This French Life

  • Hunting season in France

    Redfrenchlifeblock03040_13WITH the arrival of autumn the French countryside will ‘welcome’ a visitor that can sometimes give you the fright of your life.

    Weekends will see la chasse take to the woods and fields of France and they can often get a little too close for comfort.

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  • Running a blog in Brittany

    Brittanygite190906A GROWING number of holiday home owners are beginning to hook into the benefits that a regularly updated, blog-style website can bring.

    The ‘original’ blogs were very often a diary of a person’s life, which although they could be read by anyone, were most often written for the benefit of friends and family.

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  • What to ask of your French lawyer

    Fabiencordiez180906The legal process of a property purchase does of course involve conveyancing lawyers called notaires.

    Their intervention is compulsory in the conveyance or inheritance process of a property sale as they are mandatory legal officers, writes Fabien Cordiez.

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  • Review of C’est La Folie

    Cestlafolie170906FEW people leave the UK to buy a home in France on their own.

    But Daily Telegraph columnist Michael Wright did just that when he left the easy life of London behind to ‘toughen-up’ in Limousin.

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  • French mortgage tips

    Coins1803_11I RECENTLY received am email from a reader of the site asking about arranging a mortgage for a French property.

    Although their circumstance were quite particular, whilst I was looking around the internet I spotted some useful sites and web pages.

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  • Chatting on the radio

    I AM set to chat with Allan Beswick on BBC Radio Manchester on Wednesday afternoon at around 1pm; you can listen online if near a computer.

    I will be talking about blogs and how representatives of charitable groups, business owners and individuals can use them to publish their words, video and experiences.

    And I’ve told myself not to get too animated about it all and gas on endlessly, like I do to most people when I get onto this subject.

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  • Maisons Paysannes de France

    Paysannes120906WITH the resurgence of property renovation by French and foreign homebuyers throughout France, René Fontaine recognised the necessity to safeguard the traditional rural houses and further their upkeep and restoration in accordance with the techniques and know-how of the various regions, writes Coral Luke.

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  • Tips and advice on French health system

    Francheville050906QUESTIONS about the health system are most probably high on anyone’s list when they start a fresh in France.

    Whether you are retiring to savour the French life or moving over with your family making sure that all the paperwork is correct is very important.

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  • The seasons in France



    AFTER the lovely comment I received from Kathy I thought I’d stitch together some of the photographs I have on my laptop and overlay a short example of the music of Pauline Croze.

  • The music of Pauline Croze


    I AM listening to the songs of Pauline Croze at the moment and thought you might want to share in her gorgeous voice.

    The video clip features her in performance on French television, unfortunately this song isn’t on her album, but if you take a look around YouTube you will be able to hear her on stage and in the video for T’es Beau, plus other songs from her eponymous album.

    Beautiful.