A visit to the café and bakers. Rozier's Orléans Diary

At the café They are to be found at the far rightthe baker's In my mother's old village of Milverton in
hand corner; perhaps two or three, perhaps seven orSomerset, England, there wasn't a single baker's. In
eight. There is Eugene, very spry, served as aTaunton the county town, not too long ago, I tried to
volunteer in the French war in Indochina. He likesbuy some rye bread. None. The English as a nation
women and they seem to like him. In ten seconds hewould appear to have the choice between, white or
can get any woman smiling. There is Yves, used to runbrown, sliced or unsliced, thick or thin. And they are the
a drapery shop, likes women too, but has slowednation that gave to the world the sandwich. I have five
down since his last marriage. Spent three years in thebaker's within walking distance of where I live. The
Algerian war. There is Alain, a physics teacher, speaksbest and my favourite is within a hundred yards, as all
a little English. Always looking for the perfect woman.good bakers should be. The baker is French, his wife
He likes the English. There is André, was with aRussian, and there are three women who sell the
Tunisien colonial regiment in Indochina, likes his Masonicbread. Two are French and one is Moroccain. They
meetings, always at the theatre. But he has beenare all smiling and friendly. It is a real pleasure to go to
missing for some weeks. Is he at his apartment inthe baker's. The Moroccain is like the waitress in my
Arcachon? But he had to go to the clinique for a minorcafé, very pretty, polite and speaks excellent
operation. It is a little worrying when friends don't showFrench. Not surprisingly she is the only one who
up. There is Michelle, who talks little and Nicole whospeaks a little English and uses the Internet, so does
says even less. Ah! but there is Jacqueline who withher husband, so I shall be very polite here. The other
her sharp tongue makes up for both of them. Sadlyday I had bought a baguette and on the way home it
Marguerite who has been part of the furniture for asbroke in two. It was very fresh, still warm, and half fell
long as I can remember can't make it any more, andto the ground. I shall talk about French pavements
there is Daniel, Raymond, Jacques etc. I am the onlyanother day. I went back to buy half a baguette but
foreigner. They collectively don't have enough Englishthe shop refused to accept payment. They also have I
to read the first sentence of this article, so I will havedon't know how many different kinds of bread, one
to translate it for them. Maybe one or two have adozen, two dozen? All shapes and sizes, all types of
computer, none use e-mail, internet or blog. Most arecereals. The only additive allowed is salt. English bread
retired, a few are waiting to retire. None are interestedhas about twenty two additives I believe. I like my
in making any more money. I, though, am still verybaguette a lovely light golden brown on the outside and
active professionaly and want to make a lot moreproperly baked on the inside. I buy it in the morning to
money. I am truly a foreigner. However we all get oneat for breakfast and lunch and again in the evening
very well together. Well, most of the time. Maybe I amfor dinner. Fresh twice a day. My friends in the
some strange kind of foreign pet. We have ourcafé are always willing to talk about food, which
favourite waitress. She is pretty and young andranks with the weather and health as main topics of
always smiles and makes us feel welcome when sheconversation. I said I couldn't understand my
shakes our hands. She is also Moroccain. She is asister-in-law at all. She buys half a dozen industrial
very good ambassadress for her country. Ah! butbaguettes at the super market once a week and then
what is her country? Today is the great day. The dayputs them in the freezer at home. After all, one of the
when France collectively stops smoking at the workingreasons for living in France is their bread which must
place. My café will still be full of smoke though.rank above politics and on a par with women. I am
The law will not apply to cafés for another year.trying to teach them British humour. It's not easy in
The psychological shock of taking away this lastFrench and much gets lost in translation. There is of
refuge where smokers, leaving their office, can seekcourse Harry's bread in the supermarket for American
drink, friends and tobacco, would have been too greatvisitors. That makes them smile.
a risk for any government in an election year. A visit to