France + All Things French
All Saints’ Day in France is locally known as “Toussaint” which is the contraction of “Tous les Saints”, meaning “All The Saints” in English. All Saints’ Day is a Catholic tradition of honouring the dead. This solemn event that stops the national takes place in Autumn on the 1st of November and is a national public holiday. All Saints’ Day officially starts at sundown the evening before, which is called All Hallow’s Eve.
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Thinking of buying property in France? Then you’ll need to go house hunting to find your perfect dream property. Whether that’s a petite maison, manoir, château or possible commercial property, such as a gîte or chambre d’hôte, you’ll most likely need to work with local real estate agents.
Buying a property at any time takes time, research, property inspections and of course the usual load of paperwork. Undertaking an international purchase, whether to live full-time or part-time involves all this plus a hefty dose of courage and persistence.
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In our series of small towns that belong to the Association of Petites Cités de Caractère (Small Towns of Character) of Brittany, we have already explored Bécherel, Bazouges-la-Pérouse, Chateaugiron and Chatelaudren. Now lets explore Pontrieux and Pont-Croix and the best things to do in these towns and oh my goodness you’ll love them, they are so pretty.
First the stunning colourful town literally overflowing with flowers, Pontrieux. I love this town which is one of the 22 Small Towns of Character in Brittany and also the holder of the prestigious title of being a “4 flower” village.
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Ever wondered what living in France is like as an expat or part-time expat?
Well, I got the chance to share my thoughts on this and what’s happening over here in France at the moment during a series of interviews on ABC 1233 Newcastle radio with their delightful host, Paul Bevan.
House Sitting and Pet Minding In FranceHave you ever wondered what house sitting or pet minding in France is like? House sitting is popular among Francophiles who want to live like a local while minding an empty house or taking care of pets. It is a cost effective way of travelling with the main cost of accommodation being free. Lodging, the use of a car and sometimes food is part of the arrangement.
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Janine Marsh’s book ‘My Good Life in France: In Pursuit of the Rural Dream’ is a true account of one woman finding her place as “a successful expat in France”.
Janine introduces us to her story in the early pages by setting out the three distinct categories that she feels expats fall into. There are “the Retirees, the Escapees and the Lifestyle Changees”. Of this last group many are just a little bit mad, often leaving a comfortable life at home surrounded by jobs, family and friends to start up new lives often with no jobs, no family and possibly only the hint of a new career. Janine puts herself firmly in this last group and openly admits that she may be a bit mad also.
Do you run out of toilet paper at your home? We do. That is, we do at home in Australia but not at home in France. In fact, in France we have way too much loo paper. Why this anomaly you are wondering?
Well, it all started nine years ago. Yep, that’s right we have had too much loo paper for nine years in France.
Have you heard of the French term ‘petite city of character’ or ‘small town of character’ – Petite Cité de Caractère? Some rural and urban towns with a strong history and heritage in Brittany, France are part of the Petite Cité de Caractère de Bretagne Association (Small Towns of Character Association).
Do you love French small towns that overflow with colourful flower boxes, narrow cobblestone streets and quaint half-timbered homes? Well, you are not alone. France welcomed over 89 million visitors in 2017 and many of these tourists head into the countryside to experience the history, architecture and cuisine of the numerous smaller towns and villages.
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