On the meandering scenic drive back to Milano, through Provence and into Cannes, and later through the driving rain on the autostrada, I thought about my observations of the south of France.
First, pants are much looser in France than in Italy -- not as loose as in the US, but definitely not spray painted on like you will see in Milano.
Next, many, many French speak at least some amount of English. And they are happy to use it.
The products are the same as Italy, though specialized to each region -- such as wine, olive oil, bread, pastries, meats.
Another, in France, unless it is Vin Chaud, wine is served in a glass with a stem. (This was emphasized by our host V, when I tried to give him wine in a rocks glass.)
Pizza is the fast(-ish) food of choice for the French -- as it is in the US. (Though I didn't have the courage to try it.)
In Italy they kiss twice... In France it’s THREE times!
US citizens believe (have been led to believe...?) that the French hate us... and perhaps Parisians or French politicians do. Yet my experience in Provence was only of being welcomed. Smiling, laughing. People went out of their way to help us. In the grocery store a man (with excellent colloquial English) spent ten minutes helping us pick out local wines -- and after we said "Thank you thank you!" he said "It's a pleasure." The butcher said "I love Americans!" A waiter had spent some time in Boca Raton and laughed with us about the old ladies driving their golf carts to dinner.
Overall, my belief has been reaffirmed that we are all the same. People the world over are all the same. Once we look past our differences, we're exactly the same. Vive la difference? Vive la similitude!