Like when moving to any new city, I knew that coming to Paris would bring with it a slew of lifestyle changes. A new currency, language, and time zone to name a few. However, I have found that the biggest variations between France and America have been more subtle and have taken time to understand and adapt to. Here are a few of the most significant differences I’ve noticed since moving to France:
Meals
A major, and unexpected, lifestyle shift since moving to Paris has been the difference in food culture, particularly meals. It might be because I come from such a diverse community back in California, coupled with the fact that young adult eating habits are a bit of a free for all – french fries for dinner at 4pm, why not?—that made it shocking to learn how standardized French meals are.
Breakfast tends to be sweet and bread heavy—Nutella on toast with some milk seems to be a common meal for most kids. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day, generally meat with vegetables and pasta, followed by a yogurt or fruit for dessert. Then, at 4:30pm is Gouter, which in my opinion, the best meal of the day. This is when France gets their chocolate and junk food fix. Kids and adults alike eat cookies, chocolate, pain au chocolate, croissants—honestly anything goes as long as its sweet and chocolate-y. Because of this big late afternoon snack, dinner tends to be later, at least after 7pm. The meal is light, vegetable based, and followed with cheese and fruit.
I think it’s also important to note that the French don’t rush their meals. They take the time to sit, engage with family and friends and relax. This is evident at restaurants, where you never feel rushed to order and pay. Even at school cafeterias, kids sit down and enjoy several courses during their 2-hour lunch bread.
Groceries
For the most part, the French don’t tend to snack as much as Americans between meals—which is evident when you are roaming through the grocery store looking for the perfect salty/cheese-y item to munch on at 3pm. Now don’t get me wrong, the French supermarket has some pretty incredible foods that you can’t find back home, like cheap yet respectable wine and cheese, more cookies than I could have ever imagined, and an entire aisle dedicated to yogurt. However, if you are a professional snacker like myself, there are some US delicacies for which I have yet to find a solid French substitute, such as Cheez-Its, Goldfish, microwavable popcorn, Easy-Mac, and sugar free Coffee-Mate.
Reserved Demeanor
French people don’t have the best reputation when it comes to being friendly. I would always hear people calling the French snooty, judgmental, and rude. However, through my experiences, the French haven’t been unpleasant in the slightest. I will say, however, that people are much less animated, which could come off as cold to an outsider. In America, people tend to be very expressive; it is the norm to project positivity and peppiness, and things are often sugarcoated—even if it is not genuine. In France, however, people are more reserved and far less expressive. They don’t go out of their way to make you feel welcome or happy. They say the bare minimum to get the point across and move along. I think this often comes off as rude or cold, especially to an American, but I’m learning it’s not ill-intentioned at all. Its just ~french~.
Old Money
France has long history and strong ties to the past. Some families can trace their French origins back centuries. This can come as quite a shock to me, being from such a young country like America. But even more shocking is that oftentimes, with this legacy, comes wealth and affluence that has been kept within the family for hundreds of years. I have found that this causes wealth to be displayed differently in France than in America, where most of the wealth is new and readily available to be spent on flashy cars and the latest technology.
It is more common for a French family’s money to lie in property—a chateau (or five) in the country, extra apartments throughout the city, old masterpieces probably worth millions perched above the couch- that have been in the family for centuries. While people still dress well and carry croissants in outrageously expensive handbags, for the most part one’s wealth is not as in-your-face than in America. I think you can also attribute this to the many problems associated with the bureaucracy and blatant display of wealth in France dating back to the French Revolution and continuing to the present day Gilet Jaune movement.
All of these findings are based on my own observations over the last 7 months and are not backed by research, and by no means are meant to be taken as facts. I am sure you can find instances that go against what I have described above, but in any case this has been my experience in Paris. I have found it fascinating to discover and live amongst these subtle differences, and have come to appreciate this different approach to living… la vie en rose!
auparis 