The Great French Hope Hits the NBA

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Keith Van Sickle

A year ago, French phenom Victor “Wemby” Wembanyama was the world’s most sought-after young basketball player. His skills were so otherworldly that even the great LeBron James could not find the right word to describe him. He finally settled on “alien,” as in “from another planet.”

What makes Wemby so rare? It’s his never-before-seen mix of size and agility. He is one of the tallest players in the world, but has a 3-point shot as smooth as crème Chantilly. That gives him a one-two punch: the dominance of a center with the shooting and ball-handling of a guard.

So how is Wemby doing now that he’s in the NBA, the world’s premier basketball league? Let’s just say that even LeBron James might be at a loss for words!

Read all about it in Frenchly!

The Other D-Day

Posted on March 20, 2024 by Keith Van Sickle

June will mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, when Allied troops landed in Normandy and began their push towards Berlin. Today, places like Omaha Beach and Pointe du Hoc offer a moving testament to the courage and sacrifice of those who helped free Europe from tyranny.

But that wasn’t the only D-Day! There was another one as well, in the south of France near St-Tropez. It followed the Normandy landings by a few weeks, where military units with names like Camel and Garbo hitting the southern beaches.

The operation met with spectacular success, pushing German troops almost all the way to the German border. Today you can visit monuments to this “Operation Dragoon” in Toulon and other nearby towns.

Read all about it in The Good Life France!

The Great Women of France, Part 2

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Keith Van Sickle

Who are the great women of France? There are so many, it is hard to list them all! But let’s start with 15 who have played important roles in the history of la belle France.

There is so much to say that I’ve divided my list into three different articles, each discussing five women. This second article covers the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

Some of the women you are probably familiar with, like the author George Sand. But did you know that the mathematician Emilie de Chatelet not only corrected some of Isaac Newton’s theories, but also developed an early form of financial derivatives? Or that Berthe Morisot was considered one of the finest of the Impressionist painters? And how about the salonnières, the women who ran the famous salons of the Enlightenment, sometimes called “the cradle of the French Revolution”?

Read all about these and other great women of France in My French Life!

Art Meets Wine in Les Baux-de-Provence

Posted on March 6, 2024 by Keith Van Sickle

Jill Barth is a wonderful wine writer with a particular fondness for Provence…which is not hard to understand! She recently wrote a very interesting article for Wine Enthusiast magazine about art and wine in the area around Les Baux-de-Provence, the stunning hilltop village that is classified as one of the Most Beautiful Villages of France. It’s just a few minutes from where Val and I live in St-Rémy.

Jill needed background information about the region so she asked me for a few quotes, which you’ll find in her article.

Read all about it in Wine Enthusiast!

Provence: Insider Tips

Posted on February 21, 2024 by Keith Van Sickle

This past spring I was the guest speaker at a meeting of the Alliance Française of Pasadena, one of the most active groups in the US. I gave a Zoom presentation about Provence and answered questions about the life that Val and I live there.

It was a fun session, with lots of good back and forth, and you can watch the recording if you’d like. There are a few minutes of club business at the start that you can skip if you want; I come on at about the four-and-a-half minute mark.

Here’s the link!

The Great Women of France, Part 1

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Keith Van Sickle

Who are the great women of France? There are so many, it is hard to list them all! But let’s start with 15 who have played important roles in the history of la belle France. You’ll find a few surprises on my list, like the woman who was not even French, but that’s part of the fun of learning about these extraordinary women.

There is so much to say that I’ve divided my list into three different articles, each discussing five women. This first article covers the period up to the end of the 16^th century.

Some of the women you are probably familiar with, like Joan of Arc. But did you know that Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, once saved the city from Attila the Hun? Or that Catherine de Medici brought haute cuisine to France? And is it true that Mary Magdalene arrived in Provence by boat?

Read all about these and other great women of France in My French Life!

Visiting St-Rémy-de-Provence

Posted on February 7, 2024 by Keith Van Sickle

Val and I live part of the year in St-Rémy, a charming town at the foot of the Alpilles Mountains, and we’ve learned a lot in our years here. I’ve written a series of six articles that will be helpful to visitors: the must-see sights, our favorite restaurants and wineries, our favorite places to hike and bike, and more.

If you are thinking of visiting St-Rémy, or just want to dream a little, please give these articles a look. You can find them right here in My French Life!

Driving in France Without a License

Posted on January 24, 2024 by Keith Van Sickle

Let’s say you are driving on a French country road and find yourself stuck behind a slow driver. A very slow driver. “Can’t this guy go any faster?” you wonder. And the answer might be…no!

France is full of microcars, called voiturettes or pots de yaourt (pots of yogurt!), that are specially designed to go slowly. Anyone can drive one, even without a license, as long as they are at least 14 years old.

Why would anyone drive a tiny car that can’t go very fast? And why are they so popular with young urbanites? Read all about it in The Good Life France!

12 Influential French Women to Know

Posted on January 17, 2024 by Keith Van Sickle

France was behind many countries in granting women the right to vote, doing so only in 1944, but a lot of progress has been made since then. Today French women hold top roles in politics and business: the prime minister and the mayor of Paris are women, as are the heads of some of the most important companies and financial institutions. Women are leading lights in the worlds of art and entertainment and are some of the country’s greatest chefs.

Would you like to meet a few? I’ve written about a dozen of them, all immensely talented. And soon I’ll share a series of articles about some of the greatest women in French history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Madame Curie, and many more.

Read all about 12 of today’s most influential French women in France Today!

The Black Diamonds of Provence

Posted on January 10, 2024 by Keith Van Sickle

The black truffle season has begun, thrilling chefs the world over. Black truffles are one of the culinary delicacies of France, and their pungent, earthy taste enlivens many a plate.

France produces about half the world’s black truffles, mostly from Provence. They are difficult to farm, so most are foraged in nature, especially among the roots of trees like oak and chestnut.

Traditionally, truffle pigs were used to find them, but pigs have fallen out of favor because they eat the truffles! Now truffle hounds are used, because dogs don’t find truffles tasty.

The tiny Provençal village of Richerenches calls itself the Truffle Capital of the World, and it might be right. This year its truffle market celebrates its 100th anniversary, and the town’s church even holds a special Truffle Mass!

Read all about these “black diamonds” in Perfectly Provence!

Life in Provence

Keith Van Sickle

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