Bonjour and bienvenue!
Hope you had a good week. It’s still sunny and dry here where I am in the north of France, though yesterday morning we had a thick frost and the water was frozen in the hose pipe so I had to fetch buckets of water from the kitchen for the chickens, ducks and geese pens. My cat Hank Marvin He’s Always Starvin’ who has made a miraculous recovery from his kidney infection thinks it’s great that I walk up and down carrying buckets of water. He runs in and out of my feet nearly knocking me over and then sits at the gate watching. He won’t go in as he’s scared of the birds and besides, ‘Enry Cooper the boss cat rules the roosts – literally. He sleeps in the chicken pen sometimes and spends most of the day with them and chases other cats out, he’s like their enforcer!
On Monday it was Halloween, and for the first time since I’ve been here, a few kids in the village went trick or treating. They haven’t quite got the hang of the dressing up thing but they had put some lipstick on so I had to treat them for trying! ‘Enry Cooper rushes to the gate when anyone comes in, he hears it squeak on its rusty old hinges and races across the garden. Every day he follows the post lady back to her van, the bread lady to her truck and he loves children so he joined them on part of their Halloween jaunt round the village until they walked him back. I had to spare a thought for a lady who wrote to me from her home in Seattle where more than 1000 kids turned up for trick or treating after her street was featured on Google as being beautifully decorated and “Halloween friendly”. I don’t think I have to worry we’re going to reach that stage here in the middle of nowhere France any time soon.
Last week I was in Paris, I walked 15 miles in two days from Montmartre to the Louvre, from Notre-Dame to the Eiffel Tower and everywhere in between! I love to wander in the city, you get to feel the pulse of the place. There’s just so much to see it’s hard to fit it all in, and it doesn’t matter how many times I go to Paris, I always discover something new to fall in love with and something old to cherish. I put together my top ten for those who have just a short time in Paris or it’s their first time (below).
I’m busy working on Christmas features now and if you have any top tips for your favourite French Christmas market, feel free to drop me a line, I love to have recommendations!
Whatever you have planned for the weekend I wish you much fun and happiness,
Bisous from France
Janine
Editor
Don’t miss on the website this week:
Top Ten Paris Visits: From the sublime to the ravishing. I’m always being asked what should people go to see in Paris, especially for first time visits or when time is short, here are 10 must-sees.
5 minute French lesson: Learn how to drink wine like a local not a tourist in this fun video lesson!
Pain Perdu: A delicious snack using bread that makes a perfect snack that you can make at home really easily for a taste of France.
What to see in Nice: The town is famous for its beautiful beaches, old town and glamour, but here are two less well-known spots to take a relaxing break.
Hardelot: A tiny seaside resort on the Opal Coast of France that appeals to seaside connoisseurs with its chic town and spotless golden beaches, equestrian centre, Chateau of entente cordiale and a brand new Shakespearean theatre.
Reasons British property buyers love France: Despite Brexit, or perhaps because of it, Brits are buying property in France in record numbers. A recent poll by Leggett Immobillier who have just won the “Best Estate Agents in France” award for the 4th year running, looked at the top reasons that France is so appealing.
Pont d’Avignon – and the origins of the famous song about dancing on the bridge – a few surprises here!
