I’ll admit it, I’m crazy about my dog Mica. When Val and I go to Provence every year, there’s no way we can leave her behind! So off she goes, with her toys and her Pet Passport (yes, it’s a thing.)
Mica goes everywhere with us, from strolls in town to places we explore. She helps us get our exercise and meet new people. I’ve written a little piece about having a dog in France that you might enjoy.
Read all about it in France Today!
Frenchly has published a helpful guide on moving to France, and I was one of the people they interviewed for it.
The guide covers a lot of ground: how to decide where to live, buying versus renting, how to purchase a property, obtaining visas, health insurance, and more. It’s a great overview for people considering a move to la belle France.
Read all about it in Frenchly!
It’s one of those French customs that mystifies foreigners: les bises (also called bisous). This is where French people kiss each other on the cheek.
It raises so many questions, like…when to do it? How to do it? How many times? And is it the same everywhere in France?
I’ve taken a deep dive into the history and practice of this most French of social customs. Let me share what I’ve learned–you might be surprised by a few things!
Read all about it in My French Life!
The 1944 D-Day landings of Normandy began the liberation of France, and the country has been celebrating this and other important events throughout the year. The latest is Aix-en-Provence, which just opened an important photo exhibition called Shadows and Light. This show, which runs through October 27, includes many rarely-seen photos from the years immediately before, during, and after World War II.
Taken from the historic Ely photo collection, visitors will see images that will alternately surprise, shock, and delight them. Many of the photos were taken surreptitiously, when photography was prohibited during the Nazi occupation.
If you are not able to visit Aix but would like to see a sample of the photos from the exhibition, check out this article in Perfectly Provence!
French streets have names, of course. Many are basic, reflecting their location. For example, the most popular street name in France is Rue de l’Église (Church Street). In the US it is Main Street and in the UK it is High Street.
But what about streets that honor people, how are they different in each country? Americans are fond of their presidents, so the most popular names are Washington and Lincoln. The UK loves its monarchy, with Kings, Queens, Victoria, and Windsor the top choices.
And how about France? The French aren’t fans of kings and queens, that business back in 1789 having dimmed their enthusiasm. Instead, they name their streets after famous figures from their history—political and military leaders, scientists, authors, and the like.
What do you think are the most popular names? Find out in France Today!
I always thought that Mont Ventoux came by its name because it is windy at the top, and venteux means “windy” in French. It’s a common misconception, but it’s not true. In fact, the word comes from Vintur, an ancient god worshiped by the Albiques, a Celtic tribe that once lived in the area.
Not only that, but the Mistral, the famous and sometimes-violent wind of Provence, is actually Vintur’s son! He’s a capricious child who throws tantrums when he doesn’t want to go to bed, hence the wildness of the wind. And there used to be an Albique ceremony to calm the boy and get him to go nighty-night.
I learned this in a very entertaining book called Le Dit du Mistral by Olivier Mak-Bouchard. It’s a fun story, full of legends and local expressions (though while most of the legends are true I suspect there’s some artistic license from time to time.)
Read more about these Provençal legends in Perfectly Provence!
The Paris Olympics are over, and what a show it was! From Céline Dion singing on the Eiffel Tower to athletes like Léon Marchand and Simone Biles winning gold, it was quite a sight to behold. But what was it like behind the scenes?
A friend of mine worked in the Olympic Village and has shared her stories with me. Want to know the most popular dish among the six Olympic restaurants? Or what it was like to shake hands with the President of France?
Read all about it in Bonjour Paris!
Imagine sitting in a comfortable seat in an ancient Roman city. As the sun sets, you can see thousands of candles among the ruins, perched on stone walls, stairs, and fallen columns.
The sky darkens and the candles begin to glow. Then a string quartet comes out and starts to play beautiful music. It is an experience that can only be described as magical.
My wife and I enjoyed that magic in June in the ancient Roman city of Glanum near where we live St-Rémy-de-Provence. It was part of a series of concerts being held this summer throughout Provence, and they promise to be spectacular!
Read all about these summer candlelight concerts in Perfectly Provence!
International Living is an excellent resource for people thinking of moving abroad. The magazine has correspondents around the world, experts in different countries, and holds regular seminars for those who want to learn about taking the plunge.
Val and I were interviewed by their French correspondent about our part-time life in St-Rémy-de-Provence. How did we decide to do it, how did we choose where to live, how much does it cost? For those of you dreaming of a French life, you might find it interesting.
Read all about it in International Living!
Florence Melin is a French woman who has lived in the United States for half her life, and also visits France every year. We met through a mutual friend and had a very interesting conversation, as I’m a little bit the opposite of her: an American who lives part-time in France.
I really appreciated Florence’s thoughts on how the US compares to France. She is able to see the good points of each country, along with the occasional frustrations. I could relate when she said there are some things you can never really understand about your new country, like events from childhood and are part of the collective cultural memory.
You can read about how Florence sees the two countries in My French Life!