One of the things I love about the French is their complete dedication to quality, particularly when it comes to what they eat and drink. There is simply no way that they will let their tastebuds put up with anything less than what makes them happy.
Think about it – excellent chocolate, top notch wine, fabulous cheese – no one in France ever settles for second rate. And the French even take care when it comes to water.
Yep, simple, old water.
At home, Scott and I are happy with tap water – or the Soda Stream, if we are feeling like bubbly water. But when we are in France, we have to make decisions about our water.
Which is a fact that I absolutely love.
These decisions go something like this:
- Tap water or mineral water?
- Assuming you want mineral water, then you have to decide whether you want still or sparkling water?
- And once you’ve made that decision you will then have to choose a brand.
- Do you want to go with one of the big brand names (Badoit, San Pellegrino, Vittel, Evian, Perrier) or would you prefer to go with something local? Yes, there are local waters – we know this because, on our most recent trip, we were offered local options in Sancerre, Tain-l’Hermitage and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. (Side note – we tried them all, and they were all great. Interestingly, by the end of our trip I starting to pick up the differences in the water – something that I’d never really thought about before).
So, to Frenchify Your Friday this week, why not make a conscious choice about your water. Most supermarkets offer a range of international still and sparkling mineral waters. Try out something different – you never know – you might find a new favourite.
All the best for a fabulous Friday.
And, until next time – au revoir.
2 thoughts on “Frenchify Your Friday – Number Seven”
In France at the moment – I go for Contrex – for its properties (slimming??) – while husband goes for Evian. His mother was French and Evian was her water-of-choice, so he grew up with it! The tap water in this part of Provence is hard (lots of calcaire – calcium, which makes it a bit like Mt Gambier or Adelaide water) but drinkable if cold with ice blocks. However we always have a bottle of our own choice on hand.
Thanks so much Jan. I just love the whole concept of drinking your water of choice. It’s just something that hasn’t caught on here – despite the questionable quality of some of our tap water. And as an aside, I will definitely be checking out Contrex next time I’m in France. If I’m lucky (or it is actually a miracle water) it might counterbalance all the food I eat while I’m there. Thank you for the tip!!