Making friends at McCool's

If I'm going to come all the way to France, immerse myself in the language, the culture, and the people in a small town in the center of the country, it makes perfect sense that the best bar in town would be an Irish bar, right? Right.

I came across this bar for the simple reason that it was at the end of the street I lived on and it was the first bar you came to as you head towards the main square. It had a bit of an identity crisis, alternately calling itself Mr. Cools, McCool's, or Mac Cool's, but nonetheless it became my favorite bar. As far as bars go, it's similar to most Irish pubs, warm, inviting, with rock n roll playing on the stereo, but what made this bar special was the main bartender, Franck. Known by almost everyone in town, he was the only barman in all of France who actually cared about his customers and enjoyed talking with them and meeting new people. Not to mention that he was 6' 9" and couldn't be missed, and fittingly had the nickname "Grand Franck" or "Big Franck".

I spent many a night with my school friends in this bar, chatting in French or English or a mixture, depending on who was there (or German when it was just the Swiss nationals). I'm really going to miss this place and the people associated with it.

Big Franck with Gregor.

He really was that tall.

Still tall.

Of course, since it's Europe, they don't serve ice in drinks, but on the rare occasion when they do, you get 3 ice cubes. This yellow bucket is all the ice they use for an entire evening shift.

Wall of postcards from their fans all over the world.

Decorations at the bar.

Is this beer really that old?

Volker and Gregor. We were the three amigos during my first month.

Big Franck was an expert at the cloverleaf in the Guiness.

We became regulars.

Placards for the true regulars. (No, I didn't buy one).

Some locals I met at the bar.

Jenny and Carlyle, the coolest Americans at our school during my stay.

Hitomi, my roommate, and Marcel, a Swiss policeman who was in my class at school.

Johny even came out with us a few nights.

Marcel, Johny, Michael, and me.

Marcel, Johny, and Hitomi with her translator, since she couldn't join in our conversation.
So she made a drawing of me instead!

A typical night.

Clearing out after last call.

Closed for the night.