I was worried that in recent years America’s friendship the people of France had waned in light of U.S.’s war with Iraq. This caused the boycott of French fries in France or the re-naming of them as “Freedom Fries,” among other headlines. 
But, my experiences in France, and even recent ones, have been evidence to the contrary. My French friends are lasting allies and even the passing stranger remains happy to help an American tourist, especially in the countryside where we like to spend most of our time.
In addition to the French fries, which aren’t really French, the French also gave us the Statue of Liberty and the French Brittany, the Epagnuel Breton, or Epanuel Breton.
My friend, Andy Wayment writes, “Before the French Revolution, France was an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges in the aristocracy. Under this regime, land in France was owned mainly by a privileged few. This meant that hunting and fishing could only be enjoyed by the noblemen and their fortunate guests. Generally, the common man was not allowed to enjoy these sports. Legend has it that the Brittany was developed by the French peasants as the ideal poaching dog. As so aptly described by Michael McIntosh in A Feisty Little Pointing Dog, the Brittany was bred to be ‘compact andbidable, close-working and quiet, the perfect accomplice for clandestine sport and the companion of choice among those whose favorite game was someone else’s.’ The landed nobles, with their big running pointers and setters, did not recognize these shaggy, tailless mongrels for what they were, bona fide hunting machines. Of course, this was all part of the ruse. Brittanys are pointers with the natural instinct to retrieve. Because of its noble history, the French Brittany was destined to arrive on our shores to breathe our free air. By breeding, Brittanys are everyman’s dog and they belong where they can run free without regard to some archaic, oppressive class system. This wonderful transplant is now as American as apple pie and baseball.”
Having hunted in France and having a French Brit sharing the bed with me at the moment, I don’t know if I can confirm that the Epanuel Breton aspires to the ideals of apple pie and baseball like my American Brittanyes did, but they do have the French passion for life afield, for the good life, and for food. And, they can find birds. And do it in an unsurpassed and unique style all their own.
