American concepts that don't exist in France | French cultural differences

[@madamountaineer2459]

I died when you said Paris wasn't France lol. I could imagine. Hollywood and NYC seem to represent all of USA and that's just not the case. Great vid! Very informative.

[@jean-louispech4921]

Paris is a special city compared to the rest to the France, on different levels.

[@Ales_Scazziotta]

Paris isn't France.........anymore

[@nd0136]

@@Ales_Scazziotta Why would you stop at a poor little innuendo ? Please, do go on and elaborate on your insightful and totally non-problematic views about why Paris isn't France anymore, for everyone else here to appreciate.

[@Leila2023_]

I'm so glad that someone is pointing this oit on YT finally. paris is not france at all. in my opinion Paris is a theme park full of tourists. most of the french living there are not parisian, they are just there for a job. a lot of the shops and facilities only exist in paris, not the rest of france. there are too many vloggers on YT talking about Paris as France. it's not.

[@Julia-nl3gq]

@@Leila2023_ Well, Paris doesn't represent all of France, of course, but it is still part of France, and there is so many beautiful and amazing things there.

[@elmstreetish]

I have a pharmacist friend who worked at Walgreens in Chicago when they first introduced drive-up prescriptions. She was appalled when customers drove up and requested things like toothpaste, toilet paper etc. The customers were equally appalled when she told them that the drive-up was only for prescriptions and they would have to come into the store to buy those items.

[@tulipwindmill]

No drive through banks or pharmacies in Uk either to my knowledge,must be an American thing lol.

[@kellyblandon5480]

Yeah, when she said that I just thought "wtf that's not a thing"

[@willswomble7274]

Yeah, they are afraid of going inside a public building - bank, pharmacy, movie theater, shop - that they will get shot!

[@jwb52z9]

Yes, if you don't live in a city, you are possibly hours away from things you need to live.

[@thomastshikuna7451]

yeah and no exercise for the average person that can't bother to walk into the store or bank. They have to ride around everywhere. Obesity on the rise.

[@tulipwindmill]

@Scorched Earth Thankfully,we can do that in UK too.

[@camilleb.3106]

Hi ! Really nice video. Most of the things you talked about are quite indicative of a different way of thinking in France. I just wanted to add something about boutique fitness studios. In small towns, you will not find any. On the other hand, local sports associations often offer yoga or pilates classes. It's really cheap (it's not a business) and it usually happens in a multipurpose room made available by the city. Not as fancy as a boutique fitness studios but really good atmosphere.

[@OuiInFrance]

Great points, thank you for adding! xx

[@shaungordon9737]

You're not gonna find drive thru banks and pharmacies pretty much anywhere out of the US. Not just France

[@bedetteb1111]

Shaun Gordon lol. You have to be kidding....... in Canada we have had drive through banks, for probably 20 years. We have a lot of things here that I have not found in many cities I have visited in the US.

[@shaungordon9737]

@@bedetteb1111 I forgot about Canada, but you might be the only exception. You're pretty much America-Lite anyway.

[@Julia-nl3gq]

We do have drive-through banks, but they're not common. I've seen one in my life. We don't have drive-through Pharmacies, at all. That's not a thing here. So not much like the States. I'd disagree about the America-lite thing, too. Sure, we have similarities, but then we also have similarities with every country from Australia to England. Any major issue I can think of is different here than in the States - health care, gun laws, abortion laws, political systems, welfare system, etc. Plus, the States is not an bilingual country, and we are. That's a pretty huge thing. Every time I'm in the States, it weirds me out the way every sign and food label is only in one langauge. Even the little things are different here. We use the metric system, they use imperial. We don't use pennies, they do. Just a lot of little things that all add up to make it different. Oh, and we have great regional food here that they don't, ie Saskatoon Berries, bannock, nanimo bars, poutine. I guess it's easy to think that they're super similar if you haven't spent a lot of time in both countries, though.

[@ElieSanhDucos0]

I am pretty sure than in Asia and Europe Drive through bank arent a thing.North and South America, thats all I think

[@sanapadsense1999]

I read a comment below:"we don't tip the waiter" It's because in France the service is included in the price. But sometimes we give tip to waiter if we like his work. I'm sorry for my bad english.

[@janeywilcox6821]

Your english is perfect by the way. Come on :)

[@rban123]

yes, in france the waiters are payed decent wages. in the US, servers make ~$6/hr with the assumption that customers will tip >10%

[@WhatDayIsItTrumpDay]

The problem with having the tip included in the price of service is that it doesn't give the server the incentive of actually doing a good job. In other words, that pay is automatic, so they can just say to themselves, "Fuck it, I'm getting paid X€ no matter what, so why bust my ass for these people?" It also goes back to the "Customer is always right" ideology. If the business/server views the customers as a nuisance rather than being grateful for their business, then service as a whole sucks.

[@corydorastube]

@@WhatDayIsItTrumpDay No buddy. In Europe, the waiter is an employee, not a skivvy living on handouts.

[@celia1888]

@@WhatDayIsItTrumpDay well the customer isn't always right so I'd say it's good to be able to not have to be forced to act as if the customer was of a higher rank than you in order to be allowed to get a living wage

[@LostwithLaura]

Just found your channel and love it! I'm learning french and love hearing little bits and conversations in french it really tells me how much i'm learning/able to pick up.

[@OuiInFrance]

Welcome, thanks for being here!

[@donnaterrell938]

Loved the bread video & would enjoy seeing the pastry video as well. Thank you.

[@OuiInFrance]

Thanks so much. I plan to film it soon!

[@loisenolp4746]

Donna Terrell I just watched that one and I subscribed instantly. Can’t wait to see pastry one.

[@OlivierGabin]

About coffee, you have to take into acocunt that, in France, share a cup of coffee is usually a social habit in the workplace. My mother, who is not a coffee lover, drank coffee only in her workplace with her colleagues and her students when she was working (she is retired now). In my own workplace, we have meetings on a regular basis for work, and I am responsible of the coffee maker, I had bought one only for my office to do that. On the other hand you have a groving trend in France to get coffee as a savoury hot drink outside the workplace. You find more and mode full beans coffee in supermarkets, and small local roasters sells their product directly to the consumer in small shops. I known three of them, one a five minute walk from my home, in my city of Grenoble. Those trends makes the solitary pre-brewed cup of coffee not really a product that have appeal to the french average customer.

[@TammieBuckeye]

Yay!! I love your videos. I can’t wait for the pastry one. Thank you for sharing France with us.

[@terrymcfarland683]

Driving through the pharmacy is to pick up a prescription your doctor has called in not to shop items on your own. Wish you had made that clear. Love the vlog.

[@nathanangelus]

In France, expressing patriotism in public in other circumstances than national events (sports, memorial days, tragedies, etc) is considered very negatively. It's a cultural thing because for decades patrioticism has been the main identity of the racist extreme right-wing parties. So even if someone from the left-wing feels very patriotic and proud of France and of the French flag, etc etc, he/she won't put a flag, for example, in front of his/her house because it could be interpreted as if he/she were from the extreme right...

[@OuiInFrance]

Really good point, Nathan. Thank you. So true!

[@nathanangelus]

​@@OuiInFrance Thanks ! To go a bit further on the subject, this cultural particularity also explains why French people can be quite disturbed and/or cynical and/or critical about Americans putting their flag all over the place or expressing their patriotism so loudly in real life as much as in movies... Whether or not it is actual "bad" nationalism or simple affection to the country (the USA), French people commonly have an interpretation bias on the subject that is quite deeply rooted in our subconscious...

[@IRedpunk]

Right wing or far right aren’t racist, some individuals could be yea and this attracted bad press which painted the whole party as that. But in reality you can find aholes everywhere, that’s how it is.

[@norbertfontaine8524]

The other day, I saw an "American bible" on sale on Amazon, with the American flag on the cover. I fail to understand how a bible may have a nationality. I can't imagine to find a "Bible française" in France. Just the thought of it is ridiculous.

[@marsattaqueladelinquancest9727]

That kind of thought is stupid basically and because of it, France turned a communist country so let us consider things as they are without imagining false things

[@toomanyopinions8353]

Drive through banks, pharmacies, and liquor stores are very regional in the USA. Basically they’re either super common or totally unheard of, depending on the area.

[@karmacounselor]

exactly, in California there was a drive through dairy....that would never work in Minnesota!

[@QueenBee-gx4rp]

You do a very lovely job. You are cogent and cover topics quite thoroughly. As an aside, I dined at an expensive restaurant here in Connecticut over the weekend, and automatically tipped 20 percent. Hard habit to break! ❤️ Tres bien et merci!

[@p.r.9982]

Great observations. Didn't even know drive-thru pharmacies and banks existed in the world. That must be mostly american cause I've travelled and never seen those.

[@suestoons]

Drive-thru banking is common in Canada also, pharmacies, not so much.

[@L.Spencer]

I've seen drive-thru bars in Mexico.

[@mikekrasovec6390]

America's drive-thrus aren't limited to fast food, banks and pharmacies. We also have drive-thru fireworks, liquor, marijuana dispensaries... Texas has "drive-thru daiquari". You're not supposed to have open containers of alcoholic beverages in the car with you. Because they tape the plastic lid on it's legally sealed.

[@blahblah1438]

It’s really an eye-opener because I didn’t think that there was a place where they didn’t exist I guess we both learned

[@susan8823]

It’s so convenient to drive thru bank, just using the atm to pull or deposit money is great.

[@didierpuzenat7280]

2:45 In fact, about surrogacy, selling your body (or a part of it) is not legal in France. So you can give an organ, but not sell it. You can give your blood but not sell it. For surrogacy, I do not know if it is illegal or if it is the fact to pay that is illegal.

[@filiaaut]

The reason why they don't want to legalise surrogacy is because it is considered to invasive and risky to do it without monetary compensation, and like you said, it is illegal to sell your body, so they cannot agree on an ethical legal set of rules for it, so it stays forbidden.

[@barbaraboll1743]

I think a very important reason why there aren't so many fitness studios is that Europeans are more active on a daily basis than Americans. We don't need a car because the public transportation service is good and our towns and cities are build for pedestrians.

[@jeanmartin963]

a lot of european people do not see the point of paying for something that you can do on your own. Like running, biking, walking.

[@terrymurphy3959]

Watching your video gives me the urge to visit France again. It was our favorite vacation trip!

[@florianandre6891]

In France personal display of patriotism is seen as a reject of immigration and other cultures/countries, only people who have far right/fascisme political opinion (like the "Rassemblement National" party) will have a french flag in there house or claim "france first", but there is other to show you are proud of your own country ^^

[@zogoli5927]

Yeah that's a really stupid thing, you can be patriotic and not be xenophobic

[@lalaland1427]

Yeah, personal display of patriotism is usually used to strenghten the bond between people, creating a "unified group". When is such a thing needed ? When you are in a conflict (weither it's sport, politics, war...) If you are under aggression or on the agressive side, you need a strong group unity. Soooo I guess (maybe I'm biased I don't know that's just my take on it), I guess fervent and casual display of patriotism in a "no apparent conflict" situation can be seen as... Seeking conflict 🤔

[@melisse86]

I'm french and I approve this explanation....for a lot of people patriotism is really negatively seen. We can say we love our country (and that would be weird) but we are not nationalist, we are certainly not proud of certain parts of our history (and neither should the US I should say). We complain A LOT about our politics and presidents and there is no fervor in there (and rightly so) . What we love and will all be glad to be proud of is OUR FOOD, our landscapes etc but certainly not our NATION.

[@raspberrybitch4299]

But what if I'm a French immigrant from America, and so I have a US, French and EU flag on my wall (I like flags). Will I be confused with a far right person?

[@CityLights-v6u]

@@lalaland1427 Isn't a country supposed to be a unified group? It's always been normal for them to, until for some reason people started preaching individualism and not caring at all about your country and community. Community is completely dead now, but it's an extremely important thing. This is why people are so lonely nowadays and never have any respect to the people around them.

[@MonsieurLuon]

Oh yes! I loved the bakery video! Merci! I didn’t expect any of these! I am a lil sad about the fitness part as an enthusiast myself! I look forward to watching more of your videos! Thanks so much!

[@OuiInFrance]

There are still a bunch of great fitness activities in France, but it's just a little different than what I was used to in NYC. But I've adapted and found my own routine. ;-) I've also tried some new-to-me activities like classes in the pool that are popular here.

[@szk4023]

Regarding boutique fitness studios, I'd add that in general French people aren't into chains period. As Americans, we love to standardize everything for convenience and efficiency. We treasure predictability and consistency in service quality. Whenever we like something or solve a problem, we feel the need to share and scale out. Different values in France. Aside from the food and cinema industry, you rarely see franchises nationwide in France and I think those few exceptions are mainly due to America's strong influence.

[@marianneramberg7577]

Maybe Americans wouldn't need all those boutique fitness studios if they got out of their cars and walked once in a while, like to the bank and the pharmacy...

[@txspacemom765]

THIS! So much this! TOUCHE!

[@rachelriggin2129]

It's too far. LOL. No really, it's too far. That's usually why. If I walked to my pharmacy, it would be a 3 hour project. And this business is as close to my house as it can possibly be.

[@mayganphynix8267]

yes! on top of not eating lots of fattening and processed foods. thats my struggle. I walk quite a bit and am overweight.

[@Jenny-tm3cm]

Most places aren’t walking distance, and not only will you be literally the only person walking but there are no sidewalks or even space to walk most of the time. Cars are supposed to be 10 ft away from pedestrians but most don’t move over and some will serve towards you to get a laugh. Before the pandemic I would walk to work and people would always be like “you poor thing! Get in my car!” Like no thanks stranger. I was lucky in that I walked through vineyards to get there and only on a few smaller roads

[@cherylcentenioblessedvirgi3241]

Your videos are very informative and I appreciate them very much. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@kuidelu]

The American concept that make French people the most puzzled is the "french theory" XD

[@WhatDayIsItTrumpDay]

As an American, I don't think surrogacy should be allowed here either. I just find the whole concept icky. Not to mention risky for the surrogate mothers. What if there's a complication with the pregnancy, birth, or even unforeseen defects?

[@TeddyBear-lc5tn]

Oh my 😞you poor soul please never vote

[@garyranieri3856]

agreed. 'Teddy Bear' seems to embrace the decadent & sinful. stand by your principles

[@johnp139]

Then don’t be a surrogate. Mind your own business.

[@jaymeez]

How about a “Cost Of Living” video. Maybe you can compare Paris vs living outside of a main city. Would be very interesting

[@tomshahriari6602]

I live in Ariege, south of Toulouse and it’s cheap. Much cheaper than Texas.

[@jaymeez]

@@tomshahriari6602 So that must mean it is Much Much Cheaper than California which is where I am at

[@nox8730]

@@jaymeez I live in the center town of Pau, South West France. This is one of the biggest town in the region (65 000 people), but still a medium sized town. Right now, i rent a 52m² appartment in a pretty nice building. The appartment is everything i looked for. I even have the leisure to let one of the two rooms (25m²), the one that leads to the entrance, entirely empty, which is a really soothing feeling i craved for. The rent is 360 euros/month. Depending or my profesionnal situation, it can go down to 90 euros/month. Obviously one would have to be french citizen for that. Paris is terribly expensive in comparison. Other than that, every month, i pay 45 euros for TV, high speed fiber internet and phone, all in one package, 9 euros for my mobile phone (unlimited calls, 10Go internet), 16 euros for lodging insurance, 15 euros for water, 54 euros for electricity on average, and... that is pretty much everything i have to pay, since i do not need a car, and everything else is free. RIght now i pay 52 euros total of taxes every year, but it should hopefully go up once my professional situation goes better (i have several health problems, thanks free healthcare). Just add food and necessary shopping, which is something around 250 euros/month for me, and overall, while adding these damn cigarettes i want to get rid of but can't (65 euros/month), i live ok for something like 550 euros/month, which could go up to 950 i guess, if i have a well paid job and get hungry for buying useless crap. I don't really need more, and never spent more than 750/month actually. Anothere bit of trivia to replace everything into context. The full time minimum wage in France is 1231 euros/month for 35h/week. Hope it is useful for you.

[@jaymeez]

@@nox8730 Thanks for the info... Very nice to know. One day hopefully I will be in France :)

[@nox8730]

@@jaymeez Added some details, i don't know if you saw, notably the minimum wage ^^. THis is the wage after taxes are paid. The net. But now, my best friend loves to go to restaurants and buy expensive brands, so he would spend much more than me :D. I am sort of a minimalist.

[@soonerlon]

One thing you missed but briefly mentioned - getting the medicines you need for your ailment. In France, if one has a minor injury or illness all they have to do is go the pharmacy and the pharmacist will sell you medicines like antibiotics or ointments that would require a prescription in the U.S. One time while passing through Charles deGaulle airport, I saw a pharmacist applying bandages to a persons injured foot. Most Americans can't even imagine a full service pharmacy at an airport or train station. I had the pleasure of working for the French Air Force for 20 years, so I really became enamored by the French - they were some of the nicest people i ever met (including the wrongly maligned Parisians!!!).

[@veraciteabsolue1221]

Concepts ? In France it varyes from ideology to idea, vs in the US, it covers driving a car and going shopping.

[@maggiemorris2598]

Fact about french : we shave, we prefer natural look , the customer is not the king,we don't tip the waiter , we don't smile for to smile, if we like you you will know if we don't like you you will know too, we don't say "I love you to everyone it is for very close people, we only hug very close people in private, we talk our mind if something bothering us we tell ,we don't like small talk, we enjoy the silence .we hate fake in all way, for us friendship is not a joke we have boxes : the ones we use to know ( neighbor co workers) the buddy we hang out with and the best friend the one we know for years and this one is practically a member of the family friendship is sacred for us .we stay aware about people we don't open easy I must to admit than we are judgmental about manners and education.

[@thewirah1]

You forgot to say that we are assholes.

[@WhatDayIsItTrumpDay]

The lack of public friendliness to others should be considered a detriment. Not a virtue. It is always a good thing to be courteous to your fellow man. Ignoring people if they talk to you is rude. I know this seems to only be an American thing, but every time a foreigner comes to America, this is one thing they pick up on on how friendly Americans are when it comes to this public communication, and I wouldn't have it any other way. When your fellow man/woman needs help, you help them...you don't ignore them just because you prefer your silence. That's rude AF.

[@corydorastube]

"we don't like small talk". Avez-vous été en Normandie? You are not from Paris, by chance? "Parisien tête de chien, Parigot tête de veau"

[@Brynny211]

Facts about the French: They like to be rude but if you are rude to them they get ass hurt. They shower 3 times a week , the rest of the nights they have a glove 🧤 that smells like vinegar and they wet it in the sink and do a cat 🐈 wash with it. The French language sounds like if you filled a persons mouth with 💩. Sorry about this thing the French call feeling that French food is the best food in the world but again that is only a feeling, the best food in the world is Italian. French Cologne is tied for best in the world. French Lingerie is the sexiest. Some of the best writers philosophers in history are from France. France is a beautiful country.

[@kevingarnero2765]

@@Brynny211 Come on, man. I can't think of any person washing only three times a week. The only time you see these people, it's on tv. Most of French wash at least once a day. Your comment is gonna strengthen the middle-ages/renaissance stereotype that French don't wash and put Cologne instead (which would make any shit talker happy). And what are you talking about ? The language is great ! I'm positive we have the best food though being a charcuterie fan, I'll hand it to the Italians for their beautiful meat. Anyways... Good day, mate.

[@2dimitropolis370]

I was actually impressed with France. I like all of these. Well done France!

[@marinawilczynski5999]

There is a drive-thru window in my small town in charente-Maritime, but never saw a customer at it, apparently it was installed for safety reasons when the pharmacy is "on-call" on sundays or at night.

[@nepenthe_shroom]

Ive come to immerse myself in culture. You’ve earned yourself a subscriber my friend!

[@jml4774]

Love your vid's, especially the differences between the US and France. Can you do some video's for people who want to retire part time in france? Cost of living, what to expect in a rental, how to find a place to rent etc?

[@MrFranckbtz]

Hahaha Diane, when I was in your country, we where joking about cvs : "hoo, wait I am gonna buy me my cigarettes, a bottle of whisky and my anti-depressant prescription", so funny for us. Thanks I love your channel.

[@jocelyneke6445]

When I was a child, I used to go to the drive thru bank in California. This was in the 70s. My mom would put her bank book and deposit in a cylinder. She would put it in a slot. Then it would come back.

[@alexandreintouch1847]

drive thru groceries, supermarket all over france for 15 years now...just send your order on your app less than 30 mns...it's ready

[@Alsacienne_d_Alsace]

5:43 it depends on the region. In Alsace for instance,a lot of backeries have coffee, bottles of water ext…

[@zecle]

8:14 wait, "moto crottes" don't exist anymore ???

[@katieodonnell6754]

Thank you! Looking forward to the pastry video!😋👍

[@mojojim6458]

Another enjoyable video. Thanks for making them for us.

[@psychic644]

Excellent vid, Diane ! Very informative and very well done ! As far as the coffee goes I love the café culture ! That's what makes France so very special ! Interesting point you brought up about doggie daycare ! It's true what you say about Paris and New York ! It's the same with Los Angeles ! So true ! Major doggie hotel as you are heading towards Westwood. Thanks so much for sharing all the good stuff with us ! Lots of love and hugs to you !

[@brucemarsico6]

France has lousy coffee compared with Italy or Brasil.

[@bbllee26]

Dual French-American citizen here: I would add that regarding anything procreation-related, France is quite different. Even married people can't do IVF in France if the woman is older than 43. After the age of 43, you're on your own (meaning you go to some other European countries: Spain, Czech Republic, Belgium usually). Another concept that I find quite different between both countries: popularity. In the US there are the popular kids in high school and the not-so-popular kids. In France there's not such a thing. You don't talk about anyone being popular. I remember visiting a former high school teacher with a (American) friend (I went to high school in France) and she said to my teacher "I bet B. was really popular in high school". My teacher was totally confused and rightly so. There are just kids in school in France, you have your group of friends and that's it. High school life in France and in the US is extremely different.

[@illapaSP]

It's true that popularity in school is absolutely not a thing. And that's a thing we french people don't understand. So I'm curious, why does that exists ? What is the big deal about popularity in school ?

[@bbllee26]

@@illapaSP That's an excellent question to which I have no answer at all. I wonder if it has to do with the whole celebrity culture that is so much more important in the US than in France?

[@evatripp7788]

Sounds like in school, people arectreated equally in France. Here in the U.S. we are told everyone's equal & many have fallen for the hype but after the last few years many Americans are waking up to the fact it is hype.

[@hmasonhicks]

Through my recent decade in France, like you, I don't ever remember seeing a drive-thru for anything other than fast food.

[@luxomars4049]

Now we have drive thru Covid testing center 😅

[@bedetteb1111]

In Canada it is less common to see flag poles on front lawns.....

[@Judy122550]

I am a new subscriber I enjoyed this vlog on the many differneces . I live in a small town of 10,000 in North Eastern Pennsylvania we have 5 work out gyms in our area & they are thriving. We also have several people that have a truck that comes to your home & gives your dog a bath. All our banks & pharmacy except for one pharmacy has drive thru & that is not a chain one personally owned. Thanks for sharing Have a lovely week ( Judy )

[@PINE1berry]

I was in Paris in 2018 and I had no trouble finding a Starbucks. But, yes, I spent time in Normandie and I don't recall seeing a Starbucks.

[@tomshahriari6602]

Sadly, Starbucks has started to invade. The Toulouse airport now has a large one to my horror and disgust.

[@jean-michelgaiffe3834]

probably because if we like coffee, we don't like Starbuck ! Hahaha... is really a coffe withn such sirup, caramel, crazy chemical flavors...? I don't think so. Well, to me, an expresso, double and of course from different origins. That's true coffee ;)

[@herrbonk3635]

4:57 Hazelnut coffee??? What is that?

[@herrbonk3635]

@@rico7432 Honestly, I'm not sure what creamer is either. But I've heard americans use it, instead of cream.

[@herrbonk3635]

@@rico7432 You café culture is so foreign to me :D Traditionally, we just have "black" coffee and that's it. Some put cream and/or sugar in it, but most don't. The sugar, cream and tastes comes from the pastry we have along with our coffee.

[@herrbonk3635]

@@rico7432 We *have* stuff like that too, but that's modern global trends. I'm talking about more than century old traditions with its roots in the 1700s. A "coffee house" here is basically a bakery with its own café, a so called konditori.

[@gregessex1851]

That is just wrong

[@johnknight9150]

We don't have drive-thru banks or pharmacies in Australia either, I think drive-thru anything that's not fast food is only an American thing. We're starting to become a bit more like our American cousins when it comes to outward displays of patriotism, but I've always found it absolutely cringe-worthy, and traditionally it's been more of an eye-roller here too.

[@williemal3058]

Diane, Slow down, catch your breath. Your in France enjoy. None of these woild be missed.

[@blahblah1438]

It sounds that I fit in better in France than I do here. I like the personalization of going in and enjoying the coffee and also not being so lazy going into the bank going into the pharmacy it keeps the community I feel we’ve lost that here especially where I live in the city

[@craigevans6156]

In terms of fitness studios, where I spend a lot of time in the Lot region, most towns have some public facilities and they are usually very well equipped

[@TerreSeche213]

"In the US [...] to have a flag pole or to display a flag on your property, maybe it's not common but it's something you see." Oh yeah, it is more than common! For an outsider like me (Canadian) who visits the US, the impression we have is that they are freakin' everywhere!!!

[@charcounsel4432]

Do you feel there is something wrong with flying the American flag? We have state flags too that we fly? Do they not fly Canadian flags in your country?

[@TerreSeche213]

@@charcounsel4432 Of course I have nothing against it, what I brought was an observation that we see more Americans flying their flag than Canadians flying their flag. I personally do not have a Canadian flag at home, since I do not feel like a Canadian as much as I feel like a Québécois (but this is another issue 😉), but I don't have a Québec flag either... Are these signs that Americans in general are more patriotic? Or more proud of showing it? I would be tempted to believe so. And again, it isn't a bad thing.

[@erglelergle8476]

And it's beautiful

[@Charles25192]

In France, only far right extremists display the flag.

[@gregessex1851]

@@Charles25192 and in Australia. Actually in most other countries other than the US.

[@youllthinkofme2011]

The popularity of drive through has increased with COVID! There really wasn't much of a reason ( besides a bit of laziness) before, but now everything can be done " drive through' style.

[@lours6993]

Americans HAVE to drive everywhere as most people live in suburbia where nothing is walking distance and there are next to no footpaths on which to walk. Hence, people some how think it's a plus to drive through to do shopping. I don't like it personally. Same applies to 'to go' coffee.

[@jeromemckenna7102]

We have a local sit down restaurant that had a drive in window that wasn't being used, but when the pandemic occurred they spruced it up and probably did most of their business at that window for a while.

[@Lea-rb9nc]

My little village on the Mediterranean has a population of 700. There are any number of exercise classes available at our MJC (now the MJC is another post you can do) there are many walking and hiking groups available and all you need do is show up. Nearly everyone cycles including Monsieur Serevin who is nearly 100. Our village is filled with rolling hills, a river, cascade, vineyards and so much more. A California native who lived in NYC for six years and a few in the midwest found Paradise. Twelve years and counting...

[@backintimealwyn5736]

cool, c'est quoi le village? ^^ C'est pas un de ces "petits" villages de luxe de la côte? ça a l'air très bien en tout cas.

[@fionescumartin]

Almost all bakery in France will serve also coffee, although a very narrow range of choice (expresso and long)

[@amberfranke5970]

In Canada we have drive thru banks, but not drive thru pharmacies.

[@MrRavenski23]

I am French , born in France and I lived there till I was 25. From these distant days, I remember that it was definitely not cool to display patriotism, "style pompier" and the sound of "cocoriko" instantly came to mind. All very uncool and unsophisticated stuff. The funny thing is that I am now Canadian and find it perfectly normal to display the Canadian flag on my front porch.

[@Da_VINE_Ruach]

Love Your Channel !!!❤️

[@OuiInFrance]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@brennanlewis-degan9029]

I can say from personal experience, even in Paris it is hard to find doggy day care services. Even dog boarding takes some extra hunting compared to the US. Great video, keep up the good work!

[@GoelWCS]

In France we have something called commercial areas with a common parking lot 😅! Drive-through are just so impersonal that we are not so keen to have them, especially for places where you expect to discuss with an expert.

[@FatemahIsOkay]

I live in a very small town-village in France and my neighbor has a French flag at her front porch all year long.

[@OuiInFrance]

Yes, it exists but nowhere near on the same scale as in the USA.

[@jpc7118]

@@OuiInFrance Totally agree there, I am a military man (was in land army and now as Gendarme), 26 years of service and I served in big cities, in suburbs and in countryside now, and clearly, to see a french flag (out of an administrtaion or institution) is an EXCEPTION (I know, France is World Champion if few areas : administrations (papers) and Exceptions of all sorts (gramary, conjugation, life rules etc....) ... for the most common clichés, but they are not clichés, as it is true that France has an heavy administration and every rules have exceptions.. .I can easily say that as a French especially that I have served and lived more than 4 years out of my country (mostly in Germany).

[@rosiebowers1671]

Twenty bucks says they're voting RN

[@jpc7118]

@@rosiebowers1671 Je ne vois pas le rapport... On peut être militaire, de gauche, être patriote et mettre son drapeau tricolore à la fenêtre... je connais quelques paysans qui mettent des drapeaux tricolores au find fond du Limousin, pays ancré à gauche et qui vote socialistes depuis des lustres... Vouloir faire croire que le drapeau c'est mal, c'est jeter les bonnes gens dans les bras des fachos... Surement encore une écolo bobo ou gaucho (tu vois, les clichés ont la vie dure, cela peut se retourner contre toi) ... Je suis mili mais 7° enfant d'un ouvrier, je sais d'où je viens, j'aime mon pays sans avoir à voter facho... Faudra pas pleurer quand on aura forcé tous les patriotes à voter facho et que le RN aura gagné le pouvoir. Les esprits étriqués ne sont pas qu'au RN semble-t-il...

[@mirage3rd]

Extremely unusual anywhere in Europe

[@mathieufrancois6054]

I believe a lot of smaller towns have chenils (dog pensions), which are places where you can leave your dog. but to be honest most of the people I know will ask a friend or family member to keep their dog, or even take the dog with.

[@maiaallman4635]

A drive through pharmacy is actually a very good idea. Love from South Africa.

[@kesleygeorge6093]

I think most french people would hate it lol

[@melodyberry80]

I didn't know all that facts from us , thank you 😊 nice video

[@Leila2023_]

this is really interesting... I'm learning so much about america. another thing that doesn't exist in france, but does in the uk, is the reusable baby nappy culture with the companies that collect and wash the nappies / diapers... as for sports. what you find in France is quite affordable outdoor sports clubs everywhere in particular tennis, rugby, cycling etc... all these associations. weve just moved to a village and the tennis club is pretty serious... most of the members are pretty decent players.

[@mariefauvel9772]

From a Frenchie living in NY: _In France most store are close on Sundays and Monday (bank, post office for example) _ In France you can drink alcohol in the street legally (nobody abuse it) _In France, school is Free so you don’t start your life with debts _In France health insurance is reimburse completely _most places in France do not have AC, (it was never that hit growing up in Normandy) _In Paris employer will offer you a « ticket restaurent » it is a « lunch check » employer will contribute to about 70% the rest is on you (example $7 and $3 daily) this goes towards buying your lunch or bakery or you can use them for grocery too. _In France we don’t have prom, don’t have sweet 16, don’t have graduation. That’s all I can think of now

[@JulesKz]

Great video 😀 Can’t wait for the behind the scenes pastry video 🤗

[@truckerdaddy-akajohninqueb4793]

I'm enjoying the channel. I went to school in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, a department of France. So it's interesting to compare your experiences with mine.

[@krcal3020]

Extended evening and weekend hours - just not as common in Europe. I lived in Germany and UK for 8 years - not easy to buy groceries after 7 pm or on Sunday. I needed some antihistamines on a recent trip in France and could not find a pharmacy open on a Sunday (smaller city in Provence). USA has much more of a customer convenience culture.

[@Julia-nl3gq]

With the coffee thing, it has, in my experience, gotten more and more popular over time to have a to-go coffee here (Canada). I'm in my mid-forties. I can't recall seeing adults do this, ever, when I was a kid. I didn't see this happening when I was a teenager, or in my twenties. It wasn't till I was maybe 35 that it was super-common. Maybe when I was 30? I don't know, but for sure it has become a thing over time. And it's not just coffee, but snacks, too. I don't remember seeing people roam around, eating snacks while walking down the street, in their cars, etc. when I was younger. Now it's normal. Same goes for kids. They used to eat at mealtimes only really, and now it's snacks snacks snacks. I personally feel this is helping to contribute to over-eating, both in kids and adults. And some of those 'coffees' are really just dessert-in-a-cup. And so expensive. I've never personally found it appealing. I'd rather make a nice cup of healthy tea, at home, and enjoy it while I read the morning news. I used to drink coffee, I swtiched to tea, but even when I did drink coffee, I didn't find Starbucks and such appealing. I think I was only even in one once, and it was out of desperation for a coffee in an airport, and I had to tell the girl behind the counter that I had no clue how to order there so to please just give me a normal coffee with cream and nothing else. :-)

[@quoniam426]

During the time when Chirac was mayor of Paris, there was a service that took dog poos off the sidewalks with motorbikes. We used to call those "motocrottes" or "poobikes" if you prefer. That was really dangerous because they are on sidewalks with their bikes and zooming through the wroud fetching dog poos with a pincer and putting it in a back box while still driving. That finally ended and for once the next socialist mayor at last tried to make people actually learn to take their own dog's poo themselves and through them into the bins themselves, and also added some special dog poo areas in parks that can be use by gardeners as fertilizer for the parks plants. Now Paris streets are still dirty, but not because of dog poo anymore so we can now walk without fear of stepping into one of those. There are other problems however taht socialist governments brang to the country, but that is another matter entirely.

[@alexcitron5159]

I remember in the Loire people having their dogs at restaurants and even feeding them from the table

[@aaronduncan1890]

How interesting. I’ve read through some of the comments and agree that drive through banks and pharmacies sound space-age to me and must be more of an American thing. Regarding the patriotism thing. You would never see an Australian flag ouside of government buildings in Australia. Displaying the Aussie flag as well as on clothing just screams out RACIST. In France and Europe I think that might be the same, given their history with totalitarian and extremist governments. I guess it just doesn’t have the same connotations in the USA. I agree with you on the fitness thing. I found it very limiting when I lived in Europe. They had gyms but they were very limited and VERY expensive.

[@musicaltheatergeek79]

Why would displaying/wearing the Aussie flag be considered racist?

[@jwb52z9]

The American flag doesn't have that connotation of racism in the US, but the Confederate flag, the one that the American South flew during the American Civil War, IS a huge representation of racism, bigotry, and slavery.

[@cyberneticbutterfly8506]

​@@musicaltheatergeek79 Only because they are the only ones that does it. The reason why the practice was ended in european countries is becasue during WW2 millitary parades, flagging etc was very common in the fascist nations so it became indirectly associated with it. It makes sense as most people who were soldiers for germany and italy didn't see themselves as evil, and not all knew they were doing worse things than the opponent. The excessive demands for displays of patriotism and loyalty can narrow the mind and so any display of patriotism that isn't spesifically required due to the situation - like constitution day or millitary burial - is seen as 'being a mindless soldier for the state'.

[@evatripp7788]

Since so many t... supporters like to claim hyper patriotism & actually ( if you can believe this) loyality to both the American flag & the confederate flag ( WTF) I have not enjoyed displaying my American flag as much. I do display it to honor fallen military heroes or important government officials or on Pearl Harbor day, September 11th etc, because I haven't figured out a different way to honor those people in a outward public way yet.

[@sharoncrain6719]

Flag displays are pretty much regional here in the U.S. They are more often associated with conservative politics than with liberal. The same frequently applies to people who wear clothing with flag designs. Case in point: the Jan 6 insurrectionist riots and the number of rioters waving or sporting American flags while they were vandalizing and defacing the U.S. Capitol. Situations like this have discouraged some people who may wish to display a flag to honor veterans, for example, or those who might otherwise display a flag on the 4th of July to commemorate U.S. independence, because they feel it has been "co-opted" by individuals who exhibit beliefs they don't support.

[@GeorgeMeszaros]

Film pastry making please.

[@OuiInFrance]

Stay tuned this weekend hopefully... was in the bakery today and will go again tomorrow. ;-)

[@Anita3kidsS.]

Diane, I love your channel! I just found you about a week ago & am enjoying your channel immensely. What part of NJ were you from? I grew up in Phila....but am a transplant in NJ when I got married..like you in France lol. My Hubby grew up in NJ . * we lived in Northern NJ & then moved to Central NJ where he grew up ,so now I've been in NJ longer than Phila wow! Trying to catch up to your video's & then going to your BLOG. Hugs from NJ~ Anita S

[@OuiInFrance]

Hi Anita, welcome! I grew up in Somerset County and lived there until I moved to NYC for college (and after). Now my family lives in FL so when I go "home," it's to the Sunshine State. ;-) So glad you're enjoying my content!

[@Niknavi]

In France, the human body is qualified as "indisponible" which means you can use it for commercial purpose. It has a lot of implications. To authorize surrogacy in France, this qualification has to be abolished 1st but... that also means we will have to change a huge quantities of laws to insure that this qualification protects will remain...

[@jenking8229]

There's drive through liquor and smokes still in some parts of the US.

[@MaxPulse1]

To go American coffee!! Why would you bother. Thankfully the Australian flat white coffees are actually available in Starbucks. Plus in France, why not take the time to sit with a croissant and relax in store.

[@songbirdforjesus2381]

We do. Supermarkets have Starbucks inside. So does Target. Coffee shops abound. Bagel shops abound. Outdoor tables and umbrellas in all of these. All Whole Foods, etc.

[@jasminepearls1047]

Because you have no time.

[@WhatDayIsItTrumpDay]

Why bother with To Go Coffee? Because time is money. We don't have time to sit and drink our morning coffee because we have to get to work. This is a concept that everywhere else in the world doesn't get. Non-Americans think our Drive-Thru culture is weird, but being quick with service has everything to do with a vibrant bustling economy and the subsequent high GDP that the US has. Working people don't have time to leisurely sit and "enjoy" their coffee or meals. They got shit to do. And sitting in a restaurant for lunch or a cafe for morning coffee, ain't one of them. Get your food and/or drink and go.

[@corydorastube]

@@WhatDayIsItTrumpDay Gald I don't live in your country buddy. People like you is what is wrong with the world.

[@mistermeanial1690]

David Molinarolo I’m with you! If it isn’t available to go, I’m not buying it.

[@roxanner8]

so many options for you ! you could start so many businesses

[@resh6701]

I'm in a suburbs of a medium city in France and my bakery is selling coffee, it is not a great coffee or a giant starbucks cup, but it's convenient to grab one with a croissant when I'm late

[@OuiInFrance]

Yes, in recent years I've seen machine coffee pop up here and there at bakeries in bigger towns. I love it!

[@a00141799]

I think it great that differences exist between countries because we are not all the same as individuals or nations. The key is in respecting those differences and not insisting that one is better than another. I think that we Americans tend to do that more than some others... Also, some differences in cultures involve the collective personalities of the people of a given nation or even region of a nation. For example Southerners in the US have a reputation of being extremely hospitable and polite while New Yorkers and (Los Angelenos) have a reputation for being a bit self absorbed and artificial. Probably some truth to both of those notions but certainly it does apply to everyone. Anyway, I have heard that the French are very direct in their speech and will not mince their words and speak with a lot of emotion, while we Americans tend to speak in a very nuanced manner preferring to avoid very direct criticisms and declarative statements and positions. (BTW There are many logical reasons that American culture has developed in this way.) Thus, we come off as fake and pretentious to many Europeans. Do you find this to be the case in your experiences there in France??

[@shuaguin5446]

"Speak in a nuance manner". Not my experience at all. All US citizen I met were basically using superlative to describe everything and displaying a lot emotion over trivial matter in presence of complete stranger. I know it's completly anecdotal but still it made me ponder over the vocabulary level of the average US citizen. On the over hand us French are often call arrogant and cold because here it's considered polite not to show much emotions when meeting strangers.

[@a00141799]

@@shuaguin5446 You make my point exactly. What might be considered polite in France may come off as arrogant or conceit in some other country. This is the difference that I celebrate. We can learn a lot from each other if we do things differently. And please consider that the US is not a monolith and there is no single culture that applies to all regions. The US is like many different countries and cultures under one flag. Perhaps that is why we love and hate each other so much. BTW thank you France for the great culinary, fashion, literature and political contributions you have given the world. Just to name a few. Oh yes, one hell of a great sporting nation too. 😁😁😁 Vive la France.😎😎😎

[@genelamamadesmatous9329]

When I leave Paris for a vacation where I cannot take my cat I pay a woman with "chèque emploi service", so called in fact she is paid by direct debit from my bank account, this service is an URSSAF service regulated by the state for the hourly rate, she comes to my house to take care of my cat one hour a day every day.This service was created to fight illegal work and provide social cover to these workers.This young woman visits several cats on one day.

[@westpalmtom3461]

How about drive through Liquor stores and beer stores? I find it maybe too convenient for our South Florida drivers. Any drive through wine tasting in France??

[@Philbert-s2c]

Those are rare enough in the US. In NC they don't exist at all since all liquor stores are government run.

[@reklovjj]

Drive your car to many of the wine villages and walk around and taste. No driving needed except to the wine area itself

[@Kate-qq3ez]

A few year ago some banks in France add a drive thru service but as they don’t have a great success they stop that. ( I had one in front in my house in my home town and I never seen anyone using it) May be the difference is also that in our towns in France ( like every towns in Europe) we walk …

[@patrickmcshane7658]

Diane, you from joisey, what exit?

[@bazoo513]

Re: dog walkers - many of my friends with dogs who live in apartments (meaning don't have large backyards with a nice doghouse) bought their canine companions with the express purpose to force themselves to walk - some kind of gym substitute🙂

[@karenfellows7957]

I'm an American living in the UK for the past 22 years, but spend a couple of months each year in France. I think it's not so much a matter of "These things don't exist in France" as "These things don't exist outside of the US." There is more takeaway coffee in Britain than in France, and France does require you to consult a pharmacist personally for more items than in Britain, but apart from that it's pretty similar between the countries...and from my experiences and from what other people say, in other European cultures as well

[@noname-mq6vw]

Biggest daily difference, everyone works 9 to 5 including stores, merchants , banks etc. Only supermarkets and malls have extended hrs and then limited! No 24 x 7 in france. Try getting a meal at 3 to 6 pm!

[@OuiInFrance]

Yes, very true. 24/7 isn't part of the culture in France

[@marinawilczynski5999]

Most stores are open until 7PM. It will be tricky to get a 3 courses meal after 2PM or before 7PM because we are pretty strict when it comes to meal times, but you can easily get sweet or savoury food in boulangeries, snacks (where you can get paninis, croque-monsieur, sandwiches...) or fast-food restaurants ;)

[@gordondavies7773]

Why would you want a meal in the afternoon?. French people eat at lunchtime then again at dinner in the evening. Maybe that's why obesity is less of a problem. French people work really hard when they are at work. They just have a life outside work and are paid a decent wage so they don't have to work 60 hours a week!

[@johnp139]

@@gordondavies7773 it’s not healthy to eat right before bedtime.

[@jean-michelgaiffe3834]

@@OuiInFrance they tried 15 years ago (more or less) in some cities as in Paris, with supermarket opened 24/7 but they failed after months only …

[@philippeplouchart8156]

Would you comment on the access to such a service as getting (purchasing) postage stamps besides the post office, as we have in the US ( in markets)? The French postal service seems to have that monopoly, sadly like many businesses, not at all hours of a working day.

[@OuiInFrance]

Hi Philippe, in my experience, you can buy postage stamps (domestic and international) at tabacs just about everywhere. For those not familiar with tabacs, they are stores that sell tobacco, magazines, lottery tickets, etc. Also, in most grocery stores, they have pre-paid envelopes for sending a letter in France.

[@bjmurray1842]

To be fair, drive-through banks, and especially pharmacies don't work at all. I've seen them here in Boston, and back in San Francisco, but it way slow, and you either see a long line, or it is closed. I guess it is a reasonable thing.

[@brycebertolino7017]

An engineer from Lawrence Livermore Lab said fast food stold the drive thru idea from banks and roll on deodorants came from ball point pens.

[@michael7324]

Yo Jersey girl. We just got back from Paris. Had a great time. Miss it already. I'm a 732 guy. Great channel

[@3506Dodge]

You don't mean concepts, you mean practices. Concepts are in people's minds.

[@joesantamaria5874]

I was able to be tested for COVID at the drive thru window at the local pharmacy in Beaune (21). They were very nice, and it was cheap for foreigners and free for the French.

[@loisenolp4746]

Where from NJ are you from? I am also from NJ but south closer to Philadelphia

[@OuiInFrance]

Awwww, sweet Cavalier. Mine is a black & tan. ;-) I'm originally from Somerset County.

[@loisenolp4746]

We have a Black and Tan one as well named Achilles and an all tan one names Eli. The one pictured is Prince and he was our first. They are the most loving dogs I have ever had the pleasure of having as fur babies. ❤️❤️🐶🐾

[@NataleeHEALS]

Great video! There is no drive through pharmacies in Canada either. Lol not that I have seen anyways 🤣

[@OuiInFrance]

Canada must be like France then. Pretty much non-existent!

[@jchow5966]

Thank you for another wonderful episode. Your presentations are so interesting & helpful. Sometimes i think “….. after she finally covers everything about France, they will have to move to another country & she will have to do episodes about that country then move to another one, etc etc! ☮️💟

[@OuiInFrance]

You are so welcome!

[@clementboutaric3952]

It is indeed striking how growing up in different countries make different people. While I am not closed to IVG, surrogacy is in my eyes an incredibly dangerous threat to human dignity. Its risks far outweigh its advantages.

[@robs4574]

I really appreciate your support of lgbt community

[@OuiInFrance]

You're welcome, although support of the LGBT community should be common sense in my opinion and I think the laws are a bit backwards in France w/regard to surrogacy, IVF, etc. Thanks for taking the time to comment!

[@kirillivanitski196]

@@OuiInFranceSurrogacy... how "open-minded" is that as opposed to "backwards" French thinking? Exploiting another person's body? Even if they are willingly doing it and being properly rewarded? I believe ethical and psychological implications are just too serious to be disregarded. Sorry, but human rights are NOT about getting anything you want at the snap of your fingers! I understand some women can't have babies. Well then, they can adopt a baby. There are so many orphans in this world. But having your baby at the expense of another person's body is morally wrong. That is how it's seen in France, not necessarily from some sort of traditionalist perspective. I personally don't mind IVF though.

[@mikebetts2046]

Where is the logic of intentionally bringing a child into the world with no father in his or her life?

[@mikebetts2046]

How could they know if they suffered? The average person living in North Korea thinks the rest of the world is wacked out. A person that never ate an apple, does not know what they missed out on.

[@mikebetts2046]

@Doffy Rob prove what? Studies show that 60% of the victims of Canadian airline crashes had eaten tomatoes in the previous six months. Besides, nature did not create a situation where two women can create a new baby. Ditto for two men. Men and women are different for a reason. Children are not placed on earth so Bob and Brian can feel good about pretending they made a baby.

[@corgisrule21]

The surrogacy thing (and IVF if it were illegal for everyone) makes so much sense...we have enough kids we can’t care for as it is (everywhere) so I’m fully on board with that. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@celia1888]

It's because it's considered a medical issue. It's only available for people with fertility issues as far as I'm aware

[@2222titia]

@@celia1888 well it s partly true... The reason France doesn t allow surrogacy is a deontological issue. In France, you can t buy a human or part of it (don't know if it s related to post slavery or not...). So for example, where in America you can go and be paid to give your sperm and eggs, in France people who do it, do it for free and anonymously (just like giving blood or an organ). And surrogacy is like renting your uterus, so enter the category of paying a human body part... And for LGBT+ couple not being able to have access to fertility treatment is affiliated to it. The government had for a long time chose to ignore the issue because it would ask to make huge changes in laws. By playing "conservative" for so long and not allowed lesbian couples access to ivf, the government avoid having to face the fact that by equality of rights all LGBT+ couples should have access to it... and there back to square 1 with the need of surrogacy. And even if France have some religious conservative groups it is nothing compare to the States so it s less a question/issue of tolerance than the issue of paying for human body parts....