Tag

Ardeche

Cultural Differences, Expat Life, Living in France

Surprising Things in France

​Long before I lived in France and even before I met my husband 17 years ago, I loved reading about France and the things people noticed that differed from their home country. In this case, I came from the San…

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Architecture, Ardèche, Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, Blog, Explore, France, French

8 Months of Living in France

It’s hard to believe it’s been 8 months since I moved to France. Can you believe it? We arrived on 16 August and now it’s April. It’s a beautiful spring day and all the trees that looked dead a month…

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Architecture, Ardèche, Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, Blog, Charming, City, Dessert, Explore, Food, France, French, History, Holiday, Loire, marché, market, Rhone-Alpes, Saint-Étienne, Travel, Valence, Village

My First French Noël

Waking up between 5:30 and 6:00 before my family allows me to savor the tranquility of the early hours. Each morning is a solitary affair, embraced by the gentle glow of dim lights. With the onset of the Christmas holidays,…

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Ardèche, Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, Blog, Food, France, French, French Gifts, Rhone-Alpes, Shopping, Travel, Wine

A Gamm Vert Surprise

Gamm Vert is a French chain of garden nurseries, but it’s much more than that. It’s a one-stop shop for French treats and gifts! The original reason for visiting Gamm Vert was that some friends had told us it might…

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Ardèche, Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, Blog, Cafe, Charming, chestnuts, Dessert, Drôme, Food, France, French, Guides, History, Holiday, Loire, marrons, Rhone-Alpes, Travel, Village, Wine

It’s Been 2 Months of Living in France

A New Chapter: Sacrifices RewardedWe arrived in France on 16 August. After being married to someone who was married to a restaurant, we both desperately longed for “quality of life”. No more setting my alarm late at night to be…

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Ardèche, Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, Blog, Charming, France, French, Rhone-Alpes, Village

Settling in Ardèche

We stayed with my belle-mère (mother-in-law) when we first arrived in France. After three weeks, we finally moved into our own place in the Ardèche department. The Ardèche is known for its stunning scenery, including rolling hills, vineyards, and forests. We…

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Architecture, Ardèche, Auvergne, Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, Blog, Charming, Explore, France, French, Haute-Loire, Loire, marché, market, Rhone-Alpes, Travel, Village

The Big Move

Closing a restaurant, selling our belongings, and giving them away; packing and cleaning up the house for renters was an exhausting experience. I worried for months about how the cats, Toby and Summer, would travel, hoping that they wouldn’t be relegated…

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Architecture, Ardèche, Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, Drôme, Explore, Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, France, Lyon, Montpellier, Provence, Rhone-Alpes, Travel, Uzès, Vacation, Village

It’s Happening – We’re Moving to France!

Fontaine-de-Vaucluse in Provence

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Ardèche, Auvergne, Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, Blog, Charming, Dessert, Explore, Ferme Auberge, Food, France, French, l'eau de vie, Loire, Lyon, market, Montpellier, Rhone-Alpes, Shopping, Travel, Vacation, Village

Food Shopping in France

Take butter for instance. There are so many brands: President, Montfleuri, Elle & Vivre, Grand Fermage, Reflets de France, le Marin, Paysan Breton, and the supermarket’s own brand, Carrefour. Whew, I may have even missed some. Within all those brands,…

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Architecture, Ardèche, Cafe, Charming, chestnuts, Food, France, French, History, Joyeuse, marché, market, marrons, Rhone-Alpes, Travel, Village

Joyeuse: Summer in Ardèche

Joyeuse is a medieval village in Ardèche, France. It’s hard to believe that its population is about 2,000, because on Wednesdays the village is bustling with visitors attending the largest market in Ardèche. The market is held every Wednesday and there are over 500…

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