Autumn in France means is a time of joie de vivre and in Paris the weather is usually mellow, culture is on the menu, plus walks in parks where the leaves on the trees are red and gold is a memorable experience as is hot chocolate in a square and so much more. Autumn is […]
There’s nothing quite like the pop of a Champagne bottle to make you feel festive and with Reims, the capital of Champagne so close to Paris, there’s no excuse not to go! Take the Train to Reims from Paris With Reims, the capital of Champagne, just 45 minutes from Paris by train it’s the perfect […]
Riviera Dreaming by Maureen Emerson is fascinating book which explores the lives of architect Barry Dierks and his lover Eric Sawyer. They changed the face of the French Riviera, developing an architecture empire remodelling and building homes and gardens for their star studded cliental including film executive Jack Warner, playwright Somerset Maugham and the rich […]
Provence has many villages, valleys, vineyards and orchards. The slow life in the breath-taking countryside is what attracts many to the area, but sometimes you might feel like a little urban action. Aix-en-Provence, or Aix (pronounced X, like the letter) as the locals call it, is the perfect city for a hit of European cosmopolitan […]
There’s nothing ordinary about a holiday with Cottages and Classics gites and B&B at La Rose des Vents. The former Cognac domaine consists of an elegant Manor House and two charming cottages in La Tacherie, in the heart of stunning Charente-Maritime, southwest France. A relaxing break in Charente-Maritime Cottages and Classics offer a diverse range of […]
Summer is served in the free to read online, download a PDF and subscribe to The Good Life France Magazine Summer 2018 – and it always will be free. Just click here to access it: The Good Life France Magazine Summer 2018 In this sunny issue discover Calvados, Grenoble and Toulouse Calvados is a department […]
Don’t worry if you’ve yet to book your summer holiday in France, there’s still plenty of choice. And, if you’re the sort that likes to take a spontaneous break at the last minute, there are bargains to be had! Special offers and discounts – bag yourself a bargain break in France Grab a bargain holiday […]
Paris is playing host to the one of the greatest golf matches in the world in September 2018. The Ryder Cup, a contest between between the top golfers of Europe and the visiting team from the United States will be hosted at Le Golf National course, at Guyancourt, near Paris. Ryder Cup Paris 2018 From […]
France is a treasure chest of inspiring destinations. For this reason you have plenty of options when it comes to holidays in France. However, such an abundance of choices creates a dilemma. Which one should you choose? If you are longing to escape to the countryside or coast, and if your preference is a self-catering […]
Just how do you make a real bouillabaise and how did this famous fish dish get its name? Keith Van Sickle, author of Life in Provence, finds out The legend of Bouillabaisse My wife and I live part of the year in St.-Rémy-de-Provence. We love bouillabaisse, that magical dish that seems to capture the spirit […]
Gougères are extremely satisfying to make—not to mention eat! I never tire of watching the dense, silky dollops of batter inflate into crispy balloons of cheesy pastry through the oven window. We’ve decided to push the cheesiness to the max here. An extra sprinkle of gruyère and parmesan adds extra cheese flavor and textural dimension. […]
From the small French town of Voiron, near Grenoble, comes some of the best chocolate in the world. No less than the New York Times has called Chocolat Bonnat, “The best chocolate we had ever eaten.” Chocolat Bonnat Why is it so good? To begin with, Chocolat Bonnat has had a long time to […]
This book is simply un-put-downable. Whether like me you are an expat who loves reading about other regions of this amazing country, you love visiting France on holiday, are considering moving here, or you simply enjoy taking a wonderful fly-on-the-wall glimpse into other people’s lives, this book will keep you captivated until the very last […]
In a series of short stories of love, life and Paris, Guy Hibbert’s eloquent writing portrays the pulse of the city and the lives and loves of some of its inhabitants over a century. Standalone stories but in some, their fates intertwine in a clever twist that gives the book a coherence you don’t often […]
Maureen Emerson has written a truly fascinating book about life on the French Riviera and two of the men who shaped its style in the early 20th century. About Maureen Emerson Maureen lived in Provence for 20 years, working as a local co-ordinator for CBS and NBC at media festivals in Cannes. Over the year, […]
Every Wednesday throughout the year come rain, snow or shine, Samoëns hosts one of the busiest traditional markets throughout the Savoyard region. The marvelous market of Samoens There is a buzz around the village from early morning as the stall holders get ready to show their wares from 8.00 am till noon. It’s a great […]
A look at some of the best places in Paris to take a relaxing boat ride to discover the city from its flowing waters. The capital is of course home to the River Seine, and at 485 miles (780km) long it’s the second longest river in France after the Loire. Its source is some 18 […]
The department of Mayenne is in the Pays de la Loire and its capital is Laval. It’s the sort of town where you immediately feel you can relax and chill out, a little bit sleepy, a lot friendly. There are excellent restaurants serving fabulous local produce, one of the best markets in France, chateaux galore […]
We’ve had a record number of enquiries about life in France in the last 12 months. It seems that moving to France is on the minds of many and some questions come up over and over about financial issues, after all, you want to know that you can afford to live the dream and making […]
In France everything has its season: in February it’s skiing; in May it’s lily-of-the valley; in August it’s idleness; and in October it’s tax. This last is why, as the leaves begin to fall each year, my husband and I get together for a financial summit. Our budgetary discussions have a peculiarly French flavour, however: […]
Years ago, expats in France who wanted an income usually took the gite route. Gites really took off in the 1950s when the French Government introduced a gite classification system to breathe new life into rural economy and British expats in particular saw the attraction. These days expats are becoming more and more entrepreneurial and […]
It’s not all about the house, when you’re looking for a vineyard property, the vines take centre stage… Vineyard properties in France Many of us have a romantic notion of owning some vines so we can produce our own wine to bottle and share with friends and family. It’s a trend that has grown internationally […]
Keeping horses in France is a popular past time. A hectare of land is enough for one horse, with good management, two horses, so the opportunities for home, land and potential stables, often converting existing outbuildings, are plentiful. Looking for properties suitable for keeping horses in France The cost of agricultural land averages around […]
With land prices currently very attractive in France, a steady flow of UK farmers are heading to France to expand their holdings. Whilst northern France is best for cereal growing, Brittany is prime for pigs. Poitou-Charentes offers huge tracts of maize and sunflowers, whereas the Limousin is famous for its attractive rolling cattle and sheep […]
The idea began, as many good ideas do, in the pub. Rebecca Randall, a criminal barrister and husband Greg who works in the City came to the realisation that they didn’t want to be commuting to and working in London until they reached 70. “Several glasses in and one of us (we still aren’t sure […]
Bonjour Hope you had a good week. We’re still in lazy mode here in France – it’s an August thing. When I say “we” I don’t mean me and the other half. No such thing as lazy in this house! We live in hope of one day waking up in the morning and thinking “ooh no […]
Philippe, our French estate agent, was already at ‘our’ house to open up the shutters, when his bi-lingual colleague Leontine was still busy translating the houses’ deeds for us in the notaries’ office. We knew we still had to improve our French, but it became more evident half an hour later, when Philippe ran towards […]
The idea began, as many good ideas do, in the pub. Rebecca Randall, a criminal barrister and husband Greg who works in the City came to the realisation that they didn’t want to be commuting to and working in London until they reached 70. “Several glasses in and one of us (we still aren’t sure […]
In France everything has its season: in February it’s skiing; in May it’s lily-of-the valley; in August it’s idleness; and in October it’s tax. This last is why, as the leaves begin to fall each year, my husband and I get together for a financial summit. Our budgetary discussions have a peculiarly French flavour, however: […]
Years ago, expats in France who wanted an income usually took the gite route. Gites really took off in the 1950s when the French Government introduced a gite classification system to breathe new life into rural economy and British expats in particular saw the attraction. These days expats are becoming more and more entrepreneurial and […]
Philippe, our French estate agent, was already at ‘our’ house to open up the shutters, when his bi-lingual colleague Leontine was still busy translating the houses’ deeds for us in the notaries’ office. We knew we still had to improve our French, but it became more evident half an hour later, when Philippe ran towards […]
‘How this coast smells of riches!’ So wrote the American Jane de Glehn, wife of the English artist Wilfred de Glehn, when she first set foot on the Riviera after the end of World War I. A member of the Red Cross Committee, who had worked in the devastated areas of the Haute Marne and […]
My love of France sneaked up on me. Unlike my husband who I think came out of the womb loving France. His dream, which predates our meeting ten years ago, was to live in France. It wasn’t a dream I shared. But here we are in the process of buying our very own house in […]
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 […]