Holiday at Madingley Hall

The view from the window

Spending a few days in Madingley Hall is always a treat and a privilege and no matter how "formidable" the discovery of France may be at times for some participants on the course, it usually ends up being immensely pleasurable. This last weekend was no exception.



The glorious weather steeped the magnificent gardens around us in golden light slightly scented with freshly cut lawns and fading roses.  We remained within the thick walls most of the day in the coolness of the shade provided by the heavy curtains drawn over open windows, thus enjoying a constant breathe...  

As the theme was related to "holiday making" in France, such a setting was quite appropriate.  In the peace and quiet of our beautiful room we started our journey through France in to explain some of the reasons the French prefer to remain within the limits of the "Hexagone", rather than flying to the other side of the planet for a holiday.

Letting the summer in

 Having considered the economic factors that prevent a percentage of people from taking a holiday at all (some 16% according to Graham Robb), we looked into the cultural differences that may explain this attitude. One obvious explanation is the vast diversity of geographical settings and climates. When you can reach the seaside or the mountain tops within a few hours' drive, it seems practical to do so, saving  time, travel expenses and the trouble of speaking another language.  One must also bear in mind that France is formed by ancient provinces which not only have from North to South specific and strikingly different landscapes, but scores of  different traditions, architecture, languages even, wines and "cheeses" that make it impossible to govern its inhabitants as General de Gaulle once said. 

The regions occupying these provinces cultivate their differences with a passion and going from one to the other gives you the impression of being in another country.  That is what "monsieur tout le monde" and his family knows or suspects in France and combining a need for a change and the security of feeling at home, most will opt for a holiday in France.  

Ready to take off

 














Holiday makers coming from Picardy, for example, have many choices of coastal destinations. Whether they choose the beautifully cool, luminous and stunning Côte d'Opale, the rocky coast of Brittany, the dramatic Atlantic beaches of surf-lovers or one of the scorching hot Mediterranean sea resorts they will not have to cross the border to Spain or Italy to get their share of exoticism, light or heat. 

In these days of low-cost flights, a greater number of French people will travel abroad on holiday, mainly around the Mediterranean sea, but most families will equally choose to explore a part of France. It is a well known fact that the facilities provided by local camping sites are excellent and make a holiday more economical.  In a similar fashion the majority of French people will be able to spend their winter holidays without making the use of a passport with mountains as different as the Alps, the Pyrenees or the Massif Central.  

On the whole the French tend to choose a type of holiday where there will be things to do and to learn for adults and children alike.  Hence the success of Theme Parks like Futuroscope or Le Puy du Fou, the former exploring the latest technology and the latter recreating events and periods in medieval history.  The French are very keen on History and the many Son et Lumière shows and festivals in Châteaux of all styles, for example La Nuit des Chimères in Le Mans, bear witness to this fact. Paris is also a favourite tourist destination in the summer as well as throughout the year.  This gave us an excuse to set our eyes on the French capital for a few moments.  

All this may account for the fact that the French would seem to be more insular in a way than their Northern neighbours.  It is true that they are very attached to their homeland, to regions, specific villages even, where their ancestors come from.  They tend to return there as often as they can, for the weekend even and the summer. This accounts for the huge traffic jams on Sunday night or mid summer, creating havoc and concern and making headline news. City dwellers very often buy a little "country" house (or inherit one) where they plan to retire one day that they use as a holiday destination for years. France is the country in Europe that has the largest number of secondary homes.  Note that people usually rent for a flat or a house in the town where they spend their working years.

Pam's ready to go....

In the process of studying all these aspects of French mentality and culture, we enjoyed setting our eyes on beautiful images of France and had fun listening to people's memories of their own holidays there.  The group felt comfortable speaking French and a joyful and friendly atmosphere prevailed throughout the weekend. As the course ended on Bastille Day. A vibrant Marseillaise, rehearsed in secret I presume, was intoned in my honour. My surprise was as great as my delight as I had momentarily forgotten the date!  

Do not hesitate to join us at these Madingley Residential Weekends. Consult the ICE calendar. Our next meeting on August 30th will welcome people with very limited knowledge of the French language and the challenge will be to demonstrate how simple it can be to learn to communicate in a foreign language in a few hours. If "jumping in at the deep end" appeals to you, why not contact Madingley Hall right away!