The Good Life France Newsletter – from Aix-en-Provence

Bonjour

I hope that you and yours are well.

I’m sending you this newsletter from sunny Aix-en-Provence where I’m working hard to improve my French on a weeklong course – and what a fabulous place to learn, wonderful markets, amazing architecture, café lifestyle, museums, great gastronomy – this city is spectacular!

I’ve been chilling at home for several months, but my travel itinerary is now packed for the months ahead. Next, I’m off to Angers in the Loire, then the Var in the south of France, Tours in the Loire, southern Drome, then Normandy, Paris, Antibes and Aix again (for another language course), then Sancerre and Bourges in the Loire, Charente-Maritime and Cognac! You are welcome to come with me via Instagram where I’ll be posting videos and photos as I go!

The day before I headed to Aix, I nipped down the hill outside our house and up the hill past the little chapel on the other side of the village, to check in on Mr and Mrs Pepperpot, two of my favourite neighbours. That’s not their real name of course, that’s what I call them in my head as they are both very petite. They are also quite ancient, and the nicest people, generous natured and love to share stories of the old days in the village, like the time back in the ‘60’s when our farmhouse had a room built on the side to house a telephone for the use of the villagers – the sign is still there!

Mrs Pepperpot is an exceedingly good cook – she makes everything from scratch every day, all seasonal, local and fresh ingredients. She ushered me into the kitchen, and the aroma of just baked sugar tart was heavenly, a sort of sweet buttery brioche topped with oodles of sugar. I intended to stay for ten minutes, just to say hello, tell them I’d be back in a couple of weeks but if they needed anything Mark, (my husband) was there looking after all our animals.

As so often happens, Mrs Pepperpot insisted I have a coffee, then I must have a slice of sugar cake to go with it as we sat and chatted. Then suddenly it was l’heure d’apéro – time for an apéritif – and of course we can’t have a glass of wine without some nibbles, and I must call Mark to join us – and some hours later, we helped put the pepperpots’ cows to bed in the barn and made our way home as the sun began to dip behind the top of Mont Cauldron in the distance. Sometimes it feels like time passes so quickly we hardly have time to think, so many distractions, so much bad news, but at moments like this, time seems to slow down as you relish the seemingly small things of daily life that the French call art de vivre, the art of the good life, cherishing moments spent with friends, relishing a slow glass of wine, noticing the setting sun and appreciating nature – that time is truly priceless.

I wish you a bon weekend and many moments of art de vivre,

Wishing you a very happy April Fool’s Day and Easter from the middle of nowhere, northern France,
Bisous
Janine
Editor

Read the whole newsletter here

Don’t miss the weekly newsletter which every week brings you inspiration from France

It’s easy to subscribe if you don’t want to miss my weekly newsletters of musings from France and a round-up of fab features, plus exclusive random newsletter giveaways. Just click here, type in your email address and click subscribe: Subscribe