Catherine and Jacques are living the good life in France until Jacques forgets his solidarity with his British wife, starts fraternising with a Polish colleague and Catherine realises that all is not equal in love and war. Facing her own personal Brexit, Catherine suddenly becomes a character in her very own surreal adventures, to the […]
Reims, the capital of Champagne, is the sort of city where you can indulge yourself, it’s small enough to walk everywhere, big enough to offer something to suit just about everyone. And, of course, its a place where the bubbles pop! Stellar Cellars in Reims You can’t go to Reims and not visit a Champagne […]
A sticky encounter in Montélimar Montélimar. It’s a name that just rolls off the tongue with a rhythm of its own and it happens to be home to a sweet little secret. You’ll find the town about half an hour south of Valence in the Drôme, part of the Rhônes Alpes region, well on the […]
There’s nothing quite like being able to go where you want, when you want in the south of France. With a campervan that’s perfect for a family trip, you can have some awesome adventures. We talk to Andrew Cook at Cookies Campers who hire out campervans in the south of France about how to make […]
So what is Satellite Broadband, how does it work and how can you get satellite broadband in France? Plus a discount for TGLF friends – just use the code at the bottom of the post. Satellite broadband explained In simplistic terms, just like earth based broadband there are carriers. These folks have launched the Satellites […]
Summer is served in this issue. It’s time to chill and enjoy the best of France with The Good Life France Summer 2017 magazine. It’s FREE to read online, download and subscribe to – and it always will be. Just click here to access The Good Life France Summer Magazine You’ll find loads of gorgeous […]
Have you ever flipped through the channels in July and come across the Tour de France? Do you wonder where all those crazy people came from, how did they get alongside the road waving their flags? Why do they wear such outlandish outfits or nothing at all! My husband and I enjoy France, we spent […]
If you happen to be in the little town of Montreuil-sur-Mer on July 14, the major French public holiday of Bastille Day, you’re in for a treat. Every year on this day, the town stages a spectacular antiques market that spreads across the whole upper town centre. Montreuil-sur-Mer is a very handsome French town that has become […]
The Camino de Santiago (called le Chemin de Compostela in France) has become very famous in recent years helped by the release of an American movie called The Way. With a handful of stars but not much budget to promote, the film was a success largely by word of mouth sharing. It’s the tale of […]
Cecile Delarue is a cook, journalist, blogger and author and blogger at ‘French and Parfait’ where she takes as a fun and tongue in cheek look at French cuisine and life. Cecile says “French women are just the best. That’s how we’re born. Parfaites! We don’t get fat, we never sleep alone AND our kids […]
There’s something about the cheeses of France that seduces and entices all cheese lovers. It doesn’t matter that other countries produce delicious cheeses, more cheeses, different cheeses. French cheese has that certain je ne sais quoi. Why French cheese is so special Take Camembert for example, or Brie… or Reblochon, Munster, Maroilles, Comte, Roquefort – […]
Chef Spencer Richards from the UK spent years taking holidays in Normandy with this family. He loved the culture and the history and especially the fabulous gastronomy of the northern French region. Eventually he couldn’t resist the lure of Normandy any more. He moved to St Hilaire Du Harcouet, Manche, and set up Normandy Cooking […]
We talk to actress and author Carol Drinkwater about her book THE LOST GIRL (June 2017)… I am frequently asked where the inspiration for one of my books came from. The answer is that it is very difficult to pin down that unattainable breath of something, that whispered thought that grabs you and begins to […]
Le Cabaret Vert is famous across France for its surprising and varied line-up of musical talent including internationally huge bands. It’s also popular for the way in which it mixes some top international acts with plenty of local food and beer. Eco-friendly and eclectic It’s one of the most eco-friendly and highly eclectic music festivals […]
When you think of French writer, Victor Hugo, you probably think of his classic works, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Notre Dame de Paris) or Les Miserable. You probably wouldn’t associate him with the Joker, that mad supervillain with the maniacal laugh who is Batman’s adversary. The Book However, it seems that Victor Hugo might […]
It was the Romans who established vineyards in Paris more than a thousand years ago. Maybe it was the starting point for the vibrant French wine industry and culture that we know and love today. A Vineyard in Paris The earliest vineyards declined gradually as urban development progressed in Paris. The last of these Roman plantations […]
Like any ski resort, come spring, summer or winter, there are activities a plenty for you to choose from in Saint Gervais (in the Chamonix Valley). Quite apart from the skiing and walking, you could opt for mountaineering, ice skating, paragliding or swimming. But if you want a slightly more effortless kind of adventure, why […]
Just how did it come about that Leonardo da Vinci, giant of the Italian Renaissance, ended his days in Amboise, France? The short answer is that he had no option. Unwell, nearing the end of his life, Leonardo was down on his luck in Rome. Homeless and jobless he was living on handouts from friends. Proud, over […]
Choosing a hire car can be a difficult decision – there’a lot of choice. We check out what are the safest rental cars and we have a great offer for all our readers – up to 10% off your hire car costs with one of the best hire companies there is (see the link at […]
If you’re resident in France and an expat from the UK, you’ll no doubt have to get to grips with the French income tax system. It often seems complicated, heavily administrative and can be frustrating. Financial expert Jennie Poate looks at some common questions that expats have about tax issues in France. Tax in France – Double […]
A lot of people express the desire to move to another country once they reach their retirement, and that makes a lot of sense. After spending our lives going to the same job every day, we often feel like it is time to take some fresh air and venture towards greener pastures. France is a […]
The secret to finding your perfect Paris property… 1. Get to know your Paris arrondissements “Today the life of every Parisian…revolves around his arrondissement.” So says Thirza Vallois, Paris resident and author of the best-selling Around and About Paris. As a France property specialist for over 25 years, I’d add the following advice if you’re […]
Burgundy (Bourgogne in French) offers some of France’s most gorgeous countryside. Rolling green hills peppered with medieval villages and the architecturally and culturally gorgeous capital, Dijon. Great wine and food are important components of daily life here and it’s a great place to live. We talk to local Benjamin Haas of France4U about expat life […]
The leaves of the palm trees swayed as the helicopter swooped in to land between the sun-soaked vineyard and the infinity pool. It could have been a scene from an action movie, but in reality it was a rather grand entrance to a luxury property viewing – the second of six planned for that day. […]
Summer is served! Bienvenue to The Good Life France Summer 2017 magazine, completely free to read online, download a PDF and to subscribe to – and it always will be. Just click here to access The Good Life France Magazine Summer 2017 Packed full of fabulous features, beautiful photos, guides, recipes and contests, we think […]
Manoir du Bolgaro at Morbeque, near Hazebrouck is an impressive, luxurious getaway, great for a get together with family or friends. A manor house dating back to 1540, which is set on a huge, beautiful, secluded swathe of land, this amazing, three storey gite, steeped in character, can sleep up to 12 people. Depending on the number […]
France has a habit of inspiring great art – from homegrown talent such as Cezanne and Monet, to visiting legends such as Van Gogh and Picasso. But in the Dordogne, this artistic heritage runs even deeper. Before impressionism, before romanticism, before Renaissance art and predating even the early religious imagery, there was the cave art of […]
Manoir du Bolgaro at Morbeque, near Hazebrouck is an impressive, luxurious getaway, great for a get together with family or friends. A manor house dating back to 1540, which is set on a huge, beautiful, secluded swathe of land, this amazing, three storey gite, steeped in character, can sleep up to 12 people. Depending on the number […]
France has a habit of inspiring great art – from homegrown talent such as Cezanne and Monet, to visiting legends such as Van Gogh and Picasso. But in the Dordogne, this artistic heritage runs even deeper. Before impressionism, before romanticism, before Renaissance art and predating even the early religious imagery, there was the cave art of […]
The Camino de Santiago (called le Chemin de Compostela in France) has become very famous in recent years helped by the release of an American movie called The Way. With a handful of stars but not much budget to promote, the film was a success largely by word of mouth sharing. It’s the tale of […]
It was the Romans who established vineyards in Paris more than a thousand years ago. Maybe it was the starting point for the vibrant French wine industry and culture that we know and love today. A Vineyard in Paris The earliest vineyards declined gradually as urban development progressed in Paris. The last of these Roman plantations […]
Many years ago I was working as an impoverished flying instructor at a country airfield, it was a job that enabled me to use the club’s Cessna plane and I loved to fly to France as often as I could. On one trip I took my boss with me and we landed our little aircraft […]
Cave Cooperative or Independent? There is a minor revolution taking place in Champvent, situated in a valley where the vines tumble down the hillsides. Champvent is a small hamlet of Chardonnay in Southern Burgundy, the ‘birth place’ of the world’s best known grape variety. Traditionally, village families have produced grape harvests that are delivered to […]
When you think of French writer, Victor Hugo, you probably think of his classic works, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Notre Dame de Paris) or Les Miserable. You probably wouldn’t associate him with the Joker, that mad supervillain with the maniacal laugh who is Batman’s adversary. The Book However, it seems that Victor Hugo might […]
A morning walk in spring in Paris is an inspiring event. I started at a café where I struck up quite a long conversation with a Frenchman I had never met before over a coffee and a croissant near the Place du Bastille. Beside the café stood the great monument to the Bastille, the prison […]