Tag: Life in France

Life in France

Little choices, big impact

Team Farmers!
Team Farmers!

You’ve seen several posts on this blog about markets. In Carcassonne we have the open-air fresh fruits and vegetables market on the square three days a week; inside the heated/air-conditioned Les Halles covered market you can buy meats and seafood all week-long; and every other week or so there seems to be a fair that highlights the local wine, honey, nuts, cheese, and other products made here. In other words, we’re faced with an embarrassment of choices. Continue reading “Little choices, big impact”

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Life in France

Worth its weight in chocolate

One of 3 chocolate shops around the square
One of 3 chocolate shops around the square

Carcassonne has three chocolate shops around the main square plus a fourth one about a 5-minute walk away. These are not your ordinary salt water taffy and fudge candy stores but artisanal workshops with many of their treats created on the spot. You may have read an earlier post about the annual Chocolate Fair and these folks carry on the tradition daily. Of course, that does come at a price and now I know why these confections are so highly prized. Continue reading “Worth its weight in chocolate”

Unknown's avatarBob
Life in France

Induction into induction

Cooking curried vegetables outside
Cooking curried vegetables outside

We bought something recently that had all of the following and many more warnings: Don’t use this if you have a pacemaker, wear hearing aids, have reduced physical, sensory, or mental capabilities, lack experience and knowledge, are under age 8, live in a farmhouse, on and on. With all of this cautionary advice I’m surprised that we were even allowed to make a purchase. Welcome to induction cooking. Continue reading “Induction into induction”

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Life in France

Accidental vegetarians

At the open air market
Walking towards the open air market

One of the many reasons that Bill and I moved to southwest France was the cost of living. For the quality of life we were seeking we were unable to find it affordably in the US, if it even exists there. Walking to the open air market two or three times a week to pick up fresh produce from near by farms is something we really appreciate. Next to the this square is Les Halles, the huge covered market built in 1768, where some of those same farmers also sell their meat and fishermen display their catch from the Mediterranean Sea that’s about 30 minutes away. That’s probably where we’ll be buying everything that we eat from now on, and here’s why…. Continue reading “Accidental vegetarians”

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Life in France

When east is west

The Dome, 1728, in Carcassonne
The Dome, built in 1728 in Carcassonne

Today we took a city bus for the first time in years. Living in Chicago and LA, that’s how we got to work or anyplace else we couldn’t walk to since we didn’t have a car. Now that we’re back to foot transportation we opted for a bus since it would have otherwise taken an hour to get to the store, it was cool and rainy, and we anticipated carrying back a 40-pound (18 kg.) box. It was worth a euro each way. Continue reading “When east is west”

Unknown's avatarBob
Life in France

Where’s your spirit(s)?

Wine, row after row
Wine, row after row

Bill just said to me “We haven’t had a cocktail since we arrived in France”. As hard to believe as that is, he’s right: not a whisky, gin, rum, or vodka has passed our lips in weeks. What’s wrong with this picture? Oh yeah, we live in the middle of France’s (if not the world’s) largest wine growing region with over 700,000 acres (283,000 hectares) devoted to growing the fruit of the vine and as we all know, wine is not a cocktail. Continue reading “Where’s your spirit(s)?”

Unknown's avatarBob3 Comments
Dealing with government, Life in France

A tampon, please

Rubber stamps on official documents
Rubber stamps on official documents

Can you imagine the reaction that either Bill or I would get if we went into a store in the US and said, “Could I get a tampon, please?” After the puzzled look disappeared off of the clerk’s face, she or he would figure that our wives had sent us out in search of a vital product and we didn’t have a clue where to find it or what we were looking for. Guess what happened yesterday when we went to the post office in Carcassonne with the exact same question. Continue reading “A tampon, please”

Unknown's avatarBob4 Comments