Ten Essential Items You Need to Live Like the French
When in France, do as the French do! Life in France is beautiful, unique, and best enjoyed with the proper materials. Whether you’re moving to France or you’re just trying to add a bit of French culture into your life, here are the top ten items that no French person would ever go without!
1. Canvas Tote Bag
You won’t find single-use plastic bags in French stores. Instead, French people carry spacious, stylish tote bags that fit their everyday items plus any purchases they make throughout the day. Use a durable tote bag to embody everyday French fashion and function. Bonus points if there’s a baguette peeking out of your tote!
2. Hydrating Moisturizer
Much of France has hard water, and the high mineral content can cause dry, irritated skin. To combat the dehydration, including an excellent moisturizer in your skincare routine is an absolute must. Head to your local French pharmacy where you’ll find an abundant selection of skincare products and helpful pharmacists to advise you.
3. Sturdy Umbrella
Getting caught in the rain is pretty much unavoidable in France, as frequent precipitation is the norm. Accordingly, French people always carry an umbrella and never let a rain shower ruin their day! Keep a compact umbrella with you to ensure that you stay dry on your trips to the marché, the boulangerie, or the café.
4. Cheese Keeper
Stinky cheese isn’t just a French stereotype, it’s a staple of the French diet! From tangy Roquefort to creamy Maroilles, throwing pungent cheese in your fridge at home is a mistake you’ll only make once. A standard cheese keeper will help contain odors and maintain the freshness of your cheese so that you can enjoy it like the French!
5. Quality Fan
Air conditioning is pretty rare in France, and if you’re used to keeping your home at a cool temperature, the French summer heat can be a shock. Heating and cooling ducts are uncommon in French buildings, so the best option is to get a fan. If you really want to emulate the French, you’ll have to turn off your fan at night – The French believe the dreaded courant d’air can make you ill.
6. Laundry Drying Rack
Few French households regularly make use of a clothes dryer. Instead, the French tend to hang their clothing to dry on a clothes line or a drying rack. Dryers destroy your clothes and the environment in the name of saving time. Instead of hauling your laundry to the nearest French laundromat or having a dryer installed, save your clothes and your money by getting a drying rack and adopting the air dry method!
7. Coin Purse
While cashless payment methods are popular in France, certain daily activities necessitate carrying coins. French people use coins to leave small tips at restaurants, to pay for public restrooms, to grab coffee from vending machines, to purchase baked goods, and more! To fully participate in French culture, keep some change in a coin purse with you at all times.
8. User-Friendly Corkscrew
Wine is an emblematic part of French culture. Having a few glasses of wine with a delicious meal is a regular occurence in France – President Emmanuel Macron even admitted to drinking wine with both lunch and dinner! If you’d like to partake in what is arguably the best wine in the world, start with a good corkscrew that will allow you to open and serve the wine like a pro.
9. Linen Tea Towels
Every French kitchen has a stack of tea towels, or torchons. They can be used for drying dishes, washing vegetables, cleaning up spills, wiping your hands, and more! Instead of using wasteful paper towels, stock up on some affordable and charming tea towels to cook like the French.
10. Demitasse cups
Standard coffee in France isn’t a large mug of drip coffee, but rather a shot of espresso. The French like to drink their café after a hearty meal and often have a dessert on the side. To enjoy your coffee à la française, you’ll have to ditch mugs in favor of demitasse espresso cups. The demitasse cups are so cute and the coffee so delicious that you’ll wonder how you ever drank anything else!
With these ten items, you’ll be well on your way to adopting the French way of life. Let us know which ones you need in a comment!
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