Picnics

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

Not sure if this should go under culture, but anyway.

What is the French peoples idea of a picnic? I've invited some friends for a picnic next week at a nearby chateau and they have asked me what food to bring. I just said picnic food like salads, bread, wine, beer etc. They looked puzzled, even though I know they go on plenty of picnics. They also looked confused at the idea of going in the afternoon.

So what is the French view of picnics exactly?

[Clair]

[quote]So what is the French view of picnics exactly?[/quote]

A meal taken outdoors, the emphasis is on meal, i.e. eaten at meal times...

If you have an afternoon picnic, which meal are you having outdoors?

[krusty]

This could start a revolution , eating food when you want , not just at set times .

Just imagine it , stopping at motorway service area and finding restaurants open .....whoopiee [:P]

[Clair]

You can understand their puzzlement, I'm sure!

this should have gone in the 'French culture" thread after all![:D]

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

But then you can argue that most meals take 5 or 6 hours anyway![;-)]

Seriously, thanks for the answer. So now I understand there is a difference between an English picnic and a French one. Basically there isn't a French equivalent, but picnic in French is actually a set timed meal eaten outside.

[Cat]

And quite often eaten off a folding, portable table whilst sat on folding, portable chairs.  You've seen them; in laybys, rest areas, on the banks of the river...

[suein56]

[quote user="Cat"]And quite often eaten off a folding, portable table whilst sat on folding, portable chairs.  You've seen them; in laybys, rest areas, on the banks of the river...[/quote]

And nearly always with a table cloth and drinking glasses ...

Sue

[Callie]

I think the French would expect you to ask them to bring a salad, or a fruit tart or anything home made.  It's often under the guise of "Sucré Sale".  There are lots of occasions here where everyone brings something and everything is shared.  Whatever, the French love it and do it with such style !

[5-element]

I have found that in France, bringing a food item is usually, either a quiche of some kind (salé), or a fruit tart of some kind (sucré). Whether it is for a picnic (repas tiré du sac) or a "proper meal" (auberge espagnole)

If you depart from that (houmos + pita bread, tuna dip or any sort of dip,  most salads - potato salad, coleslaw, fetta+spinach salad, etc...) it is often seen as quite radical and novel. 

Because I know that we will OD on quiches and tarts, I always try to take something else.

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

Well, they're going to find our style of picnic radical. Oh well, we've done things their way for long enough, time for them to try something new and different.[:)]

[Cerise]

If the picnic goes well, really freak them out and invite them to a buffet at your house[6]  A French friend joined me in drinking a milky cup of coffee the other afternoon - she said she enjoyed it but giggled all the time as though she had done something really naughty!  I find the regimentedness (is that a word?) of it all somewhat wearing.

[babcock]

Driving up to the channel one time we stopped for our bit of snap in an aire. We only had sandwiches and fruit. When we saw the French with tableclothes, glasses etc etc we sluk away into a quiet spot!