Art & Culture | A French Collection

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.

Annette Charlton

Annette lives with her family between their homes in France and Australia. She’s been featured in International magazines including French Property News, on numerous blogs and travel websites and appeared on ABC National Radio. You can connect on Instagram or Facebook.

www.afrenchcollection.com

French House Chic by Jane Webster

Jane Webster the amazing and courageous Australian who swapped her suburban Melbourne life to that of château owner in rural Normandy, France has just released her elegant new book French House Chic.

French House Chic is described as “a glimpse inside the most private of French residences: from supremely elegant Parisian apartments to lavishly upholstered sitting rooms in French country estates” (French House Chic) and is a natural sequel to Jane’s bestselling books At My French Table and French Ties.

Annette Charlton

www.afrenchcollection.com

Curious Histories of Provence: Book Review

Curious Histories of Provence: Tales from the South of France

A book about magical Provence …

Fair warning to all of you who might be history buffs or inquisitive readers, the latest book by Margo Lestz ‘Curious Histories of Provence’ will draw you into its pages of historical facts, legends and traditions and keep you wanting to learn more. You’ll want to head to France to explore Provence, the land of sunny days and quaint villages armed with the stories and histories that shaped the area.

Annette Charlton

www.afrenchcollection.com

The Little Breton Bistro: Book Review

The Little Breton Bistro is set in Brittany

Do you love sitting in French bistros watching the world go by or wonder about the lives of the other bistro patrons? Well, the book The Little Breton Bistro by Nina George features a quirky bistro set in Brittany, together with a mixture of unique but believable characters.

On the lookout for a book to take away recently I came across The Little Breton Bistro, the new book of Nina George, the author of The Little Paris Bookshop. As I enjoyed The Little Paris Bookshop with its unusual and sensitive characters I was sure I would also enjoy this book about my favourite part of France, Brittany.

Annette Charlton

www.afrenchcollection.com

French Film Festival 2017 – Film Reviews

Have you ever done a movie marathon? Do you think it means numerous films one after the other or just a lot of films over a short period of time? The French Film Festival was my movie marathon this year.

This year I decided to go to every film of the Newcastle Alliance Français Film Festival. So without checking what the films were about I purchased tickets for every film and hoped for the best! My weekend was free as my husband took our two boys away for a sporting event, so with time to myself I attended each movie with just enough time between films to catch a bite to eat for lunch and dinner.

Annette Charlton

www.afrenchcollection.com

One Sip At A Time: Book Review

“Every man has two countries – his own and France.” Thomas Jefferson

“A walk in Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty and the point of life.” Thomas Jefferson

Living in France is a dream of many Francophiles but few get to enjoy the reality of it. Keith Van Sickle and his wife Val have however made their dream of ‘living in Provence, the land of brilliant sunlight, charming hilltop villages and the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean‘ come true. We read as they ‘quit their jobs, become consultants and split their time between two countries’.

Annette Charlton

www.afrenchcollection.com

Saint Malo and All The Light We Cannot See: Book Review

All The Light We Cannot See is set in Saint Malo, Brittany

Imagine being a blind sixteen year old girl living alone with your reclusive aged great-uncle in a narrow derelict and silent house in Saint Malo during the German occupation of the greater Saint Malo area and then the final assault and eventual liberation by the British and Allied Forces. This is the situation Marie-Laure the brave Parisian teenager finds herself in the fictional work of All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

Annette Charlton

www.afrenchcollection.com

France’s Favourite Emoji Is?

France’s Favourite Emoji Is…

What is your relationship with emojis? Do you love ’em or hate them?

Do they visibly and succinctly say what you otherwise struggle to verbalise? Do you love them because they make your conversation pretty? Are they a quick and easy option instead of texting or do you think they are only used by lazy people?