Are We French Yet? Book Review

Are We French Yet? is the latest book by popular author and part time Frenchman Keith Van Sickle who explores in his unique and humorous way, what his friends call “living the dream”.  Is living part time between sun drenched California and the wine regions of southern France really living the dream?  Well, as Keith and Val have found out, yes it really is!

Keith, a technology industry veteran and lifelong traveler has just released his second book on living in France, and particularly in Provence, as an American expat.   Are We French Yet? follows his highly successful book One Sip At A Time on learning to live in Provence through the eyes of a foreigner trying to adjust to ‘the French way’, often with amusing results.

Are We French Yet – Keith & Val’s Adventures in Provence

Are We French Yet – Keith & Val’s Adventures in Provence is an easy and entertaining book taking the reader on a journey from when Keith and Val first toyed with the idea of living in France, quit their secure jobs, started learning French and rented a home near St-Rémy-de-Provence for three months.  Fast forwarding years later and many return trips to France, they have explored living in the towns of Avignon and Aix-en-Provence but now return to St-Rémy-de-Provence (where it all began), each spring.

Place Favier in St-Rémy-de-Provence, France

Keith truly transports the reader into everyday experiences in his lighthearted and breezy recounts of French strikes, muzzle salad (when a salad from a butcher is not really a salad), the importance of knowing your classic French literature and the strict etiquette on entering a doctor’s surgery.

Meeting new people and making friends is undoubtably one of the many pleasures of traveling to new countries and Keith and Val have a long list of these.  Take Marie-France who creates tasty appetisers and endless food, Jacques the wine buff, Sophie the vibrant language partner and Xavier.   From our own experience making strong friendships creates a strong tie to France, but also makes the parting more difficult each trip.  This is the same for Keith and Val as they express…

“What’s the best thing about living in France?  The people we’ve met.  It’s been by far the best part of our French experience.  While we miss the food and the countryside and the joie de vivre when we’re away from Provence,  what we miss most are the friends we’ve made.  We wish we could stuff them in our suitcases and bring them back to California with us.”

Resonating with me particularly is the way in which France has shaped the way Keith and Val look upon life.  For example, being okay with living with less “stuff” is something that they say has liberated them and is a direct result of happily living out of suitcases during their French sojourns.

Becoming French in Provence

I love that this book is bursting with the adventures of Keith, and also his partner in all things, and wife, Val.   Moving to a new country, adjusting to a fluid lifestyle of living between America and France and learning French are just some of the challenges this couple have conquered together.  Competantly learning a foreign language at any age can be daunting but to do so in your 40s and 50s is especially an achievement.  Well done Keith and Val – may you inspire many more readers to achieve their dream of speaking French also!

Keith and Val at Vauvenargue

Making her first appearance in this book is Mica their canine companion who bursts onto the scene enjoying cafés, hiking picturesque trails and picnics.  Mica now accompanies Keith and Val on their stays in Provence and adjusts quickly into French dog life after her long flights.  What a lucky dog!

I am sure you will love Keith’s new book Are We French Yet? – Keith and Val’s Adventures in Provence.

And of course if you haven’t yet read One Sip At A Time – Learning to Live in Provence then I recommend this entertaining book also.

To buy Keith’s books and read more of his articles on Life in Provence check out his website and newsletters.