French (or looking at pictures?)

France is a huge country full of French and classics. And there are two types of French. French speaking French and (poor, think of Inspector Clouseau) English speaking French. The type that only speaks French usually has the money. That's a generational thing.

Our French is often not good either

On the other hand: Dutch M / F who speak good French? They are also not very much. Not even among our advertisers. That is why we sometimes assist. Would Françoise have the idea to give her Phillipe the most beautiful Silverado in the world. And it was apparently just before the Corona jitters erupted in Drempt, at Venema Classics. It was a very pleasant meeting. And Phillipe almost had the eyes in his eyes. The Silverado seemed to have just come out of its packaging and the counter had only had an incredibly low number of ticks. "So deal for Alberten the French". The French would do some administrative work at home, France is notoriously bureaucratic, and they would pick up the car.

Time out

And then the Corona jitters came and France was locked. Albert neatly put the Silverado aside. And he stood there for three months.

Last weekend Françoise and Phillipe were no longer in residence. They came to pick up the metallic green blue birthday present. They were brought by Christophe and Ludo. And then it got complicated. Because the transfer of the Silverado had to be arranged, Christophe had fallen for a yellow Ranchero on the spot, and Ludo wanted to know everything about the enamel plates in Albert's crown domain and coffee shops. There is no coffee shop in Drempt. In Doetinchen, Ulft, Velp and Arnhem it is. That was valuable information for the tightly-cut Frenchman with his sunglasses with mirrored lenses.

Fortunately, the two of us were translators. If you speak French, you can usually understand French as well. And then you are listening to an excited conversation between two French enthusiasts of American cars. First of all, Christophe had found the car of his dreams. But what the gentlemen were baffled about was the price of that utility ford with hairdos: less than 15000 euros. Getting a car - even if it comes from the EU - on French papers is a thing. And it costs a bit too. But according to the two busy fellow Europeans, the Ranchero with 'Carte Grise' in France was easily worth € 30.000. And that was the direct reason for Christophe to give himself the Ford for his fiftieth birthday. We are increasingly appreciating French birthdays. 

Dutch wine and lunch

During lunch - we were invited and were allowed to choose the location - at Hof te Dieren winery. We chatted and evolved. Hof te Dieren The largest walled organic vineyard in the Netherlands, a beautiful setting. And of course you should take the opportunity to show the French how wine really should be. The French quartet was just as surprised at the Domain as it was at our tradition to have lunch with a few sandwiches. In this case they were sandwiches with tasty pulled porc, but still. The wine made up for it.

Christophe reported that he never had lunch for less than two hours and always included a bottle of wine. Eating sandwiches from a plastic container? With a cup of vending coffee with it? He couldn't believe it.

French opportunities

Meanwhile, even the thinnest pancake has two sides (Dr. Phil quote). So for us Dutch there are also plenty of opportunities in France. Because there you will find, for example, just a neat Dyane for two mille. If you speak French.