La Rochelle is a historic port town in the west of France, off the Atlantic coast in the department of Charente-Maritime. It’s the perfect little city for a weekend break and a great base from which to explore the area. Rich in culture, architecture and gastronomy, there’s loads to see and do here… Top things […]
For a small city, La Rochelle packs a mighty gastronomic punch. The streets are filled with bars and bistros, cafés and restaurants spilling out onto cobbled streets and lining pretty squares. Most visitors head for the old Port, Vieux Port, and who can blame them. The restaurants here have fabulous views over the port and […]
Bonjour Hope you had a great week. For me life is all about writing right now. I’m writing the sequel to My Good Life in France: In Pursuit of the Rural Dream and I’m hoping to be finished soon. I have many of you to thank for being in this position, everyone who bought my […]
The French call their flag Le drapeau tricolore. English speakers know it as the French Tricolore. It’s one of the most iconic flags in European history. But how did it come to be? The evolution of the French Flag The flag of France before the French Revolution featured the fleur-de-lis on a blue background. The […]
There’s a whole lot to see and do in Tours in the heart of the Loire Valley. It’s easy to reach from Paris by train and provides a great base to visit the area. There are several of the major Loire Valley Chateaux nearby and you can organise a tour by coach or mini bus […]
From the middle ages, Amiens in Picardy, northern France, has been famous for its hortillonnages. This is the name given to the market gardens which line the network of nine waterways which run through the city. These watery arteries give Amiens a unique atmosphere. You really have a feeling that you are in the most beautiful […]
Welcome to the Good Life France Magazine Summer 2019 – totally free to read and utterly brilliant. Click here to read The Good Life France Magazine Summer 2019 This is a free magazine, written by professional travel writers with a brief to tell it like it is and to seek out the best things to […]
Keen to take Instagram-worthy photos in Strasbourg to share with your friends and family? Here are my top 10 recommendations of instagrammable Strasbourg: Petite France Pretty much anywhere in the Petite France area is like a fairy tale town scene but Place Benjamin-Zix is particularly photogenic. The medieval district on an island is gorgeous. Notre […]
Bonjour, Hope you had a great week. Chez moi, I managed to fall off the doorstep in the back garden and sprain my ankle. To make matters worse I landed in a big dollop of duck poo left by Rambo the reluctant duck (he refuses to stay in the pen with the other boys, he […]
If you’re wondering where to go this year for a quintessential French holiday that’s a real family pleaser then look no further! Just across the English Channel you will find long golden sandy beaches, rock pools where you can fish for shrimp and mussels, discover secret inlets and see seals sunbathe. Somewhere you can buy […]
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Honfleur is a French fishing village in the department of Calvados, Normandy. It sits on the southern bank of the Seine estuary where the great river flows into the Atlantic Ocean. If you love authentic old French towns, then you will find Honfleur one of the most beautiful there is. What to see in Honfleur […]
The Lot-et-Garonne department is in the southwestern of the Nouvelle Aquitaine region (previously Midi-Pyrénées). It’s has been described as “the France that you always hoped existed but could never quite find”. It’s idyllic; a paradise… Discovering Fongrave I looked over at my friend as she was talking feverishly about the still, quiet beauty of the […]
If you’re looking for a fun way to visit northern France, Les Belles Echappees in Saint Omer fits the bill. Located within the peaceful Ferme de L’Abbaye at Clairmarais, this family run organisation hires out restored classic vintage vehicles. Choose from sparkling VW camper vans to prestigious Citroen 2CV cars and VW convertible Beetles. There’s […]
Sur le Pont d’Avignon L’on y danse, l’on y danse Sur le Pont d’Avignon L’on y danse tous en rond Many of us learned that song as kids, about the famous Pont d’Avignon in Provence (real name: Pont Saint-Bénézet). For those of us lucky enough to visit Avignon and see the bridge in all its […]
I love all my animals, five cats, three dogs, four geese, 13 ducks and 25 chickens. They’re part of the family though the birds don’t live in the house with us. At least not permanently. When they’re a bit poorly, I’ll bring them in for some TLC until they’re well enough to go out. Sometimes […]
I live part of the year in Provence and one day I was reading Le Monde and a headline about a “sexy politician” caught my eye. “Well, those are two words you don’t see together very often,” I thought. So I read the article and found out that there had been a poll asking French […]
It was lunchtime in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area of Paris, and I was ravenous looking for a place to eat away from the usual tourist traps. I turned down a quiet street and saw the most unassuming bistro. In fact, I wouldn’t usually have considered going in but I decided to take a chance. As soon […]
Catharism has been described as “the most successful heresy in history”. In Languedoc, “Pays Cathare” signs dot the countryside. One cannot drive far in any direction without coming upon the ruins of a Cathar fortress. Who were the Cathars? “Cathar” is allegedly derived from the Greek word, katharos, meaning “pure”. The Cathars were also known […]
