[welcome to part 2 of my 6-part mini-series, wellness around the world: the european edition. as my family and i travel through six countries in europe, i am sharing wellness habits from each. you may read part 1 here. today’s spotlight is on france.]
my first glimpse into french life has been a full and rich experience.
as we drove across the border from spain through the 5-mile-long somport tunnel,
the scenery as well as the language changed.
on the other side was lush greenery, after spain’s more arid red soil beauty.
we began our adventure in france driving through the very narrow village of lescun,
and hiking a short distance up a footpath with the dramatic backdrop of the pyrenees.
we were caught in a heavy downpour on our way back down the mountain,
and arrived at our car drenched and cold, yet refreshed and laughing.
[on our way up the trail, still dry, with my french equine acquaintances.]
we spent that first night in a stone bed-and-breakfast with a lovely french family.
[with our hostess, claudine.]
it was on to paris the next morning, and a whirlwind of historical delights.
[the french love their flowers.]
[and their baked goods.]
[they respect and value their past.]
[and their most famous cultural icon.]
we are off today to meet my relatives in the tiny town of le bonhomme, france . . .
a few french wellness practices that i’ve observed:
- they love to eat, but always appreciate and savor their food
- they know that eating slowly and calmly discourages overeating and aids digestion
- they eat smaller portions, and feel no qualms about enjoying dessert
- they take time out to relax, often indulging in a healthy amount of wine
- they do a lot of walking and biking, in both countryside and city
- they exude a healthy confidence in their cultural heritage and their individual lives
- they recognize and embrace beauty in their architecture, art, and fashion
(the parisians do love their cigarettes though!)
[descriptive words that immediately came to mind upon my first visit to france.]
my take-away:
the french people have a very valuable emotional wellness lesson to share.
they are proud of who they are and where they come from.
they walk with confidence and grace, not caring what others may think.
~~~~~~~
do you carry yourself with assurance, regardless of others’ opinions?
or do you hold yourself back because you feel unsure and hesitant?
make a commitment to BOLDLY TRUST IN YOUR ESSENCE.
(and let me know about your plan in the comments.)
[a summary of the six european wellness commitments introduced in the mini-series may be found at the end of this post.]
Haven’t been to France…yet. You’ve noticed a different style of moderation. Indulging in food…in appropriate quantities and at a healthy pace. Moving through life while connecting to beauty and heritage. There is an exaggerated (from my cultural viewpoint) level of emotion among my French friends. Some might call it passion. I wonder how that fits into the equation. What fascinating form of moderation emerges from emotion?
Hi Arthur, i felt wonderful reading the article, and your comment – wonderful words. I think the ‘moderation’ comes from an attitude of high level wellness; passion can sometimes be blinding and not moderate at all.. sounds balanced and pleasurable to me.
interesting observations, arthur and suzanne. yes, i believe a passionate nature can still be an emotionally sound one. focused passion, knowing what one wants. and being in touch with one’s emotions – no matter how expressive they might be – is always a step towards wellness.
Synchronicities coming through to me….. some similarities about the common factors at play here:
My son and his friends have this afternoon returned from a few days beach/fishing trip up on a sunshine coast in Queensland. Their comments about the 4-wheel driving, sand, sun, breeze, water, fishing stories, and fresh fish cooked on the beach (not so much about the tins of baked beans) also created an envious emotion in me.
i am a big fan of synchronicity, suzanne! sounds like your son and his friends not only had a fantastic day, but were also able to articulate it so well that you could picture yourself there.
Oh, I LOVE this: “and arrived at our car drenched and cold, yet refreshed and laughing.”
It’s as if you were embodying that French spirit from the get go!
When I studied abroad in college, I was so fortunate to spend several weeks in the French countryside, and I loved that immersion into the RICHNESS of life!
yes, sabrina – definitely a healthy richness that abounds from the environment and the people in the french countryside. how wonderful that you were able to spend an extended period there.
I love your description of France, the old and the new. I also love that you are challenging yourself with all of these outdoor activities and delighting in them! Horses!! You look full of joy!
I missed being able to comment on Switzerland. I actually felt myself catch my breath when you described breaking through the clouds to see the magnificent Swiss Alps! Thanks for “taking me with you”.
Next up…a wonderful weekend with two of our very dearest friends, I’ll be there in spirit!!
Love you my friend!
Kellee
love you too, kellee. and thanks for the comment.
Funny. I don’t think that about French people but I do about myself and you know what I’m French. So right on! This attitude is what I’m trying to teach to all the women of this beautiful World so it’s no coincindence.
Thanks for your insight!
glad that my quick perceptions of french wellness were not too far off base, laura. so happy that you visited my site and commented – thanks!
There’s just something so ‘french’ about the French. I think you nailed it – they’re proud of who they are where they come from. Very inspiring.
thank you, pam. i agree – so “french.” 🙂
I love your take on wellness!! so Fresh!! And your approach to wellness from the French POV is also very refreshing because the idea of indulgence is not generally associated with wellness. But I totally agree that indulgence can be a form of wellness.
Thank you for your insights 🙂
i guess i see indulgence (in a healthy way) as the opposite of deprivation. and i’ve just seen too many clients who have deprived themselves of food, of love, of things that are good for them. thank you so much for your kind words, victoria.