Summer 2024

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The
Good Life France
ISSUE Nọ 38
ISSN 2754-6799
Nancy
The dazzling city with
oodles of charm &
exquisite architecture
Paris Guide
Top things to see,
insider’s secret places
& more…
Hidden
France
Alsace Lorraine, Picardy,
Languedoc-Roussillon,
Figeac
24 hours in
Sparkling Reims,
Champagne
Delicious
recipes
Bringing you an irresistible
taste of France – including
scrumptious Parisian
custard tart, cheesy
gougères, & more…
144 pages
Of inspirational features
and gorgeous photos
Magazine

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wel comes you !
Bonjour and bienvenue to The Good Life France Magazine.
I’m absolutely thrilled to share this brilliant summer issue with you.
Whether you’re enjoying France from near or far, the fabulous
features and wonderful photos will provide plenty of inspiration,
information and entertainment, with loads of places to go, culture
and history by the bucket load, scrumptious recipes, guides and
much, much more.
Discover the historic city of Nancy in northeast France – it’s art
deco heaven, and utterly delicious, and check out the ancient city
of Arras in the far north. Head to Figeac in the southern Lot region;
to the effervescent city of Reims in Champagne, and to a gorgeous
part of the south of France where Claude Monet bought his water
lilies at a still-going-strong garden centre!
Find out what it’s like to train at the world’s biggest pastry school,
explore off the beaten track Alsace-Lorraine by barge, and discover
the charms of Vannes in Brittany.
Paris takes centre stage in this issue – whether it’s your first visit,
you’re on a budget or you know it well, we’ve got you covered with
top tips for the best things to do and see in Paris – from the wellknown
to the secret places.
Come with us to the vibrant city of Toulouse, and to historic
Troyes, plus discover a fascinating and unique cultural venue in a
royal castle in Picardy that’s dedicated to French language and
it’s a whole lot of fun. Meet the artisans who make pastel crayons
the traditional way, including for famous artists from Degas to
Picasso. Find out about the biggest omelette in France (15,000
eggs big!) made in honour of Napoleon Bonaparte, and discover
how picnics originate from France and were influenced by the
French Revolution.
There are practical guides, property hotspots, and we meet the
accidental YouTube stars renovating their home in Charente-
Maritime. Plus, there are superb recipes from the crème de la
crème of the French food world including a delicious Parisian
custard tart and moreish cheesy gougères.
And now – it’s time to enjoy this magazine which is totally free to
read, and subscribe to, just hop on to page 4 and subscribe! And
please do share this issue with your friends – that’s free too.
I wish you a very happy summer.
Bisous from my little corner of rural northern France,
Janine
Janine Marsh
Editor
Bienvenue
Follow us on Twitter,
Instagram & Facebook
The Good Life France | 3

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CONTENTS
The Good Life France Magazine
No. 38 Summer 2024
ISSN 2754-6799
The magazine is free to read, download and share
Contributors
Gillian Thornton is an award-winning
travel writer and member of the British
Guild of Travel Writers, specialising in
French destinations and lifestyle. Her
favourite place? ‘Usually where I have
just been!’
Anna Richards is a writer & guidebook
author living in Lyon. Her work has
appeared in The Independent, Lonely
Planet, National Geographic and many
more; her debut guidebook, Paddling
France (Bradt Guides) is out now.
annahrichards.com
Jeremy Flint is an award-winning
photographer (Association of
Photographers Discovery Award
Winner, National Geographic Traveller
Grand Prize Winner, five-times finalist
Travel Photographer of the Year) and
writer specialising in travel, landscape
and location photography.
Ally Mitchell is a blogger and
freelance writer, specialising in food
and recipes. Ally left the UK to live in
Toulouse in 2021 and now writes about
her new life in France on her food blog
NigellaEatsEverything.
52
8
ON THE COVER
8 Nancy, jewel of Lorraine
The city dazzles with its
architecture, heritage – and it’s
perfect for foodies.
52 Paris guide
What to see and do for first
timers, if you’re on a budget, or
you’ve been before!
36 24 hours in Reims
The effervescent city where
Champagne rules.
46 Hidden France –
Alsace-Lorraine
The most picturesque
countryside imaginable, and
fairy-tale pretty villages.
Dana Facaros has lived in France for
over 30 years. She is the creator of
French Food Decoder app: everything
you want to know about French food,
and co-author of the Bradt guide to
Gascony & the Pyrenees.
Christine McKenzie is a Franco-British
journalist who writes in both English and
French. Her stories have been published
in anglophone and francophone media.
Married to a Frenchman and mother
of four, she settled 30 years ago near
Fontainebleau.
Sarah Daly is a museum curator,
digital editor and freelance writer.
She lives in Pas-de-Calais where she
is blogs about adapting to French life
with her husband, teenagers, an elderly
dog and two cats.
The Good Life France Magazine
Annaliza Davis is an editor, translator
and writer. She lives in Brittany after
falling in love with the area on a school
exchange and loves to explore the
coast with her scruffy dog Mimi! Find
her at agentbritish.com
Front Cover: Antibes, French Riviera by Marianne Furnes lmyfrenchmap
Editor-in-chief: Janine Marsh
Editorial assistant: Trudy Watkins
Press enquiries: editor@thegoodlifefrance.com
Advertising: sales@thegoodlifefrance.com
Digital support: websitesthatwork.com
Layout design: Philippa French littlefrogdesign.co.uk
ISSN 2754-6799 Issue 38 Summer 2024
40
DISCOVER
16 Arras – city break
Culture, heritage and great
gastronomy make Arras a
brilliant city break destination.
22 The art of French gastronomy
Discover the World’s biggest
pastry school.
30 Fabulous Figeac
The medieval town that’s full
of surprises.
40 The heavenly gardens of
Marliac-Latour
The garden centre where
Claude Monet bought his
waterlilies is still going strong.
4 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 5

90
68
86
68 Magical Morbihan
Explore the Golfe du
Morbihan, Brittany’s
enchanting ‘inland sea.’
74 The Pastel makers of France
The oldest handmade pastel
manufacturer in the world.
80 Trailblazing and tasty
Toulouse
The ‘pink city’ offers everything
from space-age thrills to cockle
warming grub.
86 The giant omelette of
Bessières
The 15,000-egg omelette that
honours Napoleon Bonaparte!
90 The City dedicated to
French language
The royal chateau of Villers-
Cotterêts in Picardy has a
unique cultural venue.
96 Spotlight on Troyes
The historic champagne
cork-shaped town has oodles
of charm.
102 The history of the
Pique-nique
Did you know France invented
the picnic?!
108 Growing in France
YouTube stars sharing
their renovation in France
experiences.
124 The French Property
Show UK
A must for anyone planning
to buy a property in, or move
to France.
128
102
140
REGULARS
114 What’s New
All the news and events you need
for your next trip to France.
142 Last word
Life in Rural France – It’s not
Bastille Day – it’s the 14th July!
GUIDES
118 Spotlight on the Pays d’Auge,
Normandy
Glorious coast and countryside
combined.
128 Discover the Lot
A land of tranquil valleys,
soaring cliffs, vineyards and
castles.
BON APPÉTIT
135 Gougères
The perfect French
snack…cheesy balloons of
deliciousness!
136 Picardy crepes
The delicious pancake
speciality of Picardy.
138 Panfried steak with
red wine sauce
A French classic that’s easy to
make at home.
140 Parisian Custard tart
One of the favourite desserts of
the French.
4 Subscribe to The Good Life
France Magazine
Everything you want to know
about France and more –
subscription is totally free.
PHOTO SPECIALS
112 Your photos
Featuring the most beautiful
photos shared on our
Facebook page.
6 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 7

that effort, only actually visited twice), it’s like
all of the prettiest parts of Paris in miniature —
and without the crowds. Just 90 minutes from
Paris Gare de l’Est by TGV, it’s perfect for a
long weekend.
Place Stanislas © Régine Datin
How to spend three
fabulous days in
NANCY
Nancy in the in the department of
Lorraine, northeast France is a bit of
a hidden gem, a city of exceptional
heritage, dazzling architecture and
perfect for foodies. Anna Richards
shares her perfect three-day itinerary.
There are many cities in France which have
been designed with beauty at the forefront,
but perhaps none more so than Nancy. Built
in the image of Versailles and Paris’s Place
Vendôme to welcome Louis XV (who after all
Cultural highlights - Day 1
Start at Place Stanislas, the UNESCOlisted,
gold-gilded heart of the city. Each
of the corners of the main square display
elaborate Baroque fountains, and wrought
iron lamp posts frame the buildings. Versailles
in miniature it may be, but this square was
designed and commissioned by a Polish king.
Having lost the throne in his home country
(where complicated wars of succession were
causing chaos), King Stanislas sought refuge
in Nancy with his wife and two daughters in
1736. The French king Louis XV had taken
a shine to his daughter, Maria Leszcynka,
and devised a plan to get both the girl he
wanted, and to incorporate what was then
the independent dukedom of Lorraine into
France. The current Duke of Lorraine, Francis
Stephen, needed Louis’ permission to marry
the Empress of Austria. And, in exchange Louis
asked him to cede his dukedom to Stanislas.
Lorraine would pass to Maria Leszczynka
upon her father’s death, and therefore her
descendants, the French royal family. To show
his gratitude, Stanislas pulled out all the stops
with his rebuilding of Nancy, which was once
merely a trader’s outpost on boggy land.
Spend the morning exploring the Beaux-Arts
Museum in the old School of Medicine, on
Place Stanislas. There’s contemporary and
classic art, a superb collection of iconic,
edgy pieces by Jean Prouvé, one of the
20 th century’s most influential architects –
renowned for his minimalist style (one of the
houses he designed can be seen in the city),
and plenty of temporary exhibits. But the
basement contains the real wow-factor: a
shimmering collection of crystal glass made
at Manufacture Daum, Nancy’s own glass
making factory. Stop for lunch at A la Table
du Bon Roi Stanislas, whose menu, far from
8 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 9

Collection DAUM wisteria and lily of the valley vase © Regine Datin
being cutting edge, is firmly rooted in the
18th century.
From here, walk through the old town and
along the Grand Rue around which a maze of
narrow streets are lined with shops, markets,
and skinny houses with mullioned windows.
Finish at Porte de la Craffe, a 14th century
gateway that once formed part of Mediaeval
fortifications that ran all the way around the
town. It’s not possible to go inside, but the
imposing exterior is well worth a look, with twin,
grey turrets that look like a pair of pricked ears.
As you wander, look out for the 19th century
basilica, Saint-Epvre, built in a Neo Gothic style
with bronze statues of angels playing horns
encircling the belltower. The stained-glass
windows are lovely from the inside.
Treat yourself to a meal which looks like a
work of art at La Maison dans le Parc. There’s
a set, three-course dinner menu with a choice
of three dishes. Let the restaurant know in
advance if you’re vegetarian.
Parc de la Pépinières © Pierre Defontaine Artge
Art Nouveau – day 2
Art Nouveau, often described as the
predecessor of Art Deco, began in Belgium
and France in the late 19th century, and Nancy
was one of the hotspots. Highly decorative, it
was characterised by elaborate carvings and
stained-glass windows, often with a botanical
theme. Le Musée de l’école de Nancy is the
best place to go to understand it. Inside, says
art critic Brad Allan, the rooms look slightly
warped, a little like a Gaudí building. “A mindbending
highlight is a wondrous dining room
where every detail expresses the flowing design
motifs of the Art Nouveau movement – from
the ceiling down to the floor and everything
else in between. The visual impact of a room
composed entirely of Art Nouveau artefacts is
utterly staggering. As Art Nouveau expresses
organic, entwining forms, the room seems to
writhe before your very eyes, like a twisting
interior forest. The massive light fitting seems
to descend on a vine from the timbered ceiling
as you look upon it. The wall coverings suggest
a deep and mysterious woodland. A lone chair
Musee de l'Ecole de Nancy © Lori & Tim Prosser
10 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 11

Brasserie l'Excelsior © Régine Datin
really does seem to have arms that are ready
to wrap around you. The huge sideboard
appears to wave in the breeze. The fireplace
surround looks like a gaping mouth just waiting
to close. Although in isolation Art Nouveau
artefacts can seem whimsical and romantic,
when massed together as they are here in
one dining room, the effect is somehow much
more foreboding. You might find yourself
thinking that if Dracula had a dining room, this
is where he would sit down to enjoy a cup of
warm, er, tea. But there’s much more to this
museum than this unique dining room. That’s
just one part of a very large house that forms
the only museum in the world exclusively
devoted to the presentation of a vast number
of the most exquisite Art Nouveau artefacts.
There’s a bedroom – with an astonishingly outsized
winged bug motif in the timber – several
well-presented reception rooms and fixtures
and cabinets galore of the most impressively
stylised glassware and ceramics. Around every
corner is another startling revelation. Even the
reception desk at the museum entrance would
be a prized exhibit in any other museum. It’s
this simple: if you have any interest in Art
Nouveau at all, you’ve arrived in Nirvana. It
Villa Majorelle © Damien Boyer
just doesn’t get any better than this, anytime,
anywhere, ever.”
Just next door is La Villa Majorelle, the very
first Art Nouveau building in Nancy, where
everything from the curved bed frames to
the excessive carved stone chimney running
through the centre of the dining room make
you feel as though you’ve fallen into a fairy
tale. Look around you as you wander – even
the parts of the city which appear modern and
a little drab at first often hide Art Nouveau
treasures. Pharmacies with mosaic façades.
Carved wooden vines running around door
frames. And most curious of all, the ceiling of
a bank. Go into the LCL branch in the middle
of Rue Saint-Georges, to find a stainedglass
skylight, 250m2 in size, decorated with
magnificent Art Nouveau flowers. Accountants
going about their day seem unfazed by
tourists, at least for the time being.
Stop for lunch at Vins et Tartines, where you
can try the region’s typical wine, known as ‘vin
gris’, and it’s not grey as the name suggests,
it’s actually an iridescent pink not dissimilar
to rose-gold. The open-top sandwiches are
positively gourmet, and very hearty.
12 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 13

Place Stainslas golden gate
Always an artistic town, Nancy didn’t stop
evolving after the Art Nouveau movement,
and it has become a hub of innovative street
art. From intricately-carved drain covers to
sculptures made from park benches, it’s an
open-air art scene which goes far beyond
murals and graffiti. To make sure you don’t miss
any of it, book onto a street art tour. To stay on
theme, eat at Brasserie Excelsior in the evening,
an Art Nouveau bistro with a classic menu and
a painted ceiling worthy of a chapel.
© Nancy Thermal
visites.nancy-tourisme.fr
48h
24h
72h
Some like it hot – day 3
Begin the day with a stroll in one of Nancy’s
immense urban parks. Jardin Pépinière has Art
Nouveau pavilions, and resident peacocks and
monkeys. It’s worth leaving the city centre to
visit the botanical garden, Jean-Marie Pelt, on
the city’s periphery, which has everything from
alpine to tropical plants.
It would be a sacrilege to leave Lorraine
without trying their famous quiche, and the
best in town is at Le Potager.
After all the sightseeing, enjoy a relaxing
trip to Nancy Thermal. This thermal spa
first opened at the beginning of the 20th
century, but by the 1930s it had already been
abandoned. It took almost a century for the
spa to bounce back, and in the spring of
2023, a 20,000m 2
complex was unveiled.
There’s the original round swimming pool
under the dome, surrounded by pillars and
looking rather like a Roman bath, outdoor
heated Nordic pools, hammams, waterfalls,
saunas, jacuzzis and a solarium, and all the
water comes directly from the naturally
thermal springs below Nancy.
Top tip: Pop to the tourist office to buy a City
Pass for 1, 2 or 3 days – it includes entrance to
all museums and monuments in the Greater
Nancy area, guided tour of the city and audio
guide, travel on the public transport network,
city guide, ride on the little tourist train plus
special offers and discounts in numerous shops
and activities.
Find all the details for what to see and do in
Nancy at: Nancy-Tourism.fr/en
Information and booking
on nancy-tourisme.fr/en
14 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 15

Thriving café lifestyle in Arras
through the centuries, ruled by the Spanish and
the Burgundians before finally becoming, and
staying, French in 1640. In the 20th century
Arras was almost destroyed by War. This city
has a long, rich and tumultuous history.
Spotlight
on ARRAS
The city of Arras is a jewel of northern
France. Janine Marsh explores its
heritage, history and heavenly
food scene.
Citadelle © Yannick Cadart
Arras in the Pays d’Artois region of Hauts-de-
France is easy to reach from Calais, Paris or
Lille by train or car, and makes for a fabulous
city break. With a rich history, dazzling
architecture and major remembrance sites
– this foodie-pleasing city really does have
something to delight everyone.
Cultural highlights
View from the belfry © Marion Harmel
Iron Age man lived in Arras. The Romans
called it Nemetocenna. In the middle ages it
was famous for its textiles. It was fought over
Arras today is a hub of culture and heritage, a
multi-layered city, quite literally. Small enough
to walk almost everywhere, teeming with
superb restaurants, a twice-weekly market and
plenty of shops alongside historic sites. Leave
the car behind and take a stroll.
Start your journey on the cobbled Place des
Héros (named in honour of members of the
Second World War resistance movement),
one of the two neighbouring squares which
are unique in Europe, lined with medievalstyle
columned arcades and 155 houses in
sumptuous baroque Flemish fashion. Time
travel through a free Timescope virtual-reality
station (there are several dotted around and
about the town), a panoramic looking glass
which will you sweep you back to 1518 to take
in the sights and sounds of medieval Arras
16 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 17

The giants of the north at the town hall
when the town’s lofty belfry was being built.
The 75m high UNESCO-listed belfry, which
took almost 100 years to complete, was voted
France’s favourite monument in 2015. Take a
lift and climb the last few stairs to perch on the
viewing platform and take in superb views over
the town.
Below is the town hall. Destroyed during
World War I, it was rebuilt with a spectacular
Flamboyant Gothic façade, while the interior
features exquisite art deco rooms. The tourist
office is based here, watched over by several
giants, UNESCO-listed larger-than-life
effigies. Made from willow and papier-mâché
these party loving, several-metres-high
puppets, stars of festivals and carnivals, are
the pride and joy of northern France.
Underneath the town hall, and accessible
from the tourist office you’ll find Les Boves,
a labyrinth of underground galleries first dug
out in the 9th Century. These former chalk
quarries were once used for religious services
before becoming storage space for wealthy
merchants, and then barracks for soldiers
during World War 1, a permanent exhibition
tells the story.
Behind the town hall is the Saint-Vaast
Abbey and Museum of Fine Arts (which is
closed until 2030 while it is undergoing
transformative works). And close by, a plaque
marks the house where local boy Maximilien
Robespierre, the “terror” of the French
Revolution, lived from 1787-1798.
A short walk from the city centre, the UNESCO
listed, 17 th century Citadel of Arras was the
first fortress created by Louis XIV’s legendary
military engineer Vauban, at the same time a
second fortress was built in nearby Lille. The
wonderfully preserved fort, which functioned
as a military base until 2010, is essentially
a town within a town and has been given a
new lease of life as a community hub with
residential housing and businesses including
a cheese refinery, treetop adventure centre
and honey farm. It’s also where Main Square,
the famous annual music festival, is held.
Nicknamed the “belle inutile” as it was never
besieged, the Citadel was used as a prison by
the Germans during World War II and there is a
moving memorial garden created by the local
townspeople in honour of the 280 members of
the local Resistance who were executed here.
Remembrance tourism –
bringing history to life
Next to the citadel is the Faubourg
d’Amiens Cemetery, last resting place
of more than 2,500 Commonwealth
servicemen killed in World War I. When
I visited, gardeners were tidying the
cemetery, keeping it in pristine condition as
always. They stopped work and stood stock
still, as did I, when the haunting sounds of a
lone piper carried on the air. The musician
was Philip Astor who was visiting with his
wife and played the bagpipes in honour of
his grandfathers who fought in the. Great
War. We all had tears in our eyes.
The gardeners were from the Commonwealth
War Graves Commission Experience in
Beaurains, just 4km from the centre of
Arras. Visit for a fascinating glimpse into the
Philip Astor
organisation’s painstaking work maintaining
Commonwealth cemeteries, monuments and
memorials around the world.
Forever marked by two world wars, there are
many major remembrance sites in and around
Arras including the Ring of Remembrance on
which are inscribed the 579,606 names of
every soldier who died in the region of Nord-
Pas de Calais in the Great War, whatever their
nationality or rank and regardless of what side
they were on. Vimy Memorial is Canada’s
largest overseas memorial. And Ablain-Saint-
Nazaire French Military Cemetery, also known
as Notre Dame de Lorette, the largest French
military cemetery in the world.
Wellington Quarry, a 10-minute walk from the
town, is a museum and memorial to those who
fought in the battle of Arras. On April 9, 1917,
24,000 British Empire soldiers, billeted in a
warren of underground tunnels, leapt forth in
the most daring surprise attack of the Great
War. It’s an emotional presentation, most
people require tissues at the final stage.
18 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 19

Truly scrumptious
“We eat rats here” a local told me with great
glee. And they do. But these rats are made of
chocolate. The rat is the symbol of Arras – its
pronunciation sounds just like ‘rat’, the same
word in French as in English. You can buy the
chocolates in Patisserie Thibaud or Patisserie
Jean Trogneux (the business started by the
great grandfather of Brigitte Macron, wife
of the French President), famous for their
chocolate and macarons.
This is a city where indulging is encouraged.
Delicious regional dishes take centre stage
and there’s an enormous choice of restaurants
and bars and a thriving terrace scene on
[pedestrianised) Place des Héros. Arras and
beer go back a long way, the Saint-Vaast
Abbey was one of the largest breweries in the
Middle Ages. At l’Oeuf ou la Poule restaurant
(don’t miss their signature chicken pie), a
stone’s throw from the Belfry, you can pair
local dishes with a great range of local beers.
On Wednesday mornings there’s a marvellous
market on Place des Héros and on Saturday
mornings a huge market with more than 200
stalls which spreads over three squares.
Gourmands will go gaga for the gastronomic
delights of this city.
Find loads more to see and do in Arras and
Pas-de-Calais at: visitpasdecalais.com
Town hall and belfry made
of chocolate at the Maison
Trogneux
20 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 21

French culinary arts are a feast for the senses, where the beauty is just as
important as the taste.
The art of
French gastronomy
The world’s biggest
pastry school
Choosing a cake at a French pâtisserie is
a cultural event. There is joy in the careful
decision to be made as you view the counters
filled with trays of cakes, cookies and
croissants, sweet scallop-shaped madeleines,
crisp rainbow-coloured macarons sandwiched
with luscious velvety cream, scrumptious
sugary chouquettes, and opulent opera
cakes. Shelves heave with delicious tarts like
fruity tarte tatin and delectable seasonal
mirabelle plum, apricot and cherry pies. There
are flamboyant fraisiers – fresh strawberries
stuffed into the rich cream, wedged between
layers of delicate almond sponge fingers
and creamy flan pâtissier, and puff pastry
fantasies, fluffy concoctions of choux balls
and piped cream – religieuse, Paris-Brest
and Saint Honoré, frangipane filled pithiviers,
galette des rois, and exquisite pear tarts.
Luc Debove
Behind the scenes are the pâtissiers, cake and
pastry makers, who have trained hard to learn
how to make these delicious artworks. And,
it’s not just cake shops where these skills are
evident. A new trend has emerged, a growing
legion of home bakers who also want to learn
the craft of pâtisserie - for pleasure.
I arrived late at the Ducasse Campus in the
village of Yssingeaux, not far from Lyon, in the
south of France. It’s a surreal experience to
watch Luc Debove whip the lid off a plastic
container, pop it in a microwave for a few
minutes and wish you bon appetit. The act
itself is one we are all familiar with - but Luc
Debove just happens to be a world champion
pâtissier as well as director l’Ecole Nationale
Supérieure de Pâtisserie, Ecoles Ducasse
(ENSP). He takes my bag up to my room in
a castle on top of a volcano, which apart
from being a pastry school is also a hotel for
students and visiting guest teachers – many of
them superstars of the culinary world. “Help
yourself to anything in the fridge” he says with
a smile before he heads home.
And yes if you’re wondering about Ecoles
Ducasse – it is that Ducasse, Alain Ducasse,
one of the world’s top chefs with 21 Michelin
Stars, 31 restaurants, umpteen books, a
22 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 23

Embark on a Timeless Journey:
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lifetime of French gastronomy, and founder of
Ecoles Ducasse – a collaboration with Sommet
Education, the world-leading hospitality
management education group - which in 2023
was named winner of the World Culinary Awards.
For a cake monster like me, the fridge was
a chilly little heaven. Full of salted cream
millefeuille cakes, lemon meringue tarts, and
chocolate gateaux, and in the freezer were
marvellous looking ice cream cakes made by
students during the course of the day. Much of
what they make is delivered to local schools for
the kids and teachers to enjoy, but some is kept in
the fridge for peckish students to enjoy. And me.
The school used to be in the castle,
formerly the base of the Confederation of
Pastry Makers, but last year they expanded
with a brand-new state of the art campus
that took ten years to complete – making
this the world’s biggest pastry school with
a dozen ‘laboratoires’ – kitchens and
accommodation for students. Courses
here last eight months and include two
internships. Students come from around
the world; international classes are taught
in English, the rest in French. Every student
is given a ‘toolbox’ – a cabinet that has
wheels as it’s so big, full of essential
loirevalleychateautours.com/tours
24 | The Good Life France
The Good Life France | 25

equipment needed to prepare, primp
and prettify pâtisserie from ice cream to
chocolate and everything in between.
In one class I meet students of all ages
making vanilla brioche and caramel-coated
sponge fingers, and after just three weeks
training, they look good enough to be in a
pâtisserie. Another group are making healthy
desserts with less sugar and gluten free tarts
with chickpea meringue. There are dozens
of chef-teachers at the school including one
who specialises in gluten free. There are no
qualifications needed to take the course and I
ask one of the teachers if anyone can learn to
be a great pâtissier.
“I was looking for excellence, I wanted the
best” she says, “and here I found it. And yes
it’s very hard work, but very rewarding.” Marc,
a mature student who founded a successful
logistics company says but wanted a career
change enthuses, “I love cakes, and I love
making people happy with cakes,” and
planned to work as a pastry chef in a small
hotel in Provence after the course.
Cake ENSP
I happened to be there at the end of a training
course for some students, and joined an
awards ceremony in which they received their
diplomas, cheered on by proud chef tutors,
family and friends. A fantastic spread of jewel
like canapes and cakes, made to perfection
by the students, was the perfect way to pay
homage to their skills. I did them proud.
Chef brigade in training
toured some of the kitchens which were filled
with delicious aromas, students fileting fish,
chopping vegetables, mixing dough, plating
up food, all dressed in meticulously clean
white chef jackets and toques. “We’re not
training them to be Michelin Star chefs, though
some may ago on to achieve that,” one of
the teachers tells me “but to be the best they
can be. And it’s a serious job, it takes time to
make people happy which is what our job as
chefs and cooks is.” As with ENSP, there are no
formal qualifications, but an interview process
ensures that students are prepared for hard
work and have the right aptitude.
There’s also a fabulous restaurant onsite -
Adour. It’s decorated with copper pots and
pans from Alain Ducasse’s own collection.
It’s hugely popular (I spotted 2-Michelin starred
chef Thierry Marx enjoying a bowl of soup!), so
reserve in advance if you want to enjoy their
superb menu.
Adour
“Technique can be taught” says teacher chef
Ludovic, “the key requirements are motivation,
passion and hard work. But if you don’t have
passion, it will be a struggle.”
Some students will go on to be professional
pâtissiers, others are there because they love
to cook, love cakes, and want to be the best
they can possibly be. Coline from Lyon, a
former physiotherapist, told me she loves home
baking and wanted to develop her passion.
École Ducasse –
Paris Campus
In Meudon, in the Paris suburbs, a huge
campus caters to long term students with
courses geared to teach culinary skills to
students who come from around the world to
learn from the best. There are several courses
from two months to the three-year Bachelor
course, taught in French and in English for
the International students (80 nationalities). I
École Ducasse –
Paris Studio
Tucked away in a small side street in the
heart of Paris, École Ducasse – Paris Studio,
in the 16th arrondissement, is for those
who want to squish in a morning, afternoon
or day of developing culinary skills with
a top chef teacher. When I visited, I just
26 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 27

missed a Hollywood legend and his family
who’d spent the morning learning to make
macarons like professionals!
This is the only cooking school in France
that’s geared towards amateurs in France
who want to learn and practice the culinary
arts combined with savoie faire. There are
800 small-class courses each year – a mix
of cooking and pastry, plus wine tasting and
kids’ cookery courses. You’ll learn to cook
dishes with more than 80 different themes and
recipes all come from Ducasse restaurants
- traditional, classic, bistro and 3-Star,
plus you’ll learn how to dress the plates, an
important skill in French gastronomy. They
use home-style devices, not inaccessible
restaurant equipment that you’ll never be able
to replicate it at home. As Alain Ducasse says:
“Eating is a citizen act in which chefs have a
role to play.” This is a unique cooking studio,
and what you learn here is a fabulous souvenir
of Paris to take home and share with friends
and family.
Find out more: ecoleducasse.com/en
Madeleines with honey
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This sweet Ducasse School recipe for classic madeleine cakes
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90g softened butter
75g caster sugar
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100g eggs
90g flour
2.5g baking powder
Mix the softened butter, caster sugar, brown
sugar, salt and honey together. Add the eggs,
then the sifted flour with the baking powder.
Leave the mix to rest for at least 1 hour and
30 minutes. Pour the mix into madeleine trays
which have been buttered twice and dusted
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Bake in a hot oven at 210°C for around
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28 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 29

Gillian Thornton explores the pretty town of Figeac and the surrounding
countryside of the glorious Célé Valley…
Spotlight on
FIGEAC, LOT
A modest market town in rural Lot isn’t the first
place you might expect to find connections
between Napoleon Bonaparte, Ancient Egypt
and the British Museum. But thanks to the
inquisitive mind and dogged determination of
19 th century linguist and puzzle supremo Jean-
François Champollion, the medieval town of
Figeac in Occitanie provides a link to all three.
This buzzing town of around 10,000
inhabitants lies just north of the Lot river in
the valley of the Célé, the surrounding area
of Grand Figeac designated a Pays d’Art
et d’Histoire. With its wealth of medieval
buildings, Figeac is a gem for heritage fans,
but it has Champollion to thank for its place
on the world stage.
granite covering most of the floor. A dignified
celebration of Figeac’s most famous son.
In 1798, Napoleon launched a campaign
in Egypt and Syria to defend French trade
interests and carry out scientific research.
But when the British Navy put paid to the
Emperor’s dreams of a Middle Eastern empire,
the collection of Egyptian antiquities amassed
by his scientists was signed over to the British,
including the Rosetta Stone that now stands in
the British Museum in London.
Once part of a much larger stone tablet,
this precious fragment was engraved with
three incomplete texts in different scripts,
but nobody knew what they said. Academics
puzzled for years, but it was more than 20
years before the youngest son of a Figeac
bookseller eventually cracked the code. Born
in 1790, Jean-François Champollion had
left home at 11 to live with his older brother
in Grenoble, where he quickly developed a
passion for Middle Eastern languages, and at
17, he moved to Paris, determined to decipher
the mysterious tablet.
Place des Ecritures from the upper garden
I’m looking down from a high-level garden
in the town centre onto a small pedestrian
square surrounded by stone buildings. Little
more than a courtyard, the Place des Ecritures
is empty apart from an irregular slab of black
Musée Champollion - Les écritures du Monde Lot Tourisme © C. Asquier
Figeac 30 | The centre Good © Lot Life Tourisme, FranceTeddy Verneuil
The Good Life France | 31

epresentative in Figeac for more than four
centuries. Gradually expanded to take in
adjoining buildings, this unique hotel just
off Place Champollion overlooks tranquil
courtyard gardens and an outdoor pool,
combining ancient stones with modern
interiors that reflect Champollion’s work on
Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Figeac market from the Museum terrace © Loïc BEL
‘Je tiens l’affaire !’ (I’ve got it!) he declared
in September 1822 on realising that the
system of Egyptian hierogylphs is in fact a
complicated mix of sounds, words and ideas.
It had taken 10 years of painstaking study, but
Champollion now understood that the Rosetta
Stone was inscribed with a royal decree.
The discovery enabled him to identify many
temples during an expedition to Egypt; pass
his skills on to other keen Egyptologists; and
become conservator at The Louvre in Paris,
but in 1832, Champollion died suddenly of a
stroke, aged just 41.
the historic centre. Palais Balène, for instance,
largest medieval house in Figeac. The Abbey
church of St Saviour, begun in the 11 th Century.
Renaissance town houses and the 17 th Century
town hall.
And to fully experience that medieval
atmosphere, book a room at the Mercure
Figeac Viguier du Roy, home to the King’s
As evening falls, the café terraces are buzzing
when I head out for dinner at Le Safran, a
spacious restaurant in a vaulted stone dining
room. Specialising in seasonal fish, ‘The
Saffron’ takes its name from the spice grown
here in the Quercy region since the Middle
Ages and the word for the rudder of a fishing
boat.
Next day, I head out into the surrounding
countryside. Figeac is a scenic 2.5-hour train
ride from Toulouse, but travellers who arrive by
car can pootle along the delightful Célé Valley
that wriggles its way westward from Figeac
through a succession of sleepy villages to join
the Lot close to St Cirq-Lapopie.
I stop first at Espagnac-sur-Célé, relaxing over
coffee in the courtyard of the ancient priory
beneath a turreted bell tower, a landmark for
View over rooftops of Figeac, © Lot Tourisme - Teddy Verneuil
Priory of Espaganc Saint Eulalie © Suzanne Alibert, Lot Tourisme.jpg
pilgrims on the GR65 route to Compostela
as well as for local hikers and bikers. A few
meanders further on, I stop again to explore
the bijou community of Marcilhac-sur-Célé,
a tranquil spot to chill out on a riverside
bench or wander amongst the ruins of the
ancient abbey.
Today, the square in front of his family home
is named in his honour and his birthplace
transformed into the fascinating Champollion
Museum, that showcases not only his own
discoveries but also the history of written
communication across the world. From the
upper storey, the museum balcony looks out
over the rooftops of medieval Figeac; behind
it, accessed down a narrow alley, lies Place
des Ecritures.
The neighbouring squares of Place
Champollion and Place Carnot have been
the centre of local life since medieval times.
From Carnot, head to the Tourist Office in
Place Vival to pick up a free annotated map
highlighting 30 key heritage buildings around
Courtyard of the Viguier du Roy hotel, Figeac
And I’ve been recommended to take
the broad path up to a viewpoint above
the nearby village of Sauilac-sur-Célé.
In the 19 th century, this track led to a
clutch of properties nestled beneath the
sheer limestone cliff, but today the only
reminders of the original village are ruined
masonry and a period photo beside the
trail, the inhabitants having long since
relocated to the flat land below.
32 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 33

LE MOULIN
SUR CÉLÉ
An enchanting luxurious riverside retreat in the beautiful Célé Valley
Experience la France Profonde
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Sauliac-sur-Célé © Lot Tourisme, Teddy Verneuil
West of Sauilac, after a series of tight bends,
the Célé flows through Cabrerets to join
the Lot on its journey to Cahors. Don’t carry
on without visiting Pech Merle, a series of
prehistoric painted caves that make the
civilisation of Ancient Egypt look like a
newcomer. This is my second visit, but I’m just
as bowled over by the variety of the artwork,
the geology of the caverns, and the story of
how Paleolithic paintings were discovered in
1922 by three local teenagers.
Some 800 motifs of various sizes and levels
of completion decorate the walls, including
more than 70 animals. Mammoths are the
most popular subjects with 28 individual
images but there are horses, bison, aurochs
and even a lone bear. Human representations
too including a wounded man and mysterious
‘bison-women’. The subterranean circuit
stretches for around 600 metres with stairs
between various levels, and expert guides
ensure that visitors see the most important
images, tracing some of the less distinct
outlines with their laser pens.
The experience is so vivid, so strangely in the
Grotte du Pech Merle © Rémi Flament
moment, that I find I’m constantly expecting
to round a corner and find a Paleolithic painter
hard at work with his red and black paints. I’m
fascinated by the handprints, large and small,
made by blowing powdered pigment at a palm
placed on the wall, and by the Black Frieze
depicting 25 animal figures on a 7-metre
panel. But my imagination goes into overdrive
as I look down on a child’s footprint, preserved
for millennia in fossilised mud. Who was this
young person and did he or she mischievously
make those handprints whilst mum or dad was
busy painting a mammoth?
It’s all humbling stuff, guaranteed to stay in
the mind long after you are back out in 21 st
century daylight. And as I look at the vibrant
frieze of spotted horses, a mere 29,000 years
young, I can’t help wondering what Monsieur
Champollion would have made of it all. Heads
held high, the spotted equines trot proudly
across the rock face into eternity, a snapshot
of the past that even he would have struggled
to decipher.
Useful info: visit-occitanie.com/en;
tourisme-figeac.com
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34 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 35

24 hours
in REIMS
Champagne
Janine Marsh visits the effervescent
city where the Kings of France were
once crowned but where Champagne
now rules!
Medieval Reims, the capital of Champagne, is
the home to many of the big-name producers
of the world’s favourite sparkling alcohol –
champagne. So if you only have 24 hours in
this sparkling city, the one thing you must do is
visit a cellar for a tasting.
There’s tons of choice with around 155 miles
of cellars in Reims, and everyone has their
favourite maison de Champagne. I love the
cathedral-like Ruinart cellars on the outskirts
of the city, the oldest Champagne house still
working. Then there’s Vranken-Pommery with
its 11 miles of cellars including galleries carved
out of the chalk by the Romans. Taitinger (their
cellar tour will reopen Summer 2024), Lanson,
Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin and GH Martel,
and several more. Some are by appointment
only, most are closed on Sundays but if that’s
the day you’re there, GH Mumm, a 15-minute
walk from the city centre, offer cellar tours, a
fascinating museum, and tastings from 10am
to 5.30pm. They keep a staggering 35 million
bottles of Cordon Rouge and other labels
underneath their headquarters in the Rue du
Champ-de-Mars.
Champagne is almost a religion here. I
reckon you could stop just about anyone in
the street, a man walking a dog, a couple
out for a stroll, a woman on her way to the
market with a trolley, and they would all
have an opinion about Champagne - the
best producer, whether it should be Brut or
not, Blanc de Noirs or Blanc de Blancs. But,
I recommend you head to the tourist office
for heaps of information on Champagne
visits and everything else in Reims. You’ll find
details of cellar visit times and a variety of
tours (including tours in English), on the Tourist
Office website at the end of the article.
All those bubbles are bound to make you feel
a bit peckish and since Reims is a gastronomic
city, you won’t find it hard to find somewhere
scrumptious. The perfect lunch for me is at
Ratafia
Le Bistrot des Anges where the locals go,
not posh fare but delicious hearty food like
‘bangers and mash’, ‘fish and chips’- and
they don’t sound very French, but I promise
you, they go perfectly with a glass of chilled
Champagne! And restaurant la Grand
Georgette, opposite Reims Cathedral offers
truly excellent food with a classic menu that’s
also innovative – the King crab with asparagus
cream and yuzu foam is mouth-wateringly
delicious. Whatever you do don’t miss the
Ratafia de Champagne, a rich liqueur dripped
into your glass via a giant pipette from a huge
bottle, it’s pure theatre, and utterly delectable.
There’s plenty to do in the town which is
small enough to wander, though there’s an
excellent tram service if you want to save
time, and plenty of bike lanes for those who
fancy cycling the city streets and even out
into the surrounding countryside. Reims
features a mix of architectural styles from
36 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 37

Renaissance to art deco, and contemporary.
There are great shopping facilities, including
a super Saturday morning market in Rue de
Mars, the perfect place to pick up some pink
biscuits, les biscuits roses, a Reims speciality
and traditionally dipped in Champagne.
They were invented in 1690, and served at
King Louis XVI at his coronation in the city in
1775 – he loved them and had them supplied
to the Palace of Versailles! Several museums
will please culture vultures including the
fabulous Tau Palace, the former home of the
Bishops of Reims. This is also where the Kings
stayed while awaiting their coronation in the
Cathedral next door, including 12-year-old
Louis XV, the first king to drink
Champagne. Tau Palace now
hosts an exceptional collection
of religious artefacts including
the Coronation chalice.
You’ll also spot Roman remains
as you wander – Reims was an
important city in Roman Gaul,
called Durocortorum, and the
monumental 30m high Mars
Gate, originally one of four
triumphal arches, is one of the
largest known porticos of the
Roman world.
The absolute must-see in
Reims is one of the world’s
most famous churches – the
great Gothic Cathedral of
Notre-Dame. Listening to the
sonorous bells of this working
church is mesmerising, and
the incredible facade is mindbogglingly
beautiful as you
enter under the gaze of a stone
angel seemingly beaming
with pleasure at church goers.
Inside, as the light shines
through the dazzling rose
window, kids run up and down
the nave, mums and dads
‘shush’ them, tourists from
around the globe ‘ooh’ and ‘ah’
at the beauty of this building
and its stained-glass windows. The coronations
of a mind-boggling 37 Kings of France took
place here, beginning with Charlemagne’s
son, Louis the Pious in 816, and ending with
Charles X in 1825. Charles VII, with Joan of
Arc at his side, was crowned here in 1429.
Built over the foundations of a 4th century
church, the Cathedral was begun in 1211 and
took almost 100 years to complete. It was
shelled by the Germans in the Franco-Prussian
War in 1870, and again in World War I, when
its dazzling stained-glass windows were
destroyed, but rose again to its former glory.
The restored cathedral was reopened in 1938
and miraculously avoided the destruction
suffered by much of the rest of Reims in World
War II. A truly divine must-see in Reims, a city
that sparkles from start to finish.
Get there: You can reach Reims in just 46
minutes by train from Gare de l’Est, Paris.
Stay: Hôtel La Caserne Chanzy A former
fire station converted into a 5-star spa hotel
offers lovely, luxurious rooms and great
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Take a meditative approach
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service (including valet-parking, a real bonus in a
city where parking isn’t always easy). There’s also
a fabulously glamorous and elegant Champagne
bar. And for extra wow factor, ask for a room with
a balcony overlooking the Cathedral opposite.
Useful websites: reims-tourisme.com
tourisme-en-champagne.co.uk
Scenic photography
workshop
Develop the skills to create
images that resonate with
emotion and authenticity.
38 | The Good Life France
The Good Life France | 39

Le Temple-sur-Lot in the Lot-et-Garonne
department (between Bordeaux and Toulouse)
is named after a still-impressive medieval
commandery of the Knights Templar. Since
the mid 19 th century, however, the village has
been the temple of something else entirely -
waterlilies and lotuses.
Joseph Bory Latour-Marliac (1830-1911)
studied law in Paris but never liked it much,
and returning to his native Granges-sur-Lot to
learn his horticulturalist father’s art. In 1850
he struck out on his own with the purchase of
10 acres in Le Temple-sur-Lot. It came with
a stream, two wells and 14 springs. Bamboo
had become fashionable in mid 19th century
gardening and Joseph’s dream was to create
Europe’s greatest bamboo collection.
Japanese bridge Latour-Marliac
From bamboo to
waterlilies
Even though it went well - Joseph is credited
with introducing two new varieties - there
was too much competition in the bamboo
business, so he began to experiment with
waterlilies at a time when they were all but
impossible to purchase. At that time the only
variety that survived outdoors in Europe was
the white Nymphaea Alba.
Joseph was to change all that. Through
some kind of mysterious green thumbed
The heavenly gardens
of Marliac-Latour
A temple of watery delight
As spring rolls out those longed-for sunny days, Dana Facaros visits the
horticultural gem in South-West France that inspired Claude Monet’s
famous waterlily lake’…
40 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 41

alchemy, he hybridized N. Alba with yellow
N. Mexicana to create the very first hardy
waterlily that wasn’t white.
In 1875, he re-founded the nursery, specifically
dedicated to aquatic plants - waterlilies and
lotuses. Working his magic on tropical and
semi-tropical specimens from North America,
Joseph would go on to create hardy waterlilies
in every shade from pale yellow and pink, to
ruby red and copper.
In 1889, he sent 17 of his most beautiful
specimens to Paris to compete in the
Exposition Universelle. One case was lost on
the train and had to be replaced. When it was
discovered over a month later and sent back
to the nursery, Joseph expected to find all
the plants had died - instead they were still
thriving. Waterlilies may look delicate, but
they are as tough as weeds.
The World’s Fair that
changed Paris and art
history
It has been noted that only two major things
have survived from the 1889 Paris Exposition
Universelle: the Eiffel Tower and Latour-
Marliac’s waterlilies. Displayed in water
gardens outside the Trocadèro, they took first
prize in the flower competition.
It was pure serendipity that Claude Monet
was exhibiting in the Pavillon des Artistes
next door to the Trocadèro. He was totally
beguiled by the waterlilies. A year later he
bought the house he’d been renting for seven
years in Normandy (after spotting it from
a train that ran along the bottom of the
garden). In 1893 he bought land on the other
side of the tracks to create a water garden.
“I love water, but I also love flowers. That’s
why, once the pond was filled, I thought about
adorning it with plants. I got a catalogue and
simply chose at random.”
Monet ordered as many lotuses as waterlilies,
but sadly they failed to thrive. Otherwise his
Claude Monet - Water Lilies - Toledo
Museum of Art - Google Art Project
sublime Nymphéas – jewel of the Orangerie
in Paris – might look very different, along with
more than 250 other waterlily paintings that
now feature in museums around the world.
The small museum at Latour-Marliac
displays some of Monet’s handwritten
orders. Other clients included the king of
Bulgaria, the Vatican and writer Leo Tolstoy,
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who ordered waterlilies for the ponds at his
home, Yasnaya Polyana in Russia. Much of
the nursery’s business came from Britain, led
by the influential garden designer Gertrude
Jekyll (whose name was borrowed by her
friend Robert Louis Stevenson in his story
about Mr Hyde).
Latour-Marliac today
After Joseph’s death, family members ran
the nursery until 1991, when Ray and Barbara
Davies of Stapeley Water Gardens in England
took over and restored the gardens. Both
have lilies named after them. Their efforts
were rewarded in 2004 when Latour-Marliac
was designated a Jardin Remarquable. Since
2007, the owner has been American Robert
Sheldon.
The gardens are open from 15 April through
15 October, but are at their most fragrant, full
blooming finest, in summer. Highlights include
Joseph’s elliptical pools, today containing the
42 | The Good Life France
The Good Life France | 43

Cafe Marliacea
French National Waterlily Collection, lined
hypnotically with antique terracotta pots
where cuttings were once grown before they
were sold.
Other waterlilies and lotuses grow in the
rectangular pools (from the air it looks like a
set of watercolours) where frogs hop and plop,
amid the dragonflies and butterflies. Twenty
kinds of bamboo grow by the pretty pond, with
its waterfall and a Japanese bridge - a nod to
Monet’s Giverny.
The garden’s excellent Café Marliacea
serves lunch, and dinner on Sunday evenings
in summer, when the nocturnal tropical
waterlilies in the greenhouse show their stuff,
including the Amazonian Victoria, with its 1.5m
diameter pie-pan leaves.
If you’re feeling Monet-ish, Latour-Marliac’s
excellent website tells how to create your
own water feature. Study it before you arrive,
because it’s all too easy to be overwhelmed by
the magnificent lilies!
© Yvette Molina
For more Bamboo and
Waterlilies...
From Le-Temple-sur-Lot it’s just over an hour’s
drive to two other Jardins Remarquables in
the Dordogne: the exotic bamboo Jardin
de Planbuisson in Buisson de Cadouin and
the Jardins d’Eau in Carsac-Aillac home to
Europe’s only waterlily labyrinth.
https://frenchcountryadventures.com/
RAINA STINSON
PHOTOGRAPHY
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Fine Art Photographer
Guided Photography Day Tours
and Workshops
Customized photo sessions to capture
your special moments in Provence
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Website: latour-marliac.com
Take a half day tour: with French Country
Adventures frenchcountryadventures.com
© Les Jardins d'Eau en Périgord, le Labyrinthe aquatique
44 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 45

Cruise to the heart
of Alsace-Lorraine
MS Madeleine © Michael Yung, Cruise Director, CroisiEurope
Janine Marsh took a cruise to the heart of Alsace and Lorraine, through the most
picturesque countryside imaginable, pausing in fairy tale pretty villages and dining
like a lord on board a hotel barge…
My journey began and ended in historic
Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace, a buzzing
city of culture and art, gastronomy and
heritage. But aboard CroisiEurope’s MS
Madeleine, life is rather more tranquil as you
sail along the Marne-Rhine Canal. And if you
want to get to know authentic Alsace-Lorraine
in northeast France, its historic villages deep
in the countryside, its ancient castles and rich
culture – you’ll certainly find it on this cruise.
After boarding the barge, which has 11 double
bedrooms, a dining room, comfy salon,
hot tub, and spacious sun decks, I met my
fellow passengers, a mix of British, French
– including 92-year-old Louise, a sprightly
solo traveller – and Americans, joined by the
6 crew members for welcome aperitifs. The
onboard chef served a superb meal, the first
of many delicious dishes, paired with fabulous
wines. You’re totally spoiled on the cruise,
everything is inclusive, even drinks (except
for a few, like Champagne) and over
the next few days we indulged in salted
caramel creme brulée, Alsatian salads,
loads of different cheeses, roast beef, John
Dory, fabulous wines from Alsace and from
Bordeaux, strawberry soup and strawberry
macarons, pain perdu and cinnamon ice
cream and many other truly scrumptious
dishes – all made by the chef and his team.
You can eat yourself to a standstill on a
CroisiEurope cruise. You can also hop on a
bike for a gentle ride along the tow paths,
take daily walks when the boat docks and
enjoy the included excursions.
46 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 47

Our first stop was the town of Saarburg in
Moselle, and I couldn’t help thinking that the
names of the places in this part of France
sound distinctly like something out of Lord
of the Rings and many of the villages are
certainly fairy tale looking. Saarburg isn’t one
of them, it’s a former industrial town but it
has something very special that is well worth
stopping off for – a stunning and huge Marc
Chagall-stained glass window in a former
Franciscan chapel. It depicts the tree of life,
an explosion of vibrant colour, deep rich blues,
ruby reds and gold, emerald green and ripe
plum. Sections of it are like a jigsaw puzzle but
then you see more and more as figures and
shapes come into focus, it is a dazzling work of
art, unforgettable. There was also time to visit
the fascinating museum and take a wander in
the town.
You’d think a candlelight lunch gliding through
the famous 2,307m long Arzviller canal
tunnel, an other-worldly experience – pitch
black outside the windows and utterly silent –
couldn’t be topped, until you arrive at the boat
lift at Saint-Louis Arzviller, a unique elevator
which gently transports boats a mind-boggling
44.5m – up and down – in a few minutes,
replacing 17 locks and an entire day of sailing.
At the bottom of the lift, we docked and took
a short walk to the famous Cristal Lehrer
Glass workshops where you can watch master
craftsmen create gorgeous glass objects
before your eyes, heating and rolling glass
amid brightly burning furnaces. Whatever you
do, don’t miss a visit to the enormous shop to
buy a souvenir.
Sailing on we reached Saverne, the gateway
to the Plaine d’Alsace, at the base of the
Vosges mountains. The scenery is magnificent,
I’m hard pressed to think of a more beautiful
countryside location, and sitting on the deck,
with an aperitif before lunch is one of those
relaxing moments you want to hold onto, it’s
impossible to be stressed, it’s a cocooning
cruise. Wildflowers line the banks of the
canal, pale pink bells, fluffy white blossoms,
bright yellow buttercups, and wild plum trees,
Boat lift © Michael Yung, Cruise Director, CroisiEurope
Cristal Lehrer Glassworks
Saverne, statue pays homage to Louise Weiss, French journalist,
European politician and champion of women's rights
View from the Chateau de Hohbarr AKA “Eye of Alsace”
the beloved fruit of the region. The captain
stopped the boat to let us pick and feast on
the soft sweet fruit.
We visited the lofty ruins of the medieval
chateau de Hohbarr, also known as the “Eye
of Alsace” thanks to its jaw-dropping views
over the mountains of Vosges and the Black
Forest, and on a clear day you can spot the
spires of Strasbourg Cathedral. Built on three
rocks connected by a bridge, local legend has
it that it was built by the devil. A short walk
on a mossy forest path brought us to another
historic monument – the Claude Chappell
Telegraph. In this hidden spot, the forerunner
of modern communications was developed
when signals were transmitted to Paris via a
series of 47 towers using a system of shapes.
Messages that once took 4 days to deliver
by horse, took just 3 hours. It’s a fascinating
monument manned by volunteers who are
passionate about the history of the area.
And on we sailed, stopping at villages full of
half-timbered houses painted pastel blue, light
lemon, burned orange, cherry blossom pink,
sunset orange, and pea green. Window boxes
were festooned with bright flowers, hearts cut
into shutters, and there was an expectation
of bumping into Hansel and Gretel at any
moment. Spotting storks’ nests from the
48 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 49

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© Michael Yung, Cruise Director, CroisiEurope
Saverne
sun deck became a ‘thing’ for us passengers,
with bonus points for storks sitting in them,
sometimes mistaking great balls of mistletoe in
the trees for nests.
A guided tour and generous tasting at the Meteor
brewery introduced us to one of the area’s
famous exports – beer! A visit to Maison du
Kochersberg museum folk museum, revealed the
fascinating and unique culture of the region.
It is a gentle cruise, and as the sun glistened
on the water, the only sound was the low
hum of the engine and birds singing in the
trees. At one point a train whizzed by at top
speed, highlighting the difference in our travel
arrangements and all of us agreed, slow travel
is the best way to experience the region.
And you simply can’t go to Alsace and not
eat flammekueche, tarte flambée, a local
specialty, which we enjoyed at a restaurant
(included with the cruise). Traditionally it’s a
bread dough baked with cheese and onion,
cream, and various other toppings – followed
by a dessert version with apples and cream.
We ended with a tour of Strasbourg and a
boat ride through the oldest section of the city
followed by a gala dinner where the chef pulled
out all the stops to create a memorable night.
You feel that you’ve really seen the secret side
of this region that most visitors are unaware of,
though we had barely travelled 100km during
the week. A truly fabulous cruise.
Find out more and book your authentic France
cruise at: croisieurope.co.uk
Strasbourg
Europe’s largest river
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50 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 51

Paris – for everyone
First time, on a budget or been there, seen that –
our Paris experts share their top tips
for making the most of your visit to the City of Light
Musee d'Orsay clock © Ashoke Banerjee
Paris must-sees for
first timers
World famous landmarks, dazzling
architecture, lamplit bridges that span the
river Seine and charming bistros that line the
streets and squares. With its scenic splendour,
café culture and hundreds of museums and
art venues, there is always a captivating buzz
about Paris. So, what to see if it’s your first
time? Jeremy Flint shares his top tips.
Aerial Views
It is impossible to imagine Paris without the
Eiffel Tower, so any visit to this fascinating
city must start here. The iconic and elegant
technological masterpiece overlooks the
Champ de Mars parc and Trocadero gardens
(great for a picnic). At 320-metres tall, the
wrought-iron structure is named after Gustave
Eiffel, whose company built and designed it in
the late 1800s. The views from every level are
stupendous. If you’re feeling fit, head to the
second level via a 704-step staircase. Or take
the elevator to each level. The third floor has
restaurants and bars.
Insider Tip: Head to the Champagne bar at the
top for a special treat (and to avoid queues).
At one end of the Avenue des Champs-
Élysées, the 50-metre-high Arc de triomphe
is the focal point of the city’s most iconic
avenue. Built in 1836 to commemorate
Napoleon’s victorious army and France’s
military prowess, the elaborately sculpted Arc
is free to visit at ground level. Paying visitors
can climb the 284 steps (or take an elevator
part way and climb the rest) to the observation
deck at the top for breath-taking views of the
Eiffel Tower and Basilica of Sacré Coeur.
Glorious spots
Stroll along the UNESCO-listed riverbanks of
the Seine and admire the sights including the
bouquinistes, the green book-sellers boxes (the
book trade has been plied here since the 16 th
century), and Pont Alexandra III bridge with its
ornate decorations, Art Nouveau lamps and
huge gilded statues, from here you’ll have a
fabulous view of the Eiffel Tower.
Place de la Concorde is where many were
despatched by guillotine during the French
Revolution, including King Louis XIV and
Queen Marie-Antoinette. The square is home
to two famous and picture-worthy fountains,
and the 3,300-year-old Egyptian obelisk
of Luxor and the Hôtel de la Marine. Like a
miniature chateau, it was built to house the
royal families overflow furniture and is now a
marvellous museum.
The Musée d’Orsay, a former train station,
52 © Theodora | Good Hansen Life France The Good Life France | 53

Musee d'Orsay clock © Ashoke Banerjee
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Place de la Concorde
houses a huge collection of magnificent
masterpieces of French art and the view from
the giant clock window is fabulous. Across
the river, the formal 28-hectare Jardin des
Tuileries filled with fountains, ponds and
sculptures is a great place to sit and relax
before tackling the Louvre, the world’s biggest
museum which makes navigating it a fine art
in itself. (The Good Life France podcast: the
history of the Louvre and how to visit).
Give your feet a rest and take a boat cruise to
see the sites from a Bateaux Mouches.
The Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Montmartre is a
must-see. The Basilica is the second highest
point in the city (after the Eiffel Tower) with
impressive panoramic views over Paris, whilst
its ceiling is decorated with the biggest mosaic
in France. The nearby Place du Tertre is a
perfect place soak up the atmosphere of Paris.
If you dislike stairs be wary of the Abbesses
metro stop which is recommended for visiting
Montmartre and Sacré Coeur, but at 36
metres underground, it’s the deepest in Paris.
If you’re elderly, lazy or exhausted, opt for
Anvers (Metro line 2), which is kinder on the
legs and a great approach to Sacré Coeur.
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54 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 55

Vieux Paris d'Arcole
Many flock to see the great Cathedral of
Notre-Dame on the Île de la Cité even
though it’s currently closed (due to reopen 8
December 2024). You can though visit the
ancient remains below the Cathedral, and a
stone’s throw away is the 19th century flower
market, a hidden gem. And why not take a
break at the nearby restaurant Vieux Paris
d’Arcole. Aside from the astonishingly pretty
façade and an incredibly ornate interior, the
staff are super friendly.
Head to the Grande Mosquée, the oldest
mosque in mainland France, to see its
impressive 33-metre-high minaret and
beautiful gardens.
Finally, detour to the Marché aux Puces de
Saint Ouen - a vast labyrinth of flea market
shops, or Marché des Enfants Rouges in the
Marais district, it’s the oldest food market
in Paris and opened in 1615. There’s a fun
restaurant just around the corner called PNY
which serves some of the best burgers in Paris.
Jeremy stayed at: 25 hours hotel located
conveniently opposite Gare du Nord and at
the Citizen M Paris Opera hotel, and took the
Eurostar from London, just 2.5 hours to Gare
du Nord in the centre of Paris.
Budget-friendly Paris
To fund its hosting of the Olympics this
summer, Paris has brought in countless price
hikes, from transport costs to tourism tax and
everything in between. However, a few handy
hints from travel writer Annaliza Davis can still
get you an affordable trip to the city.
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Free dancing alongside the Seine
56 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 57

All in the timing
Unless you’re there for the Olympics,
Summer 2024 is probably the worst time to
visit Paris but, in any other year, August is
relatively calm, as it’s when many Parisians
escape for their own holidays elsewhere.
Another great time is at the end of January
or early February, when queues are minimal,
accommodation is cheaper, and you can even
catch the end of the sales. Costs for train
travel will also vary enormously depending on
when you book, avoid popular visit times like
Valentine’s Day and Fashion Week.
Insider tip: For train tickets, flexibility on dates
or times is a budget-winner – avoiding peak
commuter times can halve the cost. And do
check all the prices, as an extra €5 might get
you into first-class.
Tuileries Garden © Jeremy Flint
Insider tip: Free app City Mapper, or Google
maps are invaluable in Paris: tap in where
you are and where you want to go, and it
will tell you which Metro lines or bus routes
to use, the station or stop, and the next
scheduled departures.
Accommodation
Surprisingly, hotels in Paris aren’t exorbitant.
You can find a dormitory bed from €46
in a smart hostel (not just for youngsters),
chain hotels from €90 a night, and even
a classic Haussman-style hotel room near
the Louvre for €153. While your room may
not be the biggest cost, food and drink in
Paris can soon add up, so consider booking
a hotel with a good buffet breakfast to set
you up for the day or, even better, choose
a studio apartment with its own kitchenette
which gives you flexibility on what you eat
and when, and it drastically cuts the budget
as you can grab essentials from the local
supermarket – including tea and coffee.
Eating & Drinking
The first rule is the same as in all capital
cities: any café or restaurant near a
major tourist attraction will charge a
premium. If a restaurant advertises
a menu touristique, it’s likely it won’t
be great food, and it will be expensive.
Website thefork.fr is great for checking
restaurant prices, food themes, reviews
and special offers (in French but easy
to understand). As for drinks, many bars
offer half-price ‘after work’ cocktails but
check when the discount ends before
you get carried away!
Insider tips:
• For a white coffee, ask for crème
allongé. Only tourists order café au
lait, and they receive an expensive
dishwater concoction that no Parisian
would accept!
• If you’re eating out, have your main
meal at midday, as a 3-course lunch is
about 30 percent cheaper than dinner.
• As elsewhere in France, drinks are
cheapest at the bar, they cost more at
tables and at the outdoor tables they
can be twice the bar price.
Location: where’s best?
Free street art, metro station entrance, Palais Royal
Getting around
Some people shy away from the Metro, but
it is the most efficient way to get around.
You can buy single-use tickets (€2.50), but
the Paris Visite travel pass includes unlimited
use of the metro plus tramway, bus, and local
Paris trains from 1 – 5 days. There’s also an
option for the Greater Paris area including
the airports, Disneyland and Château de
Versailles. And do try out the buses: they
give you a tour of Paris with a whole new
perspective, without paying for a tourist bus!
Okay, Paris is huge, but don’t assume that your
best option is to be right in the centre. Parisian
neighbourhoods (arrondissements, generally
shortened to Arr.) are numbered and, like
French département numbers, become a
shorthand geography reference. They spiral
out from the centre, so that the Eiffel Tower
sits in the 7 th Arr., yet the 9 th Arr. is actually
further from it than the 16 th ! Choose a base
that works for you, depending on which sites
you want to visit, where you’ll arrive and which
transport options you prefer.
Insider tip: If you’re driving to Paris, then
opting for a hotel on the end of a Metro line
can give you free parking during your stay.
Side streets are full of great restaurants the locals love
58 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 59

Paris sunrise © Wazim
Musee du Vin © Adam Petit Manfredini Palais
What to see
It has been said that the biggest mistake
people make when visiting Paris is trying to
do too much. You have to allow time to enjoy
the experience and to simply meander.
Don’t feel obliged to buy entry tickets. You
can stroll along the Seine and enjoy the
sights, browse the stores of Montmartre, and
marvel at the Eiffel Tower from the outside,
especially on the hour from sundown to 1am,
when the lights sparkle for five minutes!
Some of the best memories in Paris come
from people-watching, either in cafés or
sipping a takeaway drink in the Jardins
de Luxembourg or by the fountains of the
Jardins des Tuileries near the Louvre.
If you do want to visit cultural sites, invest
in the Paris Museum Pass for entry to over
50 museums and attractions including
the Conciergerie, the Musée d’Orsay, the
Pantheon, Musée de Rodin and Musée
Picasso as well as the Château de Versailles.
Its value increases the more you visit, and
you can skip the queues, giving you more
time to explore the city. And some museums
are free to visit, like the lovely Petit Palais.
Petit Palais
Pere-Lachaise_Aux_Mortes
A quirky outing
For unbeatable value, visit Père Lachaise
Cemetery, which is completely free. Home
to more than 70,000 tombs, this 110-acre
site is nothing like a conventional churchyard;
cobbled pathways lead you past trees,
gravestones and ornate mini-temples. This is
the final resting place of Molière, Edith Piaf,
Eugène Delacroix but also foreign princesses,
dignitaries and stars such as Oscar Wilde and
American rock star Jim Morrison.
Insider tip: the cemetery is built on a slope -
arrive via Gambetta Metro station and you can
explore going downhill rather than upwards.
The Insider’s guide
to Paris
Unusual, quirky and off the beaten track in
the city of light
This is not a top 10 list. There’s an impossible
amount of scope in Paris, and even a true
Parisian couldn’t stay on top of the conveyor
belt of restaurants, bars and museums here.
Living just two hours away by train, though,
and having lived in Paris years ago, my
perspective of Paris is simultaneously one of a
tourist and deep familiarity. Here are 10 things
I love at the moment, my coups de cœur, if
you will says Anna Richards.
The wine museum
M. Musée du Vin only opened in October
2023, and the site is incredible. In the cellars
of a 14th century Benedictine monastery, a
little museum walks you through the history of
wine in France, but the highlight is, naturally,
the extensive wine selection at the bar
(and a glass is included with your entrance
ticket). On Friday nights, the vaults provide
60 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 61

World cuisine
the perfect amplification for a live DJ set
and singer, which can be experienced by
booking a table for dinner in the restaurant
(vegetarians would do well to make dietary
requirements known at the time of booking).
While I wouldn’t encourage you to smoke,
check out the fumoir – accessed through
a stone staircase that wouldn’t look out of
place in a Mediaeval castle, with furniture
that looks like it has been filched from your
grandma’s living room.
Bookshop cafés
Is it any wonder in a city with such a proud,
literary heritage that the bookshop-café
culture is so strong? Try as I might, I can’t
pick a favourite. Tram in the 5 th Arr. has
a café that you could camp out in for
hours. Bonjour Jacob in 6the Arr. arguably
has the best coffee. It’s small and sells indie
magazines rather than books, but has a
truly beautiful selection. Le Barbouquin in
the 20 th Arr. is as colourful on the inside
as its graffiti-caked exterior, bookshelves
overflowing and the perfect place to switch
up your coffee for a glass of wine over your
latest read.
Discover more great Paris bookshops including
one that is open until 2am and serves wine!
Wecandoo workshops
I’m a sucker for organised fun, and French
start-up Wecandoo makes every trip feel like
self-improvement. On my latest visit, I took
a gargoyle carving workshop with Cécilia
Da Mota, who specialises in sculptures and
renovations for historical buildings, and learnt
how to make my own mozzarella. All of the
workshops are run by qualified artisans,
experts in their trade. The scope is seemingly
limitless – particularly in Paris.
The Picasso Museum
Ask me my favourite museum in Paris and I’ll
give you a different answer every time, but right
now, my obsession is with the Musée Picasso. I
love the contrast between the 17th century Hôtel
Salé, quintessentially Parisian in style, and the
often trippy, downright bizarre works by Pablo
Picasso within. Plus, Picasso was a one hundred
trick pony. Cubism, engravings, sculpture… this
was an artist with many strings to his bow.
Belleville’s art scene
Hausmann buildings the colour of milky
lattes will never lose their appeal, but the
explosive colour of Belleville never ceases to
delight me. It’s so kaleidoscopic it looks like a
giant piñata exploded over it. Graffiti, giant
wall murals and dozens of little workshops
showcasing everything from jewellery to
sculptures are testament to the creativity and
soul of the arrondissement. Rue Dénoyez, a
street back from Belleville Métro, is like an
open-air gallery.
It’s a hill I’ll die on, but the best food in Paris
isn’t French. I’m all for a good gastronomic
bistro, especially for their entrée-platdessert
lunch offer, but no matter how good
they are, they can feel pretty similar (œuf
parfait et espuma, anyone?) Paris’s world
cuisine scene is only getting better and
better. Little La Cantine de Sam (4 Rue des
Fossés Saint-Marcel, 5ème) has delicious
labneh for next-to-nothing, and pretty much
every type of cuisine imaginable is available
for lunch at the Marché des Enfants Rouges
in the 3ème.
Fancy a cooking lesson in Paris? See our
article on page 22 to find out more about the
Paris studio of 3 Starred Micheline chef Alain
Ducasse where you can take a 2 – 4-hour
pastry and culinary course.
Pere-lachaise © Anja
The cemeteries
I’m an unashamed necrotourist, and
Parisian cemeteries are particularly special.
Montmartre Cemetery is a higgledypiggledy
sprawl with Parisian rooftops and
terracotta chimney pots framing the tombs.
A croissant and coffee to go over a good
book in the cemetery is, in my opinion, the
most peaceful of breakfasts.
62 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 63

UK / Ireland - France
Set sail to
France with
DFDS
Rosa Bonheur Buttes Chaumont © Michael Augusto, Rosa Bonheur, Paris
Parc de Buttes-Chaumont
A quarry turned urban park, Buttes-Chaumont
has some of the best views in the city of
the Parisian skyline. Here, musicians play
accordions and guitars purely for pleasure,
with no overturned hat to collect coins next
to them, couples camp out with picnics and
bottles of wine, and it’s an unparalleled spot
for people watching. No picnic? Pick up beer
and pizza from guinguette Rosa Bonheur
within the park (Thurs–Sun).
© Buttes Chaumont
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64 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 65

Tour the beautiful Loire Valley at your own pace
with a guided e-bike holiday
A flâne in the 2ème at dusk
I hate shopping, but window shopping for things that I’ll never be able to afford, and wouldn’t
buy even if I could? That’s different. The antiques shops of Paris’s 2ème would bring out the
inner magpie in anyone. Wander past just as the light is fading, when the golden window displays
seem to twinkle. Often you’ll see groups of impeccably dressed clients sipping champagne and
dining on oysters at after work events held at the antiques shops.
Paris is always a good idea.
Slow Down And Enjoy The View
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66 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 67

Golfe de Morbihan
Magical
MORBIHAN
Gillian Thornton explores the Golfe du Morbihan,
Brittany’s enchanting ‘inland sea’
Think of a sea that’s almost entirely
surrounded by land and chances are that your
thoughts will go to the Mediterranean. But
deep in the south-east corner of Brittany lies
a surprising alternative that packages outdoor
activities, heritage sites and seaside scenery
into one neat bundle.
The Golfe du Morbihan – from the Breton
word for ‘little sea’ – is a tidal basin created
2,000 years ago when the Atlantic Ocean
surged into low-lying land through a gap in the
coastline. Today, this unique area of saltwater
covers 12,000 hectares, its tidal flow reaching
inland as far as Auray in the west and the
walled city of Vannes at the head of the Gulf.
Dotted with islands of varying sizes, the Gulf
is fringed with rocky headlands, quiet beaches
and inlets. A stunner, whichever way you look
at it.
I start my exploration in Vannes, founded by
the Romans in 56BC as Darioritum after their
victory over the Veneti. In the 5th century
AD, the town was renamed Venetis and the
old hilltop site – today’s district of St Patern
– was abandoned as a new town grew up
inside fortifications. But it was in the Middle
Ages that Vannes began to take on its present
aspect, and today it is one of Brittany’s most
68 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 69

enchanting medieval towns with rampart
walks, winding streets, and half-timbered
buildings.
I’m booked into La Villa Garenne, a stylish
B&B in a 19th century property with
individually themed rooms. Located on a
narrow street leading down to the ramparts,
the house is just 150 metres walk from the
marina with a free public car park just up the
hill and the station a 15-minute walk. With
Paris only two hours away by train, Vannes
makes an attractive choice for a city break
with added coast.
Tempting though it is to dive straight into the
walled city – the Intra Muros – I head first
through Place Gambetta to Quai Taberly
beside the marina to visit the Tourist Office.
Here you can pick up maps and walking
routes as well as book guided visits or cruise
excursions. The café-fringed semi-circle of
Place Gambetta stands between the marina
and Porte St Vincent, the town’s main gate.
But hug the eastern side of the city walls to
enjoy the full-on effect of those impressive
ramparts. Built and rebuilt over several
centuries, the existing walls and towers are
largely from the 15th to 17th century and
almost three-quarters of the fortifications
still stand.
Place Gambetta and the marina, Vannes
Vannes harbour
The eastern and northern sections are the
most imposing, the view unfolding as you pass
Château de l’Hermine, once owned by the
Dukes of Brittany, and now standing proud
above formal flowerbeds in the dry moat
beside the Merle river. Keep to the pavement
for a high level view, or take the steps by the
Poterne Gate to access the restored 19th
century washhouse and the lawns and floral
displays of the Garenne gardens beneath those
lofty ramparts.
Place Henri IV, Vannes
'Vannes et sa femme'
Galleried wash house, Vannes
Vannes
Turn left inside the Prison Gate behind the
Joliette Tour to access the oldest part of the
city walls, dating from the 3rd century. Or
just follow the maze of winding streets. It’s
not hard to imagine the medieval scene as
you wander from one picturesque square
to another beneath half-timbered houses
and slate roofs. Place Henri IV beneath the
Cathedral is a photographer’s delight, whilst
Place des Lices near the ducal castle now
hosts the Wednesday and Saturday market,
but was once the town’s tournament venue.
Close to St Pierre Cathedral with its tall spire
is La Cohue, named after the Breton word for
‘market’. In the 13th century, stallholders plied
their trades on the ground floor with the court
of justice – and later, the Breton Parliament
- upstairs. Today it houses the Museum of
70 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 71

St Goustan, Auray
Fine Arts whilst Château Gaillard, a grand
15th century stone house, is home to the
Archaeological Museum.
Every turn reveals some new surprise. Look
out for the carved wooden heads adorning
house number 13 in Rue St Solomon, and don’t
miss ‘Vannes et sa femme’, two painted heads
on the corner of Place Valencia, perhaps a
medieval marketing exercise for a local shop.
Refuel at one of Vannes’ many restaurants and
then, if you’re feeling energetic, maybe follow
the walking trail from the marina in Vannes
to the harbour at Conleau. Or take a cruise
excursion round the Gulf, perhaps with a stop
on the Ile d’Arz or Ile-aux-Moines.
For a different perspective on this tranquil
inland sea, I drive out of Vannes and down
the eastern shore towards Sarzeau and the
beautiful Rhuys Peninsula that forms the Gulf’s
Le Manoir de Kerbot
southern boundary. Boat excursions leave
from Port-Navalho at its tip for Vannes, Auray
and the offshore islands of Belle-Ile, Houat
and Hoedic, or you can simply watch the
currents race through the narrow channel into
the Gulf.
Criss-crossed with walking and cycling
trails, the Rhys Peninsula offers sheltered
inward-facing beaches and a wilder, oceanfacing
shore. I book a stay at the nearby
Manoir de Kerbot, a 4-star country hotel
with 9 bedrooms and spa, although sadly the
gourmet restaurant is closed on Monday when
I visit. But instead I enjoy a delicious al fresco
fish supper on the ocean coast at Côte Plage
in Le Roaliguen.
Next morning, I head back towards the
Atlantic to visit the Domaine de Suscinio.
Another former home of the Dukes of Brittany,
this magnificent moated castle with two huge
towers was built in the late 14th century for
Duke John IV on a large estate created by the
family in the early 13th century.
A state-of-the-art des res with large mullioned
windows and wide fireplaces for maximum
light and warmth, the Logis Est or ‘Duke’s
House’ even included a second-floor steam
room. The Logis Ouest or ‘Marvellous Lodging’
was added by Duke John V to house important
guests, but over the centuries, the castle fell
into disrepair.
Restoration began in earnest in 1965 when
the estate was purchased by the Department
of Morbihan, and in 2023, Suscinio unveiled
a brand new interactive visitor experience.
The year is 1450 and, with the aid of video
projections and reproduction furnishings,
Isabella of Scotland, widow of Duke François
I, guides visitors around the ducal lodgings
to witness negotiations for the marriage of
Anne de Bretagne. Eight-year-old daughter
of Duke François II, Anne would later become
Queen of France and thus bring Brittany into
the French kingdom.
Meanwhile, across the courtyard, Merlin the
magician guides visitors through the Logis
Ouest to explore the story of King Arthur and
his reputed links with Brittany. Don’t miss
the high level view over courtyard, coast
and countryside from the northern curtain
wall, nor the nature trail around the Suscinio
marsh. Once a natural protection for the
castle, today the wetland is itself protected
as a nature reserve rich in waterfowl. Two
other trails offer castle views, wildlife and
historical background.
Chateau de Suscinio, Golfe du Morbihan
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Visit between April and September to take
a leisurely row around the castle moat. And
in July and August, enjoy a spectacular
evening show every Tuesday and Thursday
when 800 years of history are projected on
the castle walls, followed by a spectacular
firework display. The perfect finale to any
ducal day out!
Useful website: golfedumorbihan.co.uk
72 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 73

The art of pastels
Jeremy Flint meets the skilled craftsmen in Dordogne who are keeping the
tradition of handmade pastels alive.
Artistic savoir-faire
Edgar Degas pastel on paper maybe front
Leonardo da Vinci was one of the first highprofile
artists to promote the use of pastel
in the 16 th Century. The art form flourished
in the eighteenth century, again in the late
nineteenth century and and has remained
popular ever since.
Pastels Girault in Dordogne, founded
in 1780, is the oldest handmade pastel
manufacturer in the world still active
today. The renowned French artist Maurice
Quentin de la Tour, who worked primarily in
the Rococo style during the 18th century was
an early customer. Edgar Degas used Girault
sticks to create a tapestry of colour, as did
his friend, American artist Mary Cassatt.
Today, the company has a global following
which numbers some of the best pastel
artists in the world.
Pastels can be applied with a loose powder
and in pencil form, but most often, directly with
a colour stick, the speciality of Pastels Girault.
Brother Fiacre by Maurice Quentin de la Tour
I met the current owners Karine and Stéphane
Loiseau, the 9 th generation of the artisanal
firm at their company premises in Montignac-
Lascaux. Karine, her husband and their two
74 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 75

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daughters moved their life from Paris to
Montignac to take on the business in 2016
and continue the family tradition. Karine says
“my great, great uncle bought the company
in 1927 and my uncle moved the company
to Dordogne in 1998, close to the Lascaux
caves.” You can’t help but think of the fact
that it’s here where artists created paintings
using a form of pastel in the famous caves
some 50,000 years ago.
Stéphane spent four years mastering the
craft, learning the traditional skills which
have been passed down through the
generations. Now he teaches others the
methods perfected over almost 250 years.
Pastels Girault manufactures around
150,000 sticks per year. They are all
handmade in the workshop using ancestral
secrets and original manufacturing methods.
This includes the unique recipes for the
different colours documented by Karine’s
great, great uncle. Everything is a closely
guarded secret.
The first production stage involves weighing
and mixing white clay, water and pigments
sourced from the UK, France, and Germany.
Some 300 different colours are produced,
unique to Pastels Girault. Mixing a single
colour at a time, the mixture is pressed
into a canvas vessel to remove the excess
water. It is then worked by hand to form
a specific texture, a key step that takes
years of experience. The paste is pressed
into a 150-year-old extruder machine, a
fascinating piece of kit that churns out long
sticks which are cut to size - 63mm x 9mm.
The number of the colour and the logo are
stamped by hand onto each stick before
they are air dried at room temperature for
around three weeks.
The end result and quality of the pastels is
exceptional, neither too hard nor too soft.
The medium is favoured by many artists
because it allows a spontaneous approach
when it’s drawn on textured paper and dries
instantly ensuring there is no change in
76 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 77

A Taste of Provence. © Exquisite, all-inclusive, small group tours.
colour. Girault pastel sticks have a slightly
firmer consistency most, with very smooth and
dense results when applied to paper, and such
is the variation of the pastels tones, you do not
need to mix the colours as you do with paint.
Awarded an EPV (Entreprise du Patrimoine
Vivant) label, which recognizes dedication
to excellence and the preservation of French
artisanal heritage, Pastel Girault hold
workshops for artists each year. ‘We consider
every pastel stick as a work of art in itself,’
says Karine.
Discover the full range of Pastel Girault
products at their online store,
www.pastelsgirault.com or visit their shop
in Montignac-Lascaux and, from 1 April each
year, see their latest exhibition showcasing
artworks signed by seasoned pastellists.
“If you have ever
considered culinary
tourism, Goût et Voyage
will be the trip of your
dreams. Excellence
at every turn!”
DS, NY
www.goutetvoyage.com
78 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 79

Trailblazing
& tasty
It's easy to see why Toulouse is nicknamed the 'pink city' © Agence d’attractivité de Toulouse Métropole
Gillian Thornton enjoys aviation history
and contemporary cuisine in Toulouse.
Stepping inside the narrow aircraft cabin,
I immediately find myself slipping back 35
years as I travel from the UK to Toulouse to
start a circular tour of the Lot Valley. The first
time I flew into this beguiling city, I was on
board Concorde, one of many iconic planes
engineered here in the heartland of France’s
aviation industry.
So as I look down the aisle of a Concorde
prototype at the city’s Aeroscopia museum,
a wealth of happy memories come flooding
back. In 1989, I took an unforgettable day
trip to mark the 20 th anniversary of the
world’s favourite airliner. A flight to Toulouse
on an Air France Concorde, a gastronomic
lunch at a chateau, and home on board
a British Airways Concorde. A trip I have
treasured ever since.
I have been back to the ‘Pink City’ - capital
of the Occitanie region – to discover its
heritage buildings, museums and irresistible
lifestyle, but have never explored its aviation
pedigree. So this time I’m taking a weekend
to discover the city’s family-friendly flying
attractions and indulge myself in its lively
foodie scene.
Toulouse
The ‘pink city’ offers
everything from
space-age thrills
to cockle warming grub
Aeroscopia © Rémi Deligeon – Agence d'Attractivité Toulouse
80 | The Good Life France Unmistakeably Concorde!
The Good Life France | 81

From my base at the comfortable Citiz
Hotel, the city is easily accessible by public
transport or on foot. Ten minutes’ walk to the
main station in one direction, even less to the
historic centre in the other, with the Massena
Metro station and key bus and tram routes
also on the doorstep.
My first stop is Aeroscopia at Blagnac, close
to Toulouse’s international airport to the west
of the city. Open 361 days of the year, this
inspiring collection includes a wealth of iconic
civil and military aircraft from the early days
of powered flight to the present day. Just think
Concorde, Caravelle and Airbus; Falcon,
Mirage and the Blériot XI. And it’s soon clear
that you don’t need any particular interest in
aviation to enjoy this diverse collection and
the human stories behind it.
I find it strangely humbling to look at the
replica of Louis Blériot’s tiny wooden plane
‘flying’ above the concourse of the vast
hangar and then look across to the sleek
profile of Concorde that took to the skies
just 60 years later. Blériot made the first
flight over the English Channel from Calais
in 1909, his achievement capturing the
imagination of wealthy wannabe pilots whose
early flying machines were manufactured
around Paris. But as the Western Front of the
Great War advanced relentlessly towards the
capital, the Government moved the aviation
industry as far away as possible, and Toulouse
quickly evolved into a centre of aeronautical
excellence and innovation.
After an afternoon immersed in iconic
aviation, I come right back to the present
with dinner at Les Halles de la Cartoucherie,
opened in September 2023 as part of the
city’s emerging new eco-district. Easily
reached by tram or bus from the city
centre, the Cartoucherie neighbourhood
is just 15 minutes from Place du Capitole
and incorporates accommodation with
entertainment venues, workspaces and leisure
facilities on the site of a 19 th century arsenal.
Gun cartridges and most recently electronic
accessories were produced in Les Halles
Rue du Taur © Rémi Deligeon - Agence d'Attractivité Toulouse
Marché Victor Hugo © Rémi Deligeon - Agence d'attractivité de Toulouse Métropole
which has been imaginatively repurposed to
combine market stalls and international street
food outlets with sports facilities, meeting
rooms, and cultural events. Just hop on the T1
Tram or L2 bus for access from the city centre.
On a Saturday evening, the spacious building
is buzzing with families and friends enjoying an
eclectic choice of cuisine at communal tables.
For accommodation on a budget, check
out Eklo just across the plaza, a new
Cite de L'Espace, Toulouse
French concept of green, affordable hotels,
combining a design hotel and youth hostel
with strict sustainability credentials.
Next morning, I enjoy a different side of
Toulouse’s diverse gastronomic scene on a
guided tour of the city’s Victor Hugo Market
with American resident Jessica Hammer,
founder of Taste of Toulouse. I know a fair
bit about French gastronomy but still learn
new things as Jessica leads our convivial
small group from one friendly stall holder to
another, finishing with an indoor picnic of
carefully selected cheese and charcuterie,
accompanied of course by a glass or two of
local wine. Huge fun.
Next I head to the east side of the city for
Cité de l’Espace, a family-friendly attraction
that combines space craft with interactive
exhibitions and timed shows, a Planetarium
and IMAX ® 3D theatre, all set in a landscaped
park. To make the most of all that is on offer,
arrive early and plan your day around the
scheduled events.
Inside the exhibition hall, I particularly
enjoy the section on how space affects our
daily lives through satellites transmitting
weather information and images for
telecommunications, television and GPS. And
amongst a wealth of hands-on experiences,
I can’t resist trying to steer a virtual moon
buggy to a lunar module, albeit rather shakily!
82 | The Good Life France Les Halles de la Cartoucherie © Rémi Deligeon
The Good Life France | 83

L'envol des Pionniers museum
Musee des Augustins, Toulouse
Back outside I wander amongst rockets
and moon buggies, and get a taste of an
astronaut’s environment inside a space station
module. It’s cosy but not all bad, given the
selection of vacuum-packed food on display,
including a portion of my favourite Confit
de Canard, cooked up by the Souillac Hotel
School in Lot!
If you have time to spare, head to nearby
Montaudran where L’Envol des Pionniers –Flight
of the Pioneers – celebrates the early years
of the French air postal service in the former
workshops beside the historic runway. Discover
the pioneers of Aéropostale and legendary
pilots such as Saint-Exupéry, Mermoz and
Guillaumet who flew over deserts, mountains
and oceans to deliver mail. And you may spot
the resident Minotaur who lives next door!
With a second evening to indulge myself in
Toulouse’s varied restaurant scene, I walk
through the vast Capitole Square and soak up
the atmosphere of this popular meeting place
over an al fresco apéro the arcades. Then it’s
time to head to Molette, a block back from the
banks of the Garonne, for my dinner reservation.
The name Molette comes from the colloquial
word for a good friend and this cosy little
restaurant serves hearty homemade dishes
Minotaur in Toulouse!
from seasonal local produce designed to satisfy
the appetite of a bear, hence their ursine logo.
I’m one of the first to arrive as doors open but
within minutes, every table is taken. And it’s
not long before I find out why. Their signature
dish of Mountain Pork with Thyme melts in the
mouth, so I obediently make like a bear and
devour every last bit, followed by a decadent
giant profiterole with caramel sauce. Then
I head out into the warm evening to stroll
amongst the locals on the quayside as darkness
falls over this beguiling city.
Next morning, with a few hours to fill before I
fly home, there is just time to take in one of the
city’s most historic buildings before it closes
for major refurbishment. Due to reopen in
Autumn 2025, Le Musée des Augustins is home
to one of the city’s leading art collections,
atmospherically displayed in a 14 th century
monastery. Don’t miss it if you’re travelling to
Toulouse next year.
Later, at the airport, I buy a lunchtime
sandwich to eat mid-air. I can’t help wishing
I was having Confit de Canard instead, but
preferably not in a space capsule. Give me that
Concorde silver service any day!
Listen to the most beautiful
French songs on your mobile,
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84 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 85

L’omelette Geante,
the giant omelette,
Bessières
In her delicious new book, Amuse
Bouche, a journey through France by
its culinary treasures, Carolyn Boyd
describes the extraordinary giant
omelette event. Only in France!
France’s love and skill in making the humble
omelette has been elevated to legendary
status thanks to such figures as Mère Poulard
on the Mont Saint-Michel, whose nineteenthcentury
recipe is kept secret but involves
much whisking and butter. More recently
Julia Child shared the revered Cordon Bleu
technique in Mastering the Art of French
Cooking. Here, she explained in great detail
how the correct pan and a deft wrist action is
key; she recommends using just two or three
eggs. Imagine then, trying to make an equally
delicious omelette with 15,000 eggs. Who
could possibly take on such a challenge other
than the Global Brotherhood of the Knights of
the Giant Omelette?
Every Easter Monday since 1973, the town of
Bessières just outside Toulouse has cooked up
giant omelette to share with everyone in town.
What started as thirty-five eggs grew over the
years to be more than 15,000, cooked in a
pan that measures 4.2 metres in diameter and
has a telephone pole for a handle.
The story that gets quoted as its origin is that
Napoleon Bonaparte once stopped off at an
auberge nearby, where he was so enamoured
with the delicious omelette he was served that
he insisted he would return the next day with
his army and that the innkeeper would cook
one large enough to feed them all. When you
go to the festival, though, it becomes clear
that this is a yarn that has been spun over
the years, inflated in its importance by the
internet. The real and more heartfelt reason
is that it brings people together from the
town and from all over the world, like a kind
of giant omelette twinning association. There
are brotherhoods of the omelette in six other
places around the world: Fréjus in Provence;
Malmedy in Belgium; Dumbea in New
Caledonia; Granby in Quebec, Canada; Pigué
in Argentina; Abbeville in Louisiana, USA.
When I visited, around 1000 volunteers -
dressed head to toe in yellow and white - were
cracking the 15,000 eggs on a long row of
trestle tables, while the Chevaliers themselves
in their tall toque hats wheeled the giant frying
pan over a bonfire to begin melting 70 litres
of duck fat. The aroma was intoxicating. Soon,
the eggs were transferred into huge aluminium
pots and whisked with hand-held paddle
mixers (usually used for concrete mixing), into
which chopped chives, the mild chilli pepper
86 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 87

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C GG R 22222 8 ,, A uu g uu s tt 22222 00 22222 33
piment d’Espelette and salt and pepper were
added. When the frying pan had reached its
optimum temperature, the knights poured in
the egg mixtures and started stirring with huge
wooden paddles (usually used for canoeing).
As the giant cook off took place, and the
frenetic activity hit a lull, I chatted to some of
the volunteers; a couple from the brotherhood
in Malmedy in Belgium took turns between
helping to put slices of sourdough bread on
hundreds of paper plates and holding their
baby daughter; a lady from Quebec had come
as the solo representative from the Canadian
contingent to see old friends; and a retired
GP from Fréjus explained to me that each of
the world’s seven giant omelettes has its own
flavour - in Provence, they use olive oil and
add fines herbes.
After half an hour, it was time to serve. A
military operation saw the volunteers serve
the omelette on to 6,000 plates which were
quickly distributed with wooden forks to the
spectators gathered around the square. I admit,
I didn’t have too high hopes on the taste of the
omelette, which is really scrambled eggs after
all that stirring, but it was excellent. Incredibly
tasty, warming and filling. I’d have gone in for
seconds but after another half an hour the pan
was almost empty. The crowds had had their fill
and were now wandering off. I tracked down a
chevalier to thank him for welcoming me into
the arena, but first asked how they managed
to make such a delicious omelette at this size.
He reluctantly told me he thought that year’s
omelette was a little lacking in salt, which
floored me - they’d just cooked a 15,000-egg
omelette, an incredible achievement in itself.
But this was France, and flavour was everything.
Find out more about the event at:
omelettegeante.fr
What makes a real
salade niçoise?
What type of cheese is
officially France’s stinkiest?
Why does the sandy carrot
have such a superior flavour?
And who exactly are the
Brotherhood of the Knights
of the Giant Omelette?
Leading expert on French food and culture
Carolyn Boyd shares the stories behind
the country’s most fascinating foods and
ingredients. Spanning every region of
France and divided into 200 separate
vignettes, each entry blends history and
travel, personal anecdote and recipes.
Amuse Bouche is a book to be devoured:
a beautifully illustrated, joyous celebration
of French food, and a charming, practical
guide to inspire your own travels - whether
you’re a proud Francophile or don’t know
your ficelle from your flûte.
Amuse Bouche is published by Profile Books, £18.99
Hardback and eBook. Available online and in bookshops.
88 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 89

In a former royal chateau in Villers-Cotterêts in the Aisne department, Picardy, a
fascinating new cultural venue presents the history of the French language, Janine
Marsh visits to find out more.
“I like books about adventure, something with
a twist in the plot” said a man out loud in a
room full of strangers. And out of nowhere
came a voice recommending books that the
voice was sure the man would like. But this
was no mystical oracle – it was the magic
library at the International City of French
Language in Villers-Cotterêts, a rather sleepy
little town, not far from Paris. Now before
you think I’ve lost the plot (sorry for the pun!),
the magic library is the name of a computer
programme that resides inside a cube
containing thousands of books at the Cité
internationale de la langue française, a unique
venue in a former royal castle that’s dedicated
to language – not just French but languages of
the world.
You may be wondering what exactly inspired
such a place to be here. Well, it’s a tale of old
and new.
Magic library
The International
City of French
LANGUAGE
A man of his word
“It’s not a museum” says Paul Rondin,
Director of the venue “It’s a cultural space,
an international city about French language,
French culture and the evolution of languages
around the world.” Which sounds like it might
be rather dry – however, it’s anything but.
The reason that the Cité is here, goes back
hundreds of years. It’s all due to King Francois
1, who began building the castle in 1532 as
it was close to the Forest of Retz, one of his
favourite hunting grounds and then one of
the biggest forests in France. And, it was here
that the King signed an ordnance on August
25, 1539 which imposed the French language
in official, administrative and legal acts such
as birth, marriage and death certificates,
replacing Latin. The ordnance is the oldest
legislative text in force in France today. It was
an act of centralisation of administrative power
and strengthened the sovereignty and identity
Chateau of Villers-Cotterêts
of France, a common language to be used –
and understood - by all the Kings people.
Over time, the castle was handed down
through the royal family. The fun-loving
Phillippe d’Orleans, brother of Louis XIV
was a one-time resident and it’s here that
90 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 91

French playwright Mollière first presented
his controversial play Tartuffe. Louis XIV
visited several times, and his Versailles garden
designer André Le Notre also transformed the
gardens of Villers-Cotterêts.
But over the centuries the chateau was
abandoned. It became a national property
during the French Revolution, was a home for
beggars, a prison, a military hospital and then
a retirement home until 2014. But in 2019, the
Centre des Monuments Nationaux (CMN), the
French National monuments Centre, began a
grand restoration.
The Cité internationale de la langue française
opened to the public at the end of 2023 - and
it makes for a fascinating visit.
A castle where words hang
in the air
You enter via the former jeu de paume,
tennis court, a large courtyard where words
hang in the air – quite literally. 100 words
are strung across the courtyard, chosen by
local children and visitors, from ‘Anagrame’
to ‘Ziboulater’ – which means to pull a cork,
“no-one really knows the exact origin of
the word, a mix of Belgian and Senagalese
perhaps” says the guide.
Renaissance chapel at the castle
Inside the Cité, not only can you see
the famous ordinance, signed in 1539 by
François I, but the innovative and interactive
displays, giant word search grids that several
people can compete on, word games galore
and reams of fascinating facts, all add up to
an absorbing visit (allow 1.5 – 2 hours). There
are also shows, from Chansons - vintage
French songs where the lyrics are as important
as the tunes – to rap. It’s a discovery not just of
the French language but language in general,
the history and development of language, the
origins and evolution of words, and how they
Step back in time
and discover the past at
Azincourt 1415 historic centre
Words as art
Azincourt1415.com
24 Rue Charles VI
62310 Azincourt
92 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 93

spread around the world. It was fascinating to
see how many English words are commonly
used in France, but then the English language
itself is heavily influenced by French thanks to
William the Conqueror.
I was fascinated by a cabinet of ‘bon point’
(good point) cards which are given to kids
when they do well at school. When they
collect enough, they can swap the cards for a
gift. Talk about foster a competitive spirit! It’s
quite brilliant.
Temporary exhibitions take place throughout
the year. In the royal chapel, much of the
original décor has been retained, Renaissance
style and full of symbols including the
Salamander, personal symbol of Francis I. The
King’s staircase features a beautifully sculpted
ceiling. The gardens feature a giant word
sculpture. There’s also a book shop and a very
nice café which has a great seasonal menu.
It’s a really fun, entertaining, enlightening and
educational exhibition.
as you wander the town you’ll spot many
reminders of his time, the school he went to,
his home as a boy, (now a decorating shop),
and a dedicated museum.
Nearby are several major literary hot spots:
La Ferté-Milon, the birthplace of playwright
Jean Racine (1636-1699), Château-Thierry
(the only place outside of Champagne where
champagne is produced), is where France’s
most famous author of fables, Jean de La
Fontaine (1621-1695) was born; sculptress
Camille Claudel was born and lived much
of her life in the area (1864-1943); and
Ermenonville is where Jean-Jacques Rousseau
(1712-1778) spent his last days.
Find out more: Cité internationale de la
langue française
Where to stay: La Fontaineracine, a lovely
B&B. The house dates to 1565, and Jean de la
Fontaine married his wife here. At the bottom
of the beautiful, romantic garden, an Eiffelbuilt
bridge crosses the gentle river.
Advertise with
The Good Life France
Villers-Cotterêts
The town of Villers-Cotterêts is also worth
a visit and holds a prominent place in the
literary history of France. It’s here that
novelist Alexandre Dumas was born and
La Fontaine Racine
Download our media pack
94 | The Good Life France
The Good Life France | 95

Christina Mackenzie explores the treasures of Troyes in Champagne…
Spotlight
on:
TROYES
The Champagne
cork-shaped town
has oodles of charm
When it comes to visitor attractions, Troyes
(pronounced trwa), in the Aube department
east of Paris, really has something for
everyone. Gothic churches and museums
galore, the greatest collection of halftimbered
houses in the country, 45% of the
planet’s stained-glass, a dynamic city centre,
the largest factory outlet in Europe, and three
huge lakes within less than an hour’s drive.
So clearly, not a town to visit in one day. But
you certainly pack a number of its highlights
into a long weekend, perhaps visiting a couple
of religious edifices and one museum per
day, otherwise you may suffer an indigestion
of religious art. You could equally overdose
on local favourite “andouillette” chitterling
sausage) and Champagne, because Aube
is second only to its northern neighbour, the
Marne, for the quantities of bubbly produced!
Troyes’ greatest enemy has been fire. The
Vikings burnt it down in 888, the cathedral
was reduced to ashes in July 1188 and in May
1209 large sections of the town went up in
flames. But it was a catastrophic two-day fire
in May 1524 that destroyed about a quarter
of the city, mostly in the affluent merchants’
neighbourhood. Those with money rebuilt in
stone, others simply replicated the medieval
design of their previous home.
So although the colourful, half-timbered
houses, all leaning hither and thither in the city
centre look medieval, they are largely post
1524 Renaissance.
Troyes was left almost unscathed by WWII
but had become, to quote from tourist office
documents “an unattractive city with a
serious image problem… a genuine cesspool”!
So the most destitute neighbourhoods were
pulled down with the loss of the city’s oldest
timber-framed houses. But fortunately, in the
late 1950s concerned inhabitants founded
an association whose volunteers over the
past 70 years have convinced successive
local governments to restore the city to its
former glory.
Stained glass windows - Sainte Madeleine © D. Le Névé,
Troyes la Champagne Tourisme
And glorious it is! The city centre is referred to
locally as “Le Bouchon” (the cork) because,
although it pre-dates the invention of
Champagne by more than a thousand years,
it is shaped like a Champagne cork lying
96 | The Good Life France Figeac © Lot Tourisme, Teddy Verneuil
The Good Life France | 97

Saint Pantaléon
Troyes
Rose window, Cathédrale Saint-Pierre Saint-Paul © Claire Droppert - Troyes La Champagne
on its side with the head, fashioned by the
Seine, facing east. The Trévois canal with its
decorative fountains slices the cork north to
south. West of this canal, the parallel sides of
the cork’s body lie where the ancient city walls
used to be.
Le Bouchon is small (2 km from east to west
and 820m north to south), so there’s no need
for a car. Use the large (and free!) outdoor
carpark in front of Le Cube, the exhibition
centre on the south-west corner of Le
Bouchon and explore on foot.
As you meander along the cobbled pedestrian
streets, look for the Maison des Chanoines
on the corner of the rue Émile Zola and the
rue Turenne. The front door is now uselessly
on the first floor because when the house was
moved here in 1969, it was reconstructed on a
modern, concrete ground floor to align its roof
with others. It is apparently easy to move halftimbered
houses as long as you number all the
beams in the dismantling phase and put them
back up in the right order!
Troyes’ narrowest street, the “ruelle des
chats” (cat street) is an ancient misspelling.
It should have been the “ruelle des chas”
(eye of a needle street) which is much more
Ruelle des chats © Studio OG - Troyes La Champagne Tourisme
Eglise Sainte Madeleine © D. Le Névé - Troyes La Champagne Tourisme
appropriate! Walk down it to reach Saint
Pantaléon church, remarkable for its height,
luminosity and statues. Because the nave is
narrow, it makes the chestnut-wood barrelvaulted
ceiling seem higher than its 28m
(92ft). The glass windows, decorated with
grisaille paintings, fill the 17th century top half
of the nave allowing light to flood inside the
building. But its most extraordinary feature
is the abundant population of statues, most
not sculpted for this church but rehoused here
after the French Revolution.
Saint-Pantaléon is one of seven remarkable
churches in Le Bouchon. The oldest is Sainte
Madeleine, which contains one of only 21
roodscreens in France. This early 16th century
stone partition between the chancel and
the nave drips with intricate, flamboyant
sculptures that were all polychrome until they
were whitened in the 18th century.
Saint-Urbain basilica served as a grain silo
and then a general store during the French
Revolution, but has now resumed its place as a
jewel of Gothic architecture, often compared
to the Sainte Chapelle in Paris because of
its vast expanses of stained-glass which, on
a sunny day, make the stone walls and pillars
sparkle with colours.
And of course, there’s the single-towered
(because money ran out to build the second
one!) Saint Peter and Saint Paul cathedral
which contains 1,500 m2 of some of the most
sublime stained-glass windows in France. As
you walk across the Trévois canal on the rue
George Clémenceau towards it, look down at
the modern sculpture by Belgian artist Tom
Frantzen, a dog who has jumped through the
bridge railings to chase five geese. On the
bridge north (to your left) you’ll see the heart
of Troyes, a 2-tonne, 3.5m high sculpture by
98 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 99

local artists Michèle and Thierry Kayo-Houël,
and on the bridge south, “Lili” by Hungarian
artist Andras Lapis.
If you want to see stained-glass et eye-level
and learn something about how it is made,
then pop into the Hôtel-Dieu-le-Comte, a
hospital from the 12th Century until 1988,
which today houses the Apothecary Museum
and the Cité du Vitrail (stained-glass city).
Just alongside the cathedral is the Modern
Art Museum created in 1982 to house the
extraordinary collection of Pierre and Denise
Lévy who made a fortune in the textile
industry. They had discerning taste: Ernst,
Dufy, Millet, Rodin, Degas, Courbet, Gaugin,
Matisse and Braque are just a few of the
artists whose work is exhibited.
But to me one of the jewels in Troyes is the
MOPO, Maison de l’Outil et de la Pensée
Ouvrière (Tools and trades museum). Now
I am not particularly skilled in DIY, nor
particularly interested in tools, but am
nevertheless enchanted by this establishment.
The museographers have managed to make
an interesting, engaging and visually pleasing
exhibition of more than 12,000 handmade
tools from the 12th, 18h and 19th centuries.
The tools are beautifully showcased in 65
displays organised by theme and divided into
four families: wood, iron, animal and mineral.
Explanatory panels are in French but there
is an excellent audio guide in English (and
other languages).
Many visitors to Troyes come here first to
visit a modern sanctuary: the factory outlets!
Troyes’ inhabitants have been weavers,
drapers, dyers and launderers since time
immemorial and the city became a European
centre of excellence in the manufacture
of hosiery. At its peak in 1970 the industry
employed 24,397 and monopolised the
French knitwear and hosiery sectors:
stockings, socks, underwear, polos, and worldfamous
brands such as Lacoste and Petit-
Bateau were founded and still manufacture
here. Imperfect items were sold to factory
employees at much reduced prices and then
Rue Champeaux
The Heart of Troyes; Michèle et Thierry Kayo-Houël © Studio OG -
Troyes La Champagne Tourisme
in the 1960s a centre was created where all
these seconds could be sold in one place, and
hey presto: the factory outlet was born! Today
there are four factory outlet zones around
Troyes with a total of 148 shops.
And if you’ve shopped till you drop and can’t
take any more culture then head for one
of the three lakes Great Lakes of the Forêt
d’Orient where any manner of water sports
and beach activities are on offer, or bring
some binoculars and observe the thousands of
birds who stop here on their migratory route. A
lovely spot to relax by the water with a picnic
and a glass of local Champagne!
Useful website: troyeslachampagne.com
The Good Life France podcast
Everything you want to know about
France and more...
thegoodlifefrance.com
100 | The Good Life France
The Good Life France | 101

How France
‘invented’
the picnic!
The picnic seems as quintessentially British
as queuing and discussing the weather. Come
rain or shine, hikes in the countryside go
hand in hand with picnics – from squashed
clingfilm-wrapped sandwiches eaten in the car
to gourmet hampers at posh outdoor events.
Picnicking features in some of the greatest
British literature from Wind in the Willows to
Women in Love by D H Lawrence. But, what
if I told you that the treasured picnic isn’t
actually a British invention and was in fact
concocted by the French, says British food
writer Ally Mitchell.
The French are notorious trendsetters in the
worlds of fashion and food, but it looks like
they have a claim on the world of picnicking,
too. Believe me, this is one to gnash our teeth
about. Little do they know how treasured this
outdoor dining activity is to Brits, along with
the obligatory pork pies and crumbly scotch
eggs – for the uninitiated, this favourite British
snack is a boiled egg, wrapped in sausage
meat, coated in breadcrumbs and either deep
fried or baked.
The term “picnic” is clearly a direct anglicism of
the French “pique-nique” – however, this French
word has unknown origins. “Piquer” means “to
peck” or “to bite” and “nique” – according to
various sources – means “a small amount” or
“nothing whatsoever” (and is also a slang swear
word). Some historians say that there is evidence
that picnics were popular in France as early as
the 13 th century when nobles would take food
with them on hunts. That said, “pique-nique”
was first used in the seventeenth century in a
burlesque comedy in which the protagonist,
Pique Nique, was an outrageous glutton.
“Pique-niques” in France in those days were
all the vogue for members of the high society,
always held indoors, included entertainment and
required guests to contribute dishes, a sort of
gourmet French potluck.
Picnics grew in popularity in the eighteenth
century and were regarded as a feature of
salon life in the homes of the wealthy, a place
for intellectual conversations and refinement.
However, France was on the precipice of
change. We have the French Revolution to
thank for modern French society and politics,
and also for the picnics we know and love.
Aristocratic picnickers were in line for the
guillotine, and many fled to Britain. Trying to
maintain their upper-crust ways of life, they
introduced pique-niques to their adopted
country. This practice was embraced with
enthusiasm, in particular by a group of 200
wealthy Francophiles – including, rumour
has it, the Prince of Wales – and in 1801 the
“Pic Nic Society” was formed. In hired rooms
in London, wild gatherings were held where
admittance cost a dish and six bottles of wine
per person. The Pic Nic was accompanied
by general singing, dancing, gambling, risqué
behaviour and an amateur play. Deeming it a
risk to local West End profits, Richard Brinsley
Sheridan, owner of London’s Drury Lane,
petitioned for the Pic Nic Society to be shut
down as a “threat to morality”.
Within a few decades, picnics emerged
unscathed from the elite’s hedonism. And
they moved outdoors, a practice shared in
102 © Raina | The Stinson, Good rainastinsonphotography.com
Life France The Good Life France | 103

Meanwhile, in Britain, picnics had become
social occasions of high status. Mrs
Beeton, one of the earliest celebrity British
cookbook writers, included a chapter on
picnic catering for 40 guests in her bestpacked
picnic hampers. And it may surprise
you to know that it was actually this luxury
department store that invented the scotch
egg as a snack for travellers in 1738. The
pique-nique or picnic, is, it could be argued,
a testament of what Brits can shape out of
French inventions, even if it comes with our
worryingly well-preserved scotch egg!
Queen Marie Antoinette's Hamlet, Versailles
Chateau Islette, Loire Valley, © Vanessa Treney
the journals of Dorothy Wordsworth (1800)
and in Jane Austen’s Emma (1816). During this
era of Romanticism, escaping to the country
was at the height of fashion. Gone were the
picnicking dances and gambling, instead food
became the focus.
In France however, there was resistance to
accept the new fad of outdoor dining as it was
associated with the frivolous fêtes champêtres
– garden parties – of the pre-Revolution
aristocracy. Lavish outdoor luncheons had been
routinely enjoyed by courtiers at Versailles,
particularly by Marie-Antoinette in her own
on-site fully-functioning fake village, Hameau
de la Reine, with its working farm and dairy.
Eventually though the reluctance was overcome,
and the trend caught on in France too.
selling “Book of Household Management”.
Her recommendations included ribs and
shoulders of lamb, roast ducks and fowls,
pies, a calf’s head, and six lobsters. Plenty of
cakes and biscuits were listed to be served
along with tea.
After the Bank Holiday Act of 1871 in the UK,
the improved transportation links included
“picnic trains” which carried working class
passengers to the country. Picnics were
no longer exclusive and became a distinct
component of city-dwellers’ daytrips.
Another French revitalised invention to aid
picnicking was the hamper. The “hanapier”,
a goblet case (in days of old travellers
took their own dishes and cups with them),
was first introduced to Britain by the
Norman invader, William the Conqueror.
Over centuries, the cases morphed into
refreshment baskets for travellers, and by
the nineteenth century, Fortnum & Mason
of London had the monopoly on ready-
104 | The Good Life France
The Good Life France | 105

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© Dom Rowe – Les tables imaginatives de Dom éditions Créa-Passions
How to make a typical French pique-nique
A baguette fresh from a boulangerie is of
course de rigeur!
Charcuterie – cured meats, ham, saucisson,
and paté.
Cornichons – the little crunchy gherkins
Pan Bagnat – a southern French speciality.
You take a large round loaf (a boule), Cut the
top off and scoop out the inside, then fill it
with layers of your favourite things – olives,
herbs, salad, sliced tomatoes, roasted red
pepper, cheese, cold meat, drizzle some olive
oil and season the layers, put the lid back on –
and it’s ready to eat! (Recipe here).
Quiche Lorraine – a cheesy tart you can eat
hot or cold.
Cheese – blue, creamy, goats’ milk, dry,
crumbly, cows’ milk, brebis (sheep milk),
slathered in herbs, edible flowers, truffled…
so much choice!
In cooler months – raclette is popular, melted
cheese scraped onto a slice of baguette!
Cake – from a patisserie or maybe a lemon
tart or tarte tatin – perfect for sharing.
Spread out a red and white check
tablecloth, place your picnic food on the
cloth, Frenchify it by adding some fresh fruit,
a bottle of wine and some glasses, a few
sprigs of wildflowers – and there you have it
– the perfect French pique-nique!
Winter picnic with raclette
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106 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 107

How often have you watched programmes
about someone moving to France? Wouldn’t
you love to know how they got on – not a
fifteen-minute follow-up, but an honest look at
whether the reality lived up to their dream?
Rebecca and Jack Jenkins have become
YouTube stars because they do exactly that:
they show you all the ups and downs of their
house renovation in France and you can’t help
being drawn into their story, because they’re
so open about the whole process. There’s
an unapologetic honesty in their videos that
makes you feel as if you’re watching friends so
you’re willing them to do well. But how did it
all start?
The truth
about
renovating
Starting in New Zealand
The couple met in 2012 in New Zealand,
where Jack had grown up, and where
Rebecca had lived since the age of ten. In
2016, Rebecca took a trip that would change
everything. Her parents had settled in the
Charente, so she flew over to visit despite
expecting a baby and bringing her toddler.
She felt an incredible sense of belonging and
couldn’t wait to bring Jack. The following year,
the couple brought their two young children
to spend five months in a tiny gîte, working
remotely and exploring the region.
“Looking back, it was a big decision to
make on minimal sleep, but everything is so
relaxed here,” says Jack. “If someone stops
the car in the middle of the road to chat to
a neighbour, no-one hoots or shouts, and
kids are treated like royalty, they’re always
welcome. We knew this was where we
wanted to bring up our family.”
Finding the house
In 2019, Jack and Rebecca sold everything
and came to France. By that time,
Rebecca’s parents had moved to the UK
to help a relative, so the family were left to
house-hunt alone.
108 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 109

“The truth is, we couldn’t do any major work
until we’d finished paying for the property!”
They made the longère habitable, then
Rebecca dealt with all the administrative
aspects of their life in France and set up
their businesses so Jack could continue
IT consulting, while she grew her wedding
photography business. Meanwhile, they
started uncovering the house’s original
features, but the catalyst for the major work
was the toilet.
“I was on a work call and heard screaming,”
recalls Jack, “so I ran to the bathroom to find
that the old macerating toilet had exploded,
splattering everything including Rebecca.
There was a cartoon-style outline on the wall
behind her. It was not pretty!”
Even worse, when Rebecca went to wash her
clothes after the incident, they discovered
that there was only one waste pipe out of the
house, meaning that the washing machine
then also exploded in the kitchen.
with you. Either they’re renovating, too, or
they simply love everything French and enjoy
watching us making our home here. Lots of
renovation channels are negative and overly
dramatic but the feedback we get is that
people appreciate how positive we are, and
that we don’t let the setbacks bring us down.”
“Some people reminisce about similar projects
they did years ago,” adds Rebecca, “others
are hoping to do a renovation themselves. I’d
say don’t be scared to try: you never know
what you’re capable of until you face the
challenge, and if it doesn’t work out straight
away, you’ll still find a way through it.”
Find out what the next project is for Jack and
Rebecca, and follow its progress on
@growinginfrance
“We maybe should have given up at that
point,” says Rebecca, “but all our money
was in the house, we had no choice but to
see it through.”
New Sunday OBSESSION
They found their home accidentally on a
country walk, and the decision was made
instantly.
“It was an 1880s Maison de Maître with
outbuildings that had been roughly renovated
in previous decades but had birds nesting
everywhere,” admits Rebecca. “It was also
€40,000 over our budget, but it just felt like
‘the one’. We negotiated and arranged to pay
the owner an extra €1,000 per month for
twenty months. So we managed to buy the
property, but had no money to do it up.”
The reality of renovating
“People often ask why we waited four years
before starting the renovation,” says Jack.
Thankfully, the house is now on mains
drainage and that incident is just one example
of their upbeat approach to situations that
would have most of us running for the hills.
Accidental YouTube stars
“We’re pretty sociable and we’ve always loved
sharing what we’re up to, so putting some
videos online seemed logical,” says Jack.
“Besides, I’m a wannabe film-maker, so it
became a hobby, and making videos helped to
motivate me for the next step, as you want to
show progress. We were making a video every
week but it was too much pressure so it’s now
one a month, which gives us a better balance
with family life.
“Most of our followers are from the UK and
USA, and everyone has something in common
Growing in France
Five years ago, a family moved from New
Zealand to South West France.
They fell in love with a traditional French
property: a maison de maître with attached
longère. The property needed more work than
they could afford or had ever done before, but
they decided to pursue their dream.
They are currently knee-deep in extensive
renovations, doing everything themselves and
amassing an intrigued following on Instagram
and YouTube. They offer a raw and honest
glimpse into the reality of renovating a dream
property abroad, with beautiful results.
JOIN THE JOURNEY...
and watch the transformation unfold. Subscribe
to their YouTube channel to catch every nailbiting
and heartwarming
scan to watch
moment. Tune in for a
new video every Sunday.
www.youtube.com/@growinginfrance
110 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 111

Your Photos
Every weekend we invite you to share your
photos on Facebook and X /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 your photo may appear in the next
issue of The Good Life France Magazine!
Chateau of Josselin, Morbihan, Brittany,
by Andre Cilliers
A thousand years of history resides in this space,
though the castle we see before us dates to
around 1370.
Discover more about Josselin and Morbihan
Eguiseheim, Alsace by Mouss Tic Kett
Fairy tale pretty, you half expect Hansel and Gretel
to come skipping round the corner in Eguiseheim,
voted one of the favourite villages of the French.
Discover some of the prettiest towns in Alsace
Join us on Facebook
and X to like and share
your favourite photos
of France...
Paris in the pink by Adeline Prigent
A favourite “Emily in Paris” location in rue de Rivoli – who can resist Paris in the pink?
Discover secret Paris and its hidden gems
112 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 113

What’s
NEW
Assumption Day, 15 August –
national holiday.
Journées Européennes du Patrimoine
– 21 and 24 September: European
Heritage Days
Across the whole country, hundreds of
historical buildings, famous monuments,
Government sites and places of interest
will open to the public.
Monet, Impression, Sunrise
for summer 2024
There is loads going on throughout France this summer – not least the Paris
Olympic Games taking place in July, August and September. Here’s our pick of
some of the best events this season…
Across France
Fête de la Musique:
21 June, France’s national music day
features everything from street parties
to major concerts – pop to rock, jazz to
classical and everything in between.
July 14: A national holiday in France,
Quatorze Juillet as the French say,
Bastille Day as English speakers call it,
commemorates the French Revolution of
1789. Festivities begin the night before with
balls held in fire stations and continue into
the next day with military parades on the
Champs Elysées, plus fireworks displays.
Our Bastille Day podcast is full of
fascinating and fun facts!
Tour de France: This year the 2024 Tour
begins in northern Italy, with a 206km
ride from Florence to Rimini on June 29th.
And because of the Paris Olympics, the
race finishes not in the Champs-Elysees as
usual, but with an individual time trial from
Monaco to Nice on 21 July.
Major Anniversaries
1124 | 900th anniversary of the birth of
Aliénor d’Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine was married in
Bordeaux aged 15. Shortly after her
17-year-old husband became King
Louis VI of France. The marriage was
later annulled, and she married English
Plantagenet King Henry II and became
Queen of England. They had 8 children
including Richard the Lionheart. She died
in 1204 and was buried at the Abbey of
Fontevraud. Follow in the footsteps of the
Plantagenets in France.
August 1944 the Other D Day 80th
Anniversary of Operation Dragoon
– Le Var
Launched 70 days after the Normandy
landings, Operation Dragoon was a crucial
Franco-American military operation
that took place on August 15, 1944. The
primary landing sites were located in
the Var, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
region. After these landings, Allied forces
advanced up the Rhone Valley, executing
a coordinated pincer movement to cut off
and engage retreating German troops.
This strategic manoeuvre culminated in a
historic meeting with D-Day veterans in
Dijon on September 12, 1944. Discover the
80th anniversary events to commemorate
Operation Dragoon.
150th anniversary of Impressionism
Many museums in France will be
celebrating the 150th anniversary of
the birth of Impressionism and the 5th
Normandy Impressionist Festival will run
until 22 September. Details:
Normandie-impressioniste.fr
Heritage Days tour Opera Garnier Paris
What's on
Bordeaux Wine Festival 17-30 June:
A 4-day event celebrates the very best
of the local vin, with tastings, tours and
vineyard visits against the background of
stunning Bordeaux. You can also enjoy live
music and admire the tall ships docked on
the Garonne.
114 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 115

QUALITY FRENCH
MANUFACTURED
FIBREGLASS
SWIMMING POOLS
Antiques Fair, Montreuil-sur-Mer, Pas
de Calais 14 July: Every year on 14 July, a
grand Antiques Fair takes over the whole of
the upper town.
Fête du Cognac, Cognac 25-27 July: A
major event to celebrate Cognac, Pineau
des Charentes, Vins de Pays Charentais,
and culinary Charentais traditions with
street food stalls along the Marina Cognac
plus music. lafeteducognac.fr
17th century when plague caused people to
flee the area. When they returned months
later, the unattended beans had grown
so well they staved off famine. Gourmet
market, local products, bean pavilion with
cooking competition, free shows with
demonstrations, fireworks display and
parade. Find out more at:
en.tourisme-soissons.com
OPERATING
THROUGHOUT FRANCE
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Olympic Games Summer 2024
The XXXIII Olympiad, Paris 2024 Olympic
Games will take place from 26 July to 11
August. 19 days of competition that will
generate billions of television viewers
worldwide as 10,500 athletes compete in
329 events. Paris’ iconic landmarks will be
transformed into sporting arenas, (some
games will take place in other cities in
France). This will be followed by the summer
Paralympic Games from 28 August to 8
September in which 4,400 athletes are set
to inspire in 549 events.
fabulously easy.
Insurance services for English speakers in France
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 can help with:
• Moving to France or Spain
• Setting up and running a
business
• Help with VISA, residency
and work permits and taxes
• Legal advice and Insurance
• Healthcare advice
Soissons Bean Festival, Soissons, 27
September 2024
An hour by train from Paris, the city of
Soissons will celebrate the famous white
beans cultivated in the region since the
Fête du haricot © Ville de Soissons
We’ve got you covered.
33 (0)5 35 65 50 50
hello@fabfrenchinsurance.com
www.fabfrenchinsurance.com
B +33 950 75 81 92
a +34 711 05 32 28
pleasehelp.eu k
116 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 117

Spotlight on
Pays d’Auge,
Normandy
Interior of Basilica, Lisieux
Trouville
can buy – and eat – seafood straight from the
boat. Legend has it that Trouville was founded
by the Vikings and is older than Deauville. This
small fishing village became famous after local
artist Charles Mozin exhibited paintings in Paris
showing the picturesque charms of Deauville.
The coast and countryside of the
Pays d’Auge region spans the Norman
departments of Calvados, Orne, and
Eure. Sarah Daly explores three very
distinctive towns
Between the ports of Ouistreham and Le Havre,
not far from historic Caen, the chic seaside
towns of Deauville and Trouville are jewels of
the ‘flowery coast’ of Lower Normandy. To the
south, rolling wooded countryside is dotted
with pretty villages of half-timbered buildings,
apple orchards and fields of brown and white
Normandy cows. This is the homeland of cider,
Calvados, and delicious local cheeses,
including one of France’s favourites, the
creamy soft Pont L’Eveque.
Trouville
Trouville may not be quite as famous as its chic
Trouville Marché aux Poissons © Danielle Dumas, Normandy Tourism
next-door neighbour Deauville, but it is one of
the only places in France where you can step
from the front gate of your stylish villa directly
on to a sandy beach. The narrow streets are
packed with interesting shops and enticing
restaurants, and the harbour front is home to
the imposing Marché aux Poissons where you
Trouville
118 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 119

Thinking about relocating to France but
uncertain about what you need to know?
Lisieux
It became a popular haunt for Impressionist
painters and grew into the elegant resort that
we see today. Trouville managed to escape
the two world wars relatively unscathed,
although the half-timbered seafront villas
were incorporated into the Nazi’s formidable
Atlantic Wall fortifications, with some having
concrete bunkers attached at the rear.
The villas were painted in drab colours to
camouflage them when they became the
lodgings for senior officers. Now restored to
their former glory, they provide a welcome
insight into another age.
Our free live webinars provide direct access to our
team of experts who can address all your questions about the
visa application process, French residency requirements, navigating
French bureaucracy, and more aspects of moving to France.
Sign up for our upcoming sessions.
www.fabfrenchinsurance.com
Lisieux
Pont l’Eveque, © Ben Collier, Normandy Tourism
Moving to France
Lisieux suffered devastating bombardment
by the Allies in World War Two ahead of its
liberation in 1944. As a result, this neat and
compact town of around 55,000 inhabitants,
has many mid-20 th -century buildings
alongside medieval half-timbered treasures.
The most impressive feature is surely the
imposing, almost century-old basilica, set
high on a ridge overlooking the town and
medieval cathedral. Inside, the basilica walls
are covered with mosaics illustrating the life of
Saint Thérèse. Born in 1873 she died at just 24
in a Lisieux convent. Second only to Lourdes,
Lisieux welcomes around 30,000 pilgrims
each year to honour her life and works, but for
non-believers the basilica is still worth a visit
for its colourful interior and the sheer scale
and beauty of its construction.
Based in a typical Norman half-timbered
building, the town museum tells the story of
Lisieux, from the Hundred Years’ War, when
it was captured by the English, up until World
War Two. Collections feature distinctive,
glazed ceramics from the nearby Pré d’Auge
workshop.
And don’t miss the chance to try the area’s
famous apple brandy at nearby Château du
Breuil, home to renowned Calvados distillery
La Spiriterie Française.
Financial Planning for Expats
Planning a U.S. Return
Financial planning services
for US expats in France,
wherever you are on your
international journey…
sanderlingexpat.com
120 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 121

Pont L’Eveque
Pont L'Eveque
This historic town lies almost exactly
halfway between Lisieux and the seaside
towns of Deauville and Trouville. The
medieval centre is full of typical Normandy
half-timbered architecture and buildings
which feature the region’s distinctive
chequerboard Pré d’Auge glazed green
bricks. The area is famous for Pont l’Eveque
cheese. Production dates back to the early
Middle Ages, the cheese originally made
by monks and named after the village
where they sold it at market. Perfect with a
glass of refreshing local cider! At the local
market you’ll find many small, traditional
producers of Pont l’Eveque selling almost
exclusively to their local customers. Head
to the town hall to visit the town’s former
prison where prisoners convicted of petty
thefts were allowed their freedom during
the day, returning for curfew every evening.
In the 1980s, earth was excavated
to construct an extension of the A13
motorway past the town. The area naturally
refilled and a lake with a beach now covers
nearly 300 acres, a great base for water
sports.
Follow the Normandy cheese trail and
discover sleepy villages, dairy farms and
rolling fields – plus taste some of the
creamiest, most delectable cheeses in the
world: normandycheesetrail
Where to eat
Situated in the heart of Lisieux, Les Soeurs
Pinard is a lively bar/restaurant with fresh
and imaginative dishes.
In the village of Manerbe, Le Pot d’Etain has
a seafood and traditional French cuisine
menu using local and seasonal products.
Eden Park hotel restaurant on the edge
of the lake at Pont L’Eveque has gorgeous
views over the water.
Between 9am and 7pm from Monday to
Sunday almost every day of the year, the
Halle aux Poissons fish market in Trouville
serves fresh seafood and shellfish on site.
Whether you fancy oysters for breakfast,
lobster for lunch or a huge spider crab as an
afternoon snack, they’ve got you covered.
Just bring your own bread!
In Trouville’s former aquarium, once part
of the imposing Hotel de Paris, restaurant
l’Aquarius, overlooks the beach. As you
would expect, there’s a real emphasis on
seafood here, all deliciously fresh and
beautifully presented.
Where to stay
Domaine Le Coq Enchanté is a little oasis
of tranquillity nestled on the edge of the
picture postcard village of Cambremer.
Pont L’Eveque: not far from the coast, Il Etait
une Fois is a stylishly renovated B&B in a
traditional Norman townhouse and also has
a cosy shepherd’s hut for hire in the garden.
Useful websites
Terre d’Auge Tourisme; Trouville Tourist
Office; Calvados Attractivité
The European Concierge
Expert support for ALL Visas,
Carte de séjour, Driving
Licence Exchange / Vehicle
imports / ANTS registration,
CNF (French Citizenship)
We manage your visa application
from start to finish - start your
new life in France the right way.
deVere France S.a.r.l. are regulated
by ANACOFI-CIF and ORIAS which
will only recommend French
regulated products.
theeuropeanconcierge.com
If you would like to know more about how
deVere France can help you, contact
Helen Booth works as a financial advisor for deVere France S.a.r.l. part of deVere
Group, one of the world’s leading independent financial consultancies.
Helen, who lives in the Deux Sevres region, worked in the financial services industry
in the UK for 15 years and prides herself on being fully diploma-qualified for the
services she provides in France.
With more than $10 billion of funds under its advice and administration, and with
more than 80,000 clients around the world, deVere Group truly offers a myriad of
unique products and notes that are not available anywhere else in the market. This,
as Helen puts it, gives clients the pick of the crop when it comes to investing.
deVere France can advise you on ways to help safeguard and increase your
wealth, as well as helping with HMRC-recognised pension transfers to a Qualified
Recognised Overseas Pensions scheme (QROPS) to give you potentially more
flexibility in your pension plans.
Helen Booth DipPFS , EFA
Mobile: +33 (0) 77 171 2879
Email: helen.booth@devere-france.fr
Dénomination sociale: deVere France S.a.r.l, RCS B 528949837, 29 Rue Taitbout, 75009, Paris, France. Gérant: Mr. Jason Trowles. Registre avec ANACOFI-CIF (Association Nationale des
Conseils Financiers). Nombre enregistré: E008176, association agréée par l’Autorité des Marchés Financiers. Courtier d’assurances ou de réassurance, Catégorie B, inscrit à l’Organisme
pour le Registre des Intermédiaires en Assurance (ORIAS) numéro enregistré 12064640. Garantie Financière et Assurance de Responsabilité Civile Professionnelle conformes aux articles
L 541-3 du Code Monétaire et Financier et L 512-6 et 512-7 du Code des Assurances. Registered name: deVere France S.a.r.l, registered company number RCS B 528949837, 29 Rue
Taitbout, 75009, Paris, France. Gérant: Mr. Jason Trowles. Registered with ANACOFI-CIF (National Association of Financial Advisers). Registered number: E008176, association approved
by the Financial Markets Authority. Insurance and re-insurance brokers, Category B, registered with the Organisation for the Registration of Assurance Intermediaries (ORIAS). Registered
number 12064640. Financial and Professional Liability Insurance Guarantee conforms to article L 541-3 of the Monetary and Fiscal Code and L 512-6 and 512-7 of the Assurance Code.
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122 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 123

The French
Property Show
October 2024
For anyone planning to buy a property
in France or move to France, the French
Property Show is an absolute must. Taking
place over the weekend of 19 th and 20 th
October in Cheltenham, this is the event to
help you make your dreams of a new life in
France come true.
And we’ve got 100 tickets to giveaway for
free – click here to get your free ticket.
French Property Show
UK 2024
The Good Life France is delighted to be a
partner of this superb event. Come along
and meet us as well as some of the most
trusted names in French property and
lifestyle services including Currencies Direct,
Groupement Immo, Agence, Mourejeau
Immobilier, Farms and Equestrian, SJB Global,
Hot Tubs in France, Yourfranceformation (Visa
Specialists) and more exhibitors being added
all the time. We will also have a hand-picked
panel of specialists to assist you with your
transition. It’s the perfect place to meet the
experts face to face in one place.
Meet the experts
Are you longing for a dose of southern French
sunshine? Dreaming of a more laid-back way
of life? Perhaps a holiday home, a new life, or
a relaxed retirement? Whatever your dreams
and plans, come and explore the possibilities
of moving to France and get expert help and
advice. Property agents are on hand to inspire
with a huge range of properties available
from chateaux to gorgeous village houses,
properties with land, and bargain doer-uppers
for keen diy-ers.
French property is surprisingly affordable, it’s
not difficult to find properties that cost less
than a year’s rent for an average apartment in
any major city in the UK. And, post-Brexit, it’s
Imagine Your Dream French Home...
And We’ll Find It For You
We Help You Get Rid of the Long-Distance Buying Headaches
LOOKING AT PROPERTIES ON THE COTE D’AZUR AND THE FRENCH ALPS OVER €500,000?
We’ll help you find the home of your dreams – tailor-made searches, market expertise & local knowledge.
“Great service from A-Z. Ryan found exactly the property we were looking for. We completed quickly and smoothly”
buyersagentfrance.com
124 | The Good Life France
The Good Life France | 125

2024
French Properties for sale
Holiday rentals throughout France
absolutely doable to move to France, albeit
with a few more administrative requirements.
You’ll find all the experts you need at the
French Property Show to help you negotiate
the buying process, paperwork, and visas. And
yes, you do need a visa now to go to France
for longer than three months out of six, but
once you know how it all works, you’ll find it’s
just an administrative process – and there’s
plenty of support and help on hand so that you
can relax and enjoy the adventure.
Enjoy a one-to-one session with immigration,
tax, and finance experts. And for those looking
to work in France, experts will be available
to talk about employment opportunities.
With fibre optic roll out right across France
– working from home on the internet is a
growing trend!
If you’re dreaming of buying a property in or
moving to France - don’t miss this show.
set… it’s a way of life in France – and it could
be your life.
We have 100 free tickets to giveaway –
exclusively from The Good Life France: click
here, choose your preferred date and when
you get to the ticket section – pick the option
The Good Life France.
The Cheltenham Racecourse venue has
free parking available, and, located on the
outskirts of the historic spa town, it is easily
accessed from the M5.
All attendees will receive a FREE buyers
guide, currency guide, and a goodie bag.
We look forward to welcome you and to help
you make your dreams of the good life in
France come true.
Find out more at
thefrenchpropertyshow.com
Employment opportunities
Visa requirements
Currency exchange
Free buyers pack for buying in France
Other professional services
(Banking, insurance, Investments etc)
WHERE
Cheltenham Racecourse, GL50 4SH
WHEN
19th & 20th October, 2024 10am - 4pm
100
FREE tickets
give away
Your move to France –
simplified and stress free
REGISTER NOW
Walking to the boulangerie for your freshly
baked baguette or buttery croissant,
shopping at the market for local seasonal
produce, sitting at a café watching the world
go by, relaxing in a hot tub watching the sun
126 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 127

Rocamadour
Discover the LOT
The Lot department in the
Occitanie region (formerly
Languedoc-Roussillon) is
home to some of France’s most
enchanting and picturesque
villages set amidst rolling hills,
meandering rivers and lush
countryside.
The Lot is a land of tranquil valleys, soaring
cliffs and gentle rivers. It’s authentic and
unspoiled and has excellent train services, plus
great road links to Paris, Toulouse and Spain
(via the A20). It’s also got plenty of sunshine,
with summer months averaging around 30°C.
Peppered with historic towns, and sleepy
villages, it’s the sort of place you fall head
over heels for, as did Deirdre McGlone and
husband Marc Gysling from Ireland, now
owners of Le Moulin-sur-Célé, a gorgeous
gite in the rather secret Célé Valley, near
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, east of Cahors. “There
is something special about this area” says
Deirdre, “wherever you go, you keep finding
more beautiful villages, vineyards, festivals,
welcoming restaurants, prehistoric caves,
wildlife. It’s great for walkers, cyclists, history
lovers, nature lovers, artists and foodies… well
everyone really. It’s that special.”
Six of the 160 or so villages classified most
Le Moulin-sur-Cele
beautiful in France (Plus Beaux Villages de
France) are in the Lot. Magnificent castles,
old stone houses, historic monuments,
ancient wonders and gastronomic delights
are among the many charms of this beautiful
part of France.
The prettiest villages
in the Lot
Loubressac
Loubressac is famous for its dazzling
panoramic views over the Dordogne, Cère
and Bave valleys. Its narrow, cobbled streets
with hilly staircases, wind past ancient
ochre-coloured stone houses festooned with
colourful flowers and ivy-covered facades.
French photographer Robert Doisneau said
that Loubressac has “the most beautiful light
in the world” – it’s easy to see what inspired
128 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 129

Loubressac
him. In the evening when the sun starts to dip,
the ancient roofs become the colour of gold.
Anyone seeking away-from-it-all-ness will find
it here.
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie
Perched high on a cliff overlooking the
meandering River Lot, the village of Saint-
Cirq-Lapopie was voted favourite village
of the French in 2012. From the top, the
canoeists and kayakers who paddle their
way down look tiny. The stunning village,
nicknamed “the pearl of the Lot Valley”, is
filled with magnificent monuments, a beautiful
mixture of medieval houses and cobblestone
streets. The Gothic church and the imposing
13th-century castle add to the village’s allure.
Artists and writers have long been drawn to
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie for its stunning vistas and
inspiring atmosphere, making it a haven for
creativity and a must-visit destination for all
lovers of history and natural beauty. It is 20km
east of Cahors and falls within the Causses du
Quercy Regional Natural Park.
Cardaillac
Cardaillac oozes timeless beauty and
irresistible charm. The village’s cobblestone
streets lead to quaint stone houses adorned
Porte de Rocamadour à Saint-Cirq-Lapopie Lot Tourisme © Teddy Verneuil
with colourful shutters and flower-filled
balconies. As you wander through its narrow
alleyways, you’ll discover charming cafes,
artisan shops, and a warm community. At the
heart of the village lies its crowning jewel,
the magnificent 13th-century Château de
Cardaillac, a well-preserved fortress.
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130 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 131

Autoire
Surrounded by lush green valleys and
cascading waterfalls, tranquil Autoire is in a
postcard-perfect setting. Its narrow streets
wind through enchanting honey-coloured
stone houses leading to the village square
where a magnificent 12 th century Romanesque
church stands.
But the true highlight of Autoire is its aweinspiring
waterfall which from the Causse
de Gramat plateau plunges down a sheer
limestone cliff. This natural wonder, combined
with the village’s tranquil ambiance, makes
Autoire a haven for nature lovers. Take a
detour to the La Roque d’Autoire (Château des
Anglais), a semi-troglodyte fortress built on a
slight shelf, backed by the limestone cliff. The
village is a perfect walking base for the GR480
and eight other walking trails, with plenty of
scope for mountain biking and fishing.
Capdenac-le-Haut
Nestled on a rocky hilltop, Capdenac-le-
Haut’s ancient stone houses, picturesque
squares, hidden gardens and narrow
winding streets evoke a sense of history. The
centrepiece of the village is its stunning 13thcentury
fortified church, a testament to its rich
architectural heritage.
Carennac
Carennac is an idyllic medieval village with
oodles of timeless charm perched on a rocky
terrace on the banks of the River Dordogne.
The well-preserved ancient architecture
includes the beautiful 11th-century Cluniac
priory. Quaint stone houses adorned with
colourful flowers line the narrow streets leading
to the village square with its pretty fountain.
Visit the church of Saint Pierre which has a
12th-century Romanesque tympanum and
16th-century Gothic tomb and daydream in
the half-Romanesque/half-Gothic cloister. The
Gouffre de Padirac (caves) and Rocamadour
are a few kilometres from the village.
Carennac
Rocamadour
Though not officially on the Plus Beaux Villages
list (it has too many inhabitants to be included),
the village of Rocamadour is a jaw-dropping
sight from a distance, seemingly defying gravity,
it appears to hang 150m above the Alzou gorge.
Its rich history, and spiritual significance make
it a truly unique destination and the sacred city
appears to be suspended between heaven and
earth. And when you enter the town, it just gets
better. Ascend its steep cobblestone streets,
passing by ancient stone houses, charming
shops, and picturesque viewpoints overlooking
the valley below. The focal point of Rocamadour
is the revered Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, attracting pilgrims from far and wide.
With its medieval architecture, breath-taking
views, and memorable cheese of the same
name, Rocamadour really is unforgettable.
Properties for sale in the Lot
Rocamadour village
© Lori Shimizu Peterson
EXCLUSIVE
Lachapelle-Auzac €189,000
Ref: A29211 - Spacious 4-bedroom property
on the Souillac Golf & Country Club resort.
5% agency fees included paid by the buyer.
Energy class: D Climate class: B
Fabulous Farmhouse
Castelnau Montratier-Ste Alauzie €380,000
Ref: A28993 - 4-bedroom stone farmhouse
with outbuildings, on 2 ha of land.
Agency fees to be paid by the seller.
Energy class: D Climate class: B
EXCLUSIVE
Golf Lovers
Renovation Project
Cœur de Causse €130,800
Ref: A20042 - Beautiful Quercynoise barn to
renovate. Incredible potential. Permit approved.
9% agency fees included paid by the buyer.
DPE: Not required
Our latest properties for sale in the Lot
B&B Business
Frayssinet €299,500
Ref: 117476 - Large 8-bedroom house with
pool, private gîtes and stream. Perfect B&B.
6% agency fees included paid by the buyer.
DPE: In progree
Modern Twist
Mauroux €565,000
Ref: A26775 - Attractive 4-bedroom stone
Quercy Farmhouse with pool and 8.6 ha.
Agency fees to be paid by the seller.
Energy class: E Climate class: B
French Dream
Bélaye €535,000
Ref: A28184 - Stunning mill property with 2
houses, pool and gardens set along a stream.
6% agency fees included paid by the buyer.
Energy class: E Climate class: B
Original Charm
Montcuq-en-Quercy-Blanc €595,000
Ref: A29272 - Charming 8-bedroom property
with stunning views, pool and barn.
Agency fees to be paid by the seller.
DPE: In progress
Close to Cahors
Barguelonne-en-Quercy €249,500
Ref: A20802 - Renovated 4-bedroom house
with a stone barn. 15 min from Cahors.
7% agency fees included paid by the buyer.
DPE: In progress
Grand Design
Mauroux €618,000
Ref: A28808 - Architecturally designed 6-bedroom
house and pool with stunning views.
Agency fees to be paid by the seller.
Energy class: B Climate class: A
www.leggettfrance.com info@leggett.fr +33 (0)5 53 60 84 88
Change
your
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We are recruiting
independent
sales agents
across France
+33 (0)5 53 60 82 77
recruitment@leggett.fr
Information on the risks to which these properties are exposed is available on the Geohazards website: www.georisques.gouv.fr
132 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 133

Gougères
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Recipe for 30 gougères
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INGREDIENTS
½ cup (120ml) whole milk
½ cup (120ml) water
1 stick (115g) unsalted butter (1 stick)
Big pinch of salt
1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour (plain flour)
4 large eggs (plus one spare in case)
Big pinch freshly ground black pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
2 cups (200g) coarsely grated Comté or
Gruyère cheese
½ cup (50g) for topping
METHOD
Heat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets
with greaseproof paper. Bring milk, water,
butter, sugar, and salt to a boil over mediumhigh
heat. Add the flour all at once, stirring
vigorously with a wooden spoon. The mixture
will form a thick mass. Keep stirring for
another 2 minutes to dry the mixture out.
Remove from heat.
Add eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously
after each egg. The mixture should have a
smooth, glossy consistency. If not, stir in a
fifth egg. Stir in two cups of grated cheese.
Drop heaped spoonful’s of (or pipe) dough
about 2 inches apart onto lined baking sheets.
Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the
dough. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden
brown. Serve warm.
134 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 135

SERVES 8
Preparation: 1 hour
Cooking: 1 hours
Rolled Picardy crêpes
INGREDIENTS
3 ½ tablespoons (50 g) butter plus 1 ½
tablespoons (20 g) to butter crepes before
filling
¾ lb. (350 g) button mushrooms
1 shallot (50 g)
1 onion (80 g)
1 ½ tablespoons (20 g) parsley, chopped
½ lb. (250 g) ham
4 oz. (120 g) grated Gruyère cheese
Salt, freshly ground pepper
Crêpe batter
2 ¾ cups (250 g) cake or all-purpose flour
3 eggs
2 cups (500 ml) low-fat (semi-skimmed) milk,
room temperature
5 ½ tablespoons (80 g) butter
10 sprigs of chives, snipped
1 pinch of salt
Oil for the skillet
Béchamel sauce
4 tablespoons (60 g) butter
2⁄3 cup (60 g) flour
4 cups (1 liter) milk
A little grated nutmeg
Salt, freshly ground
pepper
Extracted from
The Complete
Book of French
Cooking by
Hubert Delorme and Vincent
Boué (Flammarion, 2023).
Photo credit: © Clay McLachlan
METHOD
Prepare the crêpe batter
Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
Crack the eggs one by one into the mixture
and whisk briskly with a little of the milk.
Incorporate the remaining milk, beating
energetically until the batter is smooth and
fluid. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Melt
the butter until it browns to a hazelnut color.
Mix it into the batter with the snipped chives
and chill for about 30 minutes. Heat a skillet
over high heat. Drizzle a little oil in and cook
the crêpes one by one, turning them when
they begin to brown at the edges.
Prepare the mushroom duxelles
Chop the button mushrooms, the shallots, and
the onion. Melt the 3 ½ tablespoons of butter
and sweat the chopped shallot and onion. Add
the button mushrooms and cook, lid off, until
all the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt
and pepper and add the chopped parsley.
Finely dice the ham.
Prepare the Bechamel sauce
Prepare the béchamel sauce using the butter
and flour to make a white roux. Add 2 cups
(500 ml) milk and the grated nutmeg. Bring
the mixture to boil over high heat, whisking
constantly. Pour in the remaining milk, bring
to a boil again, and season. Transfer to a bowl
and cover with plastic wrap flush with the
surface. This will prevent a skin from forming.
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Place the mushroom preparation, the diced
ham, and a little of the béchamel sauce
in a mixing bowl and combine. Adjust the
seasoning. Spread the crêpes out and butter
them with the remaining butter. Fill them with
the mushroom and ham mixture and roll up.
Arrange them in a shallow ovenproof dish.
Pour over the béchamel sauce and scatter the
grated cheese on top. Bake for 15–20 minutes.
Chef’s Notes
The traditional filling for rolled crêpes uses
mushrooms and ham, but feel free to add the
fillings of your choice.
136 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 137

Pan Fried Steak with
Red Wine Sauce
To make the vibrant red wine sauce for this
recipe, the pan sauce technique uses the
juices produced from cooking the meat
blended with a good-quality wine. In France,
we live by the maxim “cook with wine that
you want to drink.” Now, I’m not saying you
need to secure a Bordeaux premier cru to
make this recipe, but avoid the bottom-shelf
wine selection. Not only will this make the
sauce shine, but you will also appreciate a sip
or two while cooking.
For the meat, rib eye is the way to go.
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
For the Steaks
2 prime steaks, preferably ribeye
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to season
1 tbsp (15 ml) cooking oil
For the Sauce
¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter, cut into small
cubes, divided
2 shallots, finely chopped
½ cup (120 ml) good-quality red wine
1 clove garlic, bruised
1 sprig thyme
1 small bay leaf
½ tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp (6 g) finely chopped fresh curly
parsley, to garnish
METHOD
In a medium-sized stainless-steel skillet or sauté
pan, heat the oil over high heat, and sear the
steaks. Cook to your desired level of doneness
(ideally medium rare), flipping the steak several
times in the pan to cook evenly on both sides
(this also helps produce lots of caramelized
juices at the bottom of the pan). When cooked,
transfer the steaks to a plate, cover with foil
and keep warm in the oven while you make the
sauce.
To make the sauce, remove any oil from the
pan, melt 1 tablespoon (15 g) of the butter
over medium heat then cook the shallots for 1
minute. Add the wine, garlic, thyme and bay
leaf, then increase the heat to high and reduce
until roughly ¼ cup (60 ml) of liquid remains
and the sauce becomes syrupy. Turn off the
heat and whisk in the remaining butter, followed
by the mustard. To finish, pour the accumulated
juices from the steak into the sauce and adjust
the seasoning to your liking. Strain the sauce
before serving drizzled over the steak and
garnish with the parsley.
Mise en place
Season the steaks with salt and pepper and let
sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before
cooking. Preheat the oven to 120°F (50°C).
Reprinted with permission from French Cooking Academy by
Stephane Nguyen with Kate Blenkiron. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023.
Photo credit: Kate Blenkiron
138 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 139

Parisian
Custard Tart
Everyone in France nurses a little fondness for
the Parisian flan, or flan pâtissier. This simple
custard tart can be found in every French
boulangerie and patisserie, with a pastry cream
texture that ranges from rubbery to velvety
smooth. In French restaurants, chefs are now
taking the flan up a notch by experimenting with
dark sugars and exotic vanilla flavors. For home
cooking, I’ve aimed to keep the recipe as simple
and delicious as possible without sacrificing taste
and texture. We’ll use a fresh vanilla bean, whole
milk, cream and short crust for a deliciously
creamy flan with a buttery, flaky crust.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 premade puff pastry sheet
15.2 fl oz (450 ml) whole milk
5 fl oz (150 ml) heavy cream
1 fresh vanilla pod, split in half lengthwise with
the seeds scraped
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
4.5 oz (130 g) sugar
1.8 oz (50 g) cornstarch
2 tbsp (30 g) salted butter
1 tbsp (15 ml) pure maple syrup,
to glaze (optional)
Note
Double the
ingredients for
a 10-inch (25-
cm)–diameter
springform
cake pan.
Reprinted with permission from
French Cooking Academy by
Stephane Nguyen with Kate Blenkiron.
Page Street Publishing Co. 2023.
Photo credit: Kate Blenkiron
METHOD
In a large saucepan, combine the milk and
cream and place over medium heat. Add
the vanilla pod and bring the mixture to a
simmer, stirring from time to time.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together
the egg, egg yolk and sugar until the mixture
becomes a pale-yellow color, then gently
blend in the cornstarch.
As soon as the milk mixture starts to simmer,
turn off the heat and discard the vanilla pod.
Strain half of the milk mixture through a sieve
into the egg mixture and whisk to combine
before pouring in the rest. Give the custard a
gentle stir, taking care not to whisk too hard,
to prevent it becoming too foamy.
Pour the custard into the same saucepan
used to heat the milk and place over medium
heat. Whisk constantly, but gently, for 3 to
5 minutes, or until the custard thickens and
starts to boil. When it does, adjust the heat to
low and continue to cook for 2 minutes, then
turn off the heat and incorporate the butter.
Remove the cake pan from the freezer and
scrape the warm pastry cream into the pastry
casing, smoothing evenly with a spatula.
Place the cake pan on the middle shelf of
the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until
the surface of the flan is golden with large
brown patches. Remove from the oven and
allow the flan to cool at room temperature
before placing it in the fridge for at least 3
hours, ideally overnight. The flan must be
completely cold before it’s unmolded. Brush
the top of the flan with some maple syrup (if
using) to provide some shine before serving.
Mise en place
Grease the inside of an 8-inch (20-cm)-
diameter round springform cake pan, dust
lightly with flour and then line it with the
pastry so that it covers the bottom and the
sides. Keep the cake pan in the freezer until
the pastry is rock solid. Preheat the oven to
340°F (170°C).
140 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 141

Last
Word
In France they say of those of us who live in the far north of France, ‘they
might not have the sunshine on their heads, but they have it in their hearts.’
It’s true we are not as sun-kissed as our southern neighbours, but (and despite
a particularly wet winter this year) it doesn’t rain half as much as people think
it does.
Writer Somerset Maughan once described the French Riviera as a “sunny
spot for shady people”, you could say of Pas-de-Calais, that it’s a shady
spot for sunny people.
Any excuse to celebrate is considered a very good idea here. So when my
neighbour Jean-Claude, a man who rarely needs a reason to enjoy a glass
of wine or a plate of andouillette (extremely pungent sausages made with
offal, much-loved by the French, not understood by anyone else), decided
that he would honour the 60th birthday of his long-suffering wife Bernadette
with something special we knew it would be memorable. “A secret party in
the town hall salle des fetes” he said. It doesn’t sound like much, but in these
parts, people are potty about parties, and a lot of effort goes into making
sure the food is fabulous, the wine is worthy, and the music brings out the
dancer in all of us. The birthday girl pretended she knew nothing about the
special day, though you can’t keep a big secret in a small village.
Came the day and almost the entire village turned up bearing bottles of
wine, crates of beer and delicious dishes. A long table was crammed with the
most delectable home-made pies and pastries, mouth-watering tarts and
cakes, a basket of crisp baguettes and trays of smelly, sweaty and succulent
cheeses. And in the centre, an enormous celebration croquembouche cake,
a tower of profiteroles bound by an intricate embroidery of molten sugar
topped with a love heart shaped pink macaron, made by Jean-Claude with
help from Bernadette’s mother Claudette, the best cook in the village.
The DJ played the songs of the late, great but still much-loved Johnny
Hallyday, AKA the French Elvis, and upbeat songs that make the feet tap
long before they reach the dance floor. Abba’s Dancing Queen echoed
around the lush green Valleys battling with the gurgling of raging rain and
the rumbling, roaring wind.
And the sound of laughter of people with sunshine in their hearts
was priceless.
Janine
Janine Marsh is Author of My Good Life in France; My Four Seasons in France; Toujours La France,
and How to be French: Eat, dress, travel and love la vie Française –
available on Amazon, all online bookshops and in bookstores in high streets everywhere.
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