French Life

Embrace France's joie de vivre with real-life tales and bright ideas ranging from the quirky to the inspirational.

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Edmond Simeoni and the wishes of Corsica

Edmond Simeoni, 82, one of the founders of the Corsican nationalist movement, told Connexion the elections in December 2015 were a real shot in the arm for their dreams of autonomy.

Relax over a coffee and cake... with feline friends

Café des Chats in Paris, the first in France. The cat is called Izmir

Every edition we assess an aspect of the French zeitgeist. This month: the trend for cafés full of feline friends, by Jane Hanks

Comfort, nostalgia and all mod cons

In her new book about Parisian interiors, Catherine Synave visits stylish homes in both vibrant and tranquil neighbourhoods, and finds an eclectic array of homes imbued with nostalgia or embracing bright modernism.

Horses’ hooves stop rot disease and save vineyard

Slowly but surely, horses are being brought in to work France’s vineyards. In the Bordeaux region, organic Château le Puy has been using its own horses since 2000. It opened its doors to Brian McCulloch, who discovered the advantages of horsepower over machines

Appreciating cultural differences is key at work

French and British businesses do not operate in the same way – as any Briton who has worked for a French company will tell you. It means meetings can easily turn into a minefield of misunderstandings due to cultural differences.

The stylish art of French family living

For her new book, Siham Mazouz met French families in their stylish homes. Here she presents two favourites.

Cinema truck takes films on the road to rural communes

Having a local cinema is not something that many small communes can afford or support but in Centre-Val de Loire a touring cinema is bringing the latest titles to a circuit of 46 rural areas.

Garden news: May

For the green-fingered and lovers of outdoor living

May arrives... smelling of roses

From her Vosges garden, Cathy Thompson reveals her favourite varieties

Organic farmer-turned-modern-miller

From field to flour... a Dordogne farmer has built his own mill marrying both old and new technology, as Jane Hanks finds out

A word in your ear from the podcasting pioneers

Every edition we assess an aspect of the French zeitgeist. This month: the huge popularity of downloadable audio, by Jane Hanks

"With France I have come up trumps”

Jane Hanks talks to the actress and author Carol Drinkwater about her latest book, The Lost Girl, the joys of living in France and her own Hollywood #MeToo experience

Our school’s playtime bell is a jazz riff

A quiet Gascon town each summer hosts the international Jazz in Marciac festival and it has created exciting new opportunities for pupils who attend the local school for jazz classes. Nick Inman finds out more

Great British superspy has dedicated French followers

The biggest and longest running non-commercial James Bond Fan Club, is in France.

Music and the food of love

Cultural digest: a round-up of news, and those creating ‘le buzz’ in art, music and film

Owner of first travel bookshop dislikes ‘browsers’

As a bookseller, nothing annoys Catherine Domain more than when she asks someone entering her shop if she can help and the person responds “Just browsing”

Gold-beaters: trade so rare there is just one left

Crafts in focus: Apprenticeship with last business standing is the only way to get into this once so popular trade

A novel approach to French family history

Tracy Chevalier is one of the most popular contemporary novelists in both France and the UK. On one of her frequent visits across the Channel, she told Jane Hanks about her French roots and writing

Now trending: affordable gyms attract keep-fit fans

Every edition we assess an aspect of the French zeitgeist. This month: the growth of gyms and fitness sessions, by Jane Hanks

Cultural losses, cultural gains

A round-up of news, and those creating ‘le buzz’ in art, music and film

Now trending: vinyl is back in style

Every edition we assess an aspect of the French zeitgeist. This month: the renaissance of vinyl album sales, by Jane Hanks

How to survive cross-cultural meeting of minds

Cross-cultural consultant Guy Bondonneau (pictured below) tells Jane Hanks that negotiating the minefield of a French meeting is just a matter of understanding some key differences