Bon weekend from France – a strange encounter

Bonjour,

I hope that you and yours are well.

I’m thrilled to share with you the latest issue of The Good Life France Magazine – the Spring 2026 issue – it’s bigger and better than ever, and as always totally free to read, and subscribe to:

The Good Life France Magazine Spring 2026

In this issue, head to the south of France – to Uzès, a medieval time warp town, and to arty Biot and gorgeous Mougins on the French Riviera, Marseille – France’s capital of cool, the ‘secret Provence – Drôme, and Occitanie. Go north to discover the fairy tale ‘smallest town in France’ – Gerberoy in Picardy, to Normandy, Paris, Brittany and Burgundy. Explore less well-known regions like Allier, Isere and the Auvergne. Find out what travel trends are predicted for France this year. Destination, history and culture features, guides, recipes and much, much more… And if you like it, please feel free to share the magazine – that’s free too!

Spring officially starts next week but it already feels like it’s here in the north of France – the rose bushes are leafy, the hedgerows are blooming with wildflowers – primroses, violets, crocuses and even a few early blue bells! The birds are out singing from dawn to dusk. And the village is bursting into life, preparing for the annual Le Touquet Paris-Plage car rally in a few weeks’ time, which races along the winding lanes of the Seven Valleys where I live.

I must tell you about a strange thing that happened last week. The phone rang and when I answered, it was an excitable delivery man. “I’m in the next village along with a parcel for you” he said. “Ok” I replied, “we will await you.”

“No, I can’t get to you” he said “there is a roadblock, and I am standing on the wrong side of it. Can you come and get the package from me here.”

It seemed odd, but we (me and my husband Mark) hopped in our little Citroen Berlingo van (the must-have for country life in France) and drove to the next village along. The roadblock was due to tree felling in progress. There were several workmen there, eating cake and drinking coffee contemplating the trees they’d chopped in a field next to the road.

“Stop” said one of them as we approached the sign.

“But I need to get over there to get a package from that delivery man you can see on the other side of the barrier,” said Mark. “I can just walk there, I’ll be careful.”

“Non, non, non,” said the man. “Too dangerous” he shook his head and blew his cheeks out to emphasise the possible disaster that could befall someone who tried to walk that bit of the road.

Meanwhile the delivery man was calling “coucou, coucou” – he wasn’t imitating a cuckoo – it’s a friendly greeting – we know him quite well!

“Wait there” said the tree feller fella.

He called to one of his mates and told him to go and get the package from the delivery man. He did.

Our man then went to the middle of the closed road section and took delivery from his mate and delivered it to us.

It felt as if we were in the middle of a spy swap scene in a film. We thanked him, waved to the delivery man and went home. And if you’re wondering what was inside because after all this it must have been something super important right? It was a piping bag nozzle as we are really getting into cake making this year!

Wishing you a bon weekend from quirky France
Bisous
Janine
Editor

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