Plage du Mole - 48° 38' 45" N 02° 02' 44" W

One of the things in which I find great delight about being in rural France is things close. They close for lunch, they close on Sundays, they close at 8pm. Want to do a grocery shop on a Sunday?  Forget it! Buy a dress from that cute little boutique between 12-2pm? Nope!

 

To some, this is extremely annoying, but I love it.  It forces a pause. It allows you to take time out. You cannot race around doing chores if nothing is open so you might as well sit and enjoy lunch.  You can go for a bike ride on a Sunday without the guilt of all the things you should be doing.

  

It is a very balanced way to live rather than the racing 24/7 lifestyle we live in North America.  Where every moment of downtime is tainted by a background of all the things you could or should be doing instead.  There is less mental space.  When things close, there is nothing else you could be doing so the downtime is more complete, more restorative and much more fun!