This week I became a published author. To my delight, my biography of 1960s French icon Françoise Hardy hit the shelves on Monday. The book, Catch a Rising Star, is…
Our hopes of opening a cheese and wine business in the pretty Dordogne village of Issigeac fell through this week. Someone else signed a compromis de vente on the property…
I’m a glutton for French food porn. I’ve lost count of the number of different recipes I have for coq au vin, confit de canard and cassoulet. But that doesn’t…
Experimental Scandinavian modern jazz isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. It turns out it’s not mine. That’s something I learned at the Tourcoing jazz festival last weekend. I wanted to leave…
Truffle hunting last weekend was like a dress rehearsal for the foodie breaks we want to offer in future. Or, as some of our friends have suggested, an over-dressed rehearsal.…
Comté is France’s number 1 cheese, so when its marketing team come to town, you can’t help but notice. Especially if you’re a cheese lover, like me. Last weekend, Lille…
Life’s hard when you’re a chocoholic and you find yourself in the city where a world champion chocolate maker has a shop. Quite how it’s taken me over a year…
Our plans took a leap forward this week when we accepted an offer on our UK house. Now, we’re in a race to sign a compromis de vente on a…
As the nights draw in, there seems to be more to do here in Lille – and the arrival of autumn tomorrow has heralded a flurry of requests to visit.…
Hands up who has wine left at the end of an evening? Thought not. Nor do we – until one weekend recently, that is. So, I decided to use it…
I opened a French bank account this week – and to my surprise, it proved easy to do. I was expecting endless form-filling and the need to provide evidence in…
Lille is in full-on party mode this weekend. As well as making the most of the fun, I’m pleased to report that in our second year here, we have now…
Tarragon is France’s secret ingredient. Adding it to any dish is like wrapping your food in the tricolore, as I discovered when I made peach and tarragon ice cream this…
Amiens makes for an ideal weekend getaway if you’re after a bit of culture, some leisurely walks, a little light shopping and a generous helping of great food. All in…
Damon says that having his birthday in August can feel like a disappointment each year. I’m hoping he’ll change his mind after this weekend – we’re off to Amiens. I’m…
TV can be a great way to learn a country’s language and culture. However, M6’s Chasseurs d’appart’ may not be the place to start – it appears to suggest that…
After 11 months of searching, I’ve finally found somewhere decent to stay on my 2 nights a week in London. I now have a lovely pied-à-terre just 15 minutes’ walk…
As a starter on a sunny summer’s day, what could be better than goat’s cheese ice cream served with gazpacho? The tangy cheese is the perfect accompaniment to the chilled…
Until Wednesday this week, friends and colleagues showed great fascination in whether I would support England or France if the two went head to head in the World Cup final.…
If Samantha Stephens could twitch her nose and transport me back to the 1960s, I’d be a happy man. Instead, I’m doing the next best thing – tonight I’m at…
