TODAY’S WORD: le chamboulement : upheaval / disruption
PRONUNCIATION: [luh shahn-boo-luh-mahn]
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Ce chamboulement a commencé avec le vent, mais il a fini par atteindre jusqu’à nos lettres.
This upheaval began with the wind, but it eventually reached even our letters.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
Le Monde à l’Envers
Opening my bedroom shutters, I hold on to the dusty ledge, half afraid I’ll be carried off with the wind.
For days now, strong rafales have swept through our seaside town, knocking over everything in their path and spreading pollen across our sneezing city. Worse, they’ve shaken loose the caterpillar nests from the pines, sending the poisonous chenilles to the ground prematurely. For the next eight weeks I’ll be watching Ricci closely—one sniff, one lick, and she could end up at the emergency clinic.
I carefully fasten the shutters and look down.
The wicker and metal privacy wall in front of Mom’s studio has fallen, taking a row of terracotta pots with it. Shards and potting soil are scattered everywhere. Zut! I decide to leave the mess for now. I’m having lunch with Max soon. I’ll see if my son can help.
Lunch turns into something more adventurous with Ana along—a ride on the back of her motorcycle. I hold tight as Max weaves through traffic toward the old port. Afterward, he drops me at home and returns with Ana. The two of them recently PACSed—made their union official, French-style (hurray, I can finally call Ana my belle-fille!). They make a wonderful team—especially when it comes to le bricolage.
They have returned to repair the downstairs shower now that Grandma has moved in, with Jean-Marc away in South Africa. Ana proposes a few solutions before disappearing into the narrow cafoutche for supplies. The utility room isn’t as tidy as when my sister-in-law Cécile came to organize it, but Ana manages to find a few tools, which she hands over to Max. And just like that—illico—he repairs the faulty socket.
“That’ll be 500 euros,” Max says with a twinkle in his eye.
“Ha ha. How about an espresso and a homemade brownie?”
“Deal,” he laughs. “And a few stamps, please. I’ve got a letter to mail to San Francisco.”
“The coffee will be easy,” I tell him. “The stamps… well, that’s a little more complicated.” With that, I recount my surreal visit to our neighborhood post office. Recently, when I stepped up to the counter and asked for some international timbres for the United States, the clerk surprised me.
“Désolée. On n’en a pas.”
They didn’t have any? I thought back to my last visit, a few months ago. They didn’t have stamps for a U.S.-bound letter then, either. Were they still out–en rupture? Perhaps I needed to use the self-service machine? Or better yet—why not run the envelope through the postage meter? It wouldn’t be a pretty French stamp…but no matter.
No, that wouldn’t work either, the postal clerk informed me, adding they wouldn’t be processing mail to the States jusqu’à nouvel ordre.
Until further notice?
I looked down at my stack of overdue cards. I had a few stamped envelopes back at home. But those were reserved for something else. “Can I use stamps I already have?”
“You can try,” she said gently. “But your letter may be returned. We’ve seen this happen lately.”
Lately? What’s going on? Leaning in, I whispered to the postal clerk, “Does this have to do with le Président?”
“C’est possible…”
At home, I searched online for answers. According to news outlets, including France24.com, last August the U.S. ended the long-standing “de minimis” exemption, meaning goods valued under $800 are now subject to import duties. With new tariffs in place—and uncertainty over how the rules apply—several European postal services temporarily paused shipments to the United States. Even the humble handwritten letter has been swept up in it all.
“C’est hallucinant, cette histoire,” Max says, rinsing out his coffee cup.
“C’est le monde à l’envers!”
I glance out the window, wondering about a solution, but all I see are upturned chairs and broken flower pots. I could let the whole thing unsettle me. Instead, I turn back to my guests for a few goodbye hugs and quietly count my blessings.
NOTES
In France, a PACS (Pacte civil de solidarité) is a legal civil union signed at the town hall or before a notaire. It offers many of the same practical rights as marriage, but is generally simpler and less ceremonial.
EDITS WELCOME
If you spot a typo, mistake, or ambiguity, thank you for letting me know at Kristin.espinasse@gmail.com
FRENCH VOCABULARY
le chamboulement = upheaval / disruption
le monde à l’envers = the world upside down
la rafale = gust of wind
la chenille = caterpillar
zut = darn / shoot
la belle-fille = daughter-in-law
le bricolage = DIY / home repairs
le cafoutche = storage room / utility room (Provençal term)
illico = immediately / right away
le timbre = stamp
désolée = sorry
jusqu’à nouvel ordre = until further notice
le Président = the President
c’est possible = it’s possible
c’est hallucinant = it’s unbelievable
cette histoire = this story / this situation
le PACS (Pacte civil de solidarité) = French civil union
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The bench where Mom and Ricci rest sits near a monument honoring Henri Langlois (1914–1977), co-founder of the Cinémathèque Française and a pioneer of film preservation. In La Ciotat — the birthplace of cinema—it feels especially fitting, a reminder that stories, once saved, continue to travel, even when letters cannot. If you enjoy stories rooted in life here in La Ciotat, you can find more in our recently published book.
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We live in Nice. We had heard “through the grapevine”, that if you go to La Poste and request international stamps “to send mail to Canada”, they will sell you international stamps that will work to send mail to the US. Then, take your letters to a “mailbox” (not a person) and drop them in. Paper mail in envelopes has been getting to the US. I read about the problems with the mail to the US, last summer, and have been following updates on forums on Facebook. Apparently, the people at the counters at the post office are confused by the situation and tariffs (and of course, our President), and so they just say “no, impossible” to send mail to the US. Mail is, in fact, being processed and most people are reporting their mail is reaching people in the US. So give it a try.
Hello Kristi,
My husband Craig and I are from Montana, and have a one year French Visa. We’re currently pet sitting an hour and a half from Toulouse. About three weeks ago, I went to a tiny French Postal office near Figeac and requested 20 International stamps. The clerk took a long time, then gave me 3 stamps, and printed 17 peel and stick post marks. (Approx. 40€ total.)
We only spoke French (or should I say she did, and I only understood a few words here and there, as I mostly nodded and thanked her). She probably told me what you just described, but I was clueless.
That day I put a birthday card in a yellow drop box for my sister-in-law in the U.S. I will let you know if she receives it! I guess worst case, I’ll have a page full of expensive, yet worthless white labels for my travel journal.
I love your stories, and appreciate your honesty and insights!
Well, congrats to Max and Ana! Both Max and Jackie are well settled now. How time does fly, especially since Jackie hadn’t yet turned 13 at the beginning of the 2010 Vendange! 😵
As far as the postal misery goes…… mailing from the UK is no better. At Christmas I was able to mail a few cards to the US, at a horribly inflated price. I was advised by the agent that due to US tariffs, it wasn’t possible to mail packages. Not that I would’ve, noting how expensive it was to mail a card! Now, I just fly over myself and take whatever I can’t mail! 😁
Do chenilles march across the White House lawn any time soon…..or the golf course at Mar Lago?
How bad is this tax 2 euros on petit paquet des USA? What will they find tomorrow to draw as much money from us as possible. A revolution is needed!
Hi Kristi,
We had a similar problem at Christmas trying to send cards to our family in New York. The central Post Office in Annecy DID have international stamps but just the quotidien ones, not the decorative keepsakes that France has traditionally issued. And our cards took a full month to arrive…
Your mother still/always a beauty!
And Huge Congratulations to the recently-PACS’ed Ana and Max, your son who looks so much like you: may they know every happiness as they “tool around” on Ana’s bike and in their bricolage!
Our dear Kristi ,
What ( another!) wonderful post!!!
First of all! GROS FELICITATIONS to Max and Ana!! This is the happiest of news,and we wish them every blessing of health and happiness!!! You and Jean Marc have been the best example for all of us!
I am all too familiar with these pain in the neck postal problems.My only salvation for sanity is realizing that ,ever since I can remember ,we get through one(or two or more!) Of these annoyances and sure enough, the horizon holds another batch of not such delights for us to solve.Sigh. C’est la vie( what other option?)) and just bring on the aspirin.
Arms around you tight mes cheres.
Blessings always
Love
Natalia. Xo
Hi Kristi,
Congrats to Max and Ana. I love the photo of your mom and you on the motorcycle with Max.
Sorry about your trouble at the post office.
Blessings to you and your family,
Eileen
I’m just finishing up your new book now. It’s so good! It’s been a real treat being invited into your French life all of these years. So Many of us have lived vicariously through you and your life in France. Merci!
Congratulations to Max and Ana! How wonderful!
We had something like those chenilles when we lived in Cameroon – if you touched the bugs, you would get painful burns that would last for months.
Oliver Gee with the podcast, The Earful Tower, is having the same issues sending his books to the US. He is now having visitors who take his Paris tours carry them back to the US to post there, if they volunteer to do so. Just an idea.
He and his wife just bought a home in L’Isle sur la Sorgue so they are in your neighborhood now! They are still based in Paris but will also have this home in Provence.
Thank you!
Beautiful post! Lovely photos! And congratulations to the happy couple! But, it is possible to be jubilant and down at the same time. Jubilant, to see your loving family expand, cope, smile, and show true grit, like Jackie and Vin recently battling building leaks, freezing weather, and no heat! Down, because every single day we read and hear more disturbing, disruptive news coming from our beloved country… our land of the free and home of the brave…
I’m so sorry to hear more stories about how it is affecting millions of innocent people around the world! We pray for sane and selfless leadership on all continents, unity across all lands, where peace can reign once again. 🙏
Wonderful news for Max and Anna.
Hi Kristi, thanks for the Southern Fried French shout-out. Felicitations to Max and Ana, That’s exciting news. And this business with letters and packages to the states, it’s beyond discouraging. We are supposed to be allies for heaven sakes! I like Suzanne’s idea of gifting the chenilles to the White House.
The letter I dropped in a post box arrived in Kansas City last week. I don’t know if my purchased international postmarks, presumable dated from awhile back, will work in the future.
Love your vignettes of everyday life in France. I travel there vicariously with you. Additionally … you have a remarkable attitude towards life in general.