Our French Life | A French Collection

Halloween in France

I've just spent another Halloween in France and thought I'd share my experiences with you. Halloween is not a tradition that I grew up with or one that I celebrated with my children as they grew up. However, the last two years I've been in France for Halloween and I've enjoyed two different experiences around the event. This year I was in Paris and last year I was at home in my village where I got involved in village Halloween activities and loved it!

Let me take a moment to set the scene. At my home in Australia our driveway is long, over 200 metres long, and after you leave the public roadway, our driveway goes down a steep hill and turns at 'the big tree' and it ends up at our house and small garage. The driveway is bordered by two metre high hedges on either side and there are no lamp-posts or solar lights and large gum trees filter any moon light.

Living in the French Countryside – Helpful Things to Know

French countryside Living in France 1024 x 695

Living in the French Countryside - What You Need to Know

Lessons I've learnt from living in the country

After living in France for a few months now, there are some lessons I've learnt. You may already know that we have divided our family life between our homes in Australia and France over the last 12 years (read more in my post It Has To Be France) and that recently I made the life changing decision to quit my job and move more permanently to France.

While it is not yet a full time move (you can only imagine the paperwork involved and French regulations), but living in France for an extended time is still very different than holidaying. Over the last 12 years our family has treated our French home as a holiday home, and now I am viewing it as another permanent home.

Preparing to Go to France

Preparing to Live in France for Three Months

Today I thought I'd share some thoughts on how I'm preparing to live in France for an extended time and especially as my family will be remaining in Australia mostly while I'm away. Thinking this might be helpful for you in case you also have plans to one day live for some time in another country, these are my personal preparation plans and what's been happening over at my house for the last week or so.

Just for context, our family have a second home in a tiny farming village deep in the Brittany countryside that we have been visiting on and off over the last 12 years. We are now entering the next stage of our life with independent grown children and starting to make plans to see if we can create a life in France for ourselves on a more permanent basis. As with all major life changes, we are being flexible and taking it one step at a time.

I Quit My Job to Move to France

Annette from A French Collection at Palais Royal, Paris

I Quit My Job to Move to France - The Back Story

Yes, I quit my job the other week to move to France and shared this news with my followers and readers on Thursday and the response has been unprecedented. The outpouring of well wishes, messages of encouragement and congratulations has been extraordinary. Thank you for your heartfelt and beautiful comments.

Many of you thanked me for inspiring you to consider taking the plunge on your next big decision and to passionately follow your own dream. I never anticipated such an outpouring of love and well wishes and I am humbled by everyone's response. So much so, I thought it might be helpful for others thinking of living in France, to know the back story of why I quit my job to move to France and why this is good news for you.

Life in Rural France – Foraging for Vegetables

Life in Rural France - Blackberry picking in Fourdan Guern

Life in Rural France - Picking Wild Fruit & Pommes Aligot Recipe

Life in rural France revolves around the seasons and that means food, festivals and chores vary depending on the ebb and flow of seasonal weather and produce. There is a time for everything. Such as delicious artichokes in March and scrumptious apples in September.

My family does not have a history of farming or land ownership so our hands on experience with crops and stock is very limited. Living part time in a farming village in France has really opened our eyes to the life of a farmer and the very real connection between daily weather, seasons and produce. Getting in tune with nature has been a very positive part of living amongst the cow pastures, chicken farms and maize crops that surround our tiny village.

Twelve Years of Living in France

Annette Charlton from A French Collection

Reflecting on our Twelve Years in Brittany

You may know that recently I spent time at my second home in Brittany, France and if you follow my blog or social channels, you'll know it's been some time since I was there due to Covid travel restrictions imposed by the Australian Government.

I spent time with friends, worked hard cleaning and doing jobs around the house and garden, as well as a good amount of antique furniture shopping and I visited some charming little villages not previously explored by our family. While there I also reflected on what the last twelve years in France has meant to our family and how it has changed our lives. I thought I'd share my reflections with you all.

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.

Living in a Little French Village in Cotes d’Armor

French Village in Cotes d'Armor, Brittany

Who's missing travel, and particularly travel to France? Have you missed your planned trip to soak up the French sunshine, go wine tasting at boutique vineyards, explore the cobbled streets of quaint towns and watch the bustle around you while you sip a champagne and enjoy crusty bread and cheese this year?

So many of you have told me where you were going, what you planned to see, and how those plans are now on hold. This got me to thinking that a bit of cheering up and daydreaming of France was needed .... so, I've created an eBook 'Life in France' with our most read and loved blog posts of our families adventures in our little French village.

Halloween in France

Halloween in France

Living in the French Countryside – Helpful Things to Know

Living in the French Countryside - What You Need to Know

Lessons I've learnt from living in the country

Preparing to Go to France

Preparing to Live in France for Three Months

I Quit My Job to Move to France

I Quit My Job to Move to France - The Back Story

Life in Rural France – Foraging for Vegetables

Life in Rural France - Picking Wild Fruit & Pommes Aligot Recipe

Twelve Years of Living in France

Reflecting on our Twelve Years in Brittany

A French Collection Podcast Is Launched

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

Living in a Little French Village in Cotes d’Armor

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