With all of the holidays this time of year, you may want to buy wine to add to the festivities, and the French make some of the best. But the labels can be confusing–how can you figure them out? What should you buy?
I’ve put together a primer on French wines to help you make sense of all this. It points you to wines for different tastes, and don’t worry it’s not about the expensive stuff.
Learn about the basics of French wine in Frenchly!
For the last 20 years, Val and I have split our time between California and Provence, and before that we lived and worked in Switzerland.
When we were in Switzerland, our social circle was mostly made up of fellow expats. But in France we wanted a difference experience–we wanted to make French friends.
Given the reputation the French have for being aloof, we expected this to be a struggle. But it wasn’t hard at all, and today some of our best friends are French. How did we do it? Read about some of the things we’ve learned in France Today!
This is the time of year for holiday gatherings with friends and family. Val and I find that our social calendar is pretty packed between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.
When you are invited to all these events, what should you bring for the hosts?
The French make an art of this, so Val and I try to follow their example. Would you like to thank your hosts in the French style? I’ve written an article with some tips for you, and you can read it in Frenchly!
I was interviewed recently by The Connexion about my life in Provence. Every month it features an English-speaking expat in France, asking what they think about living there. The people interviewed are usually those who have moved to France full-time, but I guess they wanted to mix it up this month and talk to a part-timer like me.
If you guessed that I love it in Provence, you would be right! Here’s the interview in The Connection!
Every year, the French vote on their favorite monument. It’s a big deal–dozens of monuments from all over France are nominated, and then there is a round of voting by internet. The top vote-getters become finalists, and voting happens all over again.
Then comes the big reveal: a two-hour television broadcast where the Top 10 are slowly counted down, with a segment on each. Finally, the big winner!
Millions of people participate and the television broadcast is a big deal, with everyone wondering who the winner will be.
France’s Favorite Monument of 2025 has just been revealed. Would you like to know what it is? Find out in France Today!
Wine has traditionally been a man’s world, from winemakers to sommeliers to critics. There have been important exceptions, like champagne innovator Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot of Veuve Clicquot fame, but women have generally been few and far between. Thirty years ago, fewer than 14% of the country’s wine estates were run by women.
But then women started working together, sharing knowledge and resources through regional winemaker associations. The first was in Bordeaux and they have since spread throughout the country. Today the number of French wine estates run by women has more than doubled, to over 30%.
How did they do it? Find out at France Today!
I’m a big fan of Mark Greenside’s books, and a new one has just arrived.
Thirty-some years ago, Greenside bought a house in France almost by accident. Since then he and his wife have spent months there every year, making friends and becoming part of the local community. But given that Greenside doesn’t speak French and is generally inept, this has not been without its challenges.
Luckily for us, Greenside is a gifted writer with a wonderful sense of self-deprecating humor. He’s previously written two hilarious books about his life in France, and this one is just as funny, but also a bit wistful.
Greenside, you see, is getting up in years, and is not sure how much longer he’ll be coming to France. He looks back on his time there and how it has changed him, and it’s beautiful to read. I really enjoyed this book and you might, too.
You can read my book review, with links to my reviews of his first two books, in My French Life!
You have probably seen the news about the French Crown Jewels. A few days ago, thieves broke into the Louvre in a brazen daylight robbery. With them went many of the crown jewels, a terrible loss.
People are often surprised that France even has crown jewels. Didn’t those go away with King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette?
I wrote about this a few months ago, but I thought it might be timely to republish that story. You can read it in France Today.
One of my favorite restaurants in St-Rémy is Chapeau de Paille. Or rather, it WAS one of my favorites.
Last year Julian and Emilie Martinat sold it to launch a new venture, a distillery. It’s not as big a change as you might think, as chef Julian explained to me. He said, “Making distilled products is like making a sauce. You need the right blend and the right balance.”
The Martinats have started with pastis, the famous liquor of Provence, and are quickly branching out into eau de vie made with the region’s famous fruits. If you are in the area, be sure to stop by for a tasting, and maybe a bottle or two!
Read all about Distillerie des Alpilles in Perfectly Provence!
Paris is one of the world’s greatest cities, with monuments and museums galore. Food! Gardens! Shopping!
I love Paris, but is it the best part of France? This part-time Frenchman says no. For that, you have to travel south to Provence.
Why do I think Provence is better than Paris? Let me give you 9 reasons.