Issue No. 13
A fun and festive edition: Provence, Christmas markets, brilliant book nooks in Paris, recipes, expat stories to inspire and a whole lot more - fall in love with France with us.
A fun and festive edition: Provence, Christmas markets, brilliant book nooks in Paris, recipes, expat stories to inspire and a whole lot more - fall in love with France with us.
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House Sitting in the Ile de France<br />
- how to have your cake and eat<br />
it<br />
Over the years I have visited various parts<br />
of the French coast, mountains and cities<br />
for holidays, work and pleasure. But I've<br />
seldom had the luxury of time to simply live<br />
in one place and take in my surroundings<br />
without the deadlines of a timed holiday or<br />
tours crammed between business<br />
meetings and a return flight.<br />
Housesitting in Ile de France gave me that<br />
privilege; time to enjoy the country and<br />
savour the character of the heart of la<br />
France Profonde.<br />
Discovering the Ile de France<br />
In the heart of the French countryside just<br />
one hour from Paris lives a British expat<br />
long established in a tiny hamlet near the<br />
town of Coulommiers, with her family of<br />
dogs and hens. Susan occasionally travels<br />
away from her country idyll finding<br />
housesitters to take care of her pets and<br />
home. On the Housesit Match website she<br />
describes her French home as ‘a peaceful<br />
retreat nestled in the heart of the country’.<br />
Driving along the Route National at<br />
Ermenonville I passed the famous Parc<br />
Asterix and noticed scenic road side areas<br />
signposted as bon coins de pique-nique,<br />
and covoiturage. How organised to set<br />
aside land for outdoor lunch and ride<br />
sharing meeting places. It was hard to<br />
visualise anything like this off motorways<br />
elsewhere. When I arrived, nothing had<br />
prepared me for this charming corner of the<br />
world. Susan's home is a characterful gated<br />
property not visible from the road, with<br />
expansive views from the rear facing<br />
veranda.<br />
Land of Brie and Champagne<br />
Before long Susan introduced me to my<br />
charges for the housesit assignment, four<br />
dogs - all different sizes and ages and each<br />
with a unique personality, and 12 chickens.<br />
Their routines were straightforward and her<br />
explanations and briefing document was<br />
clear. I was all set. And she was ready for<br />
her holiday.<br />
Barring downpours of rain in the first two<br />
days the rest of the time at the housesit<br />
was peaceful, warm and sunny. I visited<br />
Coulommiers the nearest town, and the first<br />
place in France to produce what we now<br />
know as Brie cheese.
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