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Château et Domaine de Quintin – Quintin Château

Quintin Château

The department of Côtes d'Armor is well known for its abundance of exquisite gardens and elegant châteaux that are still owned and lived in by their ancestral families. Recently I toured Château et Domaine de Quintin (Quintin Château) in the ancient town of Quintin which has been a family home for the last 800 years. 

Château et Domaine de Quintin - Quintin Château

Nestled between Pontivy and Guingamp, and halfway between Rennes (110 kilometres) and Quimper (120 kilometres), Quintin is a centrally located town in the Côtes d'Armor department. Only 20 minutes drive from Saint-Brieuc, this vibrant beautiful Breton town holds lots of festivals and is a petite cité de Caractère that happily welcomes tourists.

I've wanted to see the château and have been visiting Quintin for years, but on occasions I’ve had somewhere else to be after visiting the town, or it has been winter, and the opening hours haven’t coordinated with my town visits.

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Pretty pink coastlines, sweet Provincial soap & A secret Paris vineyard

Pretty pink coastlines, sweet Provincial soap & a secret Paris vineyard - Newsletter #104

Bonjour

Just popping into your inbox with these great posts in newsletter number #104. Yep, last weekend was number #103 which my regulars will have picked up I numbered #102. That’s what happens when you are still typing away on your computer in the wee hours of the morning! You know I keep toothpicks beside my bed to prop open my eyelids… not really… just joking!!

Check out these three posts which have been updated with loads more travel tips and personal recommendations, even more recent photos (including a bunch from my family’s personal albums) and pretty graphics to pin to Pinterest to read again or share with your friends or family.

When you share any of my website articles or social media posts you are really helping me to spread the joy of France and everything French - so a huge thank you from me. Bisous, bisous.

So all you have to do now is grab your croissant, coffee (or glass of champagne) and whisk yourself to France!

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Window flower boxes in Brittany

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.

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French Country Kitchen Style Essentials

French country kitchen style

French Country Kitchen Style Essentials

French country kitchens are the centre of the home where family and friends gather and cooking rules! French country kitchen style is a rustic chic style which is loved around the world, and by following a few essential design and decor fundamentals, you can create a French country kitchen for yourself anywhere too. 

If you can't get yourself to France to purchase French branded products or source antique market finds, then maybe sympathetically and locally sourced or online products (while keeping true to style), is the answer for you. After living part-time in France for 16 years, I've noticed how the French decorate and use their kitchens and how important a role this room plays in their everyday lives. Whether it's a huge kitchen in the lower part of a chateau or a smaller room in a village home, there are recurring colours, architectural features, classic furniture pieces and quintessential cooking and decor items. 

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How to Make a Wreath

How to make a wreath

How to Make a Wreath

Hanging a wreath on your front door is a traditional way of decorating your home at any time, but particularly at Christmas. In this post I share how to make a wreath from foraged greenery and easy-to-find garden flowers. I regularly hang a wreath on my front doors, both at my homes in France and Australia. (Photo above is the front door of my country home in France.) The wreaths differ a little at each of my homes and tell their own seasonal story, but all add a little charm and especially at Easter, they add a pop of colour.

In France I hand-make my wreaths with greenery I forage. This is a simple and fresh way to create a wreath instead of buying a pre-made wreath. Creating your own door décor is a wonderful way to impart your unique style and make the most of seasonal bounties. I love using hydrangeas at the peak of their summer brightness, and also as they turn colour during autumn. Bright yellows and the rich tones of oranges in ferns, heather and deciduous trees during autumn, also make colourful wreaths.  Mistletoe and holly are traditional Christmas choices.

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What I’m Loving #2

How to French Country by Sara Silm on Amazon

WHAT I'M LOVING...

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.  

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2024 France Calendar

2024 France Calendar


2024 France Calendar

It's ready... your 2024 France Calendar.

Downloadable, printable AND absolutely Gorgeous with a capital 'G' !! 

... and also free to all subscribers.

It's my way of saying 'thanks' to you for your support and company over 2023. Whether you are new to the blog or you've been around from the beginning, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. A HUGE thanks for reading our posts, commenting, sharing with your friends, and for emailing me with all your kind messages of gratitude, post requests and travel related questions.

You are the 'why' behind A French Collection. Why I stay up late at night furiously typing a post that's due to be published, why I spend hours replying to all messages and comments whether I'm at home or on the road, and why I strive to take the very best photos of all the amazing places I visit across France. I love sharing it all with you. Travel tips and recommendations, travel guides, authentic everyday experiences of living in a tiny French village, recipes to enjoy and great books to read - it's all about bringing France to You.

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The French Beret

The French beret

The French Beret

The French beret along with the Eiffel Tower, baguette, Citroën 2CV and the rooster are all true French icons - loved by the French and those of us that call ourselves Francophiles. The traditional French béret is a soft round peak-less cap that is flat on top and usually made of wool with a small tab on top.

This symbol of French culture can be worn in various positions: over either ear, pulled down over both ears, on the back of your head, flat on top or tipped forward over your eyes. 

Origin of the French beret

History has recorded the beret through the ages in writings, sculptures, paintings and folklore. Here's a quick look at references to the beret in history:

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PRESS & MEDIA

A French Collection is featured in international magazines, ABC National Radio interviews, France Media Group webinars & blog articles and interviews.

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