Bon weekend from a bit Christmassy France

Bonjour!

I hope that you and yours are well.

Last week my little bit of northern France was unusually busy. We had heaps of snow, the first time our four pups have seen it. And they loved it – they bounced about in the soft powder, and even better as far as they were concerned, was when it melted. They love to run through muddy puddles and ponds. And on Sunday I had to call the pompiers – the firemen – on account of the electrical supply box into our house catching fire. They were brilliant, a big shout out to pompiers Johnny, Tony, Julien and Bertrand who came to our rescue – thankfully no lasting damage, though my heart did a flip!

News travels quickly here and the fire engine outside our house has clearly been a topic of conversation with our neighbours. Bread Man, who lives several villages away, arrived on Monday to deliver our baguettes. He opened the side window of his little van to reveal a display of colourful chocolatey büches de Noêl (yule log) cakes “hazelnut and milk chocolate – irresistible, dark chocolate and Grand Marnier – my wife’s favourite, Kir-soaked cherries and chocolate – this will get you in the Christmas spirit” he grinned (and if you want to make a büche de Noêl at home, there’s a recipe below). Then “So what were the pompiers here for then?” No beating about the bush. You can’t keep a secret in a rural village in France.

In return for my story, he shared another bit of news – two villages away, their mayor had put up a Christmas tree outside the town hall, with still almost three weeks to go until Christmas. Oh la la. This is unheard of for the Valleys where I live. Normally a week before – or less – no sooner. No one knows why. This is just how it is done. And things don’t change quickly around here. “Mark my words” he said, “they’ll all be doing it now, all the mayors, they’ll all be putting their trees up.”

The next day we walked our dogs. Down the steep hill outside our street door. Past the house of Madame Bernadette whose yappy Jack Russell D’Artagnan dashed out of her barn to greet us followed by Madame Bernadette telling him he was naughty and bidding us bonjour. Across the road leading to the fields where the dogs love to run and chase deer, hare and pheasant (and never ever catch them). Past the tiny town hall which 100 years and more ago was the village school.

“Look!” said my husband Mark, and I turned my head to look at the town hall, and there, right in the front of it on the village green, where we helped our neighbours build a boules pitch several years ago, was a tall Christmas tree. Almost three weeks early. We burst into fits of laughter which made the dogs bark, sounding like they were in on the joke.

This is the level of thrills we have here – and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Bisous from Epernay in Champagne from where I am sending this newsletter to you this week! You can come with me via Instagram (@thegoodlifefrance)

Janine
Editor

Read the whole newsletter and see this week’s top feature and recipe picks

Janine Marsh is Author of My Good Life in France: In Pursuit of the Rural Dream, My Four Seasons in France: A Year of the Good Life and Toujours la France: Living the Dream in Rural France all available as ebook, print & audio, on Amazon everywhere & all good bookshops online. Her new book How to be French – a celebration of the French lifestyle and art de vivre, is out now – a look at the French way of life.

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