The perfect cure for a chilly winter day in the Alps

Thanksgiving is not celebrated in France, but the day designated as Black Friday in the United States was the first day of the Christmas season in France as well. It is a little different in France though because there are no major sales and people don't wait outside stores all night. While there are still hoards of people, a French Christmas seems to be about shopping at local vendors opposed to department stores. In fact, that one thing I have found about France is that local and regional products are very important and each region embraces those products: a lot of the time those products are food and wine. For example, raclettte, tartiflette, vin chaud, diots, walnuts (unfortunately for me because of my allergy), and certain types of cheese are the regional foods in Grenoble. Anyway, on the first day of the Christmas season in France, there is the marché de noël (Christmas market) where vendors sell various foods and gifts through Decembre 24th. It is kind of like a farmer's market for Christmas that is open everyday. Apparently every city in France has a marché de noël similar to the one in Grenoble, but they sell some different products. There are also Christmas events planned throughout the next couple weeks like free live music, fireworks, and a parade.

A few friends and I went to the marché together and I took several pictures of vendors. In case anyone was wondering, vin chaud is hot, spiced wine.

The Jardin de Ville where most of the vendors were set up

Cognac vendor

A vendor selling home decor

Pretty

Baskets of spices

Mushrooms!

You can actually buy fresh roasted chestnuts here!!

Yum... cupcakes

A mini cabin-like café where you could eat tartiflette, diot sausage, crêpes, and more.
Also, there was hot chocolate and vin chaud available, of course.

Local treats for consumption

Doughnuts, hot chocolate, and vin chaud... how could I not stop here?

Me sipping my first cup of vin chaud. It is the perfect cure for a chilly winter day in the Alps as far as I am concerned. I bought it from the vendor in the photo above.

Rachel, Mia, a St. Bernard, and me at the marché de noël

I know I am in France when...

As I get to the three month mark in France, I thought I would reflect a little bit about how I have adapted to the language and culture as well as how I am still quite obviously an American. I tried doing this by including a list of some of the habits I have changed, and some of the ones that I can't really break. I also wanted to include a some photographs of some of the things that characterize Grenoble for me, so you will find photographs I took in the centre-ville. Finally, there are some pictures of some of the things that I have been doing, such as celebrating Thanksgiving.

I know I am in France when I:

• start to really like blue cheese, carbonated water, and other foods I didn't like before
• know how to say some words in French but not in English
• don't do much on Sunday because most things are closed
• am in class for 6 hours in one day
• eat yogurt for dessert
• have internet access half of the time you did in America
• kiss people on each cheek way more than you hug people
• take public transportation everyday
• think it is normal to watch movies dubbed in French
• have favorite cheeses out of the countless types
• have a favorite place to buy baguettes for under a euro
• eat herbs de provence on more than one meal per day
• bought a pair of slippers
  

But I know I am still an American when I...

• still like to wear my sweatshirt hood sometimes (such as right now)
• am the only person with a flannel shirt
  
• still love peanutbutter
• sometimes call soccer 'soccer' instead of 'football'
• don't think there is any spicy food here unless it is ethnic
• am still confused why people think American brands like Abercrombie and American Eagle are super cool
• know what real Mexican food tastes like
• oh right, have a super obvious accent
  

Despite my struggles with France and France's struggles with me, I still, of course, love France!

My desk in France that includes some very useful things to me: computer, French keyboard with accents, French-English dictionary, French dictionary, book of verb conjugations, and the map of France on my wall

Snow on a nearby mountainside on a late November morning

Café at Place Notre-Dame

A floral shop, there are a lot more of these in France Tattoo land, a backup in case I drop out of school

Entrance to the BEST boulangerie in Grenoble. I go there to buy baguettes and an occasional pain au chocolat

Patricia and I just before Thanksgiving dinner with several other Americans.

(almost) Everyone in my class. We had a dinner last Friday in one of the kitchens as the semester comes to an end.

The land of chocolate minus the oompa loompas

A few days ago I went to a chocolate expo that turned out to be pretty interesting because of all the colorful chocolates and candies. Local vendors at the expo had everything from olive oil flavored chocolate to sculptures in chocolate. All of the chocolate and sweets were artisan crafted and of high quality. There weren't quite as many free samples as student could hope for, but I did get to try a few pieces of delicious caramel, apricot, and cinnamon chocolates.

Macaron vendor

Close up of the macarons: each piece in the baskets here can cost up to 3,00€ each.
Apparently they are difficult to make as well as the most expensive cookie/pastry in France for what you get. You can end up paying 12,00€ for just one

More French sweets

Chocolate bark of every flavor

Chocolate vendor; can you see the chocolate purses in the left middle edge?

The table of sculptures made entirely of chocolate

Bananas, peaches, mushrooms, and more made out of pâte d'amande (almond paste).
Not quite as healthy as the real fruits.

Vendor selling cognac

A display of Christmas candies for sale

Snow dust and signs of winter

A few weeks ago I visited a monastery in the region. It had been cloudy and cold up until that weekend when there was a ton of beautiful sunlight that illuminated all of the colorful leaves and grass. There was an area of silence surrounding the buildings of the monastery and it was nice to enjoy the gorgeous mountains.

Autumn changing into winter in France with wisps of clouds and colorful trees

The monastery tucked in the mountains

More trees and fallen leaves

The sun sets early in the mountains

Back in Grenoble, there are sure signs of winter as well. The breeze has a frigid winter smell and all the boutiques and stores are starting to sell Chirstmas toys and decorations. I can already tell people are starting to feel the frenzy of the holiday season and I am looking forward to seeing how Christmas will be different in Europe opposed to the northwest United States where I have spent every other Christmas of my life. This year I will be spending Christmas day in Rome, but plenty of time in Grenoble leading up to the holiday.

Place Victor Hugo on a Saturday afternoon

Snow dusted Alps

A couple days ago there was a winter sports expo in the middle of campus to get people interested in skiing and snowboarding in the Alps. It is actually fairly cheap for students to do either for the day.

People juggling. I'm not really sure how this is winter sports related, but I thought I would include a French person with dreads.

A steep mountain-resembling thing that you could go down on a sled or on your skis or snowboard. I'm not sure how good of condition your equipment would be afterwords though.

I bought a new watch. It ticks kind of loudly, but I like it.

Although I haven't seen any Christmas trees or lights up yet, a lot of stores have already started selling Christmas gifts such as these stuffed animals that I thought were cute.

Félix, the cat that lives around my dorm.
He is very adorable and cuddly, more so than the bunnies above.

Some good old French countryside

This is what I found walking just a few kilometers above Grenoble in the mountains. It was an unusually warm day for November and so beautiful. The Alps are so beautiful, especially on a nice autumn day. During World War Two, the French Resistance was really strong in Grenoble and it was cool to imagine that these could have been the towns and woods that soldiers hid in.

Have I mentioned that I love France yet?

A couple French cows

The Alps and Grenoble nestled in the valley

Yes, it is indeed autumn

Valley view

A rainbow of leaves

Fountain, gate, mountain

A French mansion

The affects of strikes on university buildings

Conflicting views of la greve advertised on the front of the university library

The entrance to one of the the three university buildings

Other campus buildings