Category: The arts

MANY of the world’s most famous cartoon characters sprung from the drawing boards of French artists, with many as popular today as they were when first created.

Here US college student Samantha Decker, who is training to teach French in high schools, casts an eye over some of her favourites from the world of les bandes dessinées.

Comic books are much more mainstream in France than they are in the United States. Stateside, it’s considered a hobby. Across the pond, it’s just like picking up a book.

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‘La Fete de la Vielle en Morvan’ is an annual festival being held 15 – 19 August in Anost, a typical Morvan village in the Saône et Loire, totally dedicated to the ancient Hurdy Gurdy instrument and traditional French music.

In the 19th century the Hurdy Gurdy was a popular instrument with many players throughout the area and, located in the Morvan, Anost has for the last 30 years held the festival to maintain the important, traditional culture.

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THE Félibrée celebrations, or in Occitan Felibrejada, in Villefranche du Perigord on Sunday saw around 15,000 people turn up, despite sunshine and showers.

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IF you can get to Villefranche du Périgord, in the south of the Dordogne, this Sunday (July 1) you can experience the music and traditions of the Occitan language.

The village is hosting this year’s félibrée celebrations which recognises the history of the region through music and song, but also sees the streets and shops festooned in flowers.

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PARIS and fashion go hand in hand, but what is it actually like to be involved in this world?

In today’s podcast I chat with model Anina who was plucked from a New York health food shop to stride the catwalks of the world.

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TAKING your hobby or pastime with you to France is one of the best ways to ensure you find your feet quickly and easily in your new home.

Whatever it is, music, sport or handicrafts, most groups will welcome a new recruit with open arms, something I’m sure the Spinners and Weavers of South West France would do.

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WHEN Clare Worthy began quilting, using dresses her daughter had grown out of, little did she know that her pastime would wrap around the world.

From her home in the Dordogne, Clare has called on a network of quilters to help raise awareness of Leukaemia research after her brother-in-law was diagnosed with the illness.

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SOMETHING that I have always thought goes well together is a blog and an artist, be they a painter, sculptor or photographer.

But despite France being home to many artists there are not that many showing off their work and offering advice and tips to willing amateurs.

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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.

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.