You Know It Is Vacation When… August 7, 2008
Posted by gordonwatts in Marseille, life.trackback
This is August (I still claim June never happened). In most of Europe, and definitely in France, this is vacation time. Literally – things shut down for a whole month. Restaurants are closed. Even the beaches we hang out at are more empty. The tourist beaches are more full, of course. The halls of the lab here in Marseille are just long stretches of closed doorways.
But you know how I really know it is vacation time? They have stopped filling up the soda machine here. Can you imagine in the USA a Coke or Pepsi machine being allowed to stand empty for 2 or 3 weeks? I think not. But even more telling here in France… the coffee vending machine was broken for four days straight!
Any what am I doing going to the office every day!?
Where do the French people go during this holiday period? Not the beaches? Not the restaurants? Hmmmm? You are in the inside so all must be clear to you? Where are millions of French people in August?
Estelle, they’re all in San Francisco! At least it seems that way – not that I’m complaining, but it’s definitely a notable increase in French speaking tourists during August.
With the weak dollar I bet many more are traveling to the USA than normal. Of course, air fare is sky-high.
Lots of them do come to Marseille (but it isn’t really a tourist destination yet). They just go to the tourist areas, which, in Marseille, are pretty confined. Paris it is the same thing. The small places, that cater to the locals, all shut up shop.