When I heard of the golden arches opening up of all places at the famous Lourve Museum I was among the many that was shocked.
You see the American invasion of fast food everywhere. Even China has her foodie floodgates opened to the endless excess.
In the staunch gastronomy of French savoir faire what can be more enduring as enjoying café au lait avec un éclair aux chocolat at a cosy bistro. Well that’s what I have in mind when I think of Paris.
And to honor the 30th year in France, McDonald’s has decided with acceptance from the Lourve to open a restaurant next month. Gastronomes and France’s art lovers are ready to storm the Bastille once again.
For the French and the ever increasing tide of fast food it maybe a love/hate relationship. The numbers are huge like waist lines. Last year McDonald’s sales in France grew by 8% doubling its growth in American sales. Every year, one out of two French folks visit McDonald’s at least once. And that’s not only to admire the re-image décor. The French annually consume some 22 million salads, 60,000 tons of fries, 32,000 tons of beef patties, 12,000 tons of chicken, and 600 million buns.
The French are poo pooing it and there’s a disdain for the fast food invasion especially so close to her artistic & haute cuisine heart. France has become McDonald’s second biggest market in the world outside of the US. The traditional bistros are losing the battle for customers as the golden arches opened 30 new McDo’s (that’s what the French call it) in France and swelled to 450 million customers, an increase of 11% on the previous year. The battle against Le Big Mac maybe over.
But I’ll fight it. I’m planning to re-visit Paris and I’ll be the one sitting and enjoying my French café au lait at the local bistro!
Written by Richard Lee.
www.cyclingart.blogspot.com
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