Where It All Began
This blog started in the vegetable aisle of our local supermarket in France. My three-year-old daughter, sitting in the cart, pointed to a pile of bright purple beets and shouted, “Betteraves!”
I froze. She repeated it—“Betteraves! Just like at the cantine!”—and insisted we buy them because she’d eaten them at preschool lunch.
I was stunned. Not only did she recognize them… she wanted them.
Full disclosure: beets are the one vegetable I can’t stand, so they never appeared in our home. The journalist in me couldn’t let it go. How did my toddler develop a taste for a food I avoided completely?
That tiny moment sent me down a path of observing, documenting, and trying to understand what France does differently—starting with school lunches and eventually expanding far beyond them.
It became the seed of this blog: a place to explore why wellbeing in France feels so natural, so cultural, and so deeply woven into everyday life.
The Mission
This space explores what France teaches us about daily wellbeing—especially the kind that’s simple, steady, and lived rather than performed.
Feeding children well remains at the heart of my work, but it sits within a much wider cultural picture:
the slower rhythm of the day, the pleasure of meals shared, the instinctive movement built into life, the way French women prioritize wellbeing without guilt, and the small rituals that shape balance over time.
Here, wellbeing isn’t a trend or a resolution. It’s a lifestyle practiced quietly, every day.
My mission is to share these lessons and translate them into encouragement for modern life—wherever you live.
What You’ll Find Here
This blog brings together stories, observations, and practical insights about:
- French school lunch culture and childhood eating habits
- Family wellbeing that begins at the table
- How French women care for themselves with ease
- Healthy eating without restriction, guilt, or overthinking
- Daily rituals that create calm and structure
- Movement as a natural part of life
- Simple lifestyle shifts that feel grounding, not overwhelming
- Reflections on the cultural rhythms that make all of this possible
Every article aims to be warm, personal, and genuinely useful—grounded in lived experience rather than perfection or trends.
Why It Matters
France offers a different way of looking at wellbeing: gentle, sustainable, rooted in routine and pleasure.
Children learn variety through exposure, not pressure.
Meals are moments, not tasks.
Movement happens naturally.
And healthy habits aren’t extraordinary—they’re simply normal.
You don’t need to live in France to adopt any of this.
These ideas can be adapted anywhere, in small ways that bring more joy and less stress into daily life.
This blog exists to share that possibility.
About Me
I’m Rebeca Plantier, the writer behind Lessons From France. I’ve lived in France for nearly thirty years and raised three children here. Over that time, I’ve spent mornings in school kitchens, afternoons in markets, and countless hours observing how French families eat, move, and live.
I’ve interviewed chefs, city officials, school staff, parents, children, and wellbeing experts. But just as importantly, I’ve learned from the people closest to me—my French friends and my French family-in-law—through everyday conversations, shared meals, and the small rituals of daily life.
I’ve watched these habits form across generations and experienced how differently life unfolds when everyday choices feel grounded instead of pressured.
This blog grew out of all those moments—the small, ordinary ones that shape a life.
The insights come from real experience.
The stories come from everyday France.
And my hope is simply to pass them on.
Bienvenue,
Rebeca
My work has been featured in international media and read by millions of people around the world.
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Curious to go deeper?
I filmed and created the video above as a brief introduction to French school lunches—one of the central topics I write about here. Beyond lunch, my work also looks at French wellbeing, family culture, and the rhythms of everyday life.
More From France
If you’re curious about how France nurtures healthier habits — from school lunches to everyday food, movement, and wellbeing — I share practical tips and stories each month. Sign up for the free newsletter below and receive my guide, The French Guide to Everyday Wellbeing, straight to your inbox. Merci!
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