A new French life in Bordeaux (Part One)

Clare, it has been lovely connecting with you. Thank you for participating in my occasional series, ‘Australians in France.’ I can relate to so much of what you have written - and I am sure that anyone who is thinking of a move to France will appreciate your thoughts on your experience so far. 

Clare can be found on Instagram @mme_cabernet_franks.

Please enjoy Part One of our interview.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your French connection?

Although I’ve dreamt about France for much of my life, I had never been here before 2019! In 2019, I took long service leave from my work as a government lawyer in Melbourne, and my husband, Adam, and I packed up a few suitcases, a pram, travel cot, a car seat, a booster seat and a couple of backpacks and headed to LA and Europe for 4 months with our just-turned-2 year old and almost-5 year old children! Were we crazy? Maybe. Was it worth it? Absolutely. People kept telling us how hard it would be to travel for 4 months with 2 small children. My response? “It’s hard in Melbourne. I’d rather be having a hard time with 2 small children in the South of France!”

 

We visited my family in Ireland, went to London, Copenhagen, Berlin and then headed to Paris. We hadn’t booked the last 7 weeks of our stay in Europe and planned to do 10 days in Paris, a week or so in Aix-en-Provence and then head to Switzerland (via Annecy), perhaps Vienna or Italy and then back to LA for time with my in-laws, then home. We ended up loving France so much that we spent the entire last 7 weeks in France! 

 

As soon as we got back, we started learning French on Duolingo and Babbel, eating French food as much as possible and searching out the best croissants in Melbourne! 

 

What was it that prompted you to head to France with your family? How long did you anticipate staying originally?

 

We returned to Melbourne in mid-January 2020. At the time, there was increasing talk of a novel virus coming out of China - we had no clue at that time how much it would impact our lives and future. We spent the next year and a half in some level of lockdown (Melbourne had the longest in the world at that point), with the kids unable to go to daycare or school for most of 2020. The only real plus was that we were able to put a lot into our savings while we weren’t spending $500 a week on childcare fees, or anything on eating out or doing fun activities! 

 

Sadly, in late March of 2020, my wonderful mother-in-law passed away from pancreatic cancer. Andrea was not quite 70 when she passed and had only retired from work 2.5 years prior, after her diagnosis. She wasn’t able to travel during that period, so we took the kids to LA to visit as much as possible. Between the epic Melbourne covid lockdowns and the loss of Andrea, Adam and I felt like life was so short and the future so uncertain that we wanted to make the most of our lockdown savings. Over a bottle of wine and a French meal one evening, Adam said “you know, we could live in France for a year with that money” I responded “uhhh YEAH WE COULD! When should we leave?” *Adam tried to back out a few times after that conversation, but I was intent on making it happen and kept reminding him that it was his idea! 

 

For inspiration, I immediately started reading all manner of ‘we-packed-up-our -lives-and-moved-to-France’ books, the first being “But you are in France, Madame”! 

 

To undertake a trip such as yours there must have been a fair amount of preparation. What were some of the things on your pre-departure to-do list and do you have any hints for families who might be thinking of doing the same thing?

 

I’m lucky enough to have an Irish parent and had taken out my Irish citizenship in my 20s. As such, visas weren’t an issue for us. I immediately applied for the children’s Irish citizenship and discovered that between Brexit and Covid, the wait was going to be nearly 2 years! We got some advice on the type of visa Adam would need (titre de séjour) and then we started planning in earnest. We decided to rent out our house (to come back to) but to sell all our furniture, the car, etc. Because the kids and I have EU citizenship and Adam was entitled to a 5-year titre de séjour, we decided that if we liked life in France and could find work, we’d stay as long as we were happy here.

 

We started the boys in French lessons, signed ourselves up for a weekly online session with a French tutor on Preply, put sticky notes around the house with the French word for what it was ‘la chambre, le miroir, la toilette, la porte, la fenêtre’ - they were everywhere! We also made a million lists of things we needed to do/sell/buy/organise, One for leaving Australia, one for living in France. Ticking off those boxes was very satisfying! I looked up websites with useful information about moving overseas - especially to France. We looked into healthcare, school (we considered International, private and public schools), remote work opportunities, etc. I also joined a few ‘Australians in France’ facebook groups and posted with some questions about their moves and anything we needed to know. People in those groups were really helpful and I found some others who were also planning a year in France at the same time, so it was really nice to be able to discuss planning details and challenges with them.

 

My top tip is honestly to get a good relocation agent. Unless you’re fluent in French, you really need someone who can speak to immobiliers (real estate agents) about rentals, give you advice on rental (or sale) contracts, fill out school application paperwork (if kids are going to a French public school) and all your utilities contracts, and help you set up all your other paperwork - carte vitale, etc. It’s worth every penny you’ll pay them, just for the stress-reduction alone! We also leased a car for a couple of months, which you can arrange from Australia in advance.

 

My other top tip is ‘you can’t start clearing out your worldly goods too soon!’ We were packing up and still doing op-shop runs on our last day! We decided early on that we’d take only 4-5 large suitcases, much like you, Catherine. Furniture is just that and there’s plenty of amazing furniture in France, likewise clothing/fashion! We sent a suitcase of special things to mum’s house (along with the dog and cat) and shipped over 3 boxes of useful items, such as Adam’s woodworking tools and baseball gear, my Kitchenaid mixer and horse riding gear (the essentials!) and some special photos/paintings etc. Everything else could be easily bought here (and believe me, we’ve accumulated plenty of stuff already!)

 

How did you choose where you would live? Does this area live up to your expectations?

 

Initially, we thought perhaps the stunning Annecy could be a good option. We absolutely loved it when we visited in 2019, but ultimately decided that 2 people born in desert cities (Adelaide and LA) were probably not quite ready to live in the Alps winters! We considered Lyon and Montpellier, initially, before Adam googled “best places to live in France with children” and Bordeaux popped up. We struck Lyon off the list when we decided we couldn’t live 5 hours’ drive from the beach, and Montpellier off the list when I put my foot down and said that my pasty ginger self had spent enough of my life covered from head to toe in sunscreen and wasn’t really very suited to the Mediterranean life! 

 

Bordeaux was the perfect in-between. It’s a stunningly beautiful city (it truly is a mini-Paris), it’s close to beautiful countryside, medieval villages and also to the beach. The city also has a very green-thinking mairie. The public transport is excellent, a lot like Melbourne, people walk/bike/scoot everywhere, and there are wonderful little potager gardens along the riverside, as well as fruit trees in the local parcs. We adore Bordeaux and her surrounds. The weather is generally pretty good (although 2023 summer left a lot to be desired - it rained SO much.) and the beach is less than an hour away, so our little Aussie hearts are satisfied with that.  

 

Thankfully, I didn’t have to continue life as a lawyer here in France. One of the many benefits of Bordeaux is the amazing wine region! I gave up lawyer life and was lucky enough to score a job as a wine tour guide for the 2024 tourism season (March-October). I quickly learnt as much as humanly possible about wine-making, tasting and the wine history of Bordeaux, as well as some general history, and started driving tourists to Saint-Émilion and the Médoc for wine tours and tastings. It was such an incredible way to get to know the area and the wines of Bordeaux (and make some euros at the same time). I also made some truly wonderful French friends - I was one of only 3 non-French guides in the team. They’ve helped me with my French, wine and food knowledge and all manner of things - even with translating medical speak at 11pm on a Wednesday when our son ended up in hospital! 

 

You have two children. How easily did they make the transition into French living? Can you tell us a bit about their experiences of school, making friends, adjusting to new routines, food etc?

 

The boys were our biggest concern regarding the move. Our oldest was 8 and our youngest 5 when we left Australia. The oldest had a very close friendship group since childcare days, and it was truly heartbreaking to be breaking them up. We also had to leave our dog and my beloved cat behind, neither of whom would have handled the journey well at all - especially if we were to return after a year and they’d had to spend 8 weeks in quarantine. Saying goodbye to their beloved pets was excruciating.

 

Initially, we started the boys off in an international school. Again, if we only stayed in France for a year it felt a little kinder for them to spend half their week in French and half in English, to have friends in similar situations to them who they could bond with over that experience, and for us to have some expat friends too. Unfortunately, the school we chose had only just opened the new campus we’d chosen and the administration wasn’t great, so we ended up moving them to a French public school after only one term. They made friends with a lovely boy from that school though and our families have become really close. 

 

Adjusting to French school was tough, especially for our eldest. The language was exhausting for them and they’d often spend the evenings having meltdowns over minor things and crying, which is not normal for our boys. However, we were lucky to have a school that had an international section so it has a wonderful French language catch up program. The boys had 6 hours a week of intensive French classes and our youngest even scored above average in the National school testing in January (after only starting there in November!). 

 

Our oldest son struggled to make friends as the grade 4 kids already had strongly-established friendships. The youngest was fine as he started in CP (first year of primary school), so all the other kids were only just starting and making new friendships too - he’s also very talented at soccer, so he was a popular pick for the lunch time teams! Within about 3-4 months, their French was good enough to keep up with their peers and they were both feeling comfortable at school. It was great when they started swim lessons at school too, their friends were all blown away by their prowess in the pool - they’re pretty good by Aussie standards, but impressive compared to the rest of the world! 

 

It really took a whole year for our oldest to feel truly accepted into the friendship groups, though. As a parent, it was so painful to see him struggling when he’d been so settled with his friends back home in Australia. However, it’s also been one of the most wonderful things to watch him become bilingual and create secure friendships with French kids at school. They’re both really thriving now, which is such a relief and a joy to see. We’re so proud of how hard they’ve both worked to become fluent in French in such a short time and to overcome the challenges of not only starting a new school, but in another language. 

 

As for food, initially they didn’t like the French school lunches and ate mostly the endless pieces of baguette with butter for lunch. But now they eat almost everything they’re served up there and are super picky about their cheeses.. a comté (French cheese made from unpasteurised cow's milk) simply MUST be aged for at least 18 months and they love a nice goat’s cheese too!. Rest assured that whenever there is a grève (strike) - every term at least, they get a Vegemite sandwich and caramello koala or killer python in their lunchbox!

 

Oh and their favourite thing about school in France? No school on Wednesday. 

Thanks so much, Clare. I look forward to sharing Part Two of our interview soon where you reflect on some of your more memorable moments, and let us know if your French journey is set to continue. Until then, Clare can be found on Instagram @mme_cabernet_franks

And for another French-Australian story (mine 😊), please find below links to my 5 books (including Books 1-3 in my 'French at Heart' series). With thanks.

The links should take you to where you need to go, wherever you are in the world, to make a purchase.

• But you are in France, Madame: One family, three children, five bags and the promise of adventure living in the French Alps
• Weaving a French Life: An Australian story
• Love, fear and a return to France: A family memoir
• With bare feet and sandy toes: Growing up in Australia in the 1960s & 70s
• Talk and Play with your Child in French

La Providence in Provence ... discover the good life

 

Nancy, it has been lovely connecting with you. Thanks for participating in my occasional series, ‘Australians in France.'

Can you tell us about yourself and your French connection? 

I spent most of my life until now living in Australia but took a big mid-life leap last year to come and live permanently in France. In my own defence, there was some logic to the decision. For the previous few years, I had been working for the Alliance Française (a French language and culture centre) and my husband is French. But the real decider was that I fell utterly in love with a crumbling farmhouse in Provence. It was La Santonne that signed the deal for me.

 

You have bought and are renovating a property (La Santonne) in France:

 

·      Do you live in France or spend some of the year there?

I live there…or to be more exact, right now I live in a mobile home in front of our house La Santonne.

 

·      For many, choosing to buy in Provence would need no explanation, but why did you choose Revest-du-Bion? 

If you are someone who believes in the power of the stars, then I would answer that I was led there by them. But the more rational answer is that a real estate ad landed in my inbox, I took one look at the photo of the property, was lovestruck and found myself on a plane three days later headed for France. In the meantime, I had discovered that La Santonne is actually in the town where my father-in-law was born. Some would say it “was meant to be.” My husband calls it “la Providence.” It does read like a fairy tale and I’ve written the whole story in my blog that I’ve just launched. 

 

·      What advice would you give to other families who dream of buying their own special place in France? Do you have any practical tips regarding the purchase process? What do you wish you had known before you signed for your French home?

It’s really important to be in contact with a notaire – a French conveyancing lawyer – before starting the purchase process. There are English speaking notaires in Australia who specialise in helping Australians buy in France. So I highly recommend tracking one down in Australia and making contact before going to look at property in France. I also organised a surveyor to check the structural integrity of the building before I made an offer. He was quite some guy … I’ve written about Monsieur Pierre in my blog.

 

·      Was your intention always to renovate in France? 

Kind of…but not to this scale! The house hasn’t been lived in for 26 years. It is officially uninhabitable and we are undergoing a huge renovation to bring La Santonne back to life again. Frankly, it’s much more than I expected to take on. But I fell in love at first sight and threw caution to the wind! That said, we had always intended to buy a property large enough for us and to set up an AirBnB to welcome guests to the region, so we had known there would be some renovation required…just not this much! It is quite a project and you can follow the unfolding renovation on the La Santonne Instagram account.

 

·      You plan to welcome guests to enjoy your French life. Can you tell us what they can expect?

The motto of La Santonne’s logo is “Discover the good life in Provence!” and that is exactly what we offer. We can show you where to go for good food, good wine and good company as you relax in the stunning surroundings of La Santonne. Guests will be staying in the old Shepherds House, which is at the West end of the La Santonne looking out to the Mont Ventoux, often with our ponies grazing in the foreground. This fully self-contained space will have a woodburning stove to cuddle up in front of in the winter months and a fully equipped kitchen so you can cook with the regional organic produce we can arrange to be delivered to your door. 

 

Our part of Provence – high on the Plateau d’Albion and in the midst of lavender fields – is off the beaten tourist track. We offer a more authentic experience of Provence life where farming is still the predominant activity and tourism hasn’t overtaken the landscape. The local markets are a riot of colourful produce and the surrounding countryside is incredibly diverse – everything from rocky mountain ranges to gorges with aqua blue rivers running through. My husband Patrice grew up in Provence and knows all the hidden spots only the locals know. We can share these with guests through our bespoke itinerary service where I put together a program based on clients’ interests. These can either be self-drive itineraries or guests can take advantage of the fully guided service. This is where I act as chauffeur and interpreter meaning that guests experience the real Provence by being able to chat with the locals and truly relax by not having to drive on the winding roads of the region. An extra glass of wine at lunch won’t be a problem! This is the real way to safely get off the beaten track and discover the real Provence.

 

To give you an idea of what the experience is like, here is a testimonial from one of my recent full-service tours:

 

“The beauty and history of Sisteron, the majesty of the Gorges de la Méouge, the richness of Valley de Touleronc, markets in Banon, a picnic, morning tea in an organic bakery known only to the locals (I can’t give it away), exploring perched villages and walking in the shadow of Mont Ventoux are what I chose and only some of what Nancy’s tours offer. It was an unforgettable day and I would never have discovered half of these perfect places without Nancy’s guidance. A magical experience!”

 

 

Do you speak French? I talk frequently with families who feel that their French would not be sufficient for either living in or buying in France. What are your thoughts about the level of language required?

Yes, I speak French close to fluently…although the gender of all the nouns is still a weak point! It has definitely helped having a level of French enabling me to talk easily with the locals and make friends. That said, I don’t think my level is necessary for people not living permanently in France. For those intending to buy a holiday house and spend chunks of time there, basic French is enough to get by, especially if you are in areas where many people speak English (not mine!). But for a truly authentic experience, I do feel the more French you have, the more you can engage with the world around you and truly connect with the culture and people. And as someone who used to run a French language school, you can’t expect me not to encourage people to learn the beautiful language of French!  

 

 

I love to hear of different village traditions and stories. How have you adapted to life in your village and your village to you? 

I live opposite a tiny village of just 400 people and have become known as the Australienne with the huge black dog. Standard poodles are surprisingly uncommon in France and so the pair of us make quite an impression apparently! At the same time, given my father-in-law was born in the village, I often get told by locals “I knew your father-in-law”…even the mayor mentioned this to me when I went in for the official visit that is customary when one moves into a village. He then added that they used to hunt regularly together and gave me a big smile. So it’s like I’m half an alien and half a local. 

 

One little thing that I love in village life is the clock bell that rings at every hour and half hour from 5am to 11pm. I feel it accompanies me throughout the day. It’s a steady presence that reassures by its regularity and tradition. It’s probably been ringing for centuries.

 

 

If you can’t live in France, what do you think is the best time of year to visit? Apart from your wonderful place in France, do you have any favourite French villages or towns that you would recommend to other families?

I would definitely say May and June are my favourite months where I live. The beginning of spring sees the wild flowers blooming all through the fields and the previously bare tree trunks and branches push forth an amazingly rich array of shades of green. Everything seems to glow. The word stunning seems hardly to suffice.

 

Although Provence is home, there is another region of France that remains close to my heart: Alsace. In the north east and on the border with Germany, this area has a very different architecture and culture to the rest of France. It’s famous for its Christmas markets resplendent with colourful decorations, mixed spice Christmas treats and little wooden cabins selling all things perfect for the festive season. I spent 3 months living there with my children and we all have such happy memories of our winter in Alsace.

 

Can you tell us just one thing that makes your life in France special?

The feeling that life is beautiful here. When I wake up to the pink glow behind the Mont Ventoux, or sit with a coffee in the bustling market at my local town, banter with a stall-holder, or put the world to rights with the farmer I buy my hay from, then at the end of the day gaze out across the lavender fields with a glass of wine in hand …I feel there could be no more beautiful way to live than here.

 

 

Thanks so much, Nancy. Your comment "the feeling that life is beautiful here" resonates completely with me and I'm sure it does too with my readers.

If you would like to follow Nancy's journey, discuss a tour or enquire about one of her two apartments for rental (beginning in 2024) Nancy can be found on Instagram. Her blog, more photos and details can be found here

I look forward to staying in touch and thanks again for sharing your French life with us.

Catherine's books (including her books celebrating her French-Australian life) below.

The links should take you to where you need to go, wherever you are in the world, to make a purchase.

Merci mille fois

But you are in France, Madame: One family, three children, five bags and the promise of adventure living in the French Alps

Weaving a French Life: An Australian story

Love, fear and a return to France: A family memoir

With bare feet and sandy toes: Growing up in Australia in the 1960s & 70s

Burgundian Beauty

Kate's home in Lucenay-l’Évêque in Burgundy

Kate, it has been lovely connecting with you. Thank you for participating in my occasional series, ‘Australians in France.' 

Can you tell us about yourself and your French connection? 

I really discovered France later in life. My first trip to Europe was at 41, with Paris being our first stop. It was definitely love at first sight. Since then, my husband Nathan and I have been lucky enough to spend time exploring many regions of France, especially those noted for their food and wine. As a chef, Nathan looks to France and French cuisine as the foundation of modern cookery, and we have embraced our quest to experience as much of it as possible with great gusto! Our travels throughout France have provided inspiration for multiple hospitality venues that we have been involved in - a tiny laneway wine bar, a French bistro and a neighbourhood café. We love that we have been able to bring a little piece of France back with us to share with others and to help us not miss France as much when we are not there. 

Kate and her husband in their garden

You have bought and are renovating a property in France, do you live in France or spend some of the year there?

We take full advantage of the Schengen visa that allows non-EU passport holders to spend 90 days per 180 in France. That means that we are in France for 6 months of the year and in Geelong for the other half.

Can you tell us how you settled on Burgundy for your French home? 

We love many regions of France and toyed with the idea of buying in Normandy (good proximity to Paris) or in the Jura (fabulous wine) but Burgundy has it all for us. We love its scenery, its easy access to Paris, Dijon and Lyon and of course its iconic food and wine offerings. The weather is idyllic for us too … four very distinct seasons with warm and pleasant summers and crisp, cold winters. 

What advice would you give to other families who dream of buying their own special place in France?

DO IT! It’s incredibly exciting and rewarding and relatively easy. Coming from Australia, where housing prices and the cost of living is high, we found that you can actually achieve your dream of owning your own little piece of France very affordably. 

Have your criteria on size, price, region etc. but be a little open and flexible. Your dream home may be where you least expect it. 

Do you have any practical tips regarding the purchase process? 

Have the patience of a saint. Nothing happens quickly. French real estate agents (Immobiliers) are more relaxed and not always as responsive as ones in Australia. 

Make as many appointments as you can to see properties in person whilst you are in France. We made our purchase online from Australia and had only photos and one video to go on. 

Open a French bank account. This is not necessary for the purchase, but will have you ready to sign up for all your utilities. 

Use a buyer's advocate if the agent for the property doesn’t speak English (and if your French is not up to deciphering legal documents) They will  guide you through the whole process, even negotiating the sale price for you, will hold the key for you until you get to the property, and in our case, help you get your utilities set up. 

The French purchase system we found does not have the big negotiation range that we tend to have in Australia. You may only get a few thousand off the asking price. 

A new roof, electrics and septic are expensive works and a change in ownership may trigger having to bring existing systems up to code. Have your agent or buyer's advocate alert you to any impending costs. 

If you are looking at buying purely a home for holidays, maybe reconsider buying a 5-acre farm or anything with a lot of land involving upkeep. The grass and weeds can grow at a staggering pace. We know this first hand with our property. 

If you are considering buying in a rural area, make sure that your land boundaries and right of access for you and your neighbours are explained to you very clearly. Often plots of land are not adjoining and in many instances, the farmer or neighbour has rights to go through your property. This is to note, particularly, if you’re planning to put a pool or a garage etc.

What do you wish you had known before you signed for your French home?     

Just how patient you have to be!  Especially when you are purchasing remotely. We wish that we had been more aware that when the agent said that the house comes fully furnished (which most do) that he also meant that we inherited the contents of all the outbuildings as well. That in our case included copious amounts of rubbish, old white goods and a gigantic, rust-riddled bulldozer. We were quoted €2000 to remove it all. 

If you can, use tradespeople that are referred to you by people you trust and ideally from your village or town. Usually tradespeople only work in a very small radius from their home base. 

Might there be a renovation story or two that you could share?

SO MANY! One fun one was that we found a secret room at the back of the house that wasn’t on the floor plan that we were given by the agent. The owners had said there was something back there but that they had never entered the sealed and padlocked room. Nathan had grandiose visions of unearthing a priceless collection of vintage pinot noir, but all we found was a dusty small room with two dormant dormice who were not very happy about being disturbed. It has now become a candle-lit cellar lined with wine racks and with a wine cask for a table.  It stays at a perfect cool temperature year round, and is filled with a lovely (although not priceless) selection of local Burgundy wine. 

Is your long-term plan to welcome guests (holiday let, other experiential services)?

We want to have guest accommodation and host cooking classes and food and wine tours as soon as possible. The house and barn are being renovated with that in mind as we are dying to share our little (relatively unknown) part of Burgundy with as many people as possible. 

Do you speak French? I talk frequently with families who feel that their French would not be sufficient for either living in or buying in France. What are your thoughts about the level of language required?

Un peu…..

We have found that you can definitely get by with “Google Translate” BUT negotiations and renovations and friendships can be very challenging to cultivate without knowing some basic  French. At the bare minimum, we feel that a basic knowledge and understanding of pleasantries, numbers and every day conversation is important in becoming a part of your new  French community. Making this effort, coupled with a big smile goes a very long way.

I love to hear of different village traditions and stories. How have you adapted to life in your village and your village to you?

We have happened upon an incredible little village on the edge of the Morvan National Park to call our own. A large number of French people have recently chosen to call Lucenay-l’Évêque home and have made a conscious effort to welcome and embrace all who follow suit. This simple town houses a primary school, a convenience store, a renowned restaurant, a locally designed handbag shop, a hairdresser, an architect's studio, a recording studio, a brocante, a wine bar and soon a patisserie. We have a medieval church that is currently under restoration, a lovely river and a town square that hosts a pizza truck on a Saturday night and a butcher on Wednesdays. 

Our village has accepted us with open arms, and we are humbled to be considered a part of this vibrant community. We are routinely invited to all manner of events and celebrations - birthdays, music sessions, pig roasts, shop openings and weeknight dinners. We, in turn, host couples, families and large groups of new friends to BBQs and dinners at our little house on the outskirts of town. 

Our next door neighbours are incredible. They always ready our house for our visits by opening windows and doors to air it out in summer, or lighting a fire before we arrive in winter. This past Christmas they decorated the whole house with Christmas cheer, and topped it off with a real Christmas tree covered in decorations and lights. I was reduced to tears with their thoughtfulness and generosity. We are very lucky. 

If you can’t live in France, what do you think is the best time of year to visit? 

Oh it’s too hard to choose in our region….

Summer has exceptionally blue skies and endless sunshine. 

Autumn is just stunning with the colour of the leaves in the mountains and on the vines. 

In the colder months, our countryside turns into a stunning, snow-covered winter wonderland. 

We have yet to experience a full spring in Burgundy, and are anxious to see this area come back to life from its sleepy winter. 

We will say from experience that we feel it’s a good idea to avoid Paris in the height of summer as it can be very hot, and many restaurants and small shops are closed for the holidays. We also wouldn’t choose to go to Alsace again in summer, where the wonderfully rich regional food and wine is definitely more suited to snowy winter days than hot summer ones.

Apart from your special region in France, do you have any favourite French places that you would recommend to other families?

Lake Annecy

Annecy and it’s lake. It is staggeringly beautiful and clean and the views will stay with you always. 

Normandy and Brittany. Lovely winding roads with beautiful scenery and stunning coastline (oh and the oysters!).

Jura. Again, beautiful scenery and picture-postcard villages, with really interesting unique regional wine.

And finally, what is your favourite thing about French living?

For us, it is specifically French country living that we love so much. It is the slower pace of life, the scenery, the markets and their magnificent local produce, the affordability of food and wine and the ability to cultivate relationships with those with whom we come in contact.. 

Thanks so much, Kate. I look forward to staying in touch. It has been a pleasure chatting.

If you would like to follow her journey (highly recommended), Kate can be found on Instagram @lapetitemaisonburgundy.

Here again are my three books. Clicking on the links should take you to where you need to go, wherever you are in the world, to make a purchase.

• But you are in France, Madame: One family, three children, five bags and the promise of adventure living in the French Alps
• Weaving a French Life: An Australian story
• With bare feet and sandy toes: Growing up in Australia in the 1960s & 70s