French lessons: mostly unexpected

• The French have no interest in speed limits...except where there are speed cameras, for which they give you a very sporting chance by advising you with large signs in advance of its presence, reminding you of the speed limit just in case you forgot and then putting bright tape on the actual camera, just in case you miss it.

• The term "lazy cow" obviously comes about from French cows. They cows sit a lot. You frequently come across a pasture full of cows sitting down. They even continue to eat while they do so. We're not sure why some of the steak we're served is so tough: it's not is if the "steak donor" would have much muscle from all that sitting.
• We now know the sound of "When Doves Cry" and it's not pretty.
  
• The worst pillows in the world have migrated to France.
• There are a surprisingly large number of donkeys.
• They like to keep their meat produce mostly intact (whole birds, pigs heads). Fortunately, neither of us are especially squeamish...
  
• There is a lot of cheese and it's extremely cheap (as little as 2 Euro/kg for basic and even Roquefort you can get for around 11 Euro).
  
• Almost everything closes during lunch except restaurants (sometimes that's from 12-3pm, gotta love the French). Even the places that you could have bought your lunch from close, like boulangeries and epiceries. The French are very serious about their food and if you don't start planning your lunch by 11am then it's your fault. We've learned this the hard way - too many episodes of wandering around frantically around 1ish, peering in enviously at the contended diners tucking in.
  
• Not all village markets are created equal.
• The French are extremely courteous, polite and try very hard to help you out when your command of their language is (so obviously) inadequate to the task at hand. How in the world did they get a reputation for arrogance?
• There a lot of "pretties" (castles and chateaux) - and not only in the Loire Valley.
  
• Many street signs point at ambiguous angles - say 45 degrees to the road you're on. So: is it that right, or the other? Some are only visible from one direction....so hard luck if you're coming from the other. Others start off with a profusion of signs when there were no other directions available...only to suddenly vanish when the six-way intersection appears. We think it's an intelligence test to see if you're worthy of being here.
• The French make a real effort with their roundabouts. None of this stick-of-chalk stuff (think Hobart's Railway roundabout): we're talking faux-cellars, miniature vineyards, pocket pigeonniers - you name it, they'll do it as decoration. And bless 'em for it too.
• Not all D roads are created equal - they range from a good double lane each way to the tiniest, bumpiest little countryside lane-way imaginable, barely wide enough even for our small car and frightening when a local Frenchman is coming the other direction at ridiculous speeds around hidden corners.
• Wine is cheap and plentiful. Table wines can we found at the local village markets for as little as 1 Euro a litre (about $1.40): though we can't judge for its quality, we haven't stooped to that yet. However you can buy a very decent bottle for under 5 Euro as our thorough quantitative research has established...in fact we're in the middle of more research this very moment.
  
• You can park virtually anywhere, as long as there isn't a no parking sign.  Many French appear to just stop in the middle of the road and leave their car there.  Footpaths are very popular for parking.