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Everything you need to know about living here – straight from the people who already do!
Moving to a new area is a big deal at the best of times, but what if you’re upping sticks to a whole new country, with a different language, culture and way of doing things to contend with? We know there’s a lot to think about, and that’s why we’ve put together some great advice blogs – along with some more light-hearted content – to help you settle in!
Sunita McDonald | A chateau in need of love and care
The search for our new home started in 2018 when our family landed at Toulouse Airport, full of hope to find our dream property. We saw 15 properties around the area but did not find what we were looking for. A few months later we had a second trip and the first property we viewed was an old château with big rooms, high ceilings, lots of character and nestled in a beautiful spot above a lake.
Katie Gardner | The Life of Riley
Hooray! I hear you cry as we begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel which might not, this time, turn out to be a train.
So why are so many of us (me included) feeling so anxious?
Katie Gardner | Life of Riley
Okay, so it seems to me that the whole world, its friends and their dog are currently spending an inordinate amount of time on Zoom (or equivalent) and loving it. Me? Not so much. And it brought me to some introspection and to wonder why. Why is, seemingly, everyone else okay or even ecstatic with it and all I feel is vaguely anxious and disorientated. Before, during and after!
Rebecca Shields | The Pesky Tarian
Here’s my take on a veggie Autumn. The first year we moved here, we were so surprised by how closely the climate mirrors that of the UK. We might perhaps have imagined an endless summer like you might see in an Agatha Christie film, but instead, we have bluster and grey murky days, despite living in South West France. I blame the mountains!
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Rebecca Shields | The Pesky Tarian
Strangely, we have embraced our new hobby of barbequing very enthusiastically! Monsieur Peskytarian hasn’t been that keen in the past. All that has changed …
Katie Gardner | Life of Riley
We are living in turbo-anxious times. Understanding BEARS can help, as well as eating cake!
Jennifer Dewar | Discovering La France Profonde
Jennifer Dewar explains how she developed a three-point plan to help cope with all the regular apero and Auberge Espagnol gatherings.
Mimi Beck Knudsen | Places & Faces
Our recent day trip to the Tarn-et-Garonne, included a stop in the village of Lauzerte, one of France’s Plus Beaux Villages.
Sue Adams | Ideas for the garden
Winter is the perfect time for taking hardwood cuttings of some garden shrubs. Sue Adams tells us how to have plants for free.
Sue Adams | Ideas for the garden
Sue Adams is a keen gardener and gives some useful advice. In this blog she talks about “don’t leave those leaves” and explains what can be done to turn them into a useful garden attribute.
Jennifer Dewar | Discovering La France Profonde
Jennifer recounts her visit to a healer – she was both delighted and surprised by the power of natural healing.
Jennifer Dewar | Discovering La France Profonde
Jennifer Dewar writes about the tradition of Toussaint here in France
Mimi Beck Knudsen | Places & Faces
Mimi Beck Knudsen is getting to know the Tarn-et-Garonne bit by bit.She now has a small list of sites where she has visited and a longer list of places she plans to visit soon. Her most recent trip to this department in south west France included a stop in Moissac, a lovely city in which to spend the day.
Jennifer Dewar | Discovering La France Profonde
Bad Blood and Village Feuds – can villagers even remember what their feuds are about? Jennifer Dewar poses the question and seeks some answers.
Mimi Beck Knudsen | Places & Faces
Having a teenaged houseguest inspires us, on one recent day, to head to La Roque Saint-Christophe, a site near Les-Eyzies in the Dordogne department.
Dharna Ashar | About Yoga
Yoga’s Internal Magic : Dharna Ashar explains what makes her think twice about how yoga is portrayed.
Mimi Beck Knudsen | Places & Faces
The Mimos Festival was our excuse for our most recent trip: a visit to Périgueux. It was hot on the day of our visit, so we only saw a couple of mime-type acts. Instead, we found an ice cream shop and strolled the streets as we became reacquainted with this very pleasant city in the center of the Dordogne department.
Kate Webber | Never Give UP
Sometimes we find ourselves in an inconvenient position we hadn’t planned or. When control of your life has been taken out of your hands it is at best inconvenient and at worse can result in you becoming very depressed at the new position you find yourself in. This is Kate Webber’s inspirational story of Never Give Up
Mimi Beck Knudsen | Places & Faces
Something different from Mimi Back Knudsen this time: Saint Emilion – The Quiz
Rebecca Shields | The Pesky Tarian
A few ideas for some fabulous Christmas recipes from the PeskyTarian
Jennifer Dewar | Discovering La France Profonde
I first noticed the culture difference when I was walking the dog in the local village …….I was the only one. Some dogs are chained up, some are just left to wander, but it’s very rare to see a French person walking a dog in the countryside. In fact it’s rare to see a French person going for a walk, unless it’s in an organised group following an official footpath.
Lesley Ashburner
May, here in SW France, is, of course, the month of les jours des fériérs and les jour des ponts. What should be a single day suddenly becomes three days of festive fun, with shops closing early, or not opening at all, and the local boulangerie running out of bread by 11 am.
Rosemary Droxler | Out and About in Gers
The Course Landaise is a tribute to both young men and women who dare to stand in the sight of a charging “vache”; usually a bullock or heifer that has had their horns taped.
Mimi Beck Knudsen | Places & Faces
With the 75th anniversary of D-Day this June, many people will be focused on the heroic events that took place in Normandy. In the weeks that followed the landing of the Allied troops on France’s northern coast, fierce battles with the Nazis were fought. But the battles were not limited to Normandy. The village of Mouleydier in the Dordogne department suffered its own tragedy.
Jennifer Dewar | Discovering La France Profonde
When we first arrived in the Gers eight years ago, we were always blown away by how generous are neighbours were. What could we give back? Would an orchard solve our problems?
Katie Gardner | Lifestyle
Heard of phubbing? Maybe you haven’t come out of your phone long enough to find out? Katie Gardner, a fully-qualified CBT Counsellor, explains the phenomenon and highlights how it can change relationships.
Colleen Sims | The Way of Saint James
A scallop shell gave the sign that Colleen Sims needed to know that she was going to walk the Camino de Santiago. This is her story
Catherine Finch | A Sense of Place
Catherine talks about her incredible walk on the Camino de Santiago
Mimi Beck Knudsen | Places & Faces
Now is the time of year to visit all those beautiful flower markets.
Jennifer Dewar | Discovering La France Profonde
Emma wasn’t quite as prepared as she thought when she decided she wanted chickens.
Rosemary Droxler | Out and About in Gers
Rosemary lives near Nogaro in the Gers and explains about the Course Landaise – as well as her favourite Tex-Mex recipe using local magret de canard.
Jennifer Dewar | Discovering La France Profonde
Emma takes a look at how her wardrobe has changed since her move to France – and how she is still hanging onto favourite items.
Catherine Finch | A Sense of Place
Published author, Catherine Finch, has taken inspiration from local towns, villages and scenes. She tells us how her writing has evolved now that she lives in France.
Sue Jones | Health
Macular Degeneration can be seriously debilitating but France can help.
Jennifer Dewar | Discovering La France Profonde
Winter, spring and summer – when do your shutters open and close?
Katie Gardner | Lifestyle
Feeling like a fish out of water or overwhelmed with life in France? You are not alone and help is at hand.
Jennifer Dewar | Discovering La France Profonde
A look at one of France’s traditions – the seasonal agenda
Rebecca Shields | The Pesky Tarian
A few ideas for some fabulous Christmas recipes from the PeskyTarian
Jennifer Dewar | Discovering La France Profonde
A trip to the local farm shop reminds Emma why she is here in France
Rebecca Shields | The Pesky Tarian
Our Pesky Tarian is finding out where and when to eat out
Jennifer Dewar | Discovering La France Profonde
Jennifer Dewar explains how she came to the realisation that time really is on your side here in South West France
Mimi Beck Knudsen | Places & Faces
Cahuzac in the Lot-in-Garonne is a surprisingly pretty little village
Jennifer Dewar | Discovering La France Profonde
Finding a filled in well leads to an excavation full of surprises.`
Sue Jones | Health
This is a straightforward, honest account of my breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and ongoing care here in France. I hope it helps others to know what happens, to know that they are in safe hands and, most importantly, to trust and believe in the specialists that are treating them.
Rebecca Shields | The Pesky Tarian
On the boat coming over to France, right in the middle of the sea, I felt my first wave of doubt about our move rolling over me. What if we couldn’t find anything to eat in deepest Gers?
Katie Gardner | Lifestyle
As you crawl into bed, thump your pillow to make the perfect little cave for your head to rest in, pull the covers up tight under your chin, and let go of that big sigh that indicates the day is finished, how do you look back on the waking hours you just experienced? How do you measure the quality of your day?
Mimi Beck Knudsen | Places & Faces
It’s nearly prune harvest time again, and in the Lot-et-Garonne, this is serious business! France averages 40,000 tons of prunes each year, with nearly all coming from the Agen area.
Jennifer Dewar | Discovering La France Profonde
When we first bought our house, as well as having a huge renovation project on our hands, there was also the land – tough weeds and a large part covered in brambles. Someone mentioned goats as being a great solution to our problem – maybe it was a joke….one of the drawbacks of living in a foreign language.
Mimi Beck Knudsen | Places & Faces
Tourism promoters call Brantôme “The Venice of Périgord,” a moniker attributed to French president Raymond Poincaré, who visited the village in 1913. And while I wouldn’t go quite that far, this lovely village, 25km north of Périgueux, is one of the most beautiful villages in the region.
Mimi Beck Knudsen | Places & Faces
How do you prefer your castles — medieval or Renaissance? Visitors to Bourdeilles in the Dordogne don’t have to choose.
Sue Jones | Health
Going to see a specialist at a hospital in France involves a carefully choreographed dance to the tune of computer printouts and the rustling of paperwork. In part one of our ‘Going to Hospital’ series, we look at the always-joyful rendevous!
Sue Jones | Health
Going to see a specialist at a hospital in France involves a carefully choreographed dance to the tune of computer printouts and the rustling of paperwork. In part two of our ‘Going to Hospital’ series, we look at the pleasures of filling in forms!
Sue Jones | Health
Going to see a specialist at a hospital in France involves a carefully choreographed dance to the tune of computer printouts and the rustling of paperwork. In this next piece in our ‘Going to Hospital’ series, we look at how you should prepare for your admission.
Sue Jones | Health
Going to see a specialist at a hospital in France involves a carefully choreographed dance to the tune of computer printouts and the rustling of paperwork. In part four of our ‘Going to Hospital’ series, we look at what happens when you’re admitted.
Sue Jones | Health
Going to see a specialist at a hospital in France involves a carefully choreographed dance to the tune of computer printouts and the rustling of paperwork. In part five of our ‘Going to Hospital’ series, we look at what happens on the day of the op.
Sue Jones | Health
This is France and there are treatments that you won’t necessarily find down at the corner surgery in rural England. When I had shingles, the doctor prescribed a visit to a faith healer! Before you ask, no, this was not covered by the health system!
Katie Gardner | Lifestyle
So you’ve achieved your long-held dream, retired or semi-retired and moved to France. So here you are, living the life of Riley. Or are you? And if not, why not?
Julie Wackrill | Health & Beauty
Converting to a waste-free life doesn’t happen overnight and so should you. I think that if you try to do something life-changing overnight then it probably won’t last so, lots of small changes are needed to ‘shake your world’.
