Hallowe’en starts early in the town of Marchiennes in Northern France, where one of the last witch trials took place. Péronne Goguillon, her daughter and three other women were burnt at the stake in 1679. On the first Sunday of October since 1991, the tourist office organises the Cucurbitades Festival held on the site of […]
Airship Paris and Zeppelin France have formed a partnership to offer the first commercial sightseeing tours of Paris from a Zeppelin balloon. The unique experience offers a chance to ride in a 12 seater airship, in which you can move about freely taking in the sights of Paris from above through the panoramic windows for […]
In the city of Lille in Northern France a very special flea market is held each year – the largest in Europe and it is called the Lille Braderie. No one is absolutely sure how the Lille Braderie got its name. The earliest mention, in 1127, refers to it as the ‘Lille Fair’. Once a […]
The French have a love affair with chocolate – every Easter 13,000 tonnes of chocolate are sold in France and in surveys 82% of those questioned said they love chocolate and that it is “the food of happiness”. Over the Easter weekend thousands of Easter entertainments from grand Easter egg hunts to egg decorating sessions […]
Adventure, conviviality and French lifestyle are the keywords for a very special annual 2CV trip round France! The idea: Crews of two or four aboard a convertible 2 CV car follow a route which will take them through twenty of the most charming and pictureque villages of France from Paris to Cannes. The villages have […]
The Good Life France talks to Daisy de Plume, an American expat in Paris and founder of THATLou which stands for Treasure Hunt At The Louvre. A terrific idea which appeals to all ages – from kids to corporate types, eager 10 year olds and grumpy teens; from families on holiday – pitted against one another, […]
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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 […]