Janine Marsh, journalist - has written for numerous magazines and newspapers. A complete Francophile who now concentrates on writing about France and all things French.
After reading Mark Greenside’s first and extremely entertaining book, ‘I’ll Never Be French (No Matter What I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany, I couldn’t wait to start this one, and I was not disappointed! The first book tells how in 1991 a reluctant Mark agrees to visit Brittany with a girlfriend, and […]
Girton, Cambridge. Nice house, good jobs, lovely friends. The most frequent question I’m asked is, ‘Why did you leave the UK?’ The most honest answer is that we left because we could. I mean, why not? We were happy in Girton, but sometimes it’s a case of wanting to do something different, something a little […]
Patricia Sands, the author of the Love in Provence series returns to the South of France with a poignant portrait of a woman who must learn how to create a new life for herself… Sixty-two-year-old Arianna arrives in the South of France for a two-week artists’ workshop full of anticipation but burdened by guilt. Back […]
Bonjour Here in France we’ve been through a bit of a cold spell the last week. Even in the normally not too frosty south, my friends have been complaining of below zero temperatures. I quite like it when it’s cold out. After several years here, I’ve got the hang of making sure there’s enough wood […]
The French celebrate Christmas on the evening of the 24th of December when ‘Père Noël’ leaves gifts for good children in shoes beneath the tree. Start with a champagne aperitif with nibbles or amuse bouches (literally nibbles that amuse the mouth). Then the serious task of feasting commences. There are usually several (sometimes as many […]
Jonathan Fenby provides an expert and riveting journey through he history of France from First Revolution through two others, a return of Empire, catastrophic wars and period of stability and hope. “The definitive guide to understanding France”. With the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815, the next two centuries […]
French Expressions in every day use In this video, there are some sentences that the French really use in everyday life. These are typically French expressions that you’ll hear in friendly conversations, in the streets and cafés. Use them and people will immediately think you’ve been living in France for years! Learn how to use expressions […]
Today the sun has been shining all day long and summer feels like it is well and truly here. I’ve been out and about in St Omer and nearby villages in the Nord-Pas de Calais region in the far north of France. I visited a boulangerie with an award winning baker who makes the most […]
Bonjour from France! The big news this week has been the announcement of the winners in our spring 2014 writing competition. We were amazed to receive 104 entries from all around the world and the standard was incredibly high. Authors Susie Kelly, Kimberley Petyt, Deborah Lawrenson, Patricia Sands, Julia Stagg and author/publisher Stephanie Zia had […]
Complete list of public holidays France 2014 – both fixed and changeable date bank holidays. There are a number of fixed public holidays (bank holidays) each year. They are fixed to a specific date regardless of whether it falls on a weekday or weekend. This is different from some countries where a public holiday falling […]
.
.
In August 2014, I gave up my job teaching English in Lyon to house-sit a farm in Vienne and write a novel. I wasn’t particularly looking for the literary good life. I just wanted a break from the city. Six months later I finished it. But the elation was short-lived. I didn’t like it at […]
We chat to Rosy Rabson, a British expat who retired to Burgundy and run a gite from which all proceeds go to charity. Based in the Morvan area, with its regional natural park, a land of ancient castles, picturesque villages, forests and lakes, it is a largely undiscovered by tourists part of France – and […]
Katharine Tasker from London upped sticks in the city and moved to the sticks in rural northern France. With her she brought a sprinkling of urban style to her new build home and thriving new business, a café and shop… Pas de Calais is a region of meadows and forests, the countryside is criss crossed […]
British stand-up comedian, mod, expat, goat whisperer (maybe) – and now Chambre d’hote host – Ian Moore’s unique insights into life in the Loire Valley will make you laugh out loud… Hosts, Goats and Chambres d’Hôtes There’s a point in my first or second book, probably both, where my wife, Natalie, and I sit down […]
Making friends in France isn’t difficult I’ve found. They don’t care if my French is not great or I get my grammar all wrong. They don’t even care that much that I am “Flop chef not Top Chef” and can barely grill a bit of French bread without spoiling it. But there are some things […]
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 […]
