So long, farewell…
Hello from somewhere other than the French Alps. Above is a pic I took of my husband in March, unaware it would be our final day skiing in La Clusaz for the foreseeable future. And what an awesome day it …
Hello from somewhere other than the French Alps. Above is a pic I took of my husband in March, unaware it would be our final day skiing in La Clusaz for the foreseeable future. And what an awesome day it …
For those of us living in France, village church bells are part of every day life. Mine start at 8am and chime every half hour until 10pm. On Sunday mornings, we have the ‘get to church’ melodic bells at 8.30. …
Why the bells rang at 7.30pm all over France tonight Read more »
Here’s a roundabout in Annecy which the infamous Gilets Jaunes (‘Yellow Vests’) have regularly camped by. It’s a bit of a paradox, and I’ll explain why in a moment. Back in late 2018, the Gilets Jaunes movement gained popularity throughout …
“Fermeture exceptionnelle” is a phrase that everyone who lives in France is familiar with. Literally, it means “Exceptional closure” — a one-off, unexpected business closure, but there’s absolutely nothing exceptional about it. Why? Because every business seems to unexpectedly close …
Living in France when you don’t speak French can be isolating — and of course, frustrating. Cultural differences simply add to the confusion, and the first few years in France can be challenging on many levels (let’s not even mention …
Pavlova has always been a contentious subject for us ‘Antipodeans’. Us Australians say we created it. New Zealanders say the same. It all started when famous Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, visited both countries during the 1920s. Pavlovas, or ‘pavs’ as …
France has really embraced veganism lately. It’s like French people skipped the whole vegetarian stepping stone and went whole hog (minus the hog), and they seem to be sticking to it. It’s grown so much that it takes up almost …
Winter of 2018 was one of the snowiest for a long time, and the excess snow on the high mountain passes took a few more weeks to clear than usual. The result, as each one opens, is a spectacular mix …
Once upon a time, a girl from a far-away place found herself in a strange land, so she began to learn the language and the customs, and she wrote a blog about the experience. She had heard of this village …
Many of us have a love affair with France. We love the chic French clothes, the indulgent French food and the poetic softness of the French language. French kissing? No coincidence there either. However, French advertisements sometimes let the side …