France Elections. I am an immigrant

I agree about the racism Joseann. I take no pride in the number of times people have said "they don't mean you".

Mamie

I agree about the racism Joseann. I take no pride in the number of times people have said "they don't mean you".

The Scots used to say that when we lived in Scotland!

Curtaintwitcher

The majority of politicians have their own agenda and ignore the wishes of the people. Then they get a shock when voters are given the chance to express how they feel. This is what has happened in France.
Condemning people as Nazis because they don't want their culture diluted by immigrants is an insult. That applies right across Europe and Britain too. We don't want a mono-culture, we enjoy having our own identity. Those in power need to start realising that and stop forcing their own ideals on us.

Surely their culture is being enhanced, not diluted?

Its a bit rich whats going on in France. Who poked their nose in and created the colonies in the first place?

We don't want a mono-culture,

If you don't want a mono-culture what are you complaining about, then?

Seriously, though. I'm hard put to work out what bit of 'our culture' has actually been destroyed by the acceptance of 'other' cultures into our countries.

Joseann

We bought a house in Brittany, not that long ago, and as we sat in front of the lawyer to sign the papers, he said something like, "we don't mind you Brits coming to live in our country, it's all the African immigrants we don't want".
This was a legal representative of the government expressing the views that educated people also hold.

"The sins of the fathers" comes to mind.
How much of Africa did France invade and colonise?

As well as England many years before that!!

Maybe a white mono culture would be acceptable?

There’s a piece in today’s Times on this topic, headed ‘I am an immigrant’ - by a Northern Irish woman living in France who had a gendarme suggest that she might like to return to her own country.

It is actually one thing I really miss living in France. I would love to go out for a curry locally, buy Brinjal pickle in the supermarkets etc. I find French cuisine a bit dull tbh.

I was thinking about the different cuisines available to us in the UK when I wrote my earlier post. I think that's one aspect of cultural diversity that the British have embraced enthusiastically. Even in the small town (large village) where I live we have 2 Italian restaurants (and a number of pizza takeaways), 2 Chinese takeaways, and 2 Indian takeaways in addition to fish & chip shops, British style cafes/restaurants and pub grub .(which usually includes a curry & other spicy dishes) Further away in the larger urban centres the range is much more extensive.

Yup, much more choice than in rural Normandy where we visit quite often😀

Do we really want to lose all this? Or is it an 'Oh, I don't mean the food' moment. Keep the food, chuck out the members of the culture that supply it...

Do you have a holiday home in Normandy MaizieD? Lucky you if so.The fish dishes we have had there in the past were amazingly good.
Eloethan I know what you mean but very few people think about the war now except on certain days as you have to be quite ancient to have lived through it as an adult.

Brittany is pants for foreign foods too , MaizieD. It's crêpes and seafood all the way! I like that as a visitor, though when you live there it can be restricting.

I was just wondering about this, (a bit off topic), but I think the somewhat heavy spicing in a curry would have to be toned down for the French palate to really enjoy it. Their taste beds are very refined, and I think they prefer more subtle flavours using herbs and creams.

Oreo

Do you have a holiday home in Normandy MaizieD? Lucky you if so.The fish dishes we have had there in the past were amazingly good.
Eloethan I know what you mean but very few people think about the war now except on certain days as you have to be quite ancient to have lived through it as an adult.

Except that the D-Day Ceremonies which had huge coverage on French TV were just a few days before the big French vote for the far right in the European elections.
Clearly nothing had been learnt from history by some people.

Joseann

I was just wondering about this, (a bit off topic), but I think the somewhat heavy spicing in a curry would have to be toned down for the French palate to really enjoy it. Their taste beds are very refined, and I think they prefer more subtle flavours using herbs and creams.

Think I would go with "their taste buds are very limited!" 😂

We're not plutocrats, we have a share in a holiday home in Normandy. 😀 Been there most years for 30+ years now..

I really like France and I enjoy French food, but it doesn't have the diversity of cuisines that Britain offers. We did go to a local restaurant this spring which offered Thai prawns as a starter but then, the waitress was Thai so I suspect she was probably involved in the business and had a hand in planning the menu.

It was Mamie lamenting the lack of Brinjal pickle that set me thinking about this one aspect of immigration that Britain has really profited from.

Clearly nothing had been learnt from history by some people

I don't think that people ever do 'learn from history'. They think they're better than their forebears and can't possibly be fooled again.

Besides which, I very much doubt if there are many people voting for the RN who were actually alive during the Nazi occupation of France.

And history gets rewritten...

Mamie

Joseann

I was just wondering about this, (a bit off topic), but I think the somewhat heavy spicing in a curry would have to be toned down for the French palate to really enjoy it. Their taste beds are very refined, and I think they prefer more subtle flavours using herbs and creams.

Think I would go with "their taste buds are very limited!" 😂

True, but very refined where wine is concerned!

Wine doesn't really go with curry, does it?

The Germans like Currywurst.

Here in the Dordogne it's confit and magret de canard. Both of which I like but it does get boring. The two restaurants/bars in my village have recently reopened after renovations following the floods earlier in the year. Both have those two dishes on the menu and not much else.

The French are brought up to believe that they are the best at everything. If you show any knowledge about French life or history and so on they are often surprised.

In some ways the Scots are a bit like that too. Over 50 years ago we discovered Charles Rennie Macintosh at an exhibition and we went on to visit the School of Art and other Macintosh locations. We were shown his water colours and those of the Glasgow Girls which were kept in architect chests. The furniture was piled on top of the cabinets. 40 years later we were on a holiday which included some Scots. When we mentioned that we'd made a special trip to see Macintosh's work they expressed surprise that we had heard of him. Surely anyone interested in art and architecture would know about and his contemporaries?

Unlike the Scots however, and the current state of the School of Art, the French do get somethings right. Macron said that Notre Dame would be rebuilt in 5 years and they are on track to meet that deadline.

Curtaintwitcher

The majority of politicians have their own agenda and ignore the wishes of the people. Then they get a shock when voters are given the chance to express how they feel. This is what has happened in France.
Condemning people as Nazis because they don't want their culture diluted by immigrants is an insult. That applies right across Europe and Britain too. We don't want a mono-culture, we enjoy having our own identity. Those in power need to start realising that and stop forcing their own ideals on us.

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Galaxy

I am afraid Macrons character is not particularly strong, his behaviour reflects that. He is unable to believe that he will not win.

I agree with Mamie, Macron is a strong clever man but not
liked by the English Media. The thought of a 28 year old,
inexperienced in life and politics, being Prime Minister
under Nationalists is dire
Whenever I have heard/seen Marie Le Pen she has come
across as a practical and likeable person. However her politics
do the opposite. Shame she isn't on the other side.
Macron was facing a non supportive government anyhow
so he probably has a plan of action whatever happens, he's
not as stupid as the media likes to paint him.
For what its worth I've been in France over 30 years and
would vote him the best President I've lived under.
Sarkosy, Holland, Mitterand , Chirac, oh la la .

Joseann

Mamie

Joseann

I was just wondering about this, (a bit off topic), but I think the somewhat heavy spicing in a curry would have to be toned down for the French palate to really enjoy it. Their taste beds are very refined, and I think they prefer more subtle flavours using herbs and creams.

Think I would go with "their taste buds are very limited!" 😂

True, but very refined where wine is concerned!

Wine doesn't really go with curry, does it?

The Germans like Currywurst.

Wine doesn't really go with curry, does it?

Years ago I went to an Indian restaurant with work colleagues and one was astonished when I ordered red wine to go with my curry. 😯
"Only lager with curry, Calli, what is the matter with you?" 😁
He did try it and thought that it might just be acceptable.

There is a large divide between those living in cities or large towns and those living in the countryside. When we moved to rural Suffolk we only ever saw white faces whereas in Ipswich there are about 10 ethnic minorities living in and around the town.

In London in the 60s and 70s there was a wide range of food shops and restaurants of other nations which were enjoyed by everyone.

When we mentioned that we'd made a special trip to see Macintosh's work they expressed surprise that we had heard of him. Surely anyone interested in art and architecture would know about and his contemporaries?
I've just drunk my coffee from a Rennie Mackintosh design mug Dinahmo

Callistemon213 i wouldn't dare. our mugs are plain white from the local supermarket. Easily replaced when they are broken, which is frequent.