying my adopted country. I find it endlessly fascinating, surprising and sometimes, baffling. People often ask me – is it really that different from the UK and yes, it really is!

Moving to France isn’t like being on holiday here, the daily customs of the country reveal themselves and then you really get to see the cultural contrasts. Now frankly, I could spend all day talking on this topic but to give you an idea, here are just some of the surprising things I’ve discovered.

I was astonished to find that in most of France, banks, businesses and shops close for two hours for lunch and most shops are closed on Sundays. “Like living in England 50 years ago,” said my dad in wonderment when he visited us. Two decades later, little has changed although supermarkets are now open ‘without interruption’ as they call it no lingering lunch for their staff, and even in small villages, many supermarkets are open until lunchtime on Sundays now.

Then there’s the French obsession with roundabouts. Did you know that half of the world’s traffic roundabouts are to be found in France? And the French love to put things on them. I’ve seen model villages, incredible floral displays, giant bottles, bizarre art installations and occasionally Gilets Jaunes having picnics and encouraging us all to revolt. But it’s plastic cows and horses that seem to be the most popular roundabout must-have!

The French are world class bureaucrats I mean, that’s not that much of a surprise because everyone says the same, but the true level of bureaucracy is bewildering. I’ve had to buy two filing cabinets to store all the paperwork that has been generated by various government agencies since 1 moved here. And you need to keep every sheet of paper for years because at some point, someone official is bound to want to see it. Even though things are moving more online in France, you’ll frequently be asked for a paper copy of your tax payments, electricity bill, rates, phone bill, driving licence, birth certificate and marriage certificate.

Pillowcases are square. It’s not unusual to find plug sockets next to the sink in bathrooms. The cheese course is before the dessert course. And French people dip croissants in coffee like Brits dip biscuits in tea!

If you don’t have a driving licence in France, you can still drive. A VSP car (voiture sons permit) is a small two-seater, and anyone aged 14 and over can drive one after four hours of driving lessons and no official practical test. Top speed is 45km (28 miles per hour. They’re popular with teenagers and little old ladies who have never taken a driving test. But what’s most mind boggling to me is that if you lose your licence for drink-driving, you’re still allowed to drive one of these cars.

Yes, France is surprising, occasionally perplexing and sometimes downright odd!

Janine Marsh lives in France with her husband and 72 animals. Her latest book, How to be French Eat, Drink, Dress, Travel, Love, is available now.

Lead photo credit : Dipping croissant in a coffee. Delicious morning breakfast with fresh baked croissant and coffee