There I was driving through the French countryside in my shitty little Renault Clio, I realized that not all foreigners understand how attached the French are to their dining culture and French etiquette. Are you aware that the entire country more or less grinds to a halt between noon and two p.m? And did you know that later in the evening, dinner is served from seven till nine and beyond? This is not up for debate or choice, it is what it is! The French believe that family values are of national importance, le repas du midi, (lunch) is sacrosanct. French families, work colleagues, school chums, whomever, all congregate at noon, whether it is at home, the factory canteen or in a restaurant, and they eat together. They discuss the up’s and down’s of their daily lives. In towns and villages all over France the line outside the boulangerie...