Annette Charlton | A French Collection

Moncontour-de-Bretagne – Perfectly Picturesque

Moncontour-de-Bretagne

Our family has always loved Moncontour as it was one of the numerous towns we explored on the first Christmas holidays we spent in France after buying our home. There's more to see and love about Moncontour-de-Bretagne than first meets the eye, so read on and find out more about this perfectly picturesque town in Brittany.

Perfectly Picturesque Moncontour-de-Bretagne

Moncontour-de-Bretagne is a fortified town perched on a rocky escarpment at the meeting of two small rivers in the Côtes d'Armor region of northwestern Brittany (department 22). It is between the two other charming towns of Lamballe and Saint-Brieuc (one of my closest major town centres).

A Guide to Mont-Saint Michel Abbey

What do you think of when someone mentions the region of Normandy? Do you imagine the world famous Mont-Saint Michel with its high rock dwellings, fluctuating tides and peaceful grazing sheep. And why not, it's a stunning site that draws many people to Normandy.

The people of the Middle Ages believed that Mont-Saint Michel was a representation of the heavenly Jerusalem on earth, an image of Paradise. I think many of us would agree that photos of the sun setting on the Mount or grazing sheep upon the marshes still looks a bit like Paradise!

A French Collection Podcast Is Launched

Announcing the Launch of our New Podcast 'A French Collection'

And so after much procrastinating and rumination, I've finally done what I've been talking to my inner circle about for ages, and launched the podcast of A French Collection.

If you, like me, love to listen to Podcasts and audio books while you drive or take your daily exercise, then our podcast is for you. Listening on the go about living in France, travel discussions, interviews with authors and special guests, book reviews and more, our podcast will save you reading time and entertain you.

New 2021 Trends in Purchasing Property in France

New 2021 Trends in Purchasing Property in France

Are you thinking of purchasing property in France and wondering if the pandemic has affected the property market? Have you been wondering what the new trends are for 2021? We wanted to find out more also, so we chatted with Joanna Leggett, Marketing Director at Leggett Immobilier, the leading international estate agency in France. Joanna tells us how buyer demands have shifted due to the pandemic and where the new “hot spots” are in France.

How the Pandemic is Shaping Demand

"Wealthy investors see lasting life changes after Covid-19" was the headline to a research paper published by UBS Wealth Management recently. The report shows how buyer needs have shifted dramatically and helps us gaze into the crystal ball, to see what is in store for the French property market in the coming years. Three quarters of those polled said that they anticipate permanent lifestyle shifts and, of course, property is central to how this change will be implemented.

French Onion Soup Recipe

After writing our last post on the 'Onion Johnny' of Brittany, it seemed only fitting to write a post on the delicious and traditional soup - French onion soup. Whether you belong to the camp of crediting the creation of onion soup to Paris or the camp that believes it to be a Lyonnais invention, this recipe will satisfy your hunger.

We will also put aside for a moment the debate on when to add the bread, and whether the onions are coarsely sliced or puréed, and say that this recipe is one option (it has been inspired by a number of different recipes I've tried), and it has proved to be a mouth-watering winter option at our house as my boys have grown older. I hope you enjoy it also!

Onion Johnny of Brittany

Onion Johnnies making their deliveries. Pic: La Maison des Johnnies et L'Oignon de Roscoff

A Breton Tradition - The Onion Johnny

Have you ever heard of an 'Onion Johnny'? It's the name given to Breton farmers and agricultural labourers who travelled on bicycles selling the distinctive pink onions grown in Brittany to their neighbours in Great Britain. Onion Johnnies went door to door selling their fresh produce to anyone who would buy.

Tying the strings of onions to their bikes allowed them freedom to travel about wherever they could make sales and they were a regular sight on the streets of Britain. Travelling from the Channel ports they even made their way regularly to Orkneys and the Shetlands high up north.

The strings were securely tied to their bikes and because they weighed kilos the strings needed to be strong. There is a system to tying the onions on the string with the onions plaited into a tress, in order of size. The largest onion at the end is referred to as penn kapiten – the Captain.

Rodin Museum – Why This Is the Most Beautiful Museum in Paris

Musée Rodin, Hôtel Biron, 7th Arrondissement, Paris

Musée Rodin is a sophisticated museum housed in a pretty 18th century chateau called Hôtel Biron on rue de Varenne in the 7^th arrondissement. Surrounded by elegant dwellings, lush private gardens and foreign embassies, this museum has to be my favourite, as is the arrondissement it lives in.

Peaceful reflection is the norm in the sculpture garden and hushed admiration of the art works within the walls of Hôtel Biron is how I would describe the vibe of visitors to this museum.

There is so much to share with you about this museum. The history involving evicted nuns no less; perfectly designed gardens; paintings, and sculptures including The Thinker, The Gates of Hell and Balzac; and the architecturally magnificent Hôtel Biron. Let's find out why the Rodin Museum is the most beautiful museum in Paris.

The Thinker by Auguste Rodin – Rodin Museum

The Thinker by Auguste Rodin - Rodin Museum, Paris

The Thinker is a famous sculpture by French sculptor François Auguste René that is part of the collection of Rodin sculptures at the Rodin Museum ( Musée Rodin) in Paris.

The Rodin Museum is located in a classic 18th-century mansion called Hôtel Biron, which is nestled just behind Les Invalides in the 7th arrondissement. The elegant, two-story hôtel particulier overlooks seven acres of manicured lawns, rose gardens, and sculptures by Rodin dotted amongst rows of perfectly-pruned trees.

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Moncontour-de-Bretagne – Perfectly Picturesque

Moncontour-de-Bretagne

A Guide to Mont-Saint Michel Abbey

A French Collection Podcast Is Launched

Announcing the Launch of our New Podcast 'A French Collection'

New 2021 Trends in Purchasing Property in France

New 2021 Trends in Purchasing Property in France

How the Pandemic is Shaping Demand

French Onion Soup Recipe

French Onion Soup Recipe

Onion Johnny of Brittany

A Breton Tradition - The Onion Johnny

Rodin Museum – Why This Is the Most Beautiful Museum in Paris

Musée Rodin, Hôtel Biron, 7th Arrondissement, Paris

The Thinker by Auguste Rodin – Rodin Museum

The Thinker by Auguste Rodin - Rodin Museum, Paris

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