Bonjour to you all and a huge welcome to all our new subscribers, it’s great to meet you.
The last couple of weeks have been crazy busy for me, I’ve been travelling around France, seen some amazing places, had a few adventures and I’m now busy writing up all my stories to share with you.
I love travelling but it’s always good to be home and get the welcome committee barking, meowing, quacking, honking and clucking when they see me trundle in through the gate. And if you’re wondering if I have a very strange family, well yes I do – 6 cats, 3 dogs, 4 geese, 18 ducks and 22 chickens!
Tonight (I’m writing this on Friday 29th May) I’m going to a party at my neighbour’s house because its La Fete des Voisin (neighbourhood day). It’s quite a new tradition in France, started in 1999 in Paris’s 17th arrondissement, by Athanse Périfan, a Paris councillor. He was shocked after he found that an elderly neighbour had passed away in his apartment block and was not found for several months. He set up the Fete des Voisins to encourage neighbours to get to know one another. It’s now a really well-liked annual event and it’s estimated that 8 million people took park last year in France – I think this year it might be even more popular.
In my little village of 142 people you might think it isn’t necessary to get together for such an event. But, even though there are so few of us, many are farmers working incredibly long, hard hours with no energy for socialising and people work away from home. We were going to meet in the garden of my lovely Belgian neighbours but its pouring with rain so we are now moving the venue to the garage of my favourite French neighbours. There will be no excuses for not talking to each other or getting on famously since we will all be rather squashed together!
Whatever you’re doing this weekend, where ever you are, I wish you a very bon weekend
Best wishes
Janine
Editor
This week’s top features:
Where Kings once went to give a heart of gold for good luck: The Crypt of the Basilica of Notre Dame in Boulogne-sur-Mer is opened to the public after seven years of restoration, it is the biggest in France and absolutely magnificent…
Brittany Ferries make France easy AND affordable with their economie fleet as a new ship joins the service…
Lyon – the southern French city with an intoxicating, split personality medieval, modern and mad!
The Chateau de Moulin le Comte: Meet a Belgian airline worker whose obsession with castles has led to a dream come true as he becomes Lord of the Manor with his very own Chateau in Aire-sur-la-Lys, northern France.
The Best of France with Travanto – if you’re looking for rentals in France at really competitive prices in all areas, this company might just be perfect for you.
What’s Up Paris? 5 New things to discover for culture lovers….
The Louvre Paris – facts, art and tickets…
Paris postcard: Porte Saint-Denis, an arch to rival any in Paris…
Tapestries with stories to tell: The Aubusson Tapestry Museum, a magnificent legacy…
Saignnon Provence, photo of the week and it’s a corker!
Win a copy of Flirting with French – a brilliantly funny book by William Alexandra
Lille 2015 Art Programme – culture vultures will be blown away by what’s on offer…
Create your own Tour de France with MyFerryLink – they’re offering free travel for cyclists in June on their Dover-Calais route, what are you waiting for…. va va voom!
Thank you so much for all your comments, likes and shares on Facebook, RTs and shares on Twitter, Pins on Pinterest and Shares and Comments on Google+ – I really do appreciate your support…
