Annette Charlton | A French Collection

Violet Festival (Fête de la Violette), Toulouse

Violet Festival Fête de la Violette Toulouse

Each February the annual Violet Festival or Fête de la Violette is held at Toulouse. The city celebrates the violet flowering season with a series of events dedicated to its favourite flower and national emblem, the violet.

Violet Festival or Fête de la Violette at Toulouse

Toulouse is even called the 'City of the Violet'. The city is said to be the world capital of the violet flower and it's carried the emblem of the sweet purple flower for centuries.

The festival is centred around Toulouse's grandiose main square, the Place du Capitole. The grand capitole (city hall) has graced the square since around 1750 and with its elegant facade is a popular tourist location. The complex also includes the National Theatre of Toulouse and is the historic centre of the town.

Honfleur Museums

Honfleur Museums - Enter the artistic world of Honfleur

Honfleur is a stunning town centred around the Vieux-Bassin (old bassin) whose water is fed from its port at the mouth of the Seine Estuary. Famous for its timber-framed townhouses that reflect in the water when bathed in the glow of the morning sun, the town is very popular.

Honfleur has a rich maritime heritage that goes back to Roman times and offers loads of attractions to visitors. It's very easy to spend a day in Honfleur leisurely walking, browsing the craft shops and art galleries and relaxing in the harbour cafés. There's even the largest surviving wooden church in France, Église Sainte-Catherine, just a very short stroll from the Vieux-Bassin and main hub of restaurants and boutiques.

What’s on in May in France

Bonjour! May is a cracker of a month in France with loads of festivals to join in on and events to attend.

What's On in May in France

I’ve put together a bunch of them to help you make the most of this month if you’re in France, or you can save this post to help you plan for your next trip in May. Dates change a little each year with annual events, but a quick search on the internet will provide you with updated dates. (This post is published May 2024)

Right, let’s get straight into what’s on and where...

Easter Traditions in France

Les Traditions De Pâques

How is Easter celebrated in France and what are the Easter traditions that make "Pâques" (Easter in French) so special? Learn more about Easter food, the magic bells and what days are public holidays, together with what our family does at Easter time in France.

This important celebration and holiday on the French calendar is widely observed across the nation. Easter Good Friday commemorates Jesus Christ's crucifixion, Easter Sunday celebrates Jesus' resurrection, and the day after Easter Sunday is Easter Monday. This Monday is a public holiday in France.

France has some unusual Easter traditions that we'll take a better look at including magic flying bells, a disappearing bunny and a giant omelette.

French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe

Béarnaise Sauce Recipe

This Béarnaise sauce recipe goes well with fish, chicken or vegetable but it seems to naturally accompany steak best of all. You'll often get a little dish of homemade béarnaise sauce on the side when you order steak or chicken at a French café, so I thought you'd like to try this elegant version of béarnaise sauce. It's the result of trying a few different recipes and tweaking it to suit my cooking style.

Window flower boxes in Brittany

Stunning window flower boxes in Brittany

Pretty pink geraniums cascading from balcony window flower boxes is a classic image of Brittany that many travellers to France dream of seeing for themselves when touring the northwest. Mass planted and overflowing window flower boxes are both charming and romantic.

Geraniums are a timeless choice for window boxes as they are versatile plants that can grow in almost any location, and they come in a multitude of colours.

What I’m Loving #3

Here's my latest Amazon finds that I think you'll love from both small French brands and beautiful French inspired companies.

Influenced by my life in Brittany and the beautiful north-west of France, these products are carefully chosen to add joie de vivre to your life. Love your everyday with these lifestyle, home, garden and fashion finds.

Tapenade Recipe

Sitting at a cafe in Uzès, with a local cat for company, eating tapenade smeared on a fresh baguette with a cool glass of wine, is one of the sweetest memories I have of my time in the picturesque Provincial town of Uzès.

After spending the morning wandering around market stalls taste testing local cheese, smoked sausage and buying bed linens for our home, I found a seat in the sun and ordered a snack of tapenade. I love olives, black more than green, and add them to my portion of salads and pasta dishes. Not everyone loves olives in my home, especially my husband, who gets physically unwell after eating them. So tapenade is one of my indulgent snacks when holidaying or travelling on my own - especially when in France!

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Violet Festival (Fête de la Violette), Toulouse

Violet Festival or Fête de la Violette at Toulouse

Honfleur Museums

Honfleur Museums - Enter the artistic world of Honfleur

What’s on in May in France

What's On in May in France

Easter Traditions in France

Easter Traditions in France

Les Traditions De Pâques

French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe

Béarnaise Sauce Recipe

Window flower boxes in Brittany

Stunning window flower boxes in Brittany

What I’m Loving #3

Tapenade Recipe

Tapenade Recipe

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