France

A couple of things we have noticed in France and perhaps someone knows why these are....
first of all , how can it be that at the local village markets a real, live, clucking, many-egg-laying-years-in-it chicken costs less than a cauliflower? That's insane.
Secondly we are surrounded by dairy farms and Fresian cows (and lots of other types of cows that i don;t know the names of) - and i really mean surrounded. Everywhere in Normandy seems dairy related. So why on earth is it you can't buy fresh milk? You can buy dairy in any long life way you like - yogurts, creme caramel (which is purchased in packs of 24 - urgh), custard etc but no chance on 2 litres of the fresh stuff. Where does it all go? it leaves your mind wondering....so out of the cow, into the lorry,off to the factory and turned into hideous kids desserts and UHT milk; sorry, not forgetting the vast amount that disappears off to be turned into cheese. Strange.

We did take the kids out for afternoon tea yesterday - to a trendy tea shop in a nearby marina town (Granville). www.picorette.fr. We tried not to blink when we saw the prices of a bowl of ice cream, or the surcharges for wanting 1)milk in my coffee  or 2) it decaffinated, and couldn't indulge Euan's desire for a chocolat chaud at £3.50. It is all about the experience after all and the kids spoke their basic French to the waiter and are now totally au fait with waving Au Revoir when we leave places.




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