I stumbled across your UA-cam channel and, although I, as a French woman, couldn't be further from your target audience, I really enjoy your videos. It helps me to put my own culture into perspective and to become aware of things I don't even notice because they're so natural and automatic to me. And above all, I appreciate your state of mind and your ability not to resist things that don't make sense to you. Instead of being infuriated and judgmental, or making it personal, it's like you always say to yourself “If 70 million people have been living like this for centuries and centuries, there must be a very good reason and it's certainly not to enrage us or because they're too stupid to know what they're doing. Let's find out what that reason is.” Everyone in the world who travels, short or long term, should learn from this. Thank you for your insight. All the best.
To be honest, as a French person myself (who has lived in the US for close to 7 years) I watch this Channel for the positivity and to remind me of the great aspects of living in this country.
"Let's find out what that reason is" - As another frenchman, what I love about exploring different cultures is that sometimes the reason is fucking stupid anyways.
As some one who grew up without a dryer, (yes, were were poor) a soft towel equals a used towel. To me, the crispy roughness signifies the towel is fresh and clean.
I love to hang out my washing on a line. It’s satisfying to see it blowing on the line and smell the natural air freshness as I collect the newly dried washing off the line.
@@AngusmumYes, it feels softer if it has moved in the wind. The other thing that has influence is hard water/chalk: if you have that there are ways to refuce chalk in your washong machine
I’m French but I don’t know why it’s very interesting to watch your videos! 😂 You guys are so positive and open minded! It’s so great for France to welcome people like you guys. I wish you all the best for your life here ❤️
Hi I’m Norway citizen and I’m thinking to move to France 🇫🇷 because France don’t have a lot snow so that is the reason. So can you pls tell me if you know what I have to have to move France Yaay thank you 🙏
Thank you for your videos with an American point of view that give the mirror effect of the French point of view discovering the USA! Arriving for the first time in Texas, I asked myself: Why waste money and fossil fuels to dry laundry?! Why put the air conditioning on as if we were on the ice floe? What are legs for in the USA when we never use them! And what a surprise to discover that the houses are made of cardboard and that they have the solidity of movie sets! Sorry for my French sarcasm but if your American audience wants to come to France, they must get used to teasing each other 😇
La France est située sur le 45 ème parallèle donc à équidistance du pôle et de l'équateur. Le climat est tempéré, (sauf à l'extrême sud) nous n'avons pas vraiment besoin de climatisation permanente.. Même par temps de canicule en été, en ventilant correctement ma maison et en me protégeant du soleil avec les volets il ne fait jamais plus de 24 degrés à l'intérieur..
I live in Houston and hate the extreme heat and humidity. It’s November and still in the 80s. Cant wait to visit my place in France for a little cooler weather! More invigorating and cold. Not hot. What a break!! No “south of France” for me. Much better to be further north with a change of seasons. SW France is also very nice!
Good morning, I am French (old) and i have a dryer for a long time, but I use it only for sheets and towels. It's need a lot electricity and not very ecological. You can find different sizes of bed (so, 90 cm, 140 cm,160 cm and 180 cm) and the sheets for these beds are easy to find. For the pillows, the rectangular ones are easy to find, I have those and many people have these in France. For the air conditionning it's true is not common, because our houses have insulation and generally shutters we can close when it's too hot, and also we close them at night in winter to keep the house warm, and these A.C. are not ecological at all, and we are concerned about that too. I understand it can be difficult for you to find things you need when you don't know where you can buy them. I am sure it will be easier in a few time. Thank you for your videos, I appreciate your point of view about your life in France,
US American here, haven’t had a drier since 1999. In fact I sold the drier that came with our last home in NC, have not used the drier in our current Pennsylvania home since we came 3 years ago. I hang out year round here in PA, if it raining and I need to do a load I hang it in the basement. Clothes last longer and no need to press any shirts. Happen to love the rough towel texture, think of it like a loofah!
Cannot imagine living without a dryer! But, I have no basement nor any kind of clothesline. I do not "bake" things in the dryer, however. When clothes are almost dry I take them our of the dryer and hang them up across a door frame before they go back into the closet. What do you do with sheets? I have queen-sized sheets. By the way, I live in North Carolina.
@@c.phillips7728 I'm a homegrown Dane, so maybe I don't belong here amongst all you Americans 😉but here in Europe we can buy different sizes of drying racks at the hardware store. I lived in Andalucía (Southern Spain) for many years without a dryer. In the summer you dont need a dryer because your laundry will dry within the hour after hanging it on a line. But in winter - the rain season - it is near to impossible to get your laundry dry outside. Partly because it rains a lot and partly because even if it doesn't rain the humidity is so high that it will never dry but remain damp. So, in winter I used a drying rack placed in my guest room and/or my living room. Would that be a tolerable solution for you?
@@LadyEileen Thank you. I understand that when you are in another country you've just got to adapt to what is normal there. I suppose I could tolerate drying racks all over the house for a day or two, but if it's humid it must take days! Plus, I have heavier things like thick bath mats and rugs for the bathroom that are hard to dry, even in the dryer! But yes, I could deal with drying racks for most things. So, addressing the humidity -- do you now in Denmark, or did you in Spain -- have air conditioning? Honestly, I think I could deal with the drying racks as long as I had air conditioning. Again, not just for comfort, but for my personal safely. I could not sleep at night with open windows. Someone could crawl in and rob or even assault you! How do Europeans address personal safely in their homes?
I'm french, and I hate square pillows ! I so much agree with you on this. So much wasted space in the bed. I'm tall, and if I want to have my entire body to fit inside the bed, I can't waste any space. Rectangle pillow team here!
Square pillows are for sitting in bed and reading. We have the polochons (shaped like logs, also called traversins) to sleep on! :) You can also find rectangular pillows of course.
Exactly, you can't understand the appeal of square pillows if you consider that a bed is only for sleeping lying down, and with a headboard and footboard...Among other things, in bed people read, have breakfast on Sundays when they sleep in, and they love minimalist beds that don't visually clutter the room.
My bed is for sleeping not for sitting and reading. I'm from Germany, where we also use only square pillows. They don't make much sense, even though I use them.
@@lilg2300 If you use them and sleep with them, then they make sense for you :) I used to live in Switzerland where we also have square pillows, about 60cmx60cm, and they are quite flat. I am not sure you mean the same pillows the French mean. Our pillows are about 75cmx75cm, and very full/firm. In my family, we have only ever used them to read in bed, or when you are ill, if you want to be supported while sitting down. French hospitals also used to have them until they had beds that could be raised on the head or the feetside. Isn't it interesting that there are so many different sleeping customs throughout the world?
Polochons/Traversins! Thank you for teaching me the words for those. WAY better than either squares or rectangles for sleeping. Yet another reason to move to France
I'm Australian with no intention of moving to France (a bit too old now) but I'm loving your channel. I have always hung my washing outside and when it is wet or too cold, I use a rack.
To have a soft towel, dryers are the only option. But for the rest, it is so much better to dry them outside. Laundry feels, smells so good after a time in the sun and the wind.
@@julientardieux L'adoucissant encrasse les machines et est pas top pour l'environnement. Vinaigre blanc oui. Je préfère les serviettes bien rêches de toute façon.
I air dry all of my laundry, my towels and sheets are always soft, there is such a thing as overdrying, this leaves you with crunchy towels, i bring in my towels as soon as they are dry at the peg corners (emplacement des pinces à linge), soft every time, if however i forget them on the line............. crunchy
@@gualime Je n'utilise ni l'un ni l'autre, et ne me suis jamais posé la question concernant les serviettes. Encore moins un sèche-linge, qui est une ruine économique / écologique. ^^ (et prend de la place)
Your explanations about AC are pretty exhaustive and accurate. It's nice to see you went from "let's make it freezing in the bedroom at night, then pile under the blankets" to an eco-responsible "targeted cooling". In public places (movie theaters, malls, hospitals, public transportations, retirement houses) we often have AC, but don't use it in such a responsible way (yet).
Dans les lieux publics, c'est de la ventilation, pas spécifiquement de l'air conditionné. C'est obligatoire pour le renouvellement d'air, pas pour une question de température, même si ça peut être très pratique. (Et je crois que beaucoup ne respectent ni les recommandations sanitaires ni la législation. Bref.)
1. In our apartment in Paris we have a washer/dryer combo. It isn't vented outside though so it will humidify and warm up the apartment. We don't use the dryer that much though, we tend to dry our clothes on a rack, and sometimes finish the towels in the dryer. 2. Drive-throughs. I LOVE going out in France and walking around to grocery shop, get meals, see things, etc. I have never missed a drive through while there. In fact just the opposite, it never ceases to amaze me how fascinating the shops are there, and I enjoy the window shopping and café culture. 3. AC. We do have a portable AC unit in our apartment because it fully faces south, and in the summer for about two months it can be unbearably hot during the day. In the evening, we open the windows and the door of the apartment into the stairwell and we get the chimney effect of cool air passing through the apartment. I cannot understand why Americans refrigerate themselves during the summer. It is quite unpleasant, and yes, I carry a sweater with me at all times in the US. Ridiculous! 4. King size beds. IKEA has lots of options for king size beds in terms of linens, and mattresses. The problem frequently is space. So many buildings in France either have tiny bedrooms, or the stairs would be so narrow and steep that getting a large mattress up them would be impossible. 5. Euro pillows. Be glad that the French have move beyond the long pillow roll that extended the width of the bed. Seriously, growing up, all hotels had those. But honestly, I was not aware that square pillows were that big in France. I have had no problem finding rectangular pillows or pillow cases. There was recently an article on CNN digital about a couple who claimed that their dream of retiring and living in France became a nightmare. Then they included this quote, "People go, 'Oh my God, the French food is so fabulous.' Yeah, if you want to eat brie, pate, pastries and French bread all day long." And then one of them also stated that they missed frozen yogurt. I think it would be safe to say, that move was never going to be a good fit.
Great video, as usual! You didn't mention an item of great importance in the French bathroom: le "gant de toilette" versus washcloth! After decades of adaptation, my American family members finally admit it's more practical!😊
These 5 points are what we French find strange in the Americans. It is common to say that if everyone lived like the Americans, it would take more than two Earths to provide for humanity. The dryer is energy-intensive it does not seem essential. Air conditioning so far neither except in some departments. King size bed and why not separate beds? Sleeping in a bed in 120 centimeters it facilitates the nearenaffective (try you will see). The use of the car is also very different. Me it always amazes me to see big cars in the USA to drive at 60 miles per hour (idem for us for 80 kilometers per hour).Pillows can be found in all shapes so that you are not satisfied with square pillows. This is the main thing. Freedom of choice. Congratulations on your videos that let us discover your American point of view. And your love for your life in France.
Being British, I prefer rectangular pillows and have never seen the point of bulky square pillows that take up too much space and require large pillowcases. Rectangular pillows also look much neater on beds in my view. Having lived in Germany for many years off and on, I’ve always disliked their square pillows. In the last few years, I expect due to travel in countries that DON’T have square pillows, rectangular ones can now be found in most stores. The sizing however is less than perfect - 80x40 cm, which is too wide and not enough depth. I prefer international standard sizing of 75x50cm. 🙂
I mean with global warming well under way and not going anywhere, air con is only going to get more widespread. The heatwaves are getting stronger and stretching for longer every summer.
Je préfère aussi. Mais je suis surpris qu'ils n'en trouvent pas : il y en a dans tous les magasins de literie, et j'en ai même vu dans les supermarchés.
Mais comment faites-vous pour lire ? Et pour l'enlever quand vous voulez changer de position et dormir sur le dos, c'est presque impossible dans son sommeil avec un oreiller rectangulaire alors que c'est tout à fait faisable avec un oreiller normal 😊
you can get a dryer that put all the water into built in container and don't need any venting or water outlets- just connect it to the socket and thats it. the simplest ones are called condenser dryers and can be had for 400 euros.
I live in Austria and don’t even have a balcony to dry my clothes-it’s a drying rack inside for me. However my washer has the most insane spin cycle and clothes dry quickly inside. (Staring at my drying rack in the kitchen at the moment, willing myself to get up and put things away.) In the winter here, the air gets so incredibly dry that it’s hard to breathe at night. So all winter I wash my towels and jeans just before bed to add humidity so I can sleep comfortably! A friend here just bought a condenser dryer and it’s changed her life, especially around washing linens and towels, and having a family’s worth of washing.
Lol I (Raina) thought so too. You could see I couldn't get through it without cracking up. Its so cute, he's so chill about so many things but...square pillows! 😂
Regarding square pillows, I love them, but only when they are not overstuffed. Under-stuffed square pillows are amazing, this way they provide more customizable comfort during the sleep - you can adjust the height and firmness of the pillow simply by pushing it higher or lower, closer/further from the headboard. You can do it with your shoulder if you are a side sleeper even during your sleep. Rectangular pillows were never as comfortable for me personally. And square pillows are also great for other activities such reading the book or a working on your laptop while in bed. A lot more versatility.
Yes not overstuffed and filled with very soft material, not hard foam pellets. I'self love soft natural "duvet", so you can shape it yourself as a wedge from zero thickness to max, having the thin part some where between the middle on your back and the shoulders , the shoulders on a thicker part and your head on the top thickest part. It's an "immersive" confortable experience. 😊
Bonjour, vous avez là la meilleure explication de l'utilité des oreillers carrés, apres le fait qu'ils soient nés de l'habitude, du XV au XVIII siècle, de dormir assis. Ils s'adaptent à toutes les morphologies selon la pression qu'on leur appliquent entre l'épaule et la tête de lit !!!... Bravo Seekbeautytravel pour cette remarquable observation...
Just found your posts and find them very interesting, we ended up in Portugal but very similarly to your experiences. It feels great to have your experiences to fall back on our own journey. Thanks.
I'm french and I olso can't sleep with a square pillow. In my family we have always had rectangles pillows. I always tell my entourage "but you have useless space on the top of your head and not enough space on the sides to roll!" 😂😅
I love your videos so much! Your kindness and bienveillance really shines through. It is such a pleasure to hear your point of view and how appreciative you are towards french culture! I personally tend to focus on the negative parts of France so it makes me really joyful to be reminded of all the nice things i take for granted! Also I'm from Gironde so I'm happy to know you guys love it here :)
Great videos, really enjoying watching you guys discover an alternative to life in USA . The things you mention in this video seems to show Australia is closer to Europe in these matters. 1. "Not hanging washing out to dry now seems ridiculous"...of course it does...better for the environment, lower energy costs, fresh air on your clothes. If the towels bother you, fluff them up in a warm dryer for 5mins if you must... 2. Get out of your car!!! again, far better for environment to not live in your car...slow down, what are you going to do with the time you save, sit in the traffic jam on the way home? 3. Open a window...Living in Louisville Ky for 18 months we didn't use the aircon unless it got really humid, which it did in late July and early August, even in an Australian summer we use the aircon for maybe a week over the hottest time as the houses are designed to catch the breeze and be cool. Winter, now that's a different story. 4. Smaller bed...more romantic? 5. OK, I'll give you this one LOL
Square Pillows: you can fold them in the middle if you want to sleep higher a particular night or for example stuff them behind your back for reading in the evening. Greetings from Germany, where we also have square pillows 😊
Mais le cinquième point😂😂😂😂 j'en peux plus tellement j'ai ri. Mais je comprends qu'il peut sembler difficile de dormir avec un oreiller carré, pourtant on y arrive !!! Merci pour vos vidéos, elles me permettent de voir la France de votre point de vue et d'améliorer ma compréhension orale de l'anglais.
A/c. Our French Rental has mini splits for the bedrooms. They work great - most of the warm months around Perpignan just open the windows. The living room is deep into the ground so it's really cool indoors.
It's so true about the pillows! I'm British, and lived for a number of years in Belgium and France. Our family never reconciled ourselves to the square pillows, for exactly the reasons you mentioned. :D
Swedish-American here, recently moved to south of France. Check out ventless combination washer/dryers. Use dryer when needed otherwise line dry. Best of both worlds. One appliance uses no dryer air vent.
You had me in stitches laughing about "rolling over the top of a square pillow." - luckily, I can sleep without any pillows - I particularly enjoyed this video because of its lighthearted humor! We're used to all these differences and, like you, they don't matter after a while because everything else is wonderful in France!
I have a dryer but use it sparingly, mainly for towels and sheets. My Texan friend (I'm a Brit in the Languedoc) didn't like to see my washing on the line and offered to give me some money - I explained it was for the environment, trying to save fossil fuels etc. she was baffled. I understood when I went visit her in Texas - most of her neighbourhood had the lights on all night and AC on in empty rooms. It made me wonder why I was bothering! (French are much more eco conscious than US, not having own oil. Also, US is built around the automobile, - no walking! Our towns are tightly packed. Keep up the good work!
I'm German, lived in Texas for 5 years and my average electric bill was $250 a month even though I kept the temperature at 80°F. While my friends had there's at 68/70°F. 🥶 I had to go outside to warm up. And yes, the construction of houses US (wood) vs. Europe (stone) makes a big difference in keeping cool. I've often wondered if the wasteful behavior of the average American causes the temperature and climate issues (hurricanes, tornadoes, draught, etc.) to be worse compared to Europe.
You can get a condensing one that is plumbed in rather than vented, if you really want one. If space is really an issue there's combination washer dryer models too, at least in the UK.
Hi, I'm British and I'm really enjoying your channel. I love France, it's a different culture to what we have in England, but I expect that and find it refreshing. What's interesting for me is your own reactions to French culture and your realization of the shortcomings of US culture
Your channel popped up in my feed, and I'm so glad. Y'alls attitude (yes, I am also an escapee from TX) makes me smile. I had not even thought about the fact that there are no drive-ins . . . which now makes me happy once more that I live in a place not surrounded by lines of people in cars everywhere with their engines running! I must say that it is an utter joy not to own a car (since I live in the city), not that I don't drive (just drove in Greece and Ireland last year). I left TX in 2018, and I live in and love central Paris. And I can attest that the French way of life seems, to me, more deliberate, meaningful, and so much less chaotic. As for your list, I have a fabulous combo Washer/Dryer (LG) and I'd guess that at least 50% of my friends have dryers, too. I also have a fab portable A/C -- I bought it a few years ago when my border collie was recovering from a stroke, and I was afraid that the impending canicule might harm her recovery. (She overcame the stroke's debilitation and lived for another year until she was 16!). So I pull the silly A/C out of the cave in the summer -- I think I used it about 6 or 7 nights this past summer, but my building is from 1840 and it stays incredibly cool inside, so the lack of A/C isn't really a problem. Yeah, I don't get the square pillow thing,. While I've had them even before moving here, they were decorative. I use mine when reading in bed, but le BHV (a department store) is mere blocks away and I'm guessing that at least 40% of their pillows are rectangular. I'm pretty sure I've seen rectangular pillows at Monoprix or Hema, too, so maybe chalk this up to one of the not-so-bad-things that Americans have exported here. Looking forward to your vids. Loving life in France, too!
It's true that you find a lot of square pillows in French houses, especially when you're renting, and I don't like them for sleeping either. But if you want a rectangular pillow for your home, you can easily find them in stores. I've always used rectangular pillows and I've never had any trouble for finding one.
Hope both of you are well, Comming from FL, Its dam nice to get away from those HOAs, I have a washer Dryer here in France as I am in a apartment . it has a higher spin cycle and drys your clothes in like 120 minits maxium. You can buy a American top leader washing machine in France its made by Whirlpool europe, We have drive thru McDonalds and Startbuck in my area of France in Bordeaux / Poitiers area. With Pillows you can go to B&M store in Poitiers they all things household at low prices including bed linnin. AC just live with Fans you will get use to it,
Hi, square pillows are for dual use. One for putting your head on and one for putting them straight up against the bedboard so you can comfortably sit up in bed. Back support.
Great video! My husband is French, so we go back and forth. Oddly enough, the square pillows don’t bother me at all. The cylinder-type pillows on the other hand, are horrible. My husband said that was all he used, growing up. 🥹 I think one absolutely needs a/c on the Provençal coast, but I could see living without it elsewhere. On the other hand, I thought you might talk about screens. The mosquitoes drive me crazy in France!
Oh my gosh you're right! Lol, I think we weren't thinking about it because we talked about it at length in another video. But it totally should have been on the list!
In hot nights, with a square pillow, you got more fresh pillow surface available to you: not only the two faces of the pillow, but also the upper two « unused » faces ! Also you can roll, or fold it if you need a harder pillow : it’s adjustable ! For the drier, many washing machines do have an included drier !
It's not that dyers are rare, but on the country side, especially in the south of France, it would be silly to buy one ! When you hang your clothes outside, it dryes very fast with a lovely smell. So it's way better to hang your clothes outside than using a dryer. I live in Paris and I rarely hang my clothes because I live in an appartement, hence I use a dryer.
It's HOA's in the USA that don't want clothes hanging outside. We dry our clothes outside on the line in Fl, in the UK and France. The rain is the problem. The house in France has a drying rack which we put in front of the wood stove in winter. - the washers are much smaller. The Carrefour in the village has dryers outside, plus larger washing machines.
Thanks for trying so hard to get us to come over, I really appreciate these videos. I'm very slowly mentally pulling up my roots here in preparation to move.
I am French and I just discovered your channel. I enjoy it very much and shall look at it more closely later. I like my square pillows because they are comfortable to read in bed which I do every night.
I have had a tumble dryer for a long time, I do not need ventilation because it is equipped with a condenser, I have a tank at the top left that I empty from time to time!
Hello! Being French and at 72 years old I can tell you that for 50 years we have always had a washing machine! It is true that the dryer is rarer in France. 😉👍. Another subject is the movement "on foot" to go to the pharmacy or elsewhere: it is excellent for health ☺️. In France, for people who reach a certain age, it is recommended to take at least 8000 steps per day !!!👍 So I wish you good luck in adapting to European life and especially to French life. Best regards, Daniel 👍😉😎 (Google translate)
Closing the shutters during the day and ventilating at night is really very effective ! I hope the climate won't warm up too much! In the hottest regions, there is now more air conditioning because of the heat waves that seem to be more frequent. In France, we thought, rightly or wrongly, that air conditioning in homes is not good for your health. Laundry drying outside smells great and when you can do it, it's great! I live in a town that seems to be the same size as yours, for people like the elderly whocannot travel, he delivers the medicines if asked. (I don't know if all pharmacies do it. they do it for free so you really have to not be able to travel)
Re: drive-through pharmacies. I hope that in France as well as in Italy ① your pharmacy can retrieve in the SSN database your electronic prescriptions ② most pharmacies offer home delivery ③ many pharmacies offer _free_ home delivery. If you're sick it's even better than drive-through!
I use a condensing tumble dryer. No need to have a vent and as a bonus it gives distilled water - useful for the car's cooling system, windscreen washer.
I live in Greece...also no dryers. I iron my towels. That sounds a bit obsessive...but I actually enjoy ironing...a form of meditation for me. Loving your channel. Nice to listen to such an articulate couple...and Rena...you are so joyous.
The line dried towels are more absorbent than the towels dried in driers with fabric softeners, so fluffy isnt always better. We had close lines when i was a kid
Clothes dried outside on a line just smell so much better, regarding the towels just make sure you use a good conditioner and double spin them ie, once the washing cycle has finished just put the towels in again on a spin only cycle.
Many of us have a dryer in Europe, eh? It's not like no one does. I use it for the towels and sheets mostly. There are dryers that don't require any installation and they aren't that expensive.
We have a tumble dryer in Germany, but we only use it when it's been raining for days or when it's really cold in winter. Whenever the weather is at least OK, we put our clothes out on the balcony and they dry in a couple of hours, even if it's not that warm and there's no direct sunlight.
Dryers are unusual in SW France because they're rarely needed: the weather is usually good enough to use the big fusion dryer in the sky. In the NW they are a lot more usual, because the weather is a lot colder and more humid. Also: those stiff towels, you need to bring them in earlier. Drive thrus: I can confirm they're nonexistent throughout Europe except for BK, KFC and McD. Even the "American style but not really American" chains don't disrespect their products so much. The square pillows are part of the "nordic bedding" set up. Traditional bed-pillows are rectangular. One of the places where you can find rectangular pillows in France: Leroy Merlin. Yep, the hardware store; home decor section.
i just recently found your channel and just can't get enough! I love your way of presenting things and your positive attitude at adjusting to things. I am recently retired and feel like I would love to live in France! Probably too late to be thinking of that now...but really feel drawn to the possibility but I don't think I could convince my hubby at all! Instead I will live through your experiences!
My daughter used to live in Calgary, in Canada. Not only was she not allowed to hang washing out to dry, but you were also not allowed to let cats out of the house! She didn't have a cat herself, but as she's a vet, she frequently had decidedly neurotic cats brought in to her surgery!
Come on, guys ! I'm French and I've had rectangular pillows for the last 40 years ! Beside, you can find everything you talked about anywhere, except drive-ins, true. We don't live like two centuries ago in France...
Funny listening to this at work planning to move to France from Texas, and was discussing adding mini splits to a French home with a friend that also wants to move there
Ahah I love the pillow part! It’s for the cats the sleep on top of your head with you ahah (but you can find loads of ergonomic pillows more rectangle, but it’s harder to find the matching covers)
I have seen so many Americans who move to EUR (France, Germany etc.) who say that dryers are not a thing here. I don’t think that’s the case, but we only use them for a very limited amount of items such as bed sheets and towels. That being said, since a dryer is kind of viewed as an „add-on“ not EVERY household has one, as a student or intern in Paris for instance I would wash my stuff at home and then go to the closest laundromat and put my towels and big items into a dryer there (otherwise the humidity in my tiny chamber de Bonne would have gotten out of control).
Condenser dryers are common enough, you can expel the water to your washing machine’s drain or if need be collect the water in a built in container. And the split system AC is common where we live in southern France … and far cheaper to run than the gas heat for winter. By the way, our electric bill now is about one quarter what we were paying 15 years ago in Arizona. I wonder if you’ll still be thinking about these things 15 years from now if you stay in France!
Belgium here. Dryer is very very common. No drive through except Mc Donnald. We take our time . A/C is common but best with use of solarpanels. King beds no problem. But.....France is not Europe ! But healthcare is not expensive in Europe and we have an exelente work/life balance overhere ! 👌
So im following along and loving your channel - im doing the NZ vs NL comparison 😊 1 Dryers - yeah in NL we didnt have on either. I think they were or are uncommon there too. In NZ they’re more common, but we mostly hang the wash out as its cheaper and better to the environment. 2 Drive through - yeah we only have fast food drive throughs in NZ (don’t remember ever seeing on in NL) so this is probably a European thing. And agree - its so much more social getting out to the village and shopping. 3. Aircon - also never had it or saw it much (even at work) in NL. But common in NZ in weather places. 4. Bed sizes: in the netherlands most double beds are queen size. Probably due to space constraints. Interesting duvets - in NL very common and we each had a single duvet on or queen. Quite normal. - in NZ thats uncommon. 5. Pillows - yeah i never like the euro-pillow either.
I grew up in Boston and everyone hung their laundry out to dry in their yards when I was a kid. I have had a dryer in France for 30 years now….in Winter it’s a must….especially since I had three small children…lots of little socks, towels, etc
Interesting. I live in Buenos Aires City and everything you're describing sounds like the way we live here. I didn't know that about dryers. When there's bad weather I set up an indoor thingy to hang the clothes and put it near a heater No drive throughs here either, apart from McDonalds or bk
Same- I bought all rectangle- could never sleep on the square pillows. Mystery indeed! Even my French husband prefers the rectangle. 10 years ago- you could not find rectangle pillows in the store, but now you can- so there is a shift beginning to happen!
Bravo pour tous vos efforts d'adaptation avec toujours le sourire. Et si, au lieu de penser: "ces choses manquent", vous pensiez, "heureusement, elles ne sont pas là". En effet le mode de vie américain avec son énorme gaspillage d'énergie, est ,ainsi que la Chine, le principal responsable du dérèglement climatique. Cette année, le climat a été particulièrement mauvais si bien que les récoltes de fruits, de légumes, de blé sont presque nulles. Le corps humain est fait pour marcher, s'adapter aux différences de températures mais pas pour ne rien manger.
I stumbled across your UA-cam channel and, although I, as a French woman, couldn't be further from your target audience, I really enjoy your videos. It helps me to put my own culture into perspective and to become aware of things I don't even notice because they're so natural and automatic to me.
And above all, I appreciate your state of mind and your ability not to resist things that don't make sense to you. Instead of being infuriated and judgmental, or making it personal, it's like you always say to yourself “If 70 million people have been living like this for centuries and centuries, there must be a very good reason and it's certainly not to enrage us or because they're too stupid to know what they're doing. Let's find out what that reason is.”
Everyone in the world who travels, short or long term, should learn from this.
Thank you for your insight. All the best.
@@carolep.1398 thank you for this lovely comment. It means a lot. 😊
To be honest, as a French person myself (who has lived in the US for close to 7 years) I watch this Channel for the positivity and to remind me of the great aspects of living in this country.
100% Such a great attitude for travelling or just cultural curiousity generally.
as a dutchie i had the same with US-ppl in the netherlands. this kind of video's gives so much more perspective of your own things that normal.
"Let's find out what that reason is" - As another frenchman, what I love about exploring different cultures is that sometimes the reason is fucking stupid anyways.
As some one who grew up without a dryer, (yes, were were poor) a soft towel equals a used towel. To me, the crispy roughness signifies the towel is fresh and clean.
Oh!! Wow, I love when people add a perspective I hadn't thought of! Thanks!
Indeed but a clean towel out of a dryer is a pleasure to use 🤩
I love to hang out my washing on a line. It’s satisfying to see it blowing on the line and smell the natural air freshness as I collect the newly dried washing off the line.
@@AngusmumYes, it feels softer if it has moved in the wind.
The other thing that has influence is hard water/chalk: if you have that there are ways to refuce chalk in your washong machine
@ Thankfully we have soft water so all is well.😊
I’m French but I don’t know why it’s very interesting to watch your videos! 😂 You guys are so positive and open minded! It’s so great for France to welcome people like you guys. I wish you all the best for your life here ❤️
Hi I’m Norway citizen and I’m thinking to move to France 🇫🇷 because France don’t have a lot snow so that is the reason. So can you pls tell me if you know what I have to have to move France Yaay thank you 🙏
With Trump winning in the U.S., you may be encountering more refugees. Don't encourage it.
Thank you for your videos with an American point of view that give the mirror effect of the French point of view discovering the USA! Arriving for the first time in Texas, I asked myself: Why waste money and fossil fuels to dry laundry?! Why put the air conditioning on as if we were on the ice floe? What are legs for in the USA when we never use them! And what a surprise to discover that the houses are made of cardboard and that they have the solidity of movie sets! Sorry for my French sarcasm but if your American audience wants to come to France, they must get used to teasing each other 😇
@@chapichapo6800 😂
La France est située sur le 45 ème parallèle donc à équidistance du pôle et de l'équateur.
Le climat est tempéré, (sauf à l'extrême sud) nous n'avons pas vraiment besoin de climatisation permanente..
Même par temps de canicule en été, en ventilant correctement ma maison et en me protégeant du soleil avec les volets il ne fait jamais plus de 24 degrés à l'intérieur..
Amen
Amen
I live in Houston and hate the extreme heat and humidity. It’s November and still in the 80s. Cant wait to visit my place in France for a little cooler weather! More invigorating and cold. Not hot. What a break!! No “south of France” for me. Much better to be further north with a change of seasons. SW France is also very nice!
Good morning, I am French (old) and i have a dryer for a long time, but I use it only for sheets and towels. It's need a lot electricity and not very ecological. You can find different sizes of bed (so, 90 cm, 140 cm,160 cm and 180 cm) and the sheets for these beds are easy to find. For the pillows, the rectangular ones are easy to find, I have those and many people have these in France. For the air conditionning it's true is not common, because our houses have insulation and generally shutters we can close when it's too hot, and also we close them at night in winter to keep the house warm, and these A.C. are not ecological at all, and we are concerned about that too. I understand it can be difficult for you to find things you need when you don't know where you can buy them. I am sure it will be easier in a few time.
Thank you for your videos, I appreciate your point of view about your life in France,
US American here, haven’t had a drier since 1999. In fact I sold the drier that came with our last home in NC, have not used the drier in our current Pennsylvania home since we came 3 years ago. I hang out year round here in PA, if it raining and I need to do a load I hang it in the basement. Clothes last longer and no need to press any shirts. Happen to love the rough towel texture, think of it like a loofah!
Cannot imagine living without a dryer! But, I have no basement nor any kind of clothesline. I do not "bake" things in the dryer, however. When clothes are almost dry I take them our of the dryer and hang them up across a door frame before they go back into the closet. What do you do with sheets? I have queen-sized sheets. By the way, I live in North Carolina.
@@c.phillips7728 I'm a homegrown Dane, so maybe I don't belong here amongst all you Americans 😉but here in Europe we can buy different sizes of drying racks at the hardware store. I lived in Andalucía (Southern Spain) for many years without a dryer. In the summer you dont need a dryer because your laundry will dry within the hour after hanging it on a line. But in winter - the rain season - it is near to impossible to get your laundry dry outside. Partly because it rains a lot and partly because even if it doesn't rain the humidity is so high that it will never dry but remain damp. So, in winter I used a drying rack placed in my guest room and/or my living room. Would that be a tolerable solution for you?
@@LadyEileen Thank you. I understand that when you are in another country you've just got to adapt to what is normal there. I suppose I could tolerate drying racks all over the house for a day or two, but if it's humid it must take days! Plus, I have heavier things like thick bath mats and rugs for the bathroom that are hard to dry, even in the dryer! But yes, I could deal with drying racks for most things. So, addressing the humidity -- do you now in Denmark, or did you in Spain -- have air conditioning? Honestly, I think I could deal with the drying racks as long as I had air conditioning. Again, not just for comfort, but for my personal safely. I could not sleep at night with open windows. Someone could crawl in and rob or even assault you! How do Europeans address personal safely in their homes?
The pillow rant was adorable
I'm french, and I hate square pillows ! I so much agree with you on this. So much wasted space in the bed. I'm tall, and if I want to have my entire body to fit inside the bed, I can't waste any space. Rectangle pillow team here!
Square pillows are for sitting in bed and reading. We have the polochons (shaped like logs, also called traversins) to sleep on! :) You can also find rectangular pillows of course.
Exactly, you can't understand the appeal of square pillows if you consider that a bed is only for sleeping lying down, and with a headboard and footboard...Among other things, in bed people read, have breakfast on Sundays when they sleep in, and they love minimalist beds that don't visually clutter the room.
My bed is for sleeping not for sitting and reading. I'm from Germany, where we also use only square pillows. They don't make much sense, even though I use them.
@@lilg2300 If you use them and sleep with them, then they make sense for you :) I used to live in Switzerland where we also have square pillows, about 60cmx60cm, and they are quite flat. I am not sure you mean the same pillows the French mean. Our pillows are about 75cmx75cm, and very full/firm. In my family, we have only ever used them to read in bed, or when you are ill, if you want to be supported while sitting down. French hospitals also used to have them until they had beds that could be raised on the head or the feetside. Isn't it interesting that there are so many different sleeping customs throughout the world?
Polochons/Traversins! Thank you for teaching me the words for those. WAY better than either squares or rectangles for sleeping. Yet another reason to move to France
@@delausa And they are so great for holding the big square pillow while you are sitting in bed reading or watching a movie :)
France is old fashioned in a good and classic way
The pillow topic was hilarious and so true.😂
I'm Australian with no intention of moving to France (a bit too old now) but I'm loving your channel. I have always hung my washing outside and when it is wet or too cold, I use a rack.
You need a "traversin". That's it. Or a "polochon". La literie est un art, il existe toute sorte de "coussins" avec des fonctions différentes.
I'm French and I hate traversin, and so do lots of my friends.
@@feraudyh like colors and tastes. My pillow is a traversin. Nothing is better for me.
Je ne peut que dormir sur un traversin les coussins c' est pas pour moi
@@gregoiret6147 c'est votre droit le plus strict !
Mais bon sang mais c'est bien sur !
To have a soft towel, dryers are the only option. But for the rest, it is so much better to dry them outside. Laundry feels, smells so good after a time in the sun and the wind.
Sinon, utiliser de l'adoucissant, ça sert à ça...
Adrienhb. Totally false. Just add white vinegar in your loundry. You’ll get your towels softer that a fur.
@@julientardieux L'adoucissant encrasse les machines et est pas top pour l'environnement. Vinaigre blanc oui. Je préfère les serviettes bien rêches de toute façon.
I air dry all of my laundry, my towels and sheets are always soft, there is such a thing as overdrying, this leaves you with crunchy towels, i bring in my towels as soon as they are dry at the peg corners (emplacement des pinces à linge), soft every time, if however i forget them on the line............. crunchy
@@gualime Je n'utilise ni l'un ni l'autre, et ne me suis jamais posé la question concernant les serviettes.
Encore moins un sèche-linge, qui est une ruine économique / écologique. ^^ (et prend de la place)
I love France and I love watching you guys, you are a great inspiration, thank you!
Your explanations about AC are pretty exhaustive and accurate. It's nice to see you went from "let's make it freezing in the bedroom at night, then pile under the blankets" to an eco-responsible "targeted cooling".
In public places (movie theaters, malls, hospitals, public transportations, retirement houses) we often have AC, but don't use it in such a responsible way (yet).
Dans les lieux publics, c'est de la ventilation, pas spécifiquement de l'air conditionné. C'est obligatoire pour le renouvellement d'air, pas pour une question de température, même si ça peut être très pratique. (Et je crois que beaucoup ne respectent ni les recommandations sanitaires ni la législation. Bref.)
1. In our apartment in Paris we have a washer/dryer combo. It isn't vented outside though so it will humidify and warm up the apartment. We don't use the dryer that much though, we tend to dry our clothes on a rack, and sometimes finish the towels in the dryer. 2. Drive-throughs. I LOVE going out in France and walking around to grocery shop, get meals, see things, etc. I have never missed a drive through while there. In fact just the opposite, it never ceases to amaze me how fascinating the shops are there, and I enjoy the window shopping and café culture. 3. AC. We do have a portable AC unit in our apartment because it fully faces south, and in the summer for about two months it can be unbearably hot during the day. In the evening, we open the windows and the door of the apartment into the stairwell and we get the chimney effect of cool air passing through the apartment. I cannot understand why Americans refrigerate themselves during the summer. It is quite unpleasant, and yes, I carry a sweater with me at all times in the US. Ridiculous! 4. King size beds. IKEA has lots of options for king size beds in terms of linens, and mattresses. The problem frequently is space. So many buildings in France either have tiny bedrooms, or the stairs would be so narrow and steep that getting a large mattress up them would be impossible. 5. Euro pillows. Be glad that the French have move beyond the long pillow roll that extended the width of the bed. Seriously, growing up, all hotels had those. But honestly, I was not aware that square pillows were that big in France. I have had no problem finding rectangular pillows or pillow cases. There was recently an article on CNN digital about a couple who claimed that their dream of retiring and living in France became a nightmare. Then they included this quote, "People go, 'Oh my God, the French food is so fabulous.' Yeah, if you want to eat brie, pate, pastries and French bread all day long." And then one of them also stated that they missed frozen yogurt. I think it would be safe to say, that move was never going to be a good fit.
Haha the square vs rectangular pillow war is opened :) Great vid btw...
I use both. Square ones are useful to lean against when i read in bed
Elle sera encore plus terrible que la guerre entre les marsupiaux et les placentaires.
Great video, as usual! You didn't mention an item of great importance in the French bathroom: le "gant de toilette" versus washcloth! After decades of adaptation, my American family members finally admit it's more practical!😊
Et la pomme de douche ? 😅
À ce propos voir le sketch hilarant de Florence Foresti
14:10 I an French and I totally agree with you on the square pillows. I can't sleep on that. Good thing we have boster pillows also.
These 5 points are what we French find strange in the Americans. It is common to say that if everyone lived like the Americans, it would take more than two Earths to provide for humanity. The dryer is energy-intensive it does not seem essential. Air conditioning so far neither except in some departments. King size bed and why not separate beds? Sleeping in a bed in 120 centimeters it facilitates the nearenaffective (try you will see). The use of the car is also very different. Me it always amazes me to see big cars in the USA to drive at 60 miles per hour (idem for us for 80 kilometers per hour).Pillows can be found in all shapes so that you are not satisfied with square pillows. This is the main thing. Freedom of choice. Congratulations on your videos that let us discover your American point of view. And your love for your life in France.
Being British, I prefer rectangular pillows and have never seen the point of bulky square pillows that take up too much space and require large pillowcases. Rectangular pillows also look much neater on beds in my view. Having lived in Germany for many years off and on, I’ve always disliked their square pillows. In the last few years, I expect due to travel in countries that DON’T have square pillows, rectangular ones can now be found in most stores. The sizing however is less than perfect - 80x40 cm, which is too wide and not enough depth. I prefer international standard sizing of 75x50cm. 🙂
Oui, je partage votre point de vue.
I mean with global warming well under way and not going anywhere, air con is only going to get more widespread. The heatwaves are getting stronger and stretching for longer every summer.
AC is more than a luxury in some areas. Europe has far more temperate conditions.
Bonjour, je suis d'accord avec vous pour les oreillers, les rectangulaire sont plus efficaces. Je vous souhaite une bonne soirée
Je préfère aussi. Mais je suis surpris qu'ils n'en trouvent pas : il y en a dans tous les magasins de literie, et j'en ai même vu dans les supermarchés.
Mais comment faites-vous pour lire ?
Et pour l'enlever quand vous voulez changer de position et dormir sur le dos, c'est presque impossible dans son sommeil avec un oreiller rectangulaire alors que c'est tout à fait faisable avec un oreiller normal 😊
@@CharlotteGil-dt3ox”normal?” So other pillows are abnormal?
@@boxsterman77 eh oui!
Great video as usual and a funny one. Good job and thanks for your optimism 😊
Welcome to France vive la différences !!!
you can get a dryer that put all the water into built in container and don't need any venting or water outlets- just connect it to the socket and thats it. the simplest ones are called condenser dryers and can be had for 400 euros.
I live in Austria and don’t even have a balcony to dry my clothes-it’s a drying rack inside for me. However my washer has the most insane spin cycle and clothes dry quickly inside. (Staring at my drying rack in the kitchen at the moment, willing myself to get up and put things away.)
In the winter here, the air gets so incredibly dry that it’s hard to breathe at night. So all winter I wash my towels and jeans just before bed to add humidity so I can sleep comfortably!
A friend here just bought a condenser dryer and it’s changed her life, especially around washing linens and towels, and having a family’s worth of washing.
@djkg17 humidity in Ireland in winter is about 95 percent all the time, so I can't live without a dryer.
@@marcinsobczak2485i totally get that-I grew up in a temperate rainforest so driers were an absolute necessity for sure. Not needed where I live now.
Jason getting hype about the pillows was so funny! Thanks for sharing
Lol I (Raina) thought so too. You could see I couldn't get through it without cracking up. Its so cute, he's so chill about so many things but...square pillows! 😂
Regarding square pillows, I love them, but only when they are not overstuffed. Under-stuffed square pillows are amazing, this way they provide more customizable comfort during the sleep - you can adjust the height and firmness of the pillow simply by pushing it higher or lower, closer/further from the headboard. You can do it with your shoulder if you are a side sleeper even during your sleep.
Rectangular pillows were never as comfortable for me personally. And square pillows are also great for other activities such reading the book or a working on your laptop while in bed. A lot more versatility.
@seekbeautytravel we appreciate this thoughtful explanation, but Jason says he's still not convinced. 😂🤷♀️
Yes not overstuffed and filled with very soft material, not hard foam pellets.
I'self love soft natural "duvet", so you can shape it yourself as a wedge from zero thickness to max, having the thin part some where between the middle on your back and the shoulders , the shoulders on a thicker part and your head on the top thickest part.
It's an "immersive" confortable experience. 😊
Bonjour,
vous avez là la meilleure explication de l'utilité des oreillers carrés, apres le fait qu'ils soient nés de l'habitude, du XV au XVIII siècle, de dormir assis.
Ils s'adaptent à toutes les morphologies selon la pression qu'on leur appliquent entre l'épaule et la tête de lit !!!... Bravo Seekbeautytravel pour cette remarquable observation...
Just found your posts and find them very interesting, we ended up in Portugal but very similarly to your experiences. It feels great to have your experiences to fall back on our own journey. Thanks.
I'm french and I olso can't sleep with a square pillow. In my family we have always had rectangles pillows. I always tell my entourage "but you have useless space on the top of your head and not enough space on the sides to roll!" 😂😅
I love your videos so much! Your kindness and bienveillance really shines through. It is such a pleasure to hear your point of view and how appreciative you are towards french culture! I personally tend to focus on the negative parts of France so it makes me really joyful to be reminded of all the nice things i take for granted! Also I'm from Gironde so I'm happy to know you guys love it here :)
The simplicity and authenticity of your videos will be the key to your amazing success. Cheers!
Thank you!
Great videos, really enjoying watching you guys discover an alternative to life in USA .
The things you mention in this video seems to show Australia is closer to Europe in these matters.
1. "Not hanging washing out to dry now seems ridiculous"...of course it does...better for the environment, lower energy costs, fresh air on your clothes. If the towels bother you, fluff them up in a warm dryer for 5mins if you must...
2. Get out of your car!!! again, far better for environment to not live in your car...slow down, what are you going to do with the time you save, sit in the traffic jam on the way home?
3. Open a window...Living in Louisville Ky for 18 months we didn't use the aircon unless it got really humid, which it did in late July and early August, even in an Australian summer we use the aircon for maybe a week over the hottest time as the houses are designed to catch the breeze and be cool. Winter, now that's a different story.
4. Smaller bed...more romantic?
5. OK, I'll give you this one LOL
Square Pillows: you can fold them in the middle if you want to sleep higher a particular night or for example stuff them behind your back for reading in the evening.
Greetings from Germany, where we also have square pillows 😊
Mais le cinquième point😂😂😂😂 j'en peux plus tellement j'ai ri. Mais je comprends qu'il peut sembler difficile de dormir avec un oreiller carré, pourtant on y arrive !!! Merci pour vos vidéos, elles me permettent de voir la France de votre point de vue et d'améliorer ma compréhension orale de l'anglais.
The pillow thing made me laugh out loud. My bed has so many pillows on it, I live in Chicago, I call it the fortress of pillowtude! Lol
I love your channel. Really informative and entertaining. I look forward to it every week. Thank you for your work.
A/c. Our French Rental has mini splits for the bedrooms. They work great - most of the warm months around Perpignan just open the windows. The living room is deep into the ground so it's really cool indoors.
I live in a condo in texas-no dryer. no problem and clothes last longer
In Sweden we only have rectangular pillows too!! 😂
Square sounds weird, I agree!
OMG the pillow segment is hilarious!
Try using vinegar to help soften towels
Square pillows. I have to try that. Thanks for sharing your american POV
It's so true about the pillows!
I'm British, and lived for a number of years in Belgium and France. Our family never reconciled ourselves to the square pillows, for exactly the reasons you mentioned. :D
Swedish-American here, recently moved to south of France. Check out ventless combination washer/dryers. Use dryer when needed otherwise line dry. Best of both worlds. One appliance uses no dryer air vent.
The problem with them is all the lint they leave on your clothes.
You had me in stitches laughing about "rolling over the top of a square pillow." - luckily, I can sleep without any pillows - I particularly enjoyed this video because of its lighthearted humor! We're used to all these differences and, like you, they don't matter after a while because everything else is wonderful in France!
With the natural dried towels you can shift the skin peeling creams. 😉
The first time I went to the USA (Boston, MA) I was astonished that it remained very hot and very humid even in the small hours of the night.
That's exactly why we need air conditioning -- ha! Boston is indeed hot and humid.
@@c.phillips7728 I'd never experienced anything like it.
I have a dryer but use it sparingly, mainly for towels and sheets. My Texan friend (I'm a Brit in the Languedoc) didn't like to see my washing on the line and offered to give me some money - I explained it was for the environment, trying to save fossil fuels etc. she was baffled. I understood when I went visit her in Texas - most of her neighbourhood had the lights on all night and AC on in empty rooms. It made me wonder why I was bothering! (French are much more eco conscious than US, not having own oil. Also, US is built around the automobile, - no walking! Our towns are tightly packed. Keep up the good work!
I'm German, lived in Texas for 5 years and my average electric bill was $250 a month even though I kept the temperature at 80°F. While my friends had there's at 68/70°F. 🥶 I had to go outside to warm up.
And yes, the construction of houses US (wood) vs. Europe (stone) makes a big difference in keeping cool.
I've often wondered if the wasteful behavior of the average American causes the temperature and climate issues (hurricanes, tornadoes, draught, etc.) to be worse compared to Europe.
You can get a condensing one that is plumbed in rather than vented, if you really want one.
If space is really an issue there's combination washer dryer models too, at least in the UK.
J'aime toujours autant regarder vos vidéos. 💪 Continuez 😊
Hi, I'm British and I'm really enjoying your channel. I love France, it's a different culture to what we have in England, but I expect that and find it refreshing. What's interesting for me is your own reactions to French culture and your realization of the shortcomings of US culture
Your channel popped up in my feed, and I'm so glad. Y'alls attitude (yes, I am also an escapee from TX) makes me smile. I had not even thought about the fact that there are no drive-ins . . . which now makes me happy once more that I live in a place not surrounded by lines of people in cars everywhere with their engines running! I must say that it is an utter joy not to own a car (since I live in the city), not that I don't drive (just drove in Greece and Ireland last year). I left TX in 2018, and I live in and love central Paris. And I can attest that the French way of life seems, to me, more deliberate, meaningful, and so much less chaotic.
As for your list, I have a fabulous combo Washer/Dryer (LG) and I'd guess that at least 50% of my friends have dryers, too.
I also have a fab portable A/C -- I bought it a few years ago when my border collie was recovering from a stroke, and I was afraid that the impending canicule might harm her recovery. (She overcame the stroke's debilitation and lived for another year until she was 16!). So I pull the silly A/C out of the cave in the summer -- I think I used it about 6 or 7 nights this past summer, but my building is from 1840 and it stays incredibly cool inside, so the lack of A/C isn't really a problem.
Yeah, I don't get the square pillow thing,. While I've had them even before moving here, they were decorative. I use mine when reading in bed, but le BHV (a department store) is mere blocks away and I'm guessing that at least 40% of their pillows are rectangular. I'm pretty sure I've seen rectangular pillows at Monoprix or Hema, too, so maybe chalk this up to one of the not-so-bad-things that Americans have exported here.
Looking forward to your vids. Loving life in France, too!
It's true that you find a lot of square pillows in French houses, especially when you're renting, and I don't like them for sleeping either. But if you want a rectangular pillow for your home, you can easily find them in stores. I've always used rectangular pillows and I've never had any trouble for finding one.
Hope both of you are well, Comming from FL, Its dam nice to get away from those HOAs, I have a washer Dryer here in France as I am in a apartment . it has a higher spin cycle and drys your clothes in like 120 minits maxium. You can buy a American top leader washing machine in France its made by Whirlpool europe, We have drive thru McDonalds and Startbuck in my area of France in Bordeaux / Poitiers area. With Pillows you can go to B&M store in Poitiers they all things household at low prices including bed linnin. AC just live with Fans you will get use to it,
Hi, square pillows are for dual use. One for putting your head on and one for putting them straight up against the bedboard so you can comfortably sit up in bed. Back support.
I have to admit I did not see the "square pillow" topic coming ;-)
Jason feels strongly about this one, we had to include it. 😂
Great video! My husband is French, so we go back and forth. Oddly enough, the square pillows don’t bother me at all. The cylinder-type pillows on the other hand, are horrible. My husband said that was all he used, growing up. 🥹
I think one absolutely needs a/c on the Provençal coast, but I could see living without it elsewhere.
On the other hand, I thought you might talk about screens. The mosquitoes drive me crazy in France!
Oh my gosh you're right! Lol, I think we weren't thinking about it because we talked about it at length in another video. But it totally should have been on the list!
In hot nights, with a square pillow, you got more fresh pillow surface available to you: not only the two faces of the pillow, but also the upper two « unused » faces !
Also you can roll, or fold it if you need a harder pillow : it’s adjustable !
For the drier, many washing machines do have an included drier !
It's not that dyers are rare, but on the country side, especially in the south of France, it would be silly to buy one !
When you hang your clothes outside, it dryes very fast with a lovely smell. So it's way better to hang your clothes outside than using a dryer.
I live in Paris and I rarely hang my clothes because I live in an appartement, hence I use a dryer.
It's HOA's in the USA that don't want clothes hanging outside. We dry our clothes outside on the line in Fl, in the UK and France. The rain is the problem. The house in France has a drying rack which we put in front of the wood stove in winter. - the washers are much smaller. The Carrefour in the village has dryers outside, plus larger washing machines.
Thanks for trying so hard to get us to come over, I really appreciate these videos. I'm very slowly mentally pulling up my roots here in preparation to move.
I am French and I just discovered your channel. I enjoy it very much and shall look at it more closely later. I like my square pillows because they are comfortable to read in bed which I do every night.
I have had a tumble dryer for a long time, I do not need ventilation because it is equipped with a condenser, I have a tank at the top left that I empty from time to time!
Hello! Being French and at 72 years old I can tell you that for 50 years we have always had a washing machine! It is true that the dryer is rarer in France. 😉👍. Another subject is the movement "on foot" to go to the pharmacy or elsewhere: it is excellent for health ☺️. In France, for people who reach a certain age, it is recommended to take at least 8000 steps per day !!!👍 So I wish you good luck in adapting to European life and especially to French life. Best regards, Daniel 👍😉😎 (Google translate)
Closing the shutters during the day and ventilating at night is really very effective ! I hope the climate won't warm up too much! In the hottest regions, there is now more air conditioning because of the heat waves that seem to be more frequent. In France, we thought, rightly or wrongly, that air conditioning in homes is not good for your health. Laundry drying outside smells great and when you can do it, it's great! I live in a town that seems to be the same size as yours, for people like the elderly whocannot travel, he delivers the medicines if asked. (I don't know if all pharmacies do it. they do it for free so you really have to not be able to travel)
Your stone house is really ideal for protecting yourself from the heat. Now, you can find rectangular pillows in every supermarket.
I really like your personalities! I hope you will continue to enjoy yourself in France and will not be disappointed!
Merci @@marieadriansen2925😊
When I used to hang my clothes out to dry i found the best way to fluff my towels was to snap them before I hung them.
That made a huge difference for me as well.
Re: drive-through pharmacies.
I hope that in France as well as in Italy ① your pharmacy can retrieve in the SSN database your electronic prescriptions ② most pharmacies offer home delivery ③ many pharmacies offer _free_ home delivery.
If you're sick it's even better than drive-through!
Square pillows might be decorative too.
We usually use « traversin ». A soft cylinder pillow that go across the bed. At least in our home.
I use a condensing tumble dryer. No need to have a vent and as a bonus it gives distilled water - useful for the car's cooling system, windscreen washer.
I live in Greece...also no dryers. I iron my towels. That sounds a bit obsessive...but I actually enjoy ironing...a form of meditation for me. Loving your channel. Nice to listen to such an articulate couple...and Rena...you are so joyous.
you can flip the square pillow around and have a nice chilly part that didn't get squished by your head when you wake up at night
I totally agree about the square pillows, they are so weird!
Bedankt
The line dried towels are more absorbent than the towels dried in driers with fabric softeners, so fluffy isnt always better. We had close lines when i was a kid
Clothes dried outside on a line just smell so much better, regarding the towels just make sure you use a good conditioner and double spin them ie, once the washing cycle has finished just put the towels in again on a spin only cycle.
Many of us have a dryer in Europe, eh? It's not like no one does. I use it for the towels and sheets mostly. There are dryers that don't require any installation and they aren't that expensive.
We have a tumble dryer in Germany, but we only use it when it's been raining for days or when it's really cold in winter. Whenever the weather is at least OK, we put our clothes out on the balcony and they dry in a couple of hours, even if it's not that warm and there's no direct sunlight.
Dryers are unusual in SW France because they're rarely needed: the weather is usually good enough to use the big fusion dryer in the sky. In the NW they are a lot more usual, because the weather is a lot colder and more humid. Also: those stiff towels, you need to bring them in earlier.
Drive thrus: I can confirm they're nonexistent throughout Europe except for BK, KFC and McD. Even the "American style but not really American" chains don't disrespect their products so much.
The square pillows are part of the "nordic bedding" set up. Traditional bed-pillows are rectangular. One of the places where you can find rectangular pillows in France: Leroy Merlin. Yep, the hardware store; home decor section.
Not into rough towels.
@@MikeLikesChannel So just don't leave them there until they become rough. It ain't rocket science...
@@NavaSDMB they’re either damp or they’re dry and rough. Hence why I love my Speed Queen 😉
i just recently found your channel and just can't get enough! I love your way of presenting things and your positive attitude at adjusting to things. I am recently retired and feel like I would love to live in France! Probably too late to be thinking of that now...but really feel drawn to the possibility but I don't think I could convince my hubby at all! Instead I will live through your experiences!
My daughter used to live in Calgary, in Canada. Not only was she not allowed to hang washing out to dry, but you were also not allowed to let cats out of the house! She didn't have a cat herself, but as she's a vet, she frequently had decidedly neurotic cats brought in to her surgery!
Thanks!
Thank you!! ❤️
Thank you!! ❤️
If you want soft towels. Try to find out what the PH value is in the area. Softener helps
Attention! Vous ressemblez de plus en plus à de vrais français ! (Merci, très intéressant)
😁👍
Venting for a dryer is not needed. It is called a condensation dryer. If you use heat pumps the heat is recycled bringing electric use considerably
Come on, guys ! I'm French and I've had rectangular pillows for the last 40 years ! Beside, you can find everything you talked about anywhere, except drive-ins, true. We don't live like two centuries ago in France...
I agree
Rectangular pillows are very common.
Funny listening to this at work planning to move to France from Texas, and was discussing adding mini splits to a French home with a friend that also wants to move there
Ahah I love the pillow part! It’s for the cats the sleep on top of your head with you ahah (but you can find loads of ergonomic pillows more rectangle, but it’s harder to find the matching covers)
I have seen so many Americans who move to EUR (France, Germany etc.) who say that dryers are not a thing here. I don’t think that’s the case, but we only use them for a very limited amount of items such as bed sheets and towels. That being said, since a dryer is kind of viewed as an „add-on“ not EVERY household has one, as a student or intern in Paris for instance I would wash my stuff at home and then go to the closest laundromat and put my towels and big items into a dryer there (otherwise the humidity in my tiny chamber de Bonne would have gotten out of control).
??? You can find rectangle pillows at ikea anytime… I always had rectangle pillows ❤ I share your feelings about squares pillow
Condenser dryers are common enough, you can expel the water to your washing machine’s drain or if need be collect the water in a built in container. And the split system AC is common where we live in southern France … and far cheaper to run than the gas heat for winter. By the way, our electric bill now is about one quarter what we were paying 15 years ago in Arizona. I wonder if you’ll still be thinking about these things 15 years from now if you stay in France!
Belgium here.
Dryer is very very common.
No drive through except Mc Donnald. We take our time .
A/C is common but best with use of solarpanels.
King beds no problem.
But.....France is not Europe !
But healthcare is not expensive in Europe and we have an exelente work/life balance overhere ! 👌
So im following along and loving your channel - im doing the NZ vs NL comparison 😊
1 Dryers - yeah in NL we didnt have on either. I think they were or are uncommon there too. In NZ they’re more common, but we mostly hang the wash out as its cheaper and better to the environment.
2 Drive through - yeah we only have fast food drive throughs in NZ (don’t remember ever seeing on in NL) so this is probably a European thing. And agree - its so much more social getting out to the village and shopping.
3. Aircon - also never had it or saw it much (even at work) in NL. But common in NZ in weather places.
4. Bed sizes: in the netherlands most double beds are queen size. Probably due to space constraints. Interesting duvets - in NL very common and we each had a single duvet on or queen. Quite normal. - in NZ thats uncommon.
5. Pillows - yeah i never like the euro-pillow either.
I grew up in Boston and everyone hung their laundry out to dry in their yards when I was a kid. I have had a dryer in France for 30 years now….in Winter it’s a must….especially since I had three small children…lots of little socks, towels, etc
Good video. Thank you
I like the square pillows. Like you say, get used to it.
Interesting. I live in Buenos Aires City and everything you're describing sounds like the way we live here. I didn't know that about dryers. When there's bad weather I set up an indoor thingy to hang the clothes and put it near a heater
No drive throughs here either, apart from McDonalds or bk
Such useful information. Thank you so much! Agree that a rectangular pillow is a must.😂
Same- I bought all rectangle- could never sleep on the square pillows. Mystery indeed! Even my French husband prefers the rectangle. 10 years ago- you could not find rectangle pillows in the store, but now you can- so there is a shift beginning to happen!
Bravo pour tous vos efforts d'adaptation avec toujours le sourire.
Et si, au lieu de penser: "ces choses manquent", vous pensiez, "heureusement, elles ne sont pas là".
En effet le mode de vie américain avec son énorme gaspillage d'énergie, est ,ainsi que la Chine, le principal responsable du dérèglement climatique. Cette année, le climat a été particulièrement mauvais si bien que les récoltes de fruits, de légumes, de blé sont presque nulles.
Le corps humain est fait pour marcher, s'adapter aux différences de températures mais pas pour ne rien manger.
Love your videos. What about window screens. Why are there none?