The Real Landscape vs the Digital Landscape in France

France doesn’t embrace the Internet like the US

It seems like the Internet itself operates differently here than it does in the United states. In New York at least, it feels like corner deli has a list of reviews on Google Maps and every traffic light has a rating on yelp. It’s a lot more spotty here, with a lot less feedback or comments overall, and sometimes places don’t even exist or are just not where the map says they are. This occasionally includes ruins or historical buildings.

It’s also a problem just driving from one place to another, especially off the main roads.

Thanks for reading Keith’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

This road actually took me where I needed to go.

An English bias in coding?

This could be due arguments about privacy laws here, or it might be a matter the fact that there are roads here that you can't drive on, but I don’t expect as many dirt tracks to be shown as roads this close to major cities. On a recent drive, this happened to me 3 times within 8 miles of Nantes.

A friend explained that the English bias in coding itself might be one of the reasons, but I am not sure about that. However, he pointed out that many codes, even though they are their own languages, are originally based in English language to some degree. So if a francophone wanted to learn coding, they might also need to learn some English first.

Maybe? But something has to be contributing to the incredible number of outdated-looking websites in France.

Am I supposed to drive here?

The answer is often yes, which is a bit surprising as you roll through narrow streets filled with pedestrians, park next to castle walls and other situations you’re less likely to find in the US.

A lot of drivable roads here really don’t look like you should be driving on them. The medieval town I went through the other day wasn’t built with our hatchback in mind, but folks drive cars through the gates every day.

Read the signs as you drive around - GPS is only so helpful.

Google Maps recently directed me down a bicycle path that eventually became narrow enough for a single track bicycle. I hit the mirrors on the sides of the bridge you see there. There was no way to back up with ditches on either side of the road.

At the end of a village when the asphalt drops away, it tells you to keep going. Sometimes, that dirt track actually will lead to another road, but it’s 50-50. Sometimes, that just becomes a smaller dirt road. I backed up half a mile on a bike trail one Saturday morning, shouting out the window, “I’m a tourist! I’m a tourist!” as cyclists shared choice words.

France can get rural really quick. And highways don’t necessarily all connect together as they do in the United States. Sometimes, it’s better to just get out and walk.

Thanks for reading Keith’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.