THE sights and sounds, as well as some of the characters of France, have been brought to life in an new Kindle ebook by journalist Peter Clayton.
Leaving behind his home in the north west of England to visit his maison secondaire, some 20 miles south of Cherbourg, Peter would use his trips to France to visit and explore the country.
And it is many of his adventures and discoveries that have found their way in to Tales From Across La Manche, all of which he insists are ‘totally genuine’.
“Because of family commitments, we now split our time between homes in Manchester and Normandy,” Peter said.
“Our ‘Normandy Gem’ is in a tranquil little village, only about 40 minutes drive from Cherbourg, so as soon as we get off the ferry, we feel at home.
“Needless to say, we are not quite as happy when we get off the boat in Portsmouth or Poole – with at least a five hour drive in front of us.
“Life in Normandy is also a lot more relaxed and stress-free, if something doesn’t
get done today, there is always tomorrow.”
And his time in Normandy gives Peter the chance to experience some entertaining characters from both sides of La Manche.
“Our part of Normandy seems to attract eccentrics, but I imagine most regions of France have their fair share of colourful characters.
“Those eccentrics are both French and English, there is a local bar where it is not uncommon to meet groups of British expats whose main topic of conversation is, more often than not, the efficiency or otherwise of their fosse septiques.
“If we spot them before going in, we normally go elsewhere. And a few minutes along the road is the local barber’s shop, where Frédéric-Scissorhands – five foot tall in his platform shoes – can usually be found curled up fast asleep in his chair, nursing a glass of pastis.”
Peter is always on the look out for extraordinary events or funny situations, making sure he keeps detailed notes of these happenings as and when they occur, ensuring his book practically wrote itself.
And he has already got his notepad and pen charged up for future writing adventures.
“I will carry on enjoying life in Normandy, enthusiastically experiencing the local customs and cultures, and, of course, making my notes,” said Peter.
“I’m sure it won’t take too long for volume two to write itself.”
Amazon: Tales From Across La Manche
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