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Pontrieux – A Beautiful French Village

Pontrieux is A Beautiful French Village in Brittany

France is famous for its beautiful towns and villages often with cobbled streets, overflowing flower boxes, medieval buildings and quaint stores.

Touring through beautiful towns and villages is part of the appeal of visiting France but when planning a trip, how do you decide which towns to visit? Often it comes down to recommendations by others or personal research.

When on our house buying trip in 2009 we inspected a house in the village of Pontrieux, and ever since this town has been a favourite of mine. Here’s more on why we love this town and what you might like to see when visiting Pontrieux – Best Things To Do In Pontrieux and Pont-Croix, France

Château Gudanes – Australian Couple Restore A French Château

Top Things To Do in Pontrieux and Pont-Croix, France

Claude Monet’s Hometown Giverny – What to See & Do

Claude Monet’s Garden at Giverny, France

Angelina – The Best Hot Chocolate in Paris

Combourg -The Hometown of François René de Chateaubriand

5 Top French Bloggers Tell Why They Love France

Why do you love France? Maybe it’s the romantic appeal of beautiful towns and villages, the proud French people and their traditions, mouth-watering food, historical buildings and gardens, priceless art or diverse landscapes? Or maybe its simply the appeal of sunshine, long lunches and a carefree life.

Everyone’s love affair with France starts differently and to showcase that I asked my five favourite French bloggers/writers to share with us what they love most about France and how they share their passion with others. You’ll see they share their love of France through publishing magazines, writing books, leading tour groups, running gîtes and online shops. Each story is different and engaging.

You will be fascinated at how their love affair of France has changed their work and personal lives. So let’s meet them and read what each has to say …

Mother’s Day 2018 French Inspired Gift Guide

2018 French Inspired Mother’s Day Gift Guide

With Mother’s Day just around the corner here in Australia and celebrated a bit later in France it is time to find that perfect gift and spoil your special mum.

This post has been updated as some products are no longer available.

Whether your mum is a Francophile, has travelled to France or dreams of a trip to the City of Romance, you will love the wonderful collection of French inspired gifts we have put together.

But You Are In France Madame: Book Review

But You Are In France Madame by Catherine Berry

“One family, three children, five bags and the promise of adventure living in the French Alps”

Australian Catherine Berry dreamt of experiencing life like a local in France with her husband and three children which, after much planning, she did for four years and has now written about in her delightful book, ‘But you are in France Madame’.

With suitcases packed this family of five jumped on a flight to Paris that would change the course of their lives forever.

What Living in France Means To An English Expat

What Living In France Means To An English Expat

Moving from a comfy English farmhouse in Devon to an old stone barn that needed major repair deep in the French countryside is a big move that could’ve ended badly. But for English expat couple Helen and Merv, it has given them the quiet, rural life they dreamed of and much more.

When I catch up with Helen and Merv on my trips to France, I am always in awe of the beautiful way they describe the benefits they’ve experienced since moving to rural France.

When You Wish Upon A French Lavoir

What is a French lavoir?

“When you wish upon a star, or in this case when you wish upon a French lavoir.”

A lavoir is a public wash house or communal washing place found in many French villages often with a fountain.

These places can be generously decorated with flowers and are usually well maintained by locals and councils. They vary from the very simple to the quite grand. Many were built in the 19^th century when bringing water to a village was considered a priority for village inhabitants and farmers. Built around natural water sources like springs or rivers and often with roofs for shelter, they were the focal point of village life. Many are also located directly beside rivers or lakes like the photographed above in central France.

Chambord – The French Liqueur of Louis XIV

Chambord – The French Black Raspberry Liqueur of Louis XIV

Is Chambord a liqueur or perfume? Looking at the prettily shaped bottle with its fancy gold stopper you could be excused in thinking that it’s a large bottle of costly perfume, but it is a French liqueur with royal origins, no less. The bottle design had not changed in nearly three decades until 1984 when the redesign allowed for an easier grip, longer neck for better pouring and a flat bottle top. The flat top was designed to appear like a raspberry made of jewels and replaced the ornate crown design.

Deportation Memorial Île de la Cité, Paris

Have you visited the Mèmorial des Martyrs de la Deportation on Île de la Cité, Paris?

While you may be aware of the numerous big name and famous sites of Île de la Cité, Paris, did you also know it is home to the lesser known but also important Deportation Memorial?

Deportation Memorial or the Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation

This Memorial commemorates the 200,000 French citizens that died in Nazi concentration camps. Can you believe it – 200,000? If you’ve missed this memorial or didn’t even know about it, don’t be too hard on yourself – it is not always included in walking guides or widely advertised like its other big name island sites such as Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, Marché aux fleurs, Conciergerie and two of my favourite places in Paris, Place Dauphine and Square du Vert Galant.

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Pontrieux – A Beautiful French Village

Pontrieux is A Beautiful French Village in Brittany

Related Posts

Château Gudanes – Australian Couple Restore A French Château

Top Things To Do in Pontrieux and Pont-Croix, France

Claude Monet’s Hometown Giverny – What to See & Do

Claude Monet’s Garden at Giverny, France

Angelina – The Best Hot Chocolate in Paris

Combourg -The Hometown of François René de Chateaubriand

5 Top French Bloggers Tell Why They Love France

5 Top French Bloggers Tell Why They Love France

Mother’s Day 2018 French Inspired Gift Guide

2018 French Inspired Mother’s Day Gift Guide

But You Are In France Madame: Book Review

But You Are In France Madame by Catherine Berry

What Living in France Means To An English Expat

What Living In France Means To An English Expat

When You Wish Upon A French Lavoir

What is a French lavoir?

Chambord – The French Liqueur of Louis XIV

Chambord – The French Black Raspberry Liqueur of Louis XIV

Deportation Memorial Île de la Cité, Paris

Deportation Memorial or the Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation

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