home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Countries of the World
/
COUNTRYS.BIN
/
dp
/
0136
/
01362.txt
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1991-06-25
|
33KB
|
744 lines
$Unique_ID{COW01362}
$Pretitle{416}
$Title{France
Made in France}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{French Embassy, Washington DC}
$Affiliation{French Embassy, Washington DC}
$Subject{france
paris
de
french
days
time
it's
travel
country
guide}
$Date{1990}
$Log{Impressionism*0136201.scf
Table 1.*0136201.tab
}
Country: France
Book: Come to France for the Time of Your Life
Author: French Embassy, Washington DC
Affiliation: French Embassy, Washington DC
Date: 1990
Made in France
[See Impressionism: Courtesy French Information Service, New York.]
In all parts of the world, the label "Made in France" is a mark of style,
quality, or luxury; maybe all three, and possibly with a price tag to match.
But suddenly you're in the land where all that style, quality and luxury are
everyday affairs; suddenly everything you see around you is "Made in France".
Welcome to shoppers' heaven.
Of course Paris is the acknowledged fashion capital of the world, and
anyone with an ounce of fashion-consciousness feels it at once. The French
flair for clothing, like the quality of the cuisine, is at least several
notches above what most people are used to. It's everywhere, from the Haute
Couture to the moderately-priced ready-to-wear; from dresses and suits to
gloves, handbags, scarves, and belts.
It's in the store windows, it's on the Parisiennes themselves. Even the
children's clothes have it; menswear too.
It's not just the inventiveness of design; it's the cut, the attention to
detail. French fashion is fun to observe, and wonderful to wear in any of its
manifold forms.
And of course, France means perfume, so you'll probably want to stock up
on some at the local prices.
But there's more, much more, all over France that makes shopping one of
the pleasures of your trip. Part of it is the thrill of the hunt, part of it
is the investment (you'd never find it at home at this price); and part is the
enjoyment of using (or wearing, or giving) something exceptional. Much of it
is the memento value, a beautiful souvenir of your wonderful trip.
Consider seriously that area of housewares which has anything to do with
serving and entertaining, or "table arts" as they're called here. You can find
them everywhere, but it's even more interesting if in your travels around the
country, you have a chance to visit the factories of Limoges china, Daum or
Baccarat crystal, Thiers cutlery, or Soleiado Provencal table linens. And
while you're in Provence, and while your're in Provence, be sure to visit
Moustiers-Ste-Marie, or in the Loire Valley, the town of Gien, where
distinctive faience is made. (That's the decorative country-French pottery
everyone loves.)
Another area of least resistance for shoppers are the flea markets, where
you'll find anything from the merely second hand, to the truly old, even
antiques. Of course there's the most famous flea market of them all, the giant
"Marche aux Puces" in Paris where a serious treasure-hunter could spend days.
But wherever you see the word "Brocante", it's the same thing only smaller.
All towns have brocante shops, and once or twice a year, a brocante fair.
Sometimes there's a brocante stand at one of the open-air markets. What can
you hope to find? Absolutely anything. Decorative objects, interesting old
furniture, pictures; also curiosities, collectibles, sculpture, old post
cards, prints, plates, silver, maybe a pair of opera glasses. You may be able
to negotiate the price; that's part of the fun.
It's hard to leave Paris without picking up some prints along the banks
of the Seine, or a few medals struck by the Mint. If you run out of ideas for
gift visit the gift shop at any museum. In addition to museum reproductions,
they sell posters, calendars, all kinds of beautiful things. Reproductions of
ancient Egyptian and Greco-Roman artifacts are also sold in department stores.
Wine lovers who spend time in Burgundy or Bordeaux may want to send a few
cases home. Go to a store specializing in this service. More delectable is a
tour of the local vineyards; you can visit their "caves" and have a free
tasting, to choose the year you prefer. The same is true of Champange, and of
all the many regions where wine is grown.
And now is the time to go into the heart of the matter: gastronomy!
BARGAIN HUNTING
Twice a year in January and June, stores are covered with signs saying
"SOLDES". That means "sale" in English, and it's the time to find everything
at reductions of 20-50%: clothing, accessories, household linens, etc.
If you're not in France at those times, don't despair. There are special
stores that sell clothing at discounts all year. The labels have been
removed, but the values are intact.
Remember that most stores will deduct the tax from your purchases if you
ask for it, a saving of 20-30% off the price tag.
GASTRONOMY
While gluttony may be a sin, gastronomy is certainly an art. The French
are almost mystically talented at turning anything edible into something
sublime. Each region, each city has its specialty. To name just a few in the
sweets category: les Berlingots de Carpentras (bonbons a la menthe), les
Calissons d'Aix (almond paste), candied fruits from Nice, Pralines de Rennes,
les Betises de Cambrai, "petits biscuits" from Nantes, crepes from Brittany,
etc. etc.
One of the chief delights of travelling in France - for some people the
object of the trip - is sampling the local cuisine. So do as they do and
follow the gastronomic map of France.
Depending on the region, each cuisine is based on butter, creme, olive
oil, wine or beer. The fish of the Mediterranean are different from those
caught in the Atlantic; and even when they're the same, the names are
different! If a region was poor in the past, its recipes still reflect the
need to economize; thus the most creative stews are found in Auvergne or
Lorraine. Even invaders of bygone centuries left their influence on the local
cuisines.
Put it all together, and you have only a hint of the endless variety and
creativity that await you. Not to mention the 360 different cheeses made from
cow, goat or ewe milk, which are usually sampled before dessert.
To help you make the best selections, here are a few suggestions:
Nouvelle cuisine is (fortunately in the opinion of some people) losing
ground to more traditional cuisine. Bistros with their red-checked table
cloths usually serve ample portions of good standard food.
To find the best restaurants in your price category, consult one of the
many restaurant guides published annually, such as the red Michelin Guide,
Gault Millau or the Bottin Gourmand. Each restaurant is given one rating for
its cuisine, another for its service and decor.
In Marseille, try bouillabaisse; in Burgundy, escargots (snails), boeuf
bourguigon or coq au vin; in Nice, rouget aux anchois (mullet with anchovies);
in Alsace choucroute garnie (hot sourkraut with an incredibly delicious
assortment of ham and sausages) or foie gras. Be adventurous, try everything.
You're in for some delicious discoveries!
This is a little practical guide to make your dreams come true! Here are
the essential things you must know to prepare a holiday when your time and
money are limited. Learn when and how to come to France, how to travel about
in the country, how to choose a hotel, find the winter sports you'd like or an
island in the sun and even the essential guide to complete the cocktail. Have
a pleasant trip.
ENTRY FORMALITIES
To enter France, a valid passport is all that is necessary for the
citizens of the USA, Canada and Japan, as well as for most Western European
countries. For other countries, a visa is needed. Check this information with
your nearest French consulate.
CUSTOMS
The regulations are much the same as for the other countries of the
European community: you can bring in or take out of France, (tax free), 400
cigarettes, for example, or two litres of