France is the most visited country in the world and no wonder, world famous gastronomy, culture, historic cities, snowy alps, bucolic countryside, gorgeous beaches and more is on offer. One of the best ways to see France is to take a road trip, get out of the centre of the city or simply travel from […]
Friendship, gastronomy, elegance, magic: Diner en Blanc Paris is the chic-est annual gathering the world has ever seen. It is the pique-nique of pique-niques. A giant sea of laughing faces and popping champagne corks. A magical night: Le Dîner en Blanc celebrated 30 years in 2018 On June 3rd 2018 the world’s biggest organized pop-up picnic, the exclusive Dîner en […]
Gascony is situated halfway between the Dordogne River valley and the Pyrénées Mountains, on the same latitude as the Italian Riviera. It’s a region of sunflowers, vineyards and rolling countryside, of rivers and streams crossed by stone bridges. There are half-forgotten abbeys, hilltop villages, and ancient traditions. The heart of this terrain lies in the […]
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of the old city of Carcassonne is every bit as enchanting when you see it in real life as it is in the photos. How Carcassonne got its name Its legacy goes back centuries, ancient tribes inhabited the area, the Romans arrived and built a fort – they called it […]
If you arrive in Nimes via train as I did, the Roman connection is obvious before you even leave the station. The vaulted ceiling and arched passage ways are the clue. Wander out to the centre ville with its palm tree lined avenues and in the distance straight ahead, a Roman tower looms. Walk for […]
The Good Life France Magazine – the Spring issue. As always it’s bursting with inspiration, filled with fabulous photos and packed with articles on places, to go, culture, gastronomy and life in France. It’s completely free to read online or download a PDF, you can subscribe for free and share it with your friends […]
River cruises are becoming more and more popular and now you can choose to float along a river almost anywhere in the world. Bordeaux is one of the nicest places to do a wine cruise… Rolling down the River on a French Wine Cruise For our first river cruise, my husband and I joined a […]
Enticingly opposite the 2000-year-old amphitheatre of Nimes, the brand-new museum of Roman History, Musée de la Romanité in Nimes makes for a fascinating visit. The brand-new Museum is going to be one of the top attractions for visitors to Nimes. What to see at the Musée de la Romanite The Museum of Roman History in […]
There’s no denying that the French love a festival, their many and diverse street celebrations always seem to bring out the soul and essence of a city. And surprisingly, the sleepy and historic city of Vienne in the Isère department of the Auvergne Rhône Alpes region in the south east of France, is no exception. […]
There are thousands of restaurants in Paris and choosing where to go for dinner when you’re only in the city for a short while can be a challenge. Long term American expat in Paris., writer and foodie Barbara Paquet-James reveals where Parisians go when they want to indulge in a luxurious dinner in the city… […]
The perfect side dish for a barbecue, these roasted tomatoes from Provence call for a glass of chilled rosé and some delicious grilled meat or fish. They also use herbs that are classic in southern France, and often called herbes de Provence in France. Prep time: 5 minutes • Cook time: 20 minutes • Serves 4 […]
An elegant interior of marble fireplaces, ceiling high, gilt-edged mirrors, crystal chandeliers and ornate furniture formed an unlikely backdrop for a beer and food matching dinner with a twist. This was no ordinary setting and no ordinary dinner! The Brewers Association, a not-for-proft trade body representing small and independent American craft brewers, was the guest […]
Research shows that learning a second language offers proven benefits for intelli- gence, memory and concentration, plus lowered risks of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Learning French can be challenging but fun – and it makes trips to France that much more rewarding. Here’s how I learned French in my 50s: Build a Foundation You need some […]
American Diane Covington-Carter was obsessed with France. She had spent her youth listening to her father’s wartime tales, studying French, and saving every spare penny to go there on her junior year abroad when she finished school. Alas this was not to be, and instead she found herself becoming a young married mother. However, two […]
Yves Saint Laurent was a genius – a visionary who became a legend at an early age. Today his name graces a variety of products from luxurious cosmetics to high-end handbags. Knowing a bit about his background will enhance your visit to this excellent new museum. Early Yves Saint Laurent Saint Laurent’s career began with […]
On a cold, crisp April morning, with numb fingers, and an almost feverish determination I searched for buttons. Muscling locals aside I pounced on another matching set. My fingers became blue, nose snuffly, but the button search went on and on, till every button had been turned and either discarded or bagged as a treasure […]
The coastal town of Le Treport, on the edge of Normandy where it joins to Picardy, is seemingly unremarkable at first sight. It is a quite special though when you get to know it, alongside it sister towns of Eu Mers-les- Bains. They nestle along the Channel shore line, just beyond the Somme basin. Here’s […]
Provence is famous for clear blue skies. Its brilliant sunlight has attracted painters such as Cezanne and Matisse as well as scads of tourists. There are plenty of things to see outdoors in Provence, like the colorful ochre mines of Roussillon and the lavender fields of Sault. But what if you happen to visit when […]
Adapting to life in a new country can be difficult, especially if you’re tackling a new language too. Add in the pressure of finding or starting a new job, and in the midst of all that change, your health and wellbeing can start to suffer. Luckily, France boasts an attractive work-life balance, made clear in […]
Whether you’re already in France or you’re considering a move to France, it’s natural to have worries and fears about your financial future. Research shows that you’re likely to gain peace of mind and to be significantly better off if you get professional advice about your long-term future financial goals and requirements. A study by […]
The first time I took my long-haired mini-dachshund, Ellie, to France, we spent two months traveling from Paris to Brittany and Normandy. Our last stop was the seaside resort of Agon-Coutainville, on the Cotentin peninsula which juts into the English Channel. There Ellie feasted on raw milk Camembert and prė-salė lamb. When we returned to […]
The lush green area of Dordogne is popular with expats and none more so than the Brits. In fact the area has been termed “little Britain” as it’s attracted so many entranced Brits Why do we all love Dordogne? There’s loads that inspires our love for Dordogne. For a start the weather is great. There’s […]
Half of Britain it seems, is glued to the TV series Escape to the Chateau featuring the lovely Angel and Dick who bought a castle and have been doing it up before our eyes. They’ve also taken starring roles in Escape to the Chateau DIY, a TV series in which we get to see the […]
I have a home in the north of France, known for its lush and gorgeous countryside. There’s a reason its so green though, it rains a fair bit. I don’t mind, I’m from the UK, we Brits are used to that sort of weather. Every now and again though, I hanker after a bit of […]
Buying a house in France is the dream of many but what if you live on the other side of the globe and have never even set foot in France? This describes Annette Charlton who made her dream come true and now lives between her homes in Newcastle, Australia and Brittany, France. So, is the […]
A French shop assistant in Antibes’ old town asked me for the translation of a French word the other afternoon. We’d become bosom buddies in her quiet swimsuit store, but I was glad for the conversational distraction. I hated swimsuit shopping. It brought out all my insecurities. As my new friend rang up my purchase, she complimented […]
Bonjour! Hope you had a good week. I missed chatting to you last week, but I was rattling over cobblestones in Paris in a funky 2CV, visiting museums and exploring the city’s restaurants. I worked off the calories cycling and getting fit at the new Villages Nature Paris, a brand-new nature and holiday resort close […]
Buying a house in France is the dream of many but what if you live on the other side of the globe and have never even set foot in France? This describes Annette Charlton who made her dream come true and now lives between her homes in Newcastle, Australia and Brittany, France. So, is the […]
A French shop assistant in Antibes’ old town asked me for the translation of a French word the other afternoon. We’d become bosom buddies in her quiet swimsuit store, but I was glad for the conversational distraction. I hated swimsuit shopping. It brought out all my insecurities. As my new friend rang up my purchase, she complimented […]
The first time I took my long-haired mini-dachshund, Ellie, to France, we spent two months traveling from Paris to Brittany and Normandy. Our last stop was the seaside resort of Agon-Coutainville, on the Cotentin peninsula which juts into the English Channel. There Ellie feasted on raw milk Camembert and prė-salė lamb. When we returned to […]
A French town without a baker – it’s unthinkable – everyone would move away! A butcher is almost as important to French village life as a baker. The butcher sells the usual roasts and chops and chickens, as well as a variety of prepared foods. My wife Val and I live part of the year […]
Nice might seem like an obvious place to settle if one is planning to move to France. After all, the Cote d’Azur is the second most touristed spot in France, after Paris But it wasn’t even on my list when I decided to fulfill my lifelong dream to live in France. I never considered moving […]
We talk to British expat Linda James who with her husband Alex runs Le Pommier gites and a cake making business in Riberac, Dordogne department, Aquitaine, south west France. What inspired you to move to Riberac? Coming here on holiday, I fell in love with the sunny weather, the stunning countryside, being able to swim […]
Life isn’t all sitting around eating cheese and quaffing wine for expats in France. There’s the tricky issue of everyday life and administration to deal with too! Never annoy a Fonctionaire… I read somewhere that 20% of the French population work for the government. If you buy a home in France, you will eventually come […]
Wikipedia defines ‘Francophile’ “as a person who has a strong affinity towards the French language, French history, French culture or French people.” When I read that, I thought, “Wow, that is totally me.” I grew up in Southern California, just an hour from the Mexican border. The most logical language to learn was Spanish. But from the first moment I heard […]