I have fond memories of being 17 in Nice. There's a waterfall on a hill that overlooks most of the city. I was in town for 3 or 4 days and could see the waterfall in the distance from my hotel window, and finally climbed up there my last day. The sky was clear for miles in every direction and it was very peaceful. I guess it's a touristy spot but I loved chilling up there and sometimes dream about.
I also found that most people in Paris would much rather speak English to me than deal with my mediocre French. In Nice and Cannes less so -- the smaller the city, the less English spoken.
Lived in Paris for a year in 1987-88 (Lycee Sophie Germain represent). Found the people to be beautiful, fun and friendly and I was living in the most touristed part of the city, Les Halles. Have been back several times. Last time was with my wife just before our first child was born. We had such a good time that we vowed to live in France as a family for an extended period at least once before we send the kids out into the world.
For me the biggest positive of France is the life style: eating and appreciating good food, conversation and friends. Taking time to enjoy the small things.
Music on the other hand is not France's strength.
As far a Sicko goes. When I was living there, I broke my ankle playing soccer and got all health care including rehab for free and I wasn't even a citizen. Awesome.
If I were to move there I would find the small town outside of paris where Matisse lived and check that out.
Like 3 years ago, a friend of mine invited us Medaphoar, Oh No, Dudley Perkins and the crew to his house in Auvers sur Oise (where Matisse lived and worked). We recorded a track together. Dudley seemed to like the place if I remember...
PS/ If you plan to come in France, visit the what we call : "sud-ouest" = the south-west of the country. Somewhere between Toulouse and Pau fro example. Sheep (homie!) you should visit Toulouse man, I know you've been in Nice (south-east) now try the south-west!! Very very friendly people, cheap place to live, everything is slowed down out there, best place in the world where to chill, very... very good products from the farm... and the landscapes are beautiful.
PS/ If you plan to come in France, visit the what we call : "sud-ouest" = the south-west of the country. Somewhere between Toulouse and Pau fro example. Sheep (homie!) you should visit Toulouse man, I know you've been in Nice (south-east) now try the south-west!! Very very friendly people, cheap place to live, everything is slowed down out there, best place in the world where to chill, very... very good products from the farm... and the landscapes are beautiful.
word. I lived for little while a the Cite Universitaire Arsenal in Toulouse. very chill town: beautiful river, good people and nice weather.
We had such a good time that we vowed to live in France as a family for an extended period at least once before we send the kids out into the world.
still planning on this?
Yes, we just set our sites on 2015 when our kids will be 8 and 10. Of course, we'll visit before then. Shit once I get my German passport I can work there which makes this more of a do.
I do not speak French well at all and had no problems in Paris. I found people to be totally patient and helpful and somehow they all knew to speak to me in English as opposed to Italian or Spanish or Arabic or Portugese or any other number of languages that may have possibly been my first language. How is it apparent??!! I was really trying to do it and folks even humoured me when I asked for them to speak to me in French despite the fact I was annihilating the language. I got lost a couple of times and people spent a good amount of time with me looking at the map and trying to get me situated.
I was warned over and over again that folks were going to be difficult, etc. and I did not find that at all.
I concur:
Honeymooned in Paris and the locals were beyond polite, despite us recieving countless 'warnings'. Disregard all negative comments you have heard, Parisians are, for the most part, a friendly bunch.
I do not speak French well at all and had no problems in Paris. I found people to be totally patient and helpful and somehow they all knew to speak to me in English as opposed to Italian or Spanish or Arabic or Portugese or any other number of languages that may have possibly been my first language. How is it apparent??!! I was really trying to do it and folks even humoured me when I asked for them to speak to me in French despite the fact I was annihilating the language. I got lost a couple of times and people spent a good amount of time with me looking at the map and trying to get me situated.
I was warned over and over again that folks were going to be difficult, etc. and I did not find that at all.
I concur:
Honeymooned in Paris and the locals were beyond polite, despite us recieving countless 'warnings'. Disregard all negative comments you have heard, Parisians are, for the most part, a friendly bunch.
OK. Thanks for the responses. I have always wanted to leave this country. Even if it's just for a few years. I am so fed up with our culture.(I am opening a can of worms, I know). BUT, after I watched Sicko, I think you can only do for yourself. I am not expecting much from this country. I almost give up, in a way.
I think I am ready to completely learn the culture and the language to my best.
And Ms. Head, I am not sure if it would be a problem to get a visa. However, I need to check that out more. So, I won't dilute myself with high hopes. I hope to god it's not difficult.
I think it would be a great opportunity for anyone, and I want to live my life to it's fullest. SHIT, you can have a baby for free! You have a minimum of 5 weeks sick/vacation pay a year! No worry for debt or loans!(Maybe) And so much more...
Also, to answer the "Gunshots in your hood?" thread, I haven't heard any gunshot in Paris since I moved here (in 2000). I've seen guys assaulting people with an axe or with needles in Barb??s, but no gunshot.
I was in Paris for about a week a couple of months back for the first time and LOVED it. Like Bassie said, the feeling you get there is difficult to put into words. Maybe you should go over and check it out before you move over there though? Are you going to be working there?
Lived in Paris for a year in 1987-88 (Lycee Sophie Germain represent). Found the people to be beautiful, fun and friendly and I was living in the most touristed part of the city, Les Halles. Have been back several times. Last time was with my wife just before our first child was born. We had such a good time that we vowed to live in France as a family for an extended period at least once before we send the kids out into the world.
For me the biggest positive of France is the life style: eating and appreciating good food, conversation and friends. Taking time to enjoy the small things.
Music on the other hand is not France's strength. [/b]
As far a Sicko goes. When I was living there, I broke my ankle playing soccer and got all health care including rehab for free and I wasn't even a citizen. Awesome.
lol French pop music is mostly terrible but there is a ton of great music being made in France and as for African music there's nowhere better than Paris. The French really love their music. Paris is a great city but Toulouse is probably my favourite. I'm from Corsica (it's beautiful but you wouldn't want to live there) but I've also lived in Aix, Nice, Toulon and Marseille at different times. Sarkozy is the biggest neg that I can think of.
Do it!
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
PS/ If you plan to come in France, visit the what we call : "sud-ouest" = the south-west of the country. Somewhere between Toulouse and Pau fro example.
I spent a week or so in L??ran during summer '04, and I had a great time. Quiet, beautiful countryside, great cheap food - I could feel the tension drain from my body before I'd even unpacked my bags. I visited Carcassonne and Monts??gur as well as some of the market towns around those parts. For anyone with an interest in ancient or mediaeval history, it's a fascinating place.
Music on the other hand is not France's strength. [/b]
I guess I was lucky on my trip. Found great record stores and amazing parties. It was lucky that Diplo, Scruff and Jamie Lidell were playing live while we were there and we found out about some great dancehall parties...in the strangest spots, too; quiet residential area, you turn a corner and there is a tiny bar with glass shaking bass. We also went to a great soul/funk dance party in a club that was on a boat!
Spent quite a bit of time there, Paris and Normandy specifically. Played a few gigs at the annual Fete de la Musique in Paris and most musicians are well up on their classical, jazz and fusion, which is what I did. In general, music in schools is well-tauight. DJ-scene wise, I have no idea, but they have a good house scene - Dimitri and Franck Roger put out good stuff.
I found the people to be very polite, they would always say "Pardon" if they even faintly brushed past you on the Metro, whereas in London you will get steamrollered without any hint of remorse.
Normandy was cool. Calvados and cuisine. Less english speakers than the capital but I could get by. I'd live there but not sure my verbal abilities are up to working professionally out there.
I also stayed in Malakoff which was a communist-run area of town at the time. They had a Karl Marx stadium etc. They also have much more diverse shops, a friend took me to a place that just did acoustic and unusual basses. I also found Paris to be fairly safe to walk around (apart from the riot areas of course).
And I drove around L'Arc de Triomphe. When the wife worked there, she did it every day. Madness....
I'm going to Marseille for a couple of days this summer. I'm travelling with my dad and the plans are simple. Basically eating good, drinking good and visit dope places. The Strut seems to have the knowledge. What neighbourhoods are recommended? Restaurants, bars etc. I wouldn't mind going to a couple of record stores too.
As far as my experience goes I liked every place in France I been so far. Bordeaux was very nice when I stayed there for two weeks. Lately we were visiting some cities on southern mediterrenean coast close to spain where my girlsfriends dad is living. Perpignan and Narbonne are both very friendly, small southern towns. I liked la Bretagne very much too but would always prefere to go to the south.
What a sweet thread! As a french dude it's really a good sight to read you dudes and dudettes! Yeah France is really far from the bad image given by that "boogie mafia", zero feedback chargebackers who brought so much pain to some of you... Throught the years I felt some of you beeing more and more radical in your positions towards us (I damn felt assimilated to those suckers and hated that).
But as mentioned precedently France is not paradise neither... Yes, Sarkozy, shitloads of depressed people, egocentrism (especially in big cities), steals, agressions etc... But that is human more than french isn't it? Also, don't fear that much about anti-americanism... Now Bush is gone! You'll be apreciated accordingly to your own human value... Haha!
The dude Noreille hit it on the head - there's a lot of shit that's both good and bad about France. I think that the whole "anti-american" thing is overstated, even when Bush was president. A lot of americans expect to have their asses kissed when they go abroad -- the french ain't having none of that. The parisiens I ran into were really cool, nice and personable once you get to know them. And the anti-french sentiment here in the U.S. (i.e, "freedom fries") was always much stronger here than the anti-american hate in france.
As far as ugly shit in France, for a country that prides itself on "liberte" and "egalite," I've seen some racist shit there, even in a big city like Paris. I remember going to some bars and clubs and seeing the bouncers turn away the black/african kids. Those kids just walked away like they were used to do it.
As far as ugly shit in France, for a country that prides itself on "liberte" and "egalite," I've seen some racist shit there, even in a big city like Paris. I remember going to some bars and clubs and seeing the bouncers turn away the black/african kids. Those kids just walked away like they were used to do it.
Unfortunately true and again sadly human... That can sometimes be felt much stronger in the deep country side, in tiny villages where even a caucasian parisian is not welcomed. That kind of behaviour is minor but when it happens to you or in front of you it's always irritating. Forget "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite"... That never happened, nice utopia but absolutely not representative.
And those train/metro strikes are so NAGL.
I agree. Guess what? Trains and metros are on strike tomorrow... True! I'm not against strikes at all. If the people's voice can't be heard nothing good will happen for the people, especially in these times, with our actual president. But these guys working for the trains and metros companies always have the same motus operandi: their strikes mean a mess everywhere, they block their trains and keep workers from working, travellers from traveling, etc... WHY THE HELL DON'T THEY OPEN THE DOOR TO EVERYBODY AND MAKE PEOPLE TRAVEL FOR FREE???
People working for the national electricity company were on strike this winter and I admired their action. They distributed electricity for free during hours and brought electricity back into homes where small families living precarily were prived from energy because of their incapacity to pay a bill... That was so clever. I pray for the day when trains and metros strikes will be on this level...
Comments
I also found that most people in Paris would much rather speak English to me than deal with my mediocre French. In Nice and Cannes less so -- the smaller the city, the less English spoken.
For me the biggest positive of France is the life style: eating and appreciating good food, conversation and friends. Taking time to enjoy the small things.
Music on the other hand is not France's strength.
As far a Sicko goes. When I was living there, I broke my ankle playing soccer and got all health care including rehab for free and I wasn't even a citizen. Awesome.
still planning on this?
People, you have to go to this place once in your life: super food, friendly people, fabulous sightseeing... incredible area!
Like 3 years ago, a friend of mine invited us Medaphoar, Oh No, Dudley Perkins and the crew to his house in Auvers sur Oise (where Matisse lived and worked). We recorded a track together.
Dudley seemed to like the place if I remember...
Somewhere between Toulouse and Pau fro example.
Sheep (homie!) you should visit Toulouse man, I know you've been in Nice (south-east) now try the south-west!! Very very friendly people, cheap place to live, everything is slowed down out there, best place in the world where to chill, very... very good products from the farm... and the landscapes are beautiful.
word. I lived for little while a the Cite Universitaire Arsenal in Toulouse. very chill town: beautiful river, good people and nice weather.
and bapt is a good dude.
Yes, we just set our sites on 2015 when our kids will be 8 and 10. Of course, we'll visit before then. Shit once I get my German passport I can work there which makes this more of a do.
I concur:
Honeymooned in Paris and the locals were beyond polite, despite us recieving countless 'warnings'. Disregard all negative comments you have heard, Parisians are, for the most part, a friendly bunch.
OK. Thanks for the responses. I have always wanted to leave this country. Even if it's just for a few years. I am so fed up with our culture.(I am opening a can of worms, I know). BUT, after I watched Sicko, I think you can only do for yourself. I am not expecting much from this country. I almost give up, in a way.
I think I am ready to completely learn the culture and the language to my best.
And Ms. Head, I am not sure if it would be a problem to get a visa. However, I need to check that out more. So, I won't dilute myself with high hopes. I hope to god it's not difficult.
I think it would be a great opportunity for anyone, and I want to live my life to it's fullest. SHIT, you can have a baby for free! You have a minimum of 5 weeks sick/vacation pay a year! No worry for debt or loans!(Maybe) And so much more...
This is extremely appealing me...
and Bapt, you must be one cool ass motherfucka!!
- J
lol French pop music is mostly terrible but there is a ton of great music being made in France and as for African music there's nowhere better than Paris. The French really love their music. Paris is a great city but Toulouse is probably my favourite. I'm from Corsica (it's beautiful but you wouldn't want to live there) but I've also lived in Aix, Nice, Toulon and Marseille at different times. Sarkozy is the biggest neg that I can think of.
Do it!
I spent a week or so in L??ran during summer '04, and I had a great time. Quiet, beautiful countryside, great cheap food - I could feel the tension drain from my body before I'd even unpacked my bags. I visited Carcassonne and Monts??gur as well as some of the market towns around those parts. For anyone with an interest in ancient or mediaeval history, it's a fascinating place.
I guess I was lucky on my trip. Found great record stores and amazing parties. It was lucky that Diplo, Scruff and Jamie Lidell were playing live while we were there and we found out about some great dancehall parties...in the strangest spots, too; quiet residential area, you turn a corner and there is a tiny bar with glass shaking bass. We also went to a great soul/funk dance party in a club that was on a boat!
We agree! Hoorah!
I found the people to be very polite, they would always say "Pardon" if they even faintly brushed past you on the Metro, whereas in London you will get steamrollered without any hint of remorse.
Normandy was cool. Calvados and cuisine. Less english speakers than the capital but I could get by. I'd live there but not sure my verbal abilities are up to working professionally out there.
I also stayed in Malakoff which was a communist-run area of town at the time. They had a Karl Marx stadium etc. They also have much more diverse shops, a friend took me to a place that just did acoustic and unusual basses. I also found Paris to be fairly safe to walk around (apart from the riot areas of course).
And I drove around L'Arc de Triomphe. When the wife worked there, she did it every day. Madness....
the block is hot. satyed there for a minute.
I actually agree with this assessment as well.
Bordeaux was very nice when I stayed there for two weeks. Lately we were visiting some cities on southern mediterrenean coast close to spain where my girlsfriends dad is living. Perpignan and Narbonne are both very friendly, small southern towns.
I liked la Bretagne very much too but would always prefere to go to the south.
But as mentioned precedently France is not paradise neither... Yes, Sarkozy, shitloads of depressed people, egocentrism (especially in big cities), steals, agressions etc... But that is human more than french isn't it? Also, don't fear that much about anti-americanism... Now Bush is gone! You'll be apreciated accordingly to your own human value... Haha!
Cool thread, thanks!
As far as ugly shit in France, for a country that prides itself on "liberte" and "egalite," I've seen some racist shit there, even in a big city like Paris. I remember going to some bars and clubs and seeing the bouncers turn away the black/african kids. Those kids just walked away like they were used to do it.
And those train/metro strikes are so NAGL.
Unfortunately true and again sadly human... That can sometimes be felt much stronger in the deep country side, in tiny villages where even a caucasian parisian is not welcomed. That kind of behaviour is minor but when it happens to you or in front of you it's always irritating. Forget "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite"... That never happened, nice utopia but absolutely not representative.
I agree. Guess what? Trains and metros are on strike tomorrow... True! I'm not against strikes at all. If the people's voice can't be heard nothing good will happen for the people, especially in these times, with our actual president. But these guys working for the trains and metros companies always have the same motus operandi: their strikes mean a mess everywhere, they block their trains and keep workers from working, travellers from traveling, etc... WHY THE HELL DON'T THEY OPEN THE DOOR TO EVERYBODY AND MAKE PEOPLE TRAVEL FOR FREE???
People working for the national electricity company were on strike this winter and I admired their action. They distributed electricity for free during hours and brought electricity back into homes where small families living precarily were prived from energy because of their incapacity to pay a bill... That was so clever. I pray for the day when trains and metros strikes will be on this level...