Tag Archives: living in France

The Pros and Cons of Brits in France

Posted on 28/01/2018 by

Peter Mayle, the doyen of writers about the good life in France, died recently at the age of 78. His book, A Year in Provence (1989), describes how he restored an 18th-century farmhouse near Ménerbes in the Luberon with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books/writing, French life, Personalities | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

20 Years of la Vie Française

Posted on 29/08/2017 by

Last weekend marked the 20th anniversary of moving into our house in France. We had arrived in France a few days earlier, but we regard the occupation of the house as the true anniversary. This year I had a long … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, Places | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Ma Vie Française #5: Author Olga Swan

Posted on 20/08/2017 by

My latest guest is a somewhat unusual occupant of this slot, in that she had une vie française but doesn’t anymore. More of that below. Olga Swan has had several novels published by Crooked Cat Books, including Vichysoisse, part of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ma Vie Française Interviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Bons Voisins – Good Neighbours

Posted on 15/08/2017 by

I’m constantly amazed at French people’s ability to conjure up a social event from unpromising components, whether it’s an apéritif, an improvised barbecue or a full-blown fête. Last night, some neighbours organised a repas de quartier, a neighbourhood meal, which … Continue reading →

Posted in French life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Chèque ou Espèces? Cheque or Cash

Posted on 22/06/2017 by

It often takes a holiday in another country to throw into relief the quirks of the one you live in. We returned recently from 10 days in Sweden (hence the blogging hiatus), where things are a bit different from France. … Continue reading →

Posted in French life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Getting a (Social) Life in France

Posted on 04/06/2017 by

Making friends is difficult when moving to a new country. Twenty years ago, our Brummie removal men asked, “Do you know anyone here?” When we said no, they shook their heads in disbelief. If you move to la France profonde, … Continue reading →

Posted in Customs, French life | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Ma Vie Française #4: Janine Marsh and the Good Life

Posted on 21/05/2017 by

Today, I’m excited to welcome someone who not only lives in France, but also has visited every corner of it. Janine Marsh runs a phenomenally successful website, The Good Life France and edits a free ezine, The Good Life France … Continue reading →

Posted in Ma Vie Française Interviews, Personalities | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Finding Our House in France

Posted on 26/04/2017 by

Today is a very special one on La Lune. It’s 20 years ago to the day since we first saw our house. During our five days’ house-hunting in France, among the legion of properties we saw only two fitted the … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, Places | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Forgotten Love Letter Saved for Posterity

Posted on 14/02/2017 by

Sometimes fate works in mysterious ways. In this case, it saved for posterity a wonderful letter that would otherwise have been consigned to the flames with a heap of junk.

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Posted in History, Places, World War I & II | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

19 Years in France

Posted on 26/08/2016 by

Time for a little celebration. Nineteen years ago today, we moved into our house, but we had arrived in France a few days earlier. The time has passed quickly, although much wine has flowed under the bridge since then. A … Continue reading →

Posted in French life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Ma Vie Française #2: An Interview with Stephanie Dagg

Posted on 15/05/2016 by

  I’ve known Steph since 2010 but we have never met! Author, editor, blogger, businesswoman, and smallholder– she wears so many hats it’s difficult to keep up. She’s written a popular book, Heads Above Water, about her family’s life in … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, Ma Vie Française Interviews, Personalities | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Ma Vie Française #1: an Interview with Jacqui Brown

Posted on 03/04/2016 by

You’ve heard a lot from me over the past six years about life in rural France. So let’s hear from someone else for a change. This is the first in an occasional series, Ma Vie Française, in which people tell … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, Ma Vie Française Interviews, Personalities | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

What Difference Will French Spelling Changes Make?

Posted on 14/02/2016 by

First, I have to note that it’s six years today since I pressed the ‘go live’ button on this blog. Since then, I’ve published 496 posts, made a lot of virtual friends and had a ball researching into French life, … Continue reading →

Posted in Language | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Is the Rural French Café Dying Out?

Posted on 23/01/2016 by

The village café-bar is a typically French institution, just as the pub is essentially British. Our nostalgic vision of French rural life places the café (often doubling as a restaurant) at the heart of the village, along with the church, … Continue reading →

Posted in Food/drink/recipes, French life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Noises Off on a Country Evening

Posted on 30/06/2015 by

The poor old blog has been sorely neglected of late. The trouble is that there’s this pesky thing called work, a necessary evil that keeps me away from what I really want to do. And it’s nearly always at its … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, Nature | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

How to Queue in France

Posted on 20/02/2015 by

  Forming a neat queue is inscribed in we Brits’ DNA. Not so our French counterparts. Our two countries are separated only by a 30-mile stretch of water, but in some respects it might as well be 30 light years. … Continue reading →

Posted in Customs, French life, Rants | Tagged , , , , , | 19 Comments

Have a Calendar, Whether You Want it or Not

Posted on 31/01/2015 by

  We were having a lively discussion during dinner in the kitchen – not an argument – which could no doubt be heard outside. But we don’t expect people to be hanging around outside on a cold Sunday evening in … Continue reading →

Posted in French life | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Shutters

Posted on 15/01/2015 by

    One of the things that distinguish French houses from English ones is the use of shutters. This is not to say that no English houses have them; rather, that a lot of French buildings do, especially in the … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, History | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

The Little Free Library Inaugurated at Saint-Antonin

Posted on 10/01/2015 by

  So many words have poured out in the past few days, and no doubt will continue to do so, about the horrific events in Paris this week. I can’t add anything to them that isn’t trite or obvious. So … Continue reading →

Posted in Books/writing, French life, Places | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Southwest France Weather Roundup for 2014

Posted on 01/01/2015 by

  First of all, Happy New Year, Bonne Année. And a big thank you to the more than 45,000 visitors who came to my blog last year. The SF (Statistics Freak) has been slaving over a hot computer today so … Continue reading →

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Life on La Lune French Christmas Quiz 2014: the Answers

Posted on 30/12/2014 by

I hope you had a lovely, peaceful and rewarding Christmas. How did you get on with the quiz? If you resorted to the internet you can deduct 10 points immediately. Here are the answers, with my notes about each one.

Posted in French life, Quiz | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Life on La Lune French Christmas Quiz 2014

Posted on 24/12/2014 by

A very Happy Christmas to all my readers I’ve compiled a French Christmas quiz every year since 2011. To see the others, click here. Here’s something to stretch your brain cells once you’ve stretched your waistbands: the annual Life on … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, Quiz | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

10 Reasons to be Proud of France?

Posted on 23/11/2014 by

The “Stop au France Bashing” campaign is the latest in the beleaguered French government’s efforts to draw attention away from itself. Last week, it posted 10 statistics on its website to demonstrate why citizens should be proud of France. Now, I … Continue reading →

Posted in French life | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

The Day the Village had No Bread

Posted on 23/10/2014 by

Our life here has its Clochemerle moments (explanation below). I experienced one of them yesterday when our local village had no bread. Bread is not just the staff of life to a French person; it’s an essential accompaniment to every … Continue reading →

Posted in French life | Tagged , , , , , | 16 Comments

Things I Didn’t Know When I Moved to France: Part 2 the Negatives

Posted on 28/05/2014 by

Thanks to everyone who commented on Part 1, the Positives. They added to my list of unexpected pleasures, including: the (comparatively) empty roads; the variety of regional produce and recipes; the friendly interaction with neighbours and rural French people’s lack … Continue reading →

Posted in French life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

Things I Didn’t Know When I Moved to France: Part 1, the Positives

Posted on 25/05/2014 by

Now, you’re all thinking I’m going to complain about everything I’ve encountered in France since moving here 17 years ago. Not so. What follows in this post is complimentary; Part 2 (to be posted later) is less so. I’ve restricted … Continue reading →

Posted in Customs, French life, History | Tagged , , , , , , , | 35 Comments

SW France Weather February 2014 and Verdict on 2013

Posted on 05/03/2014 by

This month, I have asked the SF (Statistics Freak; aka my husband) to write the weather post, since it’s he who collects all the statistics. I’ve also asked him to look back over 2013 as a whole and make some … Continue reading →

Posted in Weather | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Maiden Name or Married Name?

Posted on 31/01/2014 by

Now, here’s a controversial topic. I usually stay off them on this blog, since nothing is more likely to get the green ink brigade going. However, this time I’m going to stick my head above the parapet. What’s the beef? … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, Rants | Tagged , , , , , | 21 Comments

Keeping Your Ear to the Ground in Rural France

Posted on 10/01/2014 by

  A reader recently bemoaned the fact that they had not heard in advance about an event on which I reported. I sympathise. Keeping up with what’s going on is not easy and, dare I say it, the French aren’t … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, Top tips | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

La Lune French Christmas Quiz 2013

Posted on 23/12/2013 by

I’ve compiled a French Christmas quiz every year since 2011. To see the others, click here. First, I’d like to wish all my readers a very happy festive season. Today we almost sat out to eat lunch under a cloudless … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, Quiz | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments