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becoming madame, brunch, culture, expat life, food, France, life, Paris, salon au chocolat, thoughts, Travel
In late October each year, the salon du chocolat takes place in Paris. At the Porte de Versailles expo center, hundreds of chocolate makers, vendors, and artisanal chocolatiers gather for the long weekend to exhibit their tasty creations to members of the public by the ten-thousands who meander through the long rows and aisles of decorated tables. Even with fashion shows featuring haut couture of the slightly bitter-sweet, russet variety, children’s activities and cooking demonstration by famous chefs, one of the most wonderful parts of an afternoon at this heavenly, chocolate-covered expo remains the sampling – chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate – given out freely and with encouraging abundance. Who knew that many types of chocolate exist?!
The salon next week, held between October 31 and Nov 4, has yet another meaning for me this year. It’s been just over a year since I began writing about life as an expat Parisian. The routines of this life are demarcated by certain seasonal truths: food certainly, recipe variations, harvests, all of which I’ve discussed in other posts, as well as les salons. The salon du livres in March, the salon du mariage in late summer, followed by the salon du chocolat in autumn and the salon du vin in late November. Year after year, Parisians assemble in hordes at these various events each marking their own season throughout the year.
A mark that the year is approaching its rightful close is the reappearance of the neighborhood brocantes or travelling antique markets which began again in my quarter this weekend. As the holiday season crawls nearer, Parisians are out in flocks to search for a little something special to mark the occasion.
These sorts of routines were on my mind last weekend, when my husband and I were invited to brunch at the house of our good friends. They live in the distant suburbs of Paris, out east of the city one stop on the train from EuroDisney. The idea of a brunch was in my honor, as a North American treat for the singular North American friend in the group. It was home-cooked adding a French touch, and it was sensational. Five courses of eggs and sausages, green salad, four types of breads & rolls with the accompanying spreads, pain au chocolat and croissants, salmon and fresh cheese sandwiches, small shots of mousse au chocolat, stewed figs in a honey sauce, all topped off with perfectly golden pancakes – made with a crepe pan – smothered in real maple syrup. It was a feast. A Parisian twist to a very North American meal.
Beyond my hostess’ gracious menu and presentation skills (can you believe I forgot my camera!), what struck me was how similar this afternoon in the burbs, despite the geographic distance, the language and the eating customs, was to any one of a thousand I might have had back on the other side of the Atlantic. Without much effort at all, I could have transported myself to a friend’s living room in Oakville just outside Toronto, or in Worcester County, or to Staten Island, chatting, albeit in English, with other smiling faces about work, the commute to and from the city, forthcoming children, and our respective future travel plans. Every bit the same, this afternoon was, almost as if I had never moved to France, never turned my life upside-down to start again.
As the late afternoon sun deepened to an amber glow, I experienced one of those out-of-body moments when everything in the room continues on just as before but you somehow escape reality and look onto the scene from the position of a floating angel. Which is a strange sensation in itself, but even more so if you think about what I saw. I mean, part of me moved 4000 miles away to free myself from those very similarities in life. Many parts of my French existence, don’t get me wrong, are drastically different – the language is certainly a major one – but fundamentally the worries and the stressors of these French 30-somethings living in the burbs of Paris are the very same as those of the 30-somethings conversing around a similar brunch table in North America.
Taking a stroll after our rapturous home-cooked brunch, in an effort to stave off collapsing into a digestive coma, I looked around at the perfectly aligned houses with their gates and the two cars parked in the drive way. I saw the tricycles and the plastic baby pools in the side yards. It reminded me that most of the people In France don’t live the Parisian life, just as most Americans don’t live in the Big Apple life either. Parisian life is a particularity, a passing phase for some, a family tradition for others.
Then a certain truism hit me for perhaps the third or fourth time since moving to France: not that much differentiates people once you strip away the language and perhaps a few cultural particularities. Something very human, very basic, exists in us all.
Somehow this thought was comforting, this sameness that has followed me into my new life. There was a time not too long ago when I thought I was running away from this very type of monotonous existence – routine. I thought I was seeking adventure. And perhaps I was. What I might not have bargained for, however, was the peace that befalls a person once we’ve embarked on that quest, concurred the challenge, captured the change, relished the prize. What’s left is just life – here, there, wherever.
The adventure eventually leads back to our comfort zone. Or maybe we recreate our comfort zone wherever we go, expanded however significantly to include the geography of our new surroundings, wherever we eventually call home.
dutchgoesitalian said:
Beautiful post. What hit me was this phrase of yours: “I thought I was seeking adventure. And perhaps I was. What I might not have bargained for, however, was the peace that befalls a person once we’ve embarked on that quest, concurred the challenge, captured the change, relished the prize. What’s left is just life – here, there, wherever.” This is so true! I know exactly what you mean…
And well, the chocolate…that place seems like heaven to me. This coming december (just after Christmas) I will be going to Paris for 2 days, so if you have any tips for me regarding restaurant…I’m all yours 🙂
Becoming Madame said:
I know a few great little restaurants off the beaten path. In fact, you gave me an excellent idea for an upcoming post. I’ll include a handful that are non-touristic and quaint with excellent real French food. I’m making myself hungry thinking of them now!!!
dutchgoesitalian said:
LOL, I imagine! Oh I can’t wait to read and print that post…Thanks in advance 😀
Becoming Madame said:
Dear Dutch, I was putting together my notes for a post on Parisian restaurants and something seemed very familiar. I’d completely forgotten that I wrote a post about this back in July. Check this out: https://becomingmadame.wordpress.com/2012/07/08/recommended-must-try-parisian-restaurants/ And in addition to these: I’d have to add L’homme Tranquille near Montmartre and Pain Vin Fromage in the 4ème. I’ll update the post. Hope you enjoy these!! Also take peek at this post about a vacation in Paris: https://becomingmadame.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/paris-for-a-week-anyone/
dutchgoesitalian said:
Thanks a lot!! I’ve printed both posts and bring it with me 😀
friendlytm said:
Love your post. Chocolates are great!
Becoming Madame said:
Thank you!
GreedyFrog said:
“maybe we recreate our comfort zone wherever we go”: as an expat myself, I find this very true!
Becoming Madame said:
I used to think that maybe a person was able to make such a different life for themselves that their past lives would fall seamlessly to the curb. Not so much. We still wake up, no matter where we are, with ourselves. All my best!
njbrown said:
I envy your ability to go the the salon! New York has something similar, but it’s much too far.
I loved your thoughts on change – very wise.
best wishes,
Nancy
Becoming Madame said:
Nancy, I vaguely remember a choclate expo in Toronto at the St Lawrence Market. This was years ago now, when I was living downtown, but it may still be there. Hope you have a great week!
njbrown said:
I never knew! Hope all is well with you.
Take care,
Nancy
ladyredspecs said:
Comfort zone, place of contentment, happiness, home……all the same place, nothing tangible to behold but a state of being! And speaking of Paris and chocolate, I drool at the memory of truffles from La Maison du Chocolat!
Becoming Madame said:
Absolutely, si bien dit!
thecookingchook said:
The next time I visit Paris, I will definitely try and time it so I can go to the salon du chocolat! Sounds amazing… Speaking of amazing, I think you have an amazing blog so I have nominated you for The Sunshine Award. Check it out…..http://thecookingchook.wordpress.com/acknowledgements/
Becoming Madame said:
Thank you so very kindly!! I very much appreciate it! All my best!
gjkingphotography.com.au said:
Oh Madame, such a wonderful read! You truly are blessed with the life you have as we who read your blog are thankful to have you let us into your new way of life. Helps that most of us are a bit partial to some good chocolate. Now I wish my wife and I were going to Paris a month earlier so as to be able to sample the salon du chocolat. 🙂
Becoming Madame said:
Oh but you’ll be here just before Christmas, then, which is filled will all kinds of its own magic. I hope you have an excellent trip!!
fromtheloftabove said:
oh wow i wish i hadn’t read this post first up!! i’m now absolutely starving! what a great post!
Becoming Madame said:
😀 Chocolate has a way of doing that to me too! 🙂 Take care.