We’d been visiting regularly for over 25 years before we moved here, so we were well acclimatised to the 12h-14h routine, which we always did and still do think is a wonderful expression of French culture.
1 Like
I feel its more a southern habit. Alsace/Jura has much shorter lunchbreaks. And not all shops close.
But adjusted our lifes timings to the french lifestyle. Small breakfast, long lunch, late dinner. Sometimes I revert to thd old days and skip lunch in order to go get supplies. Love empty stores!
2 Likes
Thirty years ago my first week-end living in S Africa was a bit expensive because I rolled into town around midday on Saturday to buy my week-end groceries, only to find that everything had closed until Monday morning.
By contrast, we’ve been living in France long enough to appreciate the 12-14hrs break and are happy to live in that system.
2 Likes
It’s the same in Portugal.
We got used to not being able to eat before 2pm. Then, just over the border, 12-14h strictly observed!
One of our camping holidays had us arriving on a Sunday morning, only to find no shops open at all in the area. Can’t remember how we managed that with small children.
And in France, at least around here, all the restos are fully booked for Sunday lunch and then don’t open again until Tuesday…
2 Likes
Not so bad here - near the lakes of haute charente. Beach restaurants and village fetes provide plenty of eating & drinkjng opportunities
And nowadays a pizza vending machine every kilometer…
Has anyone ever tried one of these. Sounds awful. I prefer home made pizza but if I do have to buy one, it’s Domino Pizzas for us.
We did during a kitchen refit and no oven/hob. It was eatable, can’t really say much else 
1 Like
We have one a block away. We resisted trying it for a long time, but it turns out that some of them are actually pretty decent.
1 Like
We make our own pizza too. But curiosity won and we tried vending machine pizza.
Plain tomato mozzarella was quite OK. But like all pizza by the time we got home it was lukewarm… if we ever try again we shall get the ‘uncooked’ version and bake it at home.
Verdict- at a pinch - not too bad!
1 Like
I imagine that it depends on how good the restaurant is. Our machine is a block away right in front of a pizza restaurant, which is only open at lunch, so I think that the pizzas are pretty fresh - and I’d assume similar to what they sell inside the restaurant. Since we live so close, they’re still hot when we get home.
1 Like
I love Greek feta.
2 Likes
I love venison, but it’s impossible to get here. Only frozen fillets in one Picard (not in the nearest one). Also wild boar, impossible to find.
(I have yet to make an order, but I intend to.)
1 Like
Chat up your local chasse.
Edited because my tablet officiously and very irritatingly ‘corrected’ chasse to chase
4 Likes
Not sure where you are, but here it’s in many of the supermarkets and most butchers. Maybe it’s just not popular where you live so it’s not generally stocked ? As for Sanglier, you can get it here but you have to know where.
In the bushes? 
Sometimes dead at the side of the road, but I’ve never been tempted 
2 Likes
When I lived in Oregon, I saw people dressing roadkill deer…I guess if you get there quickly enough?
1 Like