It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here in France! Inflated Santa’s swinging from window sills, chimney pots and doors, twinkling lights in the streets and squares all over France and of course the wonderful French Christmas markets.
If you need to order any great British goodies in time for Christmas Day like mince pies and Christmas pudding – don’t forget to place your orders with expat supermarket favourite British Corner Shop by 11th December to ensure that you receive supplies in time!
We’ve been out and about as usual – meeting a wonderful British artist who lives in a tranquil village where she creates her stunning gold leaf on vellum art – the fabulous Isabelle Brent…
We also met a lady who followed a dream of living the good life in France and who has found in her village in France the community spirit she remembers from her childhood in native New Zealand. She and her partner love their downsized lifestyle in France after busy London careers but it’s not always easy as she told us…
We reviewed Susie Kelly’s latest book “Swallows and Robins – The Guests In My Garden” – the story of her arrival in France and attempts to be a gite landlady – it is absolutely hilarious and would make the perfect stocking filler this Christmas!
We’ve had tons of news snippets – from a mountain in France which will survive the much predicted end of the world on 21/12/12 (according to the Mayan Calendar!) to a chateau which was demolished by dodgy builders who misunderstood the remit…
Our partner radio Paris Chanson chose two iconic French music stars for us to feature – Dario Moreno and Jeanne Moreau – if you want to brush up your French cultural knowledge – you won’t do much better than to read our expanding music section…
We’ve been investigating whether France is still on the radars of those looking for second homes or to retire overseas – and it is! Despite Eurozone jitters and tax increase worries France remains the ultimate good life destination. If you’re one of those hankering after a home here – The France Show in London will have thousands of property details at the January exhibition – get your tickets for just £6.00 instead of the usual £13.00 with The Good Life France – see you there!
I’ve been busy blogging away about dinner chez the neighbours (a very strange evening), the fabulous Hareng Roi – the Herring Festival at Etaples-sur-Mer – a fabulous and authentic festival celebrating Etaples’ sea fishing heritage and the perils of trying to speak French when you can’t! You’ll also find a bit about my charismatic and cheeky cat ‘Enry Cooper and the first of my Christmas in France market visits – one very rural in lovely Hucqueliers in the Seven Valleys and an artisans Christmas market in gorgeous Montreuil-sur-Mer.
Finally – we know that many of you are planning or dreaming of going to the Christmas markets in France – we’ve got an ever expanding section from the Paris Christmas Market to Le Touquet Paris-Plage Christmas Market which is nowhere near Paris!
We’ve got tons of great features, information articles, news, real life experience stories and photographs coming so keep in touch with us with our regular Facebook and Twitter updates…
A bientôt
Janine
