Cultures blend, especially in this global economy. France
has been notably protective of its culture and language, so although I saw
nowhere near a blurring of American and French on my recent visit there, I did
see more blending than I have on previous France visits. For example:
This month, when I revisited Montpellier’s famous Place de
la Comédie, I was
delighted to see historic Le Café Riche. This café dates to 1893; its website
describes it as “indétrônable depuis des décennies,” basically undethronable
for decades. Next door are perpetually inelegant, unenthronable McDonalds and a
Foot Locker. On the edge of the café’s terrace filled with world-watching flâneurs stands a guitarist
busking with a Scott Joplin rag.
Later, when I became a people-watching flâneur at a different
café’s sidewalk table on rue de l’Université, I was amused to see delivery scooters buzz by with
Pizza Hut crates mounted on their back fenders. Across the impossibly narrow
street was another café whose name reflects a linguistic and culinary culture
mashup: My Wraps, with the suggestion to Composez, Roulez, Dégustez—put it together,
roll it up, savor it. I presume the pigeon poop on the sign would not be rolled
in your wrap.
The following week in highly touristic Annecy, I noted other
French-English blends, such as this café Une Autre Histoire, or Another Story,
with the English tag line, food & good time.
In terms of the people I encountered in France … Though Montpellier
residents spoke only French to me, and Lyon folks gladly spoke perfect French
or English, Annecy residents were a mixed language bag. Hotel and some
restaurant staff made agreements with me that I could practice my French with
them if they could practice their English with me. Many, however, stuck with
French even though I’m fairly certain they understood English. Lastly, I
spotted this awning across from the French café that deserves credit for
offering a English and French versions of its menu. We’ll overlook the fact
that they translated chicken giblets as magret de canard—fillet of duck breast.
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