Holidays and how to make the most of them...

How to holiday like the French?

© Google Images

If someone knows how to holiday, it is the French. I mean, what other country has five weeks of holidays per year ? And wait, this excludes the 11 official public holidays... over and above only a 35-hour work week. And the French protect this fiercely... and rightly so!

In the few years that I have had the chance to live in France, over and above learning to make time for art and cultural excursions, I have learnt to imbibe the French notion of savoir-vivre most deftly.

If anything, I admired how the French packed up their homes and moved to the countryside to indulge in savouring life and its pleasures during the many holidays scattered over the year.

For the French, the summer break that sometimes begins in June for some, but is mostly capitalized on through the months of July and August. The grandes vacances, for the French, is a time for family, friends, realigning and sometimes just letting oneself atrophy.

Why are holidays so important to the French, one might ask ! Well, because it allows the French to find time to prioritize themselves over others. And so should you...

If you want to really learn to holiday like the French, there is no point getting worked up and having an over-complicated travel plan. The WHOLE point is to embrace the art of Slow Travel.

Think primarily about prioritizing experiences over destinations. Yes, I know, one may end up in France just this once, before another trip beckons along, but instead of rushing from one tourist spot to another, a focus on immersing yourself in the local culture and way of life, will definitely add to the charm of your break/holiday taking it to the next level. In order to do so, take your time by spending leisurely days exploring local markets, cafés and parks.

And of course, with a leisurely day of exploring the local scenes comes the possibility to indulge in culinary delights.

Source : Canard Street

When we were in France in September 2024, while walking around the quaint city of Reims, we stumbled upon a unique local restaurant : Canard Street. And boy were we happy with the duck, the pâté and the foie gras. And this is what I mean, when I say, explore local markets and visit charming bistros to get a hang of the flavours of the region.

And lastly, after much talk about all the food and lazy exploring, prioritizing yourself and getting a reset sounds just as important, which is what the French tend to cherish as well through their breaks and holidays. Time spent reading a book while lazing by the lake or in the shade of the park, taking long strolls in the lush green surroundings of nature while appreciating everything it has to offer is uet another way to embrace the joy of simple pleasures while recharging your batteries.

To learn more about this part of #LifeinFrance, do tune into the episode 4 of the Life in France Podcast, where Amanda from the Language Portal - a fellow French language enthusiast and linguist - and I talk more in detail about holidays in France and holidaying like the French.

Until next time !

Cheerio !