CATEGORIES

Art Imitates Life
Living France

Art Imitates Life

Often in life it’s a case of being in the right place at the right time, and Tarn-based sculptor and jeweller David Kemp knows this more than most. He tells Scheenagh Harrington how he came to set up his own studio near Albi.

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6 mins  |
Autumn 2016
A shore Thing
Living France

A shore Thing

Sunshine and sea set the pace of life in the towns on the shores of the Étang de Thau, Languedoc-Roussillon’s largest lagoon, as Sophie Gardner-Roberts discovers.

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7 mins  |
Autumn 2016
A Good Move
Living France

A Good Move

Sue Anderson didn’t think anything could match the scenery of her childhood in South Africa until she arrived in Morbihan. She tells Catriona Burns how she and her family found their perfect home in the Breton countryside.

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5 mins  |
September 2016
A Local's View
Living France

A Local's View

Clare Elizabeth Knott and her husband Leigh moved to Allier in 2008 where they are raising their three daughters. Clare explains why she loves this tranquil part of rural France 

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3 mins  |
Autumn 2017
Living France

Cutting The Mustard

If transforming a neglected farmhouse into a successful hotel wasn’t enough to keep Paul Thomas and Jolanta Bakalarz busy in their retirement, the expat couple have also launched their own wine, as Andy Duncan finds out

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7 mins  |
Autumn 2017
How Green Is Your House?
Living France

How Green Is Your House?

Making your French home more eco-friendly means you’ll be doing your bit to save the planet, and it’s an opportunity to save yourself some money too. Robin Gauldie investigates the options available and the potential savings

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7 mins  |
Autumn 2017
A Lot Of Fosse?
Living France

A Lot Of Fosse?

You may become the owner of a septic tank when you buy a home in France, so what do you need to know? Catharine Higginson explains how to manage your fosse septique

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5 mins  |
February 2018
Bricks And Mortgages
Living France

Bricks And Mortgages

Are you planning to buy a home in France this year? Fiona Watts explains why it’s a good time to consider financing your purchase with a French mortgage

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5 mins  |
February 2018
Diary Of A Move
Living France

Diary Of A Move

Worried your language skills aren’t up to the challenge of moving to France? You’ll learn more quickly than you might think, says Fiona Flint

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2 mins  |
February 2018
Dream Property...
Living France

Dream Property...

Every so often we come across a property that knocks us for six. This month emma rawle has fallen in love with this unique barn conversion in dordogne.

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1 min  |
April 2017
Retirement Home For Dogs
Living France

Retirement Home For Dogs

Leeanne Whitley, 50, runs a twilight retirement home for dogs with her husband michael, 69, from their home in st-paul-laroche, dordogne.

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2 mins  |
April 2017
High On Life
Living France

High On Life

Leslie Rayney and Teo Leyssen enjoy a serene, rural lifestyle in the Ardèche mountains with their goats, bees and newly adopted donkey. Theirs isn’t the obvious option for a new life in France, and it hasn’t always been easy, but they wouldn’t have it any other way, as Kate McNally discovers.

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6 mins  |
May 2017
Lettuce Grow!
Living France

Lettuce Grow!

With lawns to mow and lettuces to sow, May is a busy month in the garden, says Sue Bradley.

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2 mins  |
May 2017
Getting The Show On The Road
Living France

Getting The Show On The Road

James Martin’s French Adventure series saw the celebrity chef falling in love with France all over again. Catriona Burns checks in with the B&B owners who hosted him during his travels to find out more.

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7 mins  |
May 2017
Living France

Back In The Saddle

Seduced by the mountains, vineyards and pretty villages of Alsace, Glenn Ford fell in love with the region nearly 30 years ago when he lived there during a work placement. He now organises walking and cycling tours, showcasing what this beautiful part of France has to offer, says Stephanie Sheldrake

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6 mins  |
September 2017
Living France

Money Makes The World Go Round

You might be exchanging your pounds for euros but it’s worth taking a closer look at how other currencies and countries are faring too, says Matthew Harris

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4 mins  |
September 2017
Living France

Save Your Energy

It may seem like an impossible dream, but freeing yourself from conventional energy supplies is becoming more practical – if you’re prepared to pay the price. Robin Gauldie looks at the options for living off-grid in France

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6 mins  |
September 2017
Living France

I Was Unceremoniously Dumped From The Interior Design Committe

As Ian Moore attempts to de-clutter in readiness for the B&B and gîte conversion, he soon realises that his wife has other ideas

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3 mins  |
September 2017
Awesome Auvergne
Living France

Awesome Auvergne

With stunning volcanic countryside, rural communities and a wealth of things to do for the whole family, Auvergne is a land of plenty, says Sophie Gardner-Roberts, and it’s attractively affordable too

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7 mins  |
Autumn 2017
Living France

A New World Of Words

Worried about your children getting to grips with French in their new classroom in France? There are plenty of easy ways to help them develop their language skills at home, not to mention a life-long love of le français, says educational psychologist Janet Myers

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6 mins  |
Autumn 2017
Down To Earth
Living France

Down To Earth

The shortening days are a good time to develop new garden habits. Sue Bradley builds a compost heap and gets her bulbs in

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3 mins  |
Autumn 2017
Living France

Cycling And Upcycling

"We're Very Lucky...It's A Good Time For The Whole Upcycling Things. People Are Interested And Enjoy The Recycled Look"

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4 mins  |
Autumn 2017
Fit For A King
Living France

Fit For A King

With February a month to consider planting bare-rooted fruit trees, Sue Bradley discovers the history of an old French cultivar thought to have been enjoyed by the Sun King

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2 mins  |
February 2018
The Royal Treatment
Living France

The Royal Treatment

“We looked at 10 other châteaux just to make sure it was the right one, and this was the one that stuck out”

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2 mins  |
February 2018
Gironde: Raisin D'être
Living France

Gironde: Raisin D'être

From rolling vineyards famed for producing world-class wines to Atlantic beaches, lagoons, historic villages and a cosmopolitan capital, Gironde is a diverse department with something for all, says Caroline Bishop.

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6 mins  |
March 2017
Artistic Spark
Living France

Artistic Spark

Moving to France has certainly opened doors for mechanic-turned-metal artist Darren Ind, who, together with his wife Kate and their two children, is enjoying a new flexible lifestyle in Vienne, says Gillian Harvey.

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7 mins  |
March 2017
'Rather Than Wait For Some Distant Authority To Scrape The Ice From The Roads, The Locals Pitch In'
Living France

'Rather Than Wait For Some Distant Authority To Scrape The Ice From The Roads, The Locals Pitch In'

This month Gillian Harvey explains how the French are far from laid-back when it counts

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3 mins  |
January 2018
A Change Of Tax
Living France

A Change Of Tax

With the 2018 budget introducing a number of tax reforms in France, Rob Kay explains the changes due to come into effect and how they could impact your finances

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5 mins  |
January 2018
Guide To: The Role Of The Mayor In France
Living France

Guide To: The Role Of The Mayor In France

The mayor’s role is wide-reaching and it’s important to understand their key responsibilities in French society if you are planning on living there, says Kate McNally

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6 mins  |
January 2018
Liberte, Egalite, Nationalite
Living France

Liberte, Egalite, Nationalite

In January 2017, writer Mark Sampson shared his experiences of applying for French citizenship. Having now officially acquired la nationalité française, he explains the final stages of the process

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6 mins  |
January 2018