Living In France | A French Collection

Surviving the Pandemic and Our Lockout from France

French Lockdown and Lockout from France

At the time of writing this blog post we are almost about to say 'bonjour' to the month of February and I can't help thinking how my life has changed over the last twelve months. I am sure your life has changed dramatically also. While we all deal with our different situations I really believe it is not a time to judge others and what they are struggling with or missing from their life pre-Covid.

I'll share with you what I am struggling with at the moment and how I am keeping positive and busy while I'm in lockout from France.

The French Property Market & What to Expect in 2021

Property for sale in France - Chateau in Limeuil

What does 2021 have in store for the French property market?

This is an interesting question and one that many Francophiles have been asking themselves lately, particularly anyone interested in purchasing property or moving to France in the near future or even in the longer term. I asked Joanna Leggett, Marketing Director at Leggett Immobilier, the leading international estate agency in France, what her thoughts were on this.

Here's what Joanna had to say on what's in store for the French property market in 2021 and what international buyers are looking for, together with some amazing properties that are currently listed for sale. So whether you're dreaming of a sweet cottage in Brittany, a luxury apartment on the Cote d'Azur or a chateau in the south, 2021 just might be your year for purchasing that dream French property ...

Living in Provence and Why We Love It – by Keith Van Sickle

Why Living in Provence Is A Good Idea

Keith Van Sickle is my favourite part-time Frenchman, dividing his time living between tech hub Silicone Valley and St-Rémy-de-Provence, France with his wife Val, who seems to have an uncanny ability of getting them out of jams and finding the most interesting cafes. Here's Keith's thoughts on why living in Provence is such a good idea ...

My wife and I live part of the year in St-Rémy-de-Provence, a charming town not far from Avignon. We fell in love with Provence on our first visit 25 years ago and started coming back every chance we had. Finally, we decided to move here part-time and are so glad we did. Why do we love Provence? Let me count the ways.

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.

Gorgeous French Gift Box For Lovers of French Style

Review of French Gift Box by Janine Marsh of The Good Life France

You may already know about our French gift boxes, but if you're new to our site, this review by Janine Marsh, editor of popular website The Good Life France and multiple best selling author, will tell all...

"If you love gorgeous French style and exquisite French things, from stunning scented candles to homeware, authentic flea market finds, art, stationery and accessories, then you’re going to love this globally available, lovely French gift box: My Beautiful French Collection Box.

Parisian VIP Shopping Experience at Galeries Lafayette

Parisian VIP Shopping Experience at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann

Paris is the home of style and fashion and the grand and glamorous department store Galeries Lafayette, is home to some of the most stylish and modern fashion in Paris. Not only does the store offer the latest in apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty and perfume, it is all artfully displayed in the breathtakingly beautiful Georges Chedanne and Ferdinand Chanut designed store. The glass and steel dome and Art Nouveau staircases were finished in 1912.

This flagship store on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris always impresses me with its new merchandise displays, lovely cafes and stunning Christmas displays. I've shopped in Galeries Lafayette stores in a few countries including Dubai, Beijing and Paris, and I must say that Galeries Lafayette Haussmann remains my favourite store.

Our French Life – A Priestly Visit

Just How Do You Entertain A Priest If You Can't Speak French and Are Not Catholic?

This memoir is another in our French Life Series where we share what living in France is really like for our Australian family. We went on holiday to France with our daughter, and bought a house in Brittany while we were there, and have been living between our homes in Australia and France ever since. This story is from our early years in France ...

After settling, to some degree, into our new life in France we decided to attend a Sunday service at the local église catholique (Catholic church). We had previously had a failed attempt at this rather simple activity as it was not obvious that, rather than having a service every Sunday, the commune took turns in conducting the Sunday service on a set roster with priests doing the rounds of the local villages. This of course meant that on our first attempt to attend a service, we had turned up on a Sunday our village was 'un-rostered'.

French Subscription Box June Edition – Opened and Revealed

June French Subscription Box Gifts Revealed

This first box is a very special one that was created just for our lovely customers during this extraordinary time of isolation and uncertainty when it's been important to stay at home when we can, keep ourselves healthy and find activities that relax us. That’s why we themed it ‘Rejuvenate & Take Care’.

So now that all our ladies have received their box and opened it, I'm delighted to reveal the items included in the June box and share a bit of the story behind the designers, company owners and French background of each of the products.

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