Oui, we definitely must support and find each other. I’ve met so many lovely people in the Francophile corner of the blogosphere, really smart, friendly, creative, and super-talented people. I’m so glad to “meet” you and find your blog. By the way, is that you in that photo kissing that cute guy in your 11/19/2007 post about the vineyard? Love your outfit!!

Salut,
Marjorie

Bonjour, and thank you so much for visiting my blog!

I agree with you — I don’t care for all the distressing ads that we are constantly bombarded with, particularly those that speak so harshly to the most intimate parts of ourselves: our bodies, our relationships, our looks. I can’t say that I’m immune to them, but I do try to avoid exposure to them as much as possible (I don’t read Cosmo, I avoid television programs with degrading depictions of women, etc.). When something is unavoidable, it helps to have a sense of humor (as a sense of outrage only increases my blood pressure — tres mal for beauty, non?).

I guess if there’s one thing I would recommend is to cultivate a patience for change, for as the old saying goes, that’s really the only thing you can count on in life. And most importantly, cultivate patience towards yourself. Frenchwomen are known for seeing themselves as “works in progress,” and don’t beat themselves up for being less than perfect (which isn’t an ideal, but rather something subjective that changes with each person, IMHO).

You’re right, no one has all the answers, or even some of them. But I’d like to think that, as women in particular who face many of the same issues as our sisters around the globe, we can help each other out in fighting the negativity that surrounds us, supporting each other’s triumphs and dreams, and offering our experiences and lessons learned when appropriate. Men have done it for centuries; why not women, who are so good at developing and nurturing friendships?

Thank you again for visiting! I really do appreciate your comments!

Salut,
Marjorie

And merci beaucoup for being so kind as to reference my own blog in yours! As Rebekka mentions above, we Francophiles really must stick together!

Salut,
Marjorie

It’s sad that the traditional French lifestyle is becoming less and less a reality for even the most rural French residents. There’s a movement called Take Back Your Time that enjoyed a brief moment in the spotlight following the publication of a book by the same name a few years ago, but it lost momentum rather quickly. (Probably because it was mostly volunteer-run, and you know how busy people get…ha ha, the irony.)

I do find it heartening that there are enough people out there (such as those reading these many French-inspired blogs) who believe in the ideal and who try to resist the pressures of our modern times. I don’t necessarily think that will slow down the rest of the world, but we can do our best to carve out whatever time we can to devote to our individual leisurely pursuits, even if only for a short while.

Salut,
Marjorie

Coincidentally, I came across your blog the other day, possibly through someone else’s, and really enjoy reading it! I’m partial to the blogs of thinking women everywhere, especially if they’re Francophiles.

I think you’ve touched on an issue that lies at the heart of many a woman’s difficulty in living life a la francaise. I have a very long response to it, so if you don’t mind, I think I’ll do it in the form of a post tomorrow. I do think that one must remember what many say about Frenchwomen, i.e., that they consider themselves works-in-progress for quite a while — well into their thirties, if not beyond. Not being able to live up to an ideal doesn’t necessarily make one a failure, or should lead one to surrender to one’s circumstances. No one has much free time — see Betty C.’s insightful comment above — the trick, I think, is to make small (even tiny!) changes, a little at a time.

Thank you so much for bringing this up! You just gave me a great idea for a post, and one that touches on a lot of the things I’ve been ruminating in my head lately. And oh, I almost forgot — I just received La Vie en Rose via Netflix just the other day and was planning on watching it this week and reviewing it here on Friday. Coincidence!

Have a great Sunday!

Salut,
Marjorie

I really appreciate your very kind comments. I’ve only ever been to England, Ireland and Sweden, never the Continent itself, so I can’t even pretend to know what real, on-the-ground life is like in France. However, I do think that the French lifestyle that so many American women (and many men!) idealize is just that: an ideal, and to me there’s nothing wrong with trying to pursue an ideal, especially if the end result is a more beautiful, more meaningful, and more authentic life, regardless of whether one is in France, America, China, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, or South Africa.

I love the philosophy behind the French l’art de vivre, so that’s the inspiration from which I draw a lot of my ideas on how to live my life. I may not always succeed, but one thing I find the more I read and learn about French life and French women, is that there are plenty of role models from which to choose, that Catherine Deneuve isn’t the only French icon worth emulating. I personally love Charlotte Gainsbourg, as I find her bohemian outlook much more in tune with my own life philosophy.

If you have a chance, check out the books from your local public library before deciding on whether or not to add them to your personal library. I personally would choose the 2nd book over the first, but mostly because I like the philosophical/memoir-like style of the former. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something more instructive, the 1st book might be better for you.

Have a lovely Sunday!

Salut,
Marjorie