Bonjour from France!
I’ve sort of been on holiday for a week though there are no lazy lie-ins for me. Across the road my neighbours have a baby cockerel that has just learned to crow. Every morning as soon as the sun starts to rise he screeches at the top of his voice setting all the other cockerels off in all the gardens and farmyards around, the sound echoes round the valleys like a crazy concert. My cockerel Kendo Nagasaki (he is an oriental breed from Japan), is beside himself over this. Previously holder of the largest cock-a-doodle-doo (or cocorico in French) in the village he now has competition and is practicing all day long.
The weather has been mixed, some days brilliant sunshine, others fine rain and even torrential rain at times. I went to Lille this week to take some summer in the city photos, the weather forecast looked so promising, but when I got there it rained so hard I decided to spend the day in the museums (there are lots of them so that’s easy) then drink champagne in the rain under a big umbrella – with hundreds of cafés and bars in the old city you’re spoiled for choice. Lille is perfect for a day out come rain or shine! Which reminds me to tell you that the Lille Braderie has been cancelled this year for security reasons – it’s so sad and there are mixed feelings about it here in France.
Where ever you are, I wish you a very bon weekend and happy reading of the great new features on the website… and don’t forget, it’s a national holiday in France on Monday 15 August!
Bisous from France
Janine
Editor
Don’t miss this week:
The Champagne growers town you can taste – between Reims and Epernay is a beautiful village that’s filled with Champagne domains that are open to the public (and it’s so easy to reach by train!)…
The island in France where you’ll meet a giant elephant and other fairy tale like creatures!
Sarlat Dordogne in photos – this beautiful town has kept its olde worlde charm in an astonishing way thanks to it being pretty much cut off for two centuries from the 1700’s when roads by passed it…
Aires-sur-la-Lys, the relaxing destination in northern France for all the family.
Scrumptious recipe for chocolate orange truffles but beware – they’re very more-ish!
What to see and do in Avignon – a petite guide to the sights you must see in this lovely Provencal town…
What to see and do in Vannes, Brittany – one of the foodie secrets of France, this lovely, ancient Breton town is well worth a visit.
10 reasons to visit Arras, Hauts de France – fabulous architecture, wonderful markets and shops, great restaurants and one of the friendliest towns in France…
Congratulations to Nils Jakob who won the two tickets to the Sound & Light Show in Avignon and to Eva Ratihandayani who won the 6 month French language course with Frantastique and to Terri Brown who won two Cote d’Azur passes! We’ve got loads of contests coming up in every issue of The Good Life France magazine
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