The secrets of France are rarely found in guidebooks, and almost never in postcards — but you start noticing them the moment you live in the country long enough to see beyond its clichés.
I’ve spent most of my life exploring these subtle, fascinating contradictions.
I grew up in France and later lived in Paris, Alsace, Lorraine, Franche-Comté, and Savoie — regions that each claim, with absolute conviction, to represent the real France.
And yet every one of them reveals different layers of the country’s personality.
Only when I lived abroad — in Germany, Australia, and now settled on the south coast of England — did I begin to understand how these “little truths” shape the French spirit.
Dinan, Brittany © French Moments
One memory in particular captures the secrets of France better than any monument.
Years ago, in Savoie, I hurried to a bakery at 11:59, coins in hand, dreaming of a still-warm baguette.
The baker looked at me, smiled politely… and closed the door exactly at noon.
Lunch, in France, is sacred — and no amount of hopeful waving will stand between a French person and their midday ritual.
It took me years to appreciate the beauty of that moment. France doesn’t explain herself.
She simply continues her rhythms, unapologetically and often poetically.
But if you pay attention — really pay attention — you start to see the quiet patterns beneath the surface. These are the true secrets of France.
They are the tiny scenes, the half-heard conversations, the rituals repeated without fanfare — the things you notice only when you slow down and let France reveal herself gently.
These reflections inspired me to write a new Substack piece:
👉 25 Secrets France Will Never Tell You — But I Will.
It’s a long, affectionate look at the parts of France that rarely make the headlines but define life here more than any museum or monument.
Before you read the full list, let me share a few additional insights — a sort of “traveller’s prelude” to the deeper secrets of France.
Gordes © French Moments
A Closer Look at Everyday France
While my Substack piece dives into 25 detailed observations, here are a few extra impressions — small truths that didn’t make the final cut but help frame the journey:
Every region guards its own version of the secrets of France
Ask a Parisian, a Provençal, and a Breton what defines the country, and you’ll hear three completely different stories.
And none of them is wrong.
Public beauty is taken seriously
A well-swept village square, a row of precisely planted plane trees, a fountain restored to perfection — these aren’t luxuries.
They reflect a belief that shared spaces shape collective dignity.
This, too, is one of the secrets of France that travellers sense long before they understand it.
Châteauneuf, Burgundy, one of France's most beautiful villages © French Moments
Small talk is optional — big ideas are mandatory
French cafés are not weather-reporting stations; they are debating arenas.
Ask about political philosophy, and you’ll instantly earn respect.
Ask if it might rain tomorrow… not so much.
Food dictates the rhythm of the day
Meals are not interruptions — they are anchors.
Breakfast is modest, lunch is essential, and dinner is a moment to reconnect.
If you want to understand the deeper secrets of France, start by looking at the dinner table.
Restaurant L'Epicerie & Cie, Dijon © French Moments
Meaning matters more than convenience
Form-filling, rules, traditions, opening hours — none of this is designed to be easy. But almost all of it has purpose, history, or symbolism behind it. France doesn’t aim for efficiency; she aims for coherence.
Why I Wrote About the Secrets of France
After years of sharing the country with English-speaking readers, I realised that the most moving aspects of France have nothing to do with the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, or the lavender fields of Provence.
They live in the details:
- shutters half-open, half-closed, filtering morning light
- bells ringing across a valley, marking time without hurry
- elderly men playing pétanque while discussing the state of the nation
- the quiet dignity of a war memorial watched over by a sleeping village cat
- the scent of fresh bread drifting through a narrow street at dawn
Flassans, Provence © French Moments
These are the secrets of France that stay with you long after the trip ends — not the grand spectacle, but the gentle, persistent undercurrent of daily beauty.
That’s the France I tried to capture in my Substack article. It’s not exhaustive and certainly not definitive.
But it’s personal, lived, and full of affection for the country I still feel deeply connected to, even from across the Channel.
A Gift to Help You Discover More Secrets of France
If these reflections spark your curiosity, I’ve created something special as a companion piece: a free eBook for all subscribers to my Substack (free subscription included).
👉 Discover France Differently: A Guide to the Hidden Soul of France
It’s a gentle journey through landscapes, traditions, and overlooked moments — another way to explore the secrets of France that travellers rarely hear about.
This eBook isn’t a guidebook. It’s a mood.
A way to slow down and observe France the way locals do.
Ready to Discover Even More Secrets of France?
If you’d like to continue this journey, you can read the full Substack article here:
👉 25 Secrets France Will Never Tell You — But I Will
(on French Moments Substack)
Whether you’re planning your next trip, remembering a past adventure, or simply dreaming from afar, I hope these secrets of France bring you a little closer to the country I love — the one behind the postcards, beyond the clichés, and always inviting you to look just a bit closer.
