Autumn 2022

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The
Good Life France
ISSUE Nọ 31
ISSN 2754-6799
Magazine
Discover
Aix-en-Provence
The sun-kissed
southern beauty
Delicious
Dijon
The new French
capital of gastronomy
French Riviera
CHILLOUT ZONES
Villefranche-sur-Mer,
Eze & Saint-Jean-
Cap-Ferrat
BUCKET LIST
France
Push the boat out
in Bordeaux
120 pages
of inspirational
features and
gorgeous photos
Pretty as a picture
The Alabaster
Coast, Normandy
Delicious recipes
to bring a taste of
France to your home

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Bienvenue
Bonjour and bienvenue to The Good Life France Magazine
Autumn 2022 issue.
This is a seriously fabulous issue and it’s just teeming with
tempting French destinations, and its chock full of fabulous
photos to inspire daydreams and bring France to you wherever
you are.
Discover Aix, the ‘Little Paris’ of Provence, one of the most
colourful and gorgeous cities in France, and historic Beaune,
a land of wine and castles. Push the boat out in beautiful
Bordeaux, a bucket list destination for sure, and head to
Normandy to explore its many charms – from the Alabaster
Coast to Ouistreham, a little fishing village with a big history.
See the stork villages of Alsace, sigh over the pickled-in-thepast,
post-card pretty perched town of Saint-Guilhem-le-
Desert where the villagers love to tell stories! Discover how
Alexandre Dumas, author of the Three Musketeers, was in
real life a total foodie, and there are some stunning recipes
for those of you who also love French cuisine – including an
irresistibly sscrumptious brioche and berry pudding. Lavender
fields in Provence, castles in the air in Dordogne, exquisite
Villefranche-sur-Mer and little villages of the French Riviera,
the UNESCO-listed treasures of Nice, what’s new, practical
guides and much, much more…
Don’t forget to subscribe - the magazine is free (see page 4)
and please share this issue with your friends - that’s free too!
Wishing you a very happy autumn,
Bisous from my little corner of rural northern France,
Janine
Janine Marsh
Editor
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The Good Life France | 3

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Contributors
8
CONTENTS
The Good Life France Magazine
No. 31 Autumn 2022
ISSN 2754-6799
ON THE COVER
8 Sun-kissed Aix-en-Provence
Janine Marsh discovers the
cultural and foodie side of this
southern French beauty.
14
14 Bucket list France: Bordeaux
Push the boat out in the “Pearl
of Aquitaine”…
Gillian Thornton is an
award-winning travel
writer and member
of the British Guild
of Travel Writers,
specialising in French
destinations, city stays,
walking, cruising and
lifestyle. Her favourite
place? ‘Usually where I
have just been!’
Laurent Yung was
born and raised in
his 5-generation
family vineyard in
Bordeaux, France.
He now runs, from
San Diego, California,
SomMailier.com, a
fabulous and unique
Wine Club 100%
dedicated to French
wines in the USA. He is
passionate about wine,
especially the small
hard-to-find French
wines.
Sue Aran is a writer,
photographer, and
tour guide living in the
Gers department of
southwest France. She
is the owner of French
Country Adventures,
which provides
personally-guided,
small-group, slow travel
tours into Gascony, the
Pays Basque, Provence
and beyond.
The Good Life France Magazine
Front Cover: Montmartre, Paris by Wazim. Find more of his fabulous
photos at: wazim-photos.com and on Instagram at wazou_75
Editor-in-chief: Janine Marsh
Editorial assistant: Trudy Watkins
Jeremy Flint is an awardwinning
professional
photographer and writer
specialising in travel,
landscape and location
photography. His work is
published extensively in
several magazines. He
is a five-time finalist in
Travel Photographer of
the Year, Association of
Photographers Discovery
Award Winner and
National Geographic
Traveller Grand Prize
Winner.
Press enquiries: editor (at) the Good Life France.com
Advertising: sales (at) the Good Life France.com
Digital support: websitesthatwork.com
Layout design: Philippa French littlefrogdesign.co.uk
Kit Smyth is a
retired chef with a
passion for French
cuisine. Originally
from Australia, Kit is
dedicated to exploring
both old and new
ingredients, techniques
and styles, and
developing recipes for
home cooks, she also
teaches these recipes
online and in-person.
Find out more at her
website: TheBiteLine
ISSN 2754-6799 Issue 31 Autumn 2022, released September 2022
20
20 Pretty as a picture in
Normandy
Gillian Thornton explores the
Alabaster Coast.
28 Delicious Dijon
The new French capital of
gastronomy.
72 French Riviera chillout zones
Villefranche-sur-Mer, Eze &
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
DISCOVER
34 Lavender fields forever!
Jeremy Flint wanders the
purple plains of Provence.
40 Seaside getaway in Normandy
Janine Marsh finds Ouistreham
is the perfect weekend
destination.
44 British Normandy Memorial
Gillian Thornton visits the
latest remembrance site to
open along the D-Day landing
beaches.
4 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 5

34
50 Spotlight on:
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
One of the prettiest villages in
France was once home to a
giant!
54 Burgundy’s finest
Nuns, film stars and UNESCOlisted
vineyards in Beaune!
118 Last word
Life in rural France.
GUIDES
90 Car and Visa Insurance
How to insure your foreign
registered car in France, and
medical insurance for visa
applications.
40
50
60 Castles in the Air
Mike Zampa’s humorous tour of
Dordogne’s perched chateaux.
64 The stork villages of
northern France
Amy McPherson goes walkabout
in Alsace.
68 Musketeers and cookery books
Sue Aran explores the foodie
credentials of writer Alexandre
Dumas.
76 Nice treasures
Jeanne Oliver explores the
UNESCO-listed riches in the
sunny city.
PHOTO SPECIALS
84 Your Photos
Featuring the most beautiful
photos shared on our
Facebook page.
REGULARS
80 What’s New – la Rentrée
All the news and events you
need for your next trip to France.
86 Tours de France
The very best of France for your
tours and holidays.
88 French language lesson
Faux amis – when French words
aren’t what they seem!
108 The Wine Expert: Champagne
Find out how the fizz for
its pizzaz!
84
112
80
95 Cut the cost of currency
transfers
The experts explain how to
get the best return on your
transfers.
99 US Connected Persons
Guide for US expats in France.
103 The true south of France?
Joanna Leggett explores the
good life in the cities of Sète
and Montpellier in Herault.
BON APPÉTIT
111 Very more-ish brioche
bread pudding
A rich and creamy pudding with
raspberries, white chocolate –
yes please!
112 Pain perdu with a bourbon
toffee sauce
This oven-baked pudding is a
real winner.
114 Cake salé
Yes you can have your savoury
cake and eat it for breakfast
says Kit Smyth.
116 French Chowder
The French version of this thick
soup is seriously tasty.
4 Subscribe to The Good Life
France Magazine
Everything you want to know
about France and more.
6 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 7

What to do and see in Aix
You’d be forgiven for thinking that in Aix all
roads lead to the Cours Mirabeau and that life
revolves around the hustle and bustle of this
wide boulevard – it does. Once a toll road and
a place for aristocrats and the rich to see and
be seen, it now splits the inner city in two. The
old town is on one side and the ‘newer’ 17th
century Mazarin district on the other. There
are restaurants, bars, galleries and shops
galore. And on summer nights and Saturday
mornings, market stalls are set up and the
Cours teems with shoppers. It’s also home
to a mossy fountain named unsurprisingly,
Fontaine Mossue. Fed by thermal springs (the
Romans built baths in Aix) on cold days steam
swirls above its stone bowl.
Sitting at a café with a glass of local rosé,
enjoying a three hour dinner and watching
the world go by on the Cours is one of life’s
great pleasures. Paul Cezanne, Edith Piaf,
Pablo Picasso, Jean Paul Sartre and many
more have done just this. But don’t sit there
for too long, there’s a lot to see in Aix.
Aix-en-Provence
Is it the gorgeous and colourful historic buildings? Or the many museums and
galleries, the fabulous markets, the Cours Mirabeau with its fountains, the
pretty squares and plane tree-lined avenues? Or the 300 days of sunshine and
700 restaurants in an always bustling but not busy city surrounded by glorious
countryside and vineyards? Aix (pronounced ‘X’) is a bit like a mini-Paris where the
sun always shines says Janine Marsh…
The old district
8 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 9

The old district
You’ll find a warren of cobbled streets,
elegant squares and magnificent ancient
buildings in the old district. There’s a lively
daily market in Place Richelme, shaded by
ancient plane trees, lined with cafés whose
chairs and tables spill into the square,
and stalls peddling local produce such as
lavender, bread, cheese, mountains of the
freshest vegetables, great tubs of sunflowers
and curtains of garlic…
In Place de l’Hotel de Ville you’ll find a
Saturday morning flower market watched over
by a 15th century astronomical clock featuring
characters representing the four seasons.
Locals say one year Autumn lasted 4 months
when someone forgot to turn the key!
In a city that is nicknamed ‘town of 1000
fountains’, elegant Place d’Albertas stands out
for its truly beautiful baroque buildings and
central fountain. You can walk your socks off
in Aix and never be bored.
Cours Mirabeau was named in honour of Honoré-Gabriel Riquetti de Mirabeau an early leader in the
French Revolutionist and who represented Aix at the Estates General assembly in 1789.
The Mazarin District
The Mazarin district is named after the
Archbishop of Aix, Michel Mazarin, brother of
Cardinal Mazarin, chief minister to Louis XIV.
He commissioned the extension of the city’s
boundaries in the 1600s. The buildings from
this time are luxurious and majestic. Elsewhere
there are traces of older buildings where
you can spot ancient carvings above doors,
religious statues on corners and the Maltese
cross carved into walls.
Arty Aix
Aix’s most famous son is Paul Cezanne.
Every morning at dawn, he would walk from
his city apartment up the hill to his studio
to paint. When he died in 1906, the studio
was preserved and is now open to the public.
The objects we see in his paintings are still
there, the three skulls which are real, though
no one knows who they are – anonymously
immortalized. The statue of a cherub, the
bottles and vases he loved to group together.
His brushes and paints, his smock coat and
hat and his Godin fire are all there. You really
do get the feeling the artist has popped out to
wander in his gorgeous garden or to look at his
beloved Mont Saint-Victoire, the subject of so
many of his paintings. (atelier-cezanne.com)
You can find out more about Cezanne at the
Caumont Art Centre, a corker of a museum
in an 18th century mansion a stone’s throw
from the Cours in the Mazarin District where
they show a 20-minute film about the life of
Cezanne that is surprisingly grown up and
doesn’t sugar coat his story (neither modest
nor particularly likeable by all accounts). The
museum has a super exhibition of sculptures
and paintings including by several great
names such as Monet, Van Gogh, Degas and
many more outstanding artists, plus stunningly
preserved rooms.
Don’t miss the ground floor café (you don’t
need a ticket to enter) – it is gorgeous with
glorious salons which feel as though nothing
has changed in the last 300 years, and a
No 38 the oldest private mansion on Cours Mirabeau, built before the street was even laid out –
it’s impressive wooden door is flanked by two stop-you-in-your-tracks-to-admire muscular figures
Cezanne's studio
10 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 11

eautiful shady garden. This is one of the best
kept secrets of the locals who love to pop in
for a coffee, glass of wine, lunch or fabulous
cake.
Two notable museums in the Mazarin District
are Musée Granet which has a superb
collection of artworks including ten Cezanne
paintings, and it’s second part Granet XXe,
housed in a former 17th century chapel
Fondation Vasarely exhibits the optical
illusion art of Hungarian-French artist Victor
Vasarely who chose Aix to showcase his art
due to his admiration for Cezanne. Vasarely’s
work is big, bold and incredible.
Eat out
Feast on oysters fresh from the coast in
Marseille, just 30 km away, nibble on
lavender infused goats cheese, enjoy
delicious salads flavoured with local olive oil
and tapenade and sigh over sweet almond
Calisons, a local speciality said to have been
invented for Queen Jeanne, the wife of Good
King René, in 1457. They are said to be the
shape of her eyes!
The king of calisson makers in Aix is the Le
Roy René who’ve been making them for more
than 100 years and whose calisson gift boxes
feature La Rotonde, a fountain landmark in
Aix. You can visit their fabulous museum and
confectionary where they make calissons
in every flavour from natural – almond and
melon to lavender, chocolate and pistachio.
The Fromagerie du Passage is tucked away
down a secret passage at No. 55 Cours
Mirabeau. Head to the terrace bar for a cool
breeze on a hot night and a perfectly chilled
glass of something delicious to wash down
your plancha of tasty Corsican meats and
some of the best cheeses you’ll ever try.
and an ever growing collection of art dotted
around the vineyards including a monumental
meditation bell created by Paul Matisse, son
of Henri Matisse.
Book a tour: Aix has so many secret
places and so much to discover.
Book a tour at the tourist office by
La Rotonde fountain.
aixenprovencetourisme.com
How to get there: Trains from Paris
take just 3 hours. The station is around
25 minutes’ drive from the city, you
can take a bus for a few euros or taxi
(expect to pay around 50 Euros).
Where to stay: Hotel Nègre Coste
overlooking the Cours Mirabeau, in the
centre of action but perfectly tranquil
and with comfy rooms, a spa, friendly
staff and a lovely restaurant downstairs.
La Rotonda is the biggest fountain in Aix and a symbol of the city
And for a countryside treat, head to
Chateau la Coste a dreamy vineyard with a
hotel and five restaurants about 20 minutes’
drive from the city. It has three art galleries
Chateau la Coste
12 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 13

BUCKET LIST
France:
Bordeaux
Janine Marsh explores Bordeauxfrom
the city to the vineyards…
Bordeaux is a truly great city – rich
in history, architecture, culture and
gastronomy. Beyond the city, the region
of Bordeaux is famous for its wines and
vineyards, many of which lie along the
rivers which made Bordeaux great. The
half-moon sweep of the river Garonne
in the city made for an ideal port and
the Romans built a great trading centre
here. Centuries later, the English made it
a central trading port, shipping out vast
quantities of wood, wool and local wines.
In the mid 1700s, the governor of Bordeaux,
the Marquis de Tourny did for Bordeaux
what Haussmann was later to do for Paris
– he regenerated the city. He knocked
down the crumbling medieval houses and
commissioned elegant buildings that faced
the river and that area is now the largest
urban UNESCO-listed world heritage site,
encompassing some 1810 hectares. The Port
of the Moon has been regenerated and the
former warehouses transformed into shops,
bars and restaurants. The quaysides are busy
with runners, cyclists and walkers drawn to
admire the Miroir d’Eau, a water sculpture in
front of the impressive Place de la Bourse.
Bordeaux has continued to evolve and
develop. The city is a mix of old and
new, glamour and avant-garde, wine and
water. There are futuristic trams, stellar
restaurants, wine bars and an ever growing
number of museums and art venues. For
visitors to Bordeaux there is so much to see
and do, it’s hard to know where to start.
Bordeaux for wine lovers
Push the boat out and take a river cruise to
see more of Bordeaux and discover some
of the finest vineyards in existence.
CroisiEurope are a French family-owned
cruise company who run 5, 6 and 7 day
river cruises from the Port of the Moon
14 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 15

dip their sails in salute: “baisse-voile”, which
became Beychevelle.
The UNESCO-listed Vauban-built Citadel of
Blaye is a big surprise in that it’s almost a secret
and yet this mini-Carcassonne is extraordinarily
beautiful and well-preserved, dominating the
pretty town below. It has its own vineyards,
shops and restaurants but it’s the gorgeous
historic buildings that steal the show.
In Bourg, wine is stored beneath the city in a
maze of caves. It was once a busy port town
but is now a sleepy place with wonderful views
from the top of the town. If you’re feeling fit
you can climb the 500 steps of the King’s
staircase, named for Louis XIV who stayed in
the upper town as a child and apparently liked
to sneak down the stairs to the old town below.
Blaye
and back. Cruise along the Garonne, the
Dordogne and the Gironde, western Europe’s
largest estuary. You’ll pass fishing huts on stilts,
birds of prey floating on the breeze, castles
and vineyards that sweep down to the water,
and riverside towns where you can explore the
best of the region.
You’ll enjoy wine tastings on board and in
renowned wine domaines (there are no worries
about being a designated driver). You’ll visit
castles and some of the region’s most historic
and beautiful towns and be spoiled rotten with
fabulous 3 and 4-course meals with excellent
at lunch and dinner.
I joined the 5-day cruise to get to know some
of the highlights of the city and the region…
Highlights of the cruise
In the mornings the ship sails and in the
afternoons there are excellent excursions
(guides speak English and French). It’s a
laidback cruise at a relaxed pace.
Tour the vineyards of Bordeaux and enjoy the
stunning landscape punctuated by chateaux,
Bassins des Lumières
mansions, and pretty villages. Enjoy wine
tastings at a famous domaine in the Medoc
and stop off at the chateau de Beychevelle
where rumour has it they cut the grass with
scissors – it’s certainly pristine in a sort of
Zen meets French parterre way. Ogling the
gorgeous 18th century mansion and snooping
in the garden is very satisfying! It was once
the home of the Duc d’Eperon, Grand admiral
of France and ships passing the estate would
Saint-Émilion is also on the itinerary and when
you go there, you have to do a wine tasting
– it’s practically the law! First at a chateau
and then in the picturesque, cobbled village
of Saint- Émilion. The vineyards (as well as 8
municipalities of Saint- Émilion) were the first to
be listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site
as ‘a remarkable example of a historic winegrowing
landscape which has survived intact’
You’ll also spend a whole day in Bordeaux,
with a guided tour or free time. It’s a really
fabulous way to get to know both the city and
the surrounding area.
Find out more:
Croisieuroperivercruises.com
There’s also a 5-day Christmas and a 5-day
New Year cruise of Bordeaux
For culture lovers
There are some 21 museums and art galleries
with themes including history, architecture
and fine arts. One of the most well-known is
the extraordinary Cité du Vin – dedicated to
wine and housed in a swirly topped building
that resembles wine being poured in a glass.
The latest venue to open is the absolutely
stunning Bassins des Lumières. It is the
Bourg
Saint-Émilion
16 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 17

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largest digital art centre in the world and
is housed in a Former German submarine
base built between 1940-1943 to house
multiple U-boats. This vast concrete space,
constructed from 600,000 cubic metres
of concrete, now hosts extraordinary and
spectacular immersive exhibitions.
More on what to see in Bordeaux
This is a city
for walking and
admiring. Explore
the old town with its
Grosse Cloche, 13th
century gate, the
Place du Parlement
created in 1754
by Tourny, Porte
Cailhau constructed
in the late 1490s
and the masterpiece
of the neo-classic
Porte Cailhau
rebuild, the Grand-
Theatre, whose spectacular staircase was the
model for the Opera Garnier in Paris.
For food lovers
Darwin: Cross to the right bank to experience
Darwin. A former military barracks turned
eco-rehabilitated area with street art,
performances and great places to eat out.
Locals love: Le Bordeaux restaurant is
popular not just with visitors but with
locals, it’s part of the city’s history in its
oh-so-memorable location opposite the
Grand-Theatre. The Bordelais (people of
Bordeaux) grow up knowing this restaurant,
celebrating good times with dishes made to
perfection…
More on where to eat out in Bordeaux
Bucket list Hotel: InterContinental
Bordeaux – Le Grand Hotel presides over
Place de la Comédie and is plush and
luxurious with a big dollop of old school
glamour and a glorious, theatrical tearoom.
Stay here and you actually might not
want to leave the hotel at all except that
Bordeaux’s temptations are simply too
irresistible. Indulge in the spa which has
one of the most unusual and stunning pools
I’ve ever seen – like swimming in your front
room, complete with curtains and paintings!
There’s a Michelin Starred Gordon Ramsay
restaurant, Le Pressoir d’Argent, named
after a pure silver lobster press created by
renowned Maison Christofle. They actually
use it in the restaurant if you order lobster.
And you can enjoy a glass of Bordeaux’s
finest wines on the stunning roof top bar
overlooking the famous opera house. Find
out more and book at:
bordeaux.intercontinental.com
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18 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 19

Painting by the sea
Normandy’s Alabaster Coast had a big
impact on the Impressionist painters. Gillian
Thornton took a scenic coastal drive to find
out why.
For a very small place, Veules-les-Roses packs
a pretty picturesque punch with its period
cottages and ancient watermills, seaside villas
and sandy beach. And there are more clues
in the name. Nestled in the wooded valley of
the Veules, France’s shortest river, the narrow
streets are splashed with the colour of roses
during the summer months.
Victor Hugo was a big fan of the village, coming
here regularly in the late 19th century. One
hundred and fifty years later, Veules-les-Roses
is still popular, a gem of the Alabaster Coast
and the only community in the Seine-Maritime
department of Normandy that is classified
amongst the Plus Beaux Villages de France.
Stretching from Le Tréport in the north to Le
Havre in the south, the dramatic coastline
of Seine-Maritime earns its name – the Côte
d’Albâtre – from the towering white chalk cliffs
that dominate the undulating shoreline. The
Impressionists loved a chalk cliff so as a big
fan of their work, I’ve come to see for myself
the landscapes they loved.
Heading down by car from Calais, I cross from
the Hauts-de-France region into Normandy
at Le Tréport on the Bresle estuary. Walk the
bustling quayside, relax on the beach, and
take the funicular up the chalk cliffs to enjoy
sweeping views over coast and countryside.
I’m no painter but already I can understand
why artists are captivated by the big skies and
ever-changing light here.
Don’t leave Le Tréport without taking a minidetour
to Eu, a small inland town of just 7,000
residents. Eu’s chateau was a favourite home
of France’s last king, Louis Philippe, and it’s
here that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
stayed in 1843 for the signing of the first
Entente Cordiale, a diplomatic agreement
between France and Great Britain. Louis-
Philippe lived his final years in exile in England
after being forced to abdicate in 1848, but
his beautifully restored Norman mansion still
20 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 21

Le Treport
Dieppe
boasts exquisite parquet floors, a priceless art
collection, and extensive gardens. Nor was
Victoria the only English monarch to make
her mark on Eu. William of Normandy married
Matilda of Flanders here in the Cathedral
of Notre Dame, some 15 years before they
became King and Queen of England in 1066.
Back on the coast road, I stop in the bustling
fishing port of Dieppe with its deep water
harbour protected by those signature white
cliffs. France’s first ever seaside resort, Dieppe
became popular with Parisians from 1822,
attracting the attention of Impressionists
such as Camille Pissaro who painted the inner
harbour in 1902. Look out for reproductions of
Impressionist paintings all along the Alabaster
Coast in the exact places where the artists
placed their easels.
Today Dieppe is classified as a French Art
and History Town so I stop to learn about
its seafaring and trading traditions, as well
as its Impressionist connections at the
museum in the hilltop castle. Just west of
Dieppe is Varengeville-sur-Mer and the
12th century church of St Valery, renowned
Chateau of Eu, rear garden
for its coastal views and sailors’ cemetery.
Master Impressionist Claude Monet painted
the exterior of St Valery from many angles, but
look inside too. The Tree of Jesse stained glass
window is the work of Georges Braque who
died in 1963 and is buried in the churchyard.
Beyond Veules-les-Roses, bustling with visitors
on market day, I find another Valery, the
pretty port of St-Valery-en-Caux with its
small harbour nestled between high chalk
cliffs. Then it’s on to the fishing port of
Fécamp. Hardy fishermen in centuries past
set off from Fécamp and Dieppe to fish for
cod off Newfoundland. Discover their story at
the excellent Fisheries Museum, housed in a
converted fish-smoking and packing building
beside the harbour.
There are circular views from the seventh floor
roof terrace, including a tantalising glimpse
of the extraordinary Benedictine Palace in
the heart of the old town. Benedictine liqueur
was reputedly created in the 16th century by a
Benedictine monk named Dom Bernado Vincelli,
using a secret mix of 27 plants and spices.
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Monet 'at work' in Etretat Gardens
Misty Monet morning, Etretat
The formula was lost in the French Revolution
but in 1863, local wine merchant Alexandre
Le Grand found the recipe, recreated the
drink, and commissioned a flamboyant
turreted mansion in its honour. A combination
of museum and art gallery, it holds the
distinction of being the world’s only distillery
for Benedictine liqueur.
Le Grand’s art collection spans sacred to
modern art and is as eclectic as the building
he commissioned.
Every new coastal view reminds me why the
Impressionist painters were so enamoured
of Normandy’s light and landscape. But the
place I most want to see with my own eyes
is Etretat with its famous rock arch attached
to the Aval cliff. I’m thrilled to catch a distant
view over a sunset aperitif in the garden of
the Domaine de Saint-Clair hotel just outside
town, however I’m gutted next morning to
wake to thick sea mist. Despite the June
heatwave, Monet’s iconic subject is barely
visible, even from the beach.
But after my initial disappointment I console
myself with the thought that Monet loved
to capture changing weather conditions. If
I look on this as a Moody Monet Moment,
50 Shades of Grey suddenly takes on a very
different connotation!
As the sun burns off the morning mist, I head
up to the Amont cliff to visit the magical
Etretat Gardens, an extraordinary topiary
garden which includes – no surprise here – a
reproduction in wicker of Monet at work,
complete with palette and easel.
My final stop on the Alabaster Coast is
somewhere I’ve never really wanted to go,
but feel I really should. Le Havre. This busy
commercial port at the mouth of the Seine
was bombed to near oblivion during World
War II, leaving 80,000 homeless, so little
remains of the original town. It was also the
accidental birthplace of Impressionism
in 1872 when Claude Monet painted a
shadowy picture entitled ‘Impression. Sunrise’,
dubbed by a disparaging art critic
as Impressionism.
Thanks to the vision of celebrated
architect August Perret and his team, Le
Havre was rebuilt in the 1950s with broad
avenues, public open spaces, and concrete
apartment blocks. But despite the city’s
UNESCO World Heritage status, I’ve never
had any great desire to see it. Big mistake.
The innovative period design turns out to
be far more attractive than I imagined.
Don’t miss the church of St Joseph, Perret’s
masterpiece, nor the Perret Show Flat, full
of 1950’s nostalgia.
But the real treat for me is MuMa – the
Museum of Modern Art André Malraux
– which houses the second-largest
Impressionist collection outside Paris.
The young Monet was encouraged by
established artist Eugène Boudin from
nearby Honfleur, widely considered as
the ‘master of skies’ for his seascapes with
racing clouds and wide horizons. Boudin
Eglise Saint-Joseph ®Ludovic Maisant
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Fecamp, Palais Benedictine
never considered himself an Impressionist
but he takes his rightful place here in Le
Havre’s glorious quayside museum alongside
Monet and his contemporaries.
Thanks to those pioneer painters, art lovers
all over the world have discovered the
beauty of Normandy’s Alabaster Coast. See
it with your own eyes however, and you might
just find yourself reaching for the paintbox!
Alabaster Coast
Getting there
Sail direct to Normandy with DFDS
(Newhaven-Dieppe) and Brittany Ferries
(Portsmouth to Le Havre and Caen-
Ouistreham); take the short ferry crossing
from Dover to Calais with DFDS or P&O; or
the fast undersea rail route with Eurotunnel
from Folkestone to Calais. Le Havre is just
over 2 hours by train from Paris St Lazare.
For visitor information, see
seine-maritime-tourism.com
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DIJON
the new French capital of gastronomy
When presented with good food and wine,
the French are apt to break out into song says
Janine Marsh.
Ban Bourguignon may sound like a robust
chicken casserole flavoured with red wine but in
fact it’s an anthem, a catchy ode that celebrates
the French lifestyle. The words go ‘La – La la –
La la la lère – La la – La la – La la la la la’. It’s
a tuneful round of applause sung in honour of
a superb dish or a sumptuous glass of vin, with
hands raised above the head – twisting, turning
and clapping in time to the rhythm.
It’s said the song was born in a bar in Dijon
in 1905, the capital of Burgundy, a part of
France that has a reputation for the very best
in French cuisine and wine.
Well, the proof is in the pudding – and
you’ll find it at the Cité International de la
Gastronomie et du Vin in Dijon.
It’s a bit of a mouthful, and it may sound
rather a dry title but I promise you this
landmark destination which opened in May
2022, is anything but.
UNESCO added the “Gastronomic meal
of the French” to their Intangible Cultural
Heritage list in 2010. The accolade recognises
a thousand-year-old tradition of preparing
good food that includes making everyday
meals a celebration. The French Government
decided to create a venue to showcase and
promote French gastronomy and wine, and
Dijon was chosen. It has form. UNESCOlisted
vineyards, boeuf bourgignon, gougères
– and in Dijon library there’s even a specialist
collection of food books and menus, more
than 30,000 of them.
Homage to gastronomy
The Cité de la Gastronomie et du Vin is on
the site of an abandoned hospital built in
1204 along the old Roman road – it has been
a landmark for visitors for centuries and now
is a landmark for gastronomy. The ancient
buildings have been restored and rejuvenated
and additional architecturally fabulous
buildings created for this foodie city within a
28 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 29

city. You’ll find a monumental exhibition space
dedicated to the food and wine of France
and around the world, with inventive and
interactive displays, films, whimsical patisserie
showcases, cakes that look like they were
made for the land of the giants, team games
involving virtual cooking sessions, rooms set
out like dining rooms and kitchens and a
former chapel dedicated to the UNESCOlisted
“Climats” the winegrowing vineyards
of Burgundy. Theatrical, flamboyant and
fascinating.
Did you know that at 12.30 each day – around
50% of the entire French population will
be sitting at a table to eat lunch?! You’ll
certainly learn that the French are a nation of
epicureans who know how to make a meal of
it when it comes to cooking, and that French
gastronomy truly deserves its UNESCO listing.
And that’s not all you’ll find – not by a long
way. In this grand homage to the culture of
food – there’s more…
Gastronomic village
Themed stores that showcase the best
of France including cheese, mustard,
charcuterie, seafood, chocolate, bread,
cakes and more can be found in this brand
new gastro-village. Many of the shops have
cooking stations, you choose your food
inside, they’ll cook it for you there and then
– and you can sit and enjoy it in a superb
setting.
There are pop-up bistros, the Experiential
Kitchen holds masterclasses with guest chefs,
cooking lessons, tasting sessions, cocktail
workshops, ‘battle of the chef’ sessions and
a fabulous rooftop terrace where barbecue
classes are held.
There are also pop up “Degustations” –
tasting stalls. When I was there Thierry
Marx’s team (yes THE Thierry Marx, the two
Michelin Starred chef who is one of the most
celebrated chefs in France) were there giving
away samples of his divine breads and cakes.
And when it comes to wine, the Cave de la
Cité is in a league of its own. Three floors
form a sort of ‘wine library’, 3000 bottles of
wine, 250 of them sold by the glass. They
range from a few Euros to a lot more when
you descend to the Cave des Grand Crus.
Here they have some of the most expensive
wines in the world – up to a whopping 3000
Euros a bottle – the sort of wines most of
us will never be able to sip (unless we’re
on Government expenses). For instance, I
spotted a 2017 Musigny, a Burgundian red
that will set you back up to 2000 euros a
bottle, but here you can have a taste for a
mere 65 Euros for a (small) glass.
There’s also the Ferrandi Paris School of
Culinary Arts, the Harvard of Gastronomy,
where they teach lessons in English. There
are fabulous tableware shops. And there’s a
Centre of Heritage and Architecture called
30 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 31

1204 which covers the history of Dijon over
the centuries.
A truly scrumptious tribute to glorious gallic
gastronomy.
Cite de la Gastronomie and du Vin
How to get there: Trains from Paris to Dijon
takes 1 hour 34 minutes.
Where to eat: In a city in which gastronomy
is revered, it’s hard to know where to go for
a great meal, unless you have friends who
are prepared to share their tips. I do – and
now you do, beause I’m happy to tell you my
favourite restaurant in Dijon. L’Essentiel is
superb.
Chef Richard Bernigaud creates seasonal
dishes that are on another level on the
tastebud scale. The portions are generous,
the staff are friendly, the food is superb. I
had melon gazpacho as a starter that I won’t
forget in a hurry – zesty and zingy. The menu
is created for the season and guaranteed to
appeal to your inner glutton.
L’Essentiel, 12 Rue Audra, 21000 Dijon
Where to stay: Vertigo Hotel and Spa, a
super designer style hotel in the heart of
Dijon from where it’s a short walk to the
Cité de la Gastronomie et du Vin via the
gorgeous public park.
Dijon tourist office
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A photo guide
to lavender
in Provence
Uncover the beauty of Provence with
Jeremy Flint’s guide to the best places to
photograph the lavender fields in the region
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Nestled in a picturesque corner of the
South of France that borders Italy and the
Mediterranean sea, Provence is a truly
delightful place that attracts visitors with its
warm sunny climate, great gastronomy and
scenic lavender fields. The lavender fields
have become an icon of the area and are
now a tourist attraction in their own right,
drawing visitors from all corners of the globe.
Every June and July, the region is ablaze with
fragrant lavender fields where swathes of
purple carpet the fields as far as the eye can
see. The captivating beauty of the lavender
fields makes Provence a photographer’s
paradise and a popular region to visit during
the summer.
In this rural, idyllic region of diverse
landscapes and stunning hilltop villages, the
lavender fields take centre stage. Lavender
has been an important crop for the people
of Provence for centuries where much of
the lavender is distilled for essential oil and
fragrant water. The plants are also dried
and added to scented objects such as soap,
perfume, honey, tea, ice cream, scented
packages and natural cosmetics.
There are many wonderful locations to visit in
Provence, this guide highlights the best places
to see and capture the most impressive sights
and the most spectacular lavender fields.
The road from Valensole to Manosque
provides some of the best photo viewing spots
as many rows of lavender come into view.
There are some wonderful scenes to shoot and
the lavender farms of Lavandes Anglevin and
Terraroma are great to visit too.
Another great spot for capturing the
blossoming lavender is along the road heading
north-east from Valensole where an old stone
building can be found. The structure looks
great surrounded by the flowing lavender
and mountains. Follow the road all the way
to Puimoisson where during summer you will
find even more lavender fields. The flowers in
full bloom can be a magical spectacle and
are incredible to witness, especially as the sun
casts its rays on the scene and the play of light
transforms the sea of purple.
The Luberon
Besides Valensole, you will find a variety of
other attractive lavender fields in Provence.
The Luberon Massif named after a mountain
range that runs east-west between Cavaillon
and Manosque is a Provencal patchwork of
miles of fragrant lavender fields, hilltop villages,
vineyards and ancient abbeys. The spectacular
natural park covers some 600 square
kilometres where the best lavender fields can
be viewed from Avignon towards Gordes.
Near Gordes the Abbaye Notre-Dame de
Senanque offers an iconic lavender scene.
Built in the 12th century, the Abbey is a
sublime example of the region’s architecture
set in a stunning woodland valley. The graceful
Cistercian Abbey makes a magnificent
backdrop to the lines of lavender grown and
harvested by the resident monks. Aim to
arrive morning or late in the day to avoid the
crowds of tourists and combine your visit with
a wonderful trip inside the abbey’s cloistered
interior whilst marvelling at the incredible
lavender that surround its grounds.
Gordes itself makes for a fantastic scene
as the spectacular hilltop village juts out of
the white-rock face of the Vaucluse plateau.
The medieval village is another of Provence’s
quintessential sights that rears up high on the
slopes with a labyrinth of winding roads and
cobblestone paths at its core.
Pays de Sault
Directly north of the Luberon natural park, the
Pays de Sault is a great place to see lavender
without the crowds and heat of Valensole.
Attractive villages and beehive shaped bories
(traditional dry-stone structures) blend perfectly
with the lavender fields. Nearby the area
around Apt and the valley at the foot of Mount
Ventoux offer colourful shades of purple.
Verdon Gorge ©Kylie Russel
Valensole
Other sights
The Plateau of Valensole
Verdon Gorge
Situated in the heart of Provence, the plateau
of Valensole has picture-postcard views of
lavender fields at every turn, providing some
of the most beautiful landscapes in Haute
Provence. It is simply the stuff of dreams and
an area that has captured the imagination of
artists and photographers for years. Situated
at an altitude of 500 metres in the south of
the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence between the
Luberon and the gorgeous Gorge du Verdon,
Valensole is dedicated to the cultivation of
lavender. Rich in luxuriant lavender fields,
their sight and smell is truly enchanting and
worth exploring.
Abbaye Notre Dame de Senanque © Tatiana Košťanová
Mont Ventoux © Michel Bergier
Beyond the lavender fields, other highlights of
the region include the gorgeous gorges and
canyons. Few sights match the impressive
Gorges du Verdon, also known as the Grand
Canyon of Europe with its jaw dropping
beauty. Situated in the Verdon natural park,
it is a haven for adventure seekers with its
incredible views of the plunging gorge to
the Verdon river snaking 600 metres below.
Hikers, bikers and rock climbers seek out
the best trails and craggy mountain peaks
to summit whilst thrill seekers find solace
canoeing on the water as birds of prey
including vultures circle overhead.
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Lavender harvest Plateau de Valensole
Valensole
The town of Valensole is a great place to
visit and makes an ideal base to explore the
lavender fields. Its lively weekly market is
packed with stalls selling local specialities
including olive oil, honey and lavender. There
is also a wonderful old fountain and array of
shops, restaurants and cafés in the centre well
worth visiting.
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
Rougon and Moustiers-
Sainte-Marie
Don’t miss the spectacular hill-top villages
synonymous with the area. The picturesqu
hilltop village of Rougon offers charming
buildings and commanding vistas of the
Gorges du Verdon snaking off into the
distance whilst Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is one
of the region’s most beautiful villages, founded
by monks,it dates back to the 5th century.
Getting there
The lavender fields of Provence are best
explored by car as the locations are some
distance apart. There is a fast TGV train
from Paris to Avignon, and airports at
Avignon, Nimes and Marseille from where
you can hire a car. Or take a guided tour,
recommended: Your Private Provence:
small group tailored tours
Your Private Chauffeur Provence:
bespoke tours
Ophorus for shore excursions, half-day
and day trips
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Le weekend in:
OUISTREHAM
Ouistreham in the apple-growing department of Calvados in
Normandy, is steeped in history and has a jolly seaside air to it.
It’s a great place to stroll with a long promenade, a fabulous
fish market and a charming town says Janine Marsh…
Ouistreham’s Riva-Bella beach is a listed
seaside resort known as the ‘Pearl of the Côte
de Nacre’ (mother of pearl coast). It has an air
of yesteryear with its endless stretch of sandy
beaches along the English Channel, beautiful
Belle Epoque and Art Deco villas, little
wooden bathing cabins and gently sloping
beach.
Made popular by Parisians at the end of the
19th century, with the train journey taking
just 6 hours, it took its name from the first
beautiful villa built there. In 1866 a Monsieur
Longpré built a house at no. 53 rue Pasteur, he
called it Belle Rive. When his friend, a painter,
came to stay, he found the sunsets on the
coast were as beautiful as those he had seen
on his travels in Italy and he nicknamed the
villa ‘Riva Bella’. Many more architecturally
stunning houses were built here (if you play
Sims World, you might spot a Ouistreham villa
on the vacation home list!) and it reminds me
of its glamorous neighbour Deauville though
Ouistreham is smaller, more tranquil and less
celebrated. It does though, like Deauville,
have a casino. It’s a great base for visiting this
area of Normandy and makes for an ideal
weekend getaway.
Ouistreham is a great place to stroll and
take in the fresh air. The seaside walkway
from Lion-sur-Mer to Hermanville-sur-Mer,
follows the route of the Via Turonensi, part
of the Santiago de Compostela. The walk is
lined with many lovely houses dating from the
Second Empire – the regime of Napoleon III,
whose legacy is also present in the canal he
commissioned which connects Caen marina
to Ouistreham.
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There are fabulous views from Ouistreham
Lighthouse if you climb the 171 granite steps
to the top. Look over Ouistreham’s bijou ferry
port and on a clear day you can see as far as
Mont-Saint-Michel. You’ll also have panoramic
views over the coastline and historic Sword
Beach, the most easterly of the D-Day landing
beaches and the only beach where French
forces took part on 6 June 1944, forces, led by
Commando Philippe Keifer, took part on
4 June 1944. .
Traces of the past can be seen in many places
in and around Ouistreham, with the famous
Pegasus Bridge just 10 minutes away by car.
Memorials abound, including one in honour
of Piper Bill Millin, the soldier who landed on
Sword Beach playing the bagpipes. Le Grand
Bunker, a former German command post is
now a fascinating museum and listed historic
monument. The Musée du Debarquement no.
4 (No. 4 Commando Museum) preserves the
memory of the 1st Battalion of Naval Fusiliers,
set up by Commander Philippe Kieffer which,
incorporated in the British No 4 Commando,
was the only French unit to take part in the
Normandy landings. The Hillman Site was one
of the biggest German command posts during
WWII and in the summer months, ‘Friends of
the Suffolk Regiment’ Association are on site
to tell stories of the past.
Take an audio guided tour called La Délicate
– Ouistreham an unusual format as the guide
is contained in an umbrella! The tour takes in
the beaches and streets of Ouistreham and
tells the history of the town through stories
and memories of those who lived here. Or
take a bike ride! There are several cycle routes
including along the canal to Caen, and the
route of the Vélo Francette which begins in La
Rochelle and ends in Ouistreham.
A daily fish market is held in Ouistreham.
Friendly stall holders pile up the day's haul
including the most delicious scallops – which
this area is famous for. Enjoy the freshest fish
dishes in the many restaurants and brasseries,
washed down with local cider and finish with
salted caramel. Try La Table d’Hôtes where
Chef Yoann serves creative, seasonal dishes,
or push the boat out at La Voile Blanche
overlooking the sea.
This is also a great area for nature lovers.
To the east of Ouistreham Riva-Bella, is the
Pointe du Siège and Orne estuary, the largest
nature area in Calvados. Dunes, marshes, salt
meadows and forests are home to many wild
birds and seals.
Info: Tourist office website
How to get there: Caen ferry port is in
Ouistreham (15km from Caen) and ferries
run from/to Portsmouth. The nearest train
station is Caen and buses run regularly
between the two towns.
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British NORMANDY
MEMORIAL
Gillian Thornton visits the latest remembrance site
to open along the D-Day landing beaches
Walking amongst the white stone columns
of the British Normandy Memorial on a
stunning blue-sky day, I can’t help feeling that
my father would have thoroughly approved.
In June 1944, the 20-year-old farmer’s son
landed at Sword Beach as part of the D-Day
landings that kick-started the liberation of
France. He had never been out of England
before and he wasn’t to see home again for
nearly three years.
They were difficult years but at least my father
came back. He resumed his legal training,
met my mum, and together they worked hard
to build a future and a family together. Fast
forward to my teens and we enjoyed many
holiday road trips round France, but we never
went to Normandy. Maybe there were just too
many memories for a conscripted ex-soldier.
But strolling around the tranquil cliff-top site
at Ver-sur-Mer with its sweeping views over
land and sea, I know my dad would have loved
this stunningly beautiful commemoration
of the comrades he left behind. He rarely
showed emotion but my father was moved to
44 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 45

tears by the television coverage of the 70th
anniversary of D-Day in 2014. A month later,
he slipped quietly away aged 90, perhaps to
meet up with some of those who never caught
the troop carrier home.
For many years, families of Allied soldiers have
been able to visit memorials, museums and
beaches on the Normandy coastline in the
footsteps of relatives who fought for freedom
in Europe. But only now is there a memorial
to the British soldiers who didn’t return from
the conflict, a spot where relatives can see the
names of lost family members inscribed for
posterity.
The campaign for the British Normandy
Memorial began in 2015 when D-Day
veteran George Batts, formerly of the Royal
Engineers, pointed out to BBC broadcaster
Nicholas Witchell that no national memorial
in Normandy recorded the names of all those
under British command who had died on
D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy.
As a result, the Normandy Memorial Trust was
established and the project began to move
forward.
In March 2017, the British government
pledged £20 million towards the construction
of the Memorial on farmland overlooking the
shoreline codenamed Gold Beach. The site
was formally inaugurated on 6 June 2019 in
the presence of then British Prime Minster
Theresa May and French President Emmanuel
Macron, and construction work began soon
afterwards. Despite delays due to the Covid
pandemic, the Memorial was officially opened
by video link by HRH The Prince of Wales on 6
June 2021.
Carved on 160 stone columns are the names
of 22,442 individuals – British personnel
and other nationalities serving British units
– whose lives were lost in the Normandy
campaign. Also included are members of the
RAF who supported the mission, and secret
agents and Special Forces personnel working
behind enemy lines. Names are listed in
chronological order of death, day-by-day, and
grouped by branches of the armed forces. This
huge undertaking was greatly aided by the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission and
supplemented by other military institutions
and individuals.
But you don’t need a family connection
to enjoy a visit to this special place which
is easily reached by car, midway between
Bayeux and Caen. Buses also run from both
towns, except on Sundays, stopping outside
the Memorial gate. Admission is free with just
a 3€ parking charge that goes towards the
upkeep of the site. Visitors will find toilets at
the entrance and a picnic area near the car
park, but no visitor centre, no shop, no guides,
and no cafe. Nothing that detracts from the
tranquillity and beauty of the site. If you need
snacks, the village shops are just five minutes’
walk away.
Access to the Memorial is via a level gravel
path, suitable for wheelchairs and walking
aids – expect an 8-10 minute walk from the
car park. Along the way, stone information
panels are carved with the story of the D-Day
landings, English on one side, French on the
other.
As the Memorial came into view, my first
thought was ‘Stonehenge beside the sea’, its
uniform stone columns topped with a lattice
of timber. The full beauty of the design doesn’t
hit you until you get close and can see the
layout, a rectangle criss-crossed by paths in
the shape of a Union Jack, which flies on a
tall flagpole at the centre beside the French
tricolore.
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More flags fly on the grass between the
columns and the natural meadow that
overlooks the sea, ablaze with a Monet palette
of wildflowers during my June visit. I stopped
to take in the dramatic sculpture of three
soldiers ‘running’ in from the beach, an iconic
moment frozen in time that could so easily
have shown my dad.
Then I crossed the grass for a close up view
of the five wrought iron panels designed
by sculptor Charles Bergen, each one
pointing towards a D-Day landing beach
and illustrating key elements from the battle
– the British soldiers at Sword beach to the
east and here at Gold; the Canadian assault
between the British beaches at Juno; and to
the west, the American targets at Omaha
and distant Utah. On such a clear day, the
floating Mulberry harbours at neighbouring
Arromanches were clearly visible, and
beyond them, the headland of Pointe du Hoc
pinpointed the beaches of Omaha and Utah,
a unique and moving panorama.
Turning my back on the waves that brought
the Allied troops to France, I stopped by the
tablet commemorating the many French
civilians who also died in the summer of 1944
in Normandy. And to read the stirring words
spoken as the assault began – the D-Day
broadcast by King George VI, the address by
General de Gaulle on BBC Radio, and the
speech by Sir Winston Churchill.
This Memorial may be long overdue but it’s
a fitting tribute to all those young men who
sacrificed their futures in France. A real mustsee
on this beautiful stretch of Calvados
coastline.
Further information from
britishnormandymemorial.org
For tourist information on Calvados, visit
calvados-tourisme.co.uk
For the best battlefield and memorial tours of
Normandy see sophiesgreatwartours.com
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In the heart of the Hérault Gorges, in the Val de Gellone, just 40km from Montpellier,
you’ll find, wedged into a narrow valley, the tiny medieval village of Saint-Guilhemle-Désert.
Janine Marsh visits the fairy tale pretty town…
SPOTLIGHT ON:
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is best approached
from the winding road of the Grand Chemin
Val de Gellone which gives you stupendous
views of the town which sits atop a hill, and
leave via the main street on the far side of the
town, lined with boutiques, bistros and artisan
workshops.
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is a Plus Beaux
Village de France (an official classification for
the prettiest villages in France). In the centre,
the main square is home to an imposing plane
tree. Over 150 years old, it’s said to be the
biggest plane tree in France. All around it,
tables and chairs sprawl out from the cafés
that line the square, the perfect place to sip
chilled wine and nibble on olives as you listen
to the cicadas sing.
On one edge of the square sits the Abbey
of Gellone, one of the oldest Romanesque
churches in France and a UNESCO World
Heritage Site on the Camino de Santiago
(Way of St James) pilgrim route.
The abbey was founded in 804 by Guilhem,
Count of Toulouse. When he moved to this
remote location, his cousin the great Emperor
Charlemagne, gave him what was said to
be a relic of the Holy Cross which made the
abbey an important stop for pilgrims. The wellpreserved
abbey has an air of serenity to it,
and there is a small museum behind the cool
cloisters.
Guilhem made the town famous by defeating
a giant who took up residence in the ruins of
the town’s castle, accompanied by a magpie.
The terrified locals asked Guilhem to help
rid them of the giant. Guilhem dressed as a
maid and, hiding his sword, set out to trick the
beast. But he was recognised by the magpie
who flew off to warn his mate. Sure of his
superiority, the giant ignored the magpie and
fought with the ‘maid’ who of course won, and
Guilhem threw his opponent off a cliff. The
locals claim that though many wild birds live in
the area – no-one has ever seen a magpie in
Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert since that day!
Around the abbey a warren of narrow cobbled
winding alleys spread up and down the hilly
town. As you wander, you’ll pass the 12th
century Tour des Prisons. Along the streets,
water trickles from ancient fountains, some
50 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 51

of them decorated with scallop shells, the
pilgrims emblem, and picturesque ancient
houses lean against each under their sunbaked
tiled roofs.
Despite the name, you won’t see a desert,
the name comes from the fact that not many
people lived there centuries ago. Today it
gets rather more crowded, especially in peak
summer months, though it barely has more
than 250 permanent residents.
Step back in time
A stone’s throw from the village you’ll find
another incredible monument – the medieval
Pont du Diable which arches high above a
steep gorge. Legend has it that yet again
Guilhem was the hero. The bridge was taking
so long to build that Guilhem did a deal
with the devil who agreed to get the job
done in return for the first soul to cross after
completion. Guilhem sent a dog across and
the devil, in a fit of pique tried to destroy the
bridge and fell into the gorge below which
became known as the Gouffre Noir (the black
abyss). To this day, pilgrims and locals crossing
the bridge throw a stone into the gorge – to
keep the devil on the bottom!
Embedded in the hills are the remains of a
Visigoth fortress and an old mule path, trod for
centuries by pilgrims and today part of a hike
that begins at the edge of the village on the
rue du Bout-du-Monde - the street of the end
of the world. And you can take a detour to visit
the ruins of the Giant’s castle, a very peaceful
spot with fabulous views.
Janine Marsh visited Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
whilst on a CroisiEurope Rhone River tour
from Sète to Arles, which includes excursions
of the most iconic destinations en route.
Azincourt1415.com
24 Rue Charles VI
62310 Azincourt
and discover the past at
Azincourt 1415 historic centre
52 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 53

Wine adventure in
Janine Marsh traces the route of one of the most popular films ever made in France –
to Beaune, wine country extraordinaire…
BEAUNE
If you’ve ever wondered where French people
go on holiday in France, the simple answer
is – all over the country, it’s got such a varied
offering, there really is something to suit
everyone. I can also tell you that many French
people dream of visiting Beaune in Burgundy.
For the wine, the glorious countryside, history
and culture and for another reason that is
largely unknown outside of France. Beaune
stars in one of France’s most popular films:
La Grande Vadrouille (vadrouille means to
gad about or gallivant). It’s a comedy that
follows the fortunes of some hapless British
Airmen (including the moustachioed English
actor Terry Thomas) dropped over Paris by
parachute during World War II. They lose
their way and are aided by a workman, the
conductor of the Paris orchestra and a pretty
Parisienne puppeteer. Eventually they escape
to Burgundy where a nun from the famous
Hospices de Beaune joins the gang. The film
was released in 1966, and it’s said that the
entire population of France over the age of 16
have watched it at least once!
Trace the footsteps of the film’s stars in the
Côte d’Or department, and enroute discover
the most authentic, beautiful and delicious
parts of Beaune and its surroundings. This
is an unspoiled area, perfect for a road trip,
where the folk are friendly, the food is fabulous
and the wine is exquisite – and there are many
surprises…
The Petite Vadrouille
I joined a Petite Vadrouille tour which kicked
off at the Hospices de Beaune, the famous
former hospital for the poor in the heart of the
city. Founded in 1443, nursing was provided by
nuns called the Hospitalier Soeurs de Beaune.
The tour included an exquisite dinner in the
King’s Room, originally a bedroom created
for Louis XIV. He visited the Hospital in 1658,
Hospices de Beaune © Joux Agence RPEvents
54 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 55

Hospices de Beaune
Wine bike © C Lorch Agence RP Events
The King's Room, Hospices de Beaune
but didn’t sleep here, instead he headed to
what is now the Hotel le Cep just around the
corner. The “sisters” were there to join the party
complete with authentic coifs – their famous
wing-like headwear. In the film, it was here in
the distinctive ancient hospital beds that the
fugitive airmen hid in plain sight. The Hospices
looks much as it did 600 years ago, a glittering
tiled roof you can only see from the vast
courtyard, gargoyles hanging from the historic
wooden ceilings, stunning artworks, religious
artefacts, an ancient kitchen and pharmacy.
10km away, a major part of the film took
place in the charming town of Meursault. The
townsfolk are proud of the old fashioned fire
engine that appeared in the film and it is now
displayed in a showcase outside the chateaulike
town hall!
UNESCO-listed vineyards
This whole area is in the heart of the
UNESCO-listed vineyards of the Côte d’Or
known as the Climats of Burgundy. The
Climats are a series of 1247 plots of land that
form a ribbon of vineyards which run about
60km from the gastronomic city of Dijon to
the south of Beaune, where there is a Maison
des Climats exhibition centre.
Alterpiece, Hospices de Beaune, The Last Judgement, Rogier van der Weyden circa 1450
These vineyards are the legacy of a tradition
of viticulture dating back as far as 2000
years, small parcels of land shaped by man
to grow vines and make wine that reflects
that every parcel of land is unique. Some
vineyards are just a few acres in size, others
are considerably larger. Each vineyard is
precisely defined and named. The names have
Celtic, Gallic, Latin and German roots and
record the influence of those who worked here
and helped shape the landscape such as Les
Casse-Têtes in Meursault which means ‘brain
teaser’, indicating the hardness of the soil and
the difficulty of planting vines here! One of
the best known is the Clos de Vougeot, the
headquarters of the Climats de Bourgogne
and seat of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du
Tastevin. Built in the 12th century by monks
from the nearby Abbey of Cîteaux there is
also a 16th century château where you can
discover more about the Climats, wine and
Burgundy, and enjoy a 5-wine tasting.
Each plot is influenced by its own unique
terroir – the French word that’s impossible to
translate into English. It refers to the growing
conditions - the soil, the grapes, the local
climate, know-how, altitude, exposure to sun
and rain, and local vegetation. This is an area
that produces some of the best wines in the
world with names like Montrachet, Romanée-
Conti, Clos de Vougeot, Corton, Musigny,
and Chambertin. And there are many cellars
where you can stop for a tasting including
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La Petite Vadrouille@C Lorch Agence RPEvents
some of the most prestigious domaines
– Chateau de Meursault Chassagne-
Montrachet, Le Chateau de Saint Aubin and
Domaine Joillot Pommard. At Maison Olivier
Leflaive you can even tour the vineyards by
bike. Not just any old bike, a wine powered
bike! Seating 12, sip the finest wines as you
pedal!
There’s no better way to appreciate this
patchwork of vines than from the air. We took
to the skies in a helicopter and got a birds eye
view of the tapestry of vineyards, peppered
with tiny stone huts, paths trod for thousands
of years, stone walls, mills and castles. The
countryside around is glorious and after
the helicopter dropped us off in a vineyard
for a picnic and wine tasting, we set off to
discover the Cirque du Bout du Monde - the
Circus at the end of the world. It’s a unique
mountainous part of Burgundy, a classified
site of outstanding natural beauty where you
can stand under a 40 metre high waterfall,
surrounded by vineyards.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve never seen the film,
a tour of Beaune and its surroundings is a soulsoaring
experience.
Domaine Lucien Muzard & Son, Santenay
Tour details:
lapetitevadrouilledebourgogne.com
How to get there: Trains from Paris to
Beaune via Dijon (TGV fast train) take around
two hours.
Where to stay: Hotel le Cep, a luxurious
and charming hotel with a Michelin starred
restaurant and a fabulous bar. Parts of it date
to the 14th century and it has two listed 16th
century courtyards.
Beaune Tourist office
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58 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 59

Castles in the sky in
the Dordogne Valley
Beynac-Dordogne
Roque Gageac
Aim for the top and have a sense of
humour when it comes to castles in
Dordogne says Mike Zampa…
We recently moved into our part-time home in
France’s Dordogne Valley. Our village is called
La Roque Gageac. We’re halfway up a steep
hill above the glistening Dordogne River AKA
the suburbs of this 13th-century town of 400
people. Downtown is nestled at the foot of a
sheer cliff hundreds of feet straight up.
People like to be on top of things in Southwest
France – or more precisely, on top of the
world. At our house in California, heaven is
a flat lot for the swimming pool. Here, only
water sans gazeuse is flat. Everything else is
built on perches.
Historians say hilltop towns reflect the
Dordogne’s brutish history. Marauders and
invading armies convinced villagers that they
should build above the fray. Far enough up
and the pillagers would look for alternatives
the rationale went.
Fortunately for us, the strategy worked…
sort of. Villagers were still terrorized through
the Middle Ages. But their towns survived.
What’s left are hamlets listed among the most
beautiful in France. Breath-taking in every
sense of the word.
Here’s a list of top (pun intended) towns at
altitude in the Dordogne, each more beautiful
than the last. Their names are followed by their
rating on our highly scientific high-o-meter.
La Roque Gageac
(Nosebleed high)
The village dates to the 12th century
when troglodytes lived in caves. It begins
on the banks of the Dordogne then goes
straight up. From the river, it’s a picture in a
storybook. From the cavern-like fort etched
out of a cliff face, it’s a nosebleed. Villagers
retreated to the fort to escape Vikings with
world domination issues. Today you can scale
174 stairs to the fort. The staircase clings to
the cliff. You would too if you saw a Viking.
Beynac (uncomfortably high)
Beynac is overshadowed by its castle rising
hundreds of feet above the Dordogne. It’s
within eyesight of its adversary, Castelnaud,
just minutes up the river. Both fortresses
were focal points of the Hundred Years
War. To understand which country – France
or Britain – controlled which castle, read
a book. It’s too hard to explain here. You
can reach the castle by climbing a twisting,
cobblestone path flanked by dreamy stone
cottages. What they don’t tell you is that
you don’t need to walk up the steep path.
There’s a road going up to a parking lot near
the castle entrance. And they said there
were no jokes coming out of the Hundred
Years War.
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Castelnaud
Castelnaud (Like Beynac
only steeper)
This restored castle is illuminated at night. You
can see it from all over the Dordogne Valley.
You can see the moon, too, though it’s not
quite as high. Quaint cottages tumble down
-figuratively speaking – the hillside below
Castelnaud. There’s an impressive trebuchet,
a catapult-like weapon that flung 400-pound
boulders 40 meters. Scared the heck out
of the enemy but took 60 minutes to load.
During the other 59 minutes, there was hell
to pay.
Limeuil (Feral cats
use handrails)
Two natural phenomena define this
gorgeous hilltop village. The first: the
Dordogne and Vézère rivers converge
here under two lovely arched bridges. The
second: no two Frenchmen pronounce
Limeuil the same way. Take the sharp
vertical drop from the hilltop lookout past
picturesque shops. It will take your mind off
the fact you’re basically descending the
face of the Chrysler Building.
Trafic%5D-%5Bthegoodlife_france%5D-%5B300x-
250%5D-
Domme © Lori Shimizu Peterson
View from Limeuil
Domme (Don’t look down)
This is a classic Bastide town. That means
it was built behind a wall on a hilltop to
discourage invaders. What a waste of
time. The first invaders took one look at
Domme and said: “No way I’m climbing
that.” In addition to altitude, Domme has one
other claim: the most beautiful view in the
world. You can see miles of geometrically
cultivated farmland from its Belvedere.
There’s also a magnificent river view of
the Dordogne making a hard left turn to
neighboring Vitrac.
In summary, Southwest France has peaks and
a valley. It’s all beautiful, but the peaks will
have you over the moon…quite literally.
62 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 63

The STORKS
of Alsace
Amy McPherson strolls
through the villages of
Alsace in search of the
famous storks…
Eight AM. It was the first day of my multi-day
walking journey along the wine route of Alsace
and anticipation filled my heart. One of the
smallest regions of France, Alsace is big on
wonders, with many hilltop castles, tranquil
forests and picture-book-pretty villages with
restaurants that serve hearty Alsatian dishes
paired with excellent local wines.
As I left the already bustling cobbled streets
of Eguisheim behind, I lost myself in the vast
vineyards that carpet the surrounding hills.
Over the next few days walking from one
village to the next, I would find myself devoid
of human contact, but not so alone that I was
completely without company. Silently gliding
with the wind above me, I saw the distinct long
red beaks and the black-tipped wings of the
famed white storks as they accompanied me
on most of my journey.
Storks of Alsace
Visit Alsace in spring or summer and you’ll spot
giant nests on rooftops, roadside poles and
church towers in almost every village, town
and city. This is home to storks which migrate
each year from Africa to spend the warmer
months in Europe and seem to particularly like
Alsace’s natural environment.
The storks are faithful, not only to their
spouse, but to their dwelling, returning every
year to the same nest after their laborious
long distance journey. The male arrives first,
ensuring the nest is of optimum condition
before the female joins him. Their young carry
the migratory instinct and begin their own
journey back south in autumn. Amazingly,
when the parents make their path back, they
know exactly where to find their offspring.
Eguisheim © Donald Druker
Telling of time
These birds have become somewhat of an
oracle of the time of the year for farming
activities, much like the groundhog of
America. Stork abundance signifies a good
year to come, the lack of storks means some
hardship in living conditions.
The locals are friendly to storks, many of the
nests are formed on top of iron cages put there
specially for the storks to move in. Perhaps it
isn’t all for the storks though. If a stork decides
to nest on top of a house, it is believed that
good fortune (or a baby, if you wish for it) will
come to those who live in this house.
The obsession with storks doesn’t stop at
encouraging nest-making. Throughout
Alsace, storks feature as names of hotels
and restaurants, mountain bike trails, walking
tours and even a theme park dedicated to
the storks.
Walking from village to village in the spring,
the sight of majestic storks appearing above
the nests, perched high atop somewhere
impossibly high, looking graceful and proud,
was a constant feature.
64 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 65

Bird of Peace
Alsace has had a long association with its
storks, known as störig in Alsatian, with a
folktale dating back to 817. Louis the Pious,
Emperor of the Carolingian Empire, wanted
to divide his land among his three sons.
Unfortunately, he was persuaded by his
second wife to gift the full entitlement to her
son only, which caused the other two sons to
wage war against their father.
The peaceful storks saw the devastation and
bloodshed that followed. And with blood
staining their beaks and feet as they surveyed
the land, decided to dip the tip of their wings
in black and lose their voice in mourning.
Storks have remained silent ever since.
Conservation of the
white stork
Mute from birth, storks communicate by body
language and clapping their beaks. A fact
that I learned at the NaturOparC, a stork
sanctuary and wildlife education centre in the
village of Hunawihr.
In the 1970s, due to human expansion and
loss of habitat, the stork population in Alsace
hovered between extinction and survival until
less than ten breeding pairs were sighted
throughout the region. In 1983, a stork reintroduction
programme was begun. One of
the first repopulation centres was established
in Cernay, whose 30 stork couples are often
seen flying around the town centre along the
river looking for food.
Today, the region of Alsace is home to more
than 600 couples.
NaturOparC was part of this successful
program, and continues to provide a safe,
open sanctuary to storks that come to nest in
the treetops. Other than the storks undergoing
medical treatment, the birds are free to come
and go as they please, and the fact that so
many stay is a sign that the environment is
ideal for them.
Strategically built ladders and walkways
allowed me to approach some of the nests at
a safe distance (for the storks) and view them
up close. Watching the storks relaxing in their
nests, sleeping, preening, clapping their beaks
– perhaps a couple in argument over whose
turn it was to look after the baby – was a fairy
tale moment, truly captivating.
The wine bringers
No visit to Alsace is complete without going
to a few wine cellars for some tasting. And it is
also of no surprise, that the storks have a beak
in the wine business too.
“Oh, there are plenty of storks this year,”
chuckled the bartender at the Bléger winery
in Saint-Hippolyte, a town famous for Alsace’s
only red wine, Pinot Noir. “When there are
plenty of storks in spring, you know we are
going to have a good harvest in autumn.”
Not only do the storks symbolise fertility,
the Alsatian consider the storks to be the
bringer of luck and wealth, and for the many
winemakers of the region, they also bring a
year of good harvest, meaning more wine for
everyone.
You can visit NaturOparC in Hunawihr as part
of the Inntravel self-guided walking itinerary in
Alsace. For more information visit:
inntravel.co.uk
66 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 67

Pantheon
Alexandre Dumas –
Musketeers and
cookery books!
Sue Aran investigates the cuisine
credentials of France’s most famous
novelist – Alexandre Dumas…
Pantheon
In 2002, for the bicentennial of Alexandre
Dumas’ birth, then French President Jacques
Chirac arranged a ceremony honouring the
renowned author by transferring his ashes to
the Panthéon, a mausoleum for France’s most
distinguished citizens, in Paris. The most read
French novelist in the world, Dumas’ remains
were laid to rest alongside those of Victor
Hugo and Émile Zola, his casket was carried
through the street of Paris by Four Republican
guards dressed as the 4 Musketeers
Dumas, wrote in an amazing variety of
genres – plays, essays, short stories, histories,
historical novels, romances, crime stories and
travel books. And he also wrote a cookbook:
the 1,150-page, Le Grand Dictionaire de
Cuisine, for he was not only a prolific writer,
but a consummate gourmet, cook and bon
vivant.
Alexandre Dumas was born Dumas Davy
de la Pailleterie in 1802 in Villars-Cotterêts,
Picardy, France, to Marie-Louise Labouret
and General Thomas-Alexandre Davy de la
Pailleterie. Dumas’ nom de plume derives from
his grandmother on his father’s side, Marie-
Cosette Dumas, a Haitian slave, and his
grandfather, the Marquis Alexandre-Antoine
Davy de La Pailleterie.
His father, Thomas-Alexandre, rose to the
distinguished rank of general at the young
age of 31 under Napoléon Bonaparte’s
command, but died a few years later when
Dumas was still a child. His mother, Marie-
Louise, struggled to make ends meet and
provide an education for her son using the
few resources she had. The precocious
Dumas’ young appetite lusted for literature
and he read everything he could find, while
his mother’s stories about his father’s bravery
during Bonaparte’s campaigns fuelled his
imagination. And, although poor, his paternal
grandfather’s aristocratic lineage and his
father’s illustrious reputation eventually
helped him secure a place in school, and then,
in 1822, at the age of 20, a position at the
Palais Royal in Paris in the office of the Duc
d’Orléans. In his spare time, while working
for the Duc, Dumas began writing plays in a
Romantic style similar to his contemporary
(and later rival) Victor Hugo. They were so
popular that he made enough money to quit
his job and write full-time.
In 1830, King of France Charles X was
overthrown and the Duc d’Orléans became
the ruler of France: King Louis-Philippe. By
now Dumas was making good money and
founded a writing studio with a willing cadre of
assistants and collaborating writers. His novels
including The Three Musketeers and The
Count of Monte Cristo were so popular they
were first translated into English, and then into
68 | The Good Life France Château d'If Alexandre Dumas
The Good Life France | 69

Château de Mont Cristo
a hundred languages, and were eventually
transformed into over 200 films. The books
earned him enormous sums of money and
enabled him to indulge his love of sumptuous
living. He loved rich food and expensive
wine and was said to have more than 40
mistresses – despite being married. He was
a man of tremendous energy and enormous
self-esteem, described by peers as a giant,
both in mind and body. Dumas boasted, “If I
were locked in a room with five women, pens,
paper, and a play to be written, by the end of
an hour I would have finished the five acts and
had the five women.”
He also had a castle built which he called the
Chateau de Monte-Cristo, and in the grounds
a smaller castle which was his writing studio,
which he called the Chateau d’If after the
setting of The Count of Monte Cristo, a small
fortress island in the Bay of Marseille. Here he
hosted fabulous parties, serving up dishes he
created. The castle is now open to the public,
a legacy of Dumas’ fertile imagination.
The idea of writing a cookbook had been in
Dumas’ mind for years. He would begin it,
he said, “…when I caught the first glimpse of
death on the horizon.”
In 1869 he retreated to Normandy with his
cook. Six months later, his Grand Dictionnaire
de Cuisine was finished. Of his book he said,
“It will be read by wordily people and used
by professionals. In cookery as in writing, all
things are possible.” He called it his “pillow of
my old age.:
True to his vision, Dumas succumbed to a
stroke in December 1870.
Dumas’s epicurean tour of the alphabet,
from absinthe to zest, is a treasure chest
of hundreds of recipes, and reminiscences.
Written without measurements, it is a master
storyteller’s collection of consummate
prose, worthy of being read as literature. Le
Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine was published
posthumously in 1873 and remained in print
in its original form until the 1950s. In 1882 Le
Petit Dictionnaire de Cuisine was published
consisting of just Dumas’ recipes. In 2005,
Alexandre Dumas’ Dictionary of Cuisine was
edited, abridged and translated into English by
Louis Colman.
Le Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine is truly a
monumental work. Not only amazing for its
collection of old world recipes, stories and
historical facts, it creates a cumulatively
unique portrait of the man himself. Dumas
avowed he would not eat pâté de foie gras
because the ducks and geese “…are submitted
to unheard of tortures worse than those
suffered under the early Christians.”
And his description of the perfect number
of dinner guests within the parentheses
of ancient history still holds true today: “…
Varro, the learned librarian, tells us that the
number of guests at a Roman dinner was
ordinarily three or nine — as many as the
Graces, no more than the Muses. Among the
Greeks, there were sometimes seven diners,
in honour of Pallas. The sterile number seven
was consecrated to the goddess of wisdom,
as a symbol of her virginity. But the Greeks
especially liked the number six, because it
is round. Plato favoured the number 28, in
honour of Phoebe, who runs her course in 28
days. The Emperor Verus wanted 12 guests
at his table in honour of Jupiter, which takes
12 years to revolve around the sun. Augustus,
under whose reign women began to take their
place in Roman society, habitually had 12 men
https://frenchcountryadventures.com/
Dumas had a metro station on line 2 named after him in 1970. There is also a
Rue Alexandre-Dumas in Paris
and 12 women, in honour of the 12 gods and
goddesses. In France, any number except 13
is good.”
For Dumas a perfect dinner is also “a major
daily activity which can be accomplished in
worthy fashion only by intelligent people. It
is not enough to eat. To dine, there must be
diversified conversation which should sparkle
with rubies of wine between courses, be
deliciously suave with the sweetness of dessert
and acquire true profundity by the time coffee
is served.”
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Laidback, chilled
and taking it easy
on the French Riviera
Gillian Thornton travels
east from Nice to explore
three contrasting coastal
communities
Villa Ephrussi © Thomas Dupaigne
Stand amongst the cacti and exotic blooms
of Les Jardins d’Eze and you’re treated to
one of the most glorious views on the French
Riviera. From this hilltop garden high above
the Mediterranean, I’m looking westward
over the stone walls and terracotta roofs of
medieval Eze towards Nice. On a sparkling
morning like this, breath-taking doesn’t
even come close. And with 300 sunshine
days a year, it’s a view that can be enjoyed
all year round.
Villas tumble down the steep hillside in front
of me and beyond a wooded headland,
the slim peninsula of St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
marks the eastern boundary of Villefranche
Bay, the pretty resort tantalisingly hidden
from view. The city of Nice is out of sight
too behind the southern tip of the Alpes
Maritimes, but its coastal airport is clearly
visible in the far distance, a reminder that
UNESCO’s ‘Winter Resort of the Riviera’ is
only a bus ride away.
Take a city break in Nice and it’s easy to
spend your time exploring the quaint streets
of Vieux Nice, the Baroque churches,
tempting boutiques and eclectic mix of
museums. But the Greater Nice area includes
a huge variety of picturesque locations from
the mountain villages of the Mercantour to
a clutch of coastal communities that lie east
of the city. A stunning combination that just
begs to be explored.
Easy in Eze
Classified as an elite ‘Jardin Remarquable’,
the Exotic Garden of Eze features succulent
plants from arid areas across the globe,
the cacti, aloes and agaves dotted with
sculptures in terracotta and bronze. This
magical plot stands at the highest point of
the medieval village, 1400 feet above the
modern town centre at sea level. Today,
the steep streets of the showpiece village
are beautifully maintained and manicured,
popular with cruise ship passengers and for the
atmospheric accommodation that includes
three 5-star hotels. For a special occasion,
treat yourself to a meal at La Chèvre d’Or
restaurant with its two coveted Michelin stars.
But it’s still easy to feel the atmosphere of
ancient stones in Eze, especially if you can
visit early or late in the day, or in low season.
There’s a real sense of time gone by as you
pass beneath medieval gateways, walk beside
walls that date back to the Bronze Age, and
contemplate the Riquier Mansion, home to
the powerful Lords of Eze from the 12th to 15th
centuries.
It’s also easy just to soak up the view over
a refreshing glass on a café terrace, but to
see a different side of the village, take one
of the marked hiking routes along winding
paths fringed with bougainvillea and jasmine.
There’s plenty of Riviera fragrance to be had
too on a free tour and workshop at Parfumerie
72 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 73

esort in the Belle Epoque era, the first luxury
hotel opening in 1904 – now the Hotel Royal-
Riviera. In the 1950s, it attracted artists like
Jean Cocteau and Henri Matisse, as well
as movie stars such as Roger Moore and
Elizabeth Taylor, Charlie Chaplin and Tony
Curtis. Today you can still spot a famous face
sipping coffee by the quayside.
Gallimard and at the Fragonard factory. Plus a
wealth of small craft boutiques for that special
present to give away, or even keep yourself.
Laidback in Villefranche
With its sheltered harbour and calm waters,
Villefranche-sur-Mer is one of the major cruise
ports of the Côte d’Azur, despite numbering
just 5,000 residents. In the 13th century, local
people preferred to live in the hills away from
the threat of pirates. So in 1295, Charles Duke
of Anjou and Count of Provence, established
a ‘free port’ – ville franche – offering various
tax privileges in a bid to persuade them to
relocate to sea level, concessions that largely
remained until the 18th century.
Today the pretty fishing port is also home
to a flotilla of yachts and traditional fishing
boats known as pointus, yet Villefranche still
manages to retain an air of laidback loveliness
with its seafront cafes, colourful facades and
quaint 16th century back streets. It’s hard not
to smile in a place where every narrow street
has houses painted in a palette of lemon and
apricot, russet and terracotta, and I loved the
stylish, upbeat feel of the baroque bell towers,
painted shutters, and wrought-iron balconies
overlooking the harbour.
Even my lunch at Le Cosmo bar was ablaze
with Mediterranean atmosphere. Fresh white
fish, scarlet tomato salsa, bright green rocket,
and a wedge of lemon, all presented with a
swirl of balsamic vinegar on a speckled blue
and white plate. Just add a glass of chilled
local rosé and some crisp baguette for the
Moule Frites at Villefranche – looking on to Cap Ferrat © J'adore la France
Saint Jean-Cap-Ferrat from the Jardins d'Eze
perfect light lunch. I even had a front row view
of the 16th century Chapel of Saint-Pierre,
used as a storeroom for fishermen until artist
Jean Cocteau restored it in 1957, adorning
the interior with murals of St Peter and local
fishermen.
Stroll through the citadel built in 1554, eleven
years after the town was burned to the ground
following the siege of Nice by combined
French and Ottoman forces. With sweeping
views over the harbour, it served as a military
base after Nice and Savoie became part of
France in 1860, then was bought by the city
council in 1965 and transformed into a City
Hall and cultural centre.
Chilled in
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Villefranche
If I had money – lots of money – a holiday
home in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat would be
high on my wish list. This slim peninsula
between Villefranche-sur-Mer to the west and
neighbouring Beaulieu-sur-Mer fans out into
a wooded Y-shape where luxury homes nestle
discreetly in the pine trees behind high fences.
But there appears to be no envy on the part
of less well-off residents who insist that the
wealthy don’t flash their cash here unless it
is to support local businesses, albeit on the
way to their luxury yachts in the harbour. But
compared to many wealthy enclaves around
the Mediterranean, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is
amongst the most discreet.
This once small fishing village flourished as a
My tip is to follow one of the marked trails –
free leaflet from the Tourist Office – to explore
the village centre and the hidden beaches and
monuments around the headlands. You could
even walk the 9km-trail to Nice and catch a
No 15 bus back.
But don’t leave without visiting the outstanding
Villa and Gardens of Ephrussi de Rothschild.
Another Jardin Remarquable as well as a
Monument Historique, this extraordinary
property with sea views on both sides offers
nine themed gardens, musical fountains, and
an opulent interior, plus the irresistible story
of the extraordinary Béatrice de Rothschild
who created it. Well, maybe not all local
residents have been low key, but she did leave
something for us all to enjoy!
Getting Around
Catch a train from Nice to the seafront
station at Villefranche, or hop off the
Nice Grand Tour sightseeing bus. Eze is
also accessible by train – sea level station
beneath the medieval village – or by
public bus from Nice (Line 82) or by train.
nicetourisme.com
The French Riviera Pass gives free access
to a wide range of attractions and activities
in Nice, but also in Villefranche, Eze and
Cap-Ferrat – chose from 12, 48 or 72 hours
frenchrivierapass.com
Alternatively, do as I did and take a bespoke
tour by car with Villefranche resident
Sandra Ottaviani. Particularly good if time
is short or you are travelling in a small group.
inspiring-cotedazur.com
74 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 75

© Juliet V Simpson
The UNESCO-listed
Treasures of Nice
Think of Nice and images of the glistening
Mediterranean bordering the iconic
Promenade des Anglais swim into view.
Less well-known are the many sites and
neighborhoods that achieved UNESCO World
Heritage status in July 2021. According to
UNESCO, Nice “reflects the development
of a city devoted to winter tourism, making
the most of its mild climate and its coastal
situation, between sea and mountains.”
Jeanne Oliver explores the tourist heritage
of Nice…
@ ElfieNeuberger
UNESCO-listed “Nice
Winter Resort Town of the
Riviera”
Tourism has defined the development of Nice
for well over 200 years. And it’s this that has
seen UNESCO recognise the “Outstanding
Universal Value” of Nice’s heritage in terms of
architecture, landscape and urban planning.
it is an area of 522 hectares shaped by the
cosmopolitan winter resort which has resulted
in a spectacular fusion of international
cultural influences.
The first tourist was arguably Scotsman
Tobias Smollett who praised Nice in his
bestseller Travels Through France and
Italy published in 1766. His British readers
were intrigued and began visiting Nice in
the late 18 th century. They first settled on the
land west of Cours Saleya, which opened
for development after the town walls were
destroyed in 1706. Rue François de Paule was
considered chic even before the Opera was
built in the late 19 th century.
By the beginning of the 19th century the
trickle of British visitors turned into a steady
stream. They fanned out to what is now the
Carré d’Or and clustered in a community
around the Croix de Marbre. Stores selling
76 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 77

Bay of angels Adam and Eve
products from home sprouted up in the
neighborhood they called “Newborough”.
These early Brits avoided the crowded, dirty
streets of the Old Town but they liked to stroll
the rue des Ponchettes which bordered the
square Cours Saleya which was turned into
a garden promenade. However, to access
the walkways, they had to cross a bridge
which spanned the Paillon river and then
make their way through the Old Town. In
1822 the Reverend Lewis Way of Nice’s new
Anglican Church raised money to construct
a path along the sea, easily accessible from
their neighborhood. The path, Chemin des
Anglais, was completed in 1824 and it reached
from the western banks of the Paillon river to
rue Meyerbeer. Over the course of the 19 th
century, it was extended west and eventually
became the Promenade des Anglais.
A stroll west along the Promenade reveals
spectacular examples of Belle Epoque
architecture. The Villa Masséna, now the
Masséna Museum, is a fine example of a
private villa on the Promenade, while the
Hotel Negresco heads a procession of elegant
19th century hotels.
century seaside park, while the ruins of the
old Colline du Chateau became a hilltop park
with sea views.
The opening of the Nice train station in 1864
shortly after Nice became part of France
in 1860, sparked the development of the
Quartier des Musiciens. Boulevard Victor
Hugo was the first street to be laid out and the
rest followed in a grid pattern. Fabulous Belle
Epoque residences such as the Palais Baréty
were followed by a new style, Art Deco, in the
interwar period.
The verdant hill of Cimiez already had a
few Belle Epoque hotels even before Queen
Victoria chose the Excelsior Regina Hotel as her
preferred holiday spot in 1895. Within a decade
the entire neighborhood was transformed from
farmland to a playground for European nobility.
The stately apartment buildings now lining the
Boulevard de Cimiez were designed as hotels
and followed contemporary tastes. When
Orientalism came into vogue at the turn of the
20th century, minarets were chosen to adorn the
Hotel Alhambra.
Another neighborhood favored by 19thcentury
Brits was Mont Boron, the hill
between Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer.
In 1891 they founded the l’Association
Des Amis Des Arbres to protect trees and
wooded areas against over-development.
The Chateau de l’Anglais, built by Colonel
Robert Smith was inspired by his tour of duty
in India and brings a touch of exoticism to
this forested hill.
Just as the British aristocracy congregated
in Cimiez and Mont Boron, the Russian
aristocracy followed Tsar Alexander II to the
Piol neighborhood after he wintered there
in 1864. The Russian Orthodox Cathedral of
Saint Nicholas, consecrated in 1912, testifies
to the long Russian presence in Nice.
The only part of the more than 500-hectare
UNESCO-protected area that had little to
do with tourism development is Port Lympia.
It was vital to Nice’s export trade however
and most of it does date from the late
19th-century.
Cours Saleya
Nice’s World Heritage designated area covers
almost all the city’s highlights except for
one surprising omission. The winding streets
of Vieux Nice north of Cours Saleya are
not UNESCO listed. Most of the baroque
churches and pastel buildings date from
the 18th century and thus are before Nice’s
development as a tourist destination.
Nice’s 19th-century rulers, the Dukes of
Savoy, quickly recognized the potential of
the “distinguished foreign visitors” which
included Russians, Germans, and Americans.
From the mid-19th century onward, every
urbanization decision taken was aimed at
increasing the comfort and enjoyment of
holidaymakers. Foreign tourists liked exotic
vegetation? Let’s plant the Promenade des
Anglais with palm trees! Foreign tourists liked
gardens? The Jardin Albert 1er became a 19th-
78 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 79

What’s
New?
Autumn 2022
palace, above the kings, and has been closed for restoration involving 50 craftsmen for almost
two years. chateauversailles.fr
Versailles du Barry apt
David Hockney at the Bayeux Tapestry Museum
22 September 2022 – 23 April 2023
The Bayeux Tapestry Museum welcomes artist David Hockney for an exhibition of his giant
fresco entitled ’A Year in Normandy.’ Hockney moved to Normandy in 2019, and, inspired
by the Bayeux tapestry, created a 90-meter long frieze using digital brushes on an iPad.
bayeuxmuseum.com
It’s la Rentrée in France, the time of the year when people are back from their
summer holidays and there’s a feeling of renewal in the air and it’s the time when
museums and galleries put on new exhibitions galore. We’ve picked some of the best
new events and openings for this autumn…
National Events:
Semaine du Gout – Taste Week: A foodie
event taking place throughout France.
Taste Week hosts events, workshops for the
public include cooking classes, tastings and
entertainment. 10-16 October, 2022
legout.com
1st November La Toussaint – All Saints’
Day: a day to remember loved ones who
have passed on and place pots of colourful
chrysanthemums on their graves.
11th November Armistice Day:
commemorative services are held in almost
every town and village in France in honour of
those who lost their lives in World War I and
other wars.
Beaujolais Nouveau: the new season’s wine
arrives in cafés, bars & restaurants at midnight
on Wednesday the night before the 3rd
Thursday of November!
Chateau Versailles
18 October 2022 to
19 February 2023
New Exhibition: Louis XV, tastes and
passions of a King
For the first time the Palace of Versailles is
presenting a major exhibition dedicated to
Louis XV to celebrate the 300th anniversary
of his coronation. Born in 1710 in Versailles,
Louis XV was the great-grandson of Louis XIV.
He became king at the age of five, in 1715,
on the death of the Sun King and his reign
spanned more than 50 years. The exhibition
of more than 400 works looks at the man
behind the crown and his passions for science,
botany, architecture and more. Madame du
Barry’s rooms in Versailles will also reopen to
the public. The famous mistress of Louis XV
had one of the most refined apartments in the
World Poached Egg
Championship in
Bordeaux,
8-9 October 2022
If you’re lucky enough to be near the Château
du Clos de Vougeot in the heart of Burgundy’s
wine-growing countryside (Côte-d'Or) on
the first weekend of October, you’re in for
a treat! It’s the ‘Ouef en Meurette’ World
Championship where chefs compete in
a poached egg in wine contest. Tastings,
cooking classes and fun guaranteed.
meurette.fr
Palais Galliera, Fashion Museum Of The City Of Paris
Frida Kahlo. Beyond Appearances
15 September 2022 – 5 March 2023
Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) is one of the most recognized and influential artists of the 20th century.
For the first time in France and in close collaboration with the Museo Frida Kahlo, the exhibition
brings together more than two hundred objects from Casa Azul, the house where Frida was born
and raised: clothes, correspondence, accessories, cosmetics, medicines , medical prostheses…
80 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 81

These personal effects were sealed by her
husband, the Mexican mural painter Diego
Riviera when the artist died in 1954. They
were rediscovered fifty years later, in 2004.
This precious collection includes traditional
Tehuana dresses, pre-Columbian necklaces
that Frida collected, examples of corsets and
hand-painted prostheses and is presented
along with films and photographs of the
artist, to constitute a visual account of her
extraordinary life. Palaisgalliera.fr
Opening of the Glass
Museum in Eure,
Normandy
Lovers of glass sculptures, stained glass
windows, Art Deco and Art Nouveau objects
will love the François Décorchemont Glass
Museum in a former 19th century hospice
which is due to open in Autumn 2022.
eure-tourism.com
Lyon Festival of Lights, © Brice Robert, Lyon Tourist Office
Festival of Lights, Lyon, 8-11 December 2022
4 nights of enchantment in Lyon. The Festival is innovative, intriguing and startling, and it's all
free. Each night brings a different theme, colour scheme and vibe with designers from around
the world taking part. Video, Music and Sound effects are used to accompany the vibrant
images dotted around the city. Fetedeslumieres.fr
Nuit Blanche Paris | 1-2 October 2022
This incredible free event sees the doors of some of the city’s most popular cultural sites and
museums to the public from dark on Saturday night until the wee hours of Sunday…
Nuit Blanche Paris
The Good Life France podcast
Everything you want to know about
France and more...
thegoodlifefrance.com
Nuit Blanche artwork by Gilbert Moity © Jacques Lebar, Paris Tourist Office
82 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 83

Your Photos
Every weekend we invite you to share your photos on Facebook and Twitter – it’s a great
way for everyone to “see” real France and be inspired by real travellers snapping pics
as they go. Every week there are utterly gorgeous photos being shared, and here we
showcase just a few of the most popular. Share your favourite photos with us and the most
‘liked’ will appear in the next issue of The Good Life France Magazine
Sunset over the rooftops of Paris by
Romain Gandré
This stunning photo is one to fall in love
with. Romain is on Instagram: @rom_buff
Rouen, Normandy
Fantastic photo by Nathalie Geffroy who is on
Instagram: @nathparis
Cordes-sur-Ciel
The village in the sky in the Tarn,
by Ian MacCuish
La Gacilly, Brittany
Fred Tassart’s photo of the pretty
village in Morbihan is so dreamy …
Join us on Facebook and
Twitter to like and share
your favourite photos of
France...
84 | The Good Life France
The Good Life France | 85

Tours de France
Winter is one of the best times to visit France – the museums are uncrowded (and
warm!), and there’s still plenty going on. And the holiday season is an ideal time to take
a tour in style. So, if you’re dreaming of visiting France here are some of our top tour
recommendations for winter, Christmas and New Year visits…
CroisiEurope – the best
for Christmas & New Year
cruises
The largest cruise operator in France,
CroisiEurope’s cruises are unbeatable and
their Christmas tours are legendary. Visit
the famous Christmas markets of Alsace,
Strasbourg, AKA the Capital of Christmas
with its many festive markets and beautifully
decorated streets and stores. Visit picturesque
villages, take in a show, follow the wine route
and be captivated by Colmar. It doesn’t get
more magical than this.
CroisiEurope’s Christmas and New Year cruises
also weave their magic in the Loire Valley and
the Seine Valley – Paris to Honfleur, enchanting
any time of the year but never more so than at
Christmas, as well as the south of France from
Lyon to Provence including festive Avignon, and
in beautiful Bordeaux.
Enjoy all-inclusive life onboard with the
finest food and wines and fabulous tours that
take you to the heart of each destination.
No stressing, no driving, no wondering how
to fit in all the glorious must-see places or
how to reach the off the beaten track gems,
CroisiEurope’s cruises and excursions take you
to the very best of France – in style.
croisieurope.co.uk
Winter Holiday Tour in
Provence
Planning for an end of the year seasonal
treat? Join Goût et Voyage’s Winter Holiday
Tour of Provence. It’s a small group tour
that features fabulous food and wine, a
truffle hunt and santon markets. You’ll visit
beautifully decorated towns and villages
including the beautifully decorated towns
of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Arles and Aixen-Provence.
And take cooking lessons with
chefs plus of course plenty of time for holiday
shopping. Seasonally sublime.
goutetvoyage.com
Alsace Christmas day and
half day tours
Family run Ophorus Tours, one of the most
renowned and popular tour companies in
France have a huge range of half
and full day trips including
Christmas market
tours in Alsace in
Strasbourg, the
pretty villages and
Colmar. They
pick you up, drop
you off and have
the best English
speaking guides in
the business.
Ophorus.com
Winter tours of Provence
Fabulous tours of Provence at Christmas, VIP
wine tours, culture, markets and parades. And
in the new year join a truffle tour in January
or February when the “black diamonds” are
at their best on a gourmet experience tour.
Yourprivateprovencecom
Cours Mirabeau Aix
Battlefield tours
and historical travel
experiences
Sophie’s Great War Tours are tailor-made
historical travel experiences. This family-run
specialist tour operator creates exceptional
WWI and WWII battlefields tours across
France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Travel
at your pace and explore the destinations
you really want to get to know, at a time to
suit you. Sophie will research the history and
background of soldier so that each battlefield
tour is a personal historical experience. Her
team can also include additional experiences
to suit you such as chateau visits in the Loire,
Champagne tastings in Champagne and a
classic car tour in Provence. Every itinerary is
created to be perfect – for you.
sophiesgreatwartours.com
Christmas Truce statue by Andy Edwards commemorates Christmas day on the
Western Front 1914 when some men emerged from trenches into No Man’s Land,
exchanged gifts and played football.
86 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 87

“Faux Amis”
Deceptive Language
What are they?
“Faux amis”, or false friends, are not what
they seem! No, they are not the friendships
that end badly, but instead are an expression
which means words that look similar or
identical in French and English by that have
an added layer of complexity to them and can
subsequently be confusing to learn for French
native speakers!
As the expression suggestions, a “faux amis”
is a word that is not what you think it is at
first glance, and once translated can cause
confusion to the French speaker. When a word
looks identical across the two languages, they
ought to mean the same thing, right?
Wrong! A “faux amis” is in fact an English
word that resembles a French word yet has a
completely different meaning. These “faux amis”
have the displeasure of misleading learners of
English, especially to those just beginning their
language journey because of their wide use
across different categories of words.
What are the origins of
“faux amis”?
In this instance many English and French
words are false cognates because of their
shared heritage. Today’s French, for example,
is composed of predominantly Latin and
Greek roots. However, there are also
sprinklings of Celtic, Arabic and Germanic
languages in there too.
The English language has experienced the
same range of influences, including old
French, but the language has undergone a
slightly different evolution over time. A great
example of this is the old French word jornee
(meaning journey or labour of a day) led to the
French word journée (daytime) and in English
journey. The French kept the notion of time
when using the word, however the English
instead preferred travel.
Here are 5 of our favourite “faux amis”
that have been confusing speakers of both
languages:
French speakers would describe coins as une
pièce de monnaie.
Assist (eng.) // assister (fr.)
Assister à when used in French means to
attend something, yet in English would be used
to help or support someone or something.
Advertisement (eng.) // Avertissement (fr.)
Un Avertissement can be translated as a
warning or a caution, and comes from the
French verb avertir – to warn. However, an
advertisement translated into French would
be une publicité, une réclame, or un spot
publicitaire.
Chair (eng.) // Chair (fr.)
La chair when used by a French speaker would
be translated as flesh, not the seat! A chair for
English speakers would be une chaise.
In Summary
To conclude, be wary of “faux amis” when
navigating between French and English, they
can lead to some embarrassing moments!
However, despite the intimidating nature of
making an awkward mistake when conversing,
it is all part of the journey. Slip ups are a
natural part of learning languages and not
something to worry about! The more you
expose yourself to French “faux amis” the
better equipped you will be to deal with them!
Practice your French language
reading and speaking skills and
learn more about France with
Newsdle’s fun and easy to use
news-based app – and get 25%
off, just input coupon code
goodlfife25 during checkout.
What are they known as?
However “faux amis” are part of a wider
language phenomenon known as false
cognates, or words that look identical in both
language but have different etymologies. They
are not exclusive to English and French, and
can be found across many, many different
languages.
Library (eng.) // Librairie (fr.)
One of the more common “faux amis”,
despite the book connection, une librairie is
where you would buy a book, not borrow one.
To get the English meaning of library, one must
visit une bibliothèque.
Coin (eng.) // coin (fr.)
The French word coin is translated as corner,
and has no connection to what English
speakers would describe as their loose change.
88 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 89

Find out about
French Insurance…
fabulously easy.
Insurance services for English speakers in France
Speak to a dedicated English-speaking Broker who’s
also a French native speaker so to avoid the pitfalls and
headaches of the French system.
Medical Insurance
Home Insurance
Car Insurance
Visa Insurance
and more
We work with more than 30 insurers and many more
providers so we are always able to find the best and most
affordable solution for your situation.
We’ve got you covered.
33 (0)5 35 65 50 50
hello@fabfrenchinsurance.com
www.fabfrenchinsurance.com
Two questions come up time and again when it comes to insurance in France: medical
insurance for visa applications – and car insurance for foreign registered vehicles. Fabien
Pelissier of FAB French Insurance whose team specialise in helping English speakers in
France with all their insurance requirements, explains the process of insuring a non-France
registered car, and why you should make medical insurance a critical part of your visa
application process…
Car Insurance for foreign
registered vehicles
Most people believe that you can’t have a
foreign registered car insured in France, but
this isn’t true. If you’re planning to move to
France and register your foreign car – which
is a legal requirement – then this can take
time. And while you’re waiting – you will need
insurance.
We can insure foreign registered vehicles
in the same way as we can for a French
registered vehicles with a “standard” policy.
This is based upon the assumption that you
will register the car or bike in France. Failure
to do so may open you up to consequences
which can have long term effects in France
where there is a central insurer’s database. Do
not consider insuring the vehicle in France if the
import project isn’t solid or may be reversed.
Foreign insurance history, for instance ‘no claims
bonus/no claims discount’, can be converted
into the French equivalent – called the CRM or
the bonus. The conversion may look weird at
first as France doesn’t work like the rest of the
world (which may not surprise you).
The maximum discount in France is 13 years
(50% bonus or CRM = 0.50). The “CRM” is
like your own index. It starts at 1 and each year
without a claim it’s multiplied by 0.95 with a
maximum discount reached when your CRM
is at 0.50 (e.g. 13 years without a claim). Every
claim deemed to be your fault will multiply
your CRM by 1.25 (so it takes roughly 5 years
to write off a claim in France). Unlike other
countries (for instance the UK), it’s not possible
to “protect” your discount here, that’s why
French insurers will need to see your full history
(proof of no claim) and not just the “insurer’s
discount” or ‘no claims bonus’, because they
know a 9 years no claims bonus doesn’t mean
you’ve been claim free for the past 9 years.
That said they also don’t care about anything
that happened more than 3 years ago as
French insurers only look at the past 3 years of
insurance. The upside of this is that you may
have a 9 years NCD with claims 5 years ago
which won’t be considered when you convert
your NCD into a French CRM. French insurers
90 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 91

equire proof of no claims from the previous
three years which can be onerous when you’ve
changed insurers each year.
Another major difference is that French
insurers really hate insurance gaps. The “off
road” status doesn’t exist in France. You must
be insured even if the vehicle is no longer in
driving condition. A gap in your insurance
record of more than 3 months is bad for
your future premiums – and a gap of more
than 6 months is most certainly going to be
problematic.
One big difference with French car insurance
is that it’s the vehicle that’s insured – not the
driver. You can allow anyone to drive your
vehicle in France if you pay for increased
excess which is not expensive.
Most successful applications have the following elements in common:
The certificate shows cover for at least the duration of your VISA and if this is not
possible or if it ends before the VISA, then the certificate should mention that the
visa insurance policy is scheduled for automatic renewal.
It mentions that you’re covered for medical expenses and hospitalisation (not just
hospitalisation).
The medical cover should be for at least €30,000.00
The certificate should not mention any medical exclusions.
It must cover your public liability in the EU and include a repatriation plan.
If you fulfil these five requirements and if the rest of your file is complete, you should
be off to a flying start with your visa application.
Get in touch with Fabien Pelissier, find out more or apply for insurance at
fabfrenchinsurance.com
Applying for a Visa –
medical Insurance
If you’re a non-EU citizen and want to stay in
France for longer than 90 days in a 180 day
period you’ll need a visa. To begin you apply
for a Visa Long Séjour (VLS-TS). Even If you
want to live in France, you’ll need to apply for
the one year VLS-TS. At the end of your first
year, you’ll need to either renew your VLS-TS
or apply for a Carte de Séjour (Titre de Séjour)
which can be valid for up to ten years.
When you apply for your VLS-TS, you’ll need
to gather several documents that show things
such as proof of your economic situation
(bank statements etc) and most importantly,
private medical insurance (PHI). The general
information on the france-visas.gouv.fr site
is quite vague, especially for ‘tourist long-term
visas’ – in other words, visas for retirees/early
retirees or long-term travellers. If you want to
stay in France for more than six months (and
possibly request residency at a later date)
then you’ll find more information on the
TLS-contact website.
One of the most common reasons for a refusal
on a visa application is the insurance element.
Fabien explains how to make sure your visa
application is ‘French-administration-proof’…
Brexit didn’t just impact the British, when it
comes to applying for a visa, it also resulted in
a tightening of rules for other non-EU citizens,
including those from the US. After years of
experience as insurance brokers and hundreds
of Visa applications, we know that the type of
insurance certificate is a critical factor that
will determine the fate of your application.
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92 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 93

Prestige French Property & Lifestyle Show
Portsmouth 8-9 October, 2022
CUT THE
COST
✂
of currency
transfers
to France
The Prestige French Property & Lifestyle Show
is dedicated to buying in France and the French
lifestyle. There will be estate agents from many
regions of France showcasing their properties.
Caravans in the Sun will be promoting their
mobile homes and available sites. And Prestige
Property Services Europe will be showcasing
holiday rentals which cover Normandy and
Brittany in the North to as far south as sunny
Ceret on the Spanish border.
There will also be professional services present
including banking, insurance, currency exchange
and investment advice services as well as
others specialised in the requirements of
moving to France.
Prestige Property Services
Europe are proud to host this
dedicated show which highlights
some of the best property for
sale in France and also offers a
taste of the French Lifestyle.
If you’re moving money to or from France
you’ll want to get the best return possible
on your currency transfers. But how do you
make sure you get the best rate? We asked
Calum Harkiss at Currencies Direct who have
been helping people maximise their currency
transfers for almost 30 years, to explain the
process, and why timing is important when
transferring money overseas…
The currency market is always moving, so
picking the right time to make a transfer can
be tricky. Even a seemingly small discrepancy
in the exchange rate you secure can make a
massive difference to how much you receive,
and rates can shift by as much as 5% in a
matter of weeks.
Over the last ten years we have seen several
historic shifts in the currency market due to
events like the EU referendum, Covid-19,
Brexit, the war in Ukraine and (most recently)
the turbulent political situation in the UK.
In 2022 alone the GBP/EUR exchange rate
has fluctuated between highs of 1.21 and lows
of 1.15.
If you had £100,000 euros to transfer you
would have received €121,000 at the higher
rate, but €6,000 less when exchange rates
were at their lowest. When you transfer money
through Currencies Direct, we’ll provide, and
agree, an exchange rate with you over the
phone, online or via our app. We can help you
buy currency to use at a later date, we set rate
alerts and we send your currency as soon as
we receive your payment. It’s simple.
And it’s not just the timing of your transfer
that’s important, the exchange rate you
receive can be very different depending on the
provider you use to move your money abroad.
Get your tickets
for the show here
94 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 95

While most banks will offer you uncompetitive exchange rates and tag on transfer
fees, as a leading currency provider, Currencies Direct will make sure you receive
exceptional exchange rates, potentially saving you thousands on larger transfers.
What’s more, we don’t charge transfer fees and we offer a range of specialist services to
help make your money go further.
Whether you want to fix an exchange rate ahead of making a transfer, buy currency in
advance or target an exchange rate higher than the current market level, Currencies
Direct can help. currenciesdirect.com
Contact Calum Harkiss to find out more. Call +33 (0) 631 559 607 or
email calum.h@currenciesdirect.com
If you’d like to talk to the Currencies Direct Team and find out how they can help you
maximise currency transfers to and from France, you can see them on 8 and 9 October
at the Prestige French Property & Lifestyle Show – the dedicated show for people
buying in France or interested in the French lifestyle.
Visit Eventbrite to get your ticket
TOUJOURS LA FRANCE
Warm, uplifting and
effervescent, Janine Marsh's
voice and humour bubble
right off the page, making
you want to pack your
bags and head off to
rural France...
From Amazon,
Barnes & Noble, Waterstones
and all good bookshops this spring
96 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 97 Chamonix

Guide for US-Connected
Persons Living in France
Beacon Global Wealth Management
Standing out, amongst the best
UK and French financial advice
Tax and investment advice
Inheritance advice
Reviewing pension arrangements
It’s simple...
We care about you and your money
Our vision is to build a long term strategy
to take care of your financial requirements
for your life in France.
Please contact
Our UK office 0044 33 3241 6966
enquiries@bgwealthmanagement.net
beaconglobalwealth.com
Introduction
At Beacon Global Wealth, we meet many
interesting people from all over the World.
People who packed their bags left behind family
and friends, whether for lifestyle or professional
reasons, and relocated to different climates and
cultures.
France has long been a location Americans
have chosen to relocate. An estimated 200,000
Americans currently living in France.
One of the most extensive client areas we work
with is Americans abroad and their financial
affairs. The investment and retirement planning
needs of US-connected persons are complex and
multifaceted and need special care, review, and
planning from a team of expert and joined-up
advisers. This includes Financial Specialists, Tax
Specialists, and Investment Specialists.
With this significant decision comes fundamental
uncertainty and worry around how tax laws and
rulings apply, both in the new country of residence
and the country of origin. We at Beacon Global
Wealth recognize these worries as something we
have been through ourselves. We aim to provide
peace of mind, so our clients can focus on the
essential things in their life.
Are you a US Connected Person?
• Were you born in the USA?
• Do you own a US passport?
• Have you lived in the USA?
• Have you worked in the USA?
If you answer yes to any or all of these questions,
you are likely a US Connected person.
Issues Facing US Connected Persons and
what FATCA Means
Since the implementation of FATCA in 2014
(Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), getting
retirement and investment solutions for US
Connected Persons has become increasingly
problematic. This is because most investment
solutions in many countries do not comply with
US tax law. You may have noticed the number
of banks and financial institutions that no longer
deal with US-connected persons. You may even
have been affected.
The problem is as simple as opening your US
passport and then looking at item D on the
inside cover.
"All US citizens working and residing
abroad must file and report on their
worldwide income."
Over 9 million US-Connected Persons live
abroad, holding an estimated one trillion dollars.
Many people do not realize they need to file
US tax returns. If your affairs are not structured
correctly, and you do not accurately report ALL
income, including investment income, you will
breach US tax law.
Options for Clients
How to hold your Assets
Many investment options available in Europe to
US-Connected Persons will automatically put
them in contravention of the US tax regime. For
instance, one of the more tax-efficient options
in France of an Assurance Vie creates severe
taxation issues in the US. This causes concern,
worry, and, in some cases, unnecessary financial
costs.
To provide peace of mind and help you sleep
at night, we at Beacon Global Wealth have
created a series of solutions for the US –
Connected Persons using fully regulated
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
investment managers and partners.
These solutions provide US and Current
Country tax compliant and flexible options
to meet all clients' US tax reporting and
investment needs.
98 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 99

Investment Options
Our process starts with an in-depth meeting with
the client to ascertain their investment goals and
objectives. We will then build a portfolio of assets
that meets their exact criteria. We run many
investment portfolios across the whole spectrum
of risk.
After much research and experience, several
leading fund managers have been appointed
because of their consistent long-term risk
graded investment performance, US-compliant
investment models, SEC regulation, and IRS tax
reporting. This is vital for the client to achieve their
financial goals and objectives.
Reporting to the IRS
Our investment and platform partners provide all
the annual returns required by the individual for
the IRS and in the required IRS format. Reporting
to the IRS is simplified this way.
More Complex Situations
We understand that tax isn't easy and can get
complicated and confusing. We work with several
top tax firms and lawyers who will help unravel
any issues or glitches that may have occurred
over time. They understand both US and current
country issues.
Individual and personalized planning is essential,
and in conjunction with our US Tax Partners, we
can produce this compliant and modern solution
without unnecessary costs or wrappers.
Retirement Planning
Planning for the future is a vital part of our service,
including retirement planning for US Connected
Persons. Non-resident US Connected Persons
can fund domestic US pensions, but several issues
revolve around the tax treatment of this group of
individuals.
We can facilitate a pension solution for nonresident
US Connected Persons with the added
advantage that if you decide to return to the USA,
it is still a compliant and tax-efficient retirement
structure.
Summary
All our solutions comply with US reporting and
investment requirements as we have outlined. Our
investment managers are all SEC-regulated.
We have US-qualified advisers to assist when a
client returns to the United States. The service,
pension, and investment will not be affected if the
client wishes.
If you have any questions or want to know your
investment options, reach out to Beacon Global
Wealth Management to set up a free financial
consultation with a financial advisor.
Beacon Global Wealth Management are not tax experts, and due to the
complexities of the tax system and your aims and objectives, it is highly
advisable that you seek an independent tax opinion. You are fully aware
that BGWM are not Tax Advisers and, as such cannot be held responsible
should the applicable tax authority raise a claim against you for any future
taxes.
The information on this page does not disclose all the risks and other
significant issues related to the investments. Prior to transacting, potential
investors should ensure that they have consulted with their financial adviser
and fully understand the terms of the investments and any applicable risks.
Any views, opinions, or estimates expressed in this document reflect the
current views and opinions of Beacon Global Wealth Management,however,
these views, opinions, and estimates are subject to change.
The value of investment products may go down as well as up and any
data on past performance, modeling, or back-testing contained herein is
no indication as to future performance. No representation is made as to
the reasonableness of the assumptions made within or the accuracy or
completeness of any modeling or back-testing. The value of any investment
may fluctuate as a result of market changes. The information in this
document is not intended to predict actual results and no assurances are
given with respect thereto.
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100 | The Good Life France
The Good Life France | 101

Joanna Leggett explores the good life in the cities of Sète and Montpellier in the
Herault department, Occitanie, southern France…
Is this the
true South
of France?
Sète
Sète
Sète sits at the head of a narrow isthmus
which encloses the Étang de Thau, a
saltwater lagoon which runs down as far as
Marseillan to the Canal du Midi. All along
this western coast of the Mediterranean
there are such lagoons, and many if not all,
are renowned for the quality of their seafood
with oysters and mussels a speciality! The
town, with its many canals which give it
the nickname the ‘Venice of Occitanie’, is
famous for its water jousting – a tradition
that was born in the year 1666 when Louis
XIV was living in the Louvre and Versailles
was still a country hunting lodge!
Discover Sète
The first stones of the port in Sète were laid
in 1666 and water jousting took place to
celebrate the event and it quickly became the
local sport. In fact this maritime sport most
likely dates to Roman times – though it’s now
firmly a passionate feature of Languedoc
culture.
From mid-June onwards, water-borne
contests are held along the canals. Huge
rowing boats are specially crafted with
raised ladders at one end, four jousters stand
on these ‘tintaine’ while ten rowers propel
102 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 103

along the coast and the weather is usually so
mild that eating Christmas lunch outside is not
unknown!
And it’s well connected too, for in 1839
the Montpellier-Séte railway was opened,
connecting the port to the ancient city just 10
kms inland.
Discover Montpellier
Montpellier is home to one of the oldest
universities in the world as well as the oldest
medical school still in operation. Past alumnae
include Petrarch, Rabelais and Nostradamus.
Sète
Montpellier remains a leading university
town – it’s estimated as many as a third of its
residents are students, and it has a rich cultural
life dating back centuries. The city was called
Monspessulanus by the Romans. It survived
Cathars and wars of religion, and became part
of Aragon when Marie of Montpellier brought
the city with her as part of her dowry when she
married Peter II of Aragon. It became a major
economic centre and primary source for the
spice trade in France. In the 14 th century Sète
passed to James III of Majorca who then sold
it to the French crown to raise money for a war
back in the 14 th century.
Montpellier
the boats – all dressed in white. On-board,
bands of pipers and drummers knock out a
beat to encourage each boat forward. Like
an orchestrated ballet, boats pass each
other seven times while, at the same time,
huge brass bands blast forth to excite and
encourage spectators lining the quay.
As boats get closer the first jouster picks
up the shield and jousting pole and tries
to dislodge the opposition boat’s jouster
from their platform. Naturally there’s great
applause when anyone falls into the canal!
As with any self-respecting sport there are
different categories. Children start learning
from the age of 10. And there’s a junior division
for the under 21’s. But, the most prestigious
competition is the heavyweight (anyone over
88 kg in weight) and this is considered the
Blue Ribbon event!
It all culminates with the feast of St Louis (the
patron saint of Sète). A carnival lasting several
days is held in mid to late August which bears
the grandiose title of ‘World Championship’.
Jousts are well attended and it’s best to book
a seat on the temporary stands to get a good
view. Or better still watch from a table at one
of the many restaurants which line the sides
of the Royal Canal. The finest seafood, local
wine and unmatched entertainment – it’s a
pretty unbeatable combination.
Sète however is far more than just ‘world
headquarters’ for water jousting, it has an
extremely pretty marina and busy port. There
are wonderful sandy beaches which run all
When Louis XIV made Sète the capital of
Bas Languedoc, the town became ever more
important and grew accordingly. Parts of its
historic centre date back to this time including
the Promenade de Peyrou and Esplanade.
Its position on hilly ground just inland with
abundance of year round sunshine and sea
breezes made perfect growing conditions for
the vines. This made its citizens very wealthy
and they built grand houses and upgraded
their living conditions – until phylloxera killed
the vines off in the 1890s. Modern grafting
methods have overcome the vine disease
and today the city is once more surrounded
by vineyards and garrigue (Mediterranean
scrubland).
All around in the hills of the Hérault there are
charming villages and small market towns.
Montpellier
104 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 105

The Port in Marseillan
Marseillan at the south of the Étang de Thau,
the point where the Canal du Midi joins the
salt waters of the Mediterranean, is home to
the sweet vermouth Noilly Prat. Along the
coast, ancient fisherman’s cottages have been
converted into seaside des res and summer
villas dot the landscape. In villages there are
old townhouses clustered around squares.
And in the countryside there are old villas and
winegrowers’ homes. It’s an enchanting area
and with its simpler way of life, some even call
this the true South of France!
Take a look at the property
market in Herault:
Herault is a surprisingly affordable part of
southern France. Prices for properties vary
enormously with bargain houses from less
than £50,000 for a doer upper to £750,000
for a 9-bed stunning villa with a lot of land
and a pool.
106 | The Good Life France
Montpellier
Here are just a few examples of what’s on offer:
SURROUNDED BY VINEYARDS – A12682
€560,000
Close to the lively towns of Narbonne
and Beziers, surrounded by Saint-Chinian
vineyards, a fabulous 4-bed villa with
wonderful pool plus a possible gite.
frenchestateagents.com
FORMER WINE MAKERS’ HOME –
88580AS34 – €249,000
An elegant 19th century ‘maison vigneronne’
in a charming, medieval wine growing village
with amenities. 4 bedrooms with the possibility
for more, the house is in tip top condition.
Features include a marble staircase, brand
new roof and high speed internet.
frenchestateagents.com
SPACIOUS CHARACTER VILLAGE HOUSE
– A09853 – €51,600
A charming -bed house with a vaulted cellar
is in a lively village. It needs doing up but has
oodles of potential.
frenchestateagents.com
Joanna Leggett is marketing director at
Leggett Immobilier – you can view the full
portfolio of properties for sale in Herault at:
frenchestatagents.com
frenchestateagents.com
MOVING TO FRANCE?
ClickMoves.com can help. They take care of all
the paperwork, the packing and your precious
things. Get a free quote and expert help.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
CLICKMOVES.COM - ENQUIRIES@CLICKMOVES.COM
The Good Life France | 107

42,000 bottles in his lifetime. He liked to be
served champagne at 11am precisely – Pol
Roger was his favourite.
He wasn’t the only famous person to enjoy
champagne. Napoleon Bonaparte declared
‘“I cannot live without Champagne. If I win,
I deserve it; If I lose, I need it” and F Scott
Fitzgerald claimed “Too much of anything is
bad. Except Champagne – too much is just
right.”
In fact, the reason it’s so popular probably
originates from the tradition or royals and
aristocrats drinking it to mark celebrations
in the 18th century when the expensive drink
(even then, though largely this was due to
its habit of the bottes blowing up) made it
a status symbol, plus it was thought to have
‘positive effects on a woman’s beauty and a
man’s wit, and who are we to disagree?!
Oh, and one more reason to enjoy the bubbles
– according to some scientists, a couple of
glasses of Champagne is thought to help
counteract the process of memory loss as you
age. I’ll raise a glass to that!
If you want to find out more about
Champagne, read more here where Laurent
explains: how Champagne is made – and
how to serve it
Find out more and
join the club at:
somMailier.com
and get a special
introductory offer
of 10% on any
product including
Champagne –
just use the
code TGLF2022
on the check
out page…
CHAMPAGNE –
how it got its pizzaz!
Wine expert Laurent Yung of SomMailier.
com, the French Wine Club in the USA, shares
some sparkling fizzy facts about the world’s
favourite celebratory drink!
Champagne is irrevocably associated with
glamour, luxury and festive occasions. Is it the
bubbles? There’s an estimated 49 million of
them in each bottle. Or perhaps it’s the pop
of the cork, shot out due to the staggering 90
pounds per square inch of pressure in a single
bottle (a car tyre has about 30 pounds per
square inch!). There are people who obsess
about the ‘recorded flight of a cork’ and the
record is a whopping 177 feet (54 metres). And
corks are fast – flying out at a speed of up to
around 30 mph (much more if you shake the
bottle)!
For me it’s the taste and the feeling you get
when you sip a glass of Champagne. Some
300 million bottles are produced each year
in Champagne and left to mature for at least
15 months, and to ferment twice (that’s what
gives it the bubbles) in hundreds of miles of
underground cellars. It’s exported to around
190 countries and after the French, Americans
are the biggest consumers of Champagne,
followed by the British with Winston Churchill
setting an example by drinking an estimated
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108 | The Good Life France
The Good Life France | 109

Your one stop shop for the finest quality
food from Britain and Ireland.
Brioche berry &
white chocolate pudding
WE OFFER THE LARGEST REFRIGERATED HOME DELIVERY
NETWORK ACROSS MAINLAND EUROPE.
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Fresh Cream, Pies, Sausages, Bacon, Pudding, Tea & Coffee, Sauces,
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baconbythebox.com
INGREDIENTS
1 packet 10 mini brioche or 1 brioche loaf
150g/5½oz white chocolate, chopped
300g/10½oz fresh or frozen raspberries
55g/2oz caster sugar (powder sugar)
1 tbsp plain flour
500ml/18 fl oz sour cream or
crème fraiche (half fat if desired!)
3 eggs
½ tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp icing sugar
METHOD
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
Layer the slices of brioche or cut into small
pieces. Coarsely chop chocolate.
Place half of the Brioche in a deep sided pie
dish. Sprinkle with half of the chopped white
chocolate and half of raspberries and then
repeat with a top layer.
If you’re using frozen raspberries, pop them in
a microwave oven for 3 minutes.
Mix the sugar and flour. Whisk together
sour cream/crème fraiche, eggs and vanilla
essence. Pour evenly over the top.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown
and set in the centre. Leave to cool for 10
minutes. Sprinkle with icing sugar for extra
wow factor and sweetness
Delicious served with ice cream or cream.
The Good Life France | 111

METHOD
Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4
Pain perdu:
You can keep the puddings in the fridge for
up to two days; reheat in a microwave for 60
seconds and crisp the tops for about a minute
under a grill/pre-heated broiler.
Oven-cooked
chocolate
pain perdu
with bourbon toffee sauce
This absolutely delicious adaptation
of a classic French pain perdu by Chef
Rachel Howard (Le Cordon Bleu Paris),
Gîte La Vuzelle, Chambéranger, Savoie,
France features chocolate and a rich
toffee bourbon sauce. It’s utterly, utterly
scrumptious!
Makes approximately 10 ramekins or small forms,
depending on the size
INGREDIENTS
Pain Perdu:
¼ teaspoon salt
4 medium eggs
1 litre (4 cups) milk (demi or whole)
200g (cup) white granulated (caster) sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
900g (4 ½ cups) day-old bread, cubed (see
note below)
300g (1 ½ cups) milk or dark chocolate chips
or chocolate disks, chopped medium
Optional: 3 ripe to over-ripe bananas,
halved and sliced
Optional: Cinnamon-sugar mixture for
sprinkling
Toffee Bourbon (or rum) Sauce:
½ cup (100g) white granulated (caster) sugar
½ cup (113g) butter
½ cup (120ml) double cream (heavy cream/
crème entière), room temperature
¼ cup (60ml) rum (light or dark)
Whisk the salt, eggs, vanilla, milk and sugar
until well combined and the sugar is dissolved.
Cut the bread into cubes and add to the
egg mixture and let them soak for about 10
minutes but no more than 20 minutes. If left
too long in the mixture, the bread will begin
to dissolve and there will more of a pudding
texture to the final product. You may find that
you have leftover egg mixture after filling the
ramekins; if so, add some more bread cubes
and fill one or two more ramekins.
If you decide to use one large form rather than
individual ramekins, then prepare the form by
buttering well.
Pour the mix into each ramekin until about
half full. Then sprinkle over the chocolate (and
bananas if using) and fill each ramekin with
remaining mix to the rim. Ensure that each
ramekin is about half full of liquid mix.
Pop some more chocolate drops over the top.
You can also sprinkle the top of each ramekin
with a small amount of cinnamon-sugar – just
check more often while baking to ensure that
the top does not burn and cover lightly with a
sheet of foil if the cinnamon-sugar is browning
too quickly.
Place the ramekins in large high sided pan and
place on the middle oven rack. Fill the pan with
hot water until it reaches about halfway up the
sides of the ramekins (a ‘bain marie’).
Bake for approximately 30 minutes,
depending on your oven. Be careful not to
overbake or they will lose the pudding texture.
They should be softer than a quiche coming
out of the oven. While baking, begin preparing
the rum sauce (see below).
Remove the puddings from the oven and
allow to set for at least ten minutes. Serve
at room temperature (Chantilly cream goes
well) or warm with toffee sauce (a sprinkling of
powdered sugar is attractive, with the sauce
served in a shot glass on the side).
Toffee bourbon Sauce:
Place the butter in a small saucepan and melt
on medium heat. After the foam has subsided,
watch the fat solids carefully for their color, until
they have turned a medium-dark brown and
the butter begins to smell nutty. The color of the
butter will determine the color of the sauce, as
well as the depth of the nutty flavor, so don’t lose
your nerve and pull the butter off too soon. While
still on the heat, add the sugar and whisk until
the sugar is completely dissolved.
Add the heavy cream (be careful; it will boil
up quickly and then subside). Whisk to ensure
that the sauce is a smooth consistency, since
adding the cream may re-crystallize the sugar,
especially if the cream was cool. If the sauce
has a grainy texture, then continue whisking
on medium heat until the sugar has dissolved,
and the sauce has come together again. Add
the bourbon (or rum) and continue heating
for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol (this
will ensure that the sauce retains the flavor
without the harsh notes of raw alcohol).
The sauce is best served immediately with the
warm pudding, either on the side or drizzled
over the top. However, it can be saved in
a plastic container in the refrigerator, and
either reheated as a whole or in individual shot
glasses in the microwave. If reheated, stir or
whisk after reheating to ensure that the sauce
has a smooth consistency.
You can use any kind of day-old bread that is on
hand: for example, baguette will have more texture
and yield more crunchy bits at the top (a more
dramatic presentation), while brioche will dissolve
into more of a cohesive pudding texture. Also, if
more texture is desired, then cut larger cubes, or cut
smaller cubes for a more pudding-like texture.
112 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 113

INGREDIENTS
1 cup/200gr All Purpose flour
4 large eggs
¾ cup/180g cheese, grated; Gruyère,
Emmental, or other strong cheese (Comté
also works well)
½ cup/125ml milk
¼ cup/60ml olive oil
½ tbsp baking powder
Pinch salt and pepper
Flavouring Ingredients
¾ cup/180gr lardons, or chopped ham,
cooked and cooled
¼ cup/60gr of pitted green olives, sliced
1 tbsp dried chives, or 2 tbsp fresh chives
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F and lightly
grease a ‘loaf’ or similar sized tin.
Place the oil, milk and eggs in a bowl and mix
thoroughly.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking
powder, salt and pepper. Once mixed, add the
chives and the grated cheese, and mix again.
Next, add the cooked and cooled lardons, or
chopped ham, and sliced olives to the flour
mixture and combine so that everything is
lightly coated in flour.
Finally, add the wet mixture to the dry, and
combine thoroughly – being sure not to leave
any pockets of flour.
Pour the mixture into the baking tin, and place
into the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until
the top is lightly browned, and coming away
from the edges of the tin.
Remove from the oven when cooked, and
leave in the tin for 10-15-minutes to set before
removing, allowing a further 10-15-minutes
before serving.
Cake Salé
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Portions: 10
by Kit Smyth
Perfect for a light lunch, or a conversation-starting
brunch, this Provençal classic raises glasses and
eyebrows with equal ease. Who says you can’t have cake
for breakfast?! Kit Smyth’s savoury cake recipe is easy
to make and utterly scrumptious…
114 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 115

Chaudrée Française
or French Chowder
Option 1: Clams, tinned or fresh, but keep
the juice if using tinned.
Option 2: Seafood mix – often comes with
mussels, cockles, calamari rings, etc.
Option 3: Cod or other white fish: always
good, but do stir the soup with care, as the
chunks can break up.
METHOD
Heat a large saucepan, or Dutch oven, over
medium-high heat, and add the lardons,
gently frying until any fat has dissolved and
only nice chunks of bacon remain. Remove
half and keep for later.
Add the oil and butter to the pan, and wait
for the butter to foam. When ready, add
the onions and garlic, reduce the heat to
medium, and cook until the onion is soft and
just caramelising. Sprinkle the flour over and
stir to mix thoroughly. Cook for 1 minute,
stirring constantly.
Increase the heat to high, wait 30 seconds,
and add the vermouth/white wine, then stir
vigorously to scrape all the flavourful bits from
the bottom of the pan.
Note: BE CAREFUL, the pan will be HOT
and adding alcohol can cause spontaneous
flames. It’s advisable to step back as you pour
the alcohol in, and allow it to ‘flash’ before
returning to inspect.
Add the diced potatoes, and the stock/canned
juices, together with the herbs, cover and
allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
Lifting the lid, add the seafood selection,
stir thoroughly and check the potatoes for
doneness. Re-cover and cook for a further
10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked
through.
When cooked, add the single cream or
a healthy dollop of creme fraiche to the
potatoes, and bring to a gentile simmer.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, and
sprinkle the reserved bacon lardons over the
top, or fresh parsley if you prefer.
Usually associated with Northeastern America, where a hearty clam chowder is a staple
on many New England menus, this version has a distinct French kick. Chef Kit Smyth’s
Chaudrée Française, or French Chowder, is perfect throughout the year, but all the more
so as the days draw shorter.
With its abundance of fresh fish and shellfish, and of course world renowned dairy
products, France’s rich gastronomic traditions ensure this thick and creamy soup is
perfect for any dinner table
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
1 cup/200g lardons/thick-cut bacon batons
1 tbsp/20ml olive oil
2 tsp/10ml butter
1 large/150g onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 shot/30ml Vermouth, or ½ cup/100ml white
wine, dry – Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
½ cup/65g all-purpose flour
2 large/300g potatoes, waxy, diced large
1 cup/250ml single cream, or thinned creme
fraiche
1 cup/250ml fish stock, including tinned/
canned clam juice if using.
1 tsp each dried Tarragon, chives, parsley
300g seafood: you can use any of the
following combinations, depending on what is
available in your area and within the season.
116 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 117

Last
Word
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN TRUST
chalet villa château farmhouse apartment vineyard gîte cottage coast country city
French philosopher Albert Camus once said, ‘autumn is like a second spring when
every leaf is a flower.’ And as I walk the dogs along the narrow roads in my little
corner of rural France, the hedges are festooned with plum-hued berries and plump
rose hips, and the leaves of the trees are turning every colour of the autumnal
rainbow – from chartreuse to flamboyant fiery crimson and burnished copper…
Mushrooms flourish, sprouting from tree trunks and forest floors, and lurking under
hedges. Wandering through the woods, we encounter basket-carrying neighbours,
foraging for fungi – chestnut coloured, flashy yellow and coral and polka-dotted
like something out of a fairy tale, girolles, chanterelles and cèpes.
If any are not sure whether their haul is safe to sauté, there are plenty of experts in
the village. Paul, who is a noted mushroom specialist, Stefan who claims to be one,
or the local pharmacy.
The only time I have foraged was with a friend. We went to Stefan as we knew no
better. He held up our bounty and compared the varieties to barely legible, badly
drawn images in a book published in 1896.
“Yep, they’re all good, delicious cooked in butter” and he kissed his fingers and
closed his eyes, enraptured at the thought.
Just to be sure, we popped to the pharmacy. The chemist put on his little round
glasses and examined the piles in our baskets. He picked each mushroom up,
popped some to one side and placed others back in the basket. At the end, he’d
put all the mushrooms in the basket except for our prize jumbo-sized, pointy hatted
specimen
“Are you married” he asked. We nodded.
“Happily married?” he said.
“Yes” we assured him “why do you ask?”
“Well, if you love your husbands, you should not feed them this one”
“Would it kill my husband if I had given him that one” asked my friend, turning a
ghostly shade of pale at the thought of it.
“No” said the pharmacist snickered, “but he would shit for a week!”
Janine
Janine Marsh lives in France with her husband and 72 animals. Her latest book,
Toujours la France: Living the Dream in Rural France, is out now on Amazon
and all good book shops.
118 | The Good Life France
EXCLUSIVE
Provençal Style
Drôme €695,000
Ref: A14811 - Beautiful 4 bedroom villa
with excellent view, garden and pool.
Agency fees paid by seller.
Mayenne €249,000
Ref: A15134 - Former 1868 presbytery
with scope to expand.
Agency fees paid by seller.
EXCLUSIVE
Sought after Location
Maine-et-Loire €149,875
Ref: A14058 - Pretty 18th century 2
bedroom cottage with garden, in a village.
9% agency fees included paid by the buyer.
Vienne €199,800
Ref: A14112 - Pretty 4 bedroom maison
de maître surrounded by fields.
8% agency fees included paid by the buyer.
EXCLUSIVE
Superb Property
Morbihan €230,050
Ref: A15421 - 3 Bedroom house with
gardens and room for a granny annexe.
7% agency fees included paid by the buyer.
Paris 75010 €549,000
Ref: A13934 - 2 Bedroom 55m² apartment
with a 10m² terrace.
Agency fees paid by seller.
EXCLUSIVE
Ideal Holiday Home
Haute-Vienne €149,000
Ref: A14008 - Partially renovated 3
bedroom 3 bathroom town property.
8% agency fees included paid by the buyer.
Lot €275,000
Ref: A14025 - 4 Bedroom house and barn
on the edge of the Quercy regional park.
5% agency fees included paid by the buyer.
EXCLUSIVE
Sitting Pretty
Creuse €125,350
Ref: A07373 - 3 Bedroom traditional
cottage with pool, in a quaint village.
9% agency fees included paid by the buyer.
Start your property search today!
+33 (0)5 53 60 84 88 leggettfrance.com info@leggett.fr
The Good Life France | 119

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