Magazine

Letters: France's confusing postcode system is the bane of our life

Connexion reader uses parcel drop-off points to receive and take parcel deliveries

Reviving rural France: café culture brings a small Dordogne community together

'We are getting more and more English members, so if any readers live in the area, please do drop in.'

Dissecting typical French apéritifs

From blackcurrant Dubonnet to the vibrant Lillet 'sisters'

magazine

How I moved to France and took up pottery

Former head teacher Sarah Patterson found a new home and a new passion in her 50s

Fancy fowl and posing peacocks: observe the flamboyance of female birds in France

Jonathan Kemp explores the captivating courtship displays of birds, and explains how you can too

Tarragon, basil, chervil: the 'Holy Trinity' of French herbs

How to buy, grow, store, and use these essential herbs in your cooking

What makes France so French?

We take a look at five French traditions on the UNESCO 'intangible cultural heritage' list

Centre Pompidou renovation: get to know this 'inside out' Paris site

Centre Pompidou is one of France’s most recognisable public buildings, but it will be temporarily closed to the public from September

Comment: Brexit 'reset' cannot repair the damage it did to people with links to France

Columnist Nick Inman urges Brexit advocates to own their past promises and address the consequences of their actions

Comment: Jogging is now a respectable French pastime

Columnist Sarah Henshaw notes how it has gone from being a joke to a passion in the country

Learning French: rouler en chasse-patate and more Tour de France expressions

The 100-year-old annual bicycle race has long-standing traditions and even its own vocabulary

Letters: British residents of France spar over residency rights

Connexion readers reveal how visa rules affect visits to their French properties post-Brexit

NFL boss dreams of lifting American football to 'the next level' in France

New COO of the Paris Musketeers, Sebastian Stolz, believes the sport can gain traction in France

How I became a calligrapher after moving to France

When engineer Cristina Urzicaru, 31, moved to Versailles for work, her improved work-life balance gave her more free time to take up the practice

Bordeaux's iconic lamprey dish faces extinction

A court ban on lamprey fishing threatens the future of a historic French delicacy

Five exhibitions to see in France this summer

A round up of events for your cultural calendar

Did you know? France used to put animals in the dock

Pigs represented 90% of the convicted animals

A guide to spicing up French cuisine

Find out where to source 'one of the best chillies around', plus learn how to make a traditional Basque stew

France's centuries-old craft group looks to more diverse future

The organisation of artisans and craftspeople dates from the Middle Ages

Try these tips for learning French when you are in your fifties

Columnist Cynthia Spillman’s husband failed O-level French twice but then passed his GCSE and AS-level aged 52 - she shares the tips that helped him become more fluent

Learning French: jouer à l’oreille and more musical phrases

Fine-tune your music-themed vocabulary for the fête de la musique on June 21

Inside Sir Ridley Scott's Provençal paradise

The acclaimed British film director talks exclusively to The Connexion about his Vaucluse home, the wine he makes there and how French history has inspired his work

Experiences: Why I love living in Lot-et-Garonne

Connexion reader Richard Hall explains why he and his wife Maria settled on the banks of the river Lot

French wine guide: choosing regional reds

Jonathan Hesford says correct pairing with food is the key to your vin rouge selection

A Jardin Ouvert to visit in the Loire Valley: ‘I want it to be a proper garden fête’

Musical performances, flower bouquets, a tombola, art exhibitions and donkeys... Sarah Beattie hears about how a chance twist of fate led to this lovely Beaugency hideaway being part of the Open Gardens charity

Learning French: vocabulary to use at the post office in France

Practise key post-office phrases and vocabulary in this practical French lesson from the Little Language School

Letters: French funerals are surprisingly well-organised

Connexion reader shares her experience of the procedures and paperwork involved

Learning French: Ça tape and nine other expressions for hot weather

From a 'lead sun' to 'swimming' in sweat, here are some phrases to use as the temperature soars across France

Meet the farming family who moved from Devon to France

‘We have a mix of French and British customers across the country’

Lynx in France are under threat from poaching and road collisions

Animal protection centres are encouraging the public to report poaching in a strive to boost conservation efforts

Recipe: sun-dried tomato, olive and basil bread

Try this tasty quiche-bread which can be packed as a picnic treat

Learning French: what does quelconque mean and when should it be used?

An adjective to describe something ordinary or insignificant

Letters: Gluten-free diets are a challenge living in France

Connexion readers share their challenges and hidden gems for gluten-free dining and shopping

Comment: Taste cheese before you buy it - they expect you to in France

Columnist Samantha David explains the best way to discover your favourite French delicacies lies at the supermarket counter

Three reading recommendations: books about France in English

Tips for trying to make French friends, a gripping tale set in Paris, and romantic easy-reading set in Provence

Taf: what does this common little word mean (it is actually an acronym)

When to use the acronym for 'travail à faire', or 'work to do'

French translations can be delightful... when done wrong

Columnist Nick Inman looks at author Mark Twain's humorous take on French translation

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: Diving South

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

How to reclaim your health in later life while living in France

Columnist Cynthia Spillman explains how a recent health scare helped her make the right lifestyle changes – from utilising France's excellent healthcare and enjoying its picturesque countryside

‘We came to France for a 12-month sabbatical and decided to stay’

Texas couple fell in love with the culture and language

Comment: Bullfighting is ancient French art and will continue

Southern France’s bullfighting tradition is stronger than ever, according to the association that defends the practice

Recipe: add pâté de campagne to your charcuterie board

Tips for buying charcuterie in France and creating the best platters for guests

Rodez: a tale of two small pink-tinted cities

Art historian Julia Faiers marvels at the cathedral and medieval treasures of this city in Aveyron (Occitanie), once split in two

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Learning French: how to tell the time in France

O’clock, half past, noon… Practise key time phrases and vocabulary in this practical French lesson from the Little Language School

French garden: choose drought tolerant daisies and echinacea

Cathy Thompson tells us why she is hooked on the grassland plants of the North American prairie

Bonfire of the vineyards gathers pace in Bordeaux

Columnist Sue Adams explains why acres of vines are being taken up and burned in a wine-growing region

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: Pilgrims in peril

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

Mid-season filler flowers for your French garden

Test these colourful tips for replacing victims of winter rot or frost

Learning French: Five fun ways to make a decision in France

From chifumi to chou-fleur... do you know the French equivalent to 'rock, paper, scissors'?

Five things they don’t tell you about... babies in France

From maternal diets to confusing names, there are many cultural differences to keep an eye out for...

Property watch: See what €50,000, €150,000 and over €1m buys in Haut-Rhin

The north-east department is known for its strong German influences

Letters: The French are not always above petty xenophobic jibes

Connexion readers argue that British 'insults' towards the French are made in goodwill

Photos: The secret wildlife hidden in French cities

Photographer Nicolas de Vaulx reveals the surprising urban habitats of France's diverse animal life

How a family embraced living on a bus and travelling around France

Kevin and Olivia Cadorne purchased an old bus, turned it into their home and set out to explore France with their three children

Letters: We have been without a GP or dentist for years in France

Connexion readers share their experiences of living in a 'medical desert'

Paris Nuit Blanche 2025: join in this weekend’s ‘all night’ free culture festival

Dozens of galleries, museums, and art spaces are holding events and tours

Letters: Walking in France is impossible due to hunters

Connexion reader says he has given up as it is 'just not worth the risk'

Tips on how to manage a French chateau - and how to get your own

Chateau owners Lionel and Claire Cherruault share their experience

How I became a ghostwriter after moving to France

Tracy Stewart, 58, a risk specialist, moved to France in 2014. Her life took an unexpected turn, leading her on a new career journey within the publishing industry