Why we love France: 60 Francophiles can’t be wrong

“Why do you love France?” It seemed like such a simple question to answer when we were asked this as just a conversation starter on a Facebook page. We never thought there would be NO response, but the responses received overwhelmed everyone… including me!

We all love France for our own reasons of course.

Though what came through very clearly is our reasons seem so very similar. That was not what I had expected. I naively thought I was the only one with this intense and burning desire to make Paris my home.

To live in the place, I leave my heart every time I have to leave.

It turns out I was wrong! There are many of us with the same burning passion!

Some of the answers were similar, as our passion and love of France are similar, but a few of the Expat replies were the most interesting to me, as I truly believe that deep down inside most of us, is the desire to be them [French]! To live in France… for me particularly Paris but at this late stage in my life, I will take anywhere.

I truly believe that deep down inside most of us, is the desire to be them [French]! To live in France…

My passion for travel has been a never-ending feeling my whole life. I lived in Hawaii for 20 years whilst all my other friends did the Kombi Van caravan around Europe.

I never felt that I had missed out on anything as my life in Hawaii was fabulous…. UNTIL I went to Paris for the first time in 2009.

Then I felt like… why didn’t I discover this place before?

Why did I not join my friends and stay in Paris?

We can all question our actions in life but one thing I have come to realise… Paris grabs you! France entices you to want more.

Following, I have used a few of the quotes and feelings of the other people who answered this very simple yet thought-provoking question posed to us.

Why do I love France?

The first answer is mine… and it so happened that it was the first reply to the question.

“I personally love the history, the architecture, the attitude of the people once you get to really immerse yourself in their culture…. their culture!!” The fact that everyone seems to take care of themselves and you see fashion forward-thinking on any street. Just to walk the streets… flâneur…. being comfortable yet alert… feeling alive!!!

I find this not only in Paris but anywhere I have travelled in France.

60 Francophiles can’t be wrong: why we love France?

What followed was over 60 comments! The diversity, yet similarity, of the answers, were amazing…  For me the answers fell into 3 groups:

• French citizens who have a love for their country.
• Expats who took their leap of faith and moved to the country they had fallen in love with. And then there were the rest of us…
• lovers of everything French.

Robyn Nowell from Australia made her comment succinct and to the point:

I love the respect for traditions especially food-related. Plus, so much else.

Debbie Waller from New Zealand remembers her first and only visit to France with the eruption of the city as she was on the Eiffel Tower when France beat Russia in the 2018 World Cup!
What a fabulous memory to have!

Kirsten-kt Trengrove says the attention to small things..and that being in France…”It just feels so right” … “and yoghurt in glass pots!”

I personally LOVE yoghurt in glass pots as well!

Leslie S.Guegen… an Expat living in Mougins, Provence, says:“The geographical and architectural diversity, the healthcare, the range of locally grown and raised food, the access to coastline and cities and mountains, the better roads, more honest IMHO healthcare without the profit incentive, the large expat community where we live which affords me the opportunity to discover new perspectives which enriches my life experience.  And the way the citrus is growing in my backyard.”

Sally Porta also from Australia loves:

to touch the stone buildings and old walls… and to flaneur

And as an Australian, I absolutely understand this love of touching the walls and walking the cobblestone streets. Australia only has a 200-year history and we are not a country to keep old buildings.

To be in a country that embraces its past is a feeling we all seem to love.

Fawnie Good brings up a great point: “[the] ’love of a tiny village’ because as we know France is not just Paris”.

Samantha Verant and Steve Kocheron-Letrouit are two lucky people who call France home. Steve’s response really touched me

France, specifically Paris, has allowed me to become the person I am”.

There are other tangible positives brought up by Leslie S.Gueguen:

• the healthcare,
• large Expat community,
• better roads,
• geographical and architectural diversity.

And a resident of France, actually Paris, Alisa Morov has an insightful view:

“Well… I might not be who you are asking here, since I experience France not as a visitor, but as a long time, full-time resident. I love the culture that puts high regard to history while keeping cutting edge art, food and fashion at the same level of importance. I love the importance of beauty, the importance of education and intellect, and the respect and excitement about doing things with integrity.”

I’ve got a list of things I don’t love as well.

There were so many insightful and fabulous comments on this Facebook thread, but the things we all seemed to agree on is…

We love France!

I think we all know of the strikes, the yellow vest demonstrations, the abandoned scooters, the dog poo… I love dogs! Are these things not problems of most big cities?… I think so. Just minus the charm, the beauty of the architecture, food, fashion, the language and so much more!

I will leave you with two thoughts:

1. Janet Hulstrand, a writer well known to a lot of us, shared a link to an essay she wrote a few years ago…
   “What a wonderful question, Judy! It is hard for me to sum it up all I love about this wonderful country in a few words. I guess I would say the thing I love the most is the care people take to make life special in so many little ways and the daily rhythm of life here that includes time for relaxing as well as working. Here is a little essay I wrote a few years ago for my blog that answers the question more fully. (But really I could say enough to fill a book! 🙂 )
2. Also, my final thoughts… am I biased? 100%… !!!

When I found Paris, I found me.

Why do you LOVE France? Add your thoughts, passions, and details to those of Kerrin-Gai and other MyFrenchLife members quoted above. Join the discussion and share your comments in the box below.